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The curtains recently fell for the 2024 Tribeca Festival. As always, I had a ball enjoying some of the best film titles from all corners of the world.
Below is my Top 10 from the season, ranked in reverse order:
10. Bikechess
The Kazakh film by Assel Aushakimova is a slow-burn fare that tests your patience. Having said that, the film develops a personality once it finally sets the mood. Exposing the vagaries of journalism in a developing nation, the dark comedy is also interesting for the protagonist’s unique equations with her lesbian sister and a married cameraperson.
Helmed by Vinko Tomičić Salinas, The Dog Thief captures the brooding, uncrowded spaces of the Bolivian capital with a unique vigor (camera by Sergio Armstrong is among the film’s strongest merits). As clueless as Martin is, he is anxious for a brighter future. He is willing to work hard, yet is stranded between childhood and adulthood. The side characters are highly consequential in the larger narrative although Martin is the only one who gets an arc. The Dog Thief, despite its unsatisfactory ending, puts a profound thought across – a relevant, heartbreaking one in every way.
8. Family Therapy
Sonja Prosenc’s film chronicles a bizarre plan by an unemployed and ambitious father. He is the head of a dysfunctional family consisting of his wife and daughter besides his newly-arrived son from another relationship. Clean frames, a quiet soundscape, and a slowly brewing storyline make the film vivid and amusing. Aliocha Schneider in the principal part is a delight and so is Marko Mandic who plays his dad with remarkable zest.
7. The Everything Pot
A wedding invitation and an enthusiastic gift ignite a fire in the lives of two couples in Sherise Dorf’s ridiculously funny film. It’s one of those comedies that would deliver insane laughs if you buy into its primary crux – a dicey one. The central cast led by Lisa Edelstein, Erik Griffin, James Wolk, Delaney Rowe, and Gina Torres are mega hoots in this light film on relationships.
6. Beacon
While its storyline is reminiscent of many films centered on persons stuck on a lonely island (including The Lighthouse), the two-actor mystery drama is a satisfying watch. Banking significantly on the interactions between the two leads, the film powerfully glides towards a gutting finale – leaving the mystery quotient unresolved. Roxy Shih’s film is bound to stun thalassophiles and those who enjoy a jump scare or two in a cryptic character-driven narrative.
5. Rent Free
A queer comedy about two Texans who plan to couch surf at their friends’ homes to save up some money, Fernando Andrés’ Rent Free is observant yet entertaining with dollops of emotions thrown in. The protagonists Ben and Jordan navigate the unpleasant realities their plan throws at them to, eventually, return to a difficult solution.
4. Boys Go To Jupiter
A wonderfully weird animation fare about a delivery boy named Billy 5000, Julian Glander’s creativity is bound to excite those who appreciate surrealism. Laced with a beautiful original score and a universal yet innovative storyline, Boys Go To Jupiter is a thorough critique of capitalism.
Eternal Playground makes for a frothy watch despite being centered around an event of grief. It brings back fond memories of innocent friendships that we forged in school – the memories of which tend to stay on for a lifetime despite the differences and lack of communication. The camaraderie between the key players is organic and the culmination is refreshing– making the film a sensitive and engaging affair.
2. Arzé
The beauty of Arzé lies in the way it remains witty and hopeful amid adversity. It makes social commentaries without ever turning into a rant. Mia Shaib’s film offers no permanent solutions – be it over the lack of wealth, the insufficiency of opportunities, or the lifestyle in the region. It ends nearly where it begins although with a sweet closure and a reason to smile.
This year’s top prize winner and a personal favorite, Griffin in Summer is funny and emotional and it keeps you glued throughout. The actors are lovely and the dialogues, especially those by the main lead Everett Blunck, bring home a sense of relatability, making Nicholas Colia’s debut fare a breezy watch in immense repeat value.
