Synopsis

After quitting his job in a German factory, Matthias returns to small-town Transylvania, where he faces a long list of problems: His young son refuses to speak after witnessing a traumatic incident in the woods; his wife suspects his infidelity; and his ailing father requires an MRI. To add to his troubles, the village is simmering with anger, animus, and xenophobic tension after the local industrial bakery hires a group of foreign-born workers. Master filmmaker Cristian Mungiu (4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days) captures the chaotic potential of a town (and nation) on the brink of eruption. At once a keen-eyed survey of clashing social dynamics and an edge-of-your-seat small-town thriller, R.M.N. is a cinematic stunner that breathlessly hurtles toward an unforgettable conclusion.

Synopsis

Bucharest, 1972: On the eve of her final high school exams, Ana has just a few days to spend with her boyfriend before he leaves the country for good. Anxious about his departure, she hopes he’ll show up at a classmate’s party–a secret affair during which the friends listen to Metronom, a Radio Free Europe program broadcasting American rock music across communist Romania. The get-together is reaching a fever pitch when there is a knock on the door. The secret police have arrived. Evoking the time period with expert design and detail, this politically inflected coming-of-age drama casts a band of optimistic, freedom-minded teenagers against Romania’s totalitarian system.

Synopsis

Inside a state-run shelter for teenage girls in Bogotá, Colombia, filmmakers Clare Weiskopf and Nicolás van Hemelryck invite ten subjects to imagine a 15-year-old classmate named “Alis.” As they describe this fictitious person, some recount her troubled past and indominable nature; others, her sexual experiences, or their own romantic relationships with her. In time, “Alis” begins to take shape as a complex projection of their own identities, revealing intimate truths about the traumas, loves, and lives of the interviewed adolescents. In this impressively crafted documentary–winner of the Youth Jury Prize and the Teddy Award for Best Documentary at the Berlin Film Festival–Alis uses its innovative conceit to create an insightful and moving portrait of youth and resilience.

Winner

58th Chicago International Film Festival Gold Hugo and OutLook Special Mention. Learn more…