Two films at Locarno display how often the practice of Christianity contradicts the principles of kindness and empathy found in the New Testament.
Christianity Clash
Locarno
A fantastic feast of films situated on the banks of the shining Lago Maggiore.
Asphalt Guerrilla. The Paradoxes of AI Punk Filmmaking.
The use of artificial intelligence in Edgar Pêra’s Asphalt Guerrilla may be inspired by good intentions, but it bodes poorly for the future of documentaries.
Dreaming of a 1994 Honda Civic
A modest yet touching documentary, Emil Langballe’s Petrolheads examines addiction, mental illness and the redemptive power of friendship and cars.
Coming of Age, Sicilian-Style
Coming-of-age movies in recent years are usually snoozy; Giovanni Tortorici’s whipsmart funny Ketticè is the wonderful exceptional to that rule.
THAT GIRL
A transgender Macedonian woman radically transforms the lives of a group of tomboys in Kukla’s assured and heartfelt Fantasy — live from Locarno!
Mosquitoes Is Big, Bold and More Than a Little Messy
Not everything in Mosquitoes lands, but its big, and bold swings show off the ambition of Nicole and Valentina Bertani’s off-kilter coming-of-age vision.
Two Seasons, Two Strangers. Wistful and Intimate Compassion.
Two distinct, writerly stories emerge from Sho Miyake’s pen in his wistful adaptation of Yoshiharu Tsuge’s manga Mr. Ben and His Igloo, A View of the Seaside.
Dry Leaf. A Bold Grasscutter.
Dry Leaf, Alexandre Koberidze’s much anticipated follow up to What Do We See When We Look At The Sky?, is another meandering exploration of family and football.
Sorella di Clausura. Refreshingly Unserious.
Ivana Mladenović’s mordantly funny Romanian film Sorella di Clausura offers a welcome comic contrast to Locarno’s usual so-so-serious fare.
Balearic Can’t Find The Beat
Ion De Sosa’s dreamy follow-up to horror hit Mamántula is a disappointment, despite all those lovely 16mm images.