Ritesh Batra, 2013
PG; 104 minutes; Hindi with English subtitles

A lonely housewife (Nimrat Kaur) decides to try adding some spice to her stale marriage by preparing a special lunch for her neglectful husband (Nakul Vaid). Unfortunately, the delivery goes astray and winds up in the hands of an irritable widower (Irrfan Khan). Curious about her husband's lack of response, she adds a note to the next day's lunch box and thus begins an unusual friendship in which two lonely strangers can talk about their joys and sorrows without ever meeting in person.

“Jazz and animation make for strong bedfellows in They Shot the Piano Player, a film from Spanish directors Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal that represents an intriguing hybrid in all sorts of ways” —Chris Willman, Variety

Hirayama (Kôji Yakusho) seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine, he enjoys his passion for music and books; he also loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past. Wim Wenders directs this deeply moving, poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.

PG; 123 minutes; Japanese with English subtitles

The Peasants tells the story of Jagna, a young woman determined to forge her own path within the confines of a late-nineteenth-century Polish village—a hotbed of gossip and ongoing feuds—held together, rich and poor, by pride in their land, adherence to colorful traditions, and a deep-rooted patriarchy. When Jagna finds herself caught between the conflicting desires of the village’s richest farmer, his eldest son, and other leading men of the community, her resistance puts her on a tragic collision course with the community around her.

This riveting exploration of rebellion, memory, and sisterhood reconstructs the story of Olfa Hamrouni and her four daughters, unpacking a complex family history through intimate interviews and performance to examine how the Tunisian woman’s two eldest were radicalized by Islamic extremists. Casting professional actresses as the missing daughters, along with acclaimed Egyptian-Tunisian actress Hend Sabri as Olfa, award-winning director Kaouther Ben Hania restages pivotal moments in the family’s life.

107 minutes; Arabic with English subtitles