The Long Lens
The Long Lens
Sabina Narayanan
EDITORIAL
Welcome to Issue 10! After the slog to get issue 9 out before Easter we are so thrilled to be able to bring you Issue 10 just in time for the summer break.
Our theme for this issue is world cinema and films that are evocative of place. We have some wonderful articles including Sabina’s heartfelt deep dive on Bollywood. Our film reviews section is bursting with a diverse selection of delights and our alternative media section is showcasing some creative writing too!
We are continuing with our mission to open up the remit of The Long Lens to include more than just a focus on film. Next issue we are doing a Games special so if you would like to write a game review, an article on something film or games related then do get in touch.
We are also really excited to welcome our new editorial team. Victoria Vireikyte is our new Editor in Chief, she was already a regular contributor and we are thrilled to have her at the helm. She is joined by Emma Brennand, Dominic Ramshaw and Serchik Kondratovych to complete our new editorial team.
Look out for content from our new team in this, and the next issue. We had a little glitch with our last issue so issue 10 has ended up including a full round up of all of the events from this academic year and seeing it as one full article has enabled us to reflect on what a great year it has been for events in film studies. We continue to be grateful to all of the guests how have taken time out of their busy schedules to share their expertise with us.
Speaking of thank yous, we must say a very big thank you to our fabulous media & film technician, Shannon Johnston-Howes. As well as contributing another brilliant article Shannon has once again stepped in to do all of the graphic design for this issue and it wouldn’t be looking so glorious without her.
We hope you all have a great summer break!
Andrea, Sam, and The Long Lens Team
FEATURED ARTICLES
Why Bollywood Will Always Have My Heart
By Sabina Narayanan
Indie Flicks Short Film
Festival and Industry Event by Victoria Vireikyte
Events and Career Insights by Andrea
Joyce
WHY BOLLYWOOD WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY HEART WHY BOLLYWOOD WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY HEART
BY SABINA NARAYANAN
As a child, the sheer thought of my mum popping a Bollywood movie into the VHS player filled me with dread. A ridiculously long, 3 hour spectacle, infused with the most insanely illogical fight sequences and random choreographed song and dance numbers. How did the hero manage to single-handedly beat up 20 men to a pulp with just a stick? Why are they suddenly singing and dancing in Switzerland when they were in India 5 minutes ago? But more importantly, how has the heroine changed 3 outfits in the space of 10 minutes?
On the surface, Bollywood films appear extremely implausible and regressive particularly when representing women. In Water (2005) widowed women ’ s heads are shaved, they are forced to wear white (a colour of mourning in South East Asia) and segregated from the rest of society and sent to live in a widow’s ashram.
WHY BOLLYWOOD WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY HEART
The more recent Animal (2023) follows the affluent and powerful Singh family who’s women, despite being educated at Cambridge, Oxford and Harvard, are forced to stay at home, take care of their male counterparts, children and extended family and are forbidden to meddle in the business affairs of men. In one particular scene the wife of protagonist Ranvijay is compelled to accept and forgive her husband for an affair because it was to avenge his father.
One of my favourite bollywood films of all time, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) was shot in my home country of Mauritius, and the lead actress wore the most beautiful sarees of that time. I felt a personal connection to the earlier character of childlike and naive Anjali who physically resembled a tomboy and was deeply and madly in love with her male best friend. Rahul was oblivious to it all and fell for and married the drop dead gorgeous Tina Many years later a mature and beautiful Anjali and widowed single father Rahul meet again and he realises his feelings for her, which obviously had nothing to do with her major glow up!
But whilst these representations of women seem prehistoric and outdated there has been an emergence of a new type of female lead which exemplifies why Bollywood has become so popular in the West over the last 20 years.
Thappad (2020) is about Amrita, whose seeminglyperfect life is shattered after her husband slaps her in front of everyone at a party She was someone who chose integrity and self-respect over an extremely toxic relationship. She kept at it, even when the going got tough and chose to leave her husband and his family, something which is frowned upon in India.
WHY BOLLYWOOD WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY HEART
My favourite kick-ass female character, Shivani, Mardaani (2014), is a fearless police officer who unveils the dark secrets of human trafficking within the Indian Mafia involving a widespread network of sexual exploitation targeting school and college girls who were deceived, drugged, and, at times, subjected to brutal assaults by influential businessmen, political leaders, and criminals. The purpose of Shivani’s character was to highlight how young girls in India can protect and stand up for themselves following the 2012 Nirbhaya case that garnered worldwide scrutiny.
Shashi from English Vinglish (2012) is yet another character that pops into my mind when talking of strong female heroines. She is a homemaker-cum-baker who is continuously ridiculed by her family for not being able to speak English. The film follows her journey toward reclaiming her identity, integrity, and respect in America.
As far fetched the plots, action, characters and romance are, Bollywood has emerged victorious on a global scale, embedding a deeper level of meaning by representing social injustice and tackling taboo subjects. That is why the industry will always have my heart.
VICTORIA VIREIKYTE
On Wednesday 10th July, I had the pleasure of attending the Indie Flicks Short Film Screening at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse. At the event, there were a brilliant selection of five festival-quality short films ranging from 3-24 minutes in length from all over the globe, all made by independent filmmakers There was also a really interesting and insightful live Q&A session, where we as an audience were lucky enough to hear the experiences of all sorts of creative souls in the film industry – from a Film & TV director to a chief executive of a visual effects company. Not only was the event an excellent opportunity for me to seize the opportunity to watch more short films from a wide range of genres, but to also listen to the panel members breaking down their vastly unique journeys into getting started in the Film & TV industry and how young people can, too.
The main highlight of the event was of course the 5 short films, all fantastic and special in their own way. The night began with Zeb Goriely’s experimental film “36,000 Words For Love,” which guided the audience through the lens of a beautifully arcane vintage camera - a totally new perspective of storytelling. In the short, we only see 36 photos taken by said camera, but hear the dialogue and various other sounds happening as the photo was taking place “36,000 Words For Love” illustrates the world of sweet little Cambridge in delicate, small slices; from dinners with family to walking around the city Goriely calls home In all, this is my absolute favourite short film of the night, as the idea was simple, but the execution was like nothing I’d ever seen before, and the nostalgic tint of the vintage camera made it feel as though we as an audience were looking back on these memories as one big family - and I couldn’t help but smile at all 36 moments that dazzled the screen.
The following short was Gordon Howie’s bubbly enchanting musical “Broomsticks on Broadway’, about a little green which by the name of Fellinda Cauldron, who conjures up a magical dancing potion after being inspired by the moon This short was bewitching, cheery, and gorgeously animated, with upbeat songs and catchy lyrics. I love the use of the vibrant, exotic colours of Fellinda and her magic, such as
INDIE FLICKS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
cyan, lime, cherry and violet, as the colours set her lively self apart from the gloomy and monotone walls of the castle she’s in. The swirling camera movements in this short made it feel like Fellinda’s musical spectacular was all a wonderful dream “Broomsticks on Broadway” was a true sparkling gem of the event and lit up the screen (both literally and figuratively) – a definite must see for all ages!
Next, we were presented with James Oliver’s realistically raw short “Crossbar Challenge”, where two college friends during a kick out have a conversation about their lives during a stubborn test of physical strength I really enjoyed this short film, as it began with a normal chat between two friends, to ending as a bitter moment of broken trust with a sense of awkwardness sizzling in the air The performances given by the two actors were phenomenal, and you could really unpick the personalities of their characters as the story progressed The cinematography is so beautiful, and the short film manages to find all sorts of different angles to explore the story from – all in one simple location. The story and the message of the film lingered with me until the very end of the credits, and I think it made all of the audience dwell on the coldness of reality and its overwhelming presence in not only the protagonist’s life, but in all of our lives
Stephan Regoli’s French captivating short film “Kheir Inshallah” delves deep into themes of immigration, poverty, passion for sport and the willingness to sacrifice everything and anything for your child. Our story focuses on Abdel, a 9-year-old boy who adores football, and his hardworking dad Moha – both of whom are illegal Muslim immigrants living in France. One early morning, Moha’s boss is murdered right in front of him, and in a shocked state, he flees the site with Abdul. Without a roof over their heads and barely any money, the father and son struggle coping with their new uncertain living situation, all while Moha wants to fulfil Abdul’s dream of becoming a professional footballer Kheir Inshallah – or InshAllah Kheir, where the short film’s name comes from – translates to ‘God willing all will be good’, which perfectly encapsulates this short. Even when all hope is thought to be lost and the light at the end of the tunnel becomes foggy, God will protect and get you through your hardships. Overall, I found Regoli’s short to be moving, realistic and heartbreaking
INDIE FLICKS SHORT FILM FESTIVAL
Last but certainly not the least, the final short film of the night was Christian Cargill’s documentary “Heart Valley.” In this short, we follow a day in the life of Welsh shepherd Wilf Davies, who lives in Cellan, a tiny village in the serene Welsh countryside Wilf invites us along to follow his usual activities for the day – caring for his herd of sheep by feeding them and taking them out on walks, his farming activities on his tractor, and shares with us the things that make him happy (his favourite regular dinner that he’s had for the past ten years, for example, which consists of fried fish, baked beans, and an egg).
Despite living alone with only his fluffy black-and-white buddies to keep him company, Wilf has an extraordinarily positive outlook on life and loves nothing more than to be with his sheep, where he feels his happiest. Wilf says, “I like to be present, polite, and always helping somebody,” and advises everyone some key words of beautiful honesty: “Do what you like and do what you want ” This wise saying truly resonates in this current time period of our society, as many are rocky with what they want to do with their lives – it’s as simple (and yet, as difficult) as that
This Indie Flicks Short Film Screening was such an indelible and interesting event! Not only did I get the chance to watch some new and independent short films with my friend, but hear the real voices and stories of people in the industry who shared their tips and tricks into getting young people into the Film & TV industry as well! The event was a great combination of fun and fascinating, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout to attend this event next year!
On July 12th, the BFI Southbank presented a student short film competition, and many lucky aspiring filmmakers, including myself, saw their films in front of a cheering audience on the big screen!
After completing my short film for my Film Studies coursework project, many of my teachers, friends and family members thought it would be a good idea to submit the film to the Media Magazine festival, being held at the BFI Southbank, one of the most popular cinemas in London. I was pleased with how my short film turned out and decided to enter the film into the category ‘Best Genre Short’. To my surprise, I was shortlisted, and my family were given tickets to the event to see my film, as well as the films from my incredibly talented peers, in the cinema in front of a large audience.
When me and my family walked in, I was surprised by the welcoming atmosphere, as the students were equally as excited to be here as I was, making it easy to make new friends from all over England. The filmmakers were given the front seats, which is where I got to know some of the nominees, most of whom had worked in large groups, while I made my film alone The winning and short-listed films were chosen and showcased by Bafta winner, Alex Kayode-Kay, and his passion for filmmaking was shown when describing all our films individually. When the films started, I was really impressed by how entertaining they all were, and I had a really good time
watching them all My film was shown around the beginning, and it’s where I discovered that my audio mixing wasn’t the best when listening to it with theatre speakers. There’s a character who screams twice, and I had to brace myself for the second scream, because I knew it was going to explode my ears, but aside from that, I’m happy with how it looked and sounded on the big screen. After the film finished, the audience clapped and cheered, which was an incredible experience for me Seeing something I worked hard on being appreciated by a large group of people was special, and I hope this is only the beginning of my filmmaking journey.
I unfortunately didn’t win any awards, but the films that did were very deserved My personal favourite winner was an animated short called ‘The Recipe’ for its creative animation style, and use of food to tell its story. My favourite shortlisted films were ‘Midnight Robbery’ which was an ‘Adaptation’ inspired film about the student writing the film ‘Midnight Robbery’, and another called ‘The Last Laugh’ which had a Heath Ledger inspired villain performance which I really enjoyed
After the competition ended, we were all invited to an after party to pick up our certificates, which is also where I got to meet all the shortlisted filmmakers, and talk to them about their films, and about mine. Everyone was very friendly, and it was a great experience meeting people who had seen my work for the first time. Even though my film had a shoestring budget, it made me feel like a real film maker, and it felt like my dream of being a part of the industry isn’t as far away as I thought it was, especially being surrounded by other very promising student filmmakers The fact that I was shortlisted among them was a great feeling, and I hope I get a chance during my gap year to make more short films and enter in more competitions. I wonder if the other film makers felt the same way
Barney Oram Creativity Award at the Media Magazine Awards
by Andrea Joyce
Firstly, I would like to say how proud we are of Alfie Hudson for being shortlisted in the best genre category at the years ’ Media Magazine Production Awards. His short film, Scarf Swing, held its own amid a very strong category indeed It was just as much of a thrill for me to see his work up on the big screen, as I know it was for him and his family. I would encourage all students to consider entering a competition such as this, it really can be a springboard for your career
I was attending the event again this year to present the ‘Barney Oram Creativity Award’ Every year since this award was founded in 2019, the standard of work we see in this category is just getting better and better. This year was another step up in terms of the six wonderful shortlisted entrants. Our winning short film was a heartwarming tale of how food can bring you right back to a moment in time with people you love, and maybe have lost. The attention to detail in this animation was breathtaking The use of splitscreens, clever transitions and soft acoustic background music made it a simply beautiful film.
Barney Oram was a Film and Media teacher at Long Road Sixth Form College until 2018, when he sadly died of Cancer at a very young age Barney was much loved by students and staff alike, he was a pioneer in fields such as video games and film production. He was passionate about film and developing his students' creativity and filmmaking skills. He worked with the BFi Academy, and was a Media Magazine contributor, being published in the magazine and a speaker at the Media Magazine Conference The Barney Oram Creativity Award is now given in his memory, every year, at the Media Magazine Production Awards
Advice from Alex Kayode-Kay, Actor, Director and Producer
Our fellow judge at the Media Magazine Production Awards was the BAFTA nominated, Alex Kayode-Kay who graduated from London Metropolitan University with a Film and Broadcast Production BA. He is now working as an actor and filmmaker – his TV pilot The Solution was nominated by Edinburgh TV Festival for a New Voice Test Card Pilot award. He was nominated for a BAFTA in 2023 for his short film, The Ballad of Olive Morris
Talking about his own journey Alex shared with the audience, at the BFi Southbank, that there was no one creative in his family His parents wanted him to be a Doctor or a Lawyer but he had always been interested in film and TV from a young age. Not knowing anyone in that creative space he didn’t really know if it would even be possible. He did a Film A Level and really wanted to go to one of the big London film schools but it was really expensive. “I went to Law School for a year to please my Dad and then switched to film studies!”
He talks about being taught all of the different disciplines, despite knowing he wanted to be a director, he now understands the benefits of understanding all of the different skills needed to make a film a reality. Alex talked about leaving Uni and not really knowing what to do, taking any job to survive “It’s easy to give up because it’s really hard. This is an industry full of grafters. If you feel passionate about it, you just have to keep going”.
Alex tells the audience of young filmmakers that he made short films, music videos, wrote scripts and put them into competitions. One of his scripts came in the top 15% in one competition which gave him the encouragement he needed to keep going. He made a comedy short that got some industry recognition and then got BAFTA nominated for his short film - The Ballad of Olive Morris. Go and watch his short film.
Events roundup & Career Insights
BY ANDREA JOYCE
In September we welcomed the team from Cambridge Film Festival back to Long Road. Cristina is an annual visitor to us and it is always great to hear about the numerous ways students can get involved in the film festival. Many of which are covered in other articles so I won’t go into lots of detail. It is worth checking out the Youth Lab as an ongoing way to get involved in film outside of the classroom. https://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/education/youth-lab
What made their visit extra special was that Cristina was accompanied by Martin Attmore, their intern for the festival. Martin is a Long Road film alumni and also the founding editor of this very publication, The Long Lens. Martin had volunteered at the festival when he was a Long Road student and so was really excited to become a full intern now he has finished his degree. Martin recently achieved a First class honours degree in film from the University of Sussex. We are hoping to welcome Martin back again to do a talk on his experiences at Uni and also to offer any advice to current students on how to get ahead as a student of film. Martin worked on a really exciting 24 hour film with a professional crew in Brighton so we are looking forward to hearing more about this project.
In October we were so lucky to welcome film director David Winstone back to Long Road. David is another Long Road alumni who took film studies A Level and went on to study film at the University of Westminster. His graduate film, ‘For Elsie’ won a student Oscar and this led to him being awarded the David Lean Scholarship to attend the National Film and Television School We screened one of David’s short films ‘The Last Hand’ and he spoke with students about his own experiences in the film world. Students were especially interested to hear about his latest short film, The Nolberto Method, that he completed on a budget of just £600.
In November we were very lucky to welcome two key members of the team from the magazine, Cinematography World. Editorial Assistant, Kirsty and Digital Manager, Iain shared their experiences of working on a successful magazine about the film industry They talked about how hard it is to get into the industry at the technical level. Their magazine is aimed at gaffers (the people who rig the lights and choose them), cinematographers and grips (they choose how cameras are supported i.e. crane, dolly etc), colourists and film graders. Cinematography World is mainly focused on the visual side of the film industry. Editor Ron Prince writes a lot of the content and commissions freelance writers to interview directors of photography about current and upcoming films. They attend all of the main exhibitions for equipment too and cover what new technology is coming out. They also cover industry news for the magazine and the website. They work in print, digital and social media.
A lot of cinematographers career trajectory is to go from sixth form to one of the big film schools. Often they will start off as an assistant on a production to get experience. A lot of DP’s (Director of Photography) start off as camera operators. Each issue has a section on careers and Kirsty and Iain also recommend the website Screen Skills as a great resource for careers development and information on bursaries.
One thing that stood out from the advice that Kirsty and Iain gave to students when asked about advice on getting to the industry - Enthusiasm was the buzzword. Also, thinking about what you have done yourself to differentiate yourself from everyone else in the pile, this is so important. That is why events are so important to us in the department and why we continue to encourage you to attend events organised here, and outside college.
In May we welcomed back Dr Geraint D’Arcy from the University of East Anglia. Geraint joined us to share his insights into the film District 9 With a talk entitled - “District 9’s war of the worlds: human mise en scéne vs alien visual effects” - Geraint wowed students with his thoughts on the way in which this film is illustrative of the tensions around war and mass immigration in the early 2000’s. He also spoke at length about the use of special effects in the film alongside the documentary style approach that gives this film a unique sense of realism for a sci-fi film. We really hope we can get another visit from Geraint again next year.
June was progression week for first years, and having said farewell to the second years in this month too our thoughts turn to the future. We often get asked about the types of jobs that students could go on to after studying film. We asked a few of our contacts to share their own journey with us and her are two of the highlights.
Fabia Martin - Documentary filmmaker
How did you get to where you are today?
I wanted to be a journalist and did some work with a journalist, then I worked on the Islam Channel and then did an internship with TalkBack Thames working in their development teams in the comedy genre. I worked my way up from a junior researcher, to a researcher, to an assistant producer, to a producer. Then I went freelance making factual films and documentaries as a producer, I also did commercials. After a time I moved into directing working with the BBC, as well as doing my own freelance work in commercials and
documentaries. About 4 years ago I started working in live action comedy drama and have my first feature film in preproduction.
What is the best thing about your job?
Getting to collaborate with really amazing, creative and organised people. I love that I can come up with an idea, like talking to someone I find interesting like Ellie B who is a rhythmic gymnast with Downs Syndrome who went to the special Olympics I thought her story sounded great so I got in touch with her and made that film. Just from an idea, a few months later you have a wonderful film. It is a really special process.
What advice would you give to someone wanting a similar role to you in the industry?
The advice I would give is to understand it takes a lot of time, I’ve been doing this for over 10 years, you need a lot of resilience. It is a very incremental process, so don’t feel like you have to run before you can walk. Just enjoy all of the different experiences you are having and don’t overthink the final plan. Always come to set with a smile and being willing to help beyond the capacity you have as a director, I will help the camera guys bring the kit in etc. I also think it’s really important to keep contacts so think about getting in touch with people you admire, who’s work you like, a lot of it is about who you know It is a competitive industry but if it is something you really want then stick to your guns and work hard, it will happen for you eventually.
Cristina RouresCambridge Film Festival Operations Manager
How did you get where you are today?
I studied film and media in Barcelona and I worked there a number of years in film and tv production, as a production co-ordinator, as a production secretary, these sorts of roles. Then I moved to Cambridge 10 years ago and the first thing I did when I arrived here was to see what was happening in the field of film. I came across the Cambridge Film Festival and I got involved as a volunteer which I did for 2 years. In the third year I came back as an intern with a more hands-on role, I was lucky
and a couple of years after there was a vacancy and I applied and got the job. It’s been a long history with the festival.
What is the best thing about your job?
It is very different, every day is different.. I get to be involved in such a variety of things I never get bored. So I do things like fundraising, I manage the volunteers, I do event management, guest liaison and deal with the actors and directors who come to the festival, I organise the industry day with all the talks and panels. I get involved in fundraising, in building partnerships and getting money to be ble to deliver the festival. So my role allows me to work in so many different areas. It is a really collaborative effort and I get to work with an amazing team of people to make this festival happen so it is a real team effort and it is very rewarding.
What advice would you give to someone wanting a similar role to you in the industry?
Be curious, look out for opportunities. Join a film club, volunteer at the festival, watch as many films as you can, review films, write for your student newspaper. Make the most of what's out there because these experiences will help you understand what you like, help you learn new skills and also when you are looking for jobs they will show a commitment and that you are interested and trying your best, these are things that can make you a better candidate. So see what is out there and make the most of it. The Cambridge Film Festival is full of opportunities so get in touch. https://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/
REVIEWS
Bao by Victoria Vireikyte
Lamb
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse by Emma Brennand
Little Forest by Victoria Vireikyte
by Shannon Johnston Howes
BAO BAO
by Victoria Vireikyte
Pixar’s 2018 short-film “Bao” is a heartwarming family story that captures the audiences’ souls with its adorable animation and touching moments, while exploring the ups-and-downs of motherhood and acceptance. Directed and written by Domee Shi, a Canadian film director and Pixar’s first female short-director in its history
In the short-film, we follow the journey of a lonely Chinese-Canadian woman who is struggling with empty-nest syndrome Upon cooking some baozi (or bao) for her husband, she is completely shocked when one of her buns springs to life Overcome with maternal affection and care, she raises the bao as her own child - taking it to walks in the park, trips to the local market, yoga classes and of course visiting their favourite doughnut shop as a treat She feeds, cherishes, and nurtures over her beloved bao, who is equally fond and loving towards her, but when he begins to grow, the bao eagerly wants to socialise with other children and have fun, much to the mother’s fear and overprotectiveness. This wonderfully beautiful yet moving 8-minute film captures just how important and dear family truly is - at the end of the day, family is everything. No matter how harsh, misunderstanding, or overprotective they can sometimes be, they still love very deeply, even if it can come across at times to be the opposite Despite Pixar’s audience being aimed for younger audiences, this film is perfect and a definite must-see for all age groups; especially teenagers. “Bao” strengthens and rekindles the true, everlasting power of family love and eternal acceptance, along with the bittersweet reality of children growing up and leaving the warm embrace of their mothers
Upon further research, the word ‘bao’ divides into two interpretations. One of them of course being the delicious, steamed dumpling seen in a variety of Chinese dishes, and the other connotation being a Chinese-originated gender-neutral name, meaning “precious treasure.” Upon discovering the name ’ s meaning, this perfectly intertwines with the tender and kind-hearted ambience of Shi’s “Bao ” The mother treats her bao-child to be her bundle of joy, or her precious treasure! The bao has impacted her life so greatly from the very beginning, sparking a flame of warmth and boundless love into her previously despondent life. In fact, the director used her own Chinese-Canadian culinary traditions into this wonderful little slice of cinema. Shi states in an interview with “Food & Wine” magazine, that “dumplings were a huge part of my childhood,” adding, “ we make them [bao buns] during the holidays, before New Years To me, making dumplings is a family activity - you never really do it alone.” Shi’s personal meaning and story of her relationship with baozi links to how ‘bao’ can indicate so much to a wide variety of people.
To me, this is Pixar’s best short-film, and one of my all-time favourites from the incredible animation company. The warm and gentle cinematographyfrom the sincere close-ups to the buttery-yellow lighting - feels like one, big, giant hug climbing through the screen to comfort you. Despite not a single word being uttered throughout, so much is said through the character’s facial expressions along with the remarkably touching instrumental music (consisting of traditional Chinese instruments, such as the erhu, pipa, guzheng, dizi and more) and which guides the audience through the mother’s joy, love, pain, and awe. I would say my favourite scene of the film is the cosy moment where the new joyous family are making tasty baozis all together - which massively juxtaposes from the establishing scene at the beginning with a downcast mother, all alone with her baozis Don’t let this film’s cheerful atmosphere fool you, however - “Bao,” is full of poignant and tearful moments, illustrating a deep message of love and what it is to be human. This short-film truly touched my heart and I know I will be rewatching it very soon
“Bao” is short, but just so special. Purely delightful and a loveable mix of smiles and tears. And the magnificent cherry-on-top of this masterpiece is the mouth-watering food! It’s movies like this one that make you want to truly live in the moment and cherish all of the precious moments you have left with your loved ones.
LAMB LAMB
by Shannon Johnston Howes
The wide rolling hills and valleys of Hörgárdalur paint a bleak landscape for Lamb (2021). The opening minutes show the early mornings and monotonous days of sheep farmers Maria and Ingvar, a quiet couple going about their lives in the limited daylight of northern Iceland. With just each other for company, their small flock of sheep to tend to, and surrounded by the mountains, the cottage and farm feel both vulnerable in the vast open valley, and trapped by the stoney peaks on either side.
In the story, Maria and Ingvar have their stale routine broken by the birth of a very unusual lamb. Unable to leave the newborn to survive among the other sheep in the barn, Maria makes the choice to bring the lamb inside and care for it as though it were a baby Rocking it, cooing and singing to it, and although Ingvar seems uncertain at first, he eventually gets on board with raising the lamb inside, even building a cot for the baby. If you know anything about this film, it’s that this is not a normal lamb, but part human from the shoulders down, with one cloven-footed leg and one human arm. Maria names her Ava, and we the audience get to watch as Ava grows and learns, seeming to have the cognitive function of a normal toddler, even if she cannot speak.
The rest of the film focuses on their new normal, and those that seek to disrupt their peace. The sheep that birthed Ava relentlessly bleats at the child’s window, crying for her baby; Ingvar’s brother Petur is disturbed by and cruel towards his new niece; and something visits the house in broad daylight and does away with their sheepdog
Being set in Iceland, the film’s dialogue is Icelandic, but is well subtitled throughout. Even if it wasn’t, the dialogue is little, and scattered, and it’s likely possible to get the general idea of each scene without understanding the lines being spoken. That being said, the spoken lines being so few and far between does leave a lot of dead air. Some is used to good effect - awkward silences, wordless stand-offs, a moment to take in the gravity of what just happened - but otherwise, I personally feel that it leaves the film feeling a bit empty
My one big problem with this film, though, is it being called a ‘horror’ film. It is undeniably unsettling, with a constant feeling of waiting for the second foot to drop regarding little Ava; what is she, where did she come from, what’s going to happen to her? But there are very few d en then it’s kind o curtain
Is it a drama? Yes. Is it a thriller? Potentially. Is it a horror? Not really.
Still, Lamb is an enjoyable film, but with the minimalistic dialogue, the lack of scenic variety, and overall pacing, you’ll need a pick-me-up movie afterwards.
SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE – ANIMATION ANALYSIS – ANIMATION ANALYSIS
by Emma Brennand
Spider-man: Into The Spiderverse is an extremely popular film in mainstream media and for a reason! Alongside its sequel Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse, we follow the protagonist Miles Morales as he goes through an identity crisis and eventually becomes the Spider-Man and the person he would like to be. The contrast of Miles' black and red suit is one of the many iconic features of his character. The bold colours throughout the film, alongside the art style, make it the most recognizable and visually pleasing films of the century.
Spider-man: Into The Spiderverse is a different type of Spiderman, although it could have been made live action the decision to make it animated was extremely tasteful. For example, the use of the spider senses made it clear something was happening rather than just the facial expressions. Alongside this the action scenes were more entertaining as swinging from the trees was clear and coherent. Having it animated gave it the freedom to be clear in the action scenes.
The inspiration for this art style was from old comic books alongside pop art. Which is clearly seen in the film. This created a fresh style of film breaking out of stereotypical superhero films. The animation was a mix of 2D and 3D. It also rejected the technique of animation blur (most of the time) replacing it with an older technique called smearing. The smearing gives it a more comic-book look. When Miles is learning to swing on the trees with Peter Peter has 4 frames per second while Miles only has 2 showing his lack of confidence in swinging.
Miles, Peter, and Gwen all use the same animation. As the 3 main Spider-mans in the film, this holds significance because it shows their similarities and helps the audience see their friendships go beyond the action but into the animation. However, Porker and Spider-Man Noir have different animations. For example, Ham is as cartoonish as possible going back to stereotypical animation (the use of blurring). Spider-Man Noir references the film noir era between the 1940s and 1950s, his use of animation is special as it is in black and white it uses a lot more animation techniques, including hatching, to make his character more realistic. The use of different animation styles conveys how they express their different identities; Miles, struggling with the concept of becoming Spider-Man, struggles staying with the basic animation style used in the film.
In conclusion, ‘Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse’ created a new style of animation, and I am looking forward to seeing what these incredibly talented artists do next.
LITTLE FOREST LITTLE FOREST
by Victoria Vireikyte
In my opinion, Yim Soon-rye’s 2018 Korean masterpiece “Little Forest” is the perfect film to review for this issue of The Long Lens, which revolves around the theme of “World Cinema.” It’s an enchanting story of friendship, love, nature, and of course: food. However, it also ties in more serious topics, such as how to find your inner peace in a fast-paced world, living life by your own comforts and most importantly of all – learning to savour both the good and the bad aspects of life and nature.
The aesthetic is simply magical, like a smooth, soothing salve to your heart and soul. You can almost taste the juicy tomatoes, smell the delicate flowers, feel the crunchy snow beneath your feet, and feel the summer sun tickling your freckles Throughout the film, we can’t help but feel as though we are a fly on the wall; spectating at our main protagonist as she cooks up a delicious storm of some Korean cuisine classics – baechu jeon, kimchi and sujebi, to name a few.
The story centres around a young woman named Hye-won (Kim Tae-ri), who is tired of her current repetitive city life, and decides to return back to her beloved traditional Korean village in the middle of the countryside Her new memories of the countryside are shared with her two childhood friends, Eun-sook (Jin Ki-joo) and Jae-ha (Ryu Jun-yeol). There, Hye-won tries to keep herself busy by rekindling her relationship with food by cooking from her mother’s (Moon So-ri) recipes.
LITTLE FOREST
During the course of the film, she ventures on all sorts of adventures and cooking frenzies, such as making fresh chestnut jam, picking snails at night in a river, taking care of her cute dog, having late-night drinks with her friends, and widening her knowledge and love for her new passion – cooking.
As I was watching “Little Forest,” it was almost as though I could feel a comforting, delicate blanket embrace my shoulders, practically melting me into the film’s wonderful aura. I’m a total newbie when it comes to Korean cinema, but this film felt like the perfect introduction to Hallyuwood (the Korean film industry), and I’ve found myself descending down the rabbit hole of not only other fantastic Korean films, but international ‘foodie’ films, too. The cinematography of this film is so relaxing, you feel as though you may drift off to a delightful sleep as you hear the sound of Hye-won’s cooking sizzle in your ears.
The performance each actor contributed to the film was amazing, their acting felt so realistic and their actions so relatable, it really made you feel intertwined with all the characters, especially Hye-won. After finishing this film, the urge to want to grow my own little garden at home to create a scrapbook of treasured homemade recipes bloomed inside me.
Food, frien night, and still remains one of the most treasured films I ve ever had the pleasure of seeing. Thank you to Yim Soon-rye for blessing us with such a delightful gem.
CHIILDREN’S ANIMATION: THE HORROR OF GROWING UP
A surreal, fantastical animation; The Last Unicorn is a film that exceeds its child-like themes and reaches further. The story of a unicorns quest to save her kind from extinction touches on issues of existence, mortality, and oppression.
The desire to save your species is itself a quest to reserve identity In the film, a raging red bull is presented as the antagonist. This bull is symbolic and could be seen as a symbol of fear, hatred and oppression. The unicorn could also be seen as a fear of change, as the film includes a metamorphosis of the main character: Amalthea, as she changes from a Unicorn to a human The desire to save your own identity relates to growing up, and other forms of evolution, and the film explores this on an allegoric level. The wiping out of a species also relates to issues such as genocide and war, and although this seems far-fetched, I think the fact that these themes are synthesised through the scope of children’s animation means they have to be broken down into universal concepts that communicate
with everyone on a basic level. (This theme is common throughout children animation in general, and is present in films such as Snow White, Moana, Peter Pan etc ) This is a good thing, as I don’t think the themes are necessarily simplified as the horror of the themes are still present emotionally. Fear is complex, and hard to be communicated well on screen - especially in a children’s film But I think these limits are what excel The Last Unicorn's emotive nature, as the creators where limited to keeping the imagery child-friendly, so they replied heavily on all aspects of film-making to create emotion (music, dialogue, etc) Therefore, I would argue that the way in which they are presented in children films makes complex themes not only more understandable on an academic level, but also reserve the emotion of the ideas This is done through narratives that engage the emotions of the viewer quickly. The element of fantasy that is in The Last Unicorn also provides an external layer of distance from the viewer and the themes, which paradoxically allows the viewer to connect with the story more, as the themes are less obvious and more nuanced when viewed through fantasy. When observing an adult audience, the hints of nostalgia due to the melancholic nature of The Last Unicorn as well as the reminiscent feeling of being a child that adult viewers may feel when watching also plays into the emotion of the film.
CHIILDREN’S ANIMATION: THE HORROR OF GROWING UP
Peter Pan is a clear example of a children film that focuses on an allegoric theme, the desire to not grow old Peter Pan symbolises a denial of growing up, which is an appealing concept to young people and relates to common themes in coming of age films. It could be argued when closely looking at the film that the glamorisation of youth in the paradise Neverland subtly suggests that growing old is the opposite, and that if youth is a paradise then maturing must be a hell. This horror is cryptically installed in the viewer, in a way which is unnoticeable. In this way, the film offers an escapism However, when looking at the characters of The Lost Boys, it becomes clear that their seems to be a strange fascination with death present in the film. The lost boys all carry weapons, and they immediately shoot Wendy out the sky upon seeing her This is a celebratory act for them, as they brag about it and try to claim responsibility for the
By Ben Heiss
shooting In a world in which immortal youth is reality, this obsession could be seen as an obsession with something that is incomprehensible to the people of Neverland, as death is not a reality for them. This exploration of death is a subtle theme of the film that relates to surrounding ideas of growing up with horror.
Pink Floyd’s The Wall exceeds the realms of children fantasy and reaches for something a lot darker and a lot more politically on the nose. Its use of allegory is less cryptic, as crowds of hammers march like soldiers against a bleak sky, a caricature of a headmaster minces students in a meat grinder - all deriving from Roger Waters’ (member of Pink Floyd) critique of Britain, capitalism and war This also relates to Roger Waters’ bad experience of youth, as he was bullied by teachers during his years at Cambridgeshire High School for Boys (now Hills Road Sixth Form College) during the 1950s. In The Wall, there is a scene in which a young Waters’ rebels and burns his school down. Roger Water’s wrote The Wall as an album, with an accompanying film that features animations by Gerald Scarfe. Waters’ father died in World War 2, and the film dwells on this trauma, as well as reflecting the isolated rock-star lifestyle The film strives for a deep, emotive impact - through grimly dark imagery such as a bleeding crucifix, a bird drowning rural lands in blood, planes turning into crucifixes. Whilst it deals with its issues in a brilliantly disturbing way, there is something to be said in the dark beauty of The Last Unicorn, which stays within its limits as children themes in some ways, but emotionally exceeds this limits in others. Is there some sort of innate connection that can be formed with children film’s, that help us emotionally connect with their meanings more? Why is it that the flaming bull in The Last Unicorn holds more of an intimidating stance than a giant bleeding vulture in The Wall? Why is their a strange horror hidden in Peter Pan, when its understood that its about the death of youth? If not their imagery, its the way in which they are presented in the narrative. Is it because as we grow, those films grow with us, changing from innocent tales to things with darker meanings? Its a growth that mirrors human evolution, which is perhaps why we remain connected to those films The Wall is unmistakably dark from the beginning, and will always remain so But due to their subtexts, children’s animations change as you learn of their true meanings, growing darker and less innocent as we do.
Our tale begins in an isolated, mysterious mansion hidden deep inside the haunted, dark forest. Lightning struck angrily, as though it were enraged that the mansion was hidden away… or it was warning people not to go there The mansion was presented in all its glory by the lightning, and was surprisingly well-built and sturdy for the only building in this fearful forest, however ancient it was. Trees were towering over the mansion like knights shielding their king from the rest of the world. The rain felt like a pile of bricks beating down non-stop to anyone who dared approach the mansion.
While this place was isolated from society, many stories lingered in the world about this place –none were good. This came to a surprise to those who stumbled among the mansion for the first time, as it looked very welcoming from a distance But the closer you approached the creepier it looked. Even though this was the worst place to wish for a peaceful life, there was a small light peeking through the window of hope.
Inside the mansion, a young, beautiful girl was sitting by the fireplace with a book in her pale hands. Her blond hair was long, straight and well-brushed with a cute pink ribbon in it. She wore a stunning blue dress that would make any man fall for her immediately Her hypnotic, baby blue eyes massively stood out due to her pearly white skin. Her eyes scanned the book’s pages, processing every word they displayed. This lady was truly the hidden gem of the mansion – and her name was Lunaria Black
At the time, she was the only resident of the mansion. Her family had built this grand achievement centuries ago, for reasons unknown. Since then, every generation of the Black’s family has lived there. Whenever a newcomer would come and live with the Black family in their mansion, the town’s people suspected that a spell was put on the newcomer so that they wouldn’t run away from the family, but they had no proof. This caused the Black’s family to have a reputation due to the stories about them. Lunaria’s parents died not too long ago in the mansion, as every person in the Black’s family had Following their death, she was left to take care of the mansion - and all its surprises.
Suddenly, a soft bang came from upstairs It was common for random noises to happen out of nowhere at the most unexpected moments, but they never came from the attic. Lunaria has never been to the attic before, it was forbidden for her to enter. She tried sneaking in many times, but always got caught, almost like they were keeping a secret from her Taking a deep breath, Lunaria dropped her book, got up and began to climb the ladder leading to the attic. She shakingly opened the door and scanned the room for the first time. Truthfully, she was horrified but nothing happened The whole attic was blanketed in dust, stacks of mysterious boxes filled the room, and some old paintings were hanging on the walls. Nothing looked strange, so Lunaria decided to leave but then she froze: it happened again. But this time it was much louder. Much louder.
Lunaria gulped as she went back inside the attic and looked around cautiously. Nothing looked different. Lunaria was very confused but decided to leave the room and calm down -but that’s when she heard it; a girls’ laugh But it wasn’t an ordinary laugh It was a creepy, psychotic laugh. It sends a very cold shiver down Lunaria’s spine, standing every hair on her body up immediately. She slowly turned around and saw something that made her blood run cold. It was a doll just sitting there with its lifeless, crimson eyes glaring deep into her soul. It had long ginger hair and was wearing a cute, childish outfit. Lunaria knew what it was. It was her doll. She’d play with it as a little girl until one day she lost it when she got caught trying to go to the attic again. But that was years ago, but she knows for sure that she didn’t leave it in the attic. Her parents must have put it in there, but when she first looked around the doll wasn’t there… something must have moved it That was one of the things that made her freeze The second surprise she found was way worse. Behind the doll was something she never expected. A ghost.
Lunaria’s blue eyes widened at the sight of the ghost. It looked like a boy version of herself but much younger. Its blond hair was short and messy. The same memorising blue eyes started back at her He reminded Lunaria of a twin brother that she had never had - or did she? She was always told that she was an only child but now she wasn’t too sure. Looking at his clothes, Lunaria saw that they were dripping with blood, along with his face and hair. He looked very much alive for a ghost, not transparent like ghosts are believed to be He held the doll tightly as though it were a dear friend to him. It reminded Lunaria of herself as a child. A few seconds passed by in which Lunaria thought that she would die at any moment, but nothing happened. The ghost just stood there, with the doll still in his grasp. They kept staring at her, not blinking, not even for a second. Their eyes were fixed on her the whole time. Lunaria could see sadness and relief in their eyes, but she wouldn’t be tricked into coming any closer She may be a kind and helpful person and she did feel a bit sorry for them, but this was a ghost. She has only read of ghosts in books, but she never thought she would see one in her life. Taking advantage of the
fact that the ghost wasn’t doing anything, Lunaria darted for the door - she needed to get out of there now! But when she reached for the door handle dread filled her. Locked.
Panic filled her at light speed. How was it locked? She didn’t remember locking it when she came here And there’s no way the ghost could’ve locked it So how is it locked? Facts were facts, and the fact was that the door was locked. Lunaria started to tremble as she fell to the ground. Burning tears trickled down her face. What was going to happen to her now? Is this how she dies? Suddenly, Lunaria felt an ice-cold sensation behind her, so she turned around and gasped The ghost was gone and so was the doll! Trembling, she pulled her legs to her chest and continued to sob. She didn’t know what and why this just happened. But she knew one thing, she needed to get out of here as fast as possible! Taking some deep breaths, she tried to calm down a bit. Momentarily, an idea came to her mind. She could use her hairpin to lockpick the door open! Hurriedly, Lunaria took her hairpin out of her hair and got to work Unlocked! Stumbling to her feet, Lunaria rushed out of the attic as fast as possible. Unknown to her, someone was following her.
With all her strength, Lunaria ran out of her mansion and into the forest. She knew that bad things happened in the forest (especially at night) but she needed to get as far away as possible from the building. The only place she could think of going right now was her friend’s house nearby. She would be able to stay the night there and think all of this through. To her shock, she tripped over a tree trunk and slashed her leg badly Blood gushed out of her wound like a river The pain was so unbearable that she couldn’t even move a slight bit. Suddenly, Lunaria felt the sensation that she felt back in the attic again. She looked up and was once more face-to-face with the ghost and the doll
“I finally got to talk to you dear sister. No one will take you away from me now ” the ghost said, not taking their eyes off Lunaria His tone was calm but had a psychotic tone behind it.
“You’re staying with me and our dear Annabelle....forever.” was the last thing Lunaria heard before her world went dark.
