5 December 2025
THE VOICE OF HIND REJAB **** (vo Arabic)
There have recently been a slew of fine films, such as “All That’s Left Of You” or “Gaza: Doctors Under Attack”, concerning the horrendously dire situation of the Palestinian people.
This one is the purest, most effective one. It will grab you by the throat and break your heart, but through the voice of a child, it’s an ultimately necessary watch to fully reveal the agony and devastation that is being carried out in Gaza.
That is what this docudrama by Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania (with 2 previous Oscar nominations under her belt) is all about. We are in the West Bank offices of the Palestine Red Crescent Society whose volunteers are trying to coordinate rescue operations in war torn Gaza. We gradually become familiar with a few weary ones through a phone call that comes from a child caught in a car under fire somewhere in Gaza. The small, pleading voice on the phone is that of 6 year-old Hind. They must keep her online while trying to locate her.
The entire film takes place in the offices of these heroic volunteers who are struggling to save the little girl, but the moral reverberations of it should spread through the whole world and its continuing injustices.
Perfectly acted, edited and directed, it rightfully took the Grand Jury Prize in the last Venice film festival, where it received a standing ovation of more than twenty minutes.
ETERNITY ***1/2
We have all wondered at times about what may await us after death. Here’s a sweet, creative look into that afterlife and its possibilities. The dilemma concerns an elderly woman who dies of cancer. When she gets to the afterlife, which resembles a bustling, colourful railroad station, she slowly realises that she must make one huge decision. She has only a week to decide with whom she will spend eternity – her first husband who died young in the Korean War, or her husband of more than sixty years, both of whom are waiting for her there.
The charm of this film by David Freyne lies in its clever script that keeps up the suspense and reveals the myriad possibilities of this afterlife. There’s nothing maudlin here, and the extra fun comes with the guides who are trying to ease the shock of this huge resolution. Her second husband’s guide almost steals the show – she’s a no-nonsense cutie whose appeal is her comfy, chubby look and her humour. She’s played by Da’Vine Joy Randolph who is joyous like her name, and won a well-deserved Oscar for her role in ”The Holdovers”. She might get another nomination for this one.
I’m not going any further – go for yourself to this delightfully puzzling romcom that has a lot up its sleeve, and may also have you shedding a few unexpected tears. It somehow connects with us all, and is an otherworldly experience!
MEKTOUB MY LOVE: Canto Due *** (vo Arabic and English)
The controversial French/Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche is back with the last of his trilogy about the lives of a French/Tunisian family living in southern France. This time he introduces two Americans into the clan – an older, friendly film producer and his slutty young wife, which makes for a great deal of trouble among Kechiche’s innocent regulars.
Beautifully filmed in southern colours and a sultry mood, it goes on a bit too long, though there is always that lingering eroticism, a palpitating sensuality which is Kechiche’s speciality. He did after all make such sexually explicit films as “Blue is the Warmest Color” and “Black Venus”.
Check it out if that is your genre.
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
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