There Was, There Was Not - Interview with Emily Mkrtichian
When Emily Mkrtichian began filming There Was, There Was Not, she never imagined she would find herself documenting the ethnic cleansing of Artsakh's Indigenous people. But when war returned in 2020, her film took on a new shape - becoming an archive of Artsakh's history and a testament to those who once called it home. In this conversation, Mkrtichian reflects on making her powerful documentary, offering insight into her creative vision, and the remarkable women who entrusted her with their stories.
Freedom’s Slaves:
The Triple-Edged Sword of Womanhood in Antiporno
Antiporno blends feminism with sexploitation, creating a dreamy nightmare that only Salvador Dalí and Sigmund Freud could wrap their heads around. Branding women as “freedom’s slaves”, Antiporno magnifies the inconsistencies in man’s version of woman for a laugh, cry and sigh of relief. Rachael Sampson takes us through Sion Sono’s chaotic yet cathartic commentary.
There Was, There Was Not - Film Review
Several women from Artsakh share their stories, plans, and dreams of a better life as they rebuild themselves in the aftermath of war.
A year later, their trajectory is forever changed when war is declared once more, forcing them to adapt to a new, harrowing reality as Azerbaijan commits genocide on the indigenous people.
Splitsville - Review
When Carey's wife asks him for a divorce, he runs to his friends for support and discovers that the key to their happiness is an open marriage. That is, until Carey crosses the line and throws all of their relationships into chaos.
Modern dating is a turbulent ride; with an ever-growing range of relationship dynamics becoming increasingly more popular, the baby boomers and traditionalists among us are left befuddled, and the same can be said for the audience of Splitsville.
The Fleabags of Inisherin: Warrior Women and Feckin’ Boring Men
Screenwriting power couple Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Martin McDonagh have written some of the UK’s most heart-warming, heart-breaking and belly-aching scripts to date by tapping into the depths of the human experience; presenting audiences with brutally honest reflections of their psyche.
Two of their works in particular live side by side when analysing the heated conversation around war and peace within men and women; Fleabag and The Banshees of Inisherin.
COW: Andrea Arnold’s Poignant Documentary On The Mother Behind Your Carton Of Milk
MUBI savvy cinephiles and underground indie enthusiasts will be very familiar with the nuanced work of Andrea Arnold. Her oeuvre specialises in magnifying the marginalised; honing-in on what capitalist, hierarchical society deems as irrelevant or ugly – only to reveal its true beauty underneath.
Arnold’s new observational documentary on cattle might seem like an outlier within her catalogue (with its non-human protagonist), however it is no exception to her number 1 rule: empathy.
The Brenaissance: The Trial, Murder and Resurrection of Brendan Fraser
As I grew up and the rocky road of adolescence faded into the background, it suddenly hit me – on a nostalgic evening in my early twenties, I thought: Where did Brendan Fraser go? It felt as if I had made him up – like a childhood imaginary friend.
Had he fallen victim to The Mandela Effect? How could someone so well-loved, quietly drift into the shadows right in front of us? What the hell happened to him?