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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.

A collage of stills from Weekend, shot by Ula Pontikos, with production design by Sarah Finlay. The text on the image reads, 'Weekend at 10'.

Orla Smith / October 7, 2021

The making of Weekend

Cinematographer Ula Pontikos and production designer Sarah Finlay reflect on the making of Weekend, ten years down the line.

A still from Ahed's Knee in which Y, a middle aged man, holds Yahalom's hand, a young woman in a dress, as they walk up a hill. The text on the images reads, 'TIFF Review'.

Orla Smith / September 24, 2021

Ahed’s Knee review: A filmmaker fights personal and political battles

Nadav Lapid’s Ahed’s Knee, which just screened at TIFF, chronicles a filmmaker’s rage against both government censorship and the impending death of his mother.

A still from The Gravedigger's Wife behind a headshot of director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed. The text on the image reads, 'TIFF interview'.

Orla Smith / September 18, 2021

‘We are a nation of stories and poems’: Khadar Ayderus Ahmed on The Gravedigger’s Wife

Writer-director Khadar Ayderus Ahmed discusses making his feature debut, The Gravedigger’s Wife, a love story set in Djibouti City.

A still from Ali & Ava, in which a couple stands against a stormy sky, smiling together. The text on the image reads, 'TIFF Review'.

Orla Smith / September 17, 2021

Ali & Ava review: Clio Barnard crafts a lovely Bradford-set romance

Clio Barnard’s Ali & Ava stars Adeel Akhtar and Claire Rushbrook as two kindhearted people with complicated pasts falling in love.

A still from Huda's Salon, in which a woman clasps her baby to her chest and holds out a knife, hiding in anticipation of attack. The text on the image reads, 'TIFF Review'.

Orla Smith / September 16, 2021

TIFF Review: Huda’s Salon is a gripping thriller set in Occupied Palestine

Hany Abu-Assad directs Huda’s Salon, a thriller that posits: “It’s easier to occupy a society that is already repressing itself.”

A still from The Hill Where Lionesses Roar, in which the three girls faces each other and scream into the sky. The text on the images reads, 'TIFF Review'.

Orla Smith / September 14, 2021

The Hill Where Lionesses Roar is a smart, heartfelt debut from Luàna Bajrami

Portrait of a Lady on Fire actress Luàna Bajrami makes a wonderful directorial debut with The Hill Where Lionesses Roar, a coming-of-age tale set in Kosovo.

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