Most of us are aware
that truth is stranger than fiction and that´s why, very often we find
ourselves describing real situations in cinematic terms. This summer, some of
the breaking news which hit the headlines could only be described by comparing
them with the gory scenes of a horror film, as if the images that appeared on
our TV sets could only have been devised by a screenwriter. I guess that´s one
of the most defining qualities of cinema, that is, its power to describe and
make statements about everyday realities, in a way, that´s also what
characterises art in general, isnt´ it? In this sense, I must mention a film
that has been recently released: an Indian film called Parched. This film deals with topics about which we read in the
press or issues which are often reflected in the mass media, however, the
impact that this story makes on the viewer is stronger than the impact that any
headline can make. Thanks to a wonderful cast, the film director – Leena Yadav –
succeeds in portraying the difficult conditions in which women live in rural
India: women trapped in a world governed by traditions and domestic violence,
women who wish to make a living on their own, women who want to go to school or
to university and women who don´t seem to have a choice. In this community
women bond together and their friendship becomes some sort of lifeboat, a
lifeboat which is the only thing that can rescue them from the hardship of
their lives. If you are interested in watching a gripping story and you are
ready for a story that really strikes a chord, Parched can be a good choice for you.
Official trailer for Parched. If you wonder about the meaning
of the title, you should know that “parched” is an adjective that means very
thirsty but it can also be used to refer to what has become extremely dry
because of hot weather. When you watch
the film, you realise that this is a good title.
Another film which
was released in August was May in the
Summer. Some of us are acquainted with Cherien Dabis thanks to her debut
film Amreeka. On this occasion, Cherien
Dabis is not only the director of the film but also the main female character
around which revolves the story. Cherien Dabis was born in the United States
but her father is Palestinian and her mother is Jordanian; if we bear in mind
such family background, it is little wonder that her stories are concerned with
the clash of cultures that arises when eastern people live in western societies
or, vice versa, as in May in Summer
in which an Arab-American Christian returns to Jordan to marry a Muslim. As
Cherien Dabis explained in an interview, her filmmaking came out of the need to
help her Arab side and her American side to understand one another so Amreeka can be said to be a film about
being Arab in America while May in Summer
is about being American in the Arab world. Nevertheless, we shouldn´t be
mistaken about the real story that is depicted in this film: apart from the
cultural clash and the religious matters, the most important theme is related
to making decisions, life-changing decisions and the fact that May is at a
crossroads in her life.
But not everybody is
interested in non-commercial films, therefore watching the female reboot of Ghostbusters can also be a good idea.
Remakes are usually preceded by a great deal of controversy but I feel that the
experience of watching them is usually very personal, that´s why, we should not
feel discouraged by the reviews that haven´t been so favourable.
Ghostbusters was originally released in 1984 and it was a
huge box office hit.
Finally, I ´d like to
draw my attention to Woody Allen´s last film: Café Society, a story set in the 1930s America, in particular, in
Hollywood and New York. Woody Allen
manages to capture the atmosphere of the age beautifully and at the same time,
it tells us an entertaining story with its characteristic narrative style. The
cast of the film is excellent but in my view, Jesse Eisenberg – who inevitably
reminds us of a younger version of Woody Allen – and Kristen Stewart shine
above the rest.
Have you watched any of these
films this summer? Would you like to suggest watching other recent film
releases? What kind of films do you usually enjoy watching in summer?
