Films by Country

USA

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

Alison Klayman

Ai Weiwei, China’s most famous artist, is one of the ruling party’s most trenchant and charismatic critics – and an astute master of online media. “An essential account of the artist-activist’s rise to international fame.” — The Guardian

Animation for Kids 2012

Eight countries, one language: drawings and digital data that move. This collection of recent animated shorts from around the world is designed to amaze and delight audiences aged 7-11 and their more senior companions.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Benh Zeitlin

We open the year’s programme with an exhilarating rush of pagan festivity from the Louisiana Bayou – and a declaration of confidence in brilliant, purely cinematic originality. There’s a collective of artisanal talent informing every frame of this wild blend of social realism and eco-sci-fi. Winner of the Grand Jury and Cinematography Awards at Sundance, Beasts also took the Camera d’Or for Best First Film at Cannes in May.

Bernie

Richard Linklater

“Jack Black gives the performance of his career, under the pitch-perfect direction of his School of Rock director, Richard Linklater, who expertly crafts a black comedy with a deceptively sunny surface.” — NY Post

Bert Stern, Original Madman

Shannah Laumeister

This intimate, lavishly illustrated portrait exposes Bert Stern, the legendary photographer behind iconic images such as Marilyn in chiffon, Lolita and her lollipop, and such landmarks in 50s chic as Jazz on a Summer’s Day.

A Bitter Taste of Freedom

Frihetens bittra smak

Marina Goldovskaya

A highly affecting documentary about Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya who was murdered in 2006 after her disturbing reports from Chechnya. “Apt to provoke moral outrage in anyone short of Vladimir Putin.” — Variety

Bonjour Tristesse

Otto Preminger

Beautiful CinemaScope Technicolor restoration of Otto Preminger’s 1958 adaptation of Françoise Sagan’s scandalous bestseller starring David Niven, Deborah Kerr, Breathless star Jean Seberg – and the French Riviera.

Bully

Lee Hirsch

Lee Hirsch’s doco is a powerfully effective tool in the campaign to drag school bullying out of the dark corners where it thrives. “Maybe, this film suggests, getting power to the powerless is not as impossible as it sounds.” — LA Times

The Cabin in the Woods

Drew Goddard

Writer Joss Whedon’s (The Avengers) deconstruction of the contemporary horror film manages to deliver the thrills of a teens-get-sliced scenario while piling on big laughs with meta-punchlines.

Call Me Kuchu

Katherine Fairfax Wright, Malika Zouhali-Worrall

Meet the very brave and inspiring LGBT-rights activists in Uganda who are fighting a tide of homophobia driven by imported evangelism, political opportunism and tabloid sleaze. Winner of Berlin’s Teddy Award for Best Documentary.

Chasing Ice

Jeff Orlowski

Celebrating the Earth’s natural beauty while simultaneously serving as an environmental clarion call, Chasing Ice is a stunning and important document of our world in transition.

Compliance

Craig Zobel

This polarising drama explores a vicious sexual prank that took place in a US fast-food chain store. “Tense, extraordinary… It’s not a movie you want to watch twice – or miss the opportunity to see once.” — Time Out NY

CRAZY HORSE

Frederick Wiseman

Frederick Wiseman, master of vérité, takes a wry look backstage at the most chic nude revue in Paris (and enjoys the view from out front as well). “The most entertaining film in his 40-plus-year career.” — Cinema Scope

Death Row: Portrait of Hank Skinner

Werner Herzog

This superb true crime doco by Werner Herzog examines the case of a Florida man convicted of a triple homicide, still protesting his innocence after 17 years and one last-minute stay of execution on death row.

Death Row: Portrait of James Barnes

Werner Herzog

This superb true crime doco by Werner Herzog examines the case of a convicted wife murderer who converted to Islam in prison and confessed to earlier murders. A case of genuine remorse or a ruse to postpone execution?

Death Row: Portrait of Joseph Garcia and George Rivas

Werner Herzog

This superb true crime doco by Werner Herzog examines the cases of two of the ‘Texas Seven’ who pulled off a spectacular break-out from a Texas maximum security prison in 2000 – and, once thwarted, went from life to death row.

Death Row: Portrait of Linda Anita Carty

Werner Herzog

This superb true crime doco by Werner Herzog examines the case of a woman sentenced to death for her role in the murder of 25-year-old Joana Rodrigues in order to kidnap the latter’s baby son. Her hired accomplices go free.

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel

Lisa Immordino Vreeland

This highly entertaining portrait invites you into the extraordinary world of the strikingly original and very influential style maven who became the first great fashion editor – at Harper’s BAZAAR and Vogue.

Easy Street

Charles Chaplin

In Easy Street Chaplin’s tramp happily steals from the mission – until love strikes. Screening with Alfred Hitchcock's Blackmail.

First Position

Bess Kargman

Six gifted young ballet students from disparate backgrounds prepare for the career-making Youth America Grand Prix in this intimate picture of the highly competitive world of dance. “Touching, enormously satisfying.” — Variety

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Howard Hawks

Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend! Marilyn Monroe is at her most beatifically ditsy alongside Jane Russell in Howard Hawks’ dazzling 1953 Technicolor screwball musical seen here in a new digital restoration.

A Good Man

Bob Hercules, Gordon Quinn

An intensely stirring depiction of creative ambition and struggle, this portrait of charismatic African American choreographer and dancer Bill T. Jones observes the artist as he forges a massive, controversial dance-theatre work for the Lincoln bicentennial.

Keep the Lights On

Ira Sachs

Director Ira Sachs (Forty Shades of Blue) charts the highs and lows of a turbulent decade-long love affair between a Danish filmmaker and his New Yorker boyfriend. “A front-runner for best American film of the year.” — Village Voice

Killer Joe

William Friedkin

Matthew McConaughey is a Texan cop with a sideline in murder (for hire) in this lurid and bloody trailer-trash melodrama. With Emile Hirsch, Gina Gershon. “Unabashed pulp.” — The Guardian

Last Days Here

Don Argott, Demian Fenton

A riveting portrait of loss and redemption as 53-year-old, one-time 70s rock god (and now crackhead) Bobby Liebling attempts to swap an early death in his parents’ basement for musical resurrection.

The Law in These Parts

Shilton ha chok

Ra'anan Alexandrowicz

Incisive award-winning doco interrogates the framing and persistence of the military legal system that rules Palestinians living under occupation in the same territory as Israeli citizens who live under civilian law.

Liberal Arts

Josh Radnor

In this Sundance hit romantic comedy 35-year-old Josh Radnor (who also wrote and directed) returns to college and falls for Elizabeth Olsen's sophomore theatre student. “Funny, moving, thoughtful, true.” — Paste Magazine

The Loneliest Planet

Julia Loktev

Julia Loktev’s tense drama of a young American couple and their local guide on a trek in the spectacular Caucasus mountains stars Gael García Bernal. “A stunning evocation of a relationship and a haunted place.” — Cinema Scope

Mantrap

Victor Fleming

Live Cinema accompanied by City oh Sigh. Jazz baby Clara Bow creates havoc in the boondocks in this classic Hollywood comedy of the 20s. This racy little number celebrates a liberated city gal and her right to flirt with any man she pleases, wedding ring be damned.

Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present

Matthew Akers

Matthew Akers’ compelling portrait shows this gorgeous 63-year-old performance artist’s journey from violent early works to her sell-out new work: silently sitting and encountering her audience.

Marley

Kevin Macdonald

“Stirring up an exhaustive portrait of the legend behind the music, Kevin Macdonald’s Marley is sure to become the definitive documentary on the much beloved king of reggae.” — Hollywood Reporter

Moonrise Kingdom

Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson’s Cannes opening-night film is a highly idiosyncratic, impeccably made portrait of young love circa 1965. With Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton. “Hilarious and heartfelt.” — Rolling Stone

Neil Young Journeys

Jonathan Demme

Neil Young fans: your man is on fire. A superbly recorded solo concert film directed up close by Jonathan Demme (Heart of Gold).

No

Pablo Larraín

Gael García Bernal stars in the dramatic true story of the poppy advertising campaign that urged Chileans to oust the dictator Pinochet in 1988. “Weirdly funny and rousing, both intellectually and emotionally.” — NY Times

Photographic Memory

Ross McElwee

Cinema’s finest ongoing autobiographer, Ross McElwee (Sherman’s March, Bright Leaves) returns with another wry rumination on family and memory, comparing his rebellious son at 21 with what he can recall of himself at the same age.

Rampart

Oren Moverman

Explosive LA thriller from a James Ellroy script. “A terrific film: tense, shocking, complex, mesmerizing. It’s about a very bad Los Angeles cop, played with intricate demonic force by Woody Harrelson.” — Entertainment Weekly

Room 237: Being an Inquiry into The Shining in 9 Parts

Rodney Ascher

Rodney Ascher’s clip-laden doco deciphers the visual details of Kubrick’s horror classic in the company of five obsessive and haunted cineastes. “Catnip for Kubrickians and critics both professional and otherwise.” — Variety

The Shining

Stanley Kubrick

Heeeere’s Johnny!! The Jack Nicholson/Stanley Kubrick horror classic returns to the giant screen in merciless HD DCP! “Alive with portent and symbolism, every frame of the film brims with Kubrick’s genius.” — Empire

Side by Side

Christopher Kenneally

An engrossing, open-minded investigation of the digital revolution in filmmaking and its impact on the creativity of filmmakers. Keanu Reeves interviews Cameron, Lucas, Nolan, Lynch, Scorsese, Fincher, DOPs, VFX artists and many more.

Sound of My Voice

Zal Batmanglij

In this creepily ambiguous lo-fi metaphysical sci-fi thriller, a young couple infiltrate a suburban LA cult. With writer/star Brit Marling (Another Earth). “Taut, compelling… [A] nifty little spellbinder.” — Variety

Undefeated

Daniel Lindsay, T.J. Martin

Viewed as the underdog candidate, this lovingly crafted depiction of a white volunteer coach’s season with a football team in impoverished North Memphis was the surprise winner of this year’s Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

V/H/S

Adam Wingard, David Bruckner, Ti West, Glenn McQuaid, Joe Swanberg, Radio Silence

Funny, scary anthology about a group of louts hired to burglarise a creepy house and steal a rare VHS tape. “V/H/S delivers the thrills and chills craftily… Watch it with friends.” — William Goss, The Playlist

Your Sister’s Sister

Lynn Shelton

Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt are sisters circling the same man (Mark Duplass) in this fresh, quick-witted comedy from writer/director Lynne Shelton (Humpday). “Insightful, probing and gloriously amusing.” — The Guardian