Philomena
6pm, Emirates Palace
Despite having all the makings for a thoroughly depressing 90 minutes, this real-life story of an elderly woman’s quest to find her son, taken away from her by strict Irish nuns in the 1960s, is brought to life through a superb script and standout performances by Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. As the title character, a tremendously warm-hearted and easily excitable Irish lady with a fondness for trashy romance novels, Dench bounces off the cynical, privileged Coogan - playing the journalist who helped bring closure to her half century of hurt - with hugely comic effect. But despite the regular chortles, most emerging from within the wonderful dialogue, the film never strays from the deep respect it has for Philomena’s story. It’s rare to find a film as funny yet so profoundly moving at the same time. An absolute must-see.
Rags and Tatters
9.30pm, Marina Mall Vox 5
Also on Sunday, Oct 27, 3.30, Vox 1
Ahmad Abdalla has emerged as one of Egypt’s most exciting independent filmmakers in recent years, directing the acclaimed docudramas Heliopolis and Microphone. While it still has elements of the documentary style prevalent in his previous films Rags and Tatters is a very different story, ditching the playful nature of Microphone for a somewhat dark dramatic look at Egypt in the midst of revolution. An unnamed man escapes from prison during the first days of the event in early 2011 and roams the suburbs of Cairo, looking for his family and also to help deliver a video of police violence shot on a phone. It’s mostly dialogue-free, but the events unraveling in Tahrir Square are relayed on the TV screens he passes along the way. A quiet, touching tribute to those who played a role in the revolution and those who didn’t make it out alive.
Giraffada
3.45, Marina Mall, Vox 6
Also on Friday, Nov 1, 6.15pm, Vox 1
Any film about an animal as wondrously absurd as the giraffe is already several points ahead, but this charming adventure by Rani Massalha puts our long-necked friend in a tale that also offers a nuanced meditation on the absurdities of life behind the Palestinian Separation Wall. When an Israeli air strike kills a giraffe in a West Bank zoo, his pregnant mate becomes despondent and refuses to eat. The 10-year-old son of the local veterinarian, a boy who can communicate with the giraffes and uses the zoo as a precious sanctuary within the occupation, embarks on a quest to Tel Aviv to find the animal a partner. It’s heartfelt and beautifully acted, yet exceeds most in its dry and ironic depiction of life in under Israeli rule, showing us the unseen costs – felt by 10-year-olds and giraffes alike – borne from such situations.
