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Winnipeg Free Press
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Living and loving on the razor's edge of birth and death
At once coldly calibrated and uncomfortably visceral, this complex arthouse drama centres on Nina (Ia Sukhitashvili), an OB-GYN who performs off-the-book abortions in an isolated, impoverished rural region in the country of Georgia. Filmmaker Dea Kulumbegashvili (Beginning) deals with the gritty, workaday details of social realism, but she keeps her stripped-down narrative thrumming with the dread of abstract horror. April (in Georgian, with English subtitles) begins with an absolutely enigmatic image — a faceless, naked, heavily breathing form shuffling through an indeterminate black space. Even when we have switched over to the sterile fluorescent light of a modern hospital, this surreal spectre haunts Nina's story. Nina has brought thousands of babies into the world and is the hospital's go-to specialist for complicated births. When a high-risk delivery ends in a stillborn infant, the ensuing investigation threatens to expose Nina's hidden and illegal after-hours work — helping desperate women faced with unwanted pregnancies. (In Georgia, abortion is, in theory, legal under certain circumstances. In practice, it is highly restricted and often stigmatized. The film was essentially shot in secret, the filmmaker's approach paralleling Nina's.) Arseni Khachaturan/First Picture OB-GYN Nina (Ia Sukhitashvili) is both needed and scorned. Kulumbegashvili tracks Nina's days and nights as she walks an impossible line in a community that both needs her and scorns her. As her concerned colleague and former lover David (Kakha Kintsurashvili) suggests, 'These rumours about abortion: if they're true, you're throwing your life away. No one will thank you. No one will defend you.' Nina is at the centre of every scene in this film but remains enigmatic. In her professional life, she is a deeply compassionate doctor, driving miles on almost impassably muddy lanes to sit with patients. In her personal life, she remains socially cut off and emotionally unreachable. She often takes nocturnal drives down a dark highway, picking up men for (sometimes risky) anonymous sex. When David asks her why she has never married and had children, she replies that she has 'no space in my life for anything else.' There's something intense and angular and uncompromising in the character of Nina and in Sukhitashvili's performance. Kulumbegashvili's distinctive, difficult cinematic style reflects this. She uses long, unbroken takes, shot with a fixed camera, with characters often talking out of the frame, heard but not seen. The audio combines discordant music and the unsettling sounds of machinery, barking dogs and wailing sirens. The other crucial element of the soundscape is silence — long, unnerving stretches of silence. Stylistically and thematically, there are parallels to films such as The Girl with the Needle and Under the Skin. Kulumbegashvili breaks ground, though, in her use of medical sequences, rigorously demystifying reproductive health care with graphic, protracted scenes of childbirth — including a vaginal delivery and a caesarean — in which the filmmaker is recording actual events with actual women, not simulations. Arseni Khachaturan / First Picture Nina (Ia Sukhitashvili) performs off-the-books abortions to help desperate women in April. Another medical procedure plays out in real time, almost as if Kulumbegashvili is saying to the audience, if these characters can endure this, so can you. In her examination of the ways profoundly personal experiences collide with institutional power, Kulumbegashvili makes things deliberately hard. This may be an issue film, but it's not remotely didactic. There's not much explication or resolution here. The final meaning of that figure seen in the opening sequence remains murky, for instance, as do the reasons for Nina's compulsive commitment to her work. But if April requires patience and concentration and labour from its viewers, by its shattering conclusion, it also rewards them. Alison GillmorWriter Studying at the University of Winnipeg and later Toronto's York University, Alison Gillmor planned to become an art historian. She ended up catching the journalism bug when she started as visual arts reviewer at the Winnipeg Free Press in 1992. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
I'm Still Here OTT Release Date: When & where to watch Walter Salles' Oscar-winning film online
I'm Still Here OTT Release Date: After making history at the 2025 Oscars as Brazil's first-ever winner of the Best International Feature Film, I'm Still Here is finally making its grand digital debut. The streaming giant Netflix has confirmed that the Walter Salles-directed masterpiece will be available to stream from May 17, 2025. The film is, however, already available to rent on Prime Video. This is the arrival of a cinematic storm that shook up the international film scene and outshone strong contenders like Emilia Pérez and The Girl with the Needle. What is I'm Still Here all about? Based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva's acclaimed biographical book, I'm Still Here tells the true story of a woman named Eunice Paiva, whose husband Rubens, a former politician in Brazil, was taken by the military during a time when the country was under a dictatorship in the 1970s. After Rubens disappears, the government claims he ran away, but Eunice doesn't believe it. She risks her life trying to find out what really happened to him. Over the years, Eunice becomes a strong human rights activist, fighting for truth and justice, not just for her husband, but for others who also suffered under the dictatorship. The story shows her strength, pain, and determination as she continues her fight into old age, even when her memory begins to fade. Directed by Walter Salles from a screenplay by Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega, this political biographical drama faced unsuccessful boycott calls by the Brazilian far-right, who denied that the military regime was a dictatorship. I'm Still Here eventually emerged as the highest-grossing Brazilian film since the COVID-19 pandemic. The film had its world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Best Screenplay award. It was named one of the Top 5 International Films of 2024 by the National Board of Review. At the 97th Academy Awards, I'm Still Here, other than the big win, was also nominated under Best Actress (Torres) and Best Picture. For more news and updates from the world of OTT and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Girl With the Needle' Stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne Ready for Oscar Campaign in the Trump Era, Talk Abortion Rights: ‘Every Woman Should Be Able to Choose'
'The Girl with the Needle' stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne are slowly readying for the Oscar campaign. But following the U.S. election, the film – set in the early 20th century and dealing with unwanted pregnancies – feels increasingly timely, they say. 'Since Trump's inauguration at the White House it has been hard to keep up with what's going on and with what all of this is going to mean. Same goes for the abortion ban. We know what has already happened in several states, and it's devastating. But it's almost like people want to acknowledge these themes the film is revolving around. And that's a positive sign,' argues Vic Carmen Sonne at Göteborg. More from Variety Thomas Vinterberg, Goteborg's Artistic Director Pia Lundberg Address Controversial Remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture: 'Fight Back' 'Black Crab' Writer Pelle Rådström Wins the Nordic Series Script Award for 'Pressure Point' Girl in Red to Make Feature Film Debut in Maipo's 'Low Expectations' (EXCLUSIVE) The Danish actor plays Karoline: a young woman who, following a failed abortion, begins working at an 'adoption agency.' But its mastermind Dagmar (Dyrholm), always eager to help those who can't raise their children, seems to be hiding something. Directed by Magnus Von Horn, the drama – which premiered in Cannes and is now Oscar nominated as Best International Feature Film – is loosely based on a true story. 'It already felt very contemporary when we shot it in Poland. They are dealing with the same issues. They don't have free access to abortion, so the whole team was really affected by the film. You could feel it,' notes Dyrholm. 'Up until the election, I was very depressed. I wondered: 'What are we going to do?!' And then it happened, and I am getting more and more optimistic. It's very weird, actually. We need to stick together, we need to fight for a stronger Europe. Talking about love is more important than ever. We have to say: 'We dare to share, because we care.' I really mean it now.' During trying times, people want to share their 'fears and desperation,' she argues. 'We need topics that are difficult to deal with. This film is about abortion, about the unwanted, about PTSD experienced after the war. So many countries are dealing with these things. We have the right to choose and to have a good life, but it's not a given. The world is getting more and more divided, and when that happens, we need nuances. Complexity is exactly what's missing. We need a place where we can breathe and right now, that's cinema.' She noted: 'Why do we say 'yes' to projects like this one? Because we have the opinions we have. Every woman should be able to make a choice, of course. In Denmark, we changed the abortion law, and it will be legal up to the 18th week of pregnancy. But trying to say why we need art is also political.' According to Vic Carmen Sonne, the film's characters 'are trying to do the best they can with what they've been dealt.' 'When you have a marginalized group and you take away their rights, also the right to choose, you take away their voice and their existential freedom. And then what's going to happen? They're going to fucking rebel and revolt, and they're going to hit back,' she says. 'Karoline doesn't accept the state of things. She wants a good life, so she meets Prince Charming and comes to his castle. There's a pact between the Prince and the Beggar Girl, but it's something she enforces on him. It's not manipulation: it's determination.' Ultimately, 'The Girl with the Needle' should be viewed as a critique of society – not as a critique of its characters, often pushed to the edge. 'It's all about structures and hierarchies. If you push people too hard, they create an underworld. That's what Dagmar does. But she's also taking away these girls' guilt. She tells them: 'Maybe you don't have a future, but your child will.' She also says, 'Life is horrible but we have to pretend it's not.'' 'The key is to never judge your characters; the same way you shouldn't judge people. We put them into boxes. We say: 'Okay, here's Trump and his team, and over there you have the good guys.' It doesn't work like that. You can say when you don't like something, but you also need – at some point – to walk together. We don't have to agree. But we have to take care of each other. And bring back all these 'old-fashioned' words: Peace, love, caring.' Her co-star adds: 'A lot of this comes from fear. If you feel you are losing power, losing money, losing the capacity to provide for your family and friends, you seek a dictator. You seek the one who screams the loudest. I think most people on this planet haven't been told: 'You are amazing, we love you, your voice matters.' And that's important.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘The Girl With the Needle' Stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne Ready for Oscar Campaign in the Trump Era, Talk Abortion Rights: ‘Every Woman Should Be Able to Choose'
'The Girl with the Needle' stars Trine Dyrholm and Vic Carmen Sonne are slowly readying for the Oscar campaign. But following the U.S. election, the film – set in the early 20th century and dealing with unwanted pregnancies – feels increasingly timely, they say. 'Since Trump's inauguration at the White House it has been hard to keep up with what's going on and with what all of this is going to mean. Same goes for the abortion ban. We know what has already happened in several states, and it's devastating. But it's almost like people want to acknowledge these themes the film is revolving around. And that's a positive sign,' argues Vic Carmen Sonne at Göteborg. More from Variety Thomas Vinterberg, Goteborg's Artistic Director Pia Lundberg Address Controversial Remarks of Swedish Minister of Culture: 'Fight Back' 'Black Crab' Writer Pelle Rådström Wins the Nordic Series Script Award for 'Pressure Point' Girl in Red to Make Feature Film Debut in Maipo's 'Low Expectations' (EXCLUSIVE) The Danish actor plays Karoline: a young woman who, following a failed abortion, begins working at an 'adoption agency.' But its mastermind Dagmar (Dyrholm), always eager to help those who can't raise their children, seems to be hiding something. Directed by Magnus Von Horn, the drama – which premiered in Cannes and is now Oscar nominated as Best International Feature Film – is loosely based on a true story. 'It already felt very contemporary when we shot it in Poland. They are dealing with the same issues. They don't have free access to abortion, so the whole team was really affected by the film. You could feel it,' notes Dyrholm. 'Up until the election, I was very depressed. I wondered: 'What are we going to do?!' And then it happened, and I am getting more and more optimistic. It's very weird, actually. We need to stick together, we need to fight for a stronger Europe. Talking about love is more important than ever. We have to say: 'We dare to share, because we care.' I really mean it now.' During trying times, people want to share their 'fears and desperation,' she argues. 'We need topics that are difficult to deal with. This film is about abortion, about the unwanted, about PTSD experienced after the war. So many countries are dealing with these things. We have the right to choose and to have a good life, but it's not a given. The world is getting more and more divided, and when that happens, we need nuances. Complexity is exactly what's missing. We need a place where we can breathe and right now, that's cinema.' She noted: 'Why do we say 'yes' to projects like this one? Because we have the opinions we have. Every woman should be able to make a choice, of course. In Denmark, we changed the abortion law, and it will be legal up to the 18th week of pregnancy. But trying to say why we need art is also political.' According to Vic Carmen Sonne, the film's characters 'are trying to do the best they can with what they've been dealt.' 'When you have a marginalized group and you take away their rights, also the right to choose, you take away their voice and their existential freedom. And then what's going to happen? They're going to fucking rebel and revolt, and they're going to hit back,' she says. 'Karoline doesn't accept the state of things. She wants a good life, so she meets Prince Charming and comes to his castle. There's a pact between the Prince and the Beggar Girl, but it's something she enforces on him. It's not manipulation: it's determination.' Ultimately, 'The Girl with the Needle' should be viewed as a critique of society – not as a critique of its characters, often pushed to the edge. 'It's all about structures and hierarchies. If you push people too hard, they create an underworld. That's what Dagmar does. But she's also taking away these girls' guilt. She tells them: 'Maybe you don't have a future, but your child will.' She also says, 'Life is horrible but we have to pretend it's not.'' 'The key is to never judge your characters; the same way you shouldn't judge people. We put them into boxes. We say: 'Okay, here's Trump and his team, and over there you have the good guys.' It doesn't work like that. You can say when you don't like something, but you also need – at some point – to walk together. We don't have to agree. But we have to take care of each other. And bring back all these 'old-fashioned' words: Peace, love, caring.' Her co-star adds: 'A lot of this comes from fear. If you feel you are losing power, losing money, losing the capacity to provide for your family and friends, you seek a dictator. You seek the one who screams the loudest. I think most people on this planet haven't been told: 'You are amazing, we love you, your voice matters.' And that's important.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
