Nobody Has to Know

Saw this at a film society in Oz. This is in an expertly done romance set in a severe but beautiful coastal landscape of a northern Scotland isle. The male and female leads, Bouli Lanners and Michelle Fairley both are listed as directors and Bouli also for screenplay. Dialogue is as sparse as the trees on the hills, but pleasantly sufficient. The characters and views reminded me a little of Babettes 'feasters', the stark cold scenery and dour people of a hard, high number, latitude.

Phil from Belgium is living and working on the island. After he suffers a minor stroke that causes amnesia, Millie falsely tells him he was previously in a relationship with her. As the story unfolds you feel the frustration of constricted feelings and too the warmth of their torturous release. A nice film, it makes me realize why I go to 'art movies'.

Near the start of this film, we hear a weather forecast on the car radio advising sunny spells are imminent. Well they didn't come, nor are there really any other sunny moments in this story. Set on the rather dark, bleak and wintry Isle of Lewis, we meet "Phil" (auteur Bouli Landers) who works as a general factotum with "Brian" (Andrew Still) who is the grandson of the smallholding owner "Angus" (Julian Glover). The two workers bond well enough during their largely outdoor, and muddy, endeavours and also over a pint afterwards where the former man discovers that the young man's aunt "Millie" (Michelle Fairley) is looked upon rather disdainfully by others in their small community. It's only when "Phil" suffers a stroke on the beach, that this lady comes forward to help his recuperation, and in the process tells quite a big "white" lie that sets the scene for the rest of this drama. It's a very slow burn with, frankly, a very thin plot but the acting is quite genuine and the island environment and tightly knit family scenario does add a bit of richness to the increasingly predicable outcome. I've seen Fairley on stage a few times and she is a good actress at delivering the less is more style, but here there are just too many lingering shots, driving to and fro, having a cigarette meaningfully - without really developing the characters enough, nor really explaining while the originally Belgian visitor is there in the first place. It's nicely shot, but just rather unremarkable.

This was my favourite film of 2021 and I have been waiting for it to be released in North America. I saw it at the Toronto international film Festival and was so deeply moved by all of the characters and the situation. The film was shot entirely in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland and that sense of isolation, mixed with the longing for community and belonging to someone, permeates this story of a man whose temporary amnesia allows an opportunity for a love to be fulfilled that was always lying dormant. Bouli Lanners (starring and directing) and Michelle Fairley bring a gentle quiet depth to these performances that won them the Best Actor and Best Actress of the Chicago International Film Festival. This is a film about forgetting what you knew, in order to discover what you've always known deep down. Enjoy!

Saw this tonight , featured as a sneakprewiev at Gothenburg Filmfestival. It blew me away from the beginning with its low-key tone and exceptional acting. The beautiful and dramatic landscape of Scotland makes a perfect setting for this unique and highly moving love story. Bouli Lanners, director, writer and actor is such a great talent and his counterpart Michelle Fairley is also amazing. Blessed to find this gem.

One of my new favourits! Every picture and every piece of dialogue adds to either deeper understanding or drives the story forward. Wonderful actors, good script, beautiful photography and editing makes this one of my favourite movies of all time. In our local filmstudio 460 spectators gave the film an average 4.3 point out of 5.

I'm looking forward for more films from this excellent director.

The following is just to reach the number of required characters. The required 600 is to much!

I can write my meaning in far less than that.but here it is: 46 to go. Xxxxxxxxc niw it's just 10 left so thankyou for the fish.