Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2014 Diary - Day 6
The Man from Oran
Today I really disliked one film and really enjoyed watching two. I guess two out of three isn't bad at a film festival.
Return to Homs
Really wanted to like like this documentary, but found it's "citizen journalism" style of filming distracting to appreciate it. There was a performative element in this documentary which I found worrying. I heard there is a shorter version edited for TV, I hope it is a tighter version compared to what we saw.
The Man from Oran
A very well directed and acted film by Lyès Salem. It's rare for an Arab fictional drama to touch upon history without being too sentimental. There were lots of
unanswered questions posed in The Man from Oran, set in post colonial Algeria, of which the consequences can still be felt in the region today.
Whiplash
A riveting film about seeking perfection. The "f*** you" scene at the end was one of the most glorious FU scenes in cinema.