Calgary International Film Festival – Film Reviews

I had the pleasure of attending the Calgary International Film Festival (CIFF) this year and was given the opportunity to catch some brilliant films, including three that have found themselves in my top five of 2022 so far. For those of you who are unaware, CIFF was celebrating its 23rd year in 2022, and is the sixth largest film festival in Canada. Always worth attending for some Western Canadian premieres!

Decision to Leave

Logline: Hae-Joon, a seasoned detective, investigates the suspicious death of a man on a mountaintop. Soon, he begins to suspect Seo-rae, the deceased’s wife, while being unsettled by his attraction to her.

Release Date: October 21st, 2022

Trailer:

There is no doubting Park Chan-Wook’s ability and vision as a director. Wholly unique in its collection of shots and fast-paced editing, it is worth a watch for any hardcore cinephiles. However, at two hours and 18 minutes, its runtime will almost certainly be too much for most viewers. Personally, I found little to latch onto in terms of character connection and emotion, but from a technical standpoint, I can still understand its critical praise.

The Lost King

Logline: An amateur historian defies the academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III’s remains, which were lost for over 500 years.

Release Date: North American release yet to be announced

Trailer:

A fun and heartwarming film, bolstered by a strong lead performance from the indescribable Sally Hawkins. Hawkins is able to bring a character to the screen that is almost impossible not to empathize with. Her quirkiness is immeasurably endearing, and the film as a whole should leave you with a warm feeling by the time the credits roll. No particular aspect of the film stands out as brilliant, but it is certainly a genuine and humourous look at a fascinating real-world story.

Corsage

Logline: Empress Elizabeth of Austria is idolized for her beauty and renowned for inspiring fashion trends. But in 1877, ‘Sisi’ celebrates her 40th birthday and must fight to maintain her public image by lacing her corset tighter and tighter. While Elizabeth’s role has been reduced against her wishes to purely performative, her hunger for knowledge and zest for life makes her more and more restless in Vienna.

Release Date: December 6th, 2022

Trailer:

Beautifully shot, beautifully acted, beautifully edited, but at times, excruciatingly slow. I have a tremendous appreciation for the filmmaking here, as well as the standout performance of Vicky Krieps, but the pacing is difficult, even for me. That being said, Corsage is still very well worth the watch for the gorgeous cinematography, haunting score, and beautifully heartbreaking portrayal of a woman experiencing a slow deterioration.

Close

Logline: Thirteen year olds Leo and Charlie have always been incredibly close but they are drift apart after the intimacy of their relationship is questioned by schoolmates. When tragedy strikes, one is forced to confront why he distanced himself from his closest friend.

Release Date: November 1st, 2022

Trailer:

This one broke me. I have no problem admitting that I was in tears for almost the entirety of the second and third acts. Like, on the verge of an ugly cry level emotion. For me personally, the exploration of masculinity and the pressure to conform to societal standards resonated deeply. The struggle of coming to terms with what those around you define manhood as, while simultaneously navigating the incessant “need” to be accepted is something that most young men deal with in our Western culture. Oh, and Eden Dambrine’s performance as Leo has to be one of the strongest performances by a child actor in years. His ability to express complex emotions with little to no words demonstrates an understanding far beyond his years. Get the Kleenex ready.

Aftersun

Logline: Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories real and imagined fill the gaps between miniDV footage as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t.

Release Date: October 21st, 2022

Trailer:

Bold statement here, but Charlotte Wells might just be the world’s next great director. In her feature debut, she demonstrates an ability to transform an extended still shot into several meaningful moments. This brings the techniques of the brilliant Swedish director Roy Andersson to mind, which is a compliment of the highest degree. Both Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio (in her debut role) bring strong performances to the big screen. Wells seamlessly interweaves old video footage with memories of childhood, both real and imagined. Ultimately, this film brilliantly manages to highlight the truth that we might never know the pain that people in our lives have kept hidden just below the surface.

Women Talking

Logline: A group of women in an isolated religious colony struggle to reconcile their faith with a string of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men.

Release Date: December 2nd, 2022

Trailer: No official trailer has been released

Give this whole cast an Oscar. Seriously. This will almost undoubtedly go down as the top performance from an ensemble cast in 2022. The most pressing question appears to be whether it’s Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, or Rooney Mara who walks away with the best supporting actress win, as two of the three are likely to be nominated come March. Sarah Polley’s haunting adaption of Miriam Toews novel of the same name (shout out to two bad-ass Canadians) cannot be ignored. As the name of the film suggests, it consists almost entirely of women talking to each other, and it really doesn’t need anything else. The ability of these women to portray their own unique experiences of trauma is real and raw, and everything you could ask for in a film of this nature. Polley somehow also manages to provide the audience with brief moments of levity, as we walk through the difficult decisions that these women need to make. These moments of levity, enveloped by a palpable tension, almost mirror the psyche of the women themselves: you can see the use of laughter and humour almost as a defense mechanism that is necessary to shield them from the horrors of their reality. Bravo.

Films I missed, but are on my “must-watch” list:

Triangle of Sadness

Trailer:

Winner of the prestigious Palme d’Or award at Cannes, Triangle of Sadness has polarized critics since is debut on the film circuit. While I’m not sure if I will fall into the “brilliant” or the “awful” camp, I can’t wait to find out.

EO

Trailer:

Yes, this is a story told through the eyes of a donkey. Probably worth a watch for the creativity alone, early reviews have made it appear that this film contains much more than a unique concept.