THE LIFE AHEAD

2020 ITALY / USA

PRESS

STILLS

TRAILER

Things have been warmed up in more ways than one. Cinematographer Angus Hudson floods shot after shot in buttery sunlight, as the film relocates its story from 1970s Paris to present-day Bari, a humid, careworn Pugliese port city serving as a gateway to the continent for a diverse stream of migrants and refugees.

Guy Lodge - Variety

Possessed of fiercely expressive features that can flit between anger and enchantment in an instant, Sophia Loren commands the screen, closely observed by Angus Hudson’s camera, which is drawn (like the audience’s gaze) to the glint in her eyes, the imperious tilt of her chin.

Mark Kermode - The Guardian

While there's a sleek gloss to cinematographer Angus Hudson's picturesque visuals, with arresting drone shots of the densely populated city, the graceful, textured camerawork doesn't prettify the locations. 

David Rooney - Hollywood Reporter

The cinematography, by Angus Hudson, carries the film with a polished style and somehow a sense of opulence. Using ‘opulence’ to intertwine with a story of quite dark and saddening themes may seem out of place, but the cinematography is the one element that brings sincere light to such a story. It continuously stands as the centre of the film, everything appears to simply blend with the ambience that the camera creates. The distinct switch between the usage of tripod shots and handheld shots changes the atmosphere of each scene as well, especially when the choice of shaking, handheld shots are implemented in moments of anger or frustration for the characters. This only further emphasises the cinematography’s importance in providing the basis for the film in its entirety.

Alicia Moore - UK Film Review

Because of that, combined with Angus Hudson’s appealingly textured cinematography and Ponti’s unfussy direction, the prevailing vibe from “The Life Ahead” is of a loving son’s gently turned gift to his beloved star mamma, instead of a wholly gripping or emotionally resonant tale of an unusual friendship.

Robert Abele - The LA Times

Cinematographer Angus Hudson turns the location into a fairly-tale gateway between two worlds. “The Life Ahead” is both a throwback to Italian neorealist classics and a modern-day indie, foreign-language awards magnet.

James Verniere - Boston Herald

While the Italian scenery isn’t made up of views of panoramic country sides or lush vistas, it’s breathtaking in its sparse simplicity, and cinematographer Angus Hudson captures this understated beauty in every frame with his naturalistic lighting style. 

Patrick Gibbs - Slug Magazine

Many of the settings are classically stylish, yet curiously decrepit in some respects, offering up a rot that peeks through the thin veneer of refined society. It’s a sunny film where the darkness is out in the open, captured nicely through cinematography that’s in near constant motion without being shaky or distracting.

Andrew Parker - The Gate

The movie’s cinematography is stunning, finding beauty in the sometimes somber nature of the characters’ worlds. Just as beautiful are the various shots of the village in seaside Italy that make for one gorgeous visual setup after another, and which Ponti takes full advantage of.

Frank Calvillo - Cinapse

It is a beautifully shot and heartwarming film, and the 86-year-old Loren is magnificent and regal and fierce and funny and beautiful and screen-commanding throughout. As you would imagine, the scenery is spectacular and the cinematography by Angus Hudson has a lush and timeless quality.

Richard Roeper - Chicago Sun Times

Cinematography from Angus Hudson ensures that the feature’s visual style feels as elegant as the performances and direction, capturing the shabby beauty of Rosa’s home in urban Italy.

Culture Fix

The lush and timeless quality of the cinematography (Angus Hudson’s camerawork deserve a special mention) pulls you in with its warmth, and once you’re there, there’s no turning back. You already know how films such as these might end, but you still wonder where everything will go: will the final moments be as poetic as the sequences building up to it?

Dyuti Gupta - She The People