It may be at times contrived and slow-moving, but this Iranian drama about the impact of a wrongful state execution on a family accumulates enough power to work.
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Ballad of a White Cow (2021)
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Category / Others
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Hard to Be a God (2013)
There is probably no other purgatorial cinematic experience like this—a Pasolini-meets-Tarkovsky medieval sci-fi epic that finds stark beauty in all of its carnivalesque filth and revolting excess.
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Writing with Fire (2021)
The only entirely female-run news outlet in India is the subject of this inspiring documentary about the perseverance and courage of a close-knit team of Dalit women (born to the lowest caste) who are challenging deep-rooted traditions, toxic patriarchy and corruption through their firebrand style of justice-based grassroots journalism.
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Cuties (2020)
Misplaced hate from the cancel culture mob aside, this debut film features superb performances from the kids, but as an exploration of the erosion of traditional values amid a culture of overt sexualisation, it doesn’t really go deep nor is it entirely convincing.
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Stray (2020)
This beautifully-shot documentary is a visual tone poem, as filmmaker Elizabeth Lo tenderly captures several street dogs in Turkey, almost entirely from the ‘dog’s eye’ view.
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Secret World of Arrietty, The (2010)
As far as Thumbelina-esque stories go, this Studio Ghibli effort doesn’t break new ground, but its attention to detail and little moments of heartfelt emotions keep it engaging.
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Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020)
A very accessible piece of history-based filmmaking through the eyes of a UN translator, in this case about the events at Srebrenica during the ‘90s Bosnian War, this is a tense and powerful work about the unshakeable bonds of family as a harrowing humanitarian crisis unfolds with a devastating sense of inevitability.
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Come and See (2019)
An (in)famous Buddhist temple is in crisis as religion meets politics at the heart of Thai society in this revealing documentary.
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Carnival of Souls (1962)
A terrific low-budget atmospheric horror film from the ‘60s that is genuinely frightening, backed by a disquieting organ score.
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Knife + Heart (2018)
Yann Gonzalez’s decent sophomore feature continues his penchant for stylish, hallucinatory and provocative filmmaking in this serial killer mystery centering on a French gay porn producer.
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Eternality Tan 