Constance McDonald is a writer, photographer, and long hair enthusiast. Here she shares her recommendations from the upcoming festival programme.  

My Festival Picks: a Turkish-German-French coming-of-age; a documentary seven decades in the making; a South Korean black comedy, horror, mystery, thriller; coal miners in love; and, the death of a World of Warcraft gamer. 

1. Dormitory, directed by Nehir Tuna. TURKEY.

I write this on the eve of my departure from New Zealand, about to nestle into the bosom of Turkey, where Nehir Tuna’s first feature, Dormitory, a serious black-and-white film, is set. Dormitory is a coming-of-age drama, peppered with the genre’s classic hallmarks: bullying, isolation, and rebellion. 

2. In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, directed by Alex Gibney. USA.

At a hefty runtime of three and a half hours, it helps to be somewhat of a Simon and Garfunkel fan. Gibney expertly strings together patchwork archival footage that even super-fans will not have seen before. Paul Simon’s music reminds me of Central Otago road trips with my mum, so I cannot wait to watch this with her. 

3. Sleep, directed by Jason Yu. SOUTH KOREA.

Sleep is, and sit down for this, a black comedy, horror, mystery, thriller. I will tack on some more labels: it is twisty, turny, and clever. Watch it yourself and see if you agree with my elevator review. 

4. Viet and Nam, directed by Truong Minh Quý. VIETNAM.

I adore a love story, especially when it is shot on 16mm. Two coal miners fall in (secret) love inside a mine. It is Brokeback Mountain-esque, although it is unfair to compare it to anything else. The film is banned in Vietnam by the Cinema Department because it allegedly presents “a gloomy, deadlocked, and negative view” of the country. 

5. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin, directed by Benjamin Ree. NORWAY.

Mats Steen, a World of Warcraft gamer, died when he was only 25, finally succumbing to a rare degenerative muscular disease (Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy). Steen was confined to his room and his parents were sure that his world had only become smaller and smaller as he got sicker. After his death, though, it became apparent that from his bedroom to the world, his presence had reached all corners of the globe and was deeply missed.