skc's - Favourites List
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Matt Frei is the BBC's Washington correspondent. Born in Germany, he was sent by the BBC to Berlin in 1989 to report on the fall of the Wall. Now, 20 years later, he returns to take us on a fascinating journey through Berlin's history to reveal the true spirit of the city. Over three hour-long documentaries he explains this incredible city's ideas, building and people. Dangerous Ideas explores how Berlin has been a crucible for radical thought – giving birth to communism and fascism, theories of sex and sexuality, eugenics and the atomic bomb – and how the price of such experimentation has been a history of bloodshed, tyranny and violence. Ruined Visions tells a story of human creativity and destruction through the buildings of Berlin. From Friedrich the Second's Imperial city and Bauhaus to the impact of Speer's Neo-classical Nazi dream and the Wall; what began as a 17th century provincial town became a city unique in the world. Ich Bin Ein Berliner (I am a Berliner) reveals the spirit of Berlin's people, characterised by their struggle for freedom. Having flocked to enjoy the city's religious toleration, they took on the Nazis and risked their lives to cross the Wall – the iron rod of oppression and a thirst for liberty have shaped the Berliner. - Director:
- David Vincent
- Cast:
- Matt Frei
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Sexual tension spills off the screen in this sweaty, titillating bromance from award-winning director Marco Berger. 'Hawaii' follows Martin and Eugenio (Manuel Vignau and Mateo Chiarino), two former childhood friends who reunite during a hot summer in the Argentinean countryside. As they work together to restore Eugenio's summer home, a game of power and desire ensues - forcing the two buddies to grapple with their sexual attraction and reconsider their relationship. With gorgeous cinematography, a lush setting and compelling lead performances, 'Hawaii' is an intimate character study that pushes past social boundaries. - Director:
- Marco Berger
- Cast:
- Manuel Vignau, Mateo Chiarino, Luz Palazón
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My Life as a Dog (1985)Mitt liv som hund
The year is 1959. A young boy, Ingemar (Anton Glanzelius), is obsessed by two things - his namesake fighting for the World Heavyweight boxing title and the fate of Laika, the dog sent in to space by Russia. As his mother's health deteriorates and she no longer has the strength to cope with him, Ingemar is sent to stay with relatives in the country, much like Laika's journey into the unknown. - Director:
- Lasse Hallström
- Cast:
- Anton Glanzelius, Olle Björklund, Folke Olhagen
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Stranger by the Lake (2013)L'inconnu du lac
Summer time. A cruising spot for gay men seeking nameless sexual encounters, is tucked away on the shores of a picturesque secluded lake in rural France. Franck is an attractive young male who falls in love with Michel, a striking, extremely potent but lethally dangerous man. Franck has witnessed this first hand, but his desire for Michel knows no bounds, this is a relationship he must have - at any cost. - Director:
- Alain Guiraudie
- Cast:
- Pierre Deladonchamps, Christophe Paou, Patrick d'Assumçao
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Tom at the Farm (2013)Tom À La Ferme
Tom travels to the country for the funeral of his lover. There, he's shocked to find that no one knows who he is, nor who he was to the deceased man, whose menacing brother soon sets the rules of a twisted game. In order to protect the family's name and grieving mother, Tom must now deny his own sexuality, while playing the peacekeeper in an isolated household whose obscure past bodes even greater darkness for his "trip" to the farm. This taut psychological thriller centres on the ever-growing gap between city and country and the often oppositional nature of men who live there. - Director:
- Xavier Dolan
- Cast:
- Xavier Dolan, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Lise Roy
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With sharply expressive performances by its young cast, this stunning adventure explores the deep, dark corners of the human soul, as a group of adolescent castaways are thrust into an intense world where law and accountability are governed by the rules of survival. After a harrowing plane crash into the sea, a group of American military cadets finds itself marooned on a deserted island. Realising the minimal chances of being rescued, the boys band together out of fear and desperation. But as the island paradise becomes their own, competition and power struggles split them into two packs. Ralph (Balthazar Getty) leads one group and preaches civilised ingenuity and togetherness, but Jack (Chris Furrh) wants nothing of it and builds a faction of barbaric hunters who ultimately go to war with Ralph. This powerful shift in conscience transforms ordinary lads into primal killers, setting off a devastating battle of good versus evil and presenting a haunting metaphor for the savage in us all. - Director:
- Harry Hook
- Cast:
- Balthazar Getty, Chris Furrh, Danuel Pipoly
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Absent (2011)Ausente
'Absent' (Ausente) offers a provocative twist on a familiar scenario - exploring the complex relationship between an under-aged boys sexual desires and the reaction of the desired adult in an atmosphere of sexual tension and growing menace. Part thriller, part psychological drama, Absent sets out to analyse the nature of desire and human behaviour when facing such a confusing and precarious situation. A teenage boy, Martin, hurts his eye during a swimming class. His PT instructor, Sebastian, takes him to hospital. On leaving, Sebastian offers Martin a lift home but, as Martin had arranged to spend the night at a friends house, there will be no-one expecting him. He insists it would be better to spend the night with Sebastian. As Sebastian takes charge of the student, he is dangerously unaware of the boy's true intentions; that Martin has engineered the entire situation in order to stay at his instructor's home... - Director:
- Marco Berger
- Cast:
- Carlos Echevarría, Javier De Pietro, Antonella Costa
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Twelve-year-old Marcel longs to be treated like an adult by his older brothers, but his family still want him to remain their 'little prince'. One evening, Marcel overhears his brother Leo tell the family he has AIDS. They all agree to protect Marcel from the news, even though Leo wants his baby brother to know. Growing increasingly frustrated watching his family tiptoe around the subject, Marcel finally snaps and challenges them all to speak the truth. His outburst forces them not only to face the gravity of the situation, but also helps Leo confront his illness. On a rebellious whim, Leo takes Marcel to Paris where he attempts to re-kindle the only relationship he has ever had. On the journey, Marcel questions Leo about his sexuality, his illness and his life. Leo holds nothing back and opens Marcel's eyes to a complex world that exists away from the loving and protective bosom of their family. - Director:
- Christophe Honoré
- Cast:
- Yaniss Lespert, Pierre Mignard, Marie Bunel
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Father and Son (2003)Otets i syn
The new film from Alexander Sokurov, the acclaimed director of 'Russian Ark', is a tale of the devoted loving bond between a father and his teenage son and the conflicted emotions that arise as the latter begins to make his own way in the world. The second part of a proposed trilogy about familial love that began with 'Mother and Son', the film bears Sokurov's hallmark visual splendour, intensity and sense of suspended time. Intimately photographed and expressively played by non-professional leads Andrey Shchetinin and Aleksey Neymyshev, 'Father and Son' is a haunting and powerful exploration of a love almost mythological in virtue and scale. - Director:
- Aleksandr Sokurov
- Cast:
- Andrei Shchetinin, Aleksei Neymyshev, Aleksandr Razbash
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An edifying must-see that has received accolades at film festivals the world over, We Were Here is the first film to take a deep and reflective look back at the arrival and impact of a definitive chapter in a city's queer history. It explores how the inhabitants were affected by, and how they responded to, a calamitous epidemic. Though a San Francisco-based story, We Were Here extends beyond San Francisco and beyond AIDS itself. It speaks to our capacity as individuals to rise to the occasion, and to the incredible power of a community coming together with love, compassion, and determination. In the face of adversity they stood strong and united. This is their story. - Director:
- David Weissman
- Cast:
- Ed Wolf, Paul Boneberg, Daniel Goldstein
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Music was his passion. Survival was his masterpiece. Based on a true story from the acclaimed Bafta and Academy Award winning director Roman Polanski. They were degraded, they were hoarded up and they were sent to die. A brave few fought back, but one man would not be beaten, would not be taken and would stay and hide. Wladyslaw Szpilman (Adrien Brody), a brilliant Polish pianist, a Jew, escapes deportation. Forced to live in the heart of the Warsaw ghetto, he shares the suffering, the humiliation and the struggles, and manages to escape and hide in the ruins of the capital. - Director:
- Roman Polanski
- Cast:
- Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay
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Bicycle Thieves (1948)Ladri di biciclette
'Bicycle Thieves' tells the story of Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani), a long unemployed man who finally finds employment putting up cinema posters for which he needs a bicycle. His wife pawns all the family linen to redeem their already pawned bicycle and for Antonio salvation has come, until it is stolen. Antonio and his son take to the streets in a desperate search to find the bicycle which is so crucial to his livelihood. - Director:
- Vittorio De Sica
- Cast:
- Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell
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Along the Ridge (2006)Libero
Renato, a freelance cameraman, is bringing up his 11-year-old son Tommi and daughter Viola alone, after being abandoned by his wife, Stefania (Barbora Bobulova). A strong believer in tough love, Renato offers kindness with harsh discipline. Their individual loneliness and collective yearning for the return of the most important woman in their lives creates a strong bond within the surviving family unit. That is until Stefania returns out of the blue... - Director:
- Kim Rossi-Stuart
- Cast:
- Kim Rossi-Stuart, Barbora Bobulova, Alessandro Morace
- Formats:
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I'm Not Scared (2003)Io Non Ho Paura
No one can be trusted and everyone's a suspect when a shocking secret is revealed in this hypnotic suspense thriller from the acclaimed director Gabriele Salvatores. For 10-year-old Michele, the familiar routines of childhood in his idyllic southern Italian village are about to be shattered by his chance discovery of an unspeakable crime. Soon beyond the point of no return, Michele will risk everything to expose the truth...only to learn that those he depends on the most may have the most to hide. - Director:
- Gabriele Salvatores
- Cast:
- Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Dino Abbrescia, Giorgio Careccia
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A young Sultan named Schahriar must find a wife before the next full moon, otherwise the kingdom will be given to his exiled brother, Schahzenan. Schahriar is skeptical about marrying again, having been the target of a failed assassination attempt by his first wife and his evil brother. However, he sends the old Grand Vizier, Jafar, to find a wife for him, planning to kill her the day after he inherits the kingdom. Ironically, it is Jafar's own daughter, Scheherazade, who offers to marry Schahriar. After the wedding Scheherazade begins to tell her husband a story about Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. Next morning, Scheherazade is anxious and unsure of her fate but Schahriar sends the executioner away, at least temporarily. As Scheherazade spins tales of tragedy, comedy, magic and mayhem, she cleverly creates plots that feature heroes, villains and beautiful heroines. The sultan is impressed and learns valuable lessons from the stories, showing that love and laughter will always defeat evil. - Director:
- Steve Barron
- Cast:
- Mili Avital, Alan Bates, James Frain
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