By Roger Costa
ANEMONE
It is probably the best movies news of the year: the king of acting is back. Three-time Oscar winner Daniel Day-Lewis came out of retirement for this personal project co-written with his son, Ronan, who is making his directorial debut. Intense and full of symbolism, Ronan Day-Lewis announces himself as an authentic and stylish, very perceptive young filmmaker.
Tackling trauma, guilt and spiritual redemption through manhood, fathers, sons and brothers, the narrative patiently observes the complex relationship between two estranged brothers (Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean Bean), the secrets of a dark past they share and how they struggle to reach forgiveness. Anchored by strong performances, it’s a mysterious slow-burn and a very confident directorial debut.
PILLION
Prepare for the hottest queer love story ever told. Prepare to be humiliated, abused, ultimately seduced and you’ll love it. Harry Melling is among this year’s best performers as Colin, a very shy local club singer who suddenly meets a leathered-hunky biker and they develop a kinky, crazy, submissive, extremely unconventional romance. Alexander Skarsgård gives his most courageous and outrageous performance yet, proving he’s not afraid of new experiences.
Therefore, he leaves here an impressive mark, reaching new heights in his acting skills. Both actors are superb, blending elements of drama, absurdism and comedy. Melling deeply embodies the relatable sense of gay loneliness and hopelessness, creating an affecting and very human character: as he navigates a sadomasochistic romance and the uncertainties of it, the audience immediately falls for him. It’s one of those memorable, once in a lifetime characters one can never forget. Winner of the Screenplay Prize at Cannes’ Un Certain Regard, director Harry Lighton, making his feature debut, delivers a witty, controversial, funny and deeply emotional instant queer classic.
GAVAGAI
Writer-director Ulrich Köhler’s sophisticated and empathic drama explores racial conflicts as two actors develop a strong bond while shooting a reimagining adaptation of Medea in Senegal.
Brilliantly structured as a film within a film, sharp and delicate at same measures, the director delivers a simple yet urgent gem about the intense relationships that emerge from behind a film production and how they endure or dissolve within time. Maren Eggert is fascinating as the in-crisis actress while Jean-Christophe Folly is outstanding as the actor who experiences racism during a film festival in Berlin. His performance is tremendously brave and sensitive, one of this year’s best for sure.
ROSE OF NEVADA
A mind-bending folk tale about fishermen ghosts and the connection between nature and men, Cornish filmmaker Mark Jenkin’s mysterious blend of drama and horror invites the audience for a labyrinthic experience punctuated by exuberantly tricky 16mm imagery and unexpected twists.
Two of this generation’s greatest performers, George MacKay and Caleem Turner play two locals in search of work, when the reappearance of a missing boat gives them a chance to thrive or to succumb along with the ghosts from the past. Seductively shot and intriguing, the result is a chilling and haunting survival tale.
(The New York Film Festival 2025 runs through Monday, October 13 at Film at Lincoln Center, 65th Street and Broadway, Subway number 1. Go to www.filmlinc.org for details and available tickets).
Comments