Well, here we go again! Another year has arrived and this January Rialto Channel has another superb lineup of films ready to go, including a series of political documentaries profiling an eclectic collection of politicians such as Pras Michel of the Fugees, and American Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. Series 2 of the haunting French television series The Returned continues, and Rialto Selection premieres some stunning feature films such as Escobar: Paradise Lost staring Benicio Del Toro, and Lullaby staring Richard Jenkins and Amy Adams. Don’t forget the Rialto Channel Film Star Face Off continues, this month featuring Julianne Moore vs. Tilda Swinton. 

Here are a few of my highlights for the week: 

Well, here we go again! Another year has arrived and this January Rialto Channel has another superb lineup of films ready to go, including a series of political documentaries profiling an eclectic collection of politicians such as Pras Michel of the Fugees, and American Ambassador Richard Holbrooke. Series 2 of the haunting French television series The Returned continues, and Rialto Selection premieres some stunning feature films such as Escobar: Paradise Lost staring Benicio Del Toro, and Lullaby staring Richard Jenkins and Amy Adams. Don’t forget the Rialto Channel Film Star Face Off continues, this month featuring Julianne Moore vs. Tilda Swinton. 

Here are a few of my highlights for the week: 

The Diplomat … Thursday 14^th January, 8.30pm

This 2015 documentary tells the story of American diplomat Richard Holbrooke; the legend of diplomacy who served Democratic presidents from JFK to Clinton to Obama, and who pulled off the near-impossible—persuading Slobodan Milosevic and his enemies in the Balkans to undertaking a cease fire bringing peace to the region. Holbrooke is also known for his work as assistant secretary of state for Asia and Europe, ambassador to Germany, his role as U.S. ambassador to the U.N and more recently as Obama's special envoy on Afghanistan and Pakistan, all of which are covered here thanks to interviews with colleagues, friends and the media. Madeleine Albright, Christiane Amanpour, Bill and Hillary Clinton are just a few of the people interviewed in this film, but what gives it a special touch is this film is directed by the deceased subject’s son, David Holbrooke. A filmmaker who also runs a film festival, Telluride Mountainfilm, David decided to produce this film in order to understand his late father "better in death than I ever knew him in life." As much a story about family, and relationships between fathers and sons as a look at modern day diplomacy, The Diplomat is an intimate and thoughtful look at one of the boldest diplomats of our time.

I Am Love … Friday 15^th January from 8.30pm

If there was ever a film that made you feel completely unsophisticated, it has to be I Am Love, a family drama from Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino. Staring Tilda Swinton, in her third collaboration with Guadagnino, I Am Love is a smart, intelligent and highly stylized film about Italy's wealthy and patrician classes, and their place in society today. The story is told through Swinton’s character Emma, a beautiful Russian woman who becomes part of one of Milan’s wealthy elite when she marries Tancredi Recchi (Pippo Delbono); heir apparent to a profitable textile empire. A sensual, exquisitely art directed and costumed film, I Am Love explores the many different aspects of love; marital, parental and illicit. Inspiration for the film came from Swinton and Guadagnino’s 2002 film The Love Factory, and the two collaborated closely on I Am Love with Swinton producing as well as staring. This Oscar nominated film is part of the Rialto Channel Film Star Face Off, an excellent series that pits Julianne Moore against Tilda Swinton every Friday night. Over the coming weeks, catch The Kids are All Right, Stephanie Daley, We Need to Talk About Kevin and What Maise Knew – Friday nights have never been so good.

Half a Yellow Sun … Saturday 16^th January, 8.30pm

In his debut feature film, novelist and playwright turned director Biyi Bandele tackles Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's award-winning novel Half a Yellow Sun, an ambitious, melodramatic film about the lives of twin sisters in Nigeria during the 1960s’ civil war. It’s a story filled with life changing political events, personal dramas and tragedies. They’re events that could be translated into film in a grand, epic manner, or in a more intimate and gritty style. Bandele’s interpretation is somewhat stuck in the middle. Those who have read the book will feels as if the key moments are being frantically ticked off a list. Regardless, Half A Yellow Sun tells a fascinating story, cleverly uses archive news footage to explain the political situation and is filled with impressive performances from Thandie Newton and Anika Noni Rose. The two play twins Olanna and Kainene, who return to their privileged life in newly independent Nigeria after being educated in England. Academic Olanna heads to the north of the country to be with her ‘revolutionary professor’ and boyfriend Odenigbo (Chiwetel Ejiofor) while Kainene enters the family business and falls for Richard (Joseph Mawle), an English writer. The film was shot on a soundstage in Calabar southeastern Nigeria, and in Creek Town, and according to Bandele, was apocalyptic. The shot only lasted 33 days but during that time much of the cast and crew contracted typhoid or malaria, and Bandele was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. However, Bandele enjoyed his foray into the film industry, proud to be an African filmmaker directing strong African characters. As he told one reporter, “Tell me one single movie made in the US or in Europe that’s about Africans and not about victims and not about