The following list is a mix of films from all over the world that I've already seen and those I would like to check out.
The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Dir: Mohammad Rasoulof)
Mohammad Rasoulof is a staunchly political and audacious filmmaker who came to my attention only recently, and I must say that his work totally blew me away. I would suggest not reading anything about his films beforehand considering the strong surprise factor involved. Rasoulof is the kind of filmmaker great at the 'show, don't tell' filmmaking philosophy.
Sangarsha Khadana - The Art of Warfare (Dir: Krishand)
I've seen this film twice, and it's already one of my favourites. It's an amusing gangster drama with a fair amount of violence but not the disturbing kind. What stood out in this film is the light and dark humour that had me laughing out during multiple situations. Those familiar with Krishand's previous films, Aavasavyuham and Purusha Pretham, will know what I'm talking about.
Pattth (Dir: Jithin Issac Thomas)
Jithin is someone who has already established himself in the Malayalam independent film scene, having gathered enough critical notice with films such as Attention Please, Rekha, and the segment Pra. Thoo. Mu from the anthology Freedom Fight. While these were all dark subjects, his new film Pattth is relatively lighthearted, basically a mockumentary that tracks the origin of a mysterious song.
The Substance (Dir: Coralie Fargeat)
This is a superbly shot and edited film that plays out as a satire on unfair beauty standards and the extent to which some women go to seek fame and please older men who have no redeemable qualities whatsoever. It's a bitingly sharp, incisive blend of body horror and satire that gets crazier and crazier as it inches toward its final moments. It has the wildest ending of any movie I've seen this year.
The Girl With the Needle (Dir: Magnus von Horn)
Having seen Danish filmmaker Magnus von Horn's previous film, Sweat, I'm curious to know what he has done in his latest film, The Girl With the Needle, which is loosely based on Dagmar Overby, described as Denmark's most prolific serial killer whose specialty was murdering infants while pretending to be a caretaker between 1913 and 1920.
Queer (Dir: Luca Guadagnino)
Daniel Craig plays a gay man who develops a strong fixation with a U.S. Navy officer. Now, I'm not a huge Guadagnino fan, but since he is a visually interesting filmmaker, and considering how Queer is also a period piece with evidently striking production design and cinematography, and because it has Daniel Craig back in a serious, non-James Bond role, I'm quite eager to see what this film has to offer.
The Witness (Dir: Nader Saeivar)
According to the official synopsis, the Iranian film revolves around a retired dance teacher who witnesses a murder by a top government official and has to decide whether to let political pressure get to her or take matters into her own hands when the police act indifferent. For me, the key enticing factor here is the involvement of noted Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi, who has served as a co-writer and editor.
La Cocina (Dir: Alonso Ruizpalacios)
Mexican director Alonso Ruizpalacios' film has Rooney Mara playing one of the main leads alongside Mexican actor Raoul Briones. My interest in this film stems from a fascination for restaurant-based films, and this one, I'm told, revolves around characters from various backgrounds working in New York. I'm hoping it will take care of our 'restaurant film' fix while we wait for the next season of THE BEAR.
Kill the Jockey (Dir: Luis Ortega)
Directed by Argentine filmmaker Luis Ortega, Kill the Jockey happens to be Argentina's official selection for the Best International Film category in the upcoming Oscars. It's a story of two jockeys who work for a gangster, and how things get increasingly complicated by their romantic relationship and the fact that one of them does something unexpected.
