The Festival Sections comprise world-renowned programme of the best UK and international independent films; House of Raindance consisting of talks and panel discussions; Raindance VRX programme for virtual reality and new media and networking events. Each year, Raindance attracts 16,000 visitors including 500 industry professionals into London.
The Opening Night film was the International Premier of 'Corner Office' Directed by Joachim Back and starring Jon Hamm as Orson, a corporate drone trying to move up in his entry-level job, discovers a secret room in his drab, soul-crushing office building on his first day in the job - a discovery that causes problems with his new colleagues. The Closing Night Gala film presentation is the International Premier of 'Pinball : The Man Who Saved the Game' Directed by Austin and Meredith Bragg in their feature film debuts. This is the story of journalist Roger Sharpe who has mastered one thing in life - pinball. But when a police raid destroys the only machines he can find in 1970's New York City, he learns the game is illegal. Roger reluctantly fights the ban while falling in love with a single mother. Inspired by true events.
* 'Roving Woman' - from the USA and Poland and Directed by Michal Chmielewski. The driver Sara, has been kicked out of her home amidst a break-up, steals a car, then seemingly falls in love with its owner setting out on a road trip to find him. International Premier.
* 'Goldfish' - from the UK and Directed by Pushan Kripalani. A young woman in her early 30's returns home after much time away to help her mother deal with the onset of dementia, despite their troubled relationship. Aided by a community she once shunned, she discovers her mother anew. European Premier.
* 'Una Femmina - The Code of Silence' - from Italy and Directed by Francesco Costabile. Rosa is a restless girl who lives with her mother’s relatives in a remote South Italian village. When the truth emerges about her mother’s mysterious death, Rosa seeks revenge against her own blood. However, when your family belongs to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia, a single failed step can lead to death. UK Premier.
'ARMAGEDDON TIME' (Rated M) - this American period drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by James Gray, whose previous film making credits take in the likes of 'Little Odessa' in 1994, 'The Yards' in 2000, 'We Own the Night' in 2007, 'The Immigrant' in 2013, 'The Lost City of Z' in 2016, and 'Ad Astra' in 2019. This film saw its World Premier showcasing at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May this year and received a seven minute standing ovation from the gathered audience. It was released Stateside last week, cost US$15M to produce and has generated favourable reviews.
Set in 1980 Queens, the film follows Paul Graff (Banks Repeta), a sixth grader who dreams of becoming an artist. As Paul builds a friendship with classmate Johnny Davis (Jaylin Webb), who’s mercilessly targeted by their racist teacher, he finds himself increasingly at odds with his parents Esther and Irving Graff (Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong respectively), for whom assimilation is key to the family’s Jewish-American identity. Paul feels on firmest ground with his kind grandfather Aaron Rabinowitz (Anthony Hopkins), whose life experiences have granted him a weathered compassion. Also starring Jessica Chastain.
'THE WONDER' (Rated M) - is a period drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Sebastian Lelio whose previous film making credits include the multi-award winning 'Gloria' in 2013, the multi-award winning 'A Fantastic Woman' in 2017 which also won the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Academy Award, 'Disobedience' in 2017 with Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams and Alessando Nivola and 'Gloria Bell' in 2018 with Julianne Moore and John Turturro. Here then, it is 1862 Ireland and eleven year old Anna O'Donnell (Kila Lord Cassidy) has stopped eating but remains miraculously alive and well. English nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) is brought to a tiny village to observe the young girl. Tourists and pilgrims mass to witness the girl who is said to have survived without food for months. Is the village harbouring a saint 'surviving on manna from heaven' or are there more ominous motives at work? Also starring Tom Burke, Toby Jones and Ciaran Hinds, the film saw its World Premier at the Telluride Film Festival in early September, is release in the UK, the US and here in Australia this week before streaming on Netflix from the 16th November. The film has garnered generally positive reviews.
'SISSY' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian drama horror offering is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes who also Co-Directed 'For Now' in 2017, and also stars Hannah Barlow. Cecilia and Emma were tween-age BFFs who were going to grow old together and never let anything come between them, until Alex arrived on the scene. Twelve years later, Cecilia (Aisha Dee) is a successful social media influencer living the dream of an independent, modern millennial woman . . . until she runs into Emma (Hannah Barlow) for the first time in over a decade. Emma invites Cecilia away on her bachelorette weekend at a remote cabin in the mountains, where her high school bully Alex (Emily De Margheriti) proceeds to make Cecilia's weekend a living hell. The film has generated favourable critical Reviews.
'WHINA' (Rated PG) - is a New Zealand biographical film Co-Written and Directed by James Napier Robertson and Paula Whetu Jones. The film tells the story of Dame Whina Cooper, the beloved Maori matriarch who worked tirelessly to improve the rights of her people, especially women. Flawed yet resilient, Whina is the story of a woman formed by tradition, compelled by innovation, and guided by an instinct for equality and justice whose legacy as the Te Whaea o te Motu (Mother of the Nation) was an inspiration to an entire country. Starring Miriama McDowell as the young Whina, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne as the teenage Whina and Rena Owen as the older Whina Cooper, and also with James Rolleston and Vinnie Bennett. The film has generated positive critical acclaim since its release in New Zealand in late June.
'MILLIE LIES LOW' (Rated MA15+) - this New Zealand comedy drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Michelle Savill is her feature film making debut. When a broke and anxiety-ridden architecture graduate, Millie Davies (Ana Scotney), misses her flight from Wellington, New Zealand to New York for a prestigious internship, she decides to fake having made it to New York, while lying low in her home town until she can come up with the cash to buy another ticket. Meanwhile Millie must convince everyone she really is in the Big Apple and not living in a tent in her Mum’s Wellington backyard, via an elaborate series of antics and evasions. The film has generated critical praise since its release in its native New Zealand in early November last year. Also starring Rachel House,
'GLORIAVALE' (Rated M) - this New Zealand documentary film is Produced and Directed by Fergus Grady and Noel Smyth and is Written, lensed and Edited by Noel Smyth too. The pairing of Grady and Smyth previously helmed 'Camino Skies' in 2019. This film documents and examines the Gloriavale Christian Community located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island where it has a population os some six hundred members. The filmmakers follow the story of the Ready family, who were excommunicated from Gloriavale, and begin mounting a legal case against the leaders of the community for the widespread abuse experienced there by many current and former members. The film saw its debut screening at the New Zealand International Film Festival in early August before its wide release in New Zealand later that month.
Included in this years strands are :
Debut Features
* 'Broadway' - from Greece, France and Romania and Directed by Christos Massalas. Having escaped from her wealthy and controlling family, Nelly, a dancer in a strip club, is rescued by charismatic gangster Markos. The two soon become lovers until he’s arrested and imprisoned, and a mystery man, wanted dead by Athens’ most dangerous mafia, takes an important place in the gang. UK Premier.
* 'Pamfir' - from Ukraine, France, Poland, Germany and Chile and Directed by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk. In western Ukraine, on the eve of a traditional carnival, Pamfir returns to his family after months of absence. When his only child starts a fire in the prayer house, Pamfir must reconnect with his troubled past to repair the damage – a risky path with irreversible consequences. UK Premier.
* 'Falcon Lake' - from France and Canada and Directed by Charlotte Le Bon. Bastien and Chloe spend their summer vacation with their families at a lake cabin in Quebec, haunted by a ghost legend. Ready to overcome his worst fears to earn a place in Chloe’s heart, the holiday becomes a turbulent pivotal moment for the young boy. UK Premier.
* 'Gentle' - from Hungary and Germany and Directed by Laszlo Csuja and Anna Nemes. Edina, a female bodybuilder, is ready to sacrifice everything for the dream she shares with life partner and trainer Adam: to win the world championship. Expensive steroids and supplements, force her to take a job as an escort which makes her realise the difference between her aspiration and true self. UK Premier.
Homegrown
* 'Swede Caroline' - from the UK and Directed by Finn Bruce and Brook Driver. In this British mockumentary, we follow Caroline, a competitive giant vegetable grower, as she readies herself for the big annual National Veg Championship. However, Caroline finds her life turned upside down when her prized marrow plants are stolen and the two private detectives she’s hired are kidnapped. World Premier.
International Features
* 'To Leslie' - from the USA and Directed by Michael Morris. A West Texas single mother wins US$190K in the lottery and squanders it just as fast, only learning the value of sharing after she’s drank all her cash away. Leaving behind a world of heartbreak, and with her charm running out, she fights to rebuild her life and find redemption. UK Premier.
* 'Swallow' - from South Korea and Directed by Hee-il Leesong. When Hoyeon’s mother inexplicably disappears, he is forced to abandon his mundane corporate life to search for her. What he is not prepared for are the details of his mother’s violent and revolutionary past which he uncovers along the way. World Premier.
For the full details of the other strands being showcased, the official competition nominees, plus a whole host of other great stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://raindance.org/festival/
This week there are six new movie releases to tease out to your local picture palace, starting with a deeply personal coming-of-age story about the strength of family and the generational pursuit of the American Dream, set in 1980 New York. This is followed by a story of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a psychological thriller, and a tale of love pitted against evil. Next up is an Aussie drama horror offering about an Instagram influencer who doesn’t just have a follower count – she’s also got a body count. And we close out the week with three films from New Zealand, these being a biographical film about a trailblazing Maori leader who spends her life breaking boundaries, speaking for the rights of Maori, and fighting for the land. Then we turn to a comedy drama about an anxiety fuelled young woman on her way from Wellington to New York for an internship at a prestigious architecture firm when a moment of panic causes her to miss her flight, and closing out this weeks releases we have a documentary examining the widespread abuse inside an infamous west coast Christian Community cult and the institutional failures that have allowed it to continue.
Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six latest release new films 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.
With six new release movie offerings 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 at your local Odeon in the coming week.
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
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