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At the centre, Lust is superb as a hapless nice guy no one knows, resented as a replacement for the real actor, but able to seamlessly slip into scenes. And even when he can't, he finds something unexpected. Engel's Vera is wonderfully stubborn; she'll know Petra when she sees her. Of the actresses, Kirchhoff and Sawatzi stand out as scene-stealing divas who feel above the process. And Trauttmansdorff is terrific as an actress who gives Gerwin a run for his money.

Several themes run through the scenes, provocatively touching on issues like the insecurity actresses feel as they age, the level of manliness expected of an actor, and the need for a director to keep the corporate bosses happy. There's also a range of issues relating to sexuality between both the actors on-set and the roles they're reading. This means that both the comical and emotional moments hit on multiple layers. And the clever sequence of scenes in the final act has a vicious kick.

themes, language

27.Jul.20

The layers of history are beautifully played by three generations of actors. Each person is on his or her own odyssey, and the gifted cast members find nuance and texture in every scene. Coroy's Alma is a wonderfully enigmatic catalyst at the centre of the story. She bonds with De La Hoz's thoughtful, observant Natalia over their shared pain about their missing husbands. And Natalia is only too aware that her father hated hers. While Kenefic has a superb haunted presence as a woman reluctantly reliving her suppressed past.

With the constant roar of street protests and Bustamante's inventive visual touches, the film often adopts a dreamlike tone (including a few actual dreams). This creates a terrifying atmosphere, as the goings-on during both the day and night become increasingly intense. Each of these elements connects the story and characters to the Guatemalan earth in unexpected ways. As a news reporter says, "Guatemala is tired of crying over its missing people."

themes, violence

7.Aug.20

The performances are raw and natural, beautifully catching the inner spark within these women that the fanatical leaders are so determined to silence. These young people know they have more to offer their society than silence and childbirth. Khoudri is terrific as the strong-willed Nedjma, easily transitioning between the script's wild mood swings and generating terrific chemistry with Boutella, Douaouda and others. The male characters are less complex, including a predatory doorman (Hakim) and two cute guys (Houicha and Zeghbib) who court Nedjma and Wassila.

Nedjma says she's not trying to provoke the fanatics, but instead defeat them with indifference. Determined to put her country back on course, her rebellion begins with a reaction to ubiquitous posters insisting that women should wear full-length hijabs. The script goes on to encompass several major themes, sometimes a little haphazardly. And there are some intensely melodramatic plot points. But this is a vivid depiction of youthful idealism standing against a tidal wave of hypocrisy and oppression.

themes, violence

7.Aug.20