Contributions from Rafa Sales Ross | Little White Lies

Contributor Rafa Sales Ross

A young woman wearing a red jacket and shorts stands in the middle of a crowd of people lying on the ground.
Festivals

The Wave – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

Sebastián Lelio’s musical take on Chile’s MeToo movement is a misjudged gum-smacking mess.
Two people, a young man and woman, with serious expressions, looking intently at each other.
Festivals

Romería – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

This semiautobiographical drama from Golden Bear-winner Carla Simón makes for a heartfelt exploration on the joys and pains of extended family.
A man with a beard wearing a white shirt and holding a red telephone in front of a wall covered with old newspaper clippings.
Festivals

The Secret Agent – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

An undercover agent discovers he can’t escape his troubled past in Kleber Mendonça Filho’s gripping new drama about the height of Brazil’s military dictatorship.
Two persons embracing, one wearing an orange jumper, the other a blue top, against a dark background with lamps.
Festivals

The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

A young girl living in a sleepy Chilean mining town reckons with prejudice that emerges when a mysterious illness sweeps the residents in Diego Céspedes’ modern western.
Two individuals, a man and a woman, conversing in front of a neon "BAR" sign in a dimly lit setting.
Review

Motel Destino review – a sleazy stay in a neon nightmare

by Rafa Sales Ross

A young enforcer for a Brazilian gangster finds himself hiding out at a sleazy sex hotel in Karim Aïnouz’s neo-noir.

5
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A person standing in a dimly lit room, wearing a blue robe and holding an object in their hands.
Review

April review – eerily elusive, superbly acted and crafted

by Rafa Sales Ross

Dea Kulumbegashvili’s stark Georgian drama follows an obstetrician who moonlights as an abortionist, as she is accused of interfering with her patients.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A woman with dark hair and a serious expression, wearing a green floral shirt and looking at the camera.
Review

I’m Still Here review – memory as resistance

by Rafa Sales Ross

Walter Salles returns to narrative filmmaking with a sensitive depiction of the forced disappearance of former congressman Rubens Paiva, and the devastation his family faced.

5
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
A man aiming a revolver in a confrontational pose.
Review

The Order review – sadly prescient true life ’80s cop thriller

by Rafa Sales Ross

It’s cops versus Nazis in this old school policier from Justin Kurzel, powered by ace lead performances from Jude Law and Nicholas Hoult.

1
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Woman in red jumper holding a bouquet of pink flowers, standing in a room with a yellow background.
Festivals

Greek Cinema Now: A Postcard from the Thessaloniki Film Festival

by Rafa Sales Ross

While the likes of Yorgos Lanthimos and Athina Rachel Tsangari have gone travelling the world, what’s going down on the Greek home front?
A person sleeping peacefully in a dimly lit bedroom, surrounded by a wooden headboard and delicate floral branches.
Festivals

Emmanuelle – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

Audrey Diwan’s take on the infamous erotic French novel is a chilly, bemusing affair that lacks for a sense of real purpose.
Woman in teal dress standing in dark, cluttered room with wooden furniture and fittings.
Festivals

April – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

Dea Kulumbegashvili’s stark Georgian drama follows an obstetrician who moonlights as an abortionist, as she is accused of interfering with her patients.
A couple relaxing on a sofa, covered with a blanket, against a window showing a scenic view.
Festivals

Love – first-look review

by Rafa Sales Ross

Dag Johan Haugerud’s exploration of human desire is a sadly all too sterile affair.