Blood Orange

Intrigued by the mix of passion and pragmatism that keeps age-gap couples together, veteran promo director Toby Tobias puts the relationship between reclusive rocker Bill (Iggy Pop) and trophy wife Isabelle (Kacey Barnfield) at the centre of his debut feature. However, the couple's Spanish hideaway is soon infiltrated by her ex-lover/stepson Lucas (Ben Lamb), who's bent on reclaiming the fortune bequeathed to Isabelle by his late father. Simmeringly shot under a scorching sun by Mark Patten, this slow-burning thriller bears traces of Jonathan Glazer's Sexy Beast (2000) and Jacques Deray's The Swimming Pool (1968). But it also feels like a paella western, with Iggy growling out his lines like a patrón whose ranch is under threat from a rugged vaquero who drifts in from the scrubland. The "Godfather of Punk" may not be particularly expressive, but he has presence and the film suffers during his absence, as Lucas tries to manipulate a pool boy (Antonio Magro) into doing his bidding. The twist isn't entirely concealed, but it is surprisingly atmospheric and artful.