As spring hits us well and truly, we celebrate nuance and intricacy in film like a breath of fresh air into this season’s cinema. Here’s our pick of the best of April’s releases.
Clouds of Sils Maria
Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart and Chloë Grace Moretz form a trio of powerful performances in this tense, introspective drama by French filmmaker Olivier Assayas. An established actress (Binoche) is confronted with an unsettling reflection of herself when she agrees to take part in a revival of the play that launched her career 20 years earlier.
Hungry Hearts
Spotlighted at Tribeca Film Festival, Hungry Hearts starts off with a touching romantic encounter in New York City but quickly descends into a chilling escalation of a mother’s paranoia and obsession with her child. Adam Driver and Alba Rohrwacher deliver a haunting portrait of the complex nature of motherhood and family bonds.
Alex of Venice
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is Alex, an overworked environmental attorney coming to grips with the realisation that she is not in total control of her life, when her husband takes a break from the family. Chris Messina’s directorial debut is a genuine, nuanced character study with heartwarming performances.
Montage of Heck
A raw and unflinching documentary on Kurt Cobain’s life from childhood to his early death in 1994, Montage of Heck powerfully blends video footage, soundbites and animation into a touching poignant for the man behind the myth. With unseen footage and sound, the film presents an abundance of material while restraining from any judgement.
While We’re Young
Josh and Cornelia (Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts) are a forty-something married couple living in Manhattan who, in a bout of middle-age crisis, gravitate to a young hipster couple (Adam Driver, Amanda Seyfried) in an effort to feel younger. Funny and touching, While We’re Young manages to avoid stereotype in its delivery of a considered exploration of what it means to age.
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Vintage photos of London street life at the turn of the millennium
London 1995-2005 — In her new photobook, Joan Piekny reflects on a decade shooting the styles and subcultures of the UK capital’s streets, just before technology .
Written by: Miss Rosen
Princess Julia: “I always state my age as I can’t believe I’m still around”
First lady — As the latest Artist-In-Residence of Huck 83, the London nightlife legend speaks to Josh Jones and provides a few recommendations and words of wisdom.
Written by: Josh Jones
A luminous portrait of Black life over six decades
Shared Memories — As staff photographer for The New York Times, Chester Higgins captured Black culture and spiritual connection like no other. A new exhibition celebrates his life and impact.
Written by: Miss Rosen
A tender portrait of life and ritual from Mexico City’s streets
Órale — For the last six years of his life, photographer, collector and designer Michel Hurst documented death rituals, street life and religious pageantry in contemporary Mexico. A new monograph showcases his work.
Written by: Roxana Diba
In photos: Washington DC’s Black communities facing up to gentrification
A Language We Share — A new exhibition featuring the work of Beverly Price and Gordon Parks preserves historically Black neighbourhoods in the USA, before development and economic forces made them disappear.
Written by: Miss Rosen
The London passport picture studio that became an unexpected repository of 20th century stars
Passport Photo Service — From Mick and Bianca Jagger to Muhammad Ali and Poly Styrene, the unassuming Oxford Street store was frequented by hundreds of musicians, actors, artists and more over its 70 years of operation.
Written by: Miss Rosen
