The Touch

Die Nibelungen: Siegfried

February 1924 •German

Siegfried, son of King Siegmund of Xanten, travels to Worms, capital of the Burgundian kingdom, to ask King Gunther for the hand of his sister, the beautiful Kriemhild.

Oedipus Rex

January 1957 •English

The story of Oedipus' gradual discovery of his primal crime, killing his father and marrying his mother, filmed by the famed British theatrical director Sir Tyrone Guthrie. This elegant version of Sophocles' play adds a brilliant stroke: the actors wear masks just as the Greeks did in the playwright's day.

Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner

February 2002 •Inuktitut

Based on a local legend and set in an unknown era, it deals with universal themes of love, possessiveness, family, jealousy and power. Beautifully shot, and acted by Inuit people, it portrays a time when people fought duels by taking turns to punch each other until one was unconscious, made love on the way to the caribou hunt, ate walrus meat and lit their igloos with seal-oil lamps.

Dawn of the Great Steppe

May 2022 •Kazakh

In the 16th century, during the Kazakh Khanate, Kasym Khan was the fourth ruler, often viewed as the greatest leader to unite the Kazakh tribes.

Pentos a Iola

October 1967 •Czech

Nobleza baturra

October 1935 •Spanish

Aragón, Spain, early 20th century. María del Pilar is a honest girl whose good name is dirtied when an old suitor seeking revenge accuses her of losing her virginity outside of marriage. The scandal soon spreads throughout the countryside.

Beowulf & Grendel

September 2005 •English

The blood-soaked tale of a Norse warrior's battle against the great and murderous troll, Grendel. Heads will roll. Out of allegiance to the King Hrothgar, the much respected Lord of the Danes, Beowulf leads a troop of warriors across the sea to rid a village of the marauding monster.

Whom the Gods Wish to Destroy

December 1966 •German

A young hero defeats a dragon to find acceptance to the court of burgundy.

The End of Ataman

January 1970 •Russian

A Kazakh spy thriller: In 1921, at the height of the civil war, a Soviet officer is assigned to kill the ataman Dutov, a White collaborator. In order to get close to the ataman he infiltrates his gang.

The Christmas Witch Trial of La Befana

Invalid date •English

A group of children kidnap the legendary Christmas Witch, and put her on trial as a means of banishing her annual judgments.

Sita Sings the Blues

February 2008 •English

Utilizing the 1920s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw, the epic Indian tale of exiled prince Ramayana and his bride Sita is mirrored by a spurned woman's contemporary personal life, and light-hearted but knowledgeable discussion of historical background by a trio of Indian shadow puppets.

The Land of Our Fathers

March 1966 •Russian

An old man decides to find the body of his son, a Kazakh soldier who died fighting somewhere in Russia, to bury him in the land of his ancestors. Travelling across the land with his grandson, they discover the harsh reality of war. And when they finally find the coveted grave, they realise that many brothers-in-arms are buried with the soldier. Every inch of the great homeland becomes the land of our fathers, the land of the ancestors...

Kazakh Khanate: Diamond Sword

January 2017 •Kazakh

Set in the 15th century, the story follows the formation of the Kazakh state after the death of Genghis Khan and the usurpation of power by one of Khan's descendants, leading the sultans Kerei and Janibek to resort to some nomadic tribes to remove the usurper, hoping for a better life and freedom.

Queen of Serpents

January 2003 •Lithuanian

Based on a Lithuanian folk tale.

Taraz

October 2016 •Kazakh

Once upon in a time in Taraz, a bunch of friends goes to night club and find themselves in a tricky situation after conflict with son of local mobster.

Burst

January 2010 •Russian

A drama about messed up athlete who tries to regain his career.

Príbeh o Fatime a Omarovi

December 1975 •Slovak

I Am Nezha 2

September 2023 •Chinese

Mulan: Rise of a Warrior

November 2009 •Chinese

When barbarian hordes threaten her homeland, the brave and cunning Mulan disguises herself as a male soldier to swell the ranks in her aging father's stead. The warrior's remarkable courage drives her through powerful battle scenes and brutal wartime strategy. Mulan loses dear friends to the enemy's blade as she rises to become one of her country's most valuable leaders — but can she win the war before her secret is exposed?

Břetislav a Jitka

November 1974 •Czech