Sun. Sep 19th, 2021

Mina Takla

Mina Takla is a foreign correspondent for AwardsWatch and the co-founder of The Syndicate, an online news agency that offers original content services to several film brands including Empire Magazine’s Middle East edition and the Dubai Film Festival. Takla has attended, covered and written for multiple film festivals online including the Dubai International Film Festival, Abu Dhabi Film Festival, Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Annecy Film Festivals. He has been following the Oscar race since 2000 with accurate, office-pool winning predictions year after year. He writes monthly in Empire Arabia, the Arabic version of the world’s top cinema magazine and conducts press junkets with Hollywood stars in the UK and the US. He holds a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing from Australia’s Wollongong University and is currently based in Dubai, UAE.
7 PRISIONEIROS. CHRISTIAN MALHEIROS as MATEUS, in 7 PRISIONEIROS movie. Cr. ALINE ARRUDA/NETFLIX © 2021 TIFF Review: Alexandre Moratto’s ‘7 Prisoners’ is a compelling and harrowing look at modern-day slave trade [Grade: B+]

TIFF Review: Alexandre Moratto’s ‘7 Prisoners’ is a compelling and harrowing look at modern-day slave trade [Grade: B+]

Mina Takla September 16, 2021
Brazilian filmmaker Alexandre Moratto creates a highly effective, if uneven, picture on the devastating working conditions in his homeland, capturing both the dreams crushed by... Read More
spencer_01 TIFF Review: Pablo Larraín’s ‘Spencer’ is a riveting tale of isolation and loneliness with a stellar performance by Kristen Stewart [Grade: A]

TIFF Review: Pablo Larraín’s ‘Spencer’ is a riveting tale of isolation and loneliness with a stellar performance by Kristen Stewart [Grade: A]

Mina Takla September 16, 2021
One of the best films of the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, Pablo Larraín’s Spencer is a perfect example of how imagined fables within the... Read More
farha_still_01 TIFF Review: Dareen Sallam’s debut feature ‘Farha’ is an effective socio-political thriller of the horrors of displacement in the Middle East [Grade: B]

TIFF Review: Dareen Sallam’s debut feature ‘Farha’ is an effective socio-political thriller of the horrors of displacement in the Middle East [Grade: B]

Mina Takla September 16, 2021
Despite glaring pacing issues, Dareen Sallam’s debut feature, Farha, manages to leave a strong impression. After a clunky first 30 minutes, the film finds its... Read More
focus-features_belfast_kenneth-branagh_caitriona-balfe_jamie-dornan_ciaran-hinds_judi-dench_unit-5 TIFF Review: Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Belfast’ masterfully captures the joys and agony of what truly makes a home [Grade: A-]

TIFF Review: Kenneth Branagh’s ‘Belfast’ masterfully captures the joys and agony of what truly makes a home [Grade: A-]

Mina Takla September 15, 2021
Undoubtedly his most personal film to date, Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast is a quietly moving and universally resonating film about the roots that connect us, the... Read More
the_eyes_of_tammy_faye_still_02 TIFF Review: Michael Showalter’s ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ is a fascinating character study led by a career-best performance from Jessica Chastain [Grade: A-]

TIFF Review: Michael Showalter’s ‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ is a fascinating character study led by a career-best performance from Jessica Chastain [Grade: A-]

Mina Takla September 13, 2021
A wonderful showcase for the incredible talent of Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye looks at opportunism and exploitation in the flashy, and often... Read More
ahed-s_knee_01 TIFF Review: Nadav Lapid’s bold ‘Ahed’s Knee’ delivers scathing political critique and a piercing look at decaying humanity [Grade: A-]

TIFF Review: Nadav Lapid’s bold ‘Ahed’s Knee’ delivers scathing political critique and a piercing look at decaying humanity [Grade: A-]

Mina Takla September 13, 2021
One of the year’s most striking films, marked by daring originality and a singular directorial vision, Ahed’s Knee is unlike any other film you’ll see... Read More
the_guilty_01 TIFF Review: Antoine Fuqua’s ‘The Guilty’ remake delivers a superb performance from Jake Gyllenhaal but the film remains in the shadow of the original [Grade: B]

TIFF Review: Antoine Fuqua’s ‘The Guilty’ remake delivers a superb performance from Jake Gyllenhaal but the film remains in the shadow of the original [Grade: B]

Mina Takla September 12, 2021
A remake of the Oscar-shortlisted Danish film of the same name, The Guilty attempts to recreate the original’s sense of suspense and dread and partly... Read More
Compartment_No6_by_Juho_Kuosmanen_©2021_Sami_Kuokkanen_Aamu_Film_Company._PHOTO1 TIFF Review: Juho Kuosmanen’s ‘Compartment No. 6’ is a touching film on the essentialness of human connection [Grade: B+]

TIFF Review: Juho Kuosmanen’s ‘Compartment No. 6’ is a touching film on the essentialness of human connection [Grade: B+]

Mina Takla September 12, 2021
Quietly ruminating on what brings us together as humans, especially our need to connect as we navigate the harshness, and likely loneliness, of being alive.... Read More
lingui_the_sacred_bonds_still_01 TIFF Review: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s abortion drama ‘Lingui, the Sacred Bonds’ is a celebration of the resilience of Chadian women [Grade: B]

TIFF Review: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s abortion drama ‘Lingui, the Sacred Bonds’ is a celebration of the resilience of Chadian women [Grade: B]

Mina Takla September 12, 2021
An interesting exploration of what it’s like to be a woman in modern-day Chad, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s latest and much anticipated film, Lingui, The Sacred Bond,... Read More
last_night_in_soho_still_01 TIFF Review: Edgar Wright’s ‘Last Night in Soho’ is a clever blend of nostalgia and thrills with a dazzling performance by Anya Taylor-Joy [Grade: B+]

TIFF Review: Edgar Wright’s ‘Last Night in Soho’ is a clever blend of nostalgia and thrills with a dazzling performance by Anya Taylor-Joy [Grade: B+]

Mina Takla September 11, 2021
A commercial horror flick rather than an attempt to address deeper issues, Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho is an enjoyable, immersive experience with bits... Read More
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