THE WATER MURMURS
Other movies
ERUPCJA
Director: Pete Ohs
Pack your bags for a weekend in Warsaw, Poland in the company of an ensemble cast of characters who criss-cross, connect and re-connect at pivotal junctures. Bethany (Charli XCX) is on a romantic getaway with Rob (Will Madden), who plans to propose, but she hasn’t been entirely honest about her past, or her friendship with Nel (Lena Góra) a florist. Every time they meet there’s a seismic event, an Erupcja (eruption) which leads them down different paths. With Jeremy O. Harris on hand for advice, Pete Ohs’ film resonates, capturing a mood that feels fresh and filled with possibilities. The film is reminiscent of the New Wave and the Before series, but, like Bethany, Eurpcja is its own force.
THE SETTLEMENT
Director: Mohamed Rashad
When 23-year-old Hossam's father dies in a factory accident, management of the factory offer a deal: a job for Hossam and his younger brother, 12-year-old Maro, in exchange for burying the truth. With a criminal record and a disabled mother to support, Hossam has little choice but to accept the job, even as his brother insists on working beside him. Hossam is pulled in multiple directions — between the truth of his father's death, a first love affair with a disappearing coworker and his community's dark reputation. This thriller has an intriguing atmosphere, and to emphasize the characters' oppression, director Mohamed Rashad uses sound — especially the overwhelming noise of the factory machines — to immerse the audience in a corrupt world.
THE SECRET AGENT
Director: Kleber Mendonça Filho
Fasten your seatbelts: Brazil is in the throes of a military dictatorship and left-leaning academic Marcelo (Wagner Moura) is on the run and headed to Recife with his young son. Once there, he has to get his papers — and best the rogue’s gallery of characters and scenarios strewn in his path by director Kleber Mendonça Filho. Set in 1977, The Secret Agent is full of surprises, cycling between B movie set pieces, some pointed satire and duelling timelines and perspectives. It is a sharp political drama that delivers an entertaining and suspenseful ride, which won best actor and best director at Cannes this year for Moura and Filho respectively. It is also Brazil’s submission to the US Academy Awards.