AFI Fest: Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s ‘Evil Does Not Exist’

By Abe Friedtanzer 

Following Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s Oscar nomination for Best Director for Drive My Car two years ago and his win in the Best International Feature category, it’s fair to assume most foreign-language cinephiles will be seeking out his work if they weren’t already. I had the chance to see Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, his other 2021 film, which was very different but just as interesting in its own way. Now, Hamaguchi’s latest, Evil Does Not Exist, is touring the festival circuit, with previous stops at Venice, Toronto, and New York, among others, before the currently running AFI Fest…

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TIFF '23: A Dozen of Festival Highlights

by Cláudio Alves

The 48th Toronto International Film Festival ended last Sunday, but this coverage continues. Even so, it's time to bring things to a close, so here's the last batch of reviews, all capsules because we're running out of time. They span five continents and a dozen nationalities, comprising a trip around the world through the vehicle borderless vehicle of cinema. Directorial approaches are as distinct as the cultures depicted, from meta-cinematic musings to modern noir, from magical realism with a spring on its step to the slowest of slow cinema. Still, all the works deserve your attention. They are shining gems that prove how, despite assertions to the contrary, cinema isn't dying. At TIFF, it's alive and thriving…

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Venice 2023: Complete List of Winners including the "Queer Lion"

by Nathaniel R

Evil Does Not Exist, Green Border, and Poor Things all scored big at Venice.

In the event that Elisa is taking a well earned 24 hour nap before any last words we thought we'd share the complete list of winners from the 80th edition of the Venice Film Festival culled from various sources including Wikipedia, Variety, and Venice's Official Site. As soon as TIFF wraps we'll update all the Oscar charts. Obviously Poor Things (the big winner) is moving up though it's worth noting that we had been banking on in before the screenings began. The Best International Feature Film Oscar race also is greatly affected by the big festivals so more on that soon, too...

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