11th edition CIFF – 9-13 April 2025

Hard Truths

United Kingdom, Spain | 2024 | 97 min | English | d.s.

A deeply sober, compassionate drama about an Afro-Caribbean family with flashes of fun and happiness. Pansy (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) is a middle-aged woman living in a spotless, soulless suburban house in the endgame of depression. She berates her husband, her son, her doctor, her dentist, and so on. Her sister Chantelle (Michele Austin) is a salon hairdresser and single mom, much beloved by her clients for her wisdom and gentleness. Chantelle’s relationship with her daughters is filled with happiness and laughter. So why these differences?

”Why can’t you be happy?” Chantelle pleads. Pansy’s desperate answer: “I don’t know”. A visit to their mother’s grave on Mother’s Day brings us a bit closer to the truth. Their mother appeared to get along with Chantelle, while Pansy looked after her more in her latter years.

This is a return to Leigh’s classic style; a tragicomic study of human strengths and weaknesses.

Place: The Cinemas 

Date: April 10

Time: 19:45

Duration:97 min

Place: The Cinemas

Date: April 12

Time: 22:45

Duration:97 min

Year in
Festival

2025

Director

Mike Leigh

Country

United Kingdom, Spain

Language

English

Length

97

Year of Production

2024