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Writer's pictureMax Markowitz

The 33rd Philadelphia Film Festival by Max Markowitz

33rd Philadelphia Film Festival 2024


The 2024 Philadelphia Film Festival was an amazing experience. Every year, the tradition becomes more special. I enjoyed bathing in the cinephilic community of moviegoers who are so loyal to this art. The theaters were full for every screening, packed with enthusiastic audiences. It was a pleasure for my eyes to behold. The city was bustling with activity, the restaurants were full, and the weather could not have been better—75 degrees and sunny skies every day!


I’m eternally thankful to Larry Korman of AKA Hotels and Residences who sponsored me as the Ambassador at the 33rd Philadelphia Film Festival representing AKA, the entire Philadelphia Film Society Board, and all the amazing hardworking volunteers whose passion fuels life into this grand event every year. 


Congratulations to Philadelphia for executing and delivering another smashing successful year! I’m so proud to be part of this warm and vibrant community and I look forward to seeing all these films again and coming back next year! Go, Philly! Here are some reviews of my top favorites. It was hard to pick the ones to review as I saw so many great films. I highly encourage you to get to the theater and see the wonders of this year's Philly Film Festival.


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Anora


Sean Baker’s Palme d’Or winning Anora was not only the best film of the festival… but the best of 2024! Mikey Madison’s Ani is a Brighton Beach NY stripper/sex worker who thinks she’s hit the jackpot when she impulsively marries Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn) the young immature son of wealthy Russian Oligarchs. Unfortunately, the fairy tale is too good to be true as Ivan only married her so he wouldn’t have to go back to Russia but his parents (Darya Ekamasova & Aleksei Serebryakov) fly in to force an annulment and in the meantime send henchmen Toros & Igor (Karren Karagulian & Yura Borisov) to keep them in line. Ivan runs off and Ani is forced to partake in a crazy couple of days as they look for Ivan while Ani has to deal with the reality of her fantasy crumbling down and Ivan’s mother’s cruelty. Sean Baker has always shown people’s harshest realities but he’s managed to show characters who are victims of oppression without victimizing them or taking away their complexities. Anora is a huge celebration of the spirit of Baker’s films and Madison is an immediate Oscar contender. Anora is hilariously funny and enriched with modern Gen Z culture. Anora proudly stands for everything that makes the far ultra-right squirm uncomfortably and I’m glad. A perfect balance of the profane and the profound. All of Baker’s films are like a piece of candy. One must chew very slowly to appreciate its sweetness.


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Maria


I greatly enjoyed Maria. As someone who greatly admires Maria Callas, I could’ve done with a bit more from Pablo Larrain's glimpse into the late Opera singer's final days when she was living in Paris. Callas’s relationship with Aristotle Onassis (Haluk Bilginer) had a high amount of emotional abuse to it and the film doesn’t explore this at all. It could be argued that because the film is from Callas’s point of view, she’s an unreliable witness given that she never stopped loving him. She was sick during her last week and while this was an important factor to show, I feel she could have been afforded a little more agency or some dignity. Angelina Jolie does a tremendous job shadowing Maria, particularly when she’s on stage. She embodies the physicality of Maria’s spirit and makes her a diva rather than an annoyance. She speaks very quietly and her relationship with her two servants Ferruccio & Bruna (Pierfranceso Favino & Alba Rohrwacher) is adorable and endearing. 


They certainly managed to stay measured considering the many of Maria’s idiosyncrasies. She insists on having the piano moved around her apartment various times for an interview with a journalist (Kodi Smit-McPhee) made of her imagination. “What is real and not is my business.” she insists. The journalist she has made up is named Mandrax like the drug she is abusing. Jolie is very calm throughout Maria but beneath that calm exterior lies a profound sadness one can’t look away from. The visuals are gorgeous and there are many genuine heartfelt moments. It just would’ve been nice for there to have been more moments when she didn’t seem so trapped. 


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Audrey’s Children


Julia Fisher Farbman wrote and produced this most moving and inspiring film that explores the power of will, courage, and triumph of the legendary Dr. Audrey Evans, brilliantly portrayed by Natalie Dormer as the miraculous British physician who in 1969 at the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania (CHOP) developed a revolutionary treatment to help children battle severe forms of cancer. She purchased the first Ronald McDonald House for families, offering them respite and dignity during the most difficult time.  Dr. Evans ultimately impacted the lives of millions. Like Young Woman And The Sea, Audrey’s Children is a classic underdog story with a family feel that glistens on waters of profound tears. The film is clear-cut and traditional from a pacing standpoint, but like Audrey’s Children not for the eyes but the heart. The heart gets its money's worth. Dormer’s performance is the main attraction and I’m very excited to see this one find distribution. It ought to have happened already.


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Conclave


Ralph Fiennes can always be counted on to deliver nothing but full-on excellence for any script and what he does with Edward Berger’s Conclave is a gasp let out before your hands reach your lips. He is vigorous as a cardinal in Rome privately struggling with his faith in the Church but must put his doubts aside when the Pope dies and he is put in charge of an immediate election for a successor. Many potential candidates (John Lithgow & Lucian Msamati) are up to no good and have corrupt misdeeds that will of course come to light. Isabella Rossellini finds herself an unlikely ally to Fienees after an initially hostile start and her brief moment of broken silence is a profound tour de force. Stanley Tucci shines as an American liberal cardinal whose efforts to modernize the church keep clashing with the conservatives and a little-known Mexican archbishop (Carlos Diehz) fresh off the plane from Afghanistan arrives with a secret that is history in the making. The score is so crucial to the suspenseful atmosphere of Conclave that one often forgets there’s an entire world outside the abbey. The claustrophobia on display is riveting and Fienees carries out the fear amongst the year's most daring thriller. 


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The Order


Jude Law is subtlety superb as an F.B.I agent in 1980s Idaho working to track down a murderous white supremacist group led by a sinister and reckless young man (Nicholas Hoult). The legacy of white supremacy is sadly everlasting. When you watch a film like The Order, you see how something so ugly and so horrible makes it so that a better society seems like the most impossible thing ever. The psychological toll the hunt takes on these agents is also everlasting and Law’s subtlety makes for a heartbreaking performance. Hoult is electrifying, terrifying, and charismatic enough so that you can see how people who were already very bad fell under his spell. Tye Sheridan and Jurnee Smollett are excellent as Law’s co-officers who worry about attempting to stay sane amongst the growing hatred. Marc Maron is beautiful and tragic as a Jewish radio host who falls victim to the Order’s prey. The scenery of the Pacific Northwest offers much-needed beauty to a film where the beast remains at large.


The Order is a film with massive conversation afterward and I’m sure many will be talking about this one. 


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The Seed Of The Sacred Fig 


A newly appointed investigating judge in Tehran (Missagh Zareh) grapples with paranoia and mistrust amongst his wife and daughters (Soheila Golestani, Mahsa Rostami & Setareh Maleki) as nationwide protests against the authoritarian government unfold. Matters escalate when his gun disappears and a protester (Niousha Akhshi) who is friends with one of the daughters is arrested. Personal information is somehow leaked online forcing the family to flee to a desert safehouse for a political showdown of survival, unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The Seed Of The Sacred Fig is an astonishing work of genius that will make you feel as though the ground is shaking beneath your feet as you watch. With a committed cast of actors, I’d love to see a rise in cinema and exceptional cinematography across the world.


 A haunting Middle Eastern fable of female liberation.


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Armand


Renate Reinsve is electrifying as the mother of a 6-year-old who called into her son’s school to meet with her sister-in-law (Ellen Dorrit Petersen), her husband (Endre Hellestveit), and the faculty to discuss a shocking allegation that throughout the afternoon will send everyone spiraling and bring long-buried secrets to a surface that no one will recognize. Armand is a smashing debut feature for Tondel whose claustrophobic interrogation will immediately raise every hair on your neck. Armand is the role of a lifetime for Renate Reinsve whose performance is so transcendent and unsettling. There’s a scene in the middle where she’s so unable to deal with the horror of what’s being said to her that she bursts out laughing for 5 minutes on end until she breaks down sobbing. It’s a performance that every acting school in the world should reference. Armand is ultimately about how so much of people’s inability to acknowledge trauma stems from what we all know to be true: Others won’t care and won’t listen. 


As the afternoon turns to evening and the rain comes pouring down, Reinsve loses herself to her memories culminating in a beautiful dance sequence whose context borders on something terrifying. The dance ends with her breaking free and running out into the pouring rain. It's one of the most miraculous sights cinema screens have bestowed in a long time.


Audiences who enjoyed The Teachers Lounge will find something incredible here. 


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The Girl With The Needle


Magnus von Horn is one of those directors who knows how to shock audiences with violence without sensationalizing it. This is a difficult thing to pull off and it doesn’t always work. He’s always been successful at it though and The Girl With The Needle is a beautifully shot horror story of betrayal and loss. In Copenhagen following the end of WWI, Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) a young seamstress who is abandoned by her employer after his domineering mother refuses to accept their engagement despite her pregnancy meets candy shop owner Dagmar (Trine Dyrholm) who finds adoptive homes for unwanted babies. Karoline gives her baby to Dagmar to foster and then begins working for her as a wet nurse for other infants before foster families are chosen. Karoline follows Dagmar when she goes to deliver a baby after she’s forbidden to ask about the families. She sees Dagmar choke the baby to death and toss it down the gutter. Karoline must face the harsh circumstances of her life and trauma from the war as she contemplates facing the monster she’s come to live with and admire. 


Based on a horrifying true story in Denmark, The Girl With The Needle is a spellbinding dark fairytale about the witch, the girl, and a decaying kingdom. I can’t imagine this black-and-white film being shot in color. A director always knows and von Horn made the right call. Carmen Sonne and Dyrholm are phenomenal on screen and stay with you long after. I’ve always felt since seeing Dyrholm in 2019’s Queen Of Hearts (Also at the Philadelphia Film Festival) that she’s the Danish Isabelle Huppert. She picks very amoral characters who often cross into bad. I’m fascinated by her because she challenges so effortlessly what constitutes morality in our society and how much circumstances play into unimaginable actions. The Girl With The Needle is her most evil role and she still manages to portray Dagmar as a complex character grappling with maintaining financial security, raising a young daughter, satisfying herself sexually, and being a mentor to a lost woman all the while harboring this brutal need to terminate. 


I look forward to revisiting this one.


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The Room Next Door


This year’s Golden Lion winner at the Venice Film Festival is a rare jewel only to be held by the silver screen. Two friends (Tilda Swinton & Julianne Moore) who’ve been out of touch for years reconnect when one of them is informed of the other's dying illness. They take a trip to a beautiful remote house where they grapple with mortality, how the world has changed, and where hope truly lies. The Room Next Door is a magnum opus of divine beauty and sublime love. Almodovar’s English language feature debut is the language of his cinema as it always is: Tender, warm, gentle, fierce, passionate, and unconditionally beautiful. Swinton especially marvels with a rare dignity the rest of us can only hope for when we reach the end.


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A Traveler’s Needs


Isabelle Huppert is delightful and completely free as a French teacher in South Korea whose unusual teaching methods make for an amusing series of lessons for her students who can’t help but fall for her charm. Huppert is mysterious and adorable and audiences will see themselves in everyone she comes across as we all fall under the spell only Huppert could cast. She adorably wanders along Seoul, teaching with her unorthodox methods, laying on rocks, dipping her feet in cold water, and drinking lots of Makgeolli. Huppert’s name is Iris but because she’s so adorably French, she pronounces it as “Ear-Is”. A masterclass in subtlety and an exhale of tranquility. Hong Sang-soo has always been a master at letting life just happen and being there to shoot it. His films have an almost documentary feel and his third collaboration with Huppert is a wonderful short, sweet, and simple story about temporary escape and the blank spaces of the human condition. As Huppert takes comfort in the little things, we as her audience feel its magnificence and instantly become relaxed. It’s always nice to see such a prominent actor make professional choices like A Traveler’s Needs.


An exceptional special treat for cinephiles everywhere.


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Small Things Like These


Cillian Murphy’s boiling warm heart will make you melt by the time Small Things Like These ends. He’s at his most tender in this beautiful Irish indie about a coal merchant in 1985 Ireland who makes a horrifying discovery when he stumbles upon a young girl (Zara Devlin) in a freezing shed a few nights before Christmas. He soon learns of the Magdalene laundries carried out by the nuns and is forced to reflect on his past as he grapples with an impending decision to take a stand against the church. Small Things Like These is a shattering Irish tragedy but not without hope. The ending alone will make the most hopeless rise. Murphy proved again why he’s among the greatest actors of all time. Small Things Like These is a perfect film to watch during Christmas week and should inspire us all to reach out to those who need it most.


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La Cocina


A monumental work of righteous anger. 


The staff of a busy Times Square restaurant during the lunchtime rush hour are overwhelmed as dreams and desperation collide and personal and professional difficulties crash into continuous problems that gradually worsen. La Cocina is a tight hug, a plea to hold on, and a labor of love for the undocumented immigrants whose hard work keeps America afloat. Carmona, Mara, and Diaz are magnificent and full of drive. There's a powerful life force in every frame as the characters scramble to get their piece of the American Dream. As the machines overflow, glass shatters, and personal needs are unmet, the kitchen becomes a battleground for emotional survival in a country that doesn’t care enough about these soldiers. 


One of 2024’s best films and a beautiful black-and-white masterpiece for cinema screens. 


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Underdogs


Kris Mendoza’s Underdogs is a beautiful short film guaranteed to touch your heart. It follows the closure and rebuilding of the Vare Rec Center in South Philadelphia through the perspectives of a gymnastics team that was left without a place to train in 2019. Through teamwork and determination, their inner fire and Philly spirit triumph. Mendoza is a passionate voice for the Philadelphia community. I strongly encourage everyone to look up his company Maestro Filmworks which is committed to telling stories of the moment that need to be exposed.


Underdogs leave you uplifting and excited for the future… and that means a lot in times when the future scares us so much. 








thejoliechronicles. (n.d.). Pablo Larraín’s Maria starring Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas will come to cinemas across the UK January 10th. 💕. threads.net. https://www.threads.net/@thejoliechronicles/post/DABAZVfz1MH




Conclave. (n.d.). The Movie Database. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/974576-conclave


Cine Spoilers. (2024, September 2). The Order (2024) movie Trailer | Jude Law | Nicholas Hoult [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FPqUrTgwFk


The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024) ⭐ 7.6 | Crime, drama, thriller. (2024, September 18). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32178949/


Armand (2024) ⭐ 6.6 | Drama. (2024, September 27). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26745321/


Forum Cinemas - The Girl with the Needle. (n.d.). Forum Cinemas. https://www.forumcinemas.lv/eng/event/304173/title/the_girl_with_the_needle/


Harrison, A. (2024, November 5). The room next door. ScreenRant. https://screenrant.com/db/movie/the-room-next-door-2024/


A Traveler’s Needs (2024) ⭐ 6.5 | Drama. (2024, April 24). IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31015344/


La Cocina - posters, covers, wallpapers. (n.d.). ACMODASI India. https://www.acmodasi.in/amdb/movie/966238-la-cocina-2024/images#gallery-3


SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE. (n.d.). lionsgate.com. Retrieved November 5, 2024, from https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/small-things-like-these



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