What Do We Need to Talk About?

Safe Place

August 2023 •Croatian

A traumatic event – a sudden suicide attempt – opens a gap in the everyday life of a family of three. Their lives change fundamentally, as if they've been pulled into a war invisible to everyone else. The plot is limited to the most acute, a short period of time and a situation that boils down to the most important thing – to save a loved one. The film was based on the personal experience of the director, who also plays the leading role.

Gulis

August 2019 •Tagalog

A story about a dysfunctional father and son who are still coping with a loss, the other with a highly-stigmatized illness who are compelled to talk to one another to make ends meet and heal the wounds of their relationship.

The Perfect Holiday

December 2007 •English

Nancy Taylor, a divorced mother of three, feels especially lonely during the holidays. All she wants for Christmas is to meet a nice man - even just a nice compliment would make her day. Sensing her sadness, Nancy's little girl, Emily, has a plan to make her mom happy again. She shares her Mommy's wish with shopping mall Santa, Benjamin Armstrong. And Benjamin, who is also a struggling songwriter, knows exactly the right words to say.

Grumpy Old Santa

September 2023 •English

Nic (Glenn Morshower), a devoted father, husband, and friend with a passion for fishing and bowling, had the perfect life until his wife left after they became empty nesters, leaving him heartbroken. However, his world takes a hilarious turn when he secretly starts dating his best friend's (Kevin Farley as Pastor Kris) sister, leading to uproarious complications. This heartwarming comedy-drama follows Nic as he navigates the aftermath of his wife's departure, discovering the transformative power of love, friendship, and laughter in unexpected places, all while cherishing his favorite pastimes of fishing and bowling. Actor/Comedian Gary Valentine plays the role of Spike, Nic's high school rival.

This Summer

August 2020 •Japanese

Two high school classmates talked about looking forward to various summer events which were later cancelled due to COVID-19.

My Brilliant Life

September 2014 •Korean

A couple of teenagers have a son who suffers from progeria, a rare genetic disorder which makes one age exponentially faster than normal. 16 years later, the child has the body of an 80 year old in the final days of his life writing a book about his parents' love story.

La Patro

January 2007 •Esperanto

Heidi

December 2005 •German

Heidi is a happy, outgoing orphan who lives with her grandfather in the idyllic scenery of the Swiss Alps. Heidi makes friends quickly and people know they can always rely on her for help. She loves the freedom of life in the mountains, but she also learns how to take on responsibility. Her cheerful nature helps to show others how to handle the challenges of everyday life and still be happy. Heidi’s honesty and natural charm inspires both courage and a joy of life in everyone she meets.

Things in Their Season

November 1974 •English

The son in a close-knit family of Wisconsin dairy farmers decides to get married and move out of the house, just as his mother discovers she has incurable leukemia and only a short time to live.

Born Innocent

January 1976 •English

A constant runaway is given over to the care of the state and finds herself in a remand centre for girls. She is soon caught between the uncaring bureaucracy, the sometimes brutal treatment from her peers and her own abusive family, and only one care worker sees her potential to rise above her tragic circumstances.

Interlude

September 2024 •English

A short movie based on Jhumpa Lahiri's short story about a married couple, Baskara and Samantha whose their relationship is on edge. Taking advantage of a four-day power outage, they talk to each other about secrets they were previously kept in the dark, hoping that their relationship will be better.

Still Alice

December 2014 •English

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a devastating diagnosis, Alice and her family find their bonds tested.

LingLing

May 2019 •Korean

A storm is coming; the winds are getting strong. The real source of the ominous winds lies with Jina, who finds the strange word 'LingLing' written in her father’s notebook. She suspects he is cheating on her mother, who appears to be bored with life and fills the house with potted plants as if to show for her apathy. The film too is riddled with images of humid air and foul-smelling water, impure and overflowing. The sway of her father’s fishing pole and the flutters in Jina’s skirt seem perilous and unstable. When her anxiety and doubts finally come to a head, the family squarely face the rough downpour brought on by the storm. The director’s talent in boldly translating the characters desires and sensibilities into a narrative with powerful imagery is quite impressive.

Summer Sounds

February 2018 •Korean

Three generations of Youngseok’s family live together in a house. Even though his mentally ill grandmother’s time on this Earth is gradually running out, Youngseok is embarrassed by the way she behaves like a child in front of his friends despite her efforts to take care of him. The film displays the challenges of a family who live with a dementia patient, told from young Youngseok’s perspective. Dreamlike summer nights in the film evoke the innocence of childhood, and the gathering of dear friends and family.

Yefon

January 2015 •English

An illiterate village girl defies the customs of her tribe, discriminatory to women, only to become the spark of a Literary Revolution.

FORTEpiano

June 2021 •Portuguese

A person shaken by the catastrophes of the world cannot let go of their chaotic thoughts until they find a bond that was once lost.

The Volunteer

June 2022 •Catalan

Marisa, a recently retired doctor, decides to travel as a volunteer to a Greek refugee camp where, in her opinion, they need people exactly like her. When she gets there, it becomes clear that she is nothing like the other volunteers. When she meets little Ahmed, the boundaries between the need to care and the need to feel useful begin to blur.

somebody's something

January 2009 •Hungarian

Vincent, a reckless French boy, travels to Hungary to liquidate the home of a relative he has never seen. In an apartment cluttered with dusty objects and furniture, he is confronted not only with the past of others, but also with his own present.

The Cave of the Yellow Dog

July 2005 •Mongolian

The little nomad girl, Nansal, finds a baby dog in the Mongolian veld, who becomes her best friend - against all rejections of her parents. A story about a Mongolian family of nomads - their traditional way of life and the rising call of the City.

Lovers of the Arctic Circle

September 1998 •Spanish

Otto and Ana are kids when they meet each other. Their names are palindromes. They meet by chance, people are related by chance. A story of circular lives, with circular names, and a circular place where the day never ends in the midnight sun. There are things that never end, and Love is one of them.