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Author: TFBS

Review: The Penguin Lessons (2024)

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Steve Coogan stars in this tale of how a rescued penguin helped to transform the lives of students […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Analysis: Shaping History into a Screen Narrative – A Complete Unknown (2024)

The recent Bob Dylan biopic provides a good example of how you can shape historical events into a […]

AnalysisArticles & AnalysisCraftScreenwriting focus

Five to watch: Real-life historical figures in fictional narratives

The addition of a real-life historical figure can elevate a fictional narrative, whatever the genre. So, here, we […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmFive to WatchLists

Review: A Complete Unknown (2024)

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The early career of Bob Dylan is the subject of this impressive biopic, which departs from the traditional […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: September 5 (2024)

A sports broadcasting unit sent to Munich to cover the 1972 Olympic Games must pivot to live news […]

FilmReviews

Review: Saturday Night (2024)

Saturday Night takes us back to October 1975 and the 90 frenetic minutes leading up to the first […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

New to the site? Start here…

Here’s a brief summary of our content to help you to get the most from your time here… […]

Welcome

Discover: Vietnam War Films

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Our series on key names, genres, and movements to know about in fact-based film and television moves on […]

Articles & AnalysisDiscoverFilm

Analysis: Bringing the Past into the Present

One of the challenges of writing the historical film is that the story is… well historical. This raises […]

AnalysisArticles & AnalysisCraftScreenwriting focus

Review: The Bikeriders (2023)

Jeff Nichols’ visceral crime drama benefits from some strong performances but takes us on an emotionally unsatisfying ride […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Analysis: Fact vs. Fiction – One Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019)

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While its main narrative is fictional, Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 feature blends fiction with fact to entertaining and somewhat […]

AnalysisArticles & AnalysisFilm

Five to Watch: Contentious Real-Life Portrayals

To tie-in with the recent controversies surrounding The Apprentice (2024), we take a look at some other fact-based […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmFive to WatchLists

Review: Scoop (2024)

An ambitious TV news booker attempts to secure an interview for BBC’s Newsnight show with Prince Andrew to […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Analysis: Establishing Historical Context – BlackBerry (2023)

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When it comes to a fact-based film, placing the narrative into its historical context is as important as […]

AnalysisArticles & AnalysisCraftScreenwriting focus

Five to Watch: Quirky Fact-Based Films

To mark the release of the zany Unfrosted (2024) here’s a quick run-down of a few films which […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmFive to WatchLists

Review: Unfrosted (2024)

The real-life rivalry between two leading cereal-makers in the 1960s leads to a poptastic breakfast creation in this […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Discover: Ryan Murphy’s Fact-Based TV Dramas

Our series on key names, genres, and movements to know about in fact-based film and television moves on […]

Articles & AnalysisDiscoverTV Focus

Five to Watch: Fact-Based Films With Disputed Facts

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If you plan to tell a screen story inspired by real-life events, the facts of which are in […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmFive to WatchLists

Analysis: Ford v Ferrari (2019) and the Power of ‘Action’ Words

The screenplay for the James Mangold-directed racing film Ford v Ferrari (aka Le Mans ’66) is a great […]

AnalysisArticles & AnalysisCraftFilmScreenwriting focus

Review: Shirley (2024)

In 1972, Brooklyn schoolteacher turned Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm becomes the first black woman to run for president in […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Discover: Italian Neorealism

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Our series on key names, genres, and movements to know about in fact-based film and television moves on offer […]

Articles & AnalysisDiscoverFilm

Review: The Iron Claw (2023)

A “cursed” family of well-known wrestlers is the subject of this biographical drama, which, while largely impressive, suffers […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Review: Maestro (2023)

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The life and marriage of renowned composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein is the subject of this stylised “biopic”, […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Five to Watch: Fact-Based Films About Composers

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To mark the recent release of Bradley Cooper’s Maestro (2023), which focuses on the life of Leonard Bernstein, […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmFive to WatchLists

Review: Nyad (2023)

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Mother Nature is the foe in this inspiring sports biopic, in which retired open water swimmer Diana Nyad […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmReviews

Analysis: Dramatic Conflict vs. The Facts – The Lost King (2022)

Even before its release, this fictionalised account of the real-life discovery of Richard III’s remains under a car […]

AnalysisArticles & AnalysisCraftFilm

Five to Watch: Fact-Based Films Featuring Richard Nixon

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In office from 1969 to 1974, US President Richard Nixon has been portrayed in various films and documentaries, […]

Articles & AnalysisFilmFive to WatchLists
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