To cap off my coverage of London Film Festival I want to spotlight six of my favourite discoveries from this year. There’s nothing quite like sitting down and discovering a new voice, an emerging actor or experiencing a fresh way of challenging perceptions.
Mahmood Bakri and Aram Sabbah deliver stunning performances which bring real depth to Mahdi Fleifel’s first fiction feature To A Land Unknown. Barki and Sabbath play two Palestinian refugees who are trying to obtain fake passports to get out of Athens. With their prospects looking bleak, they hatch an extreme plan that involves posing as smugglers and taking hostages in a desperate attempt to escape. I thought there was something of a young Vincent Cassell in Bakri, whose magnetic screen presence completely demands your attention. I love the way Fleifel deftly handles the story, bringing an overwhelming sense of humanity to the film, which makes you feel the hopelessness of their situation and fully understand how their lives unravel. This connection, and this developed empathy, is vital to making the thriller elements so effective. The third act is a tough, conflicted watch which leaves its mark. I’m so glad that this is getting UK distribution as it’s a film that deserves an audience and I cannot wait to see what all those involved do next.
Last Swim is a beautiful teen hangout movie, which sees British-Iranian Ziba plot the perfect day for her and her friends on A-Level results day, whilst she grapples with a major life decision. It won the Generation 14plus Crystal Bear for Best Film at the Berlinale and it’s easy to see why. Sasha Nathwani’s special film captures what it feels like to be eighteen, to have dreams and also dream of doing nothing but hanging out with your friends. I really loved the casting by Shakyra Dowling. The group’s chemistry made me think of the friends I’ve loved and lost, which is the kind of reflection I’m always thankful for. This is a film I will be cheerleading for — I’ve long been a fan of co-writer Helen Simmons’ work, Cinematographer Olan Collardy never misses and I cannot wait to see what director and co-writer Sasha Nathwani does next.
Two years (and counting) of Long Covid has given me a small insight into what it’s like trying to navigate a world that is not set up to accommodate disabled people. Patrice: The Movie is an inspiring character study of beloved school crossing guard Patrice, who carries herself with optimism and vigour, while navigating life as a disabled person. I absolutely adore how a film about a subject which is so heartbreaking and infuriating is so warm and joyous. I was moved by the way the people in this film love and fight for one another when they could so easily be completely ground down by a society which is unforgivably ableist. This is a very special movie which I think has the power to shift perspectives. Please seek it out.
The Wolves Always Come At Night, Gabrielle Brady’s follow-up to Island of the Hungry Ghosts, is another sensitive and moving docu-drama from the director. A young nomadic couple in the vast Bayanhongor region of Mongolia are forced to leave behind their way of life and migrate to the city due to the ongoing effect of the climate crisis on the area. I love the way Brady evokes a sense of place so that we can really feel the physical chasm left by the subjects’ displacement. Hearing them talking about it is heartbreaking enough, but feeling the stark difference in environments really hits home. Brady’s visual style is distinctive, her blending of documentary and drama mines for truth and her films have a memorable quality that sticks with you. I’ve thought about Island of the Hungry Ghosts a lot since I first watched it and I’m hopeful this will also stay with me.
I think it’s incredibly important that LFF makes space for low budget British features and one of my favourite surprises of the festival was Stimming Pool, a film created by a collective of neurodivergent filmmakers in an attempt to provide an alternative and artistic take on what it’s like to live with neurodivergence in a chaotic world not made for those who are different. This film is a really lovely example of why onscreen and offscreen representation matters so much. It’s invigorating to watch neurodivergent creators collaborate and craft their own story. It’s a privilege to get to know the creators and fascinating to see what they create and also the thought process behind it. Much like Seeking Mavis Beacon, it is inspiring to watch filmmakers create art. As the credits rolled, I left the film with a great understanding of neurodiversity and armed with new ideas for my work. Stimming Pool is a film with a strong sense of identity and a big heart. I hope it rightfully finds an audience beyond its incredible festival run.
When The Light Breaks follows Una, a young art student, who encounters love, friendship, sorrow and beauty on a long summer’s day in Iceland. Having lost one of my best friends a few years ago, I really felt this one. Elín Hall is utterly compelling, delivering one of the best young adult performances I’ve seen in years. I loved the whole ensemble, Rúnar Rúnarsson’s sensitive direction and Sophia Olsson’s 16mm cinematography. I’m really glad this is getting UK distribution, I’d go out of my way to see it again on the big screen. It looks stunning.
EDITOR – Here’s to London Film Festival, the crown jewel of the British Festival Circuit. We are back in London soon for two more festivals to close out the year, the inaugral London International Fantastic Film Festival and Soho Horror, two very different ends of the the scene.
Jimmy’s Archive – London Film Festival 2024, Part 3 Feat. Last Swim & More…
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