Shane Slater is a passionate cinephile whose love for cinema led him to creating his blog Film Actually in 2009. Since then, he has written for AwardsCircuit.com, ThatShelf.com and The Spool. Based in Kingston, Jamaica, he relishes the film festival experience, having covered TIFF, NYFF and Sundance among others. He is a proud member of the African-American Film Critics Association.
There has been no shortage of films surrounding sexual abuse in the wake of the #MeToo movement, emphasizing the power of speaking up for justice. In his debut feature Julie Keeps Quiet, however, director Leonardo Van Dijl takes a different approach. Using the world of competitive tennis as a framework, this thoughtful drama follows a […] More
At first glance, the premise of They Will Be Dust – a couple contemplating mutual assisted suicide following the wife’s incurable cancer diagnosis – sounds like a rather bleak prospect. But for director Carlos Marqués-Marcet, this sensitive topic provided an avenue for music and comedy amid the sorrow. Starring Angela Molina and Alfredo Castro as […] More
There’s the old saying that “a picture says a thousand words” and the moving pictures of cinema have certainly attested that truth. Before the advent of film, however, the still image was equally powerful. In 1863, for example, the now famous photo of “Whipped Peter” helped to catalyze the abolition of slavery. A century later, […] More
With Venice and Telluride getting the ball rolling, the fall festival circuit continues with the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Running from September 5 to 15, TIFF continues to be a major launching pad for awards season titles, culminating with the coveted People’s Choice Award. Awards Radar will be on the ground to provide coverage […] More
While the lineup announcements of the fall festivals give Oscar-watchers a preview of the awards season to come, another kind of Oscar buzz is building in the form of the HollyShorts Film Festival. Now in its 20th year, this highly-regarded Los Angeles festival unveils over 400 short films vying for the top prizes and perhaps […] More
Through the Global section of their annual Film & TV lineup, SXSW has premiered some of the most inspired Latin American filmmaking in recent years. In keeping in that vein, the latest Audience Award winner in this section was the Dominican Republic’s Bionico’s Bachata. Directed by Yoel Morales, the film follows the madcap odyssey of […] More
In 2019, French filmmaker Ladj Ly made a grand arrival with his Oscar-nominated thriller Les Miserables. Exploring a similar milieu of a Parisian suburb divided along class and racial lines, his follow-up Les Indésirables follows the tensions between an activist and the upstart mayor who is determined to marginalize her working-class neighbourhood. Ahead of the […] More
In 2018, Meryam Joobeur garnered major attention with her Oscar-nominated short film Brotherhood. Exploring the impact on a Tunisian family when a son returns from fighting with ISIS, that filmmaking experience inspired her to expand the story. Six years later, Joobeur’s powerful debut feature Who Do I Belong To is now set to captivate audiences […] More
Blending social commentary and delirious genre thrills, Kidnapping Inc. was a highlight of Sundance’s Midnight section in 2024. Directed by Bruno Mourral, it follows two Haitian kidnappers who become embroiled in a larger political conspiracy when they take on their latest job. Following its premiere in Park City, Awards Radar caught up with Mourral to […] More
As the world faces the uncertain future of aritificial intelligence, the problem of racial bias has become a hot topic. This subject is central to Jazmin Jones’ thought-provoking documentary Seeking Mavis Beacon, which examines one of the original AI representations of a Black woman. Probing deeper to investigate the real woman who inspired the face […] More
In the aftermath of 9/11, the United States waged a now infamous war on terror against jihadist groups in the Middle East. As military operations bombarded this region, the collateral damage was immense, forcing thousands into refugee status. This situation forms the focus of Raha Amirfazli and Alireza Ghasemi’s tense drama In the Land of […] More
Playing in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, Pedro Freire‘s Malu is a fiercely acted drama about a fading actress living in a Rio de Janiero slum. As she tries to struggles to build a thriving community, her relationship with her daughter and mother becomes increasingly fraught. Ahead of the […] More
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