Category Archives: Reviews

Jessica Dowse’s Float is a poignant, understated short film that resonated with audiences at the 7th edition of Brighton Rocks. With quiet precision, Dowse explores how fleeting human connections—even unlikely ones—can pierce through isolation, offering moments of unexpected clarity. The sea here is no passive setting but a dynamic, almost antagonistic force. Dowse avoids clichédContinue reading “In Review – ‘Float’ by Jessica Dowse”

Screening at the 8th edition of the Brighton Rocks International Film Festival on the 21st of June at 7pm as part of our beloved LGBTQIA+ Rocks strand. With all the look, feel, lustre and panache of a billion-dollar Marvel Universe production, Tom Paul Martin delightfully breaks the mould with the familiar chiselled, handsome characters soContinue reading “In Review – ‘Where Are All the Gay Superheroes?’ by Tom Paul Martin”

Luis Buñuel, one of the most influential filmmakers of his era, was lauded for his avant-garde approach to cinema, delivering scathing critiques of bourgeois society through outrageous and morally provocative scenarios. He delighted in skewering the pretensions and hypocrisies of the upper classes, employing surrealist techniques to expose the absurdity of their social conventions. London-basedContinue reading “In Review ‘Buñuelesque’ by Gregory Wait”

Italian-American writer and director Christian Schifano, who divides his time between New York and London, has produced a truly gorgeous example of a coming-of-age story that boldly crosses thematic boundaries. ‘Hangers in July’ centers around the abandon of youth and the gnawing desire to find a sense of belonging through the lenses of privilege, class,Continue reading “In Review ‘Hangers in July’ by Christian Schifano”

Writer and director Pablo Saura’s ‘Love Lost’ is a tale of loss, longing and an unyielding quest to find connection, but at its heart, it is a family drama. Saura deftly diverts our expectations as the narrative unfolds, leading us to believe that what we are embarking on is a sinister snapshot of the underbellyContinue reading “In Review ‘Love Lost’ by Pablo Saura”

Director Martyn Lee’s ‘Weave’, written by Nigel Wilkes and Jaz Craddock-Jones, is a stunningly emotive and powerful British short film. Through the central exploration of black hair and what it represents, we are taken on a journey of family, love, loss and struggles with mental health but also history, power, celebration and pride. Weave wasContinue reading “In Review ‘Weave’ by Martyn Lee”

Back in September 2017 the UK media was engrossed by the tantalising story of a young woman who got trapped after throwing her turd out the window. Not to be outdone by us Brits, American filmmaker Eric Larson decided to explore this very topic in his aptly named comedy-horror ‘The Clogging’. Prepare yourself for aContinue reading “In Review ‘The Clogging’ by Eric Larson”

Those hazy memories of youth, some good, some bad and others in that indecipherable grey area, are deftly brought to light in Phoebe Wood’s searingly painful short ‘My First Time was in a Car Park’. Her Brighton-made short film, based on an award-winning theatre piece, is a heartbreakingly reflective look at one of the mostContinue reading “In Review ‘My First Time was in a Car Park’ by Phoebe Wood”

Grief and loss are huge, unfathomable topics which need to be treated with the tenderness and care they deserve when brought to the screen. ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’ by Jack Peter Mundy does exactly that. Considering the tale it depicts, that of a teenager, James, struggling to cope with the disappearance of his older brotherContinue reading “In Review – ‘Gone But Not Forgotten’ by Jack Peter Mundy”

‘175’, by Iranian-British filmmaker Kasra Karimi, opens with an all too recognisable and distressing scene – a heartbroken woman who can only watch as her partner is ravaged by the cruelty of cancer. The tone is immediately set and the audience instantly drawn into the intimate world built by Karimi. The filmmaker’s affecting short film,Continue reading “In Review ‘175’ by Kasra Karimi”

‘Soulmate’, written and directed by Richard Fenwick offers us a tantalising glimpse into a not-so-distant future where technology has advanced to the, frankly terrifying, point of AI developing consciousness. ‘Soulmate’ is based within a familiar category existing alongside genre-arthouse classics such as ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ and ‘Ex Machina‘ which delve into the menacing threatContinue reading “In Review ‘Soulmate’ by Richard Fenwick”

‘The Lies We Tell Ourselves’ is a delightful meta mockumentary spiked with tragedy, comedy, satire and self-reflection. Written and directed by Finnish-Australian filmmaker Saara Lamberg, she accurately and sometimes heartbreakingly analyse the pitfalls and injustices of the industry whilst reflecting on her own body of work and self as a filmmaker and person in theContinue reading “In Review ‘The Lies We Tell Ourselves’ by Saara Lamberg”

‘Don’t Choke’ by Sonny Baez takes no time in setting the tone as it takes you on a fast-paced, frenetic and surreal ride as we follow a highly competitive game of tennis between two warring parents in the middle of a divorce. But this is no normal game – the winning prize is custody ofContinue reading “In Review ‘Don’t Choke’ by Sonny Baez”

‘Skewered’ is an off-beat dark comedy with lashes of horror and a dash of musical numbers. A Lamplight Production directed by Nick Ray Rutter and co-written with Ben Richardson and brother Noah Rutter, it is an unexpected tale of shame, infidelity and a couple’s doomed relationship, enveloped within a juicy, meat-filled wrap – the gloriousContinue reading “In Review ‘Skewered’ by Nick Ray Rutter”

Written, directed and produced by Brighton-based filmmaker Brian Gregory, ‘Daniel Came Home’ looks at the indelible trauma and lasting effects that our upbringing can have on us – even posthumously. The horror-fuelled dramatic experimental film employs a myriad of skilful cinematic techniques which wholly absorb you throughout the 16 minute runtime. The film is adaptedContinue reading “In Review: ‘Daniel Came Home’ by Brian Gregory”

‘REVERB’ by Liv Boren and production company Jack and Grace Productions is a powerfully perceptive examination of grief through the eyes of a young girl. The ambitious New York-based filmmaker succinctly devised a script which centralises on twelve-year-old Vivienne, sneaking into her first concert with the help of her older brother. A traumatic event witnessedContinue reading “In Review: ‘REVERB’ by Liv Boren”

Screening at Brighton Rocks on Saturday the 24th June in our late night programme “Beware Ye Who Enters Here” from 9.30pm at the Actors. ‘The Witching Hour’ by Craig Ford and production company Pardon Our French has adapted the weird and wonderful cinematic world of horror and applied it to the inner turmoil of aContinue reading “In Review: ‘The Witching Hour’, by Craig Ford”

It is reported that there are 9 stillbirths every day in the UK. ‘Stillness’ follows the journey of a photographer who strives to support a new family as they struggle with their loss. The following article contains content which might be difficult for some to read and watch. ‘Stillness’ is an admirably brave and powerfulContinue reading “In Review – ‘Stillness’ by Rachel Fowler”