HERO MAGAZINE
Rainer Werner Fassbinder: the illustrious filmmaker who worked himself to death
US critics once said that Rainer Werner Fassbinder is solely responsible for the resurgence of German cinema during the 70s new wave. Even though illustrious names such as Werner Herzog and Wim Wenders were equally active at the time, it is understandable why Fassbinder gets so much credit. With over 40 films under his belt by the age of 37 we can only speculate how many more he would have made had he not passed away so early.
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another magazine
Joan Didion’s Best Quotes on Self-Respect, Grief and California
Journalist, author and screenwriter Joan Didion has died in New York aged 87. Known for her clinical, almost alienated observations, her works remain a rare testament to America of the 60s and 70s.
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HERO MAGAZINE
François Truffaut: the uncompromising critic of French cinema and founder of the auteur theory
Born an unwanted child in 1932 in Paris, François Truffaut grew up roaming the Parisian streets and developed an obsessive interest in literature and cinema. He started a film club and befriended André Bazin, one of France’s most renowned film critics and theorists, who even housed the young outcast. With his help, Truffaut started a career at the Cahier du Cinéma and became the title’s youngest editor.
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HERO MAGAZINE
Claude Chabrol: the new wave filmmaker who exposed the French bourgeoisie
A busy bon vivant known as the joker of the French new wave, Claude Chabrol’s oeuvre encompasses an astonishingly dark universe of money, immorality and repressed emotions.
Born in 1930 in Paris, Claude Chabrol started his career as a writer for the quintessential film magazine Cahiers Du Cinéma in the early 50s. Inspired by F.W. Murnau, Hitchcock and Fritz Lang, his love for crime stories and thrillers was fuelled by an equal despise for the bourgeoisie – with all their depravity and desperate attachment to appearances.
ourculture magazine
35 Years of Betty Blue: Still Fighting the Demons
Béatrice Dalle stars in the YSL Fall 21 campaign and is once again reminiscent of her infamous character in Jean-Jacques Beineix’ 1986 cult classic Betty Blue. Time for a flashback.
Betty walks in through the door of a shabby beach shack, dressed in some sort of blue apron-dress that is barely covering her breasts, accompanied by red lips and a daring smile. The ocean, the beach and the sky are her only companions. Playing with a sheer pink scarf in her hands she walks towards her boyfriend. “Alors? How do you find me?”, she asks before allowing him to see what’s underneath the apron. The cinéma du look came into full swing.
interview – another magazine
la haine turns 25
To mark La Haine’s 25th anniversary, I spoke to director Mathieu Kassovitz, director of photography Pierre Aim and Hubert Koundé
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ANOTHER MAGAZINE
Remembering Anna Karina, the Leading Lady of French New Wave Cinema
Anna Karina, the French actor who defined La Nouvelle Vague, died in Paris this week. Here, we remember her legacy.
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interview – another magazine
Jennie Livingston on the Complex Legacy of Paris Is Burning
30 years after Paris Is Burning hit the big screen, I spoke to director Jennie Livingston about creating one of queer cinema’s most celebrated – and controversial – documentaries.
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FILM CRITICISM JOURNAL
Return to the Self: Agnès Varda’s Cleo from 5 to 7
After the recent passing of “the grandmother of the Nouvelle Vague,” newspaper articles reflected back on the work of filmmaker Agnes Varda. Her debut film, Cleo from 5 to 7 continues to fascinates. As we watch a young woman struggling with her demons, set against a beautiful backdrop of 1960s Paris, Varda’s masterpiece ticks all the boxes of the Nouvelle Vague aesthetic. The film cleverly fuses mysticism, everyday life and tragedy without losing its lighthearted French flair. The film is also deeply personal, empathetic and (self-) reflexive.
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about
The Cinéma Review
Hi, I’m Arijana and I'm a writer and designer based in London. I studied Film in Paris, where I graduated with a Master degree in Film history, aesthetic and analysis. I worked for several years as an editorial graphic designer before I decided to switch desks. In 2019 I obtained a Diploma with Distinction in Music & the Arts Writing at the London School of Journalism.
Here you can find my folio and browse through articles I have written to date. If you'd ike to get in touch, please click on the contact button above. I'd love to hear from you. AZ
