Masters

In this richly drawn portrait of real-life Czech faith healer Jan Mikolášek, who cured hundreds with natural remedies only to later be prosecuted for charlatanism, master filmmaker Agnieszka Holland shines a light on a singular, extraordinary figure and reveals the complexity of—and human susceptibility to—the political machinations of one’s times.

Special Mention, Berlin Film Festival Isolated and lonely, Kang drifts through an urban landscape searching for relief from an unknown ailment. Shut off from the outside world, Non lives in a sparse apartment, meticulously going through the motions of his daily routine. The two meet in an anonymous hotel room with hopes of finding consolation [...]

After capsizing in a storm, teenage Alexis is rescued by the charismatic David, then seduced by his irresistible charm. But what begins as a carefree romance for Alex becomes something more sinister as demons from David’s past emerge. Inimitable French filmmaker François Ozon’s mesmerizing tale slowly builds and then races toward an inexorable conclusion.

Golden Bear, Berlin Film Festival Four thematically connected, meticulously constructed stories follow characters whose decisions to carry out executions (or not) have life- and soul-altering consequences. Devoted family man Heshmat cares for his aging mother, wife, and daughter—but where does he go every morning before dawn? Young soldier Pouya, who has been assigned to the [...]

In early 1980s Naples, husband Aldo (Luigi Lo Cascio) confesses to wife Vanda (Alba Rohrwacher) that he’s been unfaithful, causing a rupture in their once-happy union. Their two young children, stuck firmly in the middle, bear the emotional fallout. But the ties that bind can be inescapable, even without love. Now, 30 years later, Aldo [...]

When the man she loves leaves her, Berlin city historian Undine (Paula Beer, Transit, Frantz) is confronted by the myth of the water nymph whose name she bears—is she truly fated to take the life of the one who betrayed her or can she reclaim her own destiny?

Silver Bear, Berlin Film Festival Apart from her husband for the first time in years, Gamhee (played by inimitable Kim Minhee) has a series of encounters with friends both planned and by chance. Over the course of their conversations, details about her life and relationship with her spouse begin to emerge. Is she trying to [...]