Greg Wetherall The curtain is soon to be raised on the 62nd London Film Festival and who better to seek the odd tip or two for what to see out of what is a gloriously plump and promising 225 feature film programme than the festival’s Artistic Director herself: Ms Tricia Tuttle? In an exclusive for Hot Corn, Tuttle has kindly taken us towards the little gems that she recommends; these are films that might well lie just beneath the radar, and here she sums up why you might want to seek them out.
TOO LATE TO DIE YOUNG – “A woozily gorgeous evocation of life on the fringe of society. Set during the summer of 1990, after Pinochet’s fall, democracy has returned to Chile. Three youngsters drive up to a woodland commune below the Andes, where they hope to idle the summer away while their parents debate the future. In their isolated community, Sofia, Lucas and Clara face their first loves and fears while building up for New Year’s Eve. Youthful desire, ennui and mischief have rarely felt so tangible. The film is directed by Dominga Sotomayor Castillo.”
JOY – “Directed by Sudabeh Mortezai. This is a vital and hugely affecting drama that tackles the vicious cycle of sex trafficking in modern Europe. Following the life of Joy, a young Nigerian woman who works the streets to pay off debts to her exploiter Madame, while supporting her family in Nigeria and hoping for a better life for her young daughter in Vienna.”
THE HATE YOU GIVE – “A powerful adaptation of Angie Thomas’ YA novel about a teenager who witnesses the fatal police shooting of her childhood friend. An expansive and electrifying of coming-of-age tropes and powerful social drama.”
BORDER – “Prepare for a love story like no other in the audacious Scandinavian fantasy, based on a novel by the writer of Let the Right One In. Expect big laughs, thrills and a highly original treatment of gender ‘borders’, beauty and sexuality.”
BAD REPUTATION – “An exuberant documentary celebrating guitarist, record producer and feminist punk icon Joan Jett, from The Runaways and solo stardom to Riot Grrrl and beyond.”
THE QUAKE – “Award-winning Norwegian cinematographer John Andreas Andersen makes his directorial debut with The Quake. Could reports of subterranean tremors beneath the city of Oslo predict a catastrophic earthquake is imminent? With truly spectacular effects and exceptional performances, this sequel to The Wave (LFF 2015) is another tension-filled, high-stakes geo-thriller.”
WILD ROSE – “A delightful and infectiously joyous film about a young woman balancing her dream of being a country music star with the responsibilities of motherhood. A superstar-making performance from the irrepressible Jessie Buckley.”
The London Film Festival runs from 10th-21st October 2018. Tickets can be purchased here
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