Films, TV & Radio

As a fitting tribute to the late Pope, this month the Tim Hetherington Film Club at Farm Street will once again show 'Francesco - Inspiring Hope', the 2020 headline-making documentary about Pope Francis from Hollywood based, Russian director and producer, Evgeny Afineevsky. The making of this groundbreaking film granted the director unprecedented access to His Holiness, providing an intimate look... Read More

As well as the wonderful Tridium liturgies, there is also something to get the Christian message over to younger audiences this Easter. This sees the release of a new animation film from Angel Studio called, King of Kings. The film is based on 'The Life of Our Lord,' the book which Charles Dickens wrote for his children, which he read to them every year at Christmas to reinforce the Christian mess... Read More

Tom Michell's endearing memoir about his experiences as a young student teaching English in a posh Argentinian boarding school and the relationship he made with a rescued penguin has been turned into a new and entertaining film called 'The Penguin Lessons' directed by Peter Cattaneo. This whimsical tale, however, has been beefed up and given a bit more heft by experienced award winning screen writ... Read More

The final synodal document encourages us to 'dedicate resources to ensure that the digital environment becomes a prophetic space for mission and proclamation.' (For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission #113). All Kinds of Catholic podcast creator Theresa Alessandro is convening a new Catholic Podcasters' Network. She explains: "I realised that it would be a good thing to create a sp... Read More

Palestinian cinema has a rich and diverse history, with numerous filmmakers, including internationally acclaimed directors like Elia Suleiman and Hanya abu Asad. Two weeks ago the Israeli-Palestinian film No Other Land won an Oscar for Best Documentary. In this post, we share with you links to more Palestinian films you can view and share. A collection of films published by Al Jazeera Documentary:... Read More

After winning Best Documentary in the Film Independent Spirit Awards, last week, the film No Other Land, received an Academy Award on Sunday night. Written and directed by Israeli and Palestinian film-makers: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor, their debut movie offers an insider's view of life on the West Bank, and the relentless destruction of homes and historic villages a... Read More

The award-winning documentary No Other Land, is being screened on Channel Four on Tuesday 4 March, from 11.15pm to 12.50am The film has been named Best Documentary in the Film Independent Spirit Awards this week, and has also been nominated for an Oscar. Written and directed by a group of Jewish Israeli and Palestinian film-makers: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor, their de... Read More

Towards the end of this moving Indian film, a character speaks about working days on end in a dark factory and the exhilaration of coming out into the light. Light then is symbolic of the realities of our lives but our hopes are that somehow or other we live through and imagine will be light. Directed by Payal Kapadia, with beautiful performances from Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam, Hrid... Read More

Sands Films will be screening director Mahdi Fleifel's award-winning film A World Not Ours in person and on-line on Tuesday 21st January at 8pm. An intimate, and often humorous, portrait of three generations of exile in the refugee camp of Ein el-Helweh, in southern Lebanon. Drawing on family archives (photos and videos), as well as historical footage, the film is a reflection on belonging, friend... Read More

China, 2024, 116 minutes, Colour. Eddie Peng. Directed by Guan Hu. Sometimes moviegoers say that they would like to see something different, a film from somewhere else, different sensibilities,, entry into a world they are unfamiliar with. Black Dog is an excellent candidate this kind of choice. We are caught up with a very striking opening, the camera panning unfamiliar vistas of north-western Ch... Read More

Conclave. (Edward Berger, director; starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini.) Based on the novel by Robert Harris. Conclave takes us into the drama and secrecy of a papal election through the tormented soul of Cardinal Thomas Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes). Exasperated by Vatican intrigue and plagued by doubt he longs to retire. The unexpected death of the pope means that instead he m... Read More

Stefano Rebeggiani, Associate Professor of Classics at the University of Southern California, shares some fascinating comments on the new film Gladiator II in his article in Angelus News. He writes: "If you haven't heard by now, Hollywood is at it again, offering viewers another serving of one of the staples of ancient Roman society: gladiators. As Russell Crowe famously asked the crowds in the Co... Read More

The life and times of photo-journalist, Tim Hetherington is told in the powerful documentary: 'Which way is the front line from here?' - showing at the Tim Hetherington Film Club at Farm Street parish this Thursday, 28 November. Cost: free - with drinks and refreshments (donations welcome) Jesuit-educated photojournalist, Tim Hetherington was 'killed at work' in Libya in 2011. Tim had travelled th... Read More

The Miracle Club', made in 2023, is the final acting role of the late, great Dame Maggie Smith. As 31 October is Hallowe'en night, I considered showing the demonic classic film, 'The Omen', until I recently spotted this more cheerful comedy drama for the Film Club in the Seville Cathedral magazine. Really! Also starring Laura Linney, Kathy Bates and Stephen Rea, the story looks at female friendshi... Read More