West in john maclean's slow - michael Fassbender - + mr. holmes + mad max: Fury road
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Michael Fassbender
Slow
in John Maclean's
West issue number 50
may - june 2015
+ Mr. Holmes
+ Mad Max: Fury Road
+ Far From the Madding Crowd
+ Timbuktu
+ clouds of Sils Maria
contents 4
‘PROFOUND, VISIONARY, STUNNING’
Werner Herzog
new releases West 34 Elementary Class:
★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★ ★★★★★
London Road 34 Mr. Holmes 58
THE GUARDIAN TIME OUT EVENING STANDARD LITTLE WHITE LIES HEYUGUYS
Argerich 14 Les Combattants 34
Heaven Adores You 14 Mr. Holmes 35 Sound and Vision:
Far From the The Burning 35 Atmos at Curzon
Madding Crowd 15 Minions 35 Bloomsbury 80
Girlhood 18 Slow West 36
Phoenix 18 Focal Point:
Futuro Beach 18
features Orson Welles at 100 82
Spooks: The Greater
Good 20 Curzon Selector: events
Clouds of Sils Maria 20 Girlhood, Phoenix, A Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road 20 Walks Home Alone at Special Previews 12
A Royal Night Out 22 Night, Listen Up Philip Q&As 62
Lambert and Stamp 22 and Jurassic World 10 New York Metropolitan
The Tribe 22 Opera 2015-16 Season 64
The New Girlfriend 24 The Curzon Interview: Royal Opera House
A Girl Walks Home John Maclean 40 2015-16 Season 66
Alone at Night 24 Royal Opera House 68
Timbuktu 25 The Only Way Is Wessex: National Theatre Live 70
The Connection 28 Far From the National Theatre Live
The French Connection 28 Madding Crowd 44 2015-16 Season 71
French Connection II 28 Special Event:
The Goob 29 The Road to Hell: London Road 71
Danny Collins 29 Mad Max & Electric Curzon Encore Sunday 72
WINNER
Electric Boogaloo: Boogaloo: The Wild, We Are Many 74
The Wild, Untold Story Untold Story of Royal Shakespeare
of Cannon Films 29 Cannon Films 48 Company Presents 73
Queen and Country 30 Glyndebourne
Listen Up Philip 30 An Actor Prepares: 2015 Season 74 FROM THE BAFTA WINNING DIRECTOR OF THE ACT OF KILLING
Return to Ithaca 30 Clouds of Sils Maria 52 English National Opera 76
Black Coal, Thin Ice
Jurassic World
32
32 Paradise Lost:
Seret Film Festival
Exhibition on Screen
77
78 T H E LO O K O F S I L E N C E
The Look of Silence 32 Timbuktu 56 Curzon Curates 79
A FILM BY JOSHUA OPPENHEIMER
For screening times and to book your tickets please visit
curzoncinemas.com or call 0330 500 1331 between 10am and 8pm IN CINEMAS FROM FRIDAY 12 JUNE
Monday to Saturday and 10am to 7pm on Sunday @LookOfSilence TheLookOfSilence.co.uk /TheLookOfSilence
6
issue fifty
Head of Programming Curzon Mayfair Manager Curzon Canterbury
Claire Beswick Sean Doggett Manager
Head of Operations
Andrew Bailey
Curzon Soho Manager
Matt Rose
Katy Towse
Curzon Knutsford
Manager M a r i l yn
Head of Operational Curzon Bloomsbury and Maggie Ashworth
Marketing Curzon Richmond Manager
Kate Gerova Mick McAloon Curzon Ripon Manager
Beverley Isherwood
Head of Public Events & Curzon Chelsea Manager
Alternative Content Alexandra Dorisca Curzon Sheffield
Ana Cristina Santos Manager
BFI SOUTHBANK
Curzon Victoria Manager Jonathan Griffin
Head of Private Hires Jeniffer Biehl
Tessa Conway-Holland Magazine Editor
hmvcurzon Wimbledon Ian Haydn Smith CINEMAS | BFI SHOP | LIBRARY | MEDIATHEQUE | CAFÉS
Director of Curzon and Curzon Mondrian
Home Cinema Manager Magazine Designer MARILYN MONROE
Philip Mordecai Sam Boother Nick Boyd
June
From Monkey Business to Some Like it Hot
Curzon Mayfair, Curzon Soho, Curzon Bloomsbury, At the time of going to print every effort was made to
Curzon Chelsea, Curzon Victoria, Curzon Richmond, ensure the information contained in this programme
Curzon Mondrian, Curzon Canterbury, Curzon Knutsford, was correct. However, where circumstances dictate,
ALSO SHOWING
Curzon Ripon and Curzon Sheffield are operated by: we reserve the right to make changes. MARTIN SCORSESE PRESENTS DW GRIFFITH
MASTERPIECES OF POLISH CINEMA CINEMAS GREAT PIONEER
Curzon Cinemas, 2nd floor, 20-22 Stukeley Street,
May June
London WC2B 5LR. Curzon Cinemas Limited 1934. Registered in London:
Company no: 283280. Est. 1934. Curzon and Curzon ROBERT SIODMAK THE COMPLETE DENNIS POTTER
PRINCE OF SHADOWS MESSAGES FOR POSTERITY
Participant in the Europa Cinemas/European Union Cinemas are registered trade marks, no: 2291124 and
May June – July
Media Programme. no: 2424017.
ABDERRAHMANE SISSAKO
POETRY, POLITICS AND THE NEW
AFRICAN CINEMA
June
BOOK NOW BFI SOUTHBANK FOLLOW US
020 7928 3232 London SE1 8XT
bfi.org.uk/southbank Waterloo
8
GAEL GARCÍA ALICE
BERNAL BRAGA
editorial
M
ay marks the 100th anniversary of one of the titans of cinema, Orson Welles. We
celebrate his birthday with a selection of his films at Curzon Bloomsbury, including
Citizen Kane and the breathtaking Chimes at Midnight. Alongside the best
selection of new world cinema releases, the recently restored venue has quickly become
home to a programme of archive films. So, alongside the opportunity to witness the power
of Abderrahmane Sissako's Timbuktu – one of the year's most important films – the thrill of
monochromatic indie horror A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, Gallic thriller The Connection
and Chinese drama Black Coal, Thin Ice you can see such classics as Fellini's 8 1/2 and the
two French Connection films.
Inside this issue you'll find the line-up for the new seasons of the Royal Opera House, New
York's Metropolitan Opera and just a taster of what is in store from the National Theatre.
Rufus Norris, who has taken over from Nicholas Hytner as Artistic Director at the National,
has directed a film adaptation of the theatre's hugely successful London Road and will be
present for a post-screening discussion. Also read on for information about interviews with
legendary photographer Sebastião Salgado and directors Olivier Assayas (Clouds of Sils
Maria), John Maclean (Slow West) and the great John Boorman (Queen and Country).
Elsewhere, there are documentaries galore (Argerich, Heaven Adores You, The Look of
Silence) and more than enough unmissable films to entice you into the cinema on even the
sunniest of days.
“THE SPIRIT OF SERGIO LEONE
Ian Haydn Smith
HOVERS ABOVE” VARIETY
“BEWITCHING” SCREEN INTERNATIONAL
COMING SOON
PARTICIPANT PANAMERICA MAGMA CINE CANANA PRESENTS A FILM BY PABLO FENDRIK “THE BURNING” IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH TELEFE BANANEIRA FILMES MANNY FILMS ALEPH MEDIA
GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL ALICE BRAGA CLAUDIO TOLCACHIR CHICO DIAZ JORGE SESÁN JULIÁN TELLO LAUTARO VILO PRODUCERS GAEL GARCÍA BERNAL JUAN PABLO GUGLIOTTA NATHALIA VIDELA PEÑA
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS JEFF SKOLL JONATHAN KING PABLO CRUZ AXEL KUSCHEVATZKY CO PRODUCERS VANIA CATANI PHILIPPE GOMPEL BIRGIT KEMNER FERNANDO SOKOLOWICZ
AD MARTÍN BUSTOS / LINE PRODUCER ORIANA CASTRO / PRODUCTION MANAGER GASTÓN GRAZIDE / DOP JULIÁN APEZTEGUÍA / PRODUCTION DESIGNER MICAELA SAIEGH / COSTUME DESIGNER KIKA LOPES /
MAKE UP ARTIST MARTIN MACIAS / SOUND DESIGNER LEANDRO DE LOREDO / MUSIC SEBASTIAN ESCOFET JULIAN GANDARA / EDITOR LEANDRO ASTE, S.A.E. / WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY PABLO FENDRIK
Timbuktu
10 11
Curzon
Your new cult favourite
is a monochrome Iranian
vampire movie.
Selector
W
e asked members of the Curzon team to pick their choice of the upcoming
new releases. This issue it’s the turn of Kate Gerova (Head of Operational
Marketing), Ailsa Ferrier (Curzon Bloomsbury Programmer) and Cate Kane
(Acquisitions Manager).
Girlhood 15 phoenix 12A A Girl Walks Home Listen Up Philip 15 Jurassic World TBC
Alone at Night 15
Unlike Boyhood, Celine Following on from the Alex Ross Perry channels Chaos, mayhem and...
Sciamma’s (Tomboy, Water success of Barbara, Your new cult favourite classic Woody Allen and Jim dinosaurs! Yes, they’re back.
Lilies) drama might not have Christian Petzold’s Phoenix is a monochrome Iranian Jarmusch here, marking him But this time Chris Pratt
been shot over 12 years, marks the next collaboration vampire movie. Ana Lily out as one of the hottest (Guardians of the Galaxy,
but it brilliantly captures the of this consistently fine Amirpour’s debut has a new indie directors. Philip is Parks and Recreation) is
world of a 15-year-old torn director and his muse Nina freshness all of its own. a modern, hipster version the man of the moment
between being good and Hoss. Part love story, part Sheila Vand is a moody of Manhattan’s Isaac and Steven Spielberg has
rebelling in order to be in revenge thriller, Petzold young undead female Davis and Rushmore’s Max handed the reigns over to
control of her own choices. perfectly balances the with a penchant for Fischer. It’s a charming, Colin Trevorrow, director of
Mercifully lacking in cliches, complexities of a deeply vinyl, heavy eyeliner and funny and delicately the hilarious indie sleeper
Girlhood shows young humane and profoundly skateboarding through town performed character study hit Safety Not Guaranteed,
women as they often are: moving tale against the at night. Then she falls for a that should have you leaving who looks set to bring a new
flawed, misguided, funny backdrop of a country in young charmer and trouble the cinema feeling a bit perspective on life at the
and brimming with life. turmoil that is struggling to really begins. better about yourself. theme park.
(page 18) rebuild itself. (page 24) (page 30) (page 32)
(page 18) A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
Events 12
special preview:
CLOUDS OF
SILS MARIA 15
bloomsbury
date: Wed 13 May 18:15
victoria
date: Wed 13 May 18:15
See page 20 for synopsis.
With thanks to Curzon Artificial Eye.
special preview:
slow west tbc
soho
date: Wed 24 June 18:45
wimbledon
date: Wed 24 June 18:45
See page 36 for synopsis.
With thanks to Lionsgate.
To apply for a free ticket, please email membership@curzon.com with your name,
membership number and choice of film (free tickets are limited to one per request).
New releases 14 New releases 15
new releases
For screening times and to book your tickets please visit
curzoncinemas.com
Argerich pg Heaven Adores Thomas Hardy’s
opens: Fri 1 May
You 12a rich account of
director: Stéphanie Argerich
country/year: France/Switzerland 2012. opens: Fri 1 May
English rural life.
French, English, Spanish and Japanese director: Nickolas Rossi
with English subtitles country/year: US 2014
running time: 94 mins running time: 105 mins
Martha Argerich is regarded by many to
be one of the greatest classical pianists
It’s hard to imagine Gus Van Sant’s Good
Will Hunting packing half the emotional
Far From the Madding Crowd 12A
of the 20th century. This documentary, punch it does had the music of Elliott
directed by her daughter Stéphanie, is Smith not appeared in it. At their best, Thomas Hardy’s rich account of English rural life is captured opens: Fri 1 May
an intimate portrait of the artist. Moving Smith’s plaintive songs seemed to capture beautifully in Thomas Vinterberg’s (Festen, The Hunt) directors: Thomas
between the past and present, the film a bittersweet moment of youth. Nickolas mesmerising adaptation. Carey Mulligan is perfectly cast as Vinterberg
features candid personal moments and a Rossi’s paean to Smith starts with the Bathsheba Everdene, with Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael STARRING: Carey Mulligan,
vast archive of material stretching back over suspicious circumstances surrounding his Sheen and Tom Sturridge all compelling as her suitors. As Matthias Schoenaerts,
decades, including footage from some of violent death before tracing his development with any great Hardy adaptation, Vinterberg’s film balances Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge,
Argerich’s greatest performances along with as a musician. Heaven Adores You is a fitting the turbulent emotions of infatuation and love with an Juno Temple
recollections from the pianist of how music tribute to a hugely influential artist. undercurrent of social commentary, all set against the country/year: US 2015
has informed her life. pastoral idyll of the English countryside. running time: 119 mins
H O L D - U P F I L M S A N D L I L I E S F I L M P R E S E N T
CANNES 2014
“ONE OF THE BEST COMING-OF-AGE
MOVIES IN YEARS”
I N D I E W I R E
★★★★ E M P I R E
“A BRILLIANT TAKE
ON FEMALE FRIENDSHIP” i - D
★★★★
L I T T L E W H I T E L I E S
F R O M T H E A C C L A I M E D D I R E C T O R O F “FRESH, VIVID AND UNMISSABLE”
T O M B O Y A N D W A T E R L I L I E S D A N N Y L E I G H ,
girlhood
F I N A N C I A L T I M E S
★★★★ G L A M O U R
“POWERFUL AND
GRIPPING” E M P I R E
A F I L M B Y
C É L I N E S C I A M M A
I N C I N E M A S M A Y 8
@StudioCanalUK #GIRLHOOD /FrenchFilmFirst
New releases 18 HHHHH
New Internationalist
HHHHH Little White Lies
HHHHH
The Hollywood News
“A COMPLEX MYSTERY OF DISGUISE AND DECEIT”
The Guardian
HHHH Empire
HHHH
The Guardian
Girlhood 15 Phoenix 12A Futuro
opens: Fri 8 May opens: Fri 8 May
Beach 12A
director: Céline Sciamma director: Christian Petzold opens: Fri 8 May
STARRING: Karidja Touré, Assa STARRING: Nina Hoss, Ronald director: Karim Aïnouz
Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Zehrfeld, Nina Kunzendorf, STARRING: Wagner Moura,
Mariétou Touré, Cyril Mendy, Michael Maertens, Kirsten Clemens Schick
Simina Soumaré Block, Uwe Preuss country/year: Brazil/German
country/year: France 2014 country/year: Germany 2014 2014. German & Portuguese
French with English subtitles German with English subtitles with English subtitles
running time: 113 mins running time: 98 mins running time: 98 mins
Nina HOSS Ronald ZEHRFELD Nina KUNZENDORF
Céline Sciamma’s account Christian Petzold (Wolfsberg, Karim Aïnouz’s impressive
of troubled youth focuses Barbara) is reunited with fifth feature is a thoughtful
on Marieme (Karidja Touré), his on-screen muse Nina and engaging drama about
a young girl growing up in Hoss for a haunting drama modern relationships.
the projects of northwest set in post-war Berlin. She Opening in Brazil, the
Paris. Divided into four plays a Holocaust survivor film follows Donato and
distinct sections, the film whose attempts to – literally Conrad, who have fallen
offers up a fascinating – repair the damage done in love. However, Conrad
portrait of Marieme’s life, to her, set off a chain of has to move back to WINNER OFFICIAL
FIPRESCI PRIZE SELECTION
from peer pressure to mysterious events. Imagine Germany. Should Donato SAN SEBASTIAN FILM FESTIVAL LONDON FILM FESTIVAL
petty crime. A sensitive and Hitchcock’s Vertigo given a follow? Aïnouz highlights
compassionate drama, it Teutonic twist and you’re the challenges faced by
From the Award-Winning Director
confirms Sciamma’s position close to the mood of this two people who want
of BARBARA CHRISTIAN PETZOLD
as one of France’s most
accomplished filmmakers.
superb psychodrama. both happiness and
independence. IN CINEMAS MAY 8CURZON MEMBERSHIP.
New releases 20
ENJOY IT SOLO.
ENJOY IT TOGETHER.
Spooks: The Clouds of Mad Max: Fury
Greater Good 15 Sils Maria 15 Road tbc
opens: Fri 8 May opens: Fri 15 May opens: Fri 15 May
director: Bharat Nalluri director: Olivier Assayas director: George Miller
STARRING: Kit Harington, Peter STARRING: Juliette Binoche STARRING: Tom Hardy, Charlize
Firth, Elyes Gabel, Jennifer country/year: France/ Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoë
Ehle, Lara Pulver, Tuppence Switzerland/Germany/USA/ Kravitz, Riley Keough
Middleton, David Harewood Belgium 2014. French, English country/year: Australia/US
country/year: UK 2015 and German 2015
running time: 104 mins running time: 124 mins running time: TBC mins
The much-anticipated big- Juliette Binoche George Miller returns to
screen outing for the hugely approached Olivier Assayas, the gothic, post-apocalyptic Become a member today and
action franchise that made
popular BBC espionage who has previously worked
enjoy the best deals on tickets
series features Game of
Thrones star Kit Harington
together on Summer Hours,
to come up with a film
his name. Tom Hardy
replaces Mel Gibson as AUTEUR FILM FESTIVAL
and refreshments
as Will Holloway, an MI5 based on an idea she had Max and the set pieces are
operative who must team up about an actor facing up on a grander scale, but the
with Peter Firth’s disgraced to her demons. The result scenario remains familiar,
spymaster Harry Pearce in is Clouds of Sils Maria, a as our eponymous anti- MORE INFO ON:
order to prevent a terrorist riveting film about the art hero sets out to right CURZONCINEMAS.COM/MEMBERSHIP
attack on London. The clock of acting – both on screen wrongs and do battle with
counts down, the tension and in reality – that features a gang of metalheads who
mounts and a nervous city exceptional performances wouldn’t look out of place
holds its breath... from Binoche and Still Alice’s in a Kiss video. Line-up and tickets: curzoncinemas.com/auteurfilmfestival
Kristen Stewart.New releases 22 A film based on the ground-breaking
production
BEST MUSICAL SHOW OF THE YEAR
Critics’ Circle Award Time Out
A Royal Lambert The Tribe 18
Night Out 12a and Stamp 15 opens: Fri 15 May
opens: Fri 15 May opens: Fri 15 May director: Miroslav
director: Julian Jarrold director: James D. Cooper Slaboshpitsky
STARRING: Sarah Gadon, country/year: US 2015 STARRING: Grigoriy Fesenko,
Emily Watson, Rupert running time: 117 mins Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy
Everett, Jack Reynor, country/year: Ukraine/
Roger Allam, Ruth Sheen Netherlands 2014
country/year: UK 2015 Sign languages
running time: 97 mins running time: 132 mins
LONDON ROAD
Princesses Elizabeth and This fascinating Warning: this film is not for
Margaret were part of the documentary delves into the fainthearted. Miroslav
campaign to keep British this history of legendary rock Slaboshpitsky’s remarkable
morale high during the band The Who to produce and controversial drama –
darkest days of the Second a colourful account of their told in sign language and Live Film Premiere with Q&A on 9 June
In cinemas from 12 June
Photo credit: Nicola Dove
World War. But on VE Day, genesis. Chris Stamp and without subtitles – unfolds in
as the country celebrated Kit Lambert were aspiring a school for the deaf that is
its victory over the Nazis, filmmakers who, during the mired in crime and violence.
‘A profoundly moving, open-hearted film’
the royal siblings ventured shooting of an underground A new arrival is assigned
Daily Telegraph
out to join the party. Julian film, discovered a brilliant the role of pimp to one of
Jarrold’s entertaining film musical act. James D. the girls, but soon finds his londonroadfilm.co.uk
is a fictionalised account Cooper draws on archive feelings for her threaten
of that night. Think Roman footage to assert the both their lives. The result
Holiday set in 1945 London. importance of these two is edgy, provocative and
forgotten figures. utterly engrossing cinema.
PICTURESNew releases 24 new releases 25
One of the year’s
most important
releases.
The New A Girl Walks
Girlfriend 15 Home Alone at
opens: Fri 22 May
Night 15
director: François Ozon opens: Fri 22 May
STARRING: Romain Duris, Anaïs Demoustier, director: Ana Lily Amirpour
Raphaël Personnaz, Isild Le Besco STARRING: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall
country/year: France 2014 Manesh, Mozhan Marnò, Dominic Rains
French with English subtitles country/year: US 2014
running time: 105 mins Persian with English subtitles
running time: 101 mins
Timbuktu 12A
Prolific filmmaker François Ozon returns Few films this year will be half as original as
with an adaptation of a Ruth Rendell Ana Lily Amirpour’s debut. The Californian In Abderrahmane Sissako’s powerful new feature, ISIL has opens: Fri 29 May
tale and extracts from it a perfect slice of town of Taft doubles up for Bad City, an occupied the city of Timbuktu and enforced its skewed director: Abderrahmane Sissako
Hitchcockian unease. Romain Duris plays Iranian ghost town whose streets are stalked interpretation of Islam. And yet, amidst the pain lies the STARRING: Ibrahim Ahmed dit
a grieving widower raising his young baby, by a female vampire. However, everything hope of individuals whose spirit will not be crushed. This Pino, Abel Jafri, Toulou Kiki
who finds help in the form of his dead wife’s changes when she meets Arash, a young magnificent film is one of the year’s most important releases, country/year: France/
closest friend (Anaïs Demoustier). However, man with troubles of his own. There’s a highlighting the spread of a toxic creed but also championing Mauritania 2014.French,
not all is what it seems in this deliciously taut sprinkling of Lynchian surrealism, elements the human spirit. Timbuktu is the work of a world-class Arabic, Bambara, English and
Gallic drama that seeks to reveal the darker of the Western and it’s all carried off in filmmaker reacting with passion and intelligence to the Songhay with English subtitles
side of bourgeois life. glorious monochrome. barbarity of extremism. running time: 96 mins“Strange, wonderful
and special”
Danny Leigh,
THE GUARDIAN
★★★★ EMPIRE
“Beguiling in its strangeness...
Moody & gorgeous”
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
★★★★ TOTAL FILM
“The best vampire film
ever made”
Kaleem Aftab,
THE INDEPENDENT
Starring: SHEILA VAND ARASH MARANDI MOZHAN MARNÓ DOMINIC RAINS MILAD EGHBALI
ROME SHADANLOO & MARSHALL MANESH
Edited by: ALEX O’ FLINN Production Designer: SERGIO DE LA VEGA Director of Photography: LYLE VINCENT
Costume Designer: NATALIE O’BRIEN Key Makeup Artist: JILL FOGEL Executive Producers: ELIJAH WOOD
DANIEL NOAH JOSH C WALLER NICK MOCER BEN CONRAD ALEXEI TYLEVICH REZA SIXO SAFAI
DANIEL GROVE PATRICK GROVE Co-Producer: SHERI ‘SHAHRZAD’ DAVANI Produced by: SINA SAYYAH
JUSTIN BEGNAUD & ANA LILY AMIRPOUR
Music By: FEDERALE RADIO TEHRAN BEI RU FARAH WHITE LIES KIOSK FREE ELECTRIC BAND & DARUSH
In Association with: SPECTREVISION LOGAN PICTURES BLACK LIGHT DISTRICT & SAY AHH PRODUCTIONS
Written & Directed by: ANA LILY AMIRPOUR
©SHAHRE BAD PICTURE, LLC 1 5 D R U G U S E , S T R O N G V I O L E N C E , S E X STUDIOCANAL.CO.UK
IN CINEMAS MAY 22New releases 28 new releases 29
The The French French The Goob 18 Danny Electric
Connection 15 Connection 18 Connection II 15 Collins 15 Boogaloo: The
Wild, Untold
opens: Fri 29 May opens: Sat 30 May opens: Sun 31 May opens: Fri 29 May opens: Fri 29 May
Story of Cannon
director: Cédric Jimenez
STARRING: Jean Dujardin, Gilles
director: William Friedkin
STARRING: Gene Hackman,
director: John Frankenheimer
STARRING: Gene Hackman,
director: Guy Myhill
STARRING: Sienna Guillory,
director: Dan Fogelman
STARRING: Al Pacino, Annette
Films tbc
Lellouche, Céline Sallette, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider Fernando Rey Sean Harris, Hannah Bening, Jennifer Garner, opens: Fri 5 June
Mélanie Doutey country/year: US 1971 country/year: US 1975 Spearritt, Marama Corlett, Christopher Plummer, Bobby director: Mark Hartley
country/year: France 2015 English and French with English and French with Paul Popplewell Cannavale country/year: Australia/US/
French with English subtitles English subtitles English subtitles country/year: UK 2014 country/year: US 2015 Israel/UK 2014
running time: 135 mins running time: 99 mins running time: 114 mins running time: 85 mins running time: 106 mins running time: 107 mins
Céderic Jimenez’s smart, Jimmy ‘Popeye’ Doyle is an Who says sequels are A beautifully shot and Al Pacino plays an ageing Menahem Golan and
intelligently crafted film looks NYPD narcotics detective never as good as the atmospheric coming- rock star whose discovery of Yoram Globus were the
back to one of the great chasing down a French drug original? New York is of-age tale, Guy Myhill’s a letter from John Lennon schlockmeisters of 1980s
cop thrillers of the 1970s. It lord in William Friedkin’s replaced by the French drama tells the story of a finds him questioning the American cinema, churning
offers up the French side of stunning, fast-paced thriller. port of Marseilles, William young lad who finds himself course his life has taken. out low-rent exploitation
the story that inspired The Gene Hackman is on Oscar- Friedkin handed the reigns pitted against his mother’s What might have been films and a seemingly
French Connection, with winning form as the cop over to John Frankenheimer bullying boyfriend over the mawkish fare is beautifully never-ending series of
Jean Dujardin (The Artist) whose methods test ethical and a kinetic action drama course of one summer. Sean nuanced thanks to Pacino’s Chuck Norris and Charles
on magnificent form as and moral boundaries, is replaced by a fascinating Harris and Sienna Guillory performance, along with Bronson action movies.
the magistrate who finally even placing his own character study as we are excellent in the adult Bobby Cannavale as his Mark Hartley’s hilarious
brought the law to bear on colleagues’ lives at risk. It’s witness Popeye Doyle’s roles, while newcomer Liam son, Christopher Plummer documentary charts Cannon
the Marseille drug trade a remarkable performance obsessive, near-destructive Walpole is impressive as as his manager and Films’ genesis and features
and its cruel mastermind, in one of the greatest and quest to hunt down Goob, who suddenly finds Annette Bening as an age- interviews with almost
played with some verve by grittiest 70s movies. Fernando Rey’s ‘Frog 1’. himself having to grow appropriate love interest. everyone involved.
Gilles Lellouche. up fast.New releases 30
Listen Up Black Coal,
Philip 15 Thin Ice tbc
opens: Fri 5 June opens: Fri 5 June
director: Alex Ross Perry director: Yi'nan Diao
STARRING: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, STARRING: Fan Liao, Lun Mei Gwei, Xuebing
Krysten Ritter, Jonathan Pryce, Joséphine de Wang, Jingchun Wang, Ailei Yu
La Baume country/year: China 2014
country/year: US 2014 Mandarin with English subtitles
running time: 109 mins running time: 106 mins
A frequently hilarious portrait of the artist as A dismembered body is found amongst a
an egotistical nightmare, Alex Ross Perry’s pile of coal in a small Chinese town. Over
third film is a near-perfect character study. five years later, the investigator from that
Jason Schwartzman, channelling his Max case, who has now left the police, hears of
Fischer from Rushmore, is on excellent another killing and decides to investigate for
form in the tailor-made role of Philip Lewis himself. From a stunning opening shootout
Friedman, a successful author about to to the detailed investigation, Yi’nan Diao’s
publish his second novel, who begins to absorbing thriller presents a dark and
Official Selection Special Jury Prize Official Selection Official Selection
question the value of his life. compelling view of the world. Sundance Locarno New York London
Film Festival 2014 Film Festival 2014 Film Festival 2014 Film Festival 2014“A classic noir “A powerful thriller”
ADVERTORIAL
New releases 32
detective tale” VARIETY
★★★★
THE SKINNY
Jurassic Queen and The Look of
World 12a Country TBC Silence tbc
opens: Thur 11 June opens: Fri 12 June opens: Fri 12 June
director: Colin Trevorrow director: John Boorman director: Joshua
STARRING: Chris Pratt, Bryce STARRING: Callum Turner, Caleb Oppenheimer
Dallas Howard, Vincent Landry Jones, Pat Shortt, country/year: Denmark,
D'Onofrio, Judy Greer, Ty David Thewlis Finland, Indonesia, Norway,
Simpkins, Jake Johnson country/year: Ireland/France/ UK. Indonesian with English
country/year: US 2015 Romania 2014 subtitles
running time: TBC mins running time: 115 mins running time: 99 mins
Things have changed at
our favourite theme park.
Steven Spielberg has
handed directorial duties to
In Hope and Glory,
acclaimed director John
Boorman presented
an affectionate semi-
Joshua Oppenheimer’s
follow-up to the acclaimed
The Act of Killing follows a
sibling of one of the many
BLACK COAL THIN ICE
Winner of the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival last year, BLACK COAL THIN ICE, by acclaimed
Chinese director DIAO YINAN, follows ex-cop Zhang Zili - seriously wounded five years earlier while
Colin Treverrow (Safety Not autobiographical account victims of the Indonesian working on a gruesome coal-plant murder case and forced to retire from the police force due to his injuries.
Guaranteed) and Chris Pratt of growing up in Britain genocide. An optometrist, Five years later, the killer strikes again, and Zhang, now a factory security guard, is determined to redeem
takes centre stage. A new during the Second World he uses his examinations himself and solve the case on his own. Leading his own investigation, he soon discovers that all of the victims
generation of dinosaurs has War. His follow-up moves on to question the role people seem to be related to a mysterious woman named Wu Zhizhen who works in a dry cleaning shop.
been genetically engineered a few years, with the main played in the years of As he attempts to find out her dark secrets, Zhang finds himself falling for her but, in uncovering the truth,
to be more controllable, but character – now a young barbarity. Like the previous ends up in great danger.
when Bryce Dallas Howard’s man – starting his national film, The Look of Silence is Enhanced by the art direction from LIU QIANG (we’re taken through a series of wonderfully seedy bars, police
scientist decides to start service. There is a warmth a remarkable record of stations and assorted holes in the wall), YINAN delivers an incredibly tense and riveting detective story.
mixing their DNA, the result and generosity of spirit to a shocking period in
IN CINEMAS JUNE 5TH
scares even the hardiest of Boorman’s lovely portrait of recent history.
velociraptors. 1950s Britain.
For more info visit /StudiocanalUKNew releases 34 new releases 35
WEST TBC london road 12a Les Mr. Holmes TBC the burning tbc Minions tbc
opens: Fri 12 June
Combattants 15
opens: Fri 19 June opens: Fri 19 June opens: Fri 19 June opens: Fri 26 June
director: Christian Schwochow director: Rufus Norris opens: Fri 19 June director: Bill Condon director: Pablo Fendrik director: Kyle Balda,
STARRING: Jördis Triebel, Tristan STARRING: Tom Hardy, director: Thomas Cailley STARRING: Ian McKellen, Laura STARRING: Gael García Bernal, Pierre Coffin
Göbel, Alexander Scheer, Olivia Colman, Kate STARRING: Adèle Haenel, Kévin Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada, Milo Alice Braga, Jorge Sesán STARRING: Michael Keaton,
Jacky Ido, Anja Antonowicz Fleetwood, Lee Nicholas Azaïs, Antoine Laurent, Parker, Hattie Morahan country/year: Argentina, Sandra Bullock, Jon
country/year: Germany 2013 Harris, Eloise Laurence Brigitte Roüan country/year: UK/US 2015 Mexico, Brazil, France, USA Hamm, Steve Coogan,
German, English, Russian and country/year: UK 2015 country/year: France 2015 English and Japanese with 2014. English and Spanish Alison Janney
Polish with English subtitles running time: 92 mins French with English subtitles English subtitles with English subtitles country/year: US 2015
running time: 102 mins running time: 98 mins running time: 103 mins running time: 110 mins running time: TBC mins
Christian Schwochow’s Director Rufus Norris Kévin Azaïs plays a boy Bill Condon and Ian McKellen Pablo Fendrik’s visually The real stars of the
film is set in the 1970s transforms his stage whose youthful swagger last worked together on dazzling Argentina-set Despicable Me series, who
and tells the story of a production into a riveting is undermined when he the Oscar-winning Gods ‘machete’ Western sees resemble a cross between
woman (Jördis Triebel) who musical film. Based on the is – literally – knocked off and Monsters. Their latest Gael García Bernal take a jaundiced potato and
manages to escape with actual killings of prostitutes his feet by Adèle Haenel’s collaboration continues on the role of a nameless a Twinkie, finally get their
her son from East to West around Ipswich, London tomboy. However, rather mining that film’s elegiac stranger who arrives in moment in the spotlight.
Germany. However, rather Road offers up a compelling than seek revenge, he finds mood as it posits a a town beset by land- Stuart, Kevin and Bob set
than finding a Shangri-la of portrait of contemporary himself attracted to the girl. fascinating idea: what if grabbers and who decides out to find the perfect villain
democracy and free speech, British society and the From there, Thomas Cailley’s Sherlock Holmes was a to help a poor group of to work for and appear to
she encounters a world of reactions of individuals to acclaimed debut develops real person? It finds the tobacco farmers. Initially have met their match in
surveillance and suspicion. A crimes they never thought into a fascinating study of celebrated detective – cowed, they soon find Scarlet Overkill, who desires
timely film, West challenges would happen near them. adolescent relationships, played with raspy charm by courage to help him, setting nothing less than world
perceptions of liberty in the An impressive cast headline whose narrative steers McKellen – in his autumnal off a cat-and-mouse game domination. This is perfect
‘free world’. this much-anticipated refreshingly clear of years, troubled by a few where the hunters eventually summer fun.
adaptation. conventions and cliches. remaining mysteries. become the hunted.new releases 36 curzon home cinema 37
ENJOY THE LATEST CINEMA
A world forged RELEASES AT HOME h o m e cin e ma
from immigrant curzonhomecinema.com
experiences.
ARGERICH PG
1 may
NYMPHOMANIAC –
THE DIRECTOR'S CUT 18
11 may
Argerich Nymphomaniac
CLOUDS OF SILS
MARIA 15
15 may
TIMBUKTU 12A
29 may
Clouds of Sils Maria Timbuktu
LISTEN UP PHILIP 15
5 june
ELECTRIC BOOGALOO:
THE WILD, UNTOLD
STORY OF CANON
FILMS TBC
Slow West tbc 5 june Listen Up Philip Electric Boogaloo
QUEEN AND
John Maclean’s superb feature debut tells the story of opens: Fri 26 June
COUNTRY TBC
Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee), a Scottish aristocrat directors: John Maclean
12 june
who travels to America to find his love, who was forced STARRING: Kodi Smit-McPhee,
to flee their native land with her father. Along the way, Michael Fassbender, Ben
LES COMBATTANTS 15
he encounters Michael Fassbender’s gunslinger and Ben Mendelsohn, Caren Pistorius,
19 june Queen and Country Les Combattants
Mendelsohn’s motley villain, who has more than a faint Rory McCann
interest in the young man’s destination. Presenting the country/year: UK/New Zealand SEE THE LATEST CINEMATIC RELEASES AT HOME ON BT TV, SAMSUNG SMART TV, FREESAT’S FREETIME AND AMAZON FIRE TV
West as a world forged from immigrant experiences, 2015
Maclean offers up a refreshing take on a familiar genre. running time: 84 mins
All listings correct at time of going to print38 39
Curzon B
uilt in 1912, Curzon
Soho may have
changed over the
years, most significantly
Focus:
going from a one-screen
venue to three screens in
1998, but throughout its
history it has remained
one of the key platforms
for cinema in London. Host
Curzon
to hundreds of Q&As with
world-class directors and
stars, as well as the cream
of the world’s greatest films,
Curzon Soho is more than
Soho
just a cinema. It is cinema.
Curzon Soho is threatened with closure due to the Crossrail
2 development. To sign the petition to save the cinema, go to
you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-curzon-soho41
M
ichael Fassbender initially looks
"I wanted to make a forest every bit the classic Western
Western – a couple of guys character in John Maclean’s
and some woods would impressive feature debut. But as Slow West
unfolds, it becomes clear that the director
be enough." and his cast are presenting a fresh way of
seeing a familiar world.
Have you always wanted to make
a Western?
My father took me to see some westerns
when I was young and I’ve always liked
the genre, but I’m not a fanatic. As far as
the genesis of Slow West is concerned, my
interest lay more in approaching Film4 with
an idea for a good film that I could make
on a limited budget. I wasn’t interested in
a town Western or something on a bigger
scale. I wanted to make a forest Western –
a couple of guys and some woods would
be enough.
John Maclean talks about his vision of the old west
I love travelling around America and I think
The
there’s been a subconscious desire in me to
make some kind of movie inspired by that.
On my travels, I met people who would say
something like, “my gran was Scottish” or “my
great grandfather was Irish”. So there was
an urge in me to tell a Western story from a
Curzon
very European point of view.
Although it is very different in tone, there
are still elements that we recognise from
the genre.
Yes, there are elements there, but we also
Interview
decided not to play up every aspect that
defines a Western. Sergio Leone captured
that world with extremely wide landscapes,
which is why we chose a more limited screen
ratio, so that we weren’t just copying his
approach – the operatic Western. I became43
shooting in New Zealand and not Colorado,
I managed to avoid that familiar backdrop
associated with the genre, but at the same
time, I didn’t want to make a tourist trailer
for New Zealand. There was one sequence
where we were shooting into a collection of
dead trees and behind us was this beautiful
lake and vast mountain range. That pretty
much sums up our approach to what we
would shoot.
You’ve previously worked with Michael
Fassbender on the shorts Man on a
Motorcycle (2009) and the BAFTA-winning
Pitch Black Heist (2011). As he was on
board to play Silas quite early in the film’s
development, was it a challenge to find the
perfect Jay?
Yes. Jay had to be someone who couldn’t
physically stand up to Silas. It was a tough
more interested in earlier Westerns, like travelled vast distances with their entire job to find someone so skinny – almost frail
Red River, Shane, High Noon and Rio Bravo. livelihood pulled along by an ox. Likewise, – yet wily. After all, they had to convince as
People often forget that in these films there’s when you read authentic tales of gunfights, someone with gumption, who would travel
a mix of high melodrama and comedy, along it’s usually someone shooting someone else all the way to America on their own. When I
with the action. in the back or when they’re drunk. This met Kodi and discussed the role with him, I
notion of ten steps, turn and fire, or the knew straight away that he could easily be
Did your script capture this world in detail? quickest on the draw isn’t the kind of this Scottish aristocrat.
Or did you respond to the environment place I wanted to take the film. I was more
during the shoot? interested in offering up a world that was at The film doesn’t shy away from violence, but
I worked long and hard on developing the times ethereal yet always authentic. So you also doesn’t dwell on it.
script. The dialogue in the film is exactly as have these moments that are dreamlike, I wasn’t interested in making a violent film
it was written on the page and I wanted to but also grounded in a world that people and certainly not one that lingers on the
be sure that each scenario and every line would have experienced at that time. enjoyment of violence. That’s why I wanted
spoken – as well as every joke – was on it to either happen off screen or be quick.
the page before we began shooting. I also You filmed in New Zealand. How did that I didn’t want to use a lot of blood either.
storyboarded every scene. affect the way you shot the surroundings? Moreover, I don’t think anyone in the film is
I didn’t want to make a landscape Western. bad and so I thought if they were to die then
The film appears to steer clear of more This was always going to be more about I should be respectful to them, which is why
traditional representations of the West. people – an emotional journey, with the film ends the way it does.
When you read about the history of the characters pitted against each other rather
West, it’s a slow place. People often than against a landscape. Because we were Slow West opens 26 JuneThe Only
45
Lovers of the
novel won’t be
Way is
disappointed.
Wessex
The director of The Hunt pays a visit to Hardy country
By Philip Kemp
T
he works of Thomas Hardy have Thomas Vinterberg’s film, scripted by
become such a staple of film and ‘One Day’ author David Nicholls, runs a
TV adaptations – Michael more compact 119 minutes without feeling
Winterbottom alone has directed three – unduly truncated.
that it’s surprising to realise that between
1929, the year after the writer’s death, Both films were shot largely in Hardy’s
and 1967, not a single English-language own Dorset, reaping rich visual dividends.
feature was derived from a Hardy novel. But Schlesinger’s cinematographer was Nicolas
then John Schlesinger directed his version Roeg, on the cusp of his own directorial
of Far from the Madding Crowd and the career, but Vinterberg’s DP, Charlotte
floodgates opened. Bruus Christensen (who also shot The
Hunt), proves Roeg’s equal in terms of
Now a new adaptation of Madding Crowd sheer widescreen landscape beauty. And
reaches our screens and it makes an where the earlier film boasted one of the
intriguing comparison with the Schlesinger late Richard Rodney Bennett’s finest scores,
version. Both are commendably faithful Craig Armstrong’s string-rich compositions,
to the novel in terms of plot and incident, drawing like Bennett on native folksong,
though at near on three hours running time often carries more than a hint of British
the earlier version packs more in. classical composer Vaughan Williams. Carey Mulligan46
ALSO SCREENING LIVE
CARMEN
1 JULY 2015
Interest in Vinterberg's version will no doubt tortured than Peter Finch was in the same
focus predominantly on the casting. As role, he makes his final fatal act of violence
Bathsheba Everdene, Hardy’s lovely and feel all the more convincing.
wilful heroine, Carey Mulligan looks far
more authentically 19th-century than Julie The most audacious casting in the new film,
Christie, for all her freshness and beauty, though, is the actor chosen to play Gabriel
ever could. Mulligan’s doll-like prettiness, Oak, staunchest and most unassuming of
offset by a determination about her jaw, Bathsheba’s suitors. As his name suggests,
suits her for the Victorian ideal of female he’s an archetypally English figure, so
pulchritude, and her slight figure emphasises Flemish actor Matthias Schoenaerts makes
Bathsheba’s courage in pitting herself an unexpected candidate for the role. He’s
against a staunchly masculine society. suitably rugged-looking and his English is
There’s more than a hint of latter-day fluent, even if the occasional hint of Antwerp
feminism in her comment that, “It is difficult creeps in now and then.
for a woman to define her feelings
in a language chiefly made by men to The choice of a Danish director to film a
express theirs.” classic English novel might be thought
equally odd. Vinterberg made his name
What of Bathsheba’s three suitors? As with the first of the Dogme films, Festen,
Sergeant Troy, the dashing but faithless in 1998, which could lead us to expect a DIRECTED BY MIKE LEIGH
PIRATES OF PENZANCE
soldier who ensnares her heart, Tom rethinking of Hardy no less radical than
Sturridge swaggers impressively, if never Michael Winterbottom’s The Claim (‘The THE
quite eclipsing memories of Terence Mayor of Casterbridge’ relocated to gold-
Stamp in the role. Michael Sheen makes
interestingly offbeat casting as Farmer
rush era California) or Trishna (‘Tess of the
D’Urbervilles’ in modern-day India). But
19 MAY 2015
Boldwood, the wealthy neighbouring this is a sound, well-paced treatment of the
LIVE FROM THE LONDON COLISEUM IN STUNNING CINEMATIC HD
landowner who obsessively woos our material that takes no liberties. Lovers of the
WWW.ENO.ORG/ENOSCREEN FACEBOOK.COM/ENOSCREEN TWITTER.COM/ENOSCREEN
heroine after she sends him a valentine’s novel won’t be disappointed.
card as an ill-advised joke. More febrile and Far from the Madding Crowd opens 1 May49
Mad Max is on the loose again
L
ong before The Fast and
the Furious franchise tore
and a new doc looks back to the up the world’s freeways and
heyday of 80s action films petrolheads guzzled themselves
on the juvenile antics of the Top
By Neal Baker Gear team, an ex-cop called Max
Rockatansky ruled the barren
wastelands of the open road.
Beginning with Mad Max (1979),
George Miller’s post-apocalyptic
The
action series found the last
vestiges of humanity battling
over water, gas and whatever
supplies they could lay their hands
on. The superior Mad Max 2: The
Road Warrior (1981) followed and
with it came more carnage and
quite possibly the best vehicular
Road
mash-up in cinema history. That
claim looks set to be challenged
by Miller’s latest film Mad Max:
Fury Road which appears to take
the best from the first two films
and merge it with the operatic
elements of Miller’s second sequel,
to
Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome
(1985), albeit minus Tina Turner’s
outlandish hairpiece.
Hell50 51
Electric Boogaloo
After Ned Kelly, Max is
arguably Australia’s
most famous pop
culture icon.
After Ned Kelly, Max is arguably Australia’s the gothic feel of the film, both in the design
most famous pop culture icon. Neither an of vehicles and the characters who drive
outlaw nor a hero in any classic sense, he them, remains the same.
is moulded by the world around him which
has descended into chaos, with rival factions The original Mad Max was a key example of
vying for whatever remains of the Earth’s Ozploitation cinema – a loose grouping of
natural resources. In the original trilogy, films from the 1970s and 1980s that revelled focuses on the work of two mavericks – features, they were also responsible for the
Mel Gibson played Max. In Fury Road, Tom in sex, violence and horror, challenging the Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. They existential thriller Runaway Train [1985],
Hardy takes over the wheel and the scale of strict codes of censorship that dominated made Cannon Films the home of cheap John Cassavetes’ Love Streams [1984]
his problems dwarfs even Thunderdome’s Australian society for so long. Mark Hartley’s exploitation cinema and were responsible, and Jean-Luc Godard’s bizarre 1987 take
expansive canvass. Driving the action, Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold amongst other sins, for the glut of dodgy, on Shakespeare with King Lear.) However,
which includes a vertiginous hurricane of Story of Ozploitation! (2008) offers an right-wing action movies starring Charles like the Mad Max series, the best of them
fire, is Junkie XL’s pulsating score – more entertaining guide through this era, stressing Bronson and Chuck Norris. Like Hartley's possessed an anarchic, devil-may-care
than a match for Brian May’s pounding the importance of Miller’s first two Max films previous films, Electric Boogaloo is an attitude to good taste.
accompaniment to the first two instalments. in changing Australian audiences’ attitudes absurdly enjoyable ride through a little-
to what they watched on the screen. known part of recent movie history. As Mad Max: Fury Road opens 15 May
The landscape has changed a little, too. for the films Cannon made, none of the Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story
Australia was used for the first three films, Hartley’s latest documentary, Electric commercial successes were ever as good of Cannon Films opens 5 June
whereas Fury Road’s action was mostly shot Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon as George Miller’s rage-fuelled visions
across the vast red plains of Namibia. But Films (2014), covers the same era, but of the future. (Outside their schlockyA
cclaimed French director Olivier Assayas 53
first encountered Juliette Binoche when he
co-wrote the script for André Téchiné’s
Rendez-vous, in which she starred. Following their
collaboration on Summer Hours (2008), the pair have
reunited for an exploration of the nature of acting,
fame and ageing.
I'm curious about what first drew you to the
project. Was it the opportunity to work with Olivier
Assayas again?
It’s interesting how often journalists think it’s always
the director asking the actor. In this case, it was the
actress asking the director. I came up with an idea
and I thought of Olivier to do it. He said to me, “Well,
let me try to write for two weeks and see if it goes
somewhere.” Two weeks later, he called me back and
said, “Yeah, I think there’s a subject there I’d like to
develop.” After that, he wrote the script by himself for a
year, really exploring the themes and making it his own.
Going to Olivier was a way of provoking him, but when
Juliette Binoche talks about I read the script I felt he provoked me even more! So
Clouds of Sils Maria that was a good ping-pong experience. I threw him the
An
ball and he came back with a bigger ball.
There are several scenes where Maria and Val are
running lines but they could be talking about their own
relationship. What did you think about the comparison
between their lives and the play they’re rehearsing?
Actor
What I liked about the script when I read it is that it
shows what it can cost an actor to be a part of a film.
There’s a question over the distance between your life
and what you’re doing. You say yes to a film but you
don’t really know why you’ve said yes. There’s intuition
at the beginning, but when you really go into a project
Prepares
and work on it, whether it’s improvising or rehearsing,
you begin to see what you're really putting yourself
through. When you work on a project there’s always a
hidden reason related to what you’re going through.
That’s probably why my character is so reluctant to
play that character. Even though she said yes to the
production, she wants to stop because there’s a cost
to it. Being in a position where your character has to54
You say yes to a film but
you don’t really know
why you’ve said yes.
go through something like a relationship have for you emotionally?
ending, with everything around you Yeah, there are scenes where you think
collapsing, when she’s also going through in the morning, “Why do I say yes to
in her real life as well, it can be tough. this work? It’s so difficult.” I’m playing
When you act, it’s not an intellectual, fun in ‘Antigone’ now, and some nights just
little place; it’s a real place where your self before going on I say, “Why do I need to go
has to believe what you’re going through, through this?”
otherwise it’s not – in my eyes – acting.
There’s a transformation you’ve got to Does the appeal lie in expressing yourself?
go through – an emotional involvement Yes. But also sharing in an ensemble,
that has a cost. I was happy that Olivier because cinema, like theatre, is an
explored this idea because it’s not often ensemble art. That’s also why it can be
seen. We talk about it, but it’s rarely shown so difficult – you’re depending also on the
on film. sensibility of the other actors as well as the
director. Particularly the director, because
Have you had that experience yourself? they’re going to edit the film and their
Have you ever felt reluctant to take on
certain roles because of the cost it might
choices are so important.
Clouds of Sils Maria opens 15 May
Out On DVD anD Blu-ray 15 June
tM
Pre-OrDer nOW57
T
he first film from Mauritania to be nominated for the Best Foreign
Language Film Academy Award, the latest work from Abderrahmane
Sissako is both breathtakingly beautiful and heartbreakingly
contemporary. Honoured with seven Césars – the French equivalent of the
Oscar – it’s a passionate and authoritative look at how ordinary people
suffer at the hands of fundamentalist ideals.
Not far from Timbuktu, now ruled by religious zealots, Kidane lives peacefully
in the dunes with his wife Satima, his daughter Toya and Issan, their 12-year-
old shepherd son. In town, the people suffer from the regime of terror
imposed by Jihadists determined to control their lives. Innocent pleasures
such as music, laughter, cigarettes and even football have been banned.
The women have become shadows of their former selves, but still find
ways to resist, always with dignity. Every day, kangaroo courts issue absurd
sentences whose impact is detrimental to the town's way of life. Kidane
and his family are initially spared the chaos that prevails, but their destiny
tragically changes when Kidane becomes embroiled in a local fracas and
finds himself facing up to the strictures of Timbuktu’s invaders.
Sissako’s film has the feel and tragic scope of a parable. Unfortunately, it is
based on a real-life incident in Aguelhok, a small city in Northern Mali. In July
2012, a young couple, who had two children, were stoned to death for having
a sexual relationship outside of marriage. The sentence was carried out in
front of 200 people and footage of the barbaric act was posted online by
the perpetrators. Sissako, the director of the acclaimed Life on Earth (1998),
Timbuktu presents a compelling portrait of extremism Waiting For Happiness (2002) and Bamako (2006), felt compelled to bring
the incident to wider attention: ‘‘I must testify in the hopes that no child will
By Jason Wood ever again have to learn their parents died because they loved each other.’’
Paradise
Stunningly photographed by Sofiane El Fani, Timbuktu is all the more
powerful for contextualizing the horror amidst a background of such
natural splendour and tranquillity. Sissako captures the natural rhythm
of rural life and the joyful atmosphere of Kidane's family home which is
full of love and respect. Sadly, that world is soon destroyed when the new
Lost
puritans take over, intimidating people with their guns and polluting the
quiet with their endlessly bleeping mobile devices. When things take a wrong
turn – and it is clear from the outset that they will – the consequences are
devastating and the power with which Sissako presents these events is
heartbreaking. Rarely has the contrast between hope and despair been so
effectively rendered on screen.
Timbuktu opens 29 MayC
59
Ian McKellen brings gravitas to the legendary sleuth
By Leigh Singer
El ementAry
aO f all the books in which illustrious fictional detective Sherlock
Holmes appears, the most instructive for his cinematic
s
career isn’t one of Arthur Conan Doyle’s celebrated
thrillers, but rather The Guinness Book of Records. Holmes is listed
as “the most portrayed movie character”, with more than 70 actors
playing him in over 200 films; from Basil Rathbone’s more traditional
deerstalker-and-pipe version to Robert Downey Jr.’s current
s
incarnation, a man of action as much as deduction. So bringing
cinematic originality to such a familiar character could present a
conundrum as potentially perplexing as anything the great sleuth
ever tried to solve.
However, this is exactly what Oscar-winning filmmaker Bill Condon
and actor Ian McKellen have achieved in Mr. Holmes. Adapted from
Mitch Cullin’s 2005 novel ‘A Slight Trick of the Mind’, they bring us a
Holmes well into his 90s, long retired from detective work, instead
passing his remaining years beekeeping near the Sussex coast. It’s
a marked contrast to the current trend for a younger, more dynamic
Holmes’ from Downey Jr. to the contemporary-set TV versions
starring Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) and Jonny Lee Miller
(Elementary). Sharp-eyed viewers might also spy a delightful nod to
another sprightlier version of the detective, 1985’s Young Sherlock
Holmes, nested within the film too.
The film posits Holmes as a real detective, whose best-selling
exploits were written up by his assistant Dr. Watson, fictionalised “I never had much
and exaggerated (he never wore a deerstalker and preferred cigars
use for imagination.
to a pipe), much to his chagrin. Now alone but for his housekeeper
Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) and her inquisitive young son Roger (Milo I prefer facts”.
Parker), Holmes endeavours to write his own memoir, yet struggles60
to even recall the events that caused him introspection are some of his most striking
to quit his career. “I never had much use for features. Stripped of much of this, the man
imagination. I prefer facts,” Holmes grumbles remains familiar and yet is fascinatingly
at one point. However, it gradually becomes different. McKellen’s previous collaboration
evident that this unsolved case may well with Bill Condon was 1998’s Gods and
have been an occasion where empirical Monsters, which told the story of the last days
deductions alone were not enough to of the troubled Frankenstein (1931) director
prevent tragedy. James Whale. There's a telling line in which
he says, “I’ve spent much of my life outrunning
Cullin’s novel and now Condon’s film tap into the past. And now it floods all over me,” It
the tropes that have made the Holmes myth could have been spoken by this Holmes.
so popular, from his enjoyably cantankerous
nature and caustic humour, to setting up Mr. Holmes shares many characteristics with
an intriguing mystery for both him and the that film, for which McKellen received his
audience to solve. In fact, alongside this first Oscar nomination and Condon won for
key case from the past, there’s another Best Adapted Screenplay. Both are about a
puzzle for Holmes to decipher: a visit to once-renowned public figure now drifting into
a decimated, post-war Hiroshima where anonymity, holed up with a housekeeper and
an enigmatic Japanese admirer (Hiroyuki a younger male, and simultaneously haunted
Sanada) may have ulterior motives for by and trying to reconcile with his past. It is
inviting the ageing detective. sensitively and smartly explored by Condon,
with a tour de force performance by McKellen
Such an unusual perspective, with the whose subtle characterisation reveals that
sleuth physically and mentally vulnerable, for all the pleasures of riddle-solving, it’s the
makes for a remarkably rich character secrets of the human heart and mind that
study. Holmes’ relentless intellectual acuity, are the most elusive mysteries of them all.
forward momentum and relative lack of Mr. Holmes opens 19 JuneYou can also read
