I spent the evening at the cinema, dragging keikofun with me. We went to see two films as part of the Wales One World film festival at the Arts Centre.

The first film was Tsotsi, a South African film set in a township. A young thug ends up caring for a baby. It's by the numbers, but it is my belief that as long as you do it well, you can do something plain and get away with it. It is really high up in my books: the direction and cinematography are fantastic, the actors too seem very much well-suited to the roles... there is nothing amateur about it. Seriously, probably the best film I've seen in a long time.

The second film is the follow-up to the Mongolian movie, The Story of the Weeping Camel. I spent a lot of last year trying to see that film and failing every time. Luckily, The Cave of the Yellow Dog is not a follow-on, only the graduate 'thesis' of the director, shooting at home but studying in Germany. It's a touching tale about life in the steppes which will appeal universally. The vistas are gorgeous, the characters very much real (they are a real family of nomads, only the story is fictional... I gather). The story is simplistic, but the documentary style is the real draw. Another great movie you should see.

Those of you in Aber can check these out today (Saturday 11th), but after that you've missed your chance.

On Sunday I'll see a Chinese film set in Tibet... watch this space.