The film critic’s picks from the Dublin International Film Festival

Park Avenue

If, like me, you loved Fiona Shaw as The Wagon in the latest season of Sharon Horgan’s hit show, Bad Sisters, then her new film—Park Avenue—should be your next must-watch. Directed by Gabby Dellal, the story centres on Charlotte, a woman paralysed by her life wrangling cattle in Alberta, Canada, who jumps into her Ford Bronco, flees her over-controlling husband, and lands back in her childhood Park Avenue apartment where she takes refuge with her mother Kit (played by Shaw). Daring, deluxe, and hiding an inconveniently timed secret, one is a terrible liar and the other a great one. A love letter to New York, it’s yet further proof that Shaw is one of Ireland’s most brilliant talents. 

The Kingdom

In the Corsican summer of 1995, teenager Lesia (Ghjuvanna Benedetti) is whisked away to an isolated villa where her mafioso father (Saveriu Santucci) is hiding with his clan. And thus begins the tumultuous bullet-holed journey of a daughter and her father on the run, learning to understand and love each other. His first feature debut, Julien Collona—a Corsican himself—paints a personal and very unglamorous picture of the realities of the gangster lifestyle. As DIFF describes it, this film is “like a gunshot: clean, precise and deadly”. Sold. 

Twiggy

Sadie Frost’s second feature-length documentary, Twiggy, tells the story of how the greatest It Girl of all time came to be. Charting her rise to fame, her modelling career and later her transition into singing, acting and dancing, it’s an incredible tribute to the woman whose influence changed the fashion world for good. Whether you’re an avid fan of Lesley Lawson or know nothing about her at all, it’s an interesting watch with more than a few famous faces to keep you entertained throughout. 

Long Day’s Journey into Night

The winner of one of two Volta Awards at this year’s festival (the other went to Ed Harris), Jessica Lange, was the guest of honour at the Dublin premiere of her new film, Long Day’s Journey into Night. Named after Ireland’s first dedicated cinema—the Volta Picture Theatre, founded by James Joyce—this prestigious accolade celebrates those whose work has captivated audiences and left a lasting legacy in the global film industry. Previous recipients include Danny DeVito, Steve McQueen, Julie Andrews and Kenneth Branagh, and it seemed only fitting to add both Lange and her co-star Ed Harris to that list. Taking place over the course of 24 hours, Kent’s adaptation of Eugene O’Neill’s play centres on the Tyrones, who, despite attempts at affection and intimacy, are locked in a cycle of conflict and resentment. 

Happyend

Set in near-future Tokyo, where the threat of a catastrophic quake looms, Happyend tells the story of Yuta and Kou, best friends since childhood who are gearing up for graduation. Wanting to go out with a bang, they decide to play a prank on their principal, but things go awry and result in the introduction of an AI apparatus that monitors students 24/7. The boys react to the draconian system of surveillance differently, and their friendship is tested by touchscreens and tracking devices. Perhaps a little too close to the bone at times, Happyend is about growing up in a technopolitical dystopia… a future that might be reality sooner than we realise.

Bob Trevino Likes It

Euphoria fans will recognise Barbie Ferreira, who played Kat Hernandez in the HBO series. In Bob Trevino Likes It, she stars as Lily Trevino, a twenty-something-year-old looking for her estranged father. Her search leads her to find a man with the same name as him on Facebook. When she messages this other Bob Trevino on an impulse, the two quickly connect, forming an unlikely yet genuine bond. Premiering at SXSW, where it won both the Grand Jury and Audience Awards in the Narrative Feature category, this film has something for everyone and will make you laugh and cry in equal measure. A tonic for the soul.

The Surfer

Fans of Nicholas Cage are well-catered to with The Surfer, which stars the famed actor as a man who returns to the idyllic beach of his childhood to surf with his son, only to realise that he is not welcome in what used to be his home. Humiliated by a group of locals and drawn, Cage realises that he is not a guest but an intruder. However, as the conflict escalates, the stakes spin wildly out of control, bringing him to the brink of insanity. Cage is his usual larger-than-life self here, though the film’s treatment of themes like the impact of toxic masculinity lends a seriousness to the story that you might not expect.

Maestra

If you loved Todd Field’s Tár, which was nominated for six awards at the 95th Academy Awards, then Maestra will be right up your alley. Set in the same world of classical music, it revolves around five incredible women from around the globe, boldly breaking glass ceilings in the male-dominated world of orchestral conducting. They gather in Paris for ‘La Maestra’, the only competition in the world for female conductors. Mothers, daughters, rebels, leaders – they all compete with and support each other, and personal stories of perseverance are woven together with drama and excitement. But when one of the participants, after a rejection, is told to ‘smile more’, it becomes abundantly clear that the real-life Lydia Társ still have a very long road ahead of them.

Afternoons of Solitude 

For those curious about the life of a matador, director Albert Serra explores just that in his documentary Afternoons of Solitude. Throughout, Serra follows Andrés Rocca Rey—regarded as the “high priest” of bullfighting—for three years and 14 corridas or fights. Contrasting pageantry with the harsh violence that comes part and parcel of the tradition, it can be jarring and hard to watch at times, but that doesn’t make it any less important. As DIFF notes in their description of the film, “Serra is interested in the solitude of both the human and the animal, the almost sacred sublimity of the violence involved, and the ecocritical morality of the sport.” Reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway’s classic portrait of bullfighting, it’s a poetic depiction of a very bloody sport. Not for the faint of heart.

Four Letters of Love

Anything with Helena Bonham Carter’s name attached to it immediately piques my interest, and Four Letters of Love is no exception. An Irish love story filmed in Donegal and Antrim, it’s based on Niall Williams’s best-selling novel of the same name. Nicholas (Fionn O’Shea) and Isabel (Ann Skelly) are made for each other, but the path to true love is not always easy. As ghosts, fate and the sheer power of love bring them together, life threatens to tear them apart.