Firstly I had received an email with instructions and directions for the day. But this didn’t arrive ’til five hours before the event. Not only that, but the directions instructed us to bring warm clothes. Where were they taking us?! Would we be watching a film in a wind tunnel?
Review by Lisa Williams

While the cast of Cannes winner 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days is uniformly talented, Anamaria Marinca is utterly compelling in the role of Otilia, the young woman who takes on the burden of arranging the undignified, distressing back-street abortion for her friend Gabita. She tells us why it was so important for her to make this film.
Interview by Sarah Cronin

The expansion of ‘artists’ film’ has lead the Independent Cinema Office to put together a programme that re-assesses the influence of avant-garde, artistic cinema on the wider visual culture. ‘ICO Essentials: The Secret Masterpieces of Cinema’ will be shown at a special preview weekend at Tate Modern in London from 18-21 January before opening across the UK from Friday 25 January. We talked to George Clark, one of the curators, about the selection of films and the objectives of the project.
Interview by Virginie Sélavy