MARK TURNER wallows in the virtuosity of Swansea Jazz Festival openers, Simon Spillett and Pete Long
Latest editorial
Reality bites in gritty dramas from the US to Kurdistan
Girls of the Sun
PAUL DONOVAN recommends three new books that explore the human relationship with nature
Doomed adolescents, when the missing person is you, classic whodunnit, and an anti-capitalist eco-thriller
WILL STONE takes a ticket to indie disco heaven, but misses the rarely performed tunes
Reviews of new releases by Jens Lekman, Big Thief, and Christian McBride Big Band
TOM PIERSCIONEK recommends a remarkable series of interviews with those few and brave Israeli citizens who refuse to do military service
THE STORMY weather in Cannes matched the mood of a number of entries, with Iranian director Jarar Panahi again banned from attending the festival by the Tehran government.
Despite living under house arrest and being forbidden from making films for 20 years following accusations of producing “propaganda,” he has continued to do so and his latest, Three Faces, is a fictional commentary on life in Iran and the country’s cinema legacy, infused with sly humour.
A more forthright political statement came from veteran director Spike Lee. BlacKKKlansman is inspired by the true story of Ron Stallworth, an African-American police officer who managed to successfully infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan and become the head of a local chapter.
More from this author
Featuring films with substantial political themes, this year’s festival has ignited a vibrant discussion, suggests RITA DI SANTO
RITA DI SANTO gives us a first look at some extraordinary new films that examine outsiders, migrants, belonging and social abuse
RITA DI SANTO draws attention to an audacious and entertaining film that transplants Tarantino to the Gaza Strip
RITA DI SANTO reports on the films from Iran, Spain, Belgium and Brazil that won the top awards
