Barbara Goslawski – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

TAHARA – Review by Barbara Goslawski

May 31, 2022May 31, 2022 Barbara Goslawski Daniel Taveras, Madeline Grey DeFreece, Olivia Peace, Rachel Sennott, tahara

Cleverly stylized, Olivia Peace’s impressive debut feature, Tahara is a perceptive variation on the familiar coming-of-age theme. By situating this microcosm of teen types in both a structural and symbolic bubble (think The Breakfast Club but more artistically inventive), she creates a more universal statement. This queer coming-of-age dark comedy becomes more of a meditation on the various types of relationships we find ourselves in – be they social groups, casual relations, or our most intimate connections – and articulates the difficult process necessary to extricate ourselves from the toxic ones.

Reviews

ANNETTE – Review by Barbara Goslawski

August 4, 2021August 7, 2021 Barbara Goslawski Adam Driver, annette, cannes film festival, Caroline Champetier, Catherine Trottmann, leos carax, Marion Cotillard, musicals, Ron and Russell Mael, Sparks

Part fantasy, part cheeky treatise on modern life, Annette is very much a film of extremes, one that struggles to reconcile its differences. Director Leos Carax deservedly won the Director’s prize at Cannes– this is certainly an athletic effort on his part – but Annette remains a frustrating experiment in form and content.

Festivals

Women Filmmakers Score at HOT DOCS 2021- Barbara Goslawski reports

May 15, 2021May 16, 2021 Barbara Goslawski Annabel Verbeke, documentaries, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Four Seasons in a Day, hot docs. gender parity, Kimmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy, Ostrov – Lost Island, Shane Smith, Svetlana Rodina, women directors

In its second pandemic digital edition, the 2021 Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival generated a lot of healthy, happy buzz, especially for women filmmakers. With a slate that presented 222 films from all over the world, 50 per cent of the directors in the festival program were female. But not only were women present in equal numbers; their films dominated the conversation, showing that women helmers are digging deep into the real struggles that affect us all. That is perhaps the most fascinating thing about gender parity at the Hot Docs Canadian International or any other festival.

Reviews

WHAT LIES WEST – Review by Barbara Goslawski

May 11, 2021May 13, 2021 Barbara Goslawski Annie Peterson, Jessica Ellis, Nicolette Ellis, What Lies West

Jessica Ellis’s What Lies West has a quiet grace that stays with you long after the storylines have neatly concluded. This deceptively simple coming of age tale slips under your skin to become a complex exploration of people at varying stages sharing this distinctly fulfilling experience. Ingeniously, the film questions whether this kind of growth can only happen at a specific time of life. Instead, writer/director Ellis reminds us that real change can be a shared experience, one in which people inspire each other.

Reviews

SAINT FRANCES – Review by Barbara Goslawski

November 15, 2020January 1, 2021 Barbara Goslawski Alex Thompson, Kelly O’Sullivan, saint frances

Saint Frances tackles some familiar issues in a refreshingly original way, exemplifying the importance of involving female voices in the telling of women’s stories. Written by star Kelly O’Sullivan and directed by Alex Thompson, Saint Frances dives deep into some of the most serious issues facing young women today and deftly invokes a distinctively lighthearted but compassionate vision of hope and healing.

Reviews

JUDY VERSUS CAPITALISM – Review by Barbara Goslawski

October 15, 2020January 1, 2021 Barbara Goslawski canasdian films, documentaries, judy rebick, judy versus capitalism, mike hoolboom

Judy Versus Capitalism is an astonishing accomplishment. Utterly heartbreaking, the film is also a resounding act of bravery. Canadian feminist and activist Judy Rebick tells her story—all of it —and director Mike Hoolboom expertly crafts a breathtaking visual journey into its core.