A divertimento is a light piece of music, written just to amuse. But it’s a slightly incongruous title for Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar’s portrait of the conductor and composer Zahia Ziouani, because the film tackles some pretty heavy themes. To use a current term, this is an “origin story”; telling how a teenage Ziouani went from the…
The Sitting Duck (La Syndicaliste) is a political thriller based in fact. Director Jean-Paul Salome and co-screenwriter Fadette Drouard craft their story around a trade union official and whistleblower who wasn’t believed after a violent personal attack. The central figure is Maureen Kearney (Isabelle Huppert). In 2012, she worked for a Areva, a French multinational…
– HSBC Spanish Film Festival – In Palace Cinemas nationally from 11 June – 10 July 2024 We have 5 double passes to a session at the Festival (excluding special events) Note: tickets are digital *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE The 2024 HSBC Spanish Film Festival, presented by Palace, brings a…
“The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education”: Albert Einstein In Matamoros, Mexico, an idealistic teacher by the name of Sergio Jaurez Correa arrives at Jose Urbina Lopez Elementary School. It’s 2012 in a neighbourhood where poverty is entrenched, crime is rampant and corruption omnipotent. In many cases, due to basic survival…
In these days of endless sequels, prequels, re-boots and re-imaginings, it often feels odd to encounter something out of left field. But you can always trust French cinema to deliver something out of the ordinary – and director Bertrand Bonello delivers just that with The Beast. Bonello and his screenwriting partners Guillaume Bréaud and Benjamin…
A diligent young teacher is caught up in a seemingly never-ending downward spiral in Ilker Catak’s film The Teacher’s Lounge. Try as she might, whichever way she manoeuvres seems to make matters worse. Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch) is in her first job at a German school. She teaches 12-year-olds (sixth-graders) and cares a great deal….
The 2024 HSBC Spanish Film Festival, presented by Palace, brings a fiesta of the finest new and classic films from Spain and Latin America this June. The festival’s largest line-up to date opens nationally from 11 June at Palace Cinemas, Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas and Luna Palace Cinemas. This year’s star-studded Opening Night film is…
Intrigue and subterfuge abound in the rich and engaging period action drama The Three Musketeers: d’Artagnan. This is Part I in the sprawling adventure, to be followed by Part 2, Milady, in a few weeks. Based on Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 novel, the film opens in 1627 France. Spirited young swordsman Charles D’Artagnan (François Civil) is…
– HSBC German Film Festival – In Palace Cinemas nationally from 7 May – 5 June 2024 We have 5 double passes to a session at the Festival (excluding special events) Note: tickets are digital *(Tickets valid in Australia only)* Watch the trailer HERE The 2024 HSBC German Film Festival is back at Palace Cinemas,…
The 2024 HSBC German Film Festival is back at Palace Cinemas, this year celebrating 70 years of German cinema. The 2024 line-up features six films direct from the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), a Werner Herzog retrospective, a selection of the best German films from the last 70 years and new films for budding cinephiles…
