From Steven Spielberg's The Fabelmans to Charlotte Wells' Aftersun, autofiction films have been popular of late with both veteran and newer directors. The long-awaited follow-up to his award-winning AIDS epidemic drama 120 BPM, Red Island sees French filmmaker Robin Campillo mine ostensibly similar semi-autobiographical details, here delicately exploring specific social and political issues. Without spoiling anything, however, Red Island's structure and concluding POV prove decidedly more slippery than those other recent coming-of-age gems.
Campillo’s film is set in Madagascar in 1971, during a curious transitional period for the country. Located off the southeastern coast of Africa, the island nation formally became a republic independent of France in 1960, but various ties to their former colonisers remained in place, including the continued presence of French soldiers.
This story is from the February 2024 edition of Total Film.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the February 2024 edition of Total Film.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Dune: Part Two – Desert Power
Like a colossal sandworm racing towards the rhythmic beat of a thumper, Dune: Part Two is almost upon us. And this time, it's war. Total Film returns to Arrakis with writer/director Denis Villeneuve and his (inter) stellar cast to spill the spice on the sci-fi event of the year.
Here Be Dragons
DAMSEL – Millie Bobby Brown fights fire with fire in the bedtime story that’s finally being told the right way.
Back to School
MONSTER – Hirokazu Kore-eda’s latest takes us into a child’s viewpoint once again...
JESSIE BUCKLEY
Catapulting to fame over the last five years, instinctive Irish actor Jessie Buckley has wowed in films (Wild Rose, I'm Thinking of Ending Things, Men) and TV (Chernobyl, Fargo S4). She was Oscar-nominated for The Lost Daughter, won a Laurence Olivier award for Cabaret and now she's spewing wild profanities at Olivia Colman in hilarious period comedy Wicked Little Letters.....
Marty me
Thelma Schoonmaker has edited every Martin Scorsese movie since 1980's Raging Bull. The three-time Oscar winner tells Total Film all about their legendary relationship, and why movies like Good Fellas, The Departed and Killers of the Flower Moon are a cut above...
FRISKY BUSINESS
Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan star as queer friends being chased by dumb male criminals in Drive-Away Dolls, a road movie/ romantic comedy/crime caper by husband-and-wife team Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke. Total Film hitches a ride with the directors and stars to talk dark laughs, dim crims and dildos…
JACK MY LIFE IN PICTURES BLACK
Over the years he's made us laugh as rockers, animated critters and videogame avatars. As he prepares to go full Dragon Warrior again in the fourth Kung Fu Panda movie, JACK BLACK riffs on some of his biggest hits with Total Film
DOG DAYS
Pablo Berger's animated silent’ movie brings the noise.
BEHIND PARADISE
RED ISLAND A coming-of-age-tale that creatively explores France’s colonial past.
THE SIXTH SENSE
MADAME WEB Dakota Johnson brings wit and grit to Sony’s clairvoyant-superhero-origin-story thriller.
