Janet Awe

21 Days: The Heineken Kidnapping

by Janet Awe 5 February 2013

Director Maarten Treurniet’s take on the kidnapping of beer brewing magnate Freddy Heineken, in 1983, is fronted by the mighty Rutger Hauer. The Dutch cult cinema icon plays the millionaire businessman violently snatched, along with a chauffeur, from outside his Amsterdam office. The two victims were then locked in soundproof cells next to each other [...]

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In Review: Angel and Tony

by Janet Awe 11 May 2012

Alix Delaporte’s Angel and Tony is the delicate love story of an unlikely couple that meet when they are each at a vulnerable stage of their life and are trying to find a way to move forward. The story is set in a fishing harbour in Normandy where Tony [Gregory Gadebois] , who is a professional [...]

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In Review: Outside Bet

by Janet Awe 8 May 2012

Based in South-East London, in the 1980s, Outside Bet is a heartwarming comedy about a close-knit group of working class friends whose local pub is their home-from-home. A mixture of generations, all working at the local printing firm, their story is set against the backdrop of the Wapping newspaper dispute; a time of bitter strikes, [...]

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In Review: Being Elmo

by Janet Awe 30 April 2012

This charming film tells the story of Kevin Clash. Passing him in the street, you’d probably think that the most extraordinary thing about this 6ft black man is his height. Actually, Kevin is the voice – and spirit – of Elmo, the internationally loved, furry red monster who has become one of the Muppet Show’s most successful characters.

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A Cinema Masterclass with Carlos Saura

by Janet Awe 28 April 2012

As a precursor to the London Spanish Film Festival in September, Ciné Lumiére in London hosted a Spanish Film Festival Spring Weekend. One of the highlights was a talk by the acclaimed and award-winning director, Carlos Saura, looking at his fascination with flamenco.

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In Interview: Jaime Winstone, Aneurin Barnard and Ray Andrews, on Elfie Hopkins.

by Janet Awe 22 April 2012

“I love a good flick with tits and guns.” – Jaime Winstone Jaime Winstone and Ryan Andrews met on the set of Daddy’s Girl, a Welsh thriller she starred in, in 2006. Ryan was a trainee camera assistant and, as the youngest people there, they started hanging out together and hit it off after chatting [...]

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In Review: Elfie Hopkins

by Janet Awe 21 April 2012

Co-written by first-time director, Ryan Andrews, Elfie Hopkins is the tale of a bored teenager in a rural village, who spends her life spying on her neighbours to disguise the fact that she’s avoiding getting out into the real world.

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A Dream House To Give You Nightmares

by Janet Awe 18 April 2012

At the end of a sunny day last week, I walked a familiar route through Central London, on my way to a very unfamiliar kind of appointment. To celebrate the DVD release of psychological thriller Dream House , starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz and Naomi Watts, the film company had embraced its themes of death, [...]

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In Review: Nannerl, Mozart’s Sister

by Janet Awe 9 April 2012

If, like me, you’re not really into period dramas, then you’re probably not that tempted by the title of this film.  As one doubter to another, however, I strongly recommend that you give it a chance. Combining historical fact, correspondence between the Mozart family and a high level of creativity, this engaging film re-imagines the [...]

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Human Rights Film Festival: Love Crimes of Kabul

by Janet Awe 5 April 2012

Badum Bagh Women’s Prison in Kabul, Afghanistan, houses 127 prisoners. Half of them have committed crimes such as drug smuggling, murder and attempted suicide bombing. This compelling documentary, by Tanaz Eshaghian, focuses on the other half who’ve been imprisoned for ‘moral crimes’ like running away from home, adultery and pre-marital sex.

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In Review: This Must Be The Place

by Janet Awe 4 April 2012

If you’ve seen the posters or watched the trailers, I won’t be giving anything away by saying that Sean Penn spends the duration of this film dressed as a goth. He plays Cheyenne, a 50 year-old semi-retired American rock star, who hasn’t left Dublin – or seen his Jewish father – for around 30 years. [...]

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