IFFK 2016 list by me... ഞാൻ അറിഞ്ഞ സിനിമകൾ.
1. Angel (Mon Ange) 8/10
About an invisible man's life. childhood, love and habitation. Madeleine is a little blind girl nearby. The hero, the invisible, is talking with this girl. both grew up. But the girl is getting sight which will cause her to understand the fact that man is invisible. At first the movie was telling a fantasy to us. even sucking milk from mom's breast is shown beautifully. After sometime, the director could make us feel that this fantasy is a kind of reality. like a race or new breed, this kind of man is a reality to the audience. his fear and philosophies are so evident to us. it even cause a feel that we can find some invisibles right near to our life!. technically too a good movie.
Movie in imdb...
2. Parting 7/10
Afghanistan couple in Tehran. Trying to depart to Europe as a refugee. I felt like by reading newspapers, we are not understanding the real chaos underneath Afghans unrest.How desperate are they to get to a foreign land for a better life? Breath taking experience.
Movie details in IMDB
3. Cold of Kalandar 8/10
Living in the valley of a mountain of turkey. Superb cinematography. Also painting the perseverance of those people who deal with heavy weather situations.
IMDB link
4. Being 17 - 6/10
Two personalities at age 17. Their power, sexuality and command on them by the family in french canvas. Mountain with snow scenes are beautiful.
imdb link
5. Zoology 4/10
Tail! how it is affecting a lady! A tale about that. Technically how they shot this moving tail? After all, it is high budget movie like Avtar. Though movie gave a good experince, I think director failed to give proper attention the dramatic moments after the cruicial incident with her mom. but the end is really touching.. simply I felt a tail for 1 day!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5133392/?ref_=nv_sr_1
6. Stranger (Zhat) 7/10
Kazakisan movie with 1930 to 1950 news background. The main character, who is a village man, does not even reconigze Stallin's photo at the day when people hear about his death. The story narrated an innocent male and at his death (other than the viewers) only his uncle could understand the character well. Also death was very dramatic.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4649646/mediaviewer/rm2726489856
7. All is forgiven 5/10
It gave me a feel of life in middle level family in Europe(French German). May be it dates old (1995~97). The father-daughter thing is best discussed and in the prime thread. But I like the mother who actually very much loved the father. Still at the death event of the father, she is really upset and loving. Of course within the limits of her current married life (next marriage). Not married aunt was also good. All of them were respecting each other though they could not over come the moment when father was fully addicted by drugs.
8. The net 8/10 (or 9/10 ?)
The most favorite movie in this film festival. It was wonderful. A north Korean fisher man is captured by south Korean forces. Though he was offered a free life in Seoul, he is returning to his homeland to live with his family. Whether he is believing in politics of both countries is immaterial here. He just wanted to live happily as he is. According to South Korea, they are offering a best chance to lead a good life for a north Korean in this capitalistic country. But even the old cloths that he wore when he crossed borders are valuable for him. He was brutally tortured by both parties after this event. Finally when he started to live in his homeland, he is denied to use his boat (which he bought by saving money for 10 years) as his fishing permit has got cancelled. North Korean border security forces are finally killing him as he is going for fishing by his own will. It is showing the pain of Koreans apart from politics on the current political state of two Koreas. All govt systems are in general inhuman to lower middle class.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5996202/?ref_=nv_sr_4
9. Pickpocket 5/10
A 1959 dated french movie... of course in black&white canvas. It was watched to feel the direction and acting quality. It was wonderfully captured in closeup shots. For us, it also showed the life of Paris at those days. the cable cars, subway tubes, police station, fashion etc.
10. Lo and behold, Reveries of the connected world. 5/10
By profession, I am a software engineer. To me it was like a refreshing movie. it made me to think a lot. it is a kind of docufiction with a message to the people who are really savy about digital life. It showed a couple of good interviews (with people like Elon Musk). It also showed monks with smart phones in a western country. It also showed places where smart phones are banned. Even there is no single signal of microwave is there!. It clearly showed the history of internet and how it was planned and created from a university computer switch. It connected the concept of AI. without a doubt, one of an interviewer (he was a cosmologist) was telling that after some disasters, some few will only be exists in this earth: in south west side of Africa!. Good movie for every techie. Interestingly I came to know that the director Herzog is a man keeping a distance with smart phones. But this movie is created with due respect to both sides.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5275828/?ref_=nv_sr_1
11. The cursed ones. 7/10
This Khana based African movie is screened with the presence of the director. It discussed about how a priest or magician can create beliefs with vested interests in communities. One priest was telling to public was one girl among them is a affected with devil. "Even Christ cannot save you from deamons." he made people panic. Father of the child got murdered. Finally the priest declared a need of systematic death for the child. at the situation, with help of a criminal magician, he is earning some money too from the girl's mother. The camera is mostly picturizes the views of an outsider. He was a journalist who was killed during the course of the incidents. But his findings were finally cleared the air. The Director was explaining about the situation in africa after the screening. According to him this kind of 'cursed ones' are not a problem of Khana. Thats why he made vocals in English. he said it is even a subject relevant to the developed world.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4055124/?ref_=nv_sr_1
http://www.manoramaonline.com/movies/indepth/iffk-2016/reviews/the-cursed-one-movie-review.html
12. Queen of katwae - 7/10
This movie is made for children? Anyway Disney made it. It shows life of Africans in a slum. Without proper education a girl is becoming a champion in chess. A former footballer is transforming as a coach for her international chess. The movie tells a good motivating story. nice budget. so very good technologies too. each frame is good.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4341582/?ref_=ttmi_tt
13. I, Daniel Blake - 8/10
Its about a life of a fairly old citizen in UK. He does not know what is 'online'. He has been worked till the moment that doctor says that he is not fit for working. His rights are always blocked by govt officials by noting some kind of pathetic decisions by decision makers who are not near to him. Call center replies, online applications etc are fully transformed the life of an old carpenter. Really touching. Another story is also shown as he sees. That family is a young women with two kids. Food is given by govt food banks. But nobody can guarantee a good life for the kids and that women. she is starting a life by giving private escort service. That prostitute life is also shown. Anyway As I stated in the generic comments area, the main character is showing self respect. till the end. Touching movie. I even doubt whether this is the best movie that I watched. After all, it is very difficult to grade a movie. right?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5168192/?ref_=nv_sr_1
14. Nawara - 6/10
Egyptian life while Mubarak was moving out from dictatorship. Nawara was a unmarried girl. She was working for a senior official's villa. She was working hard from her childhood. The political situation demanded the master's family to flew to London. Nawara has to manage master's villa. Though these circumstances are tough for her, as like any low level Egyptian citizen she was also very ambitious about this national political changes. But the movie shows the strange life that was awaiting for the poor and working class. Movie shows how hard is for a Nawara in normal life. Some interesting cultural facts have been revealed to me. Low class are very much adhering to islamic rules. but the higher class are just not minding any Islamic rules. Their dressing styles, the values that are shown between both sexes all are different. Nawara is wearing black over coat(pardha?) and other four layers of dress where as another woman in master's house, of the same age, is even have freedom to wear a bikini swimsuit. The other aspect: values. The higher class people, relatives of the master, are pushing her from 1st floor to the stair case by pulling by her hair. It is accepted. Only one dog was only there to protect Nawara. Even after that too Nawara is patiently keeping the villa clean and secure. Even she is keeping her fiancee out from the villa to avoid potential looting/theft. Those values are really different.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5461168/
15. Death in Sarajevo - 5/10
Still I cannot type Bosnia and Herzegovina!. This story is showing a plot dated as the 100th anniversary of starting of 1st world war. It was started due to a murder. This movie is showing that the country is having strong political stand in people of Sarajevo. The killer can be revolutionist for a set of people at the same time he is a criminal for the other set. This strong political discussions are shown mixed with some other dramatic normal man's politics. The completely the movie is shot as a it is in a hotel. The hotel workers wanted to do a strike when the international delegates visits for the event. because they did not receive salary for last 2 or 3 months. The manager does not want to happen it though he is also an affected party. Long duration camera shots are plenty.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4466648/?ref_=nv_sr_1
16. The unknown girl - 8/10
Social commitment of lady is sketched in French-Belgian Canvas.
A lady doctor is searching the identity of an unknown girl who is dead near to her clinic. The movie even does not show the girl's face(victim) in a frame! But the power of the subject will haunt the audience like anything. It is not exaggerating anything even the doctor's act for heroism. She is just having perseverance in this matter. That's
all. As citizen, anybody can be more responsible about a public incident. It is the message strike in my head. Even at a point of time, the police official lightly showing his ego by telling that 'doctor, we know how to deal the case well'. Still doctor is stable and confident on the matter. Missing of sex at old ages, the form of oldest profession (prostitution), the value of a doctor in a society, psychological aspects which affects the man who has unknowingly involved in the crime scene. All been discussed well.No background music. Mostly in a city. Shows in detail life of doctor in a suburban clinic. From opening the door to bandaging the patient. Since movie has a detective element, it resembles a feel of the mainstream movies.
17. Sweet dreams (Fai bei sogni) 8/10
This movie striked my mind like anything. As all poets say, mother is symbol of life for a child. even after 40 years, the death of mother is haunting a child. Superb screen play. superb acting by the boy made us to feel the innocence and power of emotion a boy will have when he loses his mother.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4746506/?ref_=nv_sr_2
18. Illegitimate.(Ilegitim) 6/10
Simply touching relations though it is bit difficult to digest. The views about abortion will haunt us even after the screening.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5002394/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
19. Obce Niebo/Strange Heaven 8/10
The best family movie that I have seen. it is shows the 'strange' facts of Swedish Govt by trying to target a zero issue community in the country. System cannot even understand what is happening wrong.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3948370/?ref_=nv_sr_1
20. summer of Sangalle. 5/10
21. Daughter. 8/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5483082/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
22. Marketa Lazarová 3/10
Though it is black and white, we will feel the life and uncertinities of the communities Europe during those ages. Very lengthy watch.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063278/?ref_=nv_sr_1
23. mercenaire 6/10
It is a story of special race who's native place is politically part of France. It is about many aspects. but I love to describe the relation between father and a son. brutally arrogant father. still son is brave and strong. Son is showing more patience to improve the relation. Still the may be a mix of cultural values and arrogance of self is causing the father to keep his stand at one level. At each point, he cannot accept a son who is disobeying the words of his father. He is not even considering for an analysis of what happened from his side. he is not considering how he will be flourished with support of his 17yr old healthy son. son is sufficiently rich at later stages of the movie. still the cultural values of father is not ready to take the advantage of system. He is deeply wounded. we will feel the pain though we may feel that he is a fool.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4530968/?ref_=nv_sr_1
24. Chauthi Koot 7/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4636068/?ref_=nv_sr_1
25. Ama San 3/10
About fishing ladies of Japan. Real life kind of camera. Bit lenghy and lacks the drama content. but if you are an observer of cultures, this is a good watch.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4142090/?ref_=fn_al_tt_2
26. Graduation (Bacalaureat) 7/10
Romanian movie about a parent who is a doctor.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4936450/?ref_=nv_sr_1
27. Red butterfly dream 4/10
This movie gave me a shock. Strange beliefs are still there in parts of the world. You cannot simply forget the climax.
28. Sieranevada 4/10
Living in a flat for 3 hours!. That's what happened for me. it is just like visiting an apartment. The political discussions etc were simply superb for a non European. Simple details such as closing the door of kitchen kind of things have gave us that feel. But felt it is a lengthy one.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4466490/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
29. Kammatti paadam 6/10
Its different gagster movie. more than that theme, it is portraying the facts related to certain type of community in Kerala in cities. Once they worked in the rice farms and lived in their soil. now those soil is developed. For that the riches uses them as gangsters. now their soil is not theirs. Another aspect is the relation among them. It is stronger than anything. One of them is suspected as dead. The one who seek the death is even not having a live friendship with him. But it does not prevent him to take hard stand to keep the integrity of the relation.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt5458088/?ref_=nv_sr_1
30. Revenge by Mahesh - Maheshinte Prathikaram 5/10
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4851630/?ref_=nv_sr_6.
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