It’s summertime, and 14-year-old Shabu is in trouble. After a disastrous joyride in his grandmother’s car, he must spend his holiday working to pay for the damages. Rather than dwelling on his misfortunes, the magnetic Shabu makes a plan: skip the job and raise money throwing the party of the summer. Shot in Rotterdam’s De Peperklip district, Shabu paints a winning portrait of its irresistible protagonist — dancing, laughing, and drumming all the way. […]
A photographer wanders through Taipei as the city braces for a presidential election. Adrift and questioning his chosen vocation, self-doubt begins to creep in as his 30th birthday approaches. What does his future hold? A thoughtful blend of fiction and documentary, complemented by gentle, strikingly composed black-and-white cinematography, distinguish this contemplative urban travelog of sorts that echoes the quiet pulse of life in the city.[…]
