World Poll 2024 – Part 6 the editors January 2025 World Poll Issue 112 ENTRIES IN PART 6: Josh B Mabe Ioannis Makris Bob Manning Jack McCulloch Duncan McLean Jamie Mendonça Stefano MiragliaPeter Nagels Virat Nehru Boris Nelepo Walter Neto Ben Nicholson Andy Norton Josh B Mabe Josh B Mabe is a librarian and filmmaker in Chicago My best movie-going experience of the year was the three-day event, “The Undersung Films of Late-Era Stan Brakhage” programmed by Joshua Minsoo Kim at Sweet Void Cinema, a micro theatre and production company in Chicago. People came from across the country. The place was packed all three days. Chicago has seen a blossoming of new programmers, new spaces, and large, young crowds for anything being shown on film and it’s fantastic. Here’s 10 more very exciting things that showed on screens this year in Chicago: Play & Chicago Girls & Table & The Masturector Set & Plastic Screen Film and The Plastic Screen (Ruth Andrews, 1970s) There’s Always Tomorrow (Douglas Sirk, 1956) The Annunciation (Diana Barrie, 1974) Dances #1-8 (Shirley Erbacher 1966-1972) If You Stand with Your Back to the Slowing of the Speed of Light in Water (Julie Murray, 1997) pomeriggio (Ira Vicari, 2023) Trekkerriff (Will Hindle, 1984) Mutiny (Abigail Child, 1983) Modern Water Propulsion (Andy Matsui, 1982) 10. Ashes by Name is Man (Ewelina Rosinska, 2023) Ioannis Makris Cinephile, Editor of the Greek based internet film blog Peri Tainion, member of the cinema group Cinediadromes Best Movies of 2023, seen in 2024: Nu astepta prea mult de la sfârsitul lumii (Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, Radu Jude, 2023) Poor Things (Yorgos Lanthimos, 2023) Mokalake Tsmindani (Citizen Saint, Tinatin Kajrishvili, 2023) Perfect Days (Wim Wenders, 2023) The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer, 2023) Cerrar los ojos (Close Your Eyes, Víctor Erice, 2023) Kuru Otlar Üstüne (About Dry Grasses, Nuri Bilge Ceylan, 2023) Kaibutsu (Monster, Kore-eda Hirokazu, 2023) Anatomie d’une chute (Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet, 2023) Il sol dell’avvenire (A Brighter Tomorrow, Nanni Moretti, 2023) Close Your Eyes Bob Manning Cinephile and Adelaide Cinematheque member My list of the 10 required films were shown in Adelaide theatres and Adelaide Cinematheque during 2024. The Holdovers (Alexander Payne, 2023) Kuolleet lehdet (Fallen Leaves, Aki Kaurismäki, 2023) Perfect Days (Wim Wenders, 2023) El maestro que prometió el mar (The Teacher Who Promised The Sea,Patricia Font, 2023) The Dead Don’t Hurt (Viggo Mortensen, 2023) Dune: Part Two (Denis Villeneuve, 2024) Fremont (Babak Jalali, 2023) Compartiment tueurs (The Sleeping Car Murders, Costa-Gavras 1965) Snerting (Touch, Baltasar Kormákur, 2024) My Old Ass (Megan Park, 2024) Jack McCulloch Location Sound Mixer and MIFF shorts panellist based in Melbourne, Australia. Top 5 films of 2024: I Saw the TV Glow (Jane Schoenbrun, 2024) Anora (Sean Baker, 2024) The Substance (Coralie Fargeat, 2024) Challengers (Luca Guadagnino, 2024) Dāne-ye anjīr-e ma’ābed (The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Mohammad Rasoulof, 2024) Top 5 retrospective screenings: Shichinin no Samurai (Seven Samurai, Kurosawa Akira, 1954) – Astor Theatre, 4K Gojira (Godzilla, Honda Ishirō, 1954) – Astor Theatre, 4K Ostře sledované vlaky (Closely Watched Trains, Jiří Menzel, 1966) – ACMI, Melbourne Cinémathèque Blue (Derek Jarman, 1993) – ACMI, Melbourne Cinémathèque Blow Out (Brian De Palma, 1981) – Astor Theatre Duncan McLean Discipline Lead in Screen Studies at the Australian Film Television and Radio School and general film lover My list of 2024’s best films, arranged alphabetically (based on Australian release date): Anatomie d’une chute (Anatomy of a Fall, Justine Triet, 2023) – A brilliantly executed and thoroughly engrossing courtroom drama that revels in the unknowability of the case. We are presented with only two possibilities – either he jumped, or he was pushed – yet despite largely experiencing the story from the accused’s point of view, we still never know whether to believe her. Anora (Sean Baker, 2024) – Funny and sad at the same time, Anora sees through the fantasy of Pretty Woman (Garry Marshall, 1990) in particular, but the Cinderella story more generally. Baker has always been attuned to the politics of class, and Anora’s escalating situation does a great job of highlighting the differences between the way that those with too much money and those with not enough are able to move through the world. Civil War (Alex Garland, 2024) – An incredibly intense, harrowing film that marked a notable step up in the scale of what we’ve seen from A24 before. Garland’s film makes a concerted effort not to detail the politics of the conflict, so while it feels plausible it is not endeavouring to be a piece of partisan, contemporary political commentary. Having the civil war take place in the U.S. rather than some ‘other’ part of the world, though, removes some distance, changing our relationship with the conflict and its combatants. A Different Man (Aaron Schimberg, 2024) – A really creative and fascinating exploration of the relationship between disability and self-perception/identity. Edward’s disfigurement has shaped the way he engages with the world. While a miracle cure seemingly liberates him, being forced to reflect on his own life from his new perspective, and encountering a man with the same condition living without that containment, confronts his assumptions. The Holdovers (Alexander Payne, 2023) – While this is the best Christmas movie to come out in many a year, a quirk of the release schedule saw it hit cinemas in mid-January in Australia. Payne’s 1970s-set film not only recreates the era but feels like a film of the seventies. Built around three tremendous performances, it earns its moments of sweetness by not shying away from the more heart-breaking aspects of its characters’ stories. May December (Todd Haynes, 2023) – Haynes is a brilliant contemporary exponent of the melodrama and uses that mode to great effect in this uncomfortable but compelling work. In a way, May December tells the story after the story, focusing on an encounter between an actress preparing for a role and a controversial couple 20 years after they became a national news story (she was an adult, he was 13), to explore denial and unacknowledged trauma. The overbearing score creates a lurid, TV melodrama feel without undermining the seriousness of the subject matter. My Old Ass (Megan Park, 2024) – Came into this completely cold and was utterly charmed but this warm, sweet film about youth and love. An 18-year-old on the verge of leaving home for college has a mushroom-induced encounter with her 39-year-old self, which prompts her to look afresh at the life she already has. The dialogue-with-her-future-self premise could be twee, but Park invests in it and makes it work, and then impressively sticks the landing. Les Trois Mousquetaires: D’Artagnan (The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan, Martin Bourboulon, 2023) – Because it is in French, The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan received only a limited, arthouse cinema release, but the reality is that it is a rollicking piece of action-adventure filmmaking. It combines beautiful period production design with swashbuckling action and an intriguing, propulsive plot. The second part, Les Trois Mousquetaires: Milady (The Three Musketeers: Milady, Martin Bourboulon, 2023), wasn’t quite as good but the pair still make for a good time at the movies. Will & Harper (Josh Greenbaum, 2024) – A beautiful, warm and insightful documentary following two friends on a road trip as they navigate their relationship following one’s gender transition. The openness and grace with which the two ask and answer the questions that such a change naturally prompts is really impactful. The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer, 2023) – A fascinating narrative work in the sense that the surface level of the story doesn’t matter. Rather, it is about the juxtaposition of the seeming mundanity of the domestic narrative with the horrific reality we know is occurring just over the fence. Brilliant sound design ensures the unseen is never far from your mind. Brilliant exploration of the cognitive dissonance that allows people to oversee horrific evil as though it were any other job. My Old Ass Jamie Mendonça Theatrical Sales Manager, Curzon Film, London, England, UK A thoroughly terrible year for numerous reasons, but thankfully not for cinema. Nu aștepta prea mult de la sfârșitul lumii (Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World, Radu Jude, 2024) The greatest film of the year. Luis Buñuel lives on. Radical cinema! Provocation! Totally contemporary and perhaps even timeless. There might be a mere handful of living filmmakers pushing buttons in this manner; with regards to feature-length ‘commercial’ cinema at least. Naturally, the film was largely a ‘commercial’ flop. The great ones often are. Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick, 1975), anyone? Exotica (Atom Egoyan, 1994) I haven’t stopped thinking about Egoyan’s unique world since our old, scratched, Artificial Eye release print graced the Institute of Contemporary Arts for a one-off special. Nor am I able to separate some of the dreamy sequences with Leonard Cohen’s mysterious and beautiful track Everybody Knows (1988) – they’re permanently intertwined, for better or worse. I exited the auditorium, then onto The Mall – aka the royal driveway, of all places – on a feverish cinematic high. La Passion de Dodin Bouffant (The Taste of Things, Trần Anh Hùng, 2023) Some films contain something – an essence? – that not many others have. I’m not able to put it into words, but I guess it could be referred to as ‘The Call Me By Your Name (Luca Guadagnino, 2017) Effect’; a feeling, whilst watching – whether behind the camera, in front, or both – that you’re witnessing something ‘beyond’ the others, something that moves you to your very core, that makes you believe in cinema again – and in turn, life, perhaps – leaving you almost in tears merely for being presented with such beauty. That’s really all I have to say about The Taste of Things (even as a diehard vegan person, which makes no sense). A Room With A View (James Ivory, 1985) We all have our blind spots. I adored every second, every frame, and it hammered home the fact – as ever – that I was seemingly born in the wrong era. This masterpiece is simply ‘of another time’ in the finest possible way. The vast filmography of Merchant Ivory has long been on my to-do list, but I could never quite get round to it properly – at least at home. I demand a cinema screen or nothing and will stick to that principle, even if I have to wait years for the next one. My Old Ass (Megan Park, 2024) The surprise of the year. I had foolishly pre-judged the film and was therefore utterly delighted to be confronted with a collection of feelings that I almost forgot existed. This film is a wake-up call to former selves, I suppose, beckoning us out of a sometimes-painful ‘grown up’ existence and perhaps reminding us of who we truly are. Megan’s film is kind of like a mixtape made just for you; something produced out of love, sincerely hoping the other(s) will appreciate it. And there was me thinking it was just going to be a silly, cute, coming-of-age movie. I love being wrong. Hard Truths (Mike Leigh, 2024) The return of Marianne Jean-Baptiste was everything we could have hoped for (‘and more’ as they say); her portrayal of Pansy Deacon as a furious but vulnerable and tortured soul is something many of us can certainly relate to. She’s screaming for help, yet she doesn’t want it. Leave me alone, it will pass. I’ll be fine. No need to make a fuss. But, between us, the thing is – I’m actually not ok [and that’s ok]. Black Tea (Abderrahmane Sissako, 2024) I might declare this ‘my favourite Sissako’, contrary to general opinion. And I even saw Waiting For Happiness (2002) on 35mm for the first time this year at the Cine Lumiere. Why did Black Tea move me? Frankly I’m not interested in the answer. Talking of Mike Leigh earlier, I’ll never forget when he was in the audience for a London Film Festival screening of Timbuktu (2014); during the Q&A, Abderrahmane acknowledged what an honour it was to have this particular audience member present for his film. The humble ones are my people. Doesn’t hurt when they make great films, too. A major work! An Angel At My Table (Jane Campion, 1990) I’d been gazing at the poster at the Curzon Soho cinema for years, always waiting for an opportunity to see this on the big screen. Well…we do have an old print in the archive, and this year my programming colleague scheduled a special event – with Kerry Fox attending in-person – at none other than the Curzon Soho. It’s so very rare when things just fall into place. Ever get that brief, dizzyingly happy sensation when you suddenly contemplate how on earth you got right here, right now? The Zone of Interest (Jonathan Glazer, 2024) A marvel of modern cinema. Two viewings on the big screen; the first left me cold, feeling only a firm admiration and respect for the filmmaking on a technical level; the second time allowed me to brush all that aside and just be at one with the piece; a very rewarding experience indeed. But then again, what is it to be dumped into the darkest of worlds; a vision of horror so profound it’s impossible to fathom, especially when presented so matter-of-factly? Evil was never so casual. Perfect Days (Wim Wenders, 2024) Dare I have the nerve to say ‘back on form’ in terms of narrative filmmaking? Guess I just did. And we all just fell in love with it. As magical, if not as significant as, Paris, Texas (1984). Wenders went and did it again and the world of film culture was ready. A bona fide arthouse hit, at least here in the United Kingdom. Played for months at our Bloomsbury cinema. Another film I had to see twice on the big screen, or was it thrice? It’s one you want to take your close ones to. Show and tell. Again and again. Cinema might just be alive and well. Stefano Miraglia Artist, independent curator, programmer at Pesaro Film Festival, founder of Movimcat. exergue – on documenta 14 (Dimitris Athyridis, 2024) Neighboring Animals (Mary Helena Clark, 2023-24) Melted into the Sun (Saodat Ismailova, 2024) If I Fall, Don’t Pick Me Up (Declan Clarke, 2024) Sanctuary Station (Brigid McCaffrey, 2024) Todo documento de civilización (Every Document of Civilization, Tatiana Mazú González, 2024) GAMA (Kaori Oda, 2023) A Fidai Film (Kamal Aljafari, 2024) Growing Up Absurd (Ben Balcom, Julie Niemi, 2023) Louis et les langues (Louis and Languages, Aurélien Froment, 2024) A Fidai Film Peter Nagels Cinephile, dream researcher, librarian (retired), Ballarat, Victoria. In no particular order: Dune: Part Two (Denis Villeneuve, 2024) Cerrar los ojos (Close Your Eyes, Víctor Erice, 2022) Die Theorie von Allem (The Universal Theory, Timm Kröger, 2023) Film Annonce du Film qui n’existera Jamais: ‘Drôles de Guerres’ (Trailer of the Film That Will Never Exist: “Phony Wars”, Jean-Luc Godard, 2022) Conclave (Edward Berger, 2024) Reptile (Grant Singer, 2023) La Bête (The Beast, Bertrand Bonello, 2023) The Killer (John Woo, 2024) Fast Charlie (Phillip Noyce, 2023) Megalopolis (Francis Ford Coppola, 2024) Virat Nehru Programmer at Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival and freelance film critic. An important highlight of this past year that cannot be measured or quantified in a list format, was the ability to experience at the cinemas – in chronological order – the body of work of some truly remarkable filmmakers. Whether it be films by Nancy Savoca and Edward Yang, or John Cassavetes, Kurosawa Akira or the Iranian New Wave: 1962-79, venturing out to the movies on a regular basis to experience these retrospectives was a pilgrimage that I will look back on most fondly whenever I think of 2024. I would argue that watching the films by these masters in a chronological order and noticing how their craft developed over time felt like experiencing their films anew, even if I had already encountered some of these films before. I’m resisting the urge to make a list that comprises solely of films I experienced through the various retrospective and restoration programs across Australia (that thought was incredibly tempting). Films released for the first time in 2024 that I encountered through festivals, cinemas or streaming services (in alphabetical order) A Different Man (Aaron Schimberg, 2024) All We Imagine as Light (Payal Kapadia, 2024) Balomania (Sissel Morell Dargis, 2024) Dāne-ye Anjīr-e Ma’ābed (The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Mohammad Rasoulof, 2024) Every Little Thing (Sally Aitken, 2024) Girls Will Be Girls (Shuchi Talati, 2024) Kottukkaali (The Adamant Girl, P.S. Vinothraj, 2024) No Other Land (Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, 2024) Une Langue Universelle (Universal Language, Matthew Rankin, 2024) Vaazhai (Mari Selvaraj, 2024) Boris Nelepo film critic and programmer 10. Godsterminal (Georg Tiller, 2024) 9. La Prisonnière de Bordeaux (Visiting Hours, Patricia Mazuy, 2024) 8. Fire Supply (Lucía Seles, 2024) 7. O Dia que te Conheci (The Day I Met You, André Novais Oliveira, 2023) 6. Demminer Gesänge (Demmin Cantos, Hans-Jürgen Syberberg, 2023) 5. Ulysses (Nikita Lavretski, 2024) 4. Aggro Dr1ft (Harmony Korine, 2023) 3. Le Grand Chariot (The Plough, Philippe Garrel, 2023) 2. Anora (Sean Baker, 2024) 1. Oskolky (The Shards, Masha Chernaya, 2024) Dune: Part Two Walter Neto Film critic. International Cinephile Society – Contributing Writer Cinema 2024 What’s the point of making these lists in such a discouraging year? There’s nothing left to be said about Palestine. We have all failed it. But what remains to be said is how cinema, film festivals, and the industry at large carried on as if nothing was happening – prioritising aesthetics and celebrities over urgent political conversations. That being said, here are ten films I cherish for the way they helped me hold on to hope amidst the despair… The Night Won’t End (Kavitha Chekuru, 2024) Suyoocheon (By the stream, Hong Sang-soo, 2024) Feng liu yi dai (Caught by the Tides, Jia Zhangke, 2024) Chime (Kurosawa Kiyoshi, 2024) A Fidai Film (Kamal Aljafari, 2024) Mongrel (Chiang Wei-Liang, You Qiao Yin, 2024) Rukku Bakku (Look Back, Oshiyama Kiyotaka, 2024) Les chambres rouges (Red Rooms, Pascal Plante, 2023) Juror #2 (Clint Eastwood, 2024) Megalopolis (Francis Ford Coppola, 2024) Ben Nicholson Writer and curator based in the UK As of last year, I made the decision that each list or poll that I submit an entry to cannot include films I have submitted to other polls elsewhere. As such, these are ten favourites from 2024 that I haven’t previously submitted to other lists. This might be for various reasons such as seeing things after earlier deadlines or restricted submission criteria – so the film’s appearance on this submission is not purely a reflection of them being less beloved in some way. I wonder, to be honest, whether this is in fact a more interesting list than some of my others. I like its mixture of styles, tones and genres; from documentary to horror, from hand-worked animation to surreal AI. Dahomey (Mati Dop, 2024) The Eggregores’ Theory (Andrea Gatopoulos, 2024) Memoir of a Snail (Adam Elliot, 2024) Pepe (Nelson Carlo de Los Santos Arias, 2024) ME (Don Hertzfeldt, 2024) La habitación de al lado (The Room Next Door, Pedro Almodóvar, 2024) Si e verdhë e sëmurë (Like a Sick Yellow, Norika Sefa, 2024) Swing Bout (Maurice O’Carroll, 2024) Conclave (Edward Berger, 2024) Anak snang akear (Tenement, Inrasothythep Neth & Sokyou Chea, 2024) Memoir of a Snail Andy Norton Supporting Actor (The Vanishing Act); Actor/Graphic Designer (Python Light Studios); Social Media Volunteer (ABCD Film Society) Memoir of a Snail (Adam Elliot, 2024) Adam Elliot’s Memoir of a Snail is a deeply moving, powerful, and darkly comic film that delves into the life of a snail-obsessed child transitioning into adulthood. This emotional rollercoaster, dealing with themes of loss, toxic relationships, and adult friendship, is a testament to Elliot’s storytelling prowess. The film, a bona fide masterpiece from the stop-motion auteur behind Mary and Max (2009), is sure to resonate with its audience on a profound level. National Theatre Live: Vanya (Sam Yates, 2024) Whilst the Chekov play Uncle Vanya is well-known for its adaptations over the years, this latest stage production proves that Andrew Scott is an exceptional actor of their generation by performing all the parts in this play exploring the human condition. The use of the movement of the props alongside minimal disguises helps Scott to play all the parts, but his range displays a tour-de-force in one of the most striking performances of the year. The Wild Robot (Chris Sanders, 2024) Based on the book by Peter Brown, DreamWorks creates one of its most captivating films to date, chronicling the titular robot lost during transit as it settles into its forest surroundings. Think: like Wall-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008) mixed in with migration movies, including Fly Away Home (Caroll Ballard, 1996), for one of the most entertaining animated films of the decade. The voice cast, including Bill Nighy, Matt Berry, and Lupita Nyong’o, provides a memorable cast of characters. In contrast, Chris Sanders and the extensive animation team provide strong character animation juxtaposed with creative set pieces. The Wild Robot deals with the theme of nature versus nurture on a universal level that all ages can enjoy for future generations. National Theatre Live: The Motive and the Cue (Zoe Ford, Sam Mendes, 2024) This biopic featuring Jonny Flynn and Mark Gatiss takes on Richard Burton and John Gielgud, respectively, as it chronicles their Broadway performance of Hamlet back in 1960s New York. With a cast of characters and anecdotes that play like a who’s who during this period of show business, The Motive and the Cue acts as a fascinating slice-of-life look into the process of putting on such an ambitious show whilst chronicling the trials and tribulations of its main stars and director. Anyone who has ever put on a stage show will love the lavish narrative in this extraordinary play. I Am: Celine Dion (Irene Taylor, 2024) While this documentary could have been just a straightforward profile of the iconic singer Celine Dion, Irene Taylor and her crew manage to create a heart-wrenching profile as Celine struggles to perform with her recent diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome. Showing an unrestrained account of the performer’s treatment makes this documentary stand out as something more than just for fans of her performance, or for anyone who has also dealt with a life-altering ailment. Pipe Dreams (Christina Woo, 2024) Pipe Dreams, a comedic short by Christina Woo, offers a hilarious glimpse into the everyday life of bugs and insects living in a dilapidated building. Filmed from a fly-on-the-wall perspective, with 2D character animation on a live-action backdrop, the film effectively captures the relatable frustrations of community living in its six-minute runtime. The film’s humour and well-crafted characters make it a delightful and entertaining watch. Deadpool & Wolverine (Shawn Levy, 2024) Deadpool & Wolverine is a refreshing reminder of the entertainment value of Marvel-based films. With enough call-backs to the pre-MCU films to keep the average Marvel fan engaged, this tongue-in-cheek film provides laughs and hijinks throughout its runtime. The memorable opening action sequence set to N-Sync’s Bye Bye Bye (2000) is just one of the moments that will stick with the audience long after the film ends. Queer (Luca Guadagnino, 2024) While its runtime may evaluate the patience of the average movie-goer, the latest film from the director behind Call Me by Your Name (2017) brings an eclectic offering based on the William S. Burroughs novella of the same name (1985). With the memorable casting of Daniel Craig, Jason Schwartzman, and Lesley Manville in this avant-garde period romance, Queer provides just enough surrealism not to alienate most film-goers but enough content and penance to make it a memorable cinematic experience helped by distinctive song choices and a striking score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Percebes (Laura Gonçalves, Alexandra Ramires, 2024) Animated as if it were a lively watercolour painting, Percebes takes its shellfish metaphor throughout this short film, painting a portrait of a town and its residents. Filled with memorable characters and sequences, this will do well during the upcoming awards season with its grandeur and spectacle. Inside Out 2 (Kelsey Mann, 2024) Whilst this Pixar sequel may get the occasional groan from sceptics, Inside Out 2 delivers a packed sequel, following on from the first film’s events and creating a visual representation of adolescence, integrating new characters with great ease. Whilst the key scenes are a stroke of Pixar’s storytelling genius, this crowd-pleasing film will keep fans happy while newcomers can enjoy Pixar at their blockbuster charm.