When a young boy decides to bully the new deaf girl in class she transfers elementary schools and the rest of the class turns on him. Years later, this same young man is determined to find the girl he bullied and make amends for the terrible things he has done. (RMM: 4/5)
Author: Roza Melkumyan
As a member of the FF2 Media team, Roza writes features and reviews and coaches other associates and interns. She joined the team as an intern herself during her third year of study at New York University. There she individualized her major and studied narrative through a cultural lens and in the mediums of literature, theatre, and film. At school, Roza studied abroad in Florence and London, worked as a Resident Assistant, and workshopped a play she wrote and co-directed. Since graduating, she spent six months in Spain teaching English and practicing her Spanish. Most recently, she spent a year in Armenia teaching university English as a Fulbright scholar. Her love of film has only grown over the years, and she is dedicated to providing the space necessary for female filmmakers to prosper.
THE DEPARTURE (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
In her documentary, director and writer Lana Wilson quietly captures the pain and profundity in the struggle between life and death via an unconventional Buddhist priest. (RMM: 4/5)
STOPPING TRAFFIC (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Director Sadhvi Siddhali Shree finds a common thread among child exploitation, pornography, and the uses of social media in this hard-hitting documentary and urges the viewer to join the battle against sex-trafficking. (RMM: 4/5)
LOVING VINCENT (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Directors Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman explore the life, and mysterious death, of post-impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh in LOVING VINCENT. A unique work of art and an homage to the late painter’s singular, revolutionary style. (RMM: 4/5)
SCHOOL LIFE (2016): Review by Rosa Melkumyan
Co-directors Neasa Ní Chianáin and David Rane capture the true essence of school life in this joyful and humorous documentary. (RMM: 4/5)
VICEROY’S HOUSE (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Director and screenwriter Gurinder Chadha reimagines the term of the last Viceroy of British India who is hired in hopes of a smooth transferal of power from the British government to the Indian people. (RMM: 3.5/5)
IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD (2016): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Based on Fumiyo Kono’s critically acclaimed manga of the same name, writer Chie Uratani and director Sunao Katabuchi bring In This Corner of the World (Kono sekai no katasumi ni) to the screen with breathtaking animation and a compelling story of one family’s resilience. (RMM: 4.5/5)
STEP (2017): Review By Roza Melkumyan
At the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women (BLSYW), low-income students of color work toward a better future. A celebration of life and dance in the face of adversity, director Amanda Lipitz’s documentary chronicles BLSYW’s inaugural class’s senior year as they perfect their step dance routines while applying for universities. (RMM: 4/5) Review by FF2… Continue reading STEP (2017): Review By Roza Melkumyan
FROM THE LAND OF THE MOON (2016): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Based on Milena Agus’s novel of the same name, From the Land of the Moon (Mal de pierres) tells the story of a passionate woman’s decades-long search for happiness, and the deep sorrow she endures along the way. Languidly paced, save for moments of intense passion, writer and director Nicole Garcia’s period film shines with… Continue reading FROM THE LAND OF THE MOON (2016): Review by Roza Melkumyan
LANDLINE (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Director and co-writer Gillian Robespierre takes us back to 1995 with this snapshot of a family during the time of floppy disks and landline telephones. In this comedy, relationships are jeopardized when “Ali” (Abby Quinn) discovers that her father is having an affair, while “Dana” (Jenny Slate), Ali’s older sister, grows bored with her tame… Continue reading LANDLINE (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
THE WRONG LIGHT (2016): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Directors Josie Swantek Heitz’s and Dave Adams’ documentary The Wrong Light takes place in Thailand, where the business of human trafficking is prevalent. The film begins by diving into the personal story of activist Mickey Choothesa, focusing on his work rescuing young girls from brothels and bringing them to the Children’s Organization of Southeast Asia… Continue reading THE WRONG LIGHT (2016): Review by Roza Melkumyan
INCONCEIVABLE (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
Written by Chloe King and directed by Jonathan Baker, Inconceivable weaves a thrilling tale of mystery in which characters act on suspicion and skirt the edge of insanity. “Katie” (Nicky Whelan) is a single mother who has recently escaped an abusive relationship. When she meets another mother, “Angela” (Gina Gershon), the two become fast friends,… Continue reading INCONCEIVABLE (2017): Review by Roza Melkumyan
PLAY YOUR GENDER (2016): Review by Roza Melkumyan
In the documentary Play Your Gender, Kinnie Starr takes her camera crew along with her as she explores both blatant and ingrained sexism in the music industry. Director and writer Stephanie Clattenburg and writer Sahar Yousefi offer a space in which women and men alike can discuss these issues and their implications for young girls trying to make it in the industry. (RMM: 4.5/5)