By Ryan Keating-Lambert

Now in its second year, Weird Europe in Bio OKO is dedicated to the twisted and deranged films at the centre of Europe’s artistic heart. Presented by Film Europe, the festival boasts fresh titles that’ll strike a chord deep within your tortured soul, as well as accompanying introductions and talks, and stunning poster exhibition ‘The Animal Within Us’ by Tomáš Motal.

 

Check out our English friendly recommendations below:

Raw (2016)

Headlining the festival this year is the French body horror Raw – a coming of age story of a young vegetarian girl who develops a taste for human flesh during her first year of veterinary school. It’s delicious, nutritious, and directed by controversial French director Julie Ducournau. Since its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Raw has developed a reputation for making viewers vomit, and even faint at its screenings. Bring your sick bag!

Screenings:

Wednesday – 05/04 – 20:30 – Bio OKO

Friday – 07/04 – 20:30 – Bio OKO

 

Safari (2016)

Austrian documentary filmmaker Ulrich Seidl (Dog Days, Paradise: Love) is known for tackling taboo subjects with an acute sense for detail and cinematography. Safari takes on the ongoing issue of tourists and animal trophy hunting in Africa. Art meets realism.

Screenings:

Thursday – 06/04 – 20:30 – Bio OKO

Saturday – 08/04 – 20:00 – Bio OKO (+ debate)

 

Staying Vertical (2016)

An unconventional and unique approach to the ‘dramedy’ sub-genre by French director Alain Guiraudie (Stranger by the Lake). Staying Vertical sees a writer seeking inspiration for a new screenplay while raising a child in rural France. It’s sexual body horror meets curiosity. Dubbed as the most shocking ‘holy shit’ movie at Cannes last year by Vanity Fair, I’d go see this one.

Screenings:

Friday – 07/04 – 22:30 – Bio OKO

 

Glory (2016)

Written and directed by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, Glory sees a railway worker in Bulgaria becomes entangled in a messy scandal involving huge amounts of money and the Department of Transport. It’s the second film in the directors’ newspaper-clippings trilogy. A relevant perspective on the class divide and corruption in Bulgaria.

Screenings:

Saturday – 08/04 – 18:00 – Bio OKO

 

Nocturama (2016)

A nightmarish look into a night of youth and terrorism on the streets of Paris by director Bertrand Bonello (House of Tolerance). An ambiguous and alluring tale of atypical terrorists from various social backgrounds that was critically acclaimed and awarded on the festival circuit last year.

Screenings:

Sunday – 09/04 – 22:30 – Bio OKO

All recommended films have English subtitles. For tickets and other information, check out the event on Facebook.

Photo: Midnight Pulp