Top 100 Films - World Cinema
Just a Platform has selected one hundred films, each from a different country to take you on a cultural movie odyssey. Why not broaden your filmic horizons by watching your way through our multinational selection of one hundred must see films! We hope you like our selection and would love to hear your comments on our choices or about your favourite country films.
List compiled by Sav D'Souza, Imogen Robinson & Andreea Dobrila.
www.justaplatform.com Engaging and Connecting with the Wider World.
List compiled by Sav D'Souza, Imogen Robinson & Andreea Dobrila.
www.justaplatform.com Engaging and Connecting with the Wider World.
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- DirectorSiddiq BarmakStarsMarina GolbahariZubaida SaharKhwaja NaderAfter the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the restriction of women in public life, a pre-teen girl is forced to masquerade as a boy in order to find work to support her mother and grandmother.Afghanistan
Writer and director Siddiq Barmak makes his debut feature with a story about a 12 year old girl and her mother living under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. When a mother is arrested and jailed her daughter has to masquerade as a boy and adopts the name Osama. Osama must maintain her pretence to support her mother and grandmother by getting a job. The situation takes a serious twist when Osama is called up for military training by the Taliban. - DirectorGjergj XhuvaniStarsDavid ElmasllariMarko BitrakuMirjana DediAndre starts as a teacher in a remote mountain village in Albania. His first task is to choose one of two communist slogans. He picks the shorter one, which is appreciated by his class, because they have to build the slogan on the hillside using whitewashed rocks. However, this means that the longer slogan goes to Diana, the French teacher to whom Andre is attracted. Andre gets on the wrong side of the communist party boss of the village, when he stands up for an unjustly accused goat herdsman, whom he had befriended. The boss is determined to take his revenge on Andre.Albania
Set in Albania in the 1970s, during the Enver Hoxha regime, Slogans, based on the novel by Ylljet Alicka "Parullat", tells the story of Andre a young biology teacher who leaves the capital of Tirana to teach in a remote country village in the countryside. Andre has to choose between two political propaganda slogans for his class. His choice of slogan has consequences both for him and Diana another teacher who Andre is attracted to. An intriguing movie set against the backdrop of Socialist Albania. - DirectorGillo PontecorvoStarsBrahim HadjadjJean MartinYacef SaadiIn the 1950s, fear and violence escalate as the people of Algiers fight for independence from the French government.Algeria
Based on actual events, the movie commissioned by the Algerian government revolves around the Algerian revolution, analysed from two different perspectives: that of the French conquerors leaving Vietnam in defeat and wishing to take over Algeria and the Algerians seeking for independence. Without being a documentary, the movie adds a high dose of realism and emphasises the sentiment of camaraderie and unity. - DirectorJuan José CampanellaStarsRicardo DarínSoledad VillamilPablo RagoA retired legal counselor writes a novel hoping to find closure for one of his past unresolved homicide cases and for his unreciprocated love with his superior - both of which still haunt him decades later.Argentina
In Juan José Campanella’s crime thriller, a retired legal counsellor starts writing a novel in a last ditch attempt to find closure for a rape case dating back some 25 years. As he writes he feels compelled to go back and find the people involved to help him get answers. The double setting cleverly frames Argentina’s dirty war (1973-86), when corruption was rife and criminal acts regularly went unpunished. Not a regular whodunnit, with the criminal being revealed halfway through the film, there are twists until the very end. - DirectorP.J. HoganStarsToni ColletteRachel GriffithsBill HunterA young social outcast in Australia steals money from her parents to finance a vacation where she hopes to find happiness, and perhaps love.Australia
Muriel, overweight and awkward, is taunted and teased and finally ditched by her own group of “friends”. From then on Muriel is on a quest to prove herself to this bitchy group that she is something. Fleeing with a blank cheque from her authoritarian father, she goes to Sydney to make something of her life, joining forces with an old school friend. In this heartfelt film about the strength of true friendship and the importance of being yourself, Muriel finds out the hard way that you shouldn’t have to change yourself to fit in with other people. - DirectorMichael HanekeStarsChristian FriedelErnst JacobiLeonie BeneschStrange events happen in a small village in the north of Germany during the years before World War I, which seem to be ritual punishment. Who is responsible?Austria
Although having recently garnered massive critical acclaim for Amour, Michael Haneke’s 2008 Palme d’Or winner The White Ribbon should not be overlooked. From 1913 until the outbreak of the first world war, a series of strange events occurs in a German village, which is run by a puritanical pastor and a baron. Are they connected? What brought them about? Austere and funereal, this is an artistic film shot entirely in black and white to create a distancing effect between the audience and the bizarre events which unfold. - DirectorMay Ying WelshStarsSalman bin Hamad bin Isa Al-KhalifaKhalid bin Ahmed Al KhalifaKing Hamad bin Isa Al KhalifaAs the "Arab Spring" protests for justice and democracy spread through the middle east in early 2011, people long repressed by the Bahrain monarchy spontaneously gathered at the central Pearl Square to join in the call for their rights.Bahrain
Electrifying and gut wrenching documentary focusing on forgotten and devastated uprising in Bahrain in 2001. As the media’s attention turned to protests and revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt a popular revolt in Bahrain was largely going unreported even though an estimated quarter of the population was taking to the streets. An undercover film crew document events including the brutality of police and military towards demonstrators and also the chaos that was happening around the pearl roundabout and the only remaining hospital. - DirectorKrzysztof LukaszewiczStarsDzmitry Vinsent PapkoKarolina GruszkaAnatoliy KotBelarus has been under dictatorship of Lukashenko for 15 years. Miron (23) is not interested in politics. However, the next concert of his 'apolitical' rock band triggers off an anti-regime manifestation. Miron, is enlisted for the army for 15 months by way of punishment for 'fomenting political unrest among young people'. And this is just a beginning.. A film inspired by the story of Frank Viachorka, activist of the Belorussian opposition. Starring top Belorussian cinema and rock stars.Belarus
Partly based on the experiences of Franak Viačorka, who co-wrote and produced the movie, Viva Belarus is set in the time when the country was under the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The basis of the story is a young rock musician who rebels against a repressive system. Like the main character in the movie Miron, Viačorka, was also conscripted to the army where as a blogger he used social media channels to argue for democracy in Belarus. The movie won an award for best screenplay at the Brussels Film Festival. - DirectorDominique DeruddereStarsJosse De PauwEva van der GuchtWerner De SmedtJean is a family man and factory worker who dreams of becoming a songwriter. Pinning his hopes on his teenage daughter, Marva, he takes her to singing contests in which the awkward and overweight girl struggles to belt out a tune. When Jean is suddenly fired because of cut backs, he is ashamed and even more desperate to have his daughter succeed. In a chance meeting Jean kidnaps the most famous pop star in the country and holds her hostage demanding to be heard by the music industry. Catching the attention of the media and the eyes of the nation, Jean and Marva realize that the show must go on until everyone is famous.Belgium
Light hearted feel-good movie is definitely one to lift your spirits. In a world where talent shows seem to be everywhere and producers love giving air time to modern day carnival like gawking and ridicule Dominique Deruddere presents the deluded Marva who blatantly has no singing talent. Add into the mix Marva’s father who is adamant that his daughter has what it takes to hit the big time. Its a predictable audiencing routing for a happy ending movie but delivered with more than enough charm. - DirectorRodrigo BellottStarsAlexandra AponteRoberto UrbinaJorge Antonio SaavedraFive teenagers in the U.S. and Bolivia try to make sense of their sexuality and the complexity of their identity.Bolivia
In this overlapping tale of self-perception and illusion, issues of femininity, masculinity and virginity are brought to the fore. The film stands out in that the majority of the actors are non-professional and shows how the points of view that people develop are very highly influenced by the small society surroundings in which they live. Bellott’s split screen technique makes for heightened realism, as there is never just one thing happening - DirectorJasmila ZbanicStarsMirjana KaranovicLuna Zimic MijovicLeon LucevA woman and her daughter struggle to make their way through the aftermath of the Bosnian War.Bosnia and Herzegovina
Touching film that illustrates the life of a single mother, struggling to provide for her daughter, Sara, in a Sarajevo strongly affected by the war. However, the social conditions are not the only problem for the two main characters. Once Sara makes a new friend, Samir, a young boy whose father was a war hero, just like her father, Sara’s life begins to be shrouded in mystery, which deepens by the second. - DirectorFernando MeirellesKátia LundStarsAlexandre RodriguesLeandro FirminoMatheus NachtergaeleIn the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin.Brazil
Between the late 60s and the 80s in Rio de Janeiro, organized crime is on the increase. Two boys grow up following very different paths, one becoming a drug dealer, the other a photographer. By the 1970s, Li’l Zé rules the city, leaving behind him a trail of violence and fear. Rocket has watched Li’l Zé gain power over the years, and finds himself caught up in his affairs, despite just wanting to take photos. A fast and fantastic assault on the senses, this is a coming of age story under the guise of a violent crime thriller. - DirectorRangel VulchanovStarsSlavka AnkovaEmiliya MyrynskaIvan StoychevThis is a story of lifetime. A story full of spiritual power biography, behind which stays a whole age in the national development of Bulgaria.The Unknown Soldier's Patent Leather Shoes
Bulgaria
Director Rangel Vulchanov’s movie places itself among those of reference in the Bulgarian cinematography. Having used only amateur actors, the plot of the movie focuses on the feelings and philosophy surrounding the personal development during the childhood years, which is what makes this movie one of a kind. - DirectorRob LemkinThet SambathStarsThet SambathNuon CheaPol PotOne of the most harrowing and compelling personal documentaries of our time, ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE exposes for the first time the truth about the Killing Fields and the Khmer Rouge who were behind Cambodia's genocide.Cambodia
Thet Sambath, investigation journalist, whose family was murdered during the revolution, by the “Red Khmeri” is on the trail of discovering who was responsible for the Cambodian genocide from the second half of the 70s. The search for the truth has begun and different testimonials coming from war criminals, including from Nuon Chea, the dictator’s right hand, shed light into the matter. - DirectorJean-Pierre BekoloStarsAdèle AdoDorylia CalmelEmile Abossolo M'boIn Jean-Pierre Bekolo's barbed political satire, an infectious hybrid of horror and science fiction, vampiric femmes fatales emasculate high-ranking Cameroonian officials through ancient rituals of Mevoungou.Cameroon
A politically avant-garde futuristic sci-fi erotic thriller, Les Saignantes tells the story of two women, with beauty and brains, who become involved with the corrupt political elite, using their charms to try and do what is best for the country. When one of the political leaders dies, the women have a body on their hands which they have to get rid of. Irreverent, creative and controversial, the film explores the rich cultural heritage of the people and turns the spotlight on the corrupt and inefficient governments of African countries. - DirectorXavier DolanStarsXavier DolanMonia ChokriNiels SchneiderThe story of three close friends who are involved in a love-triangle.Canada
Two friends, Francis and Maries, both fall in love with the same man, Nicolas. The three become close friends, although it quickly becomes apparent that Francis and Marie have intentions that go beyond friendship, and they fight for his affections. The relationship between the three turns sour, and eventually Nicolas leaves the country. Although lacking some depth of characterisation, Xavier Dolan’s second film shows the potential of this young director, with brilliant cinematography and a catchy soundtrack. - DirectorAlejandro JodorowskyStarsAlejandro JodorowskyHoracio SalinasZamira SaundersIn a corrupt, greed-fueled world, a powerful alchemist leads a messianic character and seven materialistic figures to the Holy Mountain, where they hope to achieve enlightenment.Chile
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s astonishingly artistic and detailed homage to the sexual awakening of the late 1960s. A thief, the spitting image of christ, encounters someone who is enlightened who takes him on as an apprentice. Gathering seven of the world’s most powerful individuals, they go on a spiritual pilgrimage to Lotus Island to gain immortality. The first half an hour of the film is composed entirely of extraordinary imagery, drawing on Jodorowsky’s extensive spiritual knowledge. Not for the fainted hearted, this is a bizarre and beautiful film. - DirectorAng LeeStarsChow Yun-FatMichelle YeohZiyi ZhangA young Chinese warrior steals a sword from a famed swordsman and then escapes into a world of romantic adventure with a mysterious man in the frontier of the nation.China
4 Oscars and 2 Golden Globe awards best recommend this movie. The film tells the story of two women who have to conduct their own battles with the destiny. They cross each other’s path when the warrior Yu is sent to find the Green Destiny, a supernatural sword, and her investigation leads her to Jen, a nobleman's adolescent daughter. The dazzling intrigue, and the constant search of the sword, in tandem with the search of love propagates this film among the top movies of the Chinese cinematographic industry. - DirectorEmilio MailléStarsFlora MartínezUnax UgaldeManolo CardonaTwo friends meet and are seduced by sensuous hit woman Rosario Tijeras. Full of hatred, violence is her way of life. The trio loose themselves in a passionate love triangle where the pain of love will be confused with that of death.Colombia
Rosario Tijeras is told in flashback from the point of view of Antonio, a man from the upper classes of Medellín. It tells the story of a beautiful and sensual hitwoman involved with the drug cartels, and two upper class men, one of which is Antonio, who falls in love with her after meeting in a Medellín nightclub. Raped and abused as a child, Rosario, although now in control, is still trying to understand her past. A story of passion and recklessness in a city which is crumbling under narcoterrorism. - DirectorDjo MungaStarsPatsha BayManie MaloneDiplome AmekindraRiva returns to his home town of Kinshasa to sell fuel, however the people whom he stole it from are close behind and when Riva tries to get with a girl her crime boss boyfriend isn't too happy about this.Democratic Republic of the Congo
Set in Kinshasa we find the ambitious Riva who with a partner in crime hatches a plan to make some big bucks from a secret supply of oil in the petrol starved capital. But Riva is not the only one who has his eyes on the prize and competition from a big crime boss, a smooth chancer and even a mercenary church. Further complications arise when Riva is dazzled by crime boss Azor’s girlfriend. Lots of sex and violence in a lawless environment where its survival of the fittest. - DirectorDalibor MatanicStarsOlga PakalovicNina ViolicKresimir MikicA lesbian couple rents an apartment in a seemingly normal building which happens to be populated with all kinds of freaks. Initially kind but unaware of their secret, a landlady tries to introduce one of them to his son, but after spying on them through the keyhole, the Pandora's box of hatred and violence has been opened.Croatia
Intense fast paced thriller set in Zagreeb. Iva and Marija, a lesbian couple, move into an apartment building from hell. Cue lots of crazy and disturbing characters - addicts, abusers, prostitutes, dodgy landlords and other creepy characters - and the situations it throws up. Underlying theme of intolerance in the movie in what Iva and Marija have to go through. Brutal in parts but with dark humourous moments. - DirectorHumberto SolásStarsRaquel RevueltaEslinda NúñezAdela LegráTraces episodes in the lives of three Cuban women, each named Lucía, from three different historical periods: the Cuban war of independence (with Spain), the 1930s, and the 1960s.Cuba
Ambitious movie that charts the lives of three women called Lucía over three different eras, the Cuban war of independence (with Spain), the 1930's, and the 1960's. The movie gives you a real insight into Cuban history and culture and those familiar with these aspects will probably appreciate the nuances more than others but still a very watchable film. - DirectorAdonis FloridisTheodoros NikolaidisStarsAustin AggreyPopi AvraamPhillip AvramovAn illegal immigrant arrives in Cyprus, thinking he is in Italy. A story evolves around him, involving people who live in the margins society, and a veil of hypocrisy is created.Cyprus
After a failed journey to Italy, one group of immigrants ends up in Cyprus. Among those, there is also Mustafa, a man anxious to get rid of the poverty surrounding him in his native country. Discovering that he is on Cyprus land unsettles Mustafa; however, this situation does not last for long because he finds new friends and together they will end up sharing some incredibly funny adventures. - DirectorJan HrebejkStarsBolek PolívkaCsongor KassaiJaroslav DusekIn German-occupied Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia (Czechoslovakia), a childless couple agree to hide a Jewish friend at great personal risk of discovery and execution.Czech Republic
Compelling drama set in Czechoslovakia under German occupation. From the start there is plenty of intrigue in the unusual plot. A German couple, who are trying for a baby, take the decision to help hide a Jewish neighbour and also have to deal with an old friend who has Nazi ties. Superb characterisation means that you really never know what the characters are gonna do or how they will react to situations that appear bizarre and at the same time seem to naturally evolve. - DirectorThomas VinterbergStarsMads MikkelsenThomas Bo LarsenAnnika WedderkoppA teacher lives a lonely life, all the while struggling over his son's custody. His life slowly gets better as he finds love and receives good news from his son, but his new luck is about to be brutally shattered by an innocent little lie.Denmark
A young pre-school teacher, Lucas, is in a struggle with his ex-wife over the custody of their son. Things gradually get better, thanks to Lucas’s new love interest, but then a white lie from a lovestruck young pupil gets him in a lot of trouble. In this extraordinary film, Mads Mikkelsen as Lucas is portrayed with great sensitivity and deservedly won the Cannes Film Festival Best Actor prize for his portrayal of a wrongly convicted sexual predator. We watch as humans turn animalistic when they feel their close-knit village community is threatened. - DirectorFelix LimardoStarsAmaury NolascoEfrain FigueroaMercedes López RenardThe chronicles of the end of the Trujillo era between 1959 and 1961.Dominican Republic
Lieutenant Amado Garcia Guerrero is Dictator General Trujillo’s right-hand man. What he doesn’t know is that close members of his family oppose Trujillo’s dictatorship and plan to kill the dictator, a plan that, after witnessing the general’s actions first hand, the Lieutenant will also become involved in. Labelled the best film to come out of the Dominican Republic in a long time, and treating a very important and shocking time of the country’s history, Kill the dictator is interesting in that the dictator here becomes only a secondary character as we focus on the life of the man who works closest to him. - DirectorSebastián CorderoStarsCarlos ValenciaMarco BustosCristina DávilaSalvador's life takes a dark turn when his ex-convict cousin, Angel, arrives seeking money and shelter. Together, they involve their loved ones in a dangerous criminal journey.Ecuador
Salvador, a petty thief living in impoverished Quito, has his world turned upside down with the arrival of his cousin Angel, who is an ex-convict with a hefty price on his head, in search of easy money. As he attempts to escape from the constraints of family life, Salvador gets wrapped up in Angel’s dealings and manages to drag his family down with him into the criminal underworld. A story of lost innocence and a detailed picture of backstreet violence in Ecuador’s cities. - DirectorChadi Abdel SalamStarsAhmed MareiAhmad HegaziNadia LutfiAn Upper-Egyptian clan robs a cache of mummies and sells the artifacts on the illicit antiquities black market. After a conflict within the clan, one of its members goes to the police, helping the Antiquities Service find the cache.Egpyt
Chadi Abdel Salam’s The Mummy is based on a true story. In 1881, precious objects appeared at market and it became apparent that members of a tribe were robbing these artifacts from the tombs of royal mummies. The film tackles the guilt felt by one member of the tribe at their own exploitation of their country’s history and heritage. The Mummy is beautifully evocative with a brilliant score, and is widely recognized as one of the greatest Egyptian films ever made. - DirectorSulev KeedusStarsKatariina UntEvald AavikIvo Uukkivi1944, Estonia. An impending Russian invasion forces thousands to flee. Eetla leaves the last boat, thus giving up her chance to escape. Defying the cold wind and rain of autumn, she returns to the lighthouse manned by her father Gottfrid.Estonia
Set in an almost abandoned coastal village in the autumn of 1944 in Estonia Somnambulance is a psychological drama revolving around a young woman named Eetla. Beautifully shot and framed the movie captures the inner and real world turmoil that Eetla experiences as her subconscious and conscious mind drift in and out and intertwine. - DirectorKlaus HäröStarsTopi MajaniemiMarjaana MaijalaMaria LundqvistDuring World War II, more than 70,000 Finnish children were evacuated to neutral Sweden to avoid the conflict. From the award-winning Klaus Härö (Elina: As If I Wasn't There (2002)), "Mother of Mine" tackles that painful patch of history in a tale of 9-year-old Eero, a child who increasingly feels abandoned by his biological Finnish mother and yet not attached to his Swedish surrogate mom. When he is returned to Finland, his confusion intensifies.Finland
Winner of numerous awards, Klaus Härö’s film is a discussion between Eero and his biological mother Kirsti. In the second world war, Eero was evacuated to Sweden where Signe, his Swedish mother, originally frustrated at Eero’s reluctance to adapt to his new way of life, managed to forge a strong bond with the boy over time. On his return to Finland, Eero discovered he was no longer able to pick up the original relationship he had with Kirsti. This emotional story highlights the confusion of a finnish child who has no space in his heart for two mothers. - DirectorFrançois TruffautStarsJean-Pierre LéaudAlbert RémyClaire MaurierA young boy, left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime.France
The first film in Francois Truffaut’s series about Antoine Doinel and an important film of the French New Wave. The young Antoine Doinel, Balzac lover, gets bored at school and plays truant. He gets put in a centre for juvenile delinquents, flees that and arrives at the beach, where he realises he can no longer run any further. The irony is that when he is most free, he has nowhere to go. With innovative shooting methods and the incredible acting of Jean-Pierre Léaud as Antoine, this is a film that this is a film that will make you laugh and make you cry. - DirectorTengiz AbuladzeStarsAvtandil MakharadzeZeinab BotsvadzeIa NinidzeVarlam, the despotic mayor of a small town, dies. After his funeral, his body is repeatedly unearthed and buried again. Through flashbacks and dreamlike scenes, we witness his rise, power and ambiguities.Georgia
Although the 1980s produced a number of talented new wave of film makers they were still limited in their output due to the political, social and economic confines of the period. One movie made in the 80s was Repentance but which had its original release banned due to its anti Stalinist sentiments. The movie is the third in a trilogy after The Plead and Tree of Wishes by director Tengiz Abuladze and focuses on focuses on a dictatorial monster and his son both played brilliantly by Avtandil Makharadze. The movie is very literary and artistic and works on a number of levels. - DirectorFlorian Henckel von DonnersmarckStarsUlrich MüheMartina GedeckSebastian KochIn 1984 East Berlin, an agent of the secret police conducting surveillance on a writer and his lover finds himself becoming increasingly absorbed by their lives.Germany
Moving film that captures what East Berlin was like under the presence of the Stasi in the 80s. A period when the Stasi had lots of files on everyone and you never really knew if your neighbour might be informing on you. Having to watch what you would say just in case you were targeted and the fear of a spell in a Stasi prison as a result. A seriously good thriller set against the backdrop of life in the old GDR with a memorable ending. - DirectorShirley Frimpong-MansoStarsVivian AchorAdjetey AnangKofi Gyetua AnkumahThe story centers on three friends and their attempts to achieve perfection in their lives and relationships.Ghana
Romantic comedy revolving around three close female friends. Love, marriage and life looms large as the women are faced with a number of challenging situations. Movie provides an insight into Ghanaian society and attitudes. Although the movie had mixed reviews amongst critics it was generally well received by the paying public and director Shirley Frimpong-Manso won the won Best Director for the movie at the 2010 African Movie Academy Awards. - DirectorYorgos LanthimosStarsChristos StergioglouMichele ValleyAngeliki PapouliaA controlling, manipulative father locks his three adult offsprings in a state of perpetual childhood by keeping them prisoner within the sprawling family compound.Greece
Crazy Greek drama which although may not be everyones cup of tea wins full marks for its inventiveness. and imagination. A married couple keep have kept their now three grown up children shielded from the outside world which obviously throws up a number of weird scenarios. The movie takes a turn when one of the children develops a curious streak. - DirectorSarah GavronDavid KatznelsonStarsAne KruseLars Kristian KruseIlannguaq EgedeVillage At The End Of The World is a witty, surprising and ultimately feel good portrait of an isolated village of 59 people and 100 sledge dogs, surviving against the odds.Greenland
A sweet, charming heart warming documentary focusing on the real challenges facing a small remote fishing in Niaqornat, North West Greenland - population 59. It’s a poignant tale of a community’s spirit as they unite together to battle adversity and try to build a sustainable future seemingly against the odds. - DirectorCarlos García AgrazStarsGiacomo BuonafinaHerbert IgnacioDomingo LemusDonde acaban los caminos (Where the roads end) it's the encounter of two different worlds that live together but remain separated at the same time, since ancestral times. The doctor Raul Zamora goes on a trip from the city to a remote town in the lake Atitlán where this two parallel worlds converge between the "Naturals" and the "Ladinos". Zamora won't take long before falling in love with Maria Xahil, a "Natural", causing in the rest of the town and the villages a dilemma between the different communities. It's a panoramic vision of the abuse of power, repression and racism that collide in this diverse society surrounded by the calm of nature. The adventure of Zamora and Maria will have a turning point marked by the personal interest and conflicts of each separated worlds.Guatemala
The autobiographical tale of Monteforte Toledo, named Doctor Zamora in the film, who arrives in Guatemala during the military dictatorship in the early 20th century. He is determinate to wipe out illness amongst the native Guatemalans. Whilst working in San Pedro La Laguna, he falls in love with María, and asks her to come and live with him. However, others have noticed this charming young man and he has unwittingly caused friction amongst the non-Indians and Indians in the area. A sensitive look at ethnic conflict from an outsider’s point of view. - DirectorDavid DargBryn MooserAs a Cholera epidemic rages in Haiti, the United Nations denies it is responsible for introducing the disease despite glaring evidence suggesting Nepalese peacekeepers are to blame. Baseball in the Time of Cholera is the story of a young Haitian boy who plays in Haiti's first little league baseball team and the Haitian Lawyer seeking justice against the UN. As the epidemic spreads, the two stories intersect in the struggle for survival and justice.Haiti
Set around the real life events in Haiti as the country is ravaged by a cholera epidemic. A young boy plays baseball in Haiti’s first little league team as the United Nation continues to deny any responsibility for the outbreak even in the facing of overwhelming damning evidence. A Haitian lawyer takes up the challenge for justice. - DirectorAli AllieStarsFrancisca CrisantoJohana MartinezRosibel ReyesA Garifuna woman returns to Honduras to forget her past and rediscover herself.Honduras
Sonia is a single mother living in Los Angeles, far away from her Garifuna roots and continually disturbed by dreams about her dead mother. When dismissed from her job as a nanny, Sonia travels to Honduras to fulfill her mother’s desire that she performs a ceremony that will allow her to rest in peace. There, Sonia finally embraces her rich cultural heritage with the help of guidance from her relatives. A compelling tale of a woman’s transformation as she accepts her past and moves forward into the present, told through the effective blending of documentary and narrative techniques. - DirectorWilson YipStarsDonnie YenSimon YamSiu-Wong FanDuring the Japanese invasion of China, a wealthy martial artist is forced to leave his home when his city is occupied. With little means of providing for themselves, Ip Man and the remaining members of the city must find a way to survive.Hong Kong
The movie portrays the life of the legendary Yip Man, the first master of the martial arts to teach the Wing Chun who encounters a series of unfortunate events, which he has to face by fighting, in order to protect and support his family. The Observer, film critic Philip French, remarked how the fights are excellently choreographed, and Donnie Yen is an attractive presence. Definitely a good choice on a Sunday evening. - DirectorGyörgy PálfiStarsCsaba CzeneIstván GyuriczaGina MorenoThree generations of men, including a pervert that constantly seeks for new kinds of satisfaction, an obese speed eater and a passionate embalmer.Hungary
In WWII Hungary two soldiers are staying at a remote country home. The sexually frustrated Vendel, practises various masturbation techniques while watching the commanding officer’s wife and daughters. His eventual son Kalman, the product of an ambiguous fantasy scene, becomes a champion of Hungary’s eating competitions in the Cold War era. He marries a female eating champion, but their son Lajos does not inherit their gift, instead making a living as a taxidermist. Visually impressive whilst being simultaneously horrifically gross, this is one not to be missed by those who enjoy the surreal and the outright bizarre. - DirectorFriðrik Þór FriðrikssonStarsGísli HalldórssonSigríður HagalínBaldvin HalldórssonOld Thorgeir must leave his home far off in the Icelandic 'countryside' and move into a home for senior citizens in Reykjavik. There he meets an old friend from his childhood, Stella. Thorgeir soon becomes unhappy living there and together with Stella he steals a jeep. Together they leave the city for Stella's old home in northwestern Iceland. A drama who asks us: how important is it to have a long life if you have to leave everything that has a meaning for you?Iceland
When Thorgeir gets too old to run his farm and is not made to feel particularly welcome when he moves in with his daughter and son-in-law, he is forced to move to a care home in Reykjavik. There, he meets an old childhood friend, Stella, and they flee the home for Stella’s own home in the north west to die together. A touching film that raises questions of the futility of longevity if you have everything you lived for taken away, this was Iceland’s nomination for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar at the 64th Academy Awards. - DirectorRichard AttenboroughStarsBen KingsleyJohn GielgudRohini HattangadiThe life of the lawyer who became the famed leader of the Indian revolts against the British rule through his philosophy of nonviolent protest.India
Filmmaker Richard Attenborough recounts Mahatma Ghandi’s life and the important role that Gandhi had in propagating better social and economic conditions for the people of India, whilst using nonviolent methods of getting his peaceful ideas across. Avid defender of India’s independence, he also joined the political environment. Through the boycott of the British merchandise, prison time and the peaceful resistance against the British authorities with the sole aim of obtaining India’s independence, Gandhi became a legend. - DirectorRiri RizaStarsNicholas SaputraJonathan MuliaThomas NawilisSoe Hok Gie is an activist who lived in the sixties. Set in the darkest era of Indonesian modern history, "Gie" is an interpretation of what happened based on his journal.Indonesia
Gie is a movie based on the journals of activist Soe Hok Gie who lived in the 6os in Indonesia. Set in a politically volatile and dark period in the history of the country student Gie tries to makes sense of what is happening all around politically and also in his personal life him while trying to maintain his idealism. His only sense of order comes to him when he is able to enjoy nature. The film received an honourable mention at Cannes. - DirectorVincent ParonnaudMarjane SatrapiStarsChiara MastroianniCatherine DeneuveGena RowlandsA precocious and outspoken Iranian girl grows up during the Islamic Revolution.Iran
This animated film, based on the autobiographical cartoon of the same name, tells the story of a young girl, Marjane Satrapi, as she grows up amidst the growing political discomfort in Iran. Marji lived in Tehran, but as the unrest grows during the Iranian Revolution, her parents decide she must leave and go to a French Lycée in Vienna, where she will be safe and enjoy much greater freedom of expression. Always with her grandmother’s voice in her head, Marji has to learn how to stay true to her Iranian roots whilst integrating into the culture of another country. - DirectorAbbas FahdelStarsAbbas FahdelSami KaftanMohamed Abdel-KaderBack in his home town of Babylon after a long exile, the Iraqi-born director Abbas Fahdel asks himself: "What has become of my friends? What has life here made of them? What would my life have been like if I hadn't chosen to build my destiny elsewhere?" In his search and inquiries, it is the dramatic situation today in Iraq that is revealed through the camera's eye.Iraq
Documentary feature in which Iraqi-born director Abbas Fahdel seeks to discover what has become of his friends and what life has made of them during Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship, the after-effects of the Iran-Iraq war, the Gulf war and the embargo imposed by the UN. The situation in present day Iraq is sensitively portrayed through the eye of the camera. Suffering from the overwhelming guilt often experienced by survivors, Fahdel has not only created an emotional portrait of a devastated country but an impressively poetic film as well. - DirectorJim SheridanStarsDaniel Day-LewisPete PostlethwaiteAlison CrosbieAn Irish man's coerced confession to an I.R.A. bombing he did not commit results in the imprisonment of his father as well. Meanwhile, a British lawyer fights to clear their names and free them.Ireland
Daniel Day Lewis stars as Gerry Conlon, in the true story of the ‘Guildford Four’ who were wrongly accused of the IRA bombing of a pub in London in 1974. It was another Tour De Force performance from Lewis. Both Pete Postlethwaite, as Gerry’s father, and Emma Thompson, as the appeal lawyer, are also pretty good in supporting roles. - DirectorAri FolmanStarsAri FolmanRon Ben-YishaiRonny DayagAn Israeli film director interviews fellow veterans of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon to reconstruct his own memories of his term of service in that conflict.Israel
Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir is a documentary film showing Ari Folman as he goes in search of his memories and experiences as a soldier in the 1982 Lebanon War. Winning a Golden Globe, a César Award and a Bafta, Waltz with Bashir has received high critical acclaim. When Folman realises he has no memory at all of his time serving as an infantry soldier in the Israel Defense Forces, he is advised by a friend to find others who were in Beirut at the same time to understand what happened. After talking to friends, soldiers and a psychologist, Folman concludes that his amnesia stems from his own feelings of guilt. - DirectorFederico FelliniStarsMarcello MastroianniAnita EkbergAnouk AiméeA series of stories following a week in the life of a philandering tabloid journalist living in Rome.Italy
Federico Fellini’s classic 1960s movie is full of style, panache and verve. It was considered controversial and groundbreaking when it was released and still feels very modern and relevant to the glitzy, celebrity obsessed world of today. Visually the movie looks sumptuous and the dialogue is witty, sparkling and immensely thought provoking. - DirectorPerry HenzellStarsJimmy CliffJanet BartleyCarl BradshawWishing to become a successful reggae singer, a young Jamaican man finds himself tied to corrupt record producers and drug pushers.Jamaica
Kick ass soundtrack by Jimmy Cliff who also stars in this movie set in Kingston in the 1970s. Ivanhoe Martin leaves the country trying to make a living and life in the city. Martin has a talent as a reggae singer but encounters some complications. He is then drawn into another world of gangsters and guns It’s a hard hitting drama that really picks up pace as we head to the finale. - DirectorTakeshi KitanoStarsTakeshi KitanoTadanobu AsanoYui NatsukawaThe blind masseur/swordsman comes to a town in control of warring gangs, and while bunking with a farming family, he meets two women with their own agenda.Japan
Japan. The 19th century. Zatoichi is a blind wanderer who lives off gambling and massages, but behind his humble appearance, an incredible sword master lies within. Life brings Zatoichi together with two beautiful geishas, Okinu and her sister, Osei, looking to revenge their parents’ murder. This cinematographic masterpiece won no less than three Venice awards. - DirectorLarry CharlesStarsSacha Baron CohenKen DavitianLuenellKazakh TV talking head Borat is dispatched to the United States to report on the greatest country in the world.Kazakhstan
Just as he had destroyed the reputation of the town of Staines in the UK with his Ali G character, Sasha Baron Cohen, turned his attention to Kazakhstan with his creation of Borat. As always Cohen’s gift is to make an absurd character interact with the unsuspecting who are unable to work out that he is in fact a complete joker. The movie has a number of superb funny, silly and memorable moments . Cohen bagged a Golden Globe for best actor but the film was banned in all Arab countries apart from Lebanon. - DirectorHawa EssumanTom TykwerStarsSamson OdhiamboLeila Dayan OpouKrysteen SavaneA Kenyan boy goes on a strange journey to return his father's soul.Kenya
This technically impressive film originated in a workshop for film enthusiasts from Nairobi, working under the direction of German filmmaker, Tom Tykwer. 14 year old Abila lives in Kibera, an East African slum. One day he discovers his father deliriously ill and it transpires that he has gambled away his own soul. Abila hunts down the witch who was present when the accident occurred and she sets him seven challenges he must undertake to save his father’s soul, challenges which lead him straight into the microcosm that is his hometown. - DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsChoi Min-sikYoo Ji-taeKang Hye-jeongAfter being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.South Korea
Absolute, crazy, bonkers, fantastic roller coaster ride directed by Park Chan-Wook. The film revolves around the central character of Oh Dae-su, who was locked away for 15 years in a hotel room and has no reason why or by who. When he gets out another mysterious and violent world opens up in Oh Dae-su’s pursuit of revenge. The movie is the second part of The Vengeance Trilogy, preceded by Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance and followed by Sympathy for Lady Vengeance. - DirectorNadine LabakiStarsNadine LabakiJoanna MoukarzelGisèle AouadA romantic comedy centered on the daily lives of five Lebanese women living in Beirut.Set in present day Lebanon, the film centers around the intersecting stories of four Lebanese women, each with their own problem: Layale, Rima, Jamale, and Rose. Caramel, which is a bittersweet reference to the caramel used as a depilatory in Layale’s beauty salon, is unique in that it avoids any of the present day problems occurring in Lebanon, and instead focuses on Lebanese women’s personal problems in a light hearted and refreshing way. The film sensitively highlights such issues as repressed desires, forbidden love and suffocating traditions.
- DirectorMoustapha AkkadStarsAnthony QuinnOliver ReedRod SteigerIn 1929, Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini appoints General Rodolfo Graziani as colonial governor to Italian Libya with orders to stamp-out all resistance from Libyan nationalists led by rebel guerrilla leader Omar Mukhtar.Libya
Mexican born actor Anthony Quinn was a well known Hollywood actor who bagged two Oscars for supporting actor roles. Quinn had already made the English version of Mohammad: Messenger of God in 1976 about the life and times of Muhammad, the prophet of Islam before he went on to make the Lion of the Dessert which was also directed by Moustapha Akkad. In Lion of the Desert Quinn plays ibyan tribal leader Omar Mukhtar, a Bedouin leader fighting the Italian army in the years leading up to World War II. The film was financed by the Colonel Gaddafi government of the time but banned by the Italian authorities in 1982. - DirectorEric DarnellTom McGrathStarsChris RockBen StillerDavid SchwimmerA group of animals who have spent all their life in a New York zoo end up in the jungles of Madagascar, and must adjust to living in the wild.Madagascar
Dreamworks animation as four Central Park animals get shipwrecked and end up on the island of Madagascar. The movie has the voices of Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer and Sacha Baron Cohen. Two sequels were to follow in the form of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. - DirectorTsai Ming-liangStarsKang-sheng LeeShiang-chyi ChenNorman AtunA day laborer is badly beaten, and a young man nurses him back to health.Malaysia
A film that is almost a photographic essay, with little dialogue and little music, I don’t want to sleep alone follows a homeless man, a paralyzed man, a group of foreigners and a waitress who look after each other in the midst of the city. The soundtrack is made up entirely of background noise as the film explores sex, human desires and alienation against a backdrop of daily hustle and bustle. Although long, and at times lagging, the film makes use of beautiful cinematography and exposes the grim underside to city life. - DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsMaribel VerdúGael García BernalDaniel Giménez CachoIn Mexico, two teenage boys and an older woman embark on a road trip and learn a thing or two about life and each other.Mexico
Alfonso Cuarón’s coming of age drama about two teenage boys. Julio and Tenoch, bored whilst their girlfriends are away on a trip to Italy, meet Luisa at a wedding and try to impress her. Initially declining their invitation to travel with them to their favourite beach, Luisa eventually changes her mind and the three set off. It is a trip of confessions, arguments and sexual awakening, set against a backdrop of political and social issues in Mexico, with the story often pausing to let a narrator give social commentary. A road movie that is funny, intelligent and sexy. - DirectorViorica MesinãSergiu ProdanStarsOleg YankovskiyPetru VutcarauMaia MorgensternGeorge Ladima, a poet and renowned journalist, loves Emilia, an actress whom he helps in her career, but who takes advantage of him. He commits suicide and in his pocket is found a love note to a Mrs. T.Moldova
Nominated as Best Picture Best Director (Golden Pyramid) at "Cairo International Film Festival" (2002), the film revolves around Ladima’s suicide, who leaves behind a note to a certain Mrs T. As the plot thickens, the mystery deepens and a certain Mr X leaves his fortune to the same Mrs T. Based on the Romanian novelist’s book with the same name, the movie illustrates an infusion of death, love triangle, secrecy and money that is most definitely worth seeing. - DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsCary GrantGrace KellyJessie Royce LandisA retired jewel thief sets out to prove his innocence after being suspected of returning to his former occupation.Monaco
Cary Grant and Grace Kelly star in the Hitchcock light hearted thriller. A jewel thief is on the loose in Monaco and suspicion seems to lay squarely with John Robbie (Grant). Enter the drop-dead gorgeous socialite Frances played by Kelly and the scene is set for an intriguing mystery. Its also a dazzling and sumptuous visual ode to the principality. - DirectorAgvaantseren EnkhtaivanStarsG. AltanshagaiBayarmaa BaatarNarankhuu KhatanbaatarIs all fair when love becomes war? "Promises are like pie crusts: Made to be broken." In the 1930s Stalin put Lenin's words into action with his infamous "purges," bringing horrors to the people of Mongolia - a geographically unified nation that he broke up with the shattering fist of political force. In the midst of a Mongolian Buryat village Sendem is a young woman who has the curse of great beauty during this time of violent upheaval. Markhaa is the former villager who now returns to his hometown as a government spy. Although Sendem is already engaged to another, Markhaa is determined to use the power of his government authority to crush a village in order to take by force what he cannot win by love: the heart of Sendem. A tender blossom snapped from a tree and crushed underfoot, Sendem focuses her hope on the symbol of a hand-carved necklace once given to her by her fiancé ... and in a treasure more precious than a shimmering pearl, that she leaves behind in the shelter of a dark Mongolian forest.Mongolia
A pearl in the forest tells the story of Sendem, a beautiful girl living in a Mongolian Buryat village in 1930s Mongolia, when Stalin was carrying out his infamous “purges”. Although Sendem is engaged, Markhaa, a villager who has returned as a government spy, is determined to win her over using his authority to take her by force. Shot on location in a Buryat village, the film provides a testimony of the suffering families had to undergo in the period from 1934-38. The use of local villagers as well as actors adds to the authenticity and draws us into the world of the characters. - DirectorDusan MakavejevStarsSusan AnspachErland JosephsonPer OscarssonA bored wealthy housewife on the verge of insanity cuts loose with some lively Yugoslavian immigrants who delight in their bohemian lifestyle.Montenegro
A bored American wife leaves her comfy affluent life in Stockholm and ends up spending time in a ghetto inhabited by immigrant workers from Southern and Eastern Europe. Directed by Dusan Makavejev its a pretty raucous ride where you are really don’t know the depths it will reach or where it may end up. The movie was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes. - DirectorNarjiss NejjarStarsSiham AssifKhalid BenchagraFatima Herandi RaouyaMorocco
The title of Narjiss Nejjar’s 2004 film is slightly ironic - it is sure to bring a tear to the eye. The film tells the story of an isolated berber village inhabited only by prostitutes, frequented by paying customers who arrive on the night of the full moon. But when Mina, a man dressed in a Charlie Chaplin outfit, imprisoned for 25 years, returns to the village, things are turned upside down. The director stated that she wanted to draw attention to berber identity, something overlooked by many, in which people struggle economically and where the only option is prostitution. - DirectorEric ValliMichel DebatsStarsThilen LhondupGurgon KyapLhakpa TsamchoeAn aging chief's last stand, lessons for the new, and the education of a young chief-to-be played against harsh Nature in Nepal's Dolpo. When his son dies returning from Tibet's salt lakes, Tinle blames Karma, his son's friend, refuses to give Karma his blessing as the new chief, and organizes a rival caravan to take the salt to lower Nepal to trade for grain. He, a few old men, his son's widow, his grandson, and his second son, a monk, set out on the arduous journey. Fearing storms, Karma has led his caravan out of the village before the auspicious day ordained by the lamas. Tinle's group catches Karma's before the final pass; the two stubborn men lock wills with Tinle's grandson watching.Nepal
A fantastic voyage on the road of life movie where the path just happens to have the stunning backdrop of the Nepalese Himalayas. French director Eric Valli uses his knowledge of the Himalayan (Dolpo) people he's filming, after living with them for years and speaking the language. Valli used mainly local non professional actors who all seemed to rise to the challenge admirably. The story has a number of themes including the conflict between generations, traditions, pride and the realities and challenges of an old world remote Nepal village. - DirectorJane CampionStarsHolly HunterHarvey KeitelSam NeillIn the mid-19th century a mute woman is sent to New Zealand along with her young daughter and prized piano for an arranged marriage to a farmer, but is soon lusted after by a farm worker.New Zealand
Jane Campion’s movie set in the New Zealand wilderness in Victorian times was a disorientating and emotional epic. Both Holly Hunter and Harvey Kietel put in memorable performances that do justice to obviously a great script and direction. The film and its actors bagged a number of awards, notably at Cannes and the Oscars. Anna Paquin won the best supporting actress award at the Oscars at the age of 11 for her role as Flora. - DirectorBen SombogaartStarsEllen VogelGudrun OkrasThekla ReutenTwin sisters Lotte and Anne grow up very differently after their parents death. Now adults, they want to reunite but World War II and their growing socioeconomic differences complicate things.Netherlands
After the death of their parents, twins Lotte and Anna are sent to live separately with different relatives. Lotte ends up being raised by well-off middle class intellectuals in Amsterdam and Anna finds herself with a poor peasant family in Germany where, in the 1930s, the only chance of upward social movement seems to be through the Nazi Party. This is a thought-provoking film which tackles the morally difficult decisions ordinary individuals have to make when faced with extraordinary circumstances. - DirectorAndy AmenechiDon Pedro ObasekiStarsSam DedeAmaechi MuonagorCharles OkaforSeven brave warriors were sent to the land of the living dead to find the only weapon that can save their kingdom from an unbreakable curse.Nigeria
Obviously as is apparent the movie was a distinctly low budget production but an interesting and entertaining movie nonetheless. Igodo is the story of a quest to rid a curse on the land by finding out deep secrets about the past. Seven is the magic number required, seven worthy men with different talents have to come together to tackle the land of the living dead. - DirectorJoachim TrierStarsAnders Danielsen LieHans Olav BrennerIngrid OlavaOne day in the life of Anders, a young recovering drug addict, who takes a brief leave from his treatment center to interview for a job and catch up with old friends in Oslo.Norway
The film revolves a recovering drug addict in Oslo trying to find his place and purpose in the world. It’s a complex character study as we see a day in the life of Anders who is obviously trying to reconcile a number of conflicting issues. The way the film was shot, the dialogues and tone are effective in showing how Anders teeters between melancholy, desperation and hope. - DirectorLee BoxleitnerStarsSam BoxleitnerSasha BoggsCynthia VidesPakistan
Winner of an Oscar award, this short documentary shifts the glare towards an encountered practice in Pakistan: the acid attacks on women, which occur as a result of the cultural inequalities between men and women. Political matters and possible solutions regarding this topic are also discussed. - DirectorVero BollowIsaac BrenesDammiano ChiariStarsArosemena AlgisBenjamin AvilaOlogwagdiA young indigenous teen seeking his fortune in Panama City struggles to acclimate to chaotic urban life, where he becomes enamored with a girl from a wealthy, assimilated family. Later, he encounters his crush once again--but this time the landscape and tradition define their interaction.The Wind and the Water
Panama
This lovely movie illustrates the parallel between two teenagers, Machi and Rosy, who are both part of the same community: Kuna Yala. Although they were born at the same time, life provided different opportunities for them: whilst Machi lives the life of a fisherman, on the Kuna Yala territory, and speaks the indigenous language, Rosy grows up in Panama city and dreams of becoming a model. However, when a big company is trying to obtain the Kuna Yala territory, life brings Machi and Rosy together, under the umbrella of the same dream: the survival of the community. - DirectorJuan Carlos ManegliaTana SchémboriStarsCelso FrancoVíctor SosaLali GonzalezVíctor receives an unusual proposal, to carry 7 boxes of unknown content through the Market Number 4 but things get complicated along the way.Paraguay
Juan Carlos Maneglia’s thriller tells the story of Victor, a 17 year old delivery boy living in Asunción, who dreams of becoming famous. He receives the proposal of delivering seven boxes of unknown content in exchange for an easy 100 dollars. What promises to be an quick task becomes increasingly more complicated as something in the boxes is highly coveted and Victor soon finds himself entangled in a crime about which he knows nothing. With multiple plot twists and plenty of black humour, this is a real crowd pleaser. - DirectorClaudia LlosaStarsMagaly SolierSusi SánchezEfraín SolísFausta is suffering from a rare disease called the Milk of Sorrow, which is transmitted through the breast milk of pregnant women who were abused or raped during or soon after pregnancy. While living in constant fear and confusion due to this disease, she must face the sudden death of her mother. She chooses to take drastic measures to not follow in her mother's footsteps.Peru
Addressing the abuse of women during Peru’s recent history, Claudia Llosa’s film tells the story of Fausta, a young woman suffering from a disease known in folklore as ‘the milk of sorrow’. This disease is passed to children through the breast milk of mothers who, during pregnancy, suffered abuse at the hands of members of security forces during Peru’s years of terror in the 1980s and 90s. Llosa’s work is both a psychological and sociological exploration of the years of conflict when mass rapes were used by the army as a war strategy. - DirectorAndrzej WajdaStarsZbigniew CybulskiEwa KrzyzewskaWaclaw ZastrzezynskiAs World War II and the German occupation ends, the Polish resistance and the Soviet forces turn on each other in an attempt to take over leadership in Communist Poland.Poland
In 1945 on the day of Germany’s surrender, two Home Army soldiers, Maciek and Andrzej have been ordered to assassinate the communist Commissar Szczuka. In the time between the first and second attempts, Maciek falls in love with a barmaid, Krystyna, and decides that he merely wishes to lead a normal life. Andrzej informs him that this would be deserting, and Maciek is forced to carry out his task. With strong influences from Hollywood, particularly film noir, this is an honest and compelling film with an entire spectrum of conflicting political opinions portrayed. - DirectorManoel de OliveiraStarsLeonor SilveiraCécile Sanz de AlbaLuís Miguel CintraEma is a very attractive but innocent girl, so pretty that cars crash in her presence. Young marries Dr. Carlo Paiva, who she is not attracted to, but is her father's friend. They move to the Valley of Abraham. Carlo loves her, but decides to sleep in a separate room, to avoid waking Ema when he has to return late at night. With time she begins to feel unhappy about her marriage so, with all the freedom she has, she takes a lover.Portugal
An artistic film by Manoel de Oliveira that turns the patriarchal tables around when the protagonist, Ema, finds herself rather too powerful when faced with a world ruled by men. From when she is an innocent child, her beauty has the power to make cars crash in the street. As she grows older she chooses to marry a man with no machismo so she can continue exercising her extraordinary power in the form of adultery. A haunting story based on the novel by Agustina Bessa-Luis, and winner of the Critics Award at the 1993 São Paulo International Film Festival. - DirectorNae CaranfilStarsMircea DiaconuGheorghe DinicaMara NicolescuOvidiu, a high-school teacher looking for an extra buck, finds an unexpected way to earn easy money.Romania
Directed by Nae Caranfil, the movie catches a glimpse of Bucharest, in the 21st century, when going out with a beautiful woman was a risky financial investment that most ordinary people could not afford to. However, Ovidiu, our main character and modest high school teacher, falls in love with Diana, a beautiful young girl, a fact that impels him to make more money, by pretending to be married with some other woman. Ovidiu’s attempt to balance his double life is what turns this movie into a frothy comedy. - DirectorAndrei TarkovskyStarsNatalya BondarchukDonatas BanionisJüri JärvetA psychologist is sent to a station orbiting a distant planet in order to discover what has caused the crew to go insane.Russia
Salman Rushdie calls the 1972 Andrei Tarkovsky Solaris "a sci-fi masterpiece", and has urged that "This exploration of the unreliability of reality and the power of the human unconscious, this great examination of the limits of rationalism and the perverse power of even the most ill-fated love, needs to be seen as widely as possible”. Alex Deeley called the film "so organic and complex that it defies categorisation." - DirectorGreg BarkerStarsMadeleine AlbrightGromo AlexKofi AnnanStory of Rwandian genocide in 1994, 800.000 people were slaughtered by their own goverment.Rwanda
To mark the 10th year anniversary of the mass genocide in Rwanda Frontline produced a powerful and insightful documentary chronicling one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century. The film uses interviews with key government officials, diplomats, soldiers, and survivors of the slaughter providing first-hand accounts of the genocide from those who lived it. - DirectorDjibril Diop MambétyStarsMagaye NiangMyriam NiangChristoph ColombMory, a cowherd, and Anta, a university student, try to make money in order to go to Paris and leave their boring past behind.Senegal
Djibril Diop Mambéty’s 1973 film tells the story of Mory, a cowherd, and his girlfriend Anta, a university student. Feeling alienated from Senegalese society, they long to move to Paris to make money and forge a future for themselves. Eventually, Mory steals money and they set off to Paris. Regarded as Senegal’s first avant-garde film, the discontinuities and distinctive narrative style make for impressive cinema, with some beautiful images and colours. There is implicit criticism of the French bourgeoisie in Senegal, with the multiple scenes of slaughtered cattle posing as a metaphor for the mistreatment of young Senegalese men. - DirectorEmir KusturicaStarsBajram SeverdzanSrdjan 'Zika' TodorovicBranka KaticMatko and his son Zare live on the banks of the Danube river and get by through hustling and basically doing anything to make a living. In order to pay off a business debt Matko agrees to marry off Zare to the sister of a local gangster.Serbia
Directed by Emil Kusturica, this quirky comedy brilliantly presents the lives of a few Serbian villagers, who are either trying to get rid of some of their debts, or trying to collect them in various ways. Taking into account the funny occurrences of the unplanned weddings that come as a result of the debts, or just waiting for the true love, there is no chance one could stop laughing when seeing this movie; that is for sure. - DirectorEdward ZwickStarsLeonardo DiCaprioDjimon HounsouJennifer ConnellyA fisherman, a smuggler, and a syndicate of businessmen match wits over the possession of a priceless diamond.Sierra Leone
Superb thrilling and thoroughly engrossing adventure movie. Set in the period of a horrific and bloody war between government soldiers and rebel forces that ravaged the country the movie deals with a number of provocative issues from the mining of diamonds, to child soldiers and the machete hackings of innocent people in one of the darkest modern day periods in African history. The sub plots of a man trying to find his missing family and a mercenary diamond hunter’s unlikely growing attachment to an investigative reporter keep the movie going at a slick and compelling pace. A top notch thriller. - DirectorJán KadárElmar KlosStarsIda KaminskaJozef KronerFrantisek ZvaríkA carpenter in the Fascist Slovak State is appointed "Aryan controller" of a Jewish widow's store.Slovakia
Set against the backdrop of Slovakia during World War 2 Tóno an impoverished carpenter is given the opportunity to take over a shop that is owned by Ida an elderly Jewish lady. Tóno taking over the shop is part of the Aryanization that is taking place in the town. Ida is unable to comprehend what is really going on and thinks that Tóno is actually looking for a job rather than taking over her shop. As a friendship grows between the two further complications have far reaching consequences. - DirectorDanis TanovicStarsBranko DjuricRene BitorajacFilip SovagovicBosnia and Herzegovina during 1993 at the time of the heaviest fighting between the two warring sides. Two soldiers from opposing sides in the conflict, Nino and Ciki, become trapped in no man's land, whilst a third soldier becomes a living booby trap.Slovenia
No Man's Land tells the story of three soldiers, two Bosnians and one Serb, who end up trapped in a trench between the two fronts. The movie highlights the absurdities of war and the way it drives people to act in crazy ways. It also manages to give an insight into just what a complex and sometimes baffling conflict there was in the region and the bloodshed and lives it ultimately cost. The film won the best foreign language movie award at the Oscars in 2001. - DirectorGavin HoodStarsPresley ChweneyagaeMothusi MaganoIsrael Matseke-ZuluSix days in the violent life of a young Johannesburg gang leader.South Africa
Gavin Hood’s 2005 film tells the story of Tsotsi, a young ruffian living in a Johannesburg slum who steals a car only to realise there is a baby in the back. With a baby now on board Tsotsi begins to gain some morals. He passes the baby on to the care of Miriam, who he originally held at gunpoint demanding that she feed the child. In the emotional ending we see Tsotsi finally return the baby to its parents and turn himself into the police. Winning the 2005 Academy Award for best foreign language film, Tsotsi is an emotionally charged thriller. - DirectorVíctor EriceStarsFernando Fernán GómezTeresa GimperaAna TorrentIn 1940, after watching and being traumatized by the movie Frankenstein (1931), a sensitive seven year-old girl living in a small Spanish village drifts into her own fantasy world.Spain
In the small town of Hoyuelos in 1940s Spain, 7 year old Ana and her older sister, Isabel, go to the cinema to see Frankenstein. Ana, not fully understanding the film, becomes obsessed with the monster. One day, she discovers a man hiding in the stable in the fields near her town, who she associates with Frankenstein, and she takes him food. Upon discovering the man, and that he is a fugitive republican soldier, the police shoot him. The Spirit of the Beehive is a beautifully shot masterpiece, highlighting the traumatic aftermath of the civil war and the repression of collective memory. - DirectorTomas AlfredsonStarsKåre HedebrantLina LeanderssonPer RagnarOskar, an overlooked and bullied boy, finds love and revenge through Eli, a beautiful but peculiar girl.Sweden
Oskar is a loner and unfortunate target of the school bullies in the small, snow covered Swedish town where he lives. One day he makes friends with Eli, who encourages him to stand up to the bullies. Whilst their friendship blossoms, strange things are happening in town. People are being murdered and drained of their blood. Not your typical vampire film, Let the right one in chooses to focus on the developing relationship between the two children and the social isolation of the small town. The haunting colours and freezing location make for both a compelling film and well told narrative. - DirectorXavier KollerStarsNecmettin ÇobanogluNur SürerEmin SivasThe story of a poor Turkish family who try to emigrate illegally to Switzerland.Journey of hope
Switzerland
The journey of a family who travel from Turkey to Switzerland in hope of a better life. Haydar and Meryem take one son with them, at the advice of Haydar’s father, so that he can receive a European education. They get as far as Lake Como where they pay a man to help them on their way. He abandons them just before the arrival of a blizzard in the Alps and Haydar and his son become separated from Meryem. Academy award winning film on the trials and tribulations faced by many who flee their homeland for a better future. - DirectorJulia MeltzerLaura NixHouda al-Habash, a conservative Muslim preacher, founded a Qur'an school for girls in Damascus, Syria when she was just 17 years old. Every summer, her female students immerse themselves in a rigorous study of Islam, in addition to their secular schooling. A surprising cultural shift is underway-women are claiming space within the mosque, a place historically dominated by men. Challenging tradition, Houda insists education for women is a form of worship. Using Qur'anic teachings, she encourages her students to pursue higher education, jobs, and public lives, while remaining committed to an interpretation of Islam prioritizing women's role as wives and mothers. In a world rarely seen, The Light In Her Eyes tells the story of a leader who challenges the women of her community to live according to Islam, without giving up their dreams. Shot right before the uprising in Syria erupted, the film is an exclusive look at a social movement thriving in a country controlled by a repressive regime.Syria
The light in her eyes documents how Houda al-Habash, a conservative Muslim, founded a Qur’an school for girls in Damascus some 30 years ago. Shot just before the Syrian uprising, this documentary shows how one leader encouraged women to live according to Islam but without losing sight of their dreams. An important film for anyone struggling to understand the Syrian conflict in its cultural context and to grasp what Islam means to many middle class Syrians, particularly Syrian women. - DirectorBanjong PisanthanakunParkpoom WongpoomStarsMarsha WattanapanichVittaya WasukraipaisanRachanu BoonchuduangDeceased Siamese twin returns to haunt surviving sisterThailand
The director duo of Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom followed up their box office success with Shutter with another chilling spooky movie Alone. The movie revolves around a dead siamese twin who returns to haunt her sister. Although some critics said that it lacked originality and was derivate it’s a pretty scary horror movie with plenty of suspense. - DirectorPema TsedenStarsLocheyDrolma KyabTamdrin TsoA family on the Himalayan plains discovers their dog is worth a fortune, but selling it comes at a terrible price.Tibet
Novelist and director Pema Tseden crafted a fascinating movie which focuses on the changing landscape of Tibetan values and traditions in the face of outside pressures. This developing conflict of traditional Tibetan values and way of life are brought to the fore with engaging complexities and deep and rich ironies. The Tibetan mastif once a breed favoured by nomadic rural Tibetans has become a highly cherished and prized possesion of the affluent. Raw and captivating storytelling. - DirectorMoufida TlatliStarsHind SabriGhalya LacroixNejia OuerghiAs she grows up, Alia (the daughter of housemaid Khedija) learns the secrets of the peaceful palace where she and her mother live.The Silences of the Palace
Tunisia
A brilliant award-winning film about economic and sexual oppression during the French occupation. Alia is the daughter of a beautiful servant, Khedija, growing up in the King’s Palace towards the end of the French colonial rule. As she gets older she becomes increasingly aware of the sexual favours required of the female servants in the palace. The title of the film is more a reference to the silencing of the ordinary tunisian people, whose voices are ignored amongst the bustling noises of the palaces ruled by the aristocracy. - DirectorNuri Bilge CeylanStarsMuzaffer ÖzdemirMehmet Emin ToprakZuhal GencerAfter his wife leaves him, a photographer has an existential crisis and tries to cope with his cousin's visit.Distant
Turkey
The Cannes awarded movie is centered on two main characters: Mahmut, an Istanbul based photographer, and his cousin Yusuf who finds himself jobless after the factory he was working in closed. In desperate need of money, Yusuf contacts his cousin, but soon, the small differences between the two begin to emphasise the psychological war between the two cousins. A movie about loneliness, alienation and the refusal to change oneself and to accept others as they are, Distant is considered to be one of the best European movies of 2002. - DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsJames McAvoyForest WhitakerGillian AndersonBased on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.Uganda
Based on the best selling novel by Giles Foden The Last King of Scotland tells the story of Uganda under the reign of brutal dictator Idi Amin through the eyes of his personal physician, a young doctor from Scotland. Both Forest Whitaker, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Amin, and James McAvoy, in an early stand-out performance, are very watchable. A decent movie only maybe missing more diligence to the horrendous treatment of Asians in Uganda at the time. - DirectorSergei ParajanovStarsIvan MikolaychukLarisa KadochnikovaTatyana BestayevaA timeless Carpathian story - the young Ivan falls in love with the daughter of his father's killer among the Hutsul people of Ukraine.Ukraine
Also known as ‘Wild horses of fire’ for most foreign distributions, Soviet filmmaker Segei Parajanov’s 1964 film Shadows of forgotten ancestors is based on the classic book by writer Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky. A tale of lost love, the film tells the story of Ivan, who ends up fighting the sorcerer who has him under a spell under the orders of his new wife. Full of religious and symbolic imagery, and using colours to represent mood, the film sensitively portrays the rhythms of village life and stimulates the senses in every way. - DirectorGary OldmanStarsRay WinstoneKathy BurkeCharlie Creed-MilesA rough, short-tempered patriarch of a working-class family sees his life and the relationships around him slowly unravel.United Kingdom
Gary Oldman’s debut as a writer/director, based on his own experiences of working class South London life, produced one of the most memorable and best British films of the decade. It’s an uncompromising, dark and brutally realistic critique of alcoholism, drug abuse, petty crime and domestic violence perpetuated by unreconstructed London ‘geezers’. The camera work adds a seriously voyeuristic dimension and Oldman seems to nail every scene and every line with stunning verisimilitude. - DirectorFederico VeirojStarsFelipe ArocenaGonzalo DelgadoJorge JellinekA movie-theater employee adjusts to a new life after the cinema he worked at for over 25 years is forced to shut down.Uruguay
This 2010 drama, directed by Federico Veiroj, tells the sad tale of a projectionist, Jorge. When the cinema he works in closes down, he has to learn how to live a different life in Montevideo. Having spent 25 years living almost entirely in the film booth and his small office, the tale is both a simple love story of a man and the cinema and a docu-fiction of an old cinema that proudly displayed classic arthouse films to an ever shrinking audience. An irreverent and short feature that manages to be both touching and engaging despite its length. - DirectorJohn HughesStarsMatthew BroderickAlan RuckMia SaraA popular high school student, admired by his peers, decides to take a day off from school and goes to extreme lengths to pull it off, to the chagrin of his Dean, who'll do anything to stop him.USA
Ferris is our likeable hero who decides to take a day off school, roping in his girfriend and best friend. There are a number of very funny and memorable scenes including Ferris taking centre stage and singing Twist and Shout on a moving float at a day parade. The only person not totally taken in by Ferris’ antics is his school principal Ed Rooney. Rooney’s attempts to expose Ferris have hilarious consequences. Director John Hughes movies typically have a killer philosophical quotable line and in this it surely is “Life goes by so fast, that if you don't stop and look around, you might miss it” - DirectorFina TorresStarsDoris WellsDaniela SilverioRafael BriceñoA young girl is sent to a South American hacienda, where she learns about the life of her reclusive aunt, OrianaVenezuela
1985 Cannes Film Festival Caméra d’Or prize winner, Fina Torres’s first feature-length film received astounding critical acclaim. When Maria returns to Venezuela from France she discovers her aunt Oriana has passed away and left her a remote hacienda where Maria spent time as a young adolescent. When visiting the crumbling house to prepare it for sale, Maria, wandering through the corridors, starts to remember her visit many years earlier. The flashbacks show a strange atmosphere and hint at events better forgotten as Maria tries to understand the secrets of Oriana’s past. - DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.USA
A number of great films set around one of the most controversial and turbulent wars. But Francis Ford Coppola’s epic is hard to beat. From the opening scene as you hear the helicopter and the Doors “The End” it’s the begin of a highly emotive trip. Marlon Brando puts in an immense performance as the awol Colonel who has seen into another dimension of reality from which he will never truly return. - DirectorBader Ben HirsiStarsNabil SaberDania HammoudPaolo RomanoA young photographer, Tariq, must choose between his love and his duty of this aristocratic family. He can either run away with his lover, an orphan from the lower class, or go through with his arranged marriage to the daughter of a judge.Yemen
A romantic drama and tale of whether a young aristocrat will follow his true love or observe duty and tradition and marry a rich judge’s daughter. The film was the first and to date the only Yemen film to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival. The Yemen Times reported how the film had ‘received positive criticism and one reviewer called it “a tale of magic realism”, similar to that evoked by the novels of Gabriel Garcia Marquez.’