New York Film Festival Week Two: Bruno Dumont's 'Red Rocks' and Other Standouts

The New York Film Festival's second week showcased films in its Currents section, including Bruno Dumont's 'Red Rocks,' a high-tension melodrama set on the French Riviera featuring children aged five to seven. The film, which premiered at Cannes in May, follows two groups of idle youths who clash when a girl and boy from opposing groups become romantically involved. Dumont, known for his work with children in films like 'Li'l Quinquin' and 'Jeannette,' directed the film as a guerrilla shoot without permits, using handheld cameras. Other notable films included Valeska Grisebach's 'The Dreamed Adventure,' a modern-day film noir set in Bulgaria near the Greek and Turkish borders, and Hong Sangsoo's 'Nowhere to Lay My Eyes' and 'The Day She Returns,' both about filmmaking. Ira Sachs's 'The Man I Love,' set in late-1980s New York, stars Rami Malek as a performance artist with H.I.V. Dan Sallitt's 'What Can't Be Mentioned' is a sequel to his 2012 film 'The Unspeakable Act,' exploring therapy and relationships. The festival continues to present a mix of world premieres and films from other festivals, with its Main Slate, Spotlight, Currents, and Revivals sections serving as an unofficial guide to world cinema.