David Parkinson

Dramatically, this may seem slight. But bounteous pleasures lie in the intimacy of the acting and in the exquisite cinematic and culinary craftmanship on display.

Drolly scripted, impeccably designed and photographed, and played to succinct perfection, this may only be a slender drama, but it's also a cherishable summation of what makes Aki Kaurismäki special.

Visually striking and explosively violent, this simmering parable makes exceptional use of its rustic locations — and the faces of a vibrant cast — to reinforce a sense of authenticity.

An affecting reflection on the loneliness we will all have to face at our end, held together by Vicky Krieps's poised display of unself-pitying despair and liberating acceptance.

Meticulously controlled, but simmering with a tension that is suffused with fury, this treatise on dignity and depravity, aspiration and apathy is the Dardennes at their most accusatory and damning.

Despite the almost caricatural Frenchness of the premise, this is a superbly acted and intricately directed drama that makes a virtue of its very human feelings and follies.

Showing how paradise can be hell, this audiovisual treat is spiritedly played by its leads and bristles with a brooding menace that can't quite disguise the story's essentially melodramatic nature.

Filmed over 13 days in Tuscany and based on genuine Balkan Route testimony, this is an innovative, immersive insight into the migration crisis that also reveals much about human depravity.

Moving and atmospheric, this quest tale is among the best of its kind.

Full of fascinating behavioural insights and moments that are both hilarious and adorable, this studied treatise on the personality and emotionality of domestic animals should provide plentiful food for thought.

This study in chaos and calculation not only makes for harrowingly compelling viewing, but it also exposes the apathy of an international community that simply turned the other way.

With each subplot reinforcing the simmering sense of unease, this compelling recreation of a pernicious period soberingly exposes the ease with which morality can become a casualty of human nature.

Instructive, insightful and inspiring, Maiden is a rousingly riveting record of a remarkable accomplishment that says as much about British bloody-mindedness as it does about feminist fortitude and underdog pluck.

Challenging the truism that you can never go home, this doesn't entirely integrate its political subtext. But the storylines are involving, the setting is picturesque and the performances are impeccable.

The spirits of the old masters pervade this disquieting but deeply moving drama. But Kore-eda stands alone as the chronicler of family life in a country facing an identity crisis.

Tempering its flights of fancy with moments of whimsical humour and kid’s-eye realism, this thoughtful treatise on growing pains reveals a realist side of Japanimation that’s all too rarely seen.

Echoes of Dog Day Afternoon and Locke reverberate around this claustrophobic thriller, which is tautly plotted, precisely paced and grippingly played by Jakob Cedergren and his unseen co-stars.

Abetted by Nicolaj Brüel's prowlingly ominous camerawork and Dimitri Capuani's soul-destroying interiors, Garrone proves once again that even the lowest-rung southern Italian gangster can't afford a shred of human decency.

Whether rediscovering La France périphérique or hurtling through the Louvre, Varda and JR make a surprisingly empathetic team and their collaboration is as provocative as it is poetic and poignant.

Impeccably performed by its young leads and nurturing supporting cast, this deeply personal picture particularly impresses in the closing scenes, which are quietly devastating in their intimacy, insight and truth.

Thrillingly capturing both time and place and fizzing with non-judgemental empathy and cinematic flair, this is a magnificent debut that catapults Laetitia Dosch into the front rank of French actresses.

Detached, but never dispassionate, this may not be Andrew Haigh's best film. But its slow-burning authenticity suggests a versatility to go with his acuity for credible characters in recognisable situations.

Knowingly blending realist grit with generic guile, this unrelentingly tense account of a fragmented family living in constant fear thoroughly merited the Best Director prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Pondering everything from free expression and sexual harassment to bourgeois guilt and migrant rage, this superbly acted saga may not always hit the target. But it unerringly leaves its mark.

This intelligently scripted and imposingly played costume noir revisits the conventions of Victorian melodrama to comment on modern attitudes to oppression, prejudice and morality.

With the camera placement being as meticulous as the use of Handel on the soundtrack, this impeccably played saga deservedly earned Mungiu a share of the Best Director prize at Cannes.

Atmospheric and engrossing, this meticulous recreation of time and place acquires an unsettling contemporary relevance through its analysis of the mindset of a mass murderer with a death wish.

Impeccably played by Rebecca Hall, this is a thoughtful reflection on life’s casual cruelties and how little attitudes towards women have changed since Watergate.

Vibrantly recreating a seminal period in Jodorowsky's personal and artistic development, this bullishly played saga has enough quirky detail, audacious incident and visual panache to sweep the storyline through its less persuasive phases.

Filled with striking and scarringly disconcerting images of vandalised nature, satanic mills and redundant modernity, this is a mournful tribute to a maligned migrant workforce and a sobering reminder that nothing comes cheap.

Impossible to appreciate in a single sitting, this masterly piece of polemical filmmaking is as intoxicating as it is intriguing.

Played with restraint and individuality by a fine ensemble, this is a moving but provocative study of belief, duty, compassion and acceptance.

Taut, tense and teasing, this fascinating exercise in screen storytelling keeps viewers guessing whether the prime suspect might just be a victim.

Unflinching in its eschewal of objectivity, this provides a unique perspective on a notorious case, while correcting some of the impressions about urban black youth the media cravenly peddled in its aftermath.

Hilarious in places, hideous in others, this struggles to make its philosophical case. But the performances are exceptional and the conceit could not be more daring or distinctive.

This 1967 Ming Dynasty epic may lack plot complexity and period spectacle. But the stand-off in a remote inn is flecked with tension, wit and slick martial artistry.

An atmospheric rite of passage that suggests big things lie ahead for its writer-director and young cast.

This is a fascinating insight into the mind of the Nobel laureate and his city muse. Coolly intelligent and noirishly compelling.

Switching from dour humour to humanist drama without seeming contrived, this is a masterclass in combining character and landscape that is played with deceptive poignancy by the excellent leads.

Exquisitely designed, this cornucopia of melodramatic fragments and movie pastiches will enchant Guy Maddin fans.

A truly insightful art film that still manages to be easy-going and unpretentious.

Visually striking, intellectually challenging and emotionally harrowing.

Outstanding account of a pivotal moment in small-screen history.

Exceptional, human filmmaking.

A gripping study of treachery, identity and survival.

Challengingly spellbinding.

A sensitive, sincere and humbling profile which is truly inspirational.

A final opportunity to see a master at work in this mischievously melancholic delight.

Courageous and indelible account and an invaluable perspective of the protests.

A daring, dark satire strewn with allusions to modern times.

An insightful examination of racism, homophobia and identity in Latin America.

Although lacking specific context and fussily presented, this is a harrowing account of the Arab Spring as witnessed by seven reluctant and committed activists in Libya, Syria and Bahrain. The footage of the violence inflicted upon civilians is truly terrifying.

A fun and insightful slice of Roman life. Next up, M25: The Movie?

A powerful and provoking take on a violent and volatile era.

As startling and bleakly compelling as you'd expect from this rare combination of director and subject.

A painful and poignant excoriation of the American dream.

At the venerable age of 84, documentary maven Wiseman hasn't lost his touch.

Filipino maven Diaz delivers a bravura, literary human drama that does justice to its great source material.

As meticulous as one of Claudel's sculptures, Hors Satan director Dumont and his star do this true-life story justice with an empathetic telling.

A timeless musical treat and the most fun you can have with really elegant clothes on.

Powerful and mesmerising, this offers an fresh approach to a tough topic.

A moving treatment of a deeply personal subject (France's own partner died of an AIDS-related illness in 1992), and an enthralling depiction of a seriously fired-up popular movement.

The mesmerising García and sensitive direction by Lelio light up this delicate yet spiky drama. Terrific stuff from both Chileans.

Shot in magisterial black-and-white, veteran director Trueba's drama is a welcome return from the Belle Epoque man.

A deeply affecting glimpse of a man's quest to salvage beauty from tragedy.

Angry, impassionate filmmaking that demands - and deserves - serious answers.

As simple and charming as you could wish for, this is a genuinely pioneering debut from a female Saudi filmmaker and a striking piece of work by any standards.

Impassioned and disturbing, this documentary matches "The Cove" for marrying cool intellect with real fire.

As angry and unflinching a piece of documentary filmmaking as you'll see this year.

It's a stark vision of humanity in a hellish world. Tough and thought-provoking.

Lustrous photography and a fine cast make this dark drama a compelling one.

Funny and freewheeling, it's a joy.

Superbly judging tonal shifts and juggling disparate storylines, this snapshot of a Refice street reveals the class, gender, racial and historical fissures in Brazilian society, while also making for riveting drama right down to the shocking sting in the tail.

A bruising psychodrama from the Palme d'Or winner that taps into the dark heart of central European superstition.

Bleak and compelling.

Shot in beautiful black and white with some stunning visuals, Gomes' narrative quest is a understated gem.

An intense, emotional ride. Uplifting and inspiring.

A touching and revelatory piece of film-making about the plights of real people living in an uncertain world.

A delight from start to finish.

Best known until now for Oscar-winning holocaust drama "The Counterfeiters," Karl Markovics flexes his muscles on the other side of the camera with terrific effect. A fine, moving debut for the new writer/director.

Quietly compelling, the cerebral slice of social realism is well worth hunting down.

A charming, visually sparkling Parisian fantasy with a dark edge.

Hansen-Løve again shows what a gifted storyteller she is with this tender, realistic portrayal of young love.

Much-maligned it may be, but the so-called mumblecore movement continues to turn out gems. Lena Dunham's lo-fi, witty treatment of a semi-autobiographical tale adds another dozy to the canon.

Complex and sophisticated, this genre-defying crime story is spellbinding viewing.

Tsangari proves she's one of the freshest voices in European cinema with this offbeat character piece.

A tough but deeply rewarding watch. Search it out.

Keiller's follow up to his cine-essays London and Robinson In Space is another intelligent, thought-provoking piece of filmmaking.

Powerful art cinema that challenges political and social unity in Iran.

Storytelling of breathtaking scale and grandeur, even if the complex plotting may twist your synapses along the way.

Chock full of larger-than-life characters, it's an enthralling insight into a raw, bloodied world.

A welcome return from Hoop Dream director Steve James. Even at just shy of three hours, the format strains to accommodate such a complex, involving true-life story, but it makes a seriously impressive attempt.

A thriller that twists and turns with an understated power that will have you gripping the arm of your seat. Terrific stuff.

A beautiful but slow moving celebration of life, stunningly photographed.

A touching and insightful black comedy that gracefully spans sixty years.

Although not all the loose ends are tied up in the telling of this bizarre and absorbing tale of love, grief and goose-bumps, one scarcely minds at all, since the fourth-dimensional doings on offer, (underlined with a marvellously moody, haunting score by Zbigniew Preisner) are like an erotic trip into The Twilight Zone.

Typical James Stewart defeating bullies with integrity stuff.

Captivating and poignant portayal of life on the edge for the disregarded of our societies.