RKS Film: “Suntan”: Hellenic Film Society USA Presents a Modern Greek Tragedy

“Suntan” is an understatement for this Greek film. The disaster that enfolds in front of your eyes makes the name of the film “Sunburn” and it is a tragedy that has a finger wagging and a voice saying , “Don’t play with me or you’re playing with fire” like in a Rolling Stones song. KostisContinue reading “RKS Film: “Suntan”: Hellenic Film Society USA Presents a Modern Greek Tragedy”

RKS Film: “Delikado”: Philippine Big Business and Politics and a Murderous Rampage Slaughters Environmentalists

Toronto Hot Docs 2022 screened “Delikado” but due to an overwhelming volume of films received I could not review it until it is too late to watch it in theatre or virtually within that Festival. But it is an engrossing documentary that will not fade away and keep an eye out for it in yourContinue reading “RKS Film: “Delikado”: Philippine Big Business and Politics and a Murderous Rampage Slaughters Environmentalists”

RKS Film: How to Promote Your Film Using a Film Critic : 10 Golden Rules

Distribute your promotional material well before the release date. Recently for Toronto Hot Docs I received films days before its showing. I had a waiting list of numerous films ahead the late arrivers. Help your reviewer plan. Include a trailer/teaser. Include stills of the film. Include a synopsis of the film. Indicate when the reviewContinue reading “RKS Film: How to Promote Your Film Using a Film Critic : 10 Golden Rules”

RKS Film: “Relative”: The Iceberg of Sexual Abuse

The American documentary “Relative” in the 2022 Toronto Hot Docs Festival deals with multi generational sexual abuse in an Italian-American family. Home videos and film portray seemingly happy families but beneath the floating iceberg the pervasiveness of sexual abuse lurks ready to inflict psychological damage. Tracy Arcabasso Smith takes us along a shocking voyage ofContinue reading “RKS Film: “Relative”: The Iceberg of Sexual Abuse”

RKS Film: “Corrupto” (Corrupted)

“Corrupto” is a short Chilean documentary showing at Toronto Hot Docs 2022. A young woman undergoes multiple electro convulsive therapy in August 2018 and the doctor proclaims the treatment was successful. It is quite apparent that is not the case as the woman suffers from loneliness, alienation, memory loss, panic attacks, confusion, incomplete memories andContinue reading “RKS Film: “Corrupto” (Corrupted)”

RKS Film: “The Killing of a Journalist”: A Filthy Stinking and Deadly Web of Slovakian Corruption (Toronto Hot Docs 2022)

“The Killing of a Journalist” is a documentary chronicling the 2018 murder of investigative journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancé Martina Kašnírová in Slovakia. Kuciak was in the midst of preparing an investigative report on corruption in Slovakia focusing on VAT and tax fraud centering on Slovakian Mafiaosa Marían Kocner a.k.a. “prominent businessman”. Kocner wasContinue reading “RKS Film: “The Killing of a Journalist”: A Filthy Stinking and Deadly Web of Slovakian Corruption (Toronto Hot Docs 2022)”

RKS Film: “Sexual Healing”: A Tale of Courage and Curiosity

Evelien is a 53-year-old Dutch woman confined to a wheelchair due to spastic scoliosis. She was born premature and the hospital authorities advised her parents not to name her as she would not live long. It became a theme for her life that she shouldn’t exist. She retreated to a state of unhappiness which wasContinue reading “RKS Film: “Sexual Healing”: A Tale of Courage and Curiosity”

RKS Film: “Les bienveillants” (The Benevolents)

“Les bienveillants” is a thoughtful short documentary by Montreal’s Sarah Baril Gaudet. The viewer will have the opportunity to understand the volunteer recruitment process of Tele-Aide a Montreal call centre that specializes in listening to telephone calls from people in mental distress or simply listening to anyone that needs someone to talk to. Tel-Aide wasContinue reading “RKS Film: “Les bienveillants” (The Benevolents)”

RKS Film: “Box of Rain”: Rock n Roll Salvation Thanks to Deadheads

Lonnie Frazier as a 17-year-old accepted a lift from two high school boys that she knew but a lift to her car turned into a violent rape. Not having a trusting and loving home environment to heal in she accepted free tickets to a Grateful Dead concert in Colorado and headed off there with twoContinue reading “RKS Film: “Box of Rain”: Rock n Roll Salvation Thanks to Deadheads”

RKS Film: “The Quiet Epidemic”: Sadness, Rage and Disgust

Ostensibly the American documentary “The Quiet Epidemic” chronicles the steamrolling Lyme Disease (LD) epidemic in the United States but it is far more than that. It is an exposé on the self-destructive greed and failure of the for-profit underpinnings of the American medical system and the moral and ethical corruption if not gross negligence ofContinue reading “RKS Film: “The Quiet Epidemic”: Sadness, Rage and Disgust”