Christophe OffensteinYann Kermadec sees his dreams come true when he replaces the injured Franck at the last minute for the start of the Vendée Globe, a yacht race around the world. Nine days into the race and leading, Yann discovers a teenager, named Mano, on board. Faced with the risk of disqualification, their encounter leads to the most unforgettable round-the-world race ever.
Andrucha WaddingtonIn this sweetly humorous tale, a spirited woman by the name Darlene finds herself married to three men simultaneously, each of which fulfill her in a separate way. Gruff Osias provides strength, sensitive Zezhino provides understanding, and young Ciro provides passion and vitality. Together, they live in Osias' home in seemingly perfect harmony.
Alexander SokurovAlexander Sokurov’s spellbinding masterpiece RUSSIAN ARK is a multi-award winning film consisting of one unbroken camera shot that moves through St. Petersburg’s Hermitage Museum. It’s a staggering work of art, an impressive technical feat that is also cinematic poetry of the first order. As Sokurov’s camera glides through 33 rooms of the Hermitage, moving in and out of cathedral-like galleries, opulent ballrooms and shadowy corridors and workrooms, three centuries of Russian history and European art are compressed into a single 96 minute shot. In the dreamlike journey, an unseen modern filmmaker (voiced by Sokurov) is joined by a somewhat scornful French diplomat, the Marquis de Custine (Sergey Dreiden). We see the great paintings of El Greco, Rembrandt, Van Dyck, Rubens and others in the Hermitage treasure trove, discussed by the Marquis and other aficionados. At the same time, as if in a nightmare, we keep getting glimpses of Russian history: Peter the Great manhandling a ge
Chen KaigeFrom the acclaimed director of Farewell, My Concubine comes The Emperor and the Assassin a visually stunning epic, exploring the devastating price one country pays for peace and one man pays for power. Ying Zheng, the King of Qin, has one driving ambition: to unify China's seven kingdoms into one magnificent empire. Impressed by her lover's convictions, Lady Zhao (Gong Li) helps Ying Zheng concoct an assassination plot that would justify the conquest of Qin's most powerful enemy. When Ying Zheng's peaceful mission explodes into a brutal holocaust, a disillusioned Lady Zhao is forced to question her loyalty and her lover's destiny.
Adolfo Borinaga Alix Jr.Julian, a lone Filipino soldier stationed in Kalayaan Island, is ready to leave Kalayaan. He already completed his three months of service. News of a pending coup d' etat in Manila orders him to stay on the island until further notice. With nothing much to do, he spends his waiting hours walking by the beachfront, cleaning his rifle, watching porn, listening to songs on his old radio to overcome boredom and loneliness. He also has to contend with "someone" seemingly watching him. Not until his officer from the main island sends the loudmouth Lucio and the newbie Eric to station with him on the island. Their moments together - chatting, drinking, playing basketball and exchanging stories about a ghost soldier opens up things that Julian tries to forget. He is now confronted with a growing loneliness and remembers a traumatic experience in his past, which he doesn’t want to talk about. His only option for survival is to cope with reality or lose his own sanity.
Liam DaleWith the atmospheric and sometimes haunting melodies of traditional Irish music compiled and performed by Wylde Green, one of the most popular contemporary Irish bands of the 21st Century, this program imparts the true flavor of Ireland and the myths and legends so beloved of this wonderful nation of storytellers. When it comes to a good story the Irish certainly know how to tell a fine tale and with their rich heritage of myths and legends, that are so much a part of Irelandʼs colorful history, any visitor to the Emerald Isle will be certain to enjoy a great wealth of tradition and culture. “Irish Myths and Legends” brings together a selection of the best-loved stories of Ireland, travelling to the amazing, legendary places that have both inspired and thrilled in equal measure. From the beautiful, peaceful waters of the rippling Loughs where Fairy Folk live beneath the depths in coastline and green rolling hills where Leprechauns hide and the giants of old fought for their very e
Xavier LegrandThe astonishing, break-out critical discovery of the Venice Film Festival, where it was awarded Best Director and Best Debut Film, Xavier Legrand's heart-stopping French drama CUSTODY charts a family's struggles with the fallout of divorce, and the resulting impact on the two children. Miriam (Léa Drucker, The Blue Room) and Antoine (Denis Ménochet, The Returned) have recently separated. Superbly observed and flawlessly acted (the heartrending performances of the two children are more than worth the price of admission), Legrand's precise dissection of this family dynamic masterfully builds into a pulse-pounding thriller. Honest, yet still evoking profound sympathy for all its protagonists, CUSTODY is sure to be remembered as one of the most important and vital films of 2018.
Jan SvěrákReuniting the creative team responsible for Kolya, 1996 Oscar® winner for Best Foreign Film, under Czech director Jan Sverak, Dark Blue World tells the story of the friendship between two Czech pilots, the veteran Franta (Ondrej Vetchý) and fresh-faced young trainee Karel (Krystof Hádek). They escape Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, make their way to Britain and join the Royal Air Force. When Karel's plane is hit and he bails out in the countryside, he is taken in by Susan (Tara Fitzgerald), an Englishwoman whose husband is missing in action. In a moment of weakness, she makes love to Karel, relieving him of his virginity. But later, when Karel takes Franta to meet his "new love," Franta and Susan are attracted to each other, leading to a situation that will put the two men's friendship to the ultimate test.
Jorge Michel GrauA middle-aged man dies in the street, leaving his widow and three children destitute. The devastated family is confronted not only with their loss but also with a terrible challenge - how to survive. As their chosen lifestyle unfolds, we quickly learn their gruesome secret. They have always existed on a diet of human flesh consumed in bloody rituals. Now their hunter is gone, who will replace him? Who will lead them? How will they sate their horrific hunger?
Aparna SenA delicate – and improbable -- love story about three gentle and shy souls. Snehamoy, a school teacher in the beautiful Sunderbans, writes letters to Miyage, a sweet, shy Japanese girl in Yokohama. Over these letters, they fall in love and get married, despite having never met. Sandhya, a widow, takes refuge in Snehamoy’s home and is soon always by Snehamoy’s side, bringing a piquant twist to this home in the Sundarbans and the love between Snehamoy and Miyage. Will Sandhya find her solace with Snehamoy? Or will life finally unite Snehamoy & Miyage.
Ake SandgrenBased on the autobiographical novel by Roland Schutt, "The Slingshot" is an endearing coming-of-age drama. Set in 1920s Stockholm, a 12-year-old boy endures the hardships of an unhappy family life by shutting himself away with his inventions . . . one of which is a super slingshot.
Ifa IsfansyahThis is a dramatic love story set against the darkest period of Indonesian history, in the mid 1960s. RASUS, a young military officer, travels from village to village, looking for his lost love, SRINTIL. The story cuts back to the two as they grow up and gradually fall for each other in their tiny, impoverished childhood village of Paruk. But something stands in the way of their love. Because of Srintil’s magical dancing ability, the village elders believed her to be the next Ronggeng, the village dancer with powers bestowed on her by the supernatural indang (spirit of a dancer goddess). When Srintil prepares for her duties, she discovers that there is more to being a ronggeng than representing her village in dance competitions. She is expected to share the bed with wealthy men, and hand over the money she makes to the village elders. The prospect of Srintil becoming a ronggeng angers Rasus, who sees his love being taken from him and in desperation he leaves the village to join the a
Gordon ChanDuring the 16th century, pirates rule the Chinese coastline, pillaging the small villages and terrorizing the citizens. When maverick leader Commander Yu (martial arts legend Sammo Hung) enlists the help of a sharp young general (Vincent Zhao), they devise a plan to defeat the pirates. A violent clash of wit and weapons will decide who will rule the land in this sweeping historical epic from veteran action director Gordon Chan.
Luca GuadagninoThe fictionalized memoir of Melissa P., a Sicilian teenager whose quest for love rapidly devolves into a shocking journey of sexual discovery.
Hou Hsiao-HsienDuring the mighty Tang Dynasty-period in 9th-century China, Nie Yinniang is a young woman who was abducted in childhood from a decorated general and raised by a nun who trained her in the martial arts. After 13 years of exile, she is returned to the land of her birth as an exceptional assassin, with orders to kill her betrothed husband-to-be. She must confront her parents, her memories, and her long-repressed feelings in a choice to sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins. Rich with shimmering, breathing texture and punctuated by brief but unforgettable bursts of action, The Assassin is a martial arts film like none made before it.
Pablo TraperoCritically acclaimed director Pablo Trapero (White Elephant, Lion's Den) charts the horrific true story of the comfortably middle-class Puccio family, whose business in the early 1980's consisted of kidnapping people even richer than themselves. The hauntingly cold-eyed Guillermo Francella (The Secret in their Eyes) plays Arquimedes who, along with his family as accomplices, regularly actioned the unthinkable to his victims.
Laurent TirardDiane is a well-known lawyer, divorced for three years. She loses her mobile telephone and receives a call from the person who finds it. That person is Alexandre, a charming man and the perfect gentleman. They make a connection over the phone and agree to meet up the following day. But when Alexandre arrives, there's a surprise in store when Diane discovers he is only 4' 6" tall. From that moment on, Diane tries to overcome the prejudices of society and her own fears to experience the best time of her life...
Laïla MarrakchiSummer in Tangiers. A family comes together for three days in their home following the death of the father to share their memories and to grieve his loss, according to Muslim tradition. They have left the beach behind and swapped swimsuits for djellabas as everyone gathers in a show of mourning. The emotions are further heightened since this man left behind him an entirely female immediate family. Sparks start to fly when Sofia jets in from New York after several years away. The youngest daughter, she made a new life for herself as an actress in America, but she only ever gets roles as the terrorist in US series. Her return provides the opportunity to settle some scores with her sisters, as the order once maintained by the patriarch breaks down. Between laughter and tears, a collective hysteria leads each of the women to face up to some home truths.
Baltasar KormákurA young man's sexual impulses go haywire when he discovers that the woman he has just been to bed with carries his child. The zany black comedy takes a candid look at its anti-hero's compelling, confused and often hilarious sexual universe.
Peter KeglevicA search for a killer spanning three continents and three centuries. Based on the international bestselling novel by Henning Mankell, The Man From Beijing is a two-part thriller that begins with the stunning murder of 19 people. The only clue left behind is a red ribbon. When Judge Brigitta Roslin discovers that almost all of the victims were related to her, she starts an investigation of her own. Her search for the killer leads her to China, where she is confronted with the gruesome machinations of a millionaire businessman.
Clovis CornillacThe heart-warming story of lifelong friends continues with the third instalment in the Belle &
Sebastian franchise. A now 12 year-old Sebastian has decided not to follow his father and Angelina
to Canada, deciding to stay in the alps to watch over Belle who has now become the mother of
three beautiful pups. When a stranger arrives claiming to be Belle’s rightful owner, Sebastian will
do all it takes to protect his best friend and her little ones.
Christian DuguayIt is September 1945. Now 10 years old, Sebastian is celebrating the end of the war along with the village – and eagerly awaiting the return of Angelina. When news reaches them that her plane has crashed in the forest, everyone’s joy turns to sadness as they mourn her. All except César - who believes she is still alive
Miroslav SlaboshpitskiyThe Tribe is told entirely in sign language, without subtitles or any sort of translation. A new student named Sergey (Grigory Fesenko), discovers that his school for the deaf is dominated by the Tribe, a teen gang of criminals engaging in theft, drug-trafficking and prostitution. Quickly rising in the ranks, Sergey falls for one of the girls, Anya (Yana Novikova), breaking the strict rules of the Tribe. Struggling with conflicting demands, Sergey has to make a tough choice – or else...
Dario ArgentoWidely considered to be the most shocking and hallucinatory horror movie in history - and described by Argento as an escalating experimental nightmare, Suspiria stars Jessica Harper as a young American ballet student who arrives at a prestigious European dance academy and is confronted by a series of bizarre and horrific deaths.Packed with vicious violence, ultra gory effects and dazzling cinematic set pieces, Suspiria is a gruesomely gothic masterpiece of the macabre.
Dominik MollDirected by Dominik Moll (Lemming / Harry He's Here To Help), THE MONK is a sumptuous adaptation of the eponymous cult classic Gothic horror novel which follows the rise and fall of a Capuchin Monk in 17th century Madrid. Abandoned as a baby on the steps of a monastery and raised in strict Capuchin fashion, Ambrosio has become the most famous preacher in the country. While large crowds from all over the country come to hear his mesmerizing sermons, he's also bitterly envied for his success by certain fellow monks. Convinced of his virtue and righteousness, Brother Ambrosio thinks he is immune to temptation until obscure events start terrorizing the monastery. Could they be connected to the unexpected arrival of Valerio, an apprentice monk who has the miraculous gift to relieve Ambrosio's splitting headaches and hides his disfigured face under a wax mask?
Agnieszka HollandFrom acclaimed director Agnieszka Holland, In Darkness is based on a true story. Leopold Socha, a sewer worker and petty thief in Lvov, a Nazi occupied city in Poland, one day encounters a group of Jews trying to escape the liquidation of the ghetto. He hides them for money in the labyrinth of the town's sewers beneath the bustling activity of the city above. What starts out as a straightforward and cynical business arrangement turns into something very unexpected, the unlikely alliance between Socha and the Jews as the enterprise seeps deeper into Socha's conscience. The film is also an extraordinary story of survival as these men, women and children all try to outwit certain death during 14 months of ever increasing and intense danger.
