Shepherds and Butchers.

Award winning South African film director and screenwriter Oliver Schmitz was in attendance at the 2016 Edinburgh International Film Festival to introduce his latest feature film which originally got its World Premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2016 and was being shown as part of EIFF's World Perspective Strand, which is designed to include movies "that will impress, beguile and challenge in equal measure" and Shepherds and Butchers (2016) did just that.

Certainly more than your standard courtroom conflict, although the courtroom does act as the hub for the drama that unfolds. The movie begins with a murder, in fact seven murders; we follow prison guard Leon Labuschagne (Garion Downs) as he drives his car along the rain soaked highway on his way home from work. An incident takes place between Labuschagne's vehicle and a mini bus transporting seven black members of a local youth football team. Both vehicles stop, everyone gets out, the shouting starts and then the prison guard opens fire with an automatic pistol and kills all seven occupants of the mini bus. Hired to defend Labuschagne Johan Webber (another great role for Steve Coogan, who I believe is a better actor than comedian) he can't get the accused to reveal his motive for the cold-blooded execution of the young football players. Initially unable to build an adequate defence to defy the State Prosecutor Kathleen Marais (Andrea Riseborough) that will avoid his client getting the death penalty, Webber has to build a case that for this brutal crime would almost amount to an impossible task.

 

The Defendant.

The Defence.

The Prosecusion. 

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Seven years in development and three years to get it on screen it was adapted by Brian Cox from a novel by Chris Marnewich which itself is based on true events that took place in South Africa in 1986 at a time when apartheid still had eight years to run. The director admitted that he could not make film at that time.  It's a film that deals with the effect that South Africa's penal system, its death penalty and the inhuman hangings had on those that worked on death row. Don't be mistaken, this is not a straightforward story - this is in fact a harrowing and hard watch about legalised state killing. As the story unfolds we get to witness treatment of human beings that is totally against their human rights as well as offending common decency. Credit where credits due Oliver Schmitz does not hold back on the graphic details and one can't help feeling that South Africa's White ruling elite had an awful lot to answer for, an elite that upheld SA’s brutal regime. Those that carried out these death penalties will be locked in a bubble of violence for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately there still does not appear to be a UK release date but when it does finally gets a release go and see this film,  it will make you realise what could happen to any of us if we were put in the same position as Leon Labuschagne.

Irreplaceable (Medecin de champagne)

 Doctors make the worst patients. Doctor turned film director/screenwriter Thomas Lilti must agree with this statement as his latest feature film Irreplaceable (Medecin de champagne) (2016), which got its UK Premiere at the 2016's Edinburgh International Film Festival, deals with just that subject.

Jean-Pierre Werner is a very poplar middle-aged doctor who has dedicated his working life to looking after the health of the local populous. When he is diagnosed with a life threatening illness the Health Authority sends an ex nurse who had recently qualified as a doctor to assist Jean-Pierre who believes that without him everyone in the village will die - in fact he thinks he is irreplaceable. At first this highly experienced local practitioner has little time for the inexperienced Nathalie Delezia but realises that if he does die someone will have be trained to take his place!

This is an exceptionally good French movie, full of great characters all perfectly formed and cast. The movie underlines the serious problem of the shortage of doctors and those embedded in their local rural practices having to work 24/7, generally without any support, even so the movie is still an amusing and enjoyable watch. The two stars of the film are the French actor with the great smile Francois Cluzet who plays Werner with the lovely Marianne Denicourt as his long-suffering assistant both of which give great performances gradually building an on screen relationship that is totally believable. Award winning film and theatre actor Cluzet is probable best known for his roles in Tell No One (2006), Little White Lies (2010) and The Intouchables in 2011.

Forsaken.

When you have an actor of Brian Cox standing introducing the UK Premiere of a Canadian western at the 2016 Edinburgh International Film Festival you know your in for a treat and this genre classic was certainly that. All right I admit I am a lover of westerns and Forsaken (2015) is certainly a good old-fashioned tale of good verses bad. Directed by Jon Cassar, who will be best known for his work on the first seven seasons of the TV drama 24, it tells the story of a reformed gunslinger who attempts to resist violence to appease his preacher father.

 

Will John Henry use his guns again?

John Henry Clayton returns home after ten years away following the end of the civil war in 1865. He has become a man that never hesitates to kill another in a gunfight. The problem with John Henry's return is that since his departure his hometown is now jointly controlled by a vicious gang boss and corporate businessman James McCurdy (a very evil Mr Cox) who are terrifying the local farmers into selling their land. If they refuse extreme violence occurs normally ending in a funeral. Gang boss Frank Tillman (Aaron Poole) seems to relish the violence he is employed to carry out. Also employed by McCurdy is a famous gunslinger known as Gentleman Dave Turner (the wonderful Michael Wincott who played Philo Grant in one of my all time favourite movies 1995's Strange Days). McCurdy knows that if John Henry decides to take the side of the farmers and pick up his guns again then the eloquent Gentleman Dave is the only man capable of facing him in a gunfight. Now married with a young son Mary Alice Watson (Demi Moore) is another temptation for the troubled preachers son as she was the woman he left behind. Will or won't he pick up his guns to help the brutalised farmers, what would entice him back to kill men again after the promises to his father? I think we could all guess the answer to that and by the end of the film you will be gagging for that good fashioned gun battle.

 

Will he have to face Gentleman Dave Turner in a fight to the death?

The film's real strength is in the partnering of father and son Kiefer and Donald Sutherland who play father and son in the movie. Brian Cox gave us some background to their relationship informing us that the turbulent association they had on screen was very much like the relationship they had off screen, both men had not got on very well and this film was a chance to put that right. Tears were shed, voices were raised but all was well in the end. Interestingly the two actors have only previously appeared in two films together, but never in the same scene.

 

Will John henry live long enough to rekindle his affair with Mary Alice Watson?

Shot in the province of Alberta in Canada it had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2015 but has not had a general release in the UK but can be found on DVD and believe me its very good example of the western genre and is well worth sourcing.

To Steal from a Thief (Cien Anos de perdon)

This action packed crime drama is the story of a politically motivated bank robbery that takes place in the centre of a busy rain soaked Valencia. A group of six heavily armed men with bomb vests enter a large bank shortly after opening time. Members of staff including the banks scorned manager (Patricia Vico) and early customers are held hostage while the criminals attempt to open the safety deposit boxes and steal the contents. It's not long before you begin to realise that it's not only cash and jewellery that the thieves are after. Led by a career criminal by the name of El Uruguayo (Argentinian actor Rodrigo de la Serna who you may recognise from his award winning performance in 2004's The Motorcycle Diaries) who certainly has a hidden agenda. With the security forces surrounding the bank it’s discovered that the escape tunnel they have previously prepared is now flooded due to the mornings freak storm and there is now no escape. Tensions mount between El Uruguayo and his partner in crime El Gallegos (the very well regarded Spanish actor Luis Tosar ) leading to a harsh confrontation between the two men that unsettles the other members of the gang and puts the hostages ever more in fear of their lives.

 

The Robbery.

The Hostages.

Directed by Daniel Calparsoro and written by Jorge Guerricaechevarria the movie is set against the Spanish economic collapse with a backstory that includes political corruption and greed. The film holds your attention due to the acting but a lot of credit must also go to the film's tight and solid script, stylishly transferred from page to screen by the director. Its UK première was at 2016 Edinburgh International Film Festival as part of its European Perspective strand and hopefully will eventually get a general UK release.

The Bank Manager.

Away.

 

As normal with my visit to Edinburgh to catch some of the movies showing at its 2016 International Film Festival I make a point of supporting films made in the UK. The three British movies I’ve seen this year have two things in common. Firstly they all have one-word titles and secondly and far more importantly all have been disappointing. 

Probable safe to say that director David Blair is best known for his work on TV Series like Accused (2010-2012), The Street (2006-2009) right back the very well received The Lakes in 1997. But his latest feature film I’m afraid is not up to the standard of these or many of the other TV series he has been involved with. First time feature film script writer Roger Hadfield has written a story that to my mind has no real depth and does hold your attention for what seems like a never ending 110 minutes.

Starring Timothy Spall and one of movie rambles favourite actresses Juno Temple as a couple of self-indulgent people who strike up a relationship in the northern coastal resort of Blackpool. Following the death of his wife, Joseph (Spall) heads to the coastal town to commit suicide. Meanwhile Ria (Temple) also travels to Blackpool with a holdall full of drugs that’s she has stolen from her abusive boyfriend Dex (Matt Ryan) to sell to Angie (Susan Lynch) a middle-aged drug dealer who as a ‘thing’ for young addicts. Also in this mix is Ria’s care home buddy Kaz (Hayley Squires). Dex comes after Ria, will he get his drugs back? Does Ria find solace in her relationship with the depressed widower or is she looking for a surrogate father figure? Will Joseph commit suicide? You can answer these questions for yourself when the film gets its UK release on the 7^th October 2016.