Documentary Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Documentary

Two men seated outdoors, one with a beard, wearing coats and jumpers.
Review

Merchant Ivory review – an affectionate yet shallow biodoc

by Marina Ashioti

Stephen Soucy delves into the creative and personal partnership of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory which produced some of Britain’s greatest literary adaptations.

3
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Two girls sitting at desks, drawing and writing in their notebooks. Colourful pens and pencils on the desks.
Review

Favoriten review – a moving exploration into the artistic potential of children

by Jordan Cronk

Over three years, Ruth Beckermann documents school life in a multicultural working class district of Vienna.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Large green creature jumping over a black limousine in a cityscape with people standing around.
Review

Grand Theft Hamlet review – all the world’s a stage

by Marina Ashioti

A production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in online world of Grand Theft Auto became these two actors’ answer to the pandemic’s enforced lockdowns.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A close-up view of a man with dishevelled dark hair making a wide, toothy grin.
Review

The Contestant review – discomforting and totally immersive

by Barney Nuttall

Clair Titley’s doc tells the outrageous story of a Japanese man who was left naked and trapped in a room for over a year, unwittingly becoming a reality TV star.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Woman in black top and white skirt stands amidst cluttered kitchen
Review

Witches review – leaves you wowed, wounded and educated

by David Jenkins

This vital and deeply personal essay doc carefully dissects and dismantles age-old representations of witches.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Three individuals, a man and two women, seated in a car.
Review

Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat review – a sprawling geopolitical tapestry

by Phil Concannon

Johan Grimonprez’s documentary explores the circumstances that led two American jazz musicians to crash the UN Security Council in protest against the murder of Congolese leader Patrice Lumumba.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Silhouetted armoured military vehicle on rocky terrain, figures in foreground
Review

No Other Land review – a microcosm of Palestinian resistance

by Fatima Sheriff

Calling for a free Palestine, this vital doc chronicles the resilience of the Masafer Yatta community and the occupation’s atrocities in the West Bank.

5
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
5
In Retrospect
A serious-faced young man wearing a red neckerchief and a white suit, surrounded by a dimly lit room with shelves in the background.
Review

Dahomey review – a blueprint for anti-colonialist action

by David Jenkins

Mati Diop offers a creative and moving guide to discussing anti-colonialist action in her very fine follow-up to 2019’s Atlantics.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Figures stand on snowy peak, dressed in grey and white clothing.
Review

A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things review – effusive ode to Willie Barns-Graham

by Marina Ashioti

Mark Cousins’ lyrical exploration into the life and work of a little-known modernist painter from Scotland.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Group of people wearing colourful cowboy hats, shirts, and dresses in a celebratory scene.
Review

Milisuthando review – an intimate, nuanced cine-essay

by Marina Ashioti

This documentary artfully explores familial love, race and belonging through the complex framework of South African history.

3
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect