Ilraan's Contemplation On The Crisis of Existence

The Elephant Man

October 1980 •English

A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity. Based on the true story of Joseph Merrick (called John Merrick in the film), a severely deformed man in 19th century London.

1984

March 1956 •English

In a totalitarian future society, a man whose daily work is rewriting history tries to rebel by falling in love.

Carmen

November 1915 •English

A Spanish soldier falls under the spell of a fiery gypsy girl named Carmen. His obsession with her leads to his ruin.

Raging Bull

November 1980 •English

The life of boxer Jake LaMotta, whose violence and temper that led him to the top in the ring destroyed his life outside of it.

It's a Wonderful Life

December 1946 •English

A holiday favourite for generations... George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.

Vivre Sa Vie

September 1962 •French

Twelve episodic tales in the life of a Parisian woman and her slow descent into prostitution.

Wife Number 13

March 1962 •Arabic

Murad Salem is a rich man who is used to getting what he wants whenever he wants it. When he meets a beautiful woman in Alexandria, he wants her as wife number thirteen. He buys himself into the heart of the woman, until a well-meaning, former fiancée of her husband tells her just how many times he has been divorced. The new bride launches into a series of ploys that keep her away from the marriage bed.

Her Children

February 1957 •Albanian

Events take place in an isolated mountaineous village where a rabid dog bites the son of Fatime. The woman has to decide where to take her son, to the doctor or to Aunt Remja, an old woman who practices magic.

Echo on the Seashore

November 1966 •Albanian

World War II. Patriot Jonuz Bruga has troubles with his young son, Selim, who leads an immoral lifestyle and does not support the anti-fascist war, while his brothers fight in the city's guerrilla units.

Wives factory

October 1941 •Arabic

Fadel and his colleagues Aziz and Hamdi are trying to make their way in life, and they hold advanced degrees, but luck does not crown their endeavor with success. Fadel visits his aunt Alawiya, who runs a private institute for girls in a traditional way, and asks to work in the institute, but she refuses. The three decide to establish a modern institute, similar to the aunt’s institute. To compete with her, to teach girls to be modern.

ايدك عن مراتي

February 1968 •Arabic

Cul-de-sac

June 1966 •English

On the run and in search of help, two wounded gangsters find refuge in the secluded castle of a feeble man and his wife; however, under the point of a gun, nothing is what it seems.

The World, the Flesh and the Devil

May 1959 •English

Ralph Burton is a miner who is trapped for several days as a result of a cave-in. When he finally manages to dig himself out, he realizes that all of mankind seems to have been destroyed in a nuclear holocaust. He travels to New York City only to find it deserted. Making a life for himself there, he is flabbergasted to eventually find Sarah Crandall, who also managed to survive. Together, they form a close friendship until the arrival of Benson Thacker who has managed to pilot his small boat into the city's harbor. At this point, tensions rise between the three, particularly between Thacker, who is white, and Burton, who is black.

Ashes and Diamonds

October 1958 •Polish

A young academy soldier, Maciek Chelmicki, is ordered to shoot the secretary of the KW PPR. A coincidence causes him to kill someone else. Meeting face to face with his victim, he gets a shock. He faces the necessity of repeating the assassination. He meets Krystyna, a girl working as a barmaid in the restaurant of the "Monopol" hotel. His affection for her makes him even more aware of the senselessness of killing at the end of the war. Loyalty to the oath he took, and thus the obligation to obey the order, tips the scales.

Bicycle Thieves

July 1948 •Italian

Unemployed Antonio is elated when he finally finds work hanging posters around war-torn Rome. However on his first day, his bicycle—essential to his work—gets stolen. His job is doomed unless he can find the thief. With the help of his son, Antonio combs the city, becoming desperate for justice.

L'Avventura

September 1960 •Italian

Claudia and Anna join Anna's lover, Sandro, on a boat trip to a remote volcanic island. When Anna goes missing, a search is launched. In the meantime, Sandro and Claudia become involved in a romance despite Anna's disappearance, though the relationship suffers from guilt and tension.

Sweet Aziza

September 1969 •Arabic

Aziza is a beautiful dancer from Mansoura, after she rejects the mayor's son who loves her, he deforms her face. She travels to Cairo and runs a cabaret, and falls in love with one of the clients. She meets a doctor who performs plastic surgery on her, giving her a chance to start over.

Ida y vuelta

May 1968 •Spanish

Elena, a shy and unmarried girl, belonging to the upper middle class and somewhat marginalized from the general environment, embarks on a trip to the family farmhouse one morning, and when she returns to the city that same day, at night, she is forced to take a strange woman in her car.

Blonde on a Bum Trip

January 1968 •English

A naive young college student, who is majoring in chemistry, is persuaded by her roommates and a would-be drug dealer to make LSD for them, and she winds up getting caught up in the "acid" lifestyle.

The Tale of Three Girls

January 1968 •Arabic

Three women each have their own ambitions and aspirations. The first dreams of fame and fortune and meets a rich, married man she attempts to court. The second is a secretary with designs on her boss, even though he too is married. Having learned from her friends' experiences, the third takes an altogether different path.