Film Review by Dr Franco Ferrarini, Gastroenterologist and Film Reviewer “Nomadland” (Chloé Zhao, USA, 2020) winner of the Oscar for best film, best director (Chloé Zhao) and best actress in a leading role (Frances McDormand) in 2021. At the beginning of ‘Nomadland’ we meet Fern (Frances McDormand), a middle-aged, middle-class woman, in what is probably […]
Category: Film and Media
Let’s Talk and Be Honest: Marianne Khoury, Egyptian film maker, Tackles Arab Women Taboos
Film Review by Khalid Ali, Film and Media Correspondent ‘Let’s talk’ (Documentary film, directed by Marianne Khoury, Egypt, 2019, winner of best documentary film in Cairo International Film Festival 2019) Showing at ‘The Time is New: Selections from Contemporary Arab Cinema’ at BFI Southbank and on BFI Player from 27 August–5 October. Tickets on sale […]
Neuro-Diversity Explored in Film
Film Review by Professor Janet Harbord, Professor of Film, Queen Mary University, London When cinema has depicted autism it has almost exclusively sought to translate the world of the autistic person for a supposed neurotypical audience. But what happens if we start from a position of autism as a benefit, a modality that can renew […]
Finding Hope through Understanding
Film Review by Khalid Ali, Film and Media Correspondent Spoiler alert: this review contains significant plot details. ‘Souad’ (Ayten Amin, Egypt, 2020) showing at UK cinemas from 27th August 2021, https://www2.bfi.org.uk/whats-on/bfi-film-releases/souad. Souad (Bassant Ahmed) is a 19-year-old girl who lives with her younger sister Rabab (Basmala El Ghaiesh), and their parents in Zagazig, a city […]
Drawing Attention to and Restoring Order in ADHD
‘Take Care of Zizi’ (TV Series, directed by Karim El Shennawy, Egypt, 2021) Mariam Naoum, Mona El Shimi and Magdy Amin (TV script writers) in conversation with Khalid Ali, film, and media correspondent In the critically acclaimed Arab TV series ‘Take Care of Zizi’,. Zizi (Amina Khalil) is a young […]
Justice for Seni: A Public Campaign Against Racism in Psychiatric Units
‘RIP SENI’ (UK, 2021) Daisy Ifama, and Lizzie Reid film directors in conversation with Khalid Ali, film, and media correspondent ‘RIP SENI’ world premiere at the Sheffield Doc / Fest 6th June 2021, https://sheffdocfest.com/film/rip-seni On the 24th of June 2020, a graffiti reading ‘RIP SENI’ appeared on a public artwork outside Bethlem Royal Hospital, […]
Sudanese Women Exercising Power and Politics
Suzannah Mirghani, Sudanese filmmaker, explores Sudanese matriarchal traditions in her short film ‘Al-Sit’ in conversation with Khalid Ali In 2019, Sudanese cinema came to the international limelight with three highly acclaimed films; ‘Khartoum Offside’ (Marwa Zein), ‘Talking about Trees’ (Suhaib Gasmelbari), and ‘You Will Die at Twenty’ (Amjad Abu Alala). These award-winning films were the […]
Unexpected Gifts: Film review of “Looted,” by Rene van Pannevis
Looted, directed by Rene van Pannevis, UK, 2019, available on virtual cinema and on-demand. by Professor Robert Abrams, Weill Cornell, New York. Alert: the review contains plot spoilers! The central story of Looted is a bitter father-son saga, a tragedy about parental failure and filial remorse. The film also includes explicit depictions of terminal […]
Review of “I Know This Much Is True” TV series (Derek Cianfrance, USA, 2020)
“Man Can Do What He Wills But He Cannot Will What He Wills” On the Freedom of the Will, Arthur Schopenauer, 1839. By Dr. Franco Ferrarini, gastroenterologist and film reviewer. This short HBO series centres on the life of two twin brothers, Thomas, and Dominick Birdsey (both played by Mark Ruffalo), the former affected by […]
Reflecting on Loss and Grief
Review of ‘Loco’ (Rory Wilson, UK, 2020), ‘Skeletons’ (Will Peppercorn, UK, 2020), and ‘Early Grief Special’ (Jessica Chowdhury, UK, 2020), showing at the BFI Future Film Festival—Free Program Available online 18–21 February 2021, https://www.bfi.org.uk/future-film-festival Film Review by Khalid Ali, Film and Media Correspondent History taking from patients, and presenting stories of people’s illness in a […]