Festivals

SXSW

Forbidden Fruits – first-look review

by Monica Castillo

A mall-haunting girl gang channel the spirit of Mean Girls and Jawbreaker in Meredith Alloway’s fun take on teen tensions which premiered at SXSW.
SXSW

Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice – first-look review

by Monica Castillo

With snappy dialogue, destructive all-out fight scenes and great cast rapport, BenDavid Grabinski lit up SXSW with an action comedy that punches well above its weight.
SXSW

Over Your Dead Body – first-look review

by Monica Castillo

Jason Segel and Samara Weaving play a married couple on the outs and ready to kill in Jorma Taccone’s uproariously funny horror comedy that bowed at SXSW.
Festivals

Diving into the SXSW film line-up

The new satirical comedy film from Boots Riley kicks off Austin’s 2026 celebration of movies, music and innovation.
Two people in white shirts lying on a bed, one person laughing whilst covering their face with their hand, the other smiling nearby.
Tokyo International Film Festival

Chihiro Amano: 'It was like I hit a wall in all directions'

by Hannah Strong

At the Tokyo International Film Festival, Japanese filmmaker Chihiro Amano reflects on how her experience of motherhood led her to direct the relationship drama Sato and Sato.
Black and white portrait of a bearded Black man holding a vintage folding camera, positioned close to his face in dramatic lighting.
Interviews

Yemi Bamiro on the making of Black Is Beautiful: The Kwame Brathwaite Story

by Farah Sadek

The documentary filmmaker breathes life and love into this doc on the trailblazing photographer who helped to define the aesthetics of the ​“Black is Beautiful” movement.
Speaker at podium on dark stage with large orange projection screen displaying "18th Toronto Palestine Film Festival 2025" text and sponsor logos.
Journeys

Inside the 18th edition of Toronto's Palestine Film Festival

by Filipa Pajevic

Putting on this year’s festival of Palestinian film in the Canadian cultural hub wasn’t easy, but the stories kept coming.
Woman with long hair driving car, viewed from passenger side. Warm orange lighting creates golden glow on face and interior.
Festivals

Seven Unexpected Gems from the 2025 BFI London Film Festival

by Lucy Peters

Future screenings of these films are absolutely worth snapping up a ticket for, and guaranteed to be unlike anything else you watch this year.
Close-up portrait of Théodore Pellerin with dramatic blue and orange lighting casting contrasting colours across face, emphasising bright blue eyes.
San Sebastian Film Festival

Lurker – first-look review

by Hannah Strong

Théodore Pellerin shines in Alex Russell’s thriller about a young man’s parasocial relationship with a musician. 
Young girl in blue dress sits on grass holding black device, with orange and pink balloons nearby and football goal in background.
Toronto Film Festival

Blue Heron – first-look review

by Jenna Mahale

Sophy Romvari’s feature debut is a formally adventurous, touching portrait of childhood.
Blonde woman in brown jacket behind blue metal bars speaking to dark-haired man in blue coat standing outside the cell.
Toronto Film Festival

Two Pianos – first-look review

by Mark Asch

Arnaud Desplechin is on fine form with this drama in which a pianist finds himself caught between the future and the past.
Black man in brown military-style coat stands beside wooden door, facing older white man in blue striped jumper in dimly lit interior.
Toronto Film Festival

The Christophers – first-look review

by Mark Asch

Steven Soderbergh casts Sir Ian McKellen and Michaela Cole in his London-set art world drama.