Best of the Fest

The Raindance 20^th Film Festival has only a few days left. If you’ve missed it so far, you’ve really missed out. But fear not! Here’s a recap of the best of the fest so far and some of these will be repeated in the next few days.

5.  Shorts.

Raindance has always nurtured and supported short films even finding some of them avenues of release when others have shunned them. The short films shown previously have launched careers and this year is no different. If you missed a program don’t you dare miss the rest. With 3 more shorts programs still showing, be sure to catch High Octane City which repeats in around 20 minutes (hurry!). You won’t be disappointed and if you can’t make that then catch the repeats of Best International Shorts and Gone Astray. I’m still reeling from wondering what the hell happened in ‘Fangst’, the amorous anarchy of ‘Romance’, the sweetness of ‘Superhero’ and the return of Ralph Macchio (from The Karate Kid) in ‘Danko Jones’. Seriously, do yourself a favour and don’t miss any more.

4.  Bill Martell’s Workshops.

Less a lesson in craft and more a jovial discussion with interesting facts, Bill Martell provides great fuel for writers’ fingers to get them tapping away. Particularly if you have the idea and are exploring a genre. ‘Jaws’ was recently released on Bluray and no-one’s come close to recreating the terror since. Bill knows and explains why as well as goes through why the first ten pages of a script are crucial to hooking a producer, investor and filmgoer and right now he’s talking about the “found footage” phenomenon which is about to burn up the charts with “Sinister” and “Paranormal Activity 4”. Some would say Bill’s inside knowledge is an omen of things to come. Don’t miss these if you’re writing. The sessions are every day and cheaper than chips.

3.  Confine.

Low budget, taut thriller that’s high in tension, unpredictable and has great performances by Daisy Lowe and the lovely Eliza Bennett (currently ruling the stage in Loserville). If you want a great indie low-budget thriller starring the stars of tomorrow, look no further. Confine satisfies on every level. Sadly you can’t catch this film anymore, but you’ll probably read more about it later when its released and kick yourself for not watching it at it’s world premiere at Raindance.

2.  Banaz – A Love Story… and other documentaries.

The documentaries this year at Raindance have outdone every year gone by without a doubt. From ‘The Lottery of Birth’ and ‘Trashed’ which got fantastic receptions and awakened audiences to a world before them that they couldn’t see even with their eyes prized open (and have been called “life changing” by some audience members) to ‘Despite the Gods’ which puts the term “reality TV” to shame, documentaries are eye openers you can’t miss. ‘The Hidden Hand’ will expand your world beyond the earth today and the one on the man in black, Johnny Cash, showed the timeless icon like never before by someone who knew him extremely well. Banaz a Love Story has affected me deeply because the topic is something completely unexplainable yet presented so brilliantly by a new filmmaker who goes the extra mile for the cause of highlighting an honour killing which should never have happened. Mistakes by the authorities are highlighted, a young woman’s life is taken and documentary filmmaker Deeyah is granted unprecedented access to get to the bottom of the story and how it unfolds in a hope to spread a message that will make sure it never happens again.

There’s still more to come including one on the sex trade industry, one on the banjo and another on couch surfing. Just let’s forget about ‘Sunset Strip’.

1.  Dark Hearts.

This delightfully delectable dark comedy horror is the highlight of the festival so far. Breakout performances, a star is born in Sonja Kinski, Kyle Schmid is superb and the soundtrack makes you feel you’re in the film. Definitely the film of the festival so far, ‘Dark Hearts’ delivers on every level.

There’s still so much to see. What are you waiting for?

Banaz - A Love Story

'Banaz - A Love Story' is a hard-hitting, terrifying and heart-wrenching piece of filmmaking that traces the story of Banaz Mahmod who was killed by her family for "bringing dishonour" on them.

As the documentary rightly points out at one point, the term "honour killing" is a misnomer as what occurs is plain and simple murder. To recount the story of Banaz in a way that does not seek to sensationalise or show disrespect to her is not something veteran filmmakers could do let alone a debutante documentary filmmaker, yet music producer Deeyah delivers a piece that is brutally honest, captivating and haunting all at once. 

We are taken on the journey of her Kurdish community without prejudice and given the background of some their tribal customs before being told via Banaz's brave sister Bekhal Mahmod how she and her sister put up with mistreatment at the hands of the men in their family. Deeyah's questioning style quickly lines up the interviewees adeptly, introducing police accounts and showing chilling footage of Banaz's statements to the authorities on the abuse she faced at the hands of her husband. The facts are presented as such with little commentary from the filmmaker to influence or bias, as the case itself is so shocking that it is impossible not to feel disheartened and disgusted by what Banaz must have had to endure.

When we are introduced by third party accounts of the young man she fell in love with, Rahmat, it is clear she is a scarred young woman who has not given up hope and refuses to let her experiences end her happiness. Although never seen on screen, Rahmat's presence is very much felt and the delicate way in which his love with Banaz is described forms the foundation of much of the information that came to light after her death and helped bring her killers to justice.

The screening room was silent throughout and every seat occupied by people of every culture and creed. They shook their heads in disbelief at what was on screen and how the authorities failed to recognise a young woman's cries for help and at the end there were tears in some's eyes. 

Banaz Mahmod didn't deserve to die or be treated the way she was. This documentary highlights a growing problem within every community and raises questions that need answering by the police, by those who hear about honour killings and keep quiet and encourages hope through the actions of those who helped bring her murderers to justice. 

With a difficult subject, groundbreaking access to information and a gripping narrative, 'Banaz - A Love Story' is simply riveting and meaningful reporting at its best. 

The film is repeated on Monday at 16:00.