Exclusive articles:
Cannes 2011: New Films by Iranian Filmmakers Panahi and Rasoulof Find Freedom in Official Selection
Just now Cannes has added two more - one film each to Un Certain Regard and Out of Competition sections - by "imprisoned" (thankfully symbolically speaking) Iranian filmmakers Mohammad Rasoulof and Jafar Panahi. The oppressed nature in which these films were made can be detected right from their titles: Panahi's film is titled This is Not a Film (In Film Nist), while Rasoulof's has the cryptic title Goodbye (Be Omid-e Didar), though I'm told this could also translate to the more hopeful "See You Soon."
Review: Fightville
The weight-loss ritual (for reaching the range of the assigned weight class) is especially gruelling and extreme. Coupled with the likely harmful effects on the heart, this process adds another bit of ambivalence to the overall healthiness of the sport. The fights themselves are surprisingly anti-climatic. Perhaps opting for less explicit or rowdy fights for the sake of taming detractors, Epperlein & Tucker show matches that are usually over just as they begin, ending with few punches or flashy moves (save for one feel-good connection).
Review: The Bengali Detective
The effect does fine if the film's function is as a character study (not to be mistaken, it is quite a character study), but it does detract from the other notable streams, to the point where the film's raison d'être becomes forgettable. As an in-depth look at Bengali detectives' day-to-day details, or the national dependence on Bollywood culture, the film sits a bit flat-footed; however, the emotional and free-spirited charms remain very prominent, and aren't easily shaken.
The Bengali Detective | Review
Cox's Charismatic Inspection of a Kolkatan Detective's Work is Endearing, If a Bit Slight
