And if that isn’t enough, we are delighted to be hosting Human Rights Watch Film Festival, featuring six titles spanning the globe that highlight the best in human rights storytelling.
‘Dune: Part Two‘ Image courtesy of Warner Bros.
Kicking off the month, from Fri 1 Mar we are welcoming the highly anticipated Dune: Part Two to our screens – continuing the adaptation of the legendary book series by Frank Herbert.
Following on from 2021’s Dune, we continue our journey with Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet – Call Me by Your Name) as he unites with Chani (Zendaya – Euphoria) and the Fremen on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Since transitioning to English-language marvels such as Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival from French-language indie gems such as Incendies and Polytechnique, Denis Villeneuve has cemented his place as one of Hollywood’s prominent directors. His films are so vast and epic in scale that they must be seen on the big screen to be believed.
Already in contention to be the highlight of 2024, the film has arrived to universal acclaim – with The New York Post calling it a ‘triumph’ in their glowing review. Plus, don’t forget to watch the wondrous trailer for Dune: Part Two.
‘Banel & Adama’ Image courtesy of We Are Parable.
Keeping up the quality, we are welcoming Banel & Adama to our screens from Fri 15 Mar. Featured In Competition at Cannes, the French-Malian-Senegalese romantic drama comes from Senegalese screenwriter Ramata-Toulaye Sy in her feature directorial debut.
The dream-like drama’s titular characters are young adults living in a remote village in Northern Senegal. After moving away from their families and falling in love, Adama refuses a birth right, and chaos ensues. While lots of attention will be paid to how Dune: Part Two looks, Banel & Adama is one of the most visually gorgeous films in recent memory, as stated in a review from The Hollywood Reporter which highlights that Sy’s ‘vision is unequivocally beautiful’, and that she has a ‘gorgeous way of seeing the world…[where] colors possess new levels of personality’. A fairytale about love, struggle, and superstition – make sure you don’t miss out on this hidden gem.
Have a read of The Hollywood Reporter’s full review and watch the gorgeous trailer for Banel & Adama.
‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Image courtesy of Universal Pictures.
In the same week, we’re also treated to Drive-Away Dolls – the first solo narrative feature from Ethan Coen; better known as one half of the Coen brothers, who have directed acclaimed works such as No Country for Old Men and Fargo. In recent years, both brothers have gone on to work on solo projects, with Joel Cohen directing the wonderful The Tragedy of Macbeth, and Drive-Away Dolls now being Ethan’s time to shine.
Certainly a departure from his neo-Western epics and crime thrillers, this lesbian comedy road movie still has sprinkles of what Coen is known for, as two friends (Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan) find themselves on the run after accidentally swiping a briefcase that a group of mobsters are after. With guest appearances from Matt Damon, Pedro Pascal and Colman Domingo, the film takes inspiration from 80s and 90s B-movies, the likes of which rarely get made nowadays. So, be sure to catch this in cinemas if you want to see more films like it in the future!
Check out The Guardian’s adoring review, as well as the hilarious trailer for Drive-Away Dolls.
‘We Are Guardians‘ Image courtesy of Human Rights Watch Film Festival.
This month, we also welcome Human Rights Watch Film Festival to our building from Fri 15 – Thu 21 Mar. This year’s edition celebrates the convergence of art and human rights, and the programme highlights the role of youth in rising up to confront systems of power – focusing on the determination and courage of individuals standing up for their freedom.
While the whole programme is stellar, our highlights include We Are Guardians + Q&A on Fri 15 Mar – a powerful documentary produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, which captures the efforts of Indigenous Brazilian Forest guardians in protecting the Amazon from illegal loggers, miners, and exporters. Another highlight is Inshallah a Boy + Q&A on Mon 18 Mar, in which a widow pretends to be pregnant with a son to save her daughter and home from a relative trying to exploit Jordan’s patriarchal inheritance law.
Full of vital global cinema, make sure to join us for the festival this month. Take a look at the full programme for Human Rights Watch Film Festival.
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