JUST ONE LOOK

Poland, 2025, 6x45 minutes, Colour.

Maria Debska, Piotr Stramowski, Marka Malikowska, Andrzej Zielinski, Cezary Lujasewicz, Miroslaw Zbrojewicz, Monika, Krzywowska.

Directed by Marek Lechki, Monika Filipowicz.

Just One Look is one of the many adaptations of Harlan Coben’s novels for series treatment for Netflix. Coben himself has been executive producer, the adaptation is moving from the United States to various European countries, to France and Spain, more to the UK and  to Poland. This is one of the Polish stories.

The focus is on Greta, married with a child, happy, with her jewellery business. One day she receives an unexpected photo, a faced crossed out, her husband in the photo, the photo of a band. The disadvantages that she was present at a concert where a fire started, people crushed, Greta surviving but with some loss of memory.

The puzzle of the film starts with Greta’s husband suddenly disappearing, the audience knowing that he was abducted by a hitman and concealed. Greta pursues the case, approached by a prosecutor whose daughter was in the photo and his search to find out what happened, and the father of her boyfriend who supplies guards to protect her.

There are mysteries concerning the identities of the people in the photo, revelations about her husband, the involvement of his sister, the lawyer who was defending the starter of the fire.

Greta is a strong character, determined, working with the police, and the final revelation of the truth – which audiences would not have been anticipating.

Which makes for an interesting and entertaining Harlan Coben mystery.

1. The title? The crucial photo? The song and its performances? Mystery?
2. The popularity of the novels by Harlan Coben? The television adaptations, transferring from the US to Poland?
3. The moving between the present and the past? Gradual revelations of the past, complications and twists?
4. The past, Greta in the past, her boyfriend, the breakup, the influence of his father? The concert, Jimmy and the performance of the song? The members of the group? The fire, deaths, Greta and her injuries, loss of memory?
5. Greta’s story, in the past, the encounter with Jacek in France, her pregnancy, birth, love? The scenes of the holidays on the coast, the family scenes? memory loss? The continued presence of her boyfriend’s father, the gift of the roses each year, his sending his guards for protection? The prosecutor, his story, his visit, the quest to find out what happened to his daughter? The holiday photos, the photo inserted, the group, the scratched out image? Jacek and his leaving, disappearance, the phone calls, Greta strong, the search, his phone call, her worry, searching the information on his call discovery of Sandra, lawyer, his sister? Her defending the starter of the fire? Financial issues? Threats, the hit man? Her friendship with Camilo, her advice, her husband and his ailments, identifying the hitman, the chase, the crash, the shootings and injuries? The visits from Jimmy, his accusations that she was remembering, his death? The rescuer Jacek in the house, hospital, his death, her grief, the confrontation with Sandra, the truth? And the final realisation that she took the photo?
6. Jacek, happy family, 15 years, the arrival of the photo, his leaving, phone calls, the car park, his abduction, the moves to the different houses, torture? The phone call? The rescue, the truth, his death?
7. The prosecutor, summoned to the prison, a hitman and his confession, hanging himself? Fellow prisoner, becoming a hitman, wanting the money, the abductions, the threats, the encounter with Kamilla’s neighbour, the sequences with her, his killing her? The chase, the shooting, his death?
8. Kamilla, long friendship, caring for the children, picking them up, at home? Her husband and his ailments? Sexuality, watching the woman from the window? Discussions with the police, giving them information, her husband’s injuries, in the hospital?
9. Jimmy, the singer, the dispute about the lyrics, the clash, the fire? The group, Jacek, the prosecutor’s daughter, the presence of Sandra, Adrian and his disappearance? The visits to his mother? The revelation of the truth, identity, the financial implications? Sandra, the confrontation, her planning, the money?
10. Satisfactory mystery, twists?

SULTANA'S DREAM

Spain, 2023, 80 minutes, Colour.

Voices of: Miren Arrieta, Arunima Bhattacharya, Mary Beard, Paul B.Preciado.

Directed by Isabelle Herguera.

An unexpected film, with a touch of the exotic.

This is a Spanish animation film, hand-painted backgrounds with digital figures moving in front, sometimes bright colours, sometimes a focus on design, always intriguing.

The central character is a Spanish filmmaker, Ines, who is on a quest. She has memories of interactions with men during her girlhood, is critical of men. She discovers a story, Sultana’s Dream n, written in India, in Bengal, in 1905, by Begum Rokaya, Rokaya Hossein. She was an educated woman, encouraged by her husband, exploring themes of the role of women, inventing a fictitious country, Ladyland, where women prevailed, where men were subject, locked up, crowded, the women excelling in their work and inventions. Ines is intrigued and finds a friend in India who accompanies her on her quest.

There are also scenes in Spain, Ines and a visit with her oceanographer mother, her Bollywood filmmaker father, even visiting him in Rome on one of his sets and exploring his treatment of themes of men and women. There are also discussions with the actual scholar Paul B. Preciado and British classicist, Mary Beard.

Comment has been made that the film is dramatically unfocused. In fact, the various sequences are put together somewhat in a piecemeal fashion. Which means that audiences have to be attentive to the drama and its continuity.

There is fascination in the animation, fascination for the theme of the presence and superiority of women, raising issues for reflection.

FLOW

Latvia, 2024, 85 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Gints Zilbalodis.

The audience is invited to go with the flow, the flow of the narrative, flow of tidal water, suddenly rising up, channelled through ruins of old buildings, moving towards an unknown destination.

Flow won the Academy Award for Best Animation Film, 2024. It also won many other awards around the world, a first for a film from Latvia.

The film took over five years to make, using hand painting and CGI to create extraordinary backgrounds as well as a range of creatures. There is no dialogue so the film is accessible to all audiences, young and old. Not only are the backgrounds beautifully treated, forests and foliage, abandoned ruins, scenes of both beauty and danger, so much of the action is in motion, on the water, the flow, audience admiration for such creativity and dynamism of action.

But there are also the animals. The invitation is to identify with a cat, roaming through fields where there are many statues of cats, but then a group of attacking, dogs. The cat is able to escape onto a passing sailboat, finding a languid capybara as well as a lemur who holds onto a roped cache of precious objects. They are joined by a friendly Labrador, confronted by a large stork-like bird, then joined by the group of dogs. Many adventures as the group continues floating on the flow, a surprising encounter with a whale, the conflict between a group of birds, a group of lemurs unhelpful, the dangers of a steep cliff, the whale beached, shifts in the terrain and the boat caught in a branch. Audiences who come to know the animals and shared their journey will appreciate a tense scene, the cat taking initiative, helped by most of the others, to  a rescue.

With no dialogue at all, audiences are invited to surrender to the images, the beauty, the music, the action. Some audiences might find themselves providing words and phrases for their interpretation of what they see, a journey, a life’s journey, survival journey, an exodus, an Odyssey, an ark… And, with the animals, naming some of the characteristics of friendliness, of ingenuity, of possessiveness, of confrontation, of help, of nobility…

Which means then that this is an animation film of beauty, of challenge, of imagination – and a welcome openness to different interpretations.

Chevalier Family Justice and Peace– A Lenten First Friday

Pope clears path for canonization of PNG Blessed Peter To Rot

By Tiziana Campisi & Devin Watkins, Vatican News

The Pope cleared the path to canonization for Blessed Peter To Rot, a layman martyred for the faith in present-day Papua New Guinea (PNG).

First Papuan Saint

Born on March 5, 1912, Blessed Peter was educated in the Christian faith and became a catechist, and his life was characterized by charity, humility, and dedication to the poor and orphans.

During the Japanese occupation of PNG during the Second World War, Blessed Peter continued to prepare couples for marriage as missionaries were imprisoned. When his pastoral activity was forbidden, he carried out his apostolate in secret, fully aware that he was risking his life.

He staunchly defended the sanctity of marriage and opposed the practice of polygamy, confronting even his older brother, who had taken a second wife. Blessed Peter’s brother reported him to the police, and he was sentenced to two months in prison, where he died of poisoning in July 1945.

Pope St. John Paul II beatified Blessed Peter To Rot on January 17, 1995, in Port Moresby.

Congratulations, Tamati Sefo MSC, new Prefect Apostolic, Marshall Islands.

Diocese of Tarawa and Nauru

On Saturday 29th March In the Marshall Islands, Most Rev Fr Tamati Sefo installed as the fourth Prefect Apostolic.

He has served as Provincial of the Pacific Islands province and has recently been parish priest in Samoa.

He succeeds Filipino MSC, Ray Sabio and Ariel Galido, who were Prefects Apostolic in the Marshalls.

MSC Sisters celebrate 125 years

March 25^th 1900 is the date of the foundation of the MSC Sisters, the role of Fr Hubert Linckens MSC, the sisters to go to the missions of what is now New Britain, then under the authority of Germany, forbidding French sisters from entering.

A Mass of celebration with the Sisters, welcome by Sister Tess Venker, Provincial,

Philip Malone presiding.

A special rose bush was planted in memory of the deceased Sisters of the Province, a list of their names read out.

HURRICANE SEASON/ Temporada de huracane snarlings

Mexico, 2023, 99 minutes, Colour.

Edgar Trevino, Andres Cordaz, Kat Rigoni, Guss Morales, Paloma Alvamar, Ernesto Melendez.

Directed by Elisa Miller.

This is a very moody visit to a small Mexican town. It is a close adaptation of a celebrated Mexican novel.

The opening, a group of young boys discovers a dead body floating in the water. The structure of the film is in chapters, each focusing on a particular character, the connection with the murdered person. There is an ongoing time thrust with the narrative but also some of the chapters going back in time exploring and developing the characters and bringing them together for the ultimate climax.

The central character is Luismo aged 20, frequent of a centre, particularly for gay men, managed by   the deadcharacter, La Bruja, known as The Witch, a dominating, large figure, dressed in black, encouraging customers, arranging liaisons and atmosphere of local decadence.. Another character, Yes enia, is jealous of her cousin, Luismo, difficulties at home, following him to The Witch’s centre and running away shocked.

Other characters include Luismo’s stepfather, Munra, limping with a crutch, available as a driver. And there is Norma, very young, pregnant from sexual abuse from her father, friendly with Luismo, a deadly experience with the birth of the child, her going to hospital, the discovery about her age.

The other principal character is another 20-year-old, Brando, his father abandoning his mother for another woman, living at home with his mother, surly in his behaviour, fascinated by The Witch, befriending Luismo, some sexual encounters with him, and a plan to steal The Witch’s alleged money and gold coins and escape from the time.

Luismo eventually wants a change, conscious of what happened to Norma, beholden to The Witch, but falling out because he allegedly stole her money (which Brando had). Failing to find any secret money and coins, Brando confronts The Witch and brutally attacks, demanding that Luismo wield the final blow.

No major conclusion… Just the arrest of Brando, then Luismo and Munra.

A mood piece, tempestuous, set in the hurricane season, characters who find they have no way out.

THE INK BLACK HEART

UK, 2024, 4X 60 minutes, Colour.

Tom Burke, Holliday Grainger, Ruth Sheen, Jack Greenlessirren, Stephen Hagan, Kevin Bishop, Mirren Mack,.

Directed by Susan Tully.

The Ink Black Heart is based on a novel by Robert K. Galbraith, a.k.a. J.A.Rowling. It features her detective, Cormorant Strike, played in all episodes by Tom Burke, and his assistant, then partner, Robin Ellicott, played in all episodes by Holliday Grainger. This is the sixth in the series.

The book has around 900 pages which means a difficult task in adapting it for a television series with four hour-long episodes. However, the series does keep all the key elements of the novel, but some of the background to Cormorant and his relationship with Robert, indicated sometimes by a very brief phone call, allowing the audience to develop aspects in their imagination.

The Ink Black Heart is an animated program for television, and plans for a film version. The key issues concern creativity behind the idea, various claims, murder of one of the originators, a range of suspicions. In the novel, there were pages and pages of transcripts of online conversations, especially from a sinister character called Enemy and another anonymous player in the online games. In the series, these conversations are presented verbally.

One of the creators approaches Robin but the company is too busy – and then she is killed. Robin feels to blame, becomes more involved, studies The Ink Black Heart, becomes more involved in the online chats, experiences the threats of And on me, follows quite a number of leads an interesting potential suspects, enrolling in an art class to gain more knowledge of the suspects. There is also a sympathetic police officer to whom she is attracted.

In the background, there is her birthday celebration and Strikes moved to kiss her and her shocked reaction which puts a great stress on the relationship. There are the other employees of the agency, and presided over by veteran Ruth Sheen.

For audiences who have read the novel, they will be able to fill in a lot of the background – especially the identity of the ultimate killer, the variety of subterfuge is and ability to disguise the sinister presence. Audiences who have not read the novel will have to pay constant attention, especially because of the range of characters and potential suspects.

As with the other episodes in the series, fans of JK Galbraith will not be disappointed.

1. The title, intriguing, the sketches, the origins of the program, the episodes, the animation, the characters? And the flow onto the computer games?
2. The London settings, Strike and’s office, the sabotage and destruction? Strike and Robin as partners? The other detectors and their tasks, surveillance, the characters? Presided over by Pat? Her opening the bomb package, saving the day?
3. Strike and Robin, the work of surveillance, the long hours, Robin and her various disguises, especially going to the art class and her identity, her investigations, her disguise to interview the writer of the book, at the fair? Strike, his disguises, especially the character at the fair?
4. ED lead will, her visit, anxieties, the film too busy, the news her death, Robin going to her agents, the uncle, issues of rights, authorship, the rivals, her relationship with Josh, the attack in the cemetery, his being in hospital?
5. The establishing of various suspects, the boyfriend and his wanting to further develop the partnership, the film? The uncle and the discussions about the film? The role of Josh?
6. The range of women suspects, relationships, the writer of the book, the nervy woman and her mother?
7. The range of men, at the arts Centre, the eccentric manager, the model, his attraction to Robin? Wally and his involvement?
8. The political background, the extreme right, using the cartoon, online, targeting Edie?
9. This is to the up court family, the wife and her involvement as agent and adviser, the father and his medical background, sinister behaviour, moods and relationships? Flavia, her age, put down by her mother? Ghosts, the music, computers, in the background, his final emergence?
10. Visit to Oxford, the professor, his participation and identity, his death?
11. The young sister, Robin and the interviews, her contribution to the mystery?
12. The attack on, and, his injuries? The ups and downs of his relationship with Robin? Pat and her interventions?
13. Strike and, the background of his relationship with Charlotte, her coming to the office, wanting the help, the divorce issue, scandals, the brutality of the husband towards his daughters, the confrontation, power over him?
14. The combination, the visit to the Upcotts, the revelation of the truth about Gus, about Anomie, motivations?

BOB TREVINO LIKES IT

US, 2024, 102 minutes, Colour.

Barbie Ferreira, John Leguizamo, French Stewart, Lauren ‘Lolo’ Spencer, Rachel Bay Jones.

Directed by Tracie Laymon.

Here is a drama with touches of comedy that many young adults might identify with, find entertaining as well as challenging. But, here is also a drama with touches of comedy that older audiences might identify with, memories, disappointments, hopes. And, while the audience will be smiling quite often, by the end, there will also be tears.

But, who is Bob Trevino? In fact, during the film, there will be two. The first is a rather embittered widower, living in aged care, continually trying to strike up relationships and ensure companionship and comfort for his future. Mention of the second Bob Trevino later. The first one has a daughter, Lily, an impressive performance by Barbie Ferreira, something of an awkward , young woman looking after a chair confined client, great difficulty in relating to her father, his emotional verbal attacks on her, making demands of her, her exasperation with him. Of course, quite some basis for identifying with her.

But, she relies on social media, living with her phone, texting, reaching out for somebody to respond, some connections, some followers. More basis for identifying with her. One night, feeling frustrated, she searches for anybody else with the name, Bob Trevino. She finds one. And he replies. Hence the title and the clicking of “Like” when we receive a pleasing text.

The screenplay has introduced us to him before the contact with . He  is Lily a builder, married, a sad story about the death of their child at 21 months. He is a loner, preferring to stay at home, not many friends. And his wife spends her time with her hobby, creating photo book mementos, even entering national competitions and winning.

So, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. The two first meet when there is a toilet crisis for the chair confined woman, and Lily asks Bob to come to fix it. And so the beginnings of conversations, revelations about the past, mutual support, Lily clearly finding her new friend, Bob Trevino, as a surrogate father figure. And, he is played was quite some tenderness and sensitivity by John Leguizamo.

Events do not quite turn out as we might have anticipated. There is a further falling out with her father who hands Lily a cost list of all the expenses he has incurred in bringing her up. Then he asks her for money to help him with the new search for a companion. Confident after meeting her friend, she stands up to her father.

Then further events certainly do not quite turn out as we might have anticipated, leading to some anxiety, some sorrow, and some very moving scenes with Bob’s wife.

One of the phrases to describe this kind of film is that it is a “slow-burner”. It begins rather quietly, and, when the audience surrenders to it, it touches the emotions, offers us many insights into human nature, something of a small film for all seasons.

(In fact, it is based on the experiences of the writer-director’s own search for her father.)

1. The title? Internet and texting, likes and loves?
2. The plot based on the writer-director’s experience? Heartfelt?
3. Popularity of the film, nominations and many awards? Humanitarian?
4. 21^st-century Internet story, the focus on phones and computers, in new connections, dependencies, texting, instant responses, eager awaiting of responses, likes, postings being ignored? Communication of photos? The ability to take photos instantly and post them?
5. Billy’s story? Her age, experience, appearance, happy, sad, friendly? Filling in the background story, the parents, her mother, addictions, disappearance? The father, self-focused, bringing up Lily, later presenting her with a list of costs, is like, in care, the connections with the women, photos on his phone, the dates, photos cutting out Lily from them, his angers with his daughter, the clashes, the conversations, the meals, his frugal attitude toward Spain, coupons? Breaking off communication with her? Her continued texting?
6. Lily and her work, with Daphne, in the chair, care for her, conversations, Daphne confronting her, urging her to go to the rage room, smash, primal scream? Lily unable to?
7. Lily texting, finding another Bob Trevino, the audience getting to know Bob, Mexican background, marriage to Jeannie, the story of the death of their child up to 21 months, the photos, Jeannie continually working scrapbooks, in competitions and winning? The sharing the winners scrapbook and photos of the children with Bob? His work, building houses, Harlan as his partner, Cavalier attitudes? The later visit of the inspector, an hour and a half late, while driving away, Hardin and his anxiety about safety, of having kept the books, the clash, I am dismissing him, Bob acting on it?
8. Bob, his personality, all his age, the death of the child, relationship with his wife? The going to Las Vegas to the partition? Her urging him out, his staying home to watch a movie? The encounter with Lily, responding to her posts, the effect on him, the effect on her? The plausibility of the communication?
9. Daphne, the toilet incident, her finding, his arrival, fixing the toilet, the discussions, going to the two shop, the continued communication?
10. The suggestion for the cup of coffee, they’re talking, the story of her father taking her dog, going to the vet, the photos with the dog? Lily and her happiness, the conversations, revealing herself, the effect on Bob, revealing himself, the photos?
11. Billi’s father contacting her, presenting her with the list of costs, his wanting money from her, his self-centredness, wanting dates and a companion? Lily and her stand, leaving him, going to the rage room, with Daphne and the smashing and the scream?
12. The audience seeing Bob, in the car, a heart attack, hospital, coma, the visit from Jeannie, the kiss?
13. Lily, her anxiety, waking in the night, the continued contacts, going to the house and try to get in, the police arriving?
14. The discovery of Bob’s death, with Daphne, Daphne is challenged to her about leaving on the dot, Daphne wanting to go with her to the funeral? The arrival, Jeannie present, Lily and her grief, Bob in the coffin? Jeannie, serious, asking Lily and Daphne to follow her, her change of demeanour, presenting her with the scrapbook, the text messages, the photos, Lily and her joy, Bob’s final message to her? (And audience tears?)
15. A pleasing portrait of Bob? Her pleasing portrait of Lily, her advantages and disadvantages, age, opening up, taking a stance with her father, her future?