Osama - the most internationally successful Afghan film ever

{FILM DIARY}
Osama (Afghanistan/Netherlands/Japan/Ireland/Iran, 2003)
Seen: Saturday, 11th April 2009 (DVD)
Runtime: 83′
Director: Siddiq Barmak
Cast: Marina Golbahari, Arif Herati, Zubaida Sahar
Production House: Barmak Film, Makhmalbaf Productions, Hubert Bals Fund, LeBrocquy Fraser Productions, NHK
Plot: During the Taleban regime in Afghanistan, a widow decides to dress her daughter up as a boy, so that at least one family member can [...]

Fire - India’s classic lesbian film

{FILM DIARY}
Fire (India/Canada, 1996)
Seen: Saturday, 11th April 2009 (DVD)
Runtime: 108′
Director: Deepa Mehta
Cast: Javed Jaffrey, Nandita Das, Kushal Rekhi, Shabana Azmi, Ranjit Chowdhry, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Alice Poon
Production House: Kaleidoscope Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., Trial by Fire Films Inc.
Plot: Sita marries into a traditional Jain Indian family. She becomes disillusioned with her new life - it is not [...]

The platonic loves of 12 year old gay boys (Ang pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros reviewed)

{FILM DIARY}
Ang pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (Philippines, 2005)
Seen: Saturday, 11th April 2009 (DVD, repeat viewing)
Runtime: 100′
Director: Auraeus Solito
Cast: Nathan Lopez, J.R. Valentin, Soliman Cruz, Neil Ryan Sese, Ping Medina, Bodjie Pascua
Production House: Cinemalaya Foundation, UFO Pictures
Plot: (from imdb)
A 12-year-old gay who comes from a criminal family falls in love with a handsome policeman.
Trailer

Impressions In Short
This [...]

Of Big Dreams and Creative Crimes (Man on Wire reviewed)

{FILM DIARY}
Man on Wire (UK/USA, 2008)
Seen: Wednesday, 8th April 2009 (cinema)
Runtime: 94′
Director: James Marsh
Production House: Discovery Films, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Red Box Films, UK Film Council, Wall to Wall
Plot: This is a documentary about Philippe Petit and the team behind him. Petit is a French tight rope walker, who has performed in some very [...]