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Articles by Orla Smith

Orla Smith is the former Executive Editor of Seventh Row, a regular contributor at The Film Stage, and a freelance writer with bylines at JumpCut Online, Cinema Year Zero, and Girls on Tops. In her free time she makes movies.

Armie Hammer, Call Me by Your Name, Luca Guadagnino, Timothée Chalamet

Orla Smith / December 16, 2017

Armie Hammer is more than an object of desire in Call Me by Your Name

In Call Me by Your Name, Armie Hammer’s performance as Oliver weaponizes his star persona, allowing us to misread his character in the same way that Elio does. This is the sixth piece in our Special Issue on Call Me by Your Name. Read the rest of the issue here.

Summer 1993, Laia Artigas, Carla Simón

Orla Smith / November 9, 2017

Summer 1993 captures how children process grief

Carla Simón’s outstanding debut feature, Summer 1993, chosen as Spain’s 2018 Foreign Language Oscar submission, explores the contradictory ways in which six-year-old Frida processes the deaths of her parents.

Ava blind, Léa Mysius, Noée Abita

Orla Smith / October 12, 2017

Review: Ava uses the onset of blindness as a coming-of-age metaphor

Director Léa Mysius makes an impressive debut with Ava, which respectfully and unblinkingly grants Ava’s wish to be seen before she goes blind.

Julia Ducournau Raw

Orla Smith / August 8, 2017

Sisterhood is the saviour in Julia Ducournau’s humanist Raw

In this essay, Orla Smith explores how Raw is as much about the experiences of her sister, Alex (Ella Rumpf), and their relationship — which saves Justine.

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