The Mad Women's Ball

The 39 Steps

June 1935 •English

Richard Hanney has a rude awakening when a glamorous female spy falls into his bed - with a knife in her back. Having a bit of trouble explaining it all to Scotland Yard, he heads for the hills of Scotland to try to clear his name by locating the spy ring known as The 39 Steps.

Contempt

October 1963 •French

A philistine in the art film business, Jeremy Prokosch is a producer unhappy with the work of his director. Prokosch has hired Fritz Lang to direct an adaptation of "The Odyssey," but when it seems that the legendary filmmaker is making a picture destined to bomb at the box office, he brings in a screenwriter to energize the script. The professional intersects with the personal when a rift develops between the writer and his wife.

Breathless

March 1960 •French

A small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he attempts to persuade a girl to run away to Italy with him.

Ronia: The Robber's Daughter

December 1984 •Swedish

Ronia lives happily in her father's castle until she comes across a new playmate, Birk, in the nearby dark forest. The two explore the wilderness, braving dangerous Witchbirds and Rump-Gnomes. But when their families find out Birk and Ronia have been playing together, they forbid them to see each other again. Indeed, their fathers are competing robber chieftains and bitter enemies. Now the two spunky children must try to tear down the barriers that have kept their families apart for so long.

The Shawshank Redemption

September 1994 •English

Imprisoned in the 1940s for the double murder of his wife and her lover, upstanding banker Andy Dufresne begins a new life at the Shawshank prison, where he puts his accounting skills to work for an amoral warden. During his long stretch in prison, Dufresne comes to be admired by the other inmates -- including an older prisoner named Red -- for his integrity and unquenchable sense of hope.

Strange Days

October 1995 •English

Former policeman Lenny Nero has moved into a more lucrative trade: the illegal sale of virtual reality-like recordings that allow users to experience the emotions and past experiences of others. While they typically contain tawdry incidents, Nero is shocked when he receives one showing a murder.

Desert Hearts

October 1985 •English

While waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed literature professor finds herself unexpectedly attracted by a carefree, spirited young woman named Cay.

The Science of Sleep

June 2006 •French

A man entranced by his dreams and imagination is lovestruck with a French woman and feels he can show her his world.

Swimming Pool

May 2003 •English

A British crime novelist travels to her publisher's upmarket summer house in Southern France to seek solitude in order to work on her next book. However, the unexpected arrival of the publisher's daughter induces complications and a subsequent crime.

Once Upon a Time in America

May 1984 •English

A former Prohibition-era Jewish gangster returns to the Lower East Side of Manhattan over thirty years later, where he once again must confront the ghosts and regrets of his old life.

Beyond Silence

December 1996 •German

Beyond Silence is about a family and a young girl’s coming of age story. This German film looks into the lives of the deaf and at a story about the love for music. A girl who has always had to translate speech into sign language for her deaf parents yet when her love for playing music grows strong she must decide to continue doing something she cannot share with her parents.

Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams

March 2006 •Bosnian

A woman and her daughter struggle to make their way through the aftermath of the Balkan war.

2 States

April 2014 •Hindi

A man and a woman come from two very different cultural backgrounds, and decide that they won't get married until they convince their parents. As feared, differences between the families pose a hurdle.

Mystic River

October 2003 •English

The lives of three men who were childhood friends are shattered when one of them suffers a family tragedy.

Macu, la mujer del policía

January 1987 •Spanish

Directed by Solveig Hoogesteijn, Macu, the Policeman's Woman (1987) is a Venezuelan crime drama based on a true story. The film follows Macu, a young woman living in a Venezuelan shantytown, who becomes romantically involved with a local policeman named Ismael. As their relationship develops, Ismael's jealousy intensifies, leading to tragic consequences. The narrative delves into themes of power, control, and the dynamics of abusive relationships within marginalized communities. The film is notable for its exploration of gender roles and societal issues in Latin America.

Le Piège d'Issoudun

November 2003 •French

When the Legends Die

October 1972 •English

An elderly rodeo rider becomes mentor to a young man attempting to make his own name in the business.

Sleep Sweet, My Darling

July 2005 •Croatian

A bittersweet coming of age of Tomica Skrinjar, starting at the tail end of World War II in 1945.

Bollywood/Hollywood

October 2002 •English

Rahul Seth is a dashing young millionaire who believes he is "western" enough to rebel against his mother and grandmother. They are not too keen about his Caucasian girlfriend Kimberly who, to make matters worse, is a pop star. Before you can say "karmic intervention," Kimberly dies in a freak accident and Rahul is devastated. Instead of allowing him to mourn in peace, Rahul's mother sees the opportunity she's been waiting for. She threatens to call off his sister's wedding unless he finds himself a "nice Indian girl." Rahul enlists the services of Sue, a fiercely independent escort whom he believes to be Hispanic, and therefore not "married" to the conventions taught to young Indian women. With a wink in her eye, Sue accepts the deal to pose as his Indian bride-to-be. She needs the money and having never been a fan of the typical Indian male, she feels her heart is safe. The charade begins....

Monsieur Ibrahim

September 2003 •French

Paris, 1960s. Momo, a resolute and independent Jewish teenager who lives with his father, a sullen and depressed man, in a working-class neighborhood, develops a close friendship with Monsieur Ibrahim, an elderly Muslim who owns a small grocery store.