In her directorial debut, Belgian Laura Wandel touches on the sensitive subject of school bullying, managing to get as close as possible to the children’s mental world. The first day of school for seven year old Nora, who is afraid of the unknown. However, her own integration is relatively smooth compared to that of her slightly older brother Abel, who is systematically bullied at school by classmates. When a little girl tries to protect him, he reacts, and the schoolyard’s micro-society becomes a daily challenge for the two children. From an aesthetic point of view, Wandel’s film takes a very specific approach, lowering the camera’s “eye” to the level of a child’s gaze and in many cases blurring the surrounding space so that information reaches us through voices, whispers or screams – depending on which point. the school we’re in without necessarily seeing who’s saying it. The notorious cruelty with which children often treat each other is at the center of the film here, which, however, also highlights other factors (teacher who cares, parent who intervenes, etc.) of everyday school life.

Invitation ★★½
HORROR (2022)
Director: Jessica M. Thompson
Cast: Natalie Emanuel, Thomas Doherty, Alana Boden

A multi-twist horror film similar to Jordan Peele’s hit “Run” hits theaters this week. The main character is Ivy, a thirty-year-old New Yorker who, after the death of her mother, was left alone in the world. That was until he discovered through a DNA test that he had a British cousin – and a whole family behind him – that he didn’t know existed. Soon, her new relatives, who also turned out to be rogues, invite her to a luxurious wedding in the English countryside, where Ivy is initially fascinated by the aristocratic owner, but soon realizes that something is not quite right in this family. Jessica M. Thompson’s film embraces most of the conventions of the genre without becoming boring and completely predictable. Avoiding revealing too much, two different popular horror myths are intertwined here, and the charismatic Nathalie Emanuel, whom we met on Game of Thrones, does a good job with the main role.

Translator ★★½
DRAMA (2018)
Directed by: Rodrigo and Sebastian Barrioso
Interpretations: Rodrigo Santoro, Maricel Alvarez

From Cuba, as the country’s official bid for the 2020 Oscars, comes a film that travels through recent history, in particular a lesser-known aspect of it so far. We are in 1986, the day after the nuclear accident at Chernobyl, when Cuba receives thousands of radiation victims for treatment in its hospitals, many of them children. Malin, a professor of Russian literature in Havana, is hired along with several other colleagues as an interpreter between doctors and patients. What he sees there will shock him, but at the same time will motivate him to help even more in whatever way he can.

Tackling an already complex subject with sensitivity and love, the Barriosso brothers draw on the true story of their father to create a character who struggles to find light in the midst of human tragedy.

Their film lacks original or outstanding cinematic techniques, but remains relevant as a testament to the solidarity and meaningful donations that ultimately led to the salvation of thousands of children.

Mrs. Harris is going to Paris ★★
COMEDY (2022)
Director: Anthony Fabian
Interpretations: Lesley Manville, Isabelle Huppert

A story that sends us back to 1958 connects an everyday character with the world of haute couture and fashion, starring two award-winning actresses. Lesley Manville plays Ida Harris, a lonely middle-aged cleaner whose husband died in the war. However, she retains her innate optimism and cheerfulness, with a crazy dream: to be able to purchase a beautiful Christian Dior dress. To this end, and after a lot of savings, she goes to Paris for the coveted dress, but there various adventures await her, finding herself opposite the strict director of Dior (Isabelle Epert).

Spielberg’s masterpiece, which for many was the first cinematic blockbuster and certainly one of the greatest suspense films, has been digitally remastered. A bloodthirsty shark suddenly appears at a peaceful seaside resort, spreading death and horror. The local sheriff will rush to hunt him along with a hydrobiologist and an old navigator. Spielberg mastered suspense and horror, hiding the beast and building the psychology of the viewer in ways that have been copied countless times since, never reaching mastery of the template.