João Paulo Simões

Filmreel’s preview of 2015 is unashamedly mainstream-flavoured, some will be relieved to hear. Others will find this to be in direct…

The landscape of Film remains sketchy and it's entirely our fault. Dotted with the odd landmark that a few individuals managed to leave…

There’s one thing someone should’ve said to Lars Von Trier, and not just before he made his latest film, Nymphomaniac. This should’ve been…

One way of looking at 2014 is to acknowledge it as yet another year of ongoing transition in film. This process occurs in direct parallel…

The exodus began with the freest of them all. Those who can genuinely escape themselves via their craft and ability to convince through…

The facts after-the-fact: International and UK delegate attendance at the 20th edition of Sheffield Doc/Fest rose by 18%, breaking all…

Doc/Fest is upon us once more, and this year is set to be one of the most remarkable in the history of this conglomeration of distant…

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Previously on Filmreel: The unacknowledged need to set boundaries and parameters for the artistic expression of others was placed under my…

The stretch limo appears to glide as it roams through crowded avenues. Something which is emphasised by the best stylised rear and side…

To be perfectly honest, documentaries are still a source of discomfort to me - a sort of lifelong ambivalence which remains practically…

In my filmmaking practice, I always have a lot more questions than I have answers - something I regard as a positive trait. This is not to…

This month's Filmreel addresses, once more, a rather subjective concept. It took me some time to 'sell the theme' to our very open-minded…

This is where I stand on the subject of censorship: every single aspect of the human condition - no matter how dark, difficult or…

The second stage of structuring the narrative of a film is to build upon and around the psychological foundations of each scene. I realise…

No art form has associated itself more with the notion of entertainment than film. Tragic, isn't it? But let's not worry about the…

The reassuring view from above - which introduces the island as an orderly, quaint paradise - gives way to the helicopter descent to the…

...And here's the second round of our insider's view of the art of film editing. Having delivered the image article in the last issue, we…

This month's Filmreel focuses on the art of film editing. Entire books have been successfully (and comprehensively) written about the…

With considerable regret, I was only able to attend a handful of screenings at this year's Sheffield Doc/Fest. Nevertheless, I would like…