8,0-8,9, drama,, male director

“The Florida Project” by Sean Baker (USA, 2017)

The Florida Project

In what is supposed to be the paradise of children and one of the symbols of the American dream, a single mother struggles to make end come for her and her young daughter (6). To survive, both mother and daughter manipulate people around them. Left behind by the economic bonanza, they fight for the right to have their place in the sun.

Cast: Brooklynn Prince, Willem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite, Christopher Rivera, Valeria Cotto, Caleb Landry Jones, Macon Blair
Director: Sean Baker
Writer: Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
Cinematographer: Alexis Zabe
Editor: Sean Baker

8,0-8,9, drama,, male director, romance,

“Princess Cyd” by Stephen Cone (USA, 2017)

Princess Cyd

Sex and relationships in the eyes of a teenage girl and a woman in her late 40’s.
A movie staging 3 women in a finely-tuned coming-of-age and out-of-the-closet story, with balanced personages, multi-faceted sexual identities, and an healthy racial distribution.
“You may look at Miranda, and think immediately, ‘Oh, okay, I know who that woman is’. You would be wrong. The same for Cyd. ‘Oh, okay. Bored teenager sunbathing in a bikini. I know who that is’. Again, you would be wrong.” writes Sheila O’Malley.

Cast: Rebecca Spence, Jessie Pinnick, Malic White, James Vincent Meredith, Tyler Ross, Matthew Quattrocki
Director: Stephen Cone
Writer: Stephen Cone
Editor: Christopher Gotschall
Director of Photography: Zoe White
Original Music Composer: Heather McIntosh

8,0-8,9, comedy, crime, drama,, male director

“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” by Martin McDonagh (USA, 2017)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

An exceptional success at mixing comedy and drama / Rich representations of minorities, excellent dialogues

Cast: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Abbie Cornish, Caleb Landry Jones, Kathryn Newton, Clarke Peters
Director: Martin McDonagh
Writer: Martin McDonagh
Cinematographer: Ben Davis
Editor: Jon Gregory
Composer: Carter Burwell

7,0-7,9, crime, drama,, female director, male director

“Barracuda” by Jason Cortlund & Julia Halperin (USA, 2017)

Writing in pair: man + woman directing

Barracuda

Good music, excellent acting, great tension build-up on a somewhat weak scenario

Cast: Sophie Reid, Allison Tolman, JoBeth Williams, Luis Bordonada, Tanner Beard
Director: Jason Cortlund, Julia Halperin
Writer: Jason Cortlund
Cinematographer: Jonathan Nastasi
Composer: Chris Brokaw

7,0-7,9, drama,, female director, male director

“Linha De Passe” by Walter Salles & Daniela Thomas (Brazil, 2008)

Working in pair: man + woman directing

Linha de Passe

Social drama set in Brazil showing how football and religion as a source of hope ultimately prevent the poor from escaping their condition

Cast: Sandra Corveloni, João Baldasserini, Vinícius de Oliveira
Directors: Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas
Writers: George Moura, Daniela Thomas
Music by Gustavo Santaolalla
Cinematography by Mauro Pinheiro Jr.
Film Editing by Gustavo Giani, Lívia Serpa

7,0-7,9, biography, female director, male director, true story

“The Battle Of The Sexes” by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (USA, 2017)

Working in pair: man + woman directing

The Battle Of The Sexes

Too predictable and at times grotesque

Cast: Emma Stone, Steve Carell, Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman, Alan Cumming
Director: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
Writer: Simon Beaufoy
Cinematographer: Linus Sandgren
Editor: Pamela Martin
Composer: Nicholas Britell

7,0-7,9, drama,, female director, male director, romance,

“Chicken With Plums” by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (France, 2011)

Working in duo: male and female directing

Chicken With Plums

At times magic and a fantastic cast / The strength of the story gets a bit lost through the complex editing

Cast: Mathieu Amalric, Maria de Medeiros, Edouard Baer, Golshifteh Farahani, Isabella Rossellini
Directed by Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Written by Marjane Satrapi, Vincent Paronnaud
Music by Olivier Bernet
Cinematography by Christophe Beaucarne
Film Editing by Stéphane Roche

9-10, drama,, female director, true story

“The Innocents” by Anne Fontaine (France, 2016)

The Innocents2

Compelling story, sober but powerful images

Cast: Lou de Laâge, Agata Buzek, Agata Kulesza, Vincent Macaigne
Director: Anne Fontaine
Writer (based on an original concept by) Philippe Maynial
Writer (adaptation): Pascal Bonitzer, Anne Fontaine
Writer (dialogue): Pascal Bonitzer, Anne Fontaine
Writer: Alice Vial, Sabrina B. Karine
Cinematographer: Caroline Champetier
Editor: Annette Dutertre
Composer: Grégoire Hetzel