Festival Files: International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO), Pt. 2
Films I watched at the 5th edition of the International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO) + What I've been streaming at home lately 🎬 📺
Last month, I attended the 5th edition of the International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO), and it prompted me to start a new series I’m calling “Festival Files” in which I list the films I see at festivals, share short reviews, and highlight how they made me feel. Read on for Pt. 2 of my experience at IFFO.
I also have some TV and film recommendations for you this week — scroll down to see what I’ve been streaming at home lately.
Missed Pt. 1? Read it here:
Festival Files: International Film Festival of Ottawa (IFFO), Pt. 2
<bridge the gap> (2024)
Directed by Luca Fiore | Written by Raffaele (Raff) Furgiuele + Luca Fiore
From the opening scene, the tone of this short film is light, irreverent, and just plain funny. I was lucky to see it ahead of the festival, since I interviewed the film’s director, Luca Fiore, and when I re-watched it alongside 400 other people at The ByTowne Cinema, I enjoyed it just as much. In the film, as ordinary guy Dan moves throughout his day, I couldn’t help but relate to the little things he experiences. I’ve never woken up with a documentary crew in my bed, but I’ve definitely wanted to hit the snooze alarm, endured crappy office coffee, and been excited about the prospect of a date. <bridge the gap> is a funny, self-reflective comedy that combines the ordinary and the absurd, and it made a full movie theatre audience laugh out loud.
How this film made me feel:
amused
Check out my interview with Luca:
The Penguin Lessons (2024)
Directed by Peter Cattaneo | Written by Jeff Pope | Based on the book by Tom Michell
I didn’t expect to learn about the 1976 Argentinian military coup from a film starring Steve Coogan, but here we are. Inspired by true events, The Penguin Lessons is a delightful dramedy that tells the story of real-life English teacher Tom Michell, who, while working at a Buenos Aires private school, met an unexpected feathered friend. In the film, Coogan does what he does best, which is to excel at dry, ironic comedy, but he also brings a lot of heart to the role, much like he did in 2013’s Philomena, which he co-wrote with this film’s screenwriter, Jeff Pope. Watching The Penguin Lessons, I laughed, cried, fell in love with a penguin, and I even learned a bit of history. Not a bad evening at the cinema.
How this film made me feel:
moved
happy
curious about penguins
Fun Fact: Penguins mate for life. The two penguin “actors” who played the penguin in the film were a couple named Richard and Baba.
Wild Diamond (2024)
Written and Directed by Agathe Riedlinger
In Wild Diamond, French Writer and Director Agathe Riedlinger brings us the story of Liane, a 19-year-old influencer who lives with her mother and sister in a working-class area of the South of France. Played fearlessly by Malou Khebizi, Liane is bold, confident, and obsessed with beauty and fame. She’s equally independent and naive, and desperate to escape her life as it is, so she auditions for a reality show that will film in the U.S. I was on edge watching this movie, as I found myself moving from (admittedly) judging Liane, to rooting for her, to worrying about her, and at times relating to her. How Liane’s story unfolded was surprising to me, but also empowering and enlightening.
How this film made me feel:
empathetic
emotional
Fun facts: Wild Diamond was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or and Caméra d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival.
In case you need something a little lighter:
Here’s what I’ve been streaming lately:
Fargo (Crave w/HBO) — A gripping, funny, and (very) bloody black comedy series that’s chock-full of talented actors. Season 1 was my favourite.
September 5 (Amazon Prime Video) — Excellent acting and fast pacing made this film fly by and seem real. How it captured the news reporting of the 1972 terrorist attack at the Munich Olympics is not for me to say, however, as I wasn’t alive then.
Tabatha’s Salon Takeover (Amazon Prime Video) — Sometimes I like to watch old Bravo shows to feel nostalgic. This one stars celebrity hair stylist Tabatha Coffey, who helps failing hair salons using her unapologetic, brutally honest communication style. It’s like any Bravo reality show — funny, ridiculous, and full of drama.
The Pitt — It can’t be said more — this show is brilliant. Between the acting, the pacing, the writing, and the realistic depiction of emergency medicine, it will make you want to re-watch as soon as you finish the final episode. Also, I’m happy to share that it’s already been renewed for another season!
What are you watching at home these days? Let me know in the comments:
Happy viewing! If you liked this post, please tell me by clicking the little heart at the bottom of the post and share it with someone. Thank you!
~Heather
