FRENCH ANIMATION FILM FESTIVAL
Over one weekend, the festival, in its eighth edition, will showcase five feature films and 10 short films.
Winner of a Cesar award for Best Animated Movie this year, Dilili In Paris (2018, 95 minutes) is an adventure of a girl in the time of Belle Epoque France, who investigates a spate of kidnappings and, in doing so, meets the famous names of that period.
It will be screened on May 24 and its animator and assistant director, Jean-Claude Charles, will answer questions after the screening.
WHERE: Alliance Francaise de Singapour, 1 Sarkies Road
MRT: Newton
WHEN: May 24 to 26, various times
ADMISSION: From $8 a screening for Alliance Francaise members, from $10 for non-members; free screenings for selected films
INFO: bit.ly/2w0jxqH
John Lui
ITALIAN FILM FESTIVAL
In crime thriller Dogman (2018, 103 minutes), dog groomer Marcello (Marcello Fonte, above) finds his life descending into chaos and violence after he becomes an unwilling accomplice to the robbery of a cocaine dealer.
Directed by Matteo Garrone of prize-winning crime drama Gomorrah (2008), the film was selected for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and was Italy's entry to the Academy Awards this year.
WHERE/MRT: The Projector, Level 5 Golden Mile Tower, 6001 Beach Road (Nicoll Highway); GV Plaza, Plaza Singapura, 68 Orchard Road (Dhoby Ghaut)
WHEN: Wednesday to June 7, various times
ADMISSION: $13.50 INFO: Download the booklet at www.ambsingapore.esteri.it; for schedule and bookings, go to theprojector.sg/italianfilmfest or www.gv.com.sg
John Lui
BIRTHDAY (PG)
120 minutes/4 Stars
The Sewol ferry disaster in which 304 people - many of them high-school students - died, is still a fresh wound for the South Koreans.
In an assured and sensitive directorial debut, writer-director Lee Jong-un chooses to focus on one family: how death has torn it apart and how the kindness of others might help them heal.
Jung-il (Sul Kyung-gu) returns home to South Korea after a number of years abroad. His wife, Soon-nam (Jeon Do-yeon, both above), has been looking after their daughter, Ye-sol (Kim Bo-min), on her own and does not want to see him.
It is revealed that they had an older son, Su-ho (Yoon Chan-young), who died in the ferry sinking on April 16, 2014.
This could have been an unremittingly bleak film, but Lee manages to find little moments of tenderness and humour - making the big emotional moments all the more devastating.
Boon Chan
