Political Animal

Black Cloaks

May 1947 •Portuguese

The great fadista, Amelia Rodrigues, made her screen debut in Capas Negras, which took its name from the black capes worn by the students in the university city of Coimbra, where the film is set. The action begins in a tavern where a group of former students are reminiscing about their time at the university. One of the students, Jose Duarte then breaks into song, performing an impromptu fado in the local Coimbra style. The tavern owner's niece, the aptly named Maria Lisboa promptly retaliates with a fado of the Lisbon variety. The melodramatic plot then centers on the frustrated romance between these two characters, and the soundtrack is essentially a musical duel between these two different styles of Portugal's national song.

El tejedor de milagros

December 1962 •Spanish

Arnulfo is a man weaving baskets. Remedios has given birth in front of the house of a woman and her aid, but the village is spread the word that the child born as a child God and an atheist would think exploit to their advantage the "miracle ".

Stavisky, l'escroc du siècle

January 2016 •French

The story of the rise of Alexander Stravisky, a brilliant and seductive crook, in Paris of the roaring twenties. But unchecked greed and corruption does not go unpunished. The political decadence he feeds off will also cause his downfall.

Jimmy

June 2013 •English

The story of a mentally challenged teenager who interacts with supernatural beings he calls "Watchers".

Butterfly

December 2004 •

Flavia is a thirtysomething married teacher. She has suppressed the memory of her adolescent lesbian fling with Jin and is stuck in a stifling marriage. A chance encounter in a supermarket with the playful and seductive singer Yip reawakens dormant feelings and she begins to think back on her teenage affair with Jin.

The King

May 2006 •English

A motiveless malignancy? Elvis leaves the Navy and heads for Texas where he contacts his father, whom he's never met, the pastor at a Christian community church. Pastor Dave tells Elvis to stay away and, without telling his family that Elvis is his son from a pre-conversion liaison, tells them to have nothing to do with him. But Elvis has already connected with Malerie, the pastor's 16-year old daughter. Elvis embarks on the seduction of Malerie, while Dave examines his conscience and comes to a new conclusion. Can anyone get right with the Lord? Does the Lord hear?

Four Days in September

October 1997 •Portuguese

Fernando, a journalist, and his friend César join terrorist group MR8 in order to fight Brazilian dictatorial regime during the late sixties. César, however, is wounded and captured during a bank hold up. Fernando then decides to kidnap the American ambassador in Brazil and ask for the release of fifteen political prisoners in exchange for his life.

Navigating the Heart

February 2000 •English

When sophisticated New York journalist Edith Iglauer is assigned to go to British Columbia to write a frivolous piece on the fishing industry, she butts heads with local fisherman and notorious loner, John Daly. While she thrives on the fast-paced life of Manhattan, he loathes pretension and could go days without speaking to anyone. But when the two are caught in a perilous situation, they are forced to put aside their pettiness and re-examine their lives. With external factors stripped away, they begin to fall in love. Ultimately, Edith must decide between staying in the glamorous world she has always cherished or leaving it all behind for a chance at love.

Through the Mist

March 2009 •French

A biopic of the late musician Dédé Fortin, the singer, songwriter, and founder of a very popular Québécois band called "Les Colocs".

Kisaan

August 2009 •Hindi

A bitter family battle ensues between a father and his sons when a businessman makes a deal that entices farmers to sell off their properties.

The Eloquent Peasant

September 1970 •Arabic

Based on one of the major literary texts survived from the Middle Kingdom, the classical period of Egyptian literature, The Eloquent Peasant is a combination of a morality/folk tale and a poem. The events are set between 2160 and 2025 BC. When the peasant Khun-anup and his donkey stumble upon the lands of the noble Rensi, the peasant’s goods are confiscated and he’s unjustly accused of theft. The peasant petitions Rensi who is so taken by the peasant’s eloquence that he report his astonishing discovery to the king. The king realises the peasant has been wronged but delays judgement so as to he can hear more of his eloquence. The peasant makes a total of nine petitions until finally, his goods are returned.

Lyfe's Journey

October 2014 •English

A family man makes a mistake that changes his life forever. With help he starts the journey to forgiveness, hopefully it will bring him back to his family.

To Love Someone

September 2007 •Swedish

Lena lives a safe and happy life with her husband Alf and together they run a fish shop. No one who sees her can imagine what kind of hell she has gone through with her former husband Hannes. One day, her life turns upside down as a random meeting with Hannes leads to an emotional chaos for her. She thinks he has changed, but no one else wants to believe that Hannes is a new and better person. At the same time, Alf can only look at how his beloved Lena is drawn to Hannes who hurt her so much before.

The Castle

September 1997 •German

When land surveyor K arrives at a small village that houses a castle, local authorities refuse to allow him to enter. As he tries to convince the officials that they sent for him, they clamp down with increasingly complicated bureaucratic obstacles.

Christmas in August

January 1998 •Korean

It's a sweltering summer, but Jung-won, a terminally ill, thirty-something photographer, is already in the winter of his life when he begins a tentative romance with a young traffic cop who doesn't know about his condition. Is their relationship doomed before it even begins?

Blue Fire Lady

December 1977 •English

Jenny Grey a horse loving country girl leaves her widowed father to move to the city after her father's frustrations towards Jenny and her desires to ride horses, after her mother had died from a horse-riding accident. Jenny finds work at a country race track and becomes obsessed with a troublesome horse called "Blue Fire Lady". "Blue Fire Lady" shows promise in Jenny's hands, but around everyone else misbehaves and shows no discipline. When "Blue Fire Lady" is put up for auction it is up to Jenny to either buy her or prove her.

Les Mots gelés

October 2009 •French

Cherry Pie

August 2013 •English

In a loveless relationship, Zoé ditches her faceless boyfriend in a cheap motel room and sets off north without a penny to her name. She hitch-hikes, pilfers a meal from a gas station, encounters strangers who could be her next ride or a passing glimpse, ambling toward some unknown destination. At the end of her pilgrimage, Zoé reaches the English Channel; on the ferry a woman mysteriously disappears. A new coat gives Zoé a new identity, but even in a new country she's not quite sure she's escaped herself.

Viper in the Fist

October 2004 •French

1920. Jean Rezeau and his elder brother were living happily in their family estate in Brittany, until the death of their grandmother. The return of their mother, a worthy descendant of fairytales' witches, brings an all new atmosphere to their home.

Good Luck

May 2014 •Portuguese

After several behavior problems, teenager John is admitted to a psychiatric clinic by his family. There he meets Judith, for who he soon falls in love. The problem is that she does not have long to live and they know it. This shall not prevent the emergence of a great romance in the clinic.