What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th October 2021.

Now in its 65th year, the BFI (British Film Institute) London Film Festival, founded in 1957, is currently being held from 6th October through until 17th October. It is the UK’s largest public Festival of its kind and is visited by thousands of film enthusiasts who have the the ability to watch over 300 films, documentaries and shorts from all around the world. The Festival is run in October and shows the most exciting and original films by internationally established film-makers as well as the emerging ones, while the Festival’s visitors also have the ability to see restored archive films. With each year, the London Film Festival also attracts more and more celebrities from the world of motion pictures, some of which take part in the Q&A sessions. These enable the visitors of the Festival to learn more about the screened films and the art of film making. This years Opening Night Gala Film saw the World Premiere of Jeymes Samuel's 'The Harder They Fall', with the Closing Night Gala Film being Joel Coen's 'The Tragedy of Macbeth', his first film without brother Ethan also Directing.

There are eight feature films in Official Competition, those being :-

* 'Belle' - this Japanese anime is Written and Directed by Mamoru Hosoda and follows a socially awkward girl who transforms herself into a megastar within a virtual world.

* 'Il Buco' - from Italy, Germany and France and Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written by Michelangelo Frammartino here tells the story of how in 1961 a group of cave studying scientists discovered the almost 700 metres deep Bifurto Abyss in the caves of Pollino, in Southern Italy. It was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at this years Venice International Film Festival, and won the Special Jury Prize.

* 'The Hand of God' - from Italy and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Paolo Sorrentino this semi-autobiographical family tale is set during the Maradona-obsessed Naples of the 1980's.

* 'Hit the Road' - this Iranian film is the debut feature from Director, Writer and Co-Producer Panah Panahi and tells of a wondrously observed reflection on family and the ambivalence of saying goodbye.

* 'Lingui : The Sacred Bonds' - from Chad, France, Germany and Belgium and Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun this powerful drama celebrates the heroic individualism of ordinary people, confronted with extraordinary circumstances. 

* 'Nitram' - from Australia and Directed and Co-Produced by Justin Kurzel this is the disturbing true story of a young man who, in 1996, went on a killing spree at Port Arthur, Tasmania, Australia that ultimately left 35 people dead and another 23 wounded. The film Premiered at this years Cannes Film Festival in mid-July, where Caleb Landry Jones won the Best Actor award for his performance, in the title role. Also starring Anthony LaPaglia and Judy Davis.

* 'Sundown' - from Mexico, France and Sweden and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Michel Franco this complex study attempts to unravel what it means to try and become someone else. With Tom Roth and Charlotte Gainsbourg.

* 'True Things' - is a UK production Directed and Co-Written by Henry Wootliff that explores the fine line between infatuation and obsession, and the destructive power dynamics of a toxic relationship. Starring Ruth Wilson and Tom Burke.

In addition, the Sutherland Award recognises the most original and imaginative Directorial debut in the First Feature Competition, Here also, there are eight films in contention, taking in 'The Alleys' from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar; 'Azor' from Switzerland, France and Argentina; 'Costa Brava Lebanon' from Lebanon; 'The Feast' from the UK; 'Playground' from Belgium; 'Prayers for the Stolen' from Mexico, Brazil, Germany and Qatar; 'Small Body' from Italy, France and Slovenia; and 'White Building' from Cambodia, France and China. 

The Grierson Award recognises feature length documentary films with integrity, originality and social or cultural significance in the Documentary Competition, of which there are also eight entries. Those are 'All About My Sisters', 'Babi Yar. Context', 'Becoming Cousteau', 'A Cop Movie', 'Cow', 'The Dance', 'Faya Dayi' and 'Nascondino'. There is also the Short Film Competition; the Immersive Art and XR (extended reality) Competition; the Audience Award and the Filmmaker Bursary Award designed to support the future careers of exceptional new UK film talent with a strong focus on representation and inclusion.

For the complete programme of films being showcased at the 65th annual BFI London Film Awards, plus a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/

This week to tease you out to your local Odeon, we have two new films launching with a story set during WWII, in which a young shepherd along with the help of a widow, helps to smuggle Jewish children across the border from southern France into Spain. This is followed by an Icelandic offering featuring a childless couple who discover a mysterious newborn on their farm in Iceland, and the unexpected prospect of family life brings them much joy, before ultimately destroying them.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the two latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'WAITING FOR ANYA' (Rated M) - Co-Written and Directed by Ben Cookson this UK and Belgian co-produced historical WWII drama film is only the second feature film after Cookson's 2014 'Almost Married', and is an adaptation of the 1990 novel of the same name by Michael Morpurgo. The film saw its premier at the Miami Jewish Film Festival in mid-January 2020 and was released in the UK in late February 2020. Only now does it get a showing in Australia having generated just US$36K at the Box Office so far. 

Here, it is 1942, and World War II comes to a remote village in the French countryside. Jo (Noah Schnapp), a teen shepherd, discovers a Jewish man hiding in the mountains and learns of a small operation to smuggle Jewish children to safety in Spain. Aided and abetted by a widow Horcada (Angelica Houston) and her son-in-law Benjamin (Frederick Schmidt) when the Nazis occupy his community, Jo gets involved to save the children's lives, even if that means risking his own. Also starring Jean Reno, Thomas Kretschmann and Sadie Frost. 

'LAMB' (Rated MA15+) - is an Icelandic supernatural horror film Directed and Co-Written by Valdimar Johannsson in his feature film making debut following his short thirteen minute film 'Harmsaga' in 2008. The film saw its World Premier screening at this years Cannes Film Festival in mid-July where it won the Prize for Originality. The film was released in its native Iceland in late September and in the US last week. Here then childless Icelandic couple, Maria (Noomi Rapace) and Ingvar (Hilmir Snaer Gudnason), live with their herd of sheep on a beautiful but remote farm. When they discover a mysterious newborn in their sheep barn they decide to keep it and raise it as their own. The unexpected prospect of a new family brings them much joy, but they soon face the consequences of defying the will of nature that ultimately impacts their relationship and not for the better. Also starring Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson and Ingvar Sugurdsson. 

With just two new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-