We’ve received some excellent Foreign Films in the past 30 days, including Video Station favorites (Lorna’s Silence), Oscar winners (Departures) and a whole lot more. Try out a few of these hidden gems:
France/Belgium:
A l’aventure (2009) - A sexually unfulfilled young woman embarks on a series of graphic erotic encounters and becomes involved with a student of psychoanalysis who offers to put her under hypnosis. From director Jean-Claude Brisseau. (France) – [imdb]
The Girl From Monaco (La fille de Monaco) (2008) - A brilliant and neurotic attorney (Fabrice Luchini) goes to Monaco to defend a famous criminal. But, instead of focusing on the case, he falls for a beautiful she-devil (Louise Bourgoin), who turns him into a complete wreck. (France) – [imdb]
Lorna’s Silence (Le silence de Lorna) (2008) - (France) – [imdb] – click here to read our review
Italy:
8 1/2 (1963) – One of the greatest films about film ever made, Federico Fellini‘s 8 1/2 (Otto e Mezzo) turns one man’s artistic crisis into a grand epic of the cinema. (Italy) – [imdb] – Criterion Collection Blu-Ray release!
UK/Ireland:
The Third Secret (1964) - A successful psychoanalyst apparently commits suicide, but his teenage daughter can’t believe her father would have killed himself and begins investigating her father’s life and work with the help of a former patient. (UK) – [imdb]
South America:
The Appeared (Aparecidos) (2007) - During a road trip to visit their dying father, an estranged brother and sister discover a hidden diary that reveals a family legacy of fear and torture. From writer/director Paco Cabezas.(Argentina/Spain/Sweden) – [imdb]
The Battle of Chile (La batalla de Chile) (1975) – Patricio Guzmán’s seminal documentary captures the country’s open and peaceful socialist revolution, and of the violent counter-revolution against it. (Venezuela/France/Cuba) – [imdb]
The Headless Woman (La mujer sin cabeza) (2008) – A woman, who accidentally hits something while driving one day, is unable to shake the fear that she killed a young boy. (Argentina/France/Italy/Spain) – [imdb]
Middle East:
Laila’s Birthday (Eid milad Laila) (2008) - On the day of his daughter Laila’s seventh birthday, taxi driver Abu Laila has nothing else on his mind than getting home early with a present and a cake. But the chaotic day-to-day life in Palestine sends him in many other directions before he gets home. (Palestine/Tunisia/Netherlands) – [imdb]
India:
Like Stars On Earth (Taare Zameen Par) (2007) - An art teacher at a local boarding school tries to help a young student who seems disconnected with the world around him find joy and happiness. (India) – [imdb]
Asia:
Departures (Okuribito) (2008) - When his orchestra disbands, Daigo Kobayashi moves back to his hometown and takes a job preparing corpses for burial. Too embarrassed to admit his new career to his family, Daigo keeps his profession a secret, until he’s faced with the death of someone close to him. Academy Award Winner for Best Foreign Film. (Japan) - [imdb] – click here to read our review
Onimasa (Kiryûin Hanako no shôgai) (1982) - Onimasa is the egocentric boss of a powerful yakuza (Japanese mafia) clan on Shikoku island, and the last heir to a family of samurai. His struggles with his enemy Yakuza and the tumultuous life of his adopted daughter, Matsue, form the backdrop of this epic tale of justice, obedience, and bloody revenge. (Japan) – [imdb]
20th Century Boys 1: The Beginning of the End (20-seiki shônen: Honkaku kagaku bôken eiga) (2008) – A convenience store manager’s life is suddenly turned upside down when his old classmate dies mysteriously, and other strange occurrences begin to mirror the plot of a book he and his friends wrote as children. (Japan) – [imdb]
(Thanks to Imdb, RottenTomatoes, AllMovie and MetaCritic for help with these synopses)