Category: UK
-
PERMISSIVE (NSFW)
“Permissive” is a gritty and downbeat British drama from 1970, directed by Lindsay Shonteff and written by Suzanne Mercer, one of the few female screenwriters active in the late 1960s counterculture film scene. Set against the backdrop of London’s early 1970s rock culture, the film offers an unflinching, melancholic look at groupie culture, moral disillusionment,…
-
SHORT FILM: VISIBLE MENDING
“Visible Mending” is a 2023 short film directed by Samantha Moore. Instead of following a conventional plot, “Visible Mending” presents itself as a short animated documentary montage. It utilizes stop-motion animation of knitted objects to convey the voices and experiences of real people discussing the significance of knitting and crocheting in their lives. The film…
-
SHORT FILM: ROSEBUD (NSFW)
“Rosebud” is a 1991 British short film written and directed by Cheryl Farthing. It follows Kay, a woman in her late twenties who has just moved into a new flat. Her immediate neighbors are a lesbian couple who are affectionate, stylish, and openly intimate with one another. Kay becomes enchanted by the genuine closeness of…
-
TOMMY
“Tommy” is a British musical film released in 1975, directed by Ken Russell. It is based on the rock opera album “Tommy” by The Who, which was released in 1969. The film is a visually extravagant and surreal exploration of themes such as trauma, fame, and spiritual awakening, blending elements of music, theater, and cinematic…
-
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” is a 1983 war drama directed by Nagisa Ōshima and adapted from Laurens van der Post’s novel “The Seed and the Sower.” The film is recognized for its exploration of cultural conflict, honor, desire, and humanity within the harsh realities of a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. The haunting score was…
-
WOMEN IN LOVE
“Women in Love” is a 1969 British romantic drama directed by Ken Russell. It is adapted from D.H. Lawrence’s 1920 novel of the same name. The film delves into the complexities of love, sexuality, and human connection in post-World War I England. Glenda Jackson won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in…
-
SHORT FILM: WANDER TO WONDER
“Wander to Wonder” is a 2023 short stop-motion animation film directed by Nina Gantz and written by Simon Cartwright, Daan Bakker, and Stienette Bosklopper. It won the BAFTA Award for Best British Short Animation and was nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 97th Academy Awards. The film features Terence Dunn as Billy Budd,…
-
SISTER MIDNIGHT
“Sister Midnight” (2024) is a darkly comic, surreal horror-drama written and directed by Karan Kandhari in his feature debut. The film stars Radhika Apte, alongside Ashok Pathak, Chhaya Kadam, and Smita Tambe. Set in the dense, chaotic sprawl of Mumbai, the film blends deadpan humor, social satire, and grotesque fantasy to explore alienation, repression, and…
-
ENYS MEN
“Enys Men” (Cornish for “Stone Island”) is a surreal, slow-burning folk horror film released in 2022. It was written, directed, and edited by Mark Jenkin, known for his work on “Bait.” The film is shot on 16mm film, giving it a grainy, analog aesthetic, and is set in 1973 on an isolated, uninhabited island off…
-
SACRED HOUSES: THE MAREEL, SHETLAND ISLANDS, UK
The Shetland Islands, a remote archipelago in the North Sea north of the Scottish mainland, had one cinema, The North Star in Lerwick, which was converted into a music venue in 1989. In complete transparency, I worked extensively with a band called “Idlewild” during their early days. They were strong advocates for remote concerts in…
The Other Cinema 