Dry Season (2006) - 96 min

Country: Chad
Director: Mahamat Saleh Haroun
Cast: Ali Bacha Barkaïm, Djibril Ibrahim, Aziza Hisseine & Khayar Oumar Defallah.
Atim lives in Chad with his grandfather, a blind old man. The government has granted an amnesty for all war crimes and his father was killed in the war. Atim's grandfather gave him a gun to hunt down his father's killer.
The original name of the movie is 'Daratt' which translates literally as 'dry season'. Revenge is a common theme in many stories, but in 'Dry Season' it felt like a different scenario. The biggest achievement of Daratt is it won the Grand Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival. The most compelling part of the movie will be the moment when Atim starts to work in a bakery. Intentionally or unintentionally The director of the movie, Mahamat Saleh Haroun uses color symbolism in the plot and manages to communicate a great deal out of it. Overall, it's a wonderful revenge story with less talk and ends with a hopeful note for the future.
Verdict: Good

The Traitor (2019) - 145 min

Country: Italy
Director: Marco Bellocchio
Cast: Pierfrancesco Favino, Maria Fernanda Cândido, Fabrizio Ferracane, Fausto Russo Alesi & Luigi Lo Cascio.
The story opens with a meeting of two rival Sicilian families to avoid a war between them. Buscetta who is tired of his life of crime leaves Palermo for Brazil. Unfortunately, he was arrested by the Brazilian police for trafficking drugs.
Based on the real-life story of Tommaso Buscetta, it's hard to remember all the names that keep coming in the story. Bellocchio took his time to settle down with the characters and he uses a straightforward narrative in this film. Pierfrancesco Favino performance as Buscetta is highly credible and extremely watchable. This is the same guy who played Clay Regazzoni in Rush (2013) and still remember his all night - all day dialogue. The courtroom scenes were brilliantly managed by the director and the way convicts ignore the judge’s warnings clearly indicates how powerful they all think of themselves. The Traitor is selected as the official Italian entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards. Overall, It's a 145 minute-long film and the trial section makes the movie a compelling one.
Verdict: Good

I Am Not A Witch (2017) - 93 min

Country: Zambia
Director: Rungano Nyoni
Cast: Maggie Mulubwa, Nellie Munamonga, Dyna Mufuni & Nancy Murilo.
I Am Not a Witch tells the story of nine-year-old Shula, who is forced to live in a witch camp when she was accused by the people in the town. A choice is given to her to select either witch or goat.
The method used to check whether a woman is a witch or not seems ridiculous to me and maybe it's their tradition or a cooked-up thing. Rungano Nyoni, the director of the movie actually visits witch camps in Zambia and Ghana to prepare for her project. The young actress Maggie Mulubwa, who plays Shula is kind of a mystery girl and witch or not, she is not going to give away that easily. The direction looks challenging at times and Nyoni manages to grab a BAFTA award. This is the biggest film ever made in Zambia by a Zambian-born director and hoping to see more from them. Overall, I Am Not a Witch leaves open the biggest question to audiences and the whole thing is entirely up to viewers interpretation.
Verdict: Good

Directions (2017) - 103 min

Country: Bulgaria
Director: Stephan Komandarev
Cast: Assen Blatechki, Ivan Barnev, Vasil Banov, Stefan Denolyubov &  Georgi Kadurin.
Directions follow a few taxi drivers through the city of Sofia for 24 hours. The first cab driver we meet is Misho, the father of a high-school-age daughter, who is planning to quit the job as a driver and this is the last day as a taxi driver for him.
It's all about Bulgaria and the heart of the film lies in the first story, that builds the rest of the movie.  The movie is shot almost entirely inside Taxis composed of close-ups with different passengers and taxi drivers in it. Bulgarian director, Stephan Komanderev examines Sofia and Bulgarian society in general. To talk about modern Bulgarian peoples take on political and their personal matters including anger, revenge, loss, and dreams. Intentionally or unintentionally it all comes to the same point, their actions may differ but they all eventually fall into the category of either powerful or powerless people. Overall, the movie is shot on a handheld camera inside various taxis and I think they managed to make a compelling story under these difficult conditions.
Verdict: Good

Difret (2014) - 99 min

Country: Ethiopia
Director: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari
Cast: Meron Getnet & Tizita Hagere.
While walking home from school, 14-year-old Hirut was abducted by a gang of armed men, one of them rapes her at that night. Next day, she manages to escape from that house by killing the one who raped her.
“No one is above the law”.
The movie is based on the real-life story of Aberash Bekele and the attorney Meaza Ashenafi who fights for her in 1996 when the incident took place. Angelina Jolie’s name as exec producer helps the movie to get international recognition. The movie is filled with political and cultural insights. The plot tries to boost the lawyer character more by giving it unnecessary importance in many scenes which felt irrelevant to me. It won two Audience Awards and was also selected as the Ethiopian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards. Overall, It's a powerful film that deals with a serious subject and abduction-marriage were a common thing that happens often in Ethiopia.
Verdict: Good

The Forgiveness of Blood (2011) - 109 min

Country: Albania
Director: Joshua Marston
Cast: Refet Abazi, Veton Osmani & Tristan Halilaj.
Nik’s father, Mark delivers bread to his village by taking a shortcut across his neighbor’s field. With a short time, A land dispute problem arises between Nik's father and his neighbor that ends up in killing.
The movie talks about the situation when the younger generation stuck in the ancient customs and laws. Gjakmarrja is a custom that allows the relatives of the victim to seek revenge by killing a member of the murderer's family means eye-for-an-eye. The killing can only take place outside of the home and the primary target of the victim's family will be the male adults of the murderer's family. The Forgiveness of Blood was submitted as the Albanian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film and due to a protest against the movie forced the Academy to reject it from entering the list. Overall, Marston’s slow narrative can be a problem to some audiences, on the positive side, the overarching sense of tension created by Marston compensates the slowness in the plot.
Verdict: Good

White Sun (2016) - 89 min

Country: Nepal
Director: Deepak Rauniyar
Cast: Dayahang Rai & Rabindra Singh Baniya.
Chandra, a soldier in the Maoist army returns to his home village after hearing the news of his father’s death. Chandra and his brother Suraj needs to carry their father’s body to the cremation place.
While watching a movie, sometimes you feel like it's a world cinema material or kind of that stuff you don't see very often. White Sun can be added to that list. The movie speaks more about the custom they following and the major one among that is the dead body cannot be carried through the front door. The unsaid words or anger towards each other will all rise during this period which is very common I guess. The Himalayan peaks and mountain trails add extra beauty to the plot and credits goes to the cinematographer Mark O’Fearghail. It was selected as the Nepali entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. Overall, Deepak Rauniyar actually invites you to Nepaltra, a small Nepalese mountain village to witness the lifestyle and traditions of the people that live in the mountains.
Verdict: Good

Accused (2014) - 97 min

Country: Netherlands
Director: Paula van der Oest
Cast: Ariane Schluter, Barry Atsma & Amanda Ooms.
Lucia is a nurse who often takes night shifts and always handles serious cases. Sometimes her patients die too. Due to the sudden increase in the number, she was accused of murdering them.
Based on the real-life story of Lucia de Berk, In 2003 she was accused of murdering 4 patients and 3 attempted murders. It was selected as the Dutch entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards and this is the second time director Paula van der Oest represents her country at the Academy Awards. The performance by Ariane Schutler as Lucia de Berk is wonderful to see and the main characters in the movie were all females. Accused comes under the category of either psychological thriller or courtroom drama, strictly up to the audiences how they approach the story. Overall, the question is whether Lucia is guilty or not and the best way to find out the truth it is to watch the movie rather than reading the article right away.
Verdict: Good

Vodka Lemon (2003) - 90 min

Country: Armenia
Director: Hiner Saleem
Cast: Romen Avinian & Lala Sarkissian.
Hamo is a widower whose pension does not cover his basic needs. He regularly visits the cemetery to talk to his late wife and there he meets an attractive widow, Nina who works in the Vodka Lemon bar.
Vodka Lemon is filled with a sweet elderly romance between Hamo and Nina and a horseman whose mission is never revealed by the director. It talks about the heavyweight of poverty based on the screenplay by Beatrice Pollet and the plot is full of dry humor. The pacing of the movie is often too slow and takes a very long time to build the romance. It was selected as the Armenian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 76th Academy Awards. Hope is the main factor that forces all the characters to do things. Overall, It's an extraordinary film that offers a few moments of weird comedy and strictly recommended to world cinema fans.
Verdict: Good

Harmony Lessons (2013) - 120 min

Country: Kazakhstan
Director: Emir Baigazin
Cast: Timur Aidarbekov, Aslan Anarbayev & Mukhtar Andassov.
Aslan is a 13-year old boy who lives with his grandmother in a farmhouse. At school, he’s picked on by school bully Bolat, the leader of a group that control's the classrooms. Due to a humiliation incident, Aslan is looking for revenge.
The opening scene of the movie shows Aslan is playing with a sheep and it's kind of a pleasant situation to start off. With a fraction of seconds the tone of the movie changes, that's the way it is designed by the director, Emir Baigazin and In simple words never know what happens next. The narrative shuffles like a pendulum and Baigazin interestingly develop Aslan's character. The third act also opens up some questions with that dream sequence and violence is an integral part of the Kazakhs. The school can be referred to as a microcosm and each shot seemingly contains some underlying symbolism which is not that easy to decode. Overall, Harmony Lessons is not an easy watch, yet the movie demands to see it.

Verdict: Good

The Gold Seekers (2017) - 102 min

Country: Paraguay
Director: Juan Carlos Maneglia, Tana Schémbori.
Cast: Celso Franco, Lali Gonzalez & Nelly Davalos
Manu, a newspaper boy discovers a map that falls out of a book which he receives from his treasure hunting grandfather. With the help of two others, Manu starts his adventure ride to find the hidden treasure.
Paraguayan duo Juan Carlos Maneglia and Tana Schembori expand their territory to exceed their own film "7 Boxes" international outreach. The first movie success makes them a little nervous or afraid of doing the second project, which may be one of the reasons why they took a long five-year gap. Richard Careaga's cinematography was exceptional in "7 Boxes" movie and his hyperactive style is one of the strongest aspects of this movie too. It was Paraguay’s second feature to be submitted for Oscar Foreign Language film. The thing I like the most about the movie is we actually think like Manu's character and misses some hidden notes like Manu did. Overall, It's a likable entertainment movie from the directors of "7 Boxes" with a small twist in the tale.
Verdict: Good

The First Grader (2010) - 103 min

Country: Kenya
Director: Justin Chadwick
Cast: Oliver Litondo, Naomie Harris & Tony Kgoroge.
In 2003, The Kenyan government began a free primary school education program for all. 84-year-old Kimani Maruge approaches the new school in his village and attempts to enroll. The school's principal declines his admission.
"We are nothing if we cannot read”
The First Grader is based on the true story of an 84-year-old farmer and former Mau Mau tribesman who decided to go to school when the country introduced free education for all. Maruge holds the Guinness World Record for being the oldest person to start primary school. Director Justin Chadwick crafted the story of an old man beautifully with some bloody violence and torture flashback scenes that shows what Maruge went through in his life. His strong willpower helps him to overcome any tough situations. The acting of Litondo is solid as Maruge, with few fine supporting performances the acting department looks excellent. Overall, It's an inspiring story that conveys the importance of education and a must-watch.
Verdict: Good

The Wound (2017) - 88 min

Country: South Africa
Director: John Trengove
Cast: Nakhane, Bongile Mantsai & Niza Jay Ncoyini.
Xolani aka X is a factory worker who once a year goes up into the mountains to act as a 'caregiver' at the annual initiation ceremony. He is in charge of look after a rich city boy named Kwanda.
It's a male circumcision and initiation ritual conducted by certain communities. This is the first time am hearing about Ukwaluka tradition. Still not clear about why the initiates being covered in white powder and it would have been very helpful if the director, John Trengove unfolds the mystery behind it. Touré, as Xolani is very convincing with his quiet nature. The plot looks similar to the 2016 movie Moonlight but the story took place in a less familiar place and conveys a very powerful point. It was selected as the South African entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. Overall, The Wound tries to talk about a tradition that is not familiar for many viewers which makes it a special one to watch.
Verdict: Good

Divines (2016) - 105 min

Country: Qatar
Director: Houda Benyamina
Cast: Oulaya Amamra & Déborah Lukumuena.
Dounia is a teenager who lives in a Roma camp beneath a motorway and works as a runner for a drug dealer, Rebecca. Dounia and her best friend Maimouna explores every possible thing to make them happy.
Money, money, money! The way they speak about money shows their greedy side of making quick money no matter what they do. The magic moment of the movie will be the scene where Dounia asks Maimouna to take a ride in her invisible Ferrari. Houda Benyamina, the elder sister directs the movie and the younger sister Oulaya Amamra handles the lead role of Dounia. Benyamina knows the brighter side of Oulaya and That's the main reason why Oulaya's performance looks brilliant. It won Caméra d'Or award at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival. Overall, The movie shines at it's best when the lead characters were happy and try this movie if you like coming-of-age stories.
Verdict: Good

100 metros (2016) - 108 min

Country: Spain
Director: Marcel Barrena
Cast: Dani Rovira, Karra Elejalde & Alexandra Jiménez.
Ramon Arroyo is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and his doctor told him that he won’t be able to walk 100 meters within a few weeks or in a year. He decides to fight against the disease by finishing an Iron-Man challenge.
It is based on the true story of a Spanish man, Ramon Arroyo who tries to complete an Iron-Man competition of swimming, bike racing and running a marathon. The movie actually reminds me of Hrithik Roshan, Due to Scoliosis-Curved Spinal Cord he was suggested not to do actions and dance, physical strain on the Spin might put him in a wheelchair for life. The odd-couple relationship between Rovira and Karra Elejalde pays off. I was not aware of the fact Karra Elejalde can handle comedic roles and still remember his Hector character from the movie Timecrimes (2007). Their old school Rocky type training scenes boost the story. Overall, 100 Meters is a genuinely inspirational movie of overcoming one's limits and fighting back.
Verdict: Good

Wajib - The Wedding Invitation (2017) - 96 min

Country: Palestine
Director: Annemarie Jacir
Cast: Mohammad Bakri, Saleh Bakri & Maria Zreik.
Abu Shadi and his son Shadi need to workout their opinion differences while delivering invitations for Amal’s wedding. Amal is Abu Shadi's daughter and Shadi’s sister, it's their custom to deliver the invitations to all their family members personally.
The main lead characters Abu Shadi and Shadi were played by real-life father and son Mohammad and Saleh Bakri. The story is wonderfully portrayed on screen and the pair hit it off brilliantly. Annemarie Jacir shows Shadi as a modern guy who came to his native place from Rome to attend his sister's wedding and Abu Shadi as a Palestinian who lives in his own motherland, Israel. The fundamental difference in point-of-view between the two drives the story and the strength of the movie lie in their conversations. The trip allows them to reconnect with each other. Overall, Wajib is a dramatized look into an Israeli tradition, the tradition that matches to our own wedding tradition and their journey reminds me of my brother's wedding where my father and I invites guests personally.
Verdict: Good

Fortress of War (2010) - 138 min

Country: Belarus 
Director: Alexander Kott
Cast: Andrey Merzlikin, Pavel Derevyanko, Alexander Korshunov & Alexey Kopashov.
It tells the story of the heroic defense of the fortress in Brest, Belarus in 1941 against the Nazis that began on the morning of June 22, 1941, known as “Operation Barbarossa".
Based on real events and real war heroes, the movie highlights the struggle of common people when they face a surprise attack from the German army. It actually reminds me of Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor, the surprise attack and their counter-tactics of blind resistance. The first 20 minutes were quiet and the moment Germans enters into the screen, it's chaos everywhere. The sounds of the battle were extremely convincing and felt like am stuck in a battlefield. Many of the defenders were awarded prestigious medals by the Soviet Union. Overall, it's a movie that sticks to its historical source material and I was not that familiar with the Defense of Brest Fortress, helps to understand some historical events.
Verdict: Good

The World's Fastest Indian (2005) - 127 min

Country: New Zealand
Director: Roger Donaldson
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd, Jessica Cauffiel & Christopher Lawford.
In 1967, 67-year-old Burt Munro decides to travel to Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah to fulfill his lifelong dream. The dream is to test his beloved 1920s Twin Scout Indian motorcycle's capabilities of how much speed it can go.
It's a biographical sports movie that tells the real-life story of Burt Munro, a speed bike racer from Newzealand. Age is just a number for some people and Burt Munro is one of them. The enthusiastic nature of Burt Munro spreads positive effect on others and that's the main advantage of enthusiastic people. There is nothing to talk about the performance, Anthony Hopkins the name is enough to watch this movie and he is just mesmerizing to watch. He referred the role as the best thing he ever did and the kiwi accent of Hopkins was right on. Filmed in New Zealand and Utah, The World's Fastest Indian manages to bring the feeling of 1967 period. Overall, It's a feel-good movie that does what it sets out to do and learned some interesting facts about riding.
Verdict: Good

October 1 (2014) - 148 min

Country: Nigeria
Director: Kunle Afolayan
Cast: Sadiq Daba, Kayode Olaiya, David Bailie & Kehinde Bankole.
Inspector Danladi Waziri finished his investigation about the mystery behind the murder of few women in Akote Town in Ibadan, before Independence Day. He is about to discuss the whole events with the District Officer Robert Winterbottom.
It's not a fast-paced investigation movie and doesn't expect a nail-biting experience from it. Nigerian people love the rom-com genre and the box office is ruled by those films. There are few other genre movies which make a secure place in the list like October 1. The killer identity was revealed in the midway and you can easily guess it before that even happens. Sadiq performance reminds me of the fact of you don't need physique to play the role of an investigation officer unless you fully do justice to the role. It won many African awards like Africa Film Academy, Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, Pan African Film Festival & Africa International Film Festival. Overall, I am really impressed with the movie and worth a few hours of your time if you like to spend it in Nollywood.
Verdict: Good

The Third Wife (2018) - 96 min

Country: Vietnam
Director: Ash Mayfair
Cast: Mai Thu Huong, Nguyen Phuong Tra My, Nguyen Nhu Quynh, Le Vu Long & Nguyen Thanh Tam.
14-year-old May becomes the third wife of an older landowner, Hung. The only way to gain attention in the family is to give birth to a male child and the second wife Xuan lost it when she birthed daughters.
The film is inspired by true events and it's like a cycle that will continue until someone breaks the chain. The situation is the same for every society that considers men are worth than women, a pure example of injustice. The film opens and ends with powerful notes that illustrate May's behavior. With the use of minimal dialogue, Mayfair focuses on the character's reactions and emotions rather than unusual conversations. Nguyen Phuong Tra My delivers a daring performance as May and conveys the process of becoming a woman easily. The running time is about 90 minutes Still, the movie drags sometimes and it will test your patience level. Overall, It's hard for a viewer to watch this movie due to the sensitive subject and on the positive side, it's a great directorial debut for director Mayfair. 
Verdict: Good

Insyriated (2017) - 85 min

Country: Belgium
Director: Philippe Van Leeuw
Cast: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bou Abboud, Juliette Navis & Mohsen Abbas.
There’s a war going on outside and a sniper is hiding in the opposite building. Oum Yazan is trying to protect her family and house-guests until her husband shows up.
“No one’s going to die. Look at me, I was born without a home. This is my home.”
It's a one day story about the unspeakable horrors of war. Van Leeuw sets his film in a blockaded apartment in Damascus, Syria and the cinematography by Virginie Surdej allow us to suffocate with the characters throughout the whole run of 85 minutes. Hiam Abbass handles the main character of protector of the family and her unwavering confidence is the biggest strength of that family. There is a question put forward by Van Leeuw 'Will you risk your own family's safety to rescue someone'. It won several awards including all six awards it was nominated at the 8th Magritte Awards. Overall, Insyriated is a gripping war drama that establishes a claustrophobic feeling and a threat of death is always present in there.
Verdict: Good

Kaili Blues (2015) - 113 min

Country: China
Director: Bi Gan
Cast: Yongzhong Chen, Yue Guo, Linyan Liu & Lixun Xie.
Chen Sheng is a physician who works in a small country clinic with the aid of an elderly assistant. He is forced to go on a journey to find his nephew who is now staying with a Monk, somewhere in Zhenyuan.
“Kaili Blues” is a very confusing movie to follow and felt like I was stuck in a dream realm. The heart of the movie lies in the 40 minutes traveling shot. The camera covers several miles with tiny details of the objects and it follows every person Chen encounters in Zhenyuan province which gives the film a meandering quality. The director, Bi Gan shot the film in his village and he can proudly say that he actually created a genuine art-house movie. Chen Yongzhong gives a great performance as Cheng Sheng, a man who is lost in between reality and dream. Not for everyone, still, it's a pure example of world cinema. Overall, It's a road movie that has a rare 40 minute-long handheld take and I enjoyed the time I spent with it.
Verdict: Good

Sin Nombre (2009) - 96 min

Country: Mexico
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Cast: Edgar Flores, Kristyan Ferrer & Paulina Gaitán.
Sayra is about to embark on a journey with her father and brother to New Jersey. Willy nicknamed Casper works for a dangerous gang led by a multi-tatooed Lil Mago. Due to some unfortunate events, Sayra and Casper meet at the Tapachula train yard.
The journey is not that simple for the travelers, there is a 90-10 chance of surviving it with immigration officials on one side and other side of the coin is controlled by bandits who rob the immigrants. This is the feature debut of Cary Fukunaga, an american director who is currently directing the upcoming James Bond movie 'No Time to Die'. Both performance and cinematography effectively carry the narrative and provides an engaging experience of 96 minutes of it's run-time. Sin Nombre won the Cinematography Award and the Directing Award at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Overall, It's a solid and watchable journey that Latin American immigrants take between Honduras and the States.
Verdict: Good