Klara Jagovit

Palm Trees in the Snow/ Palmeras en la nieve

Your parents are grandparents seem to you old and weak people who need to be taken care of. But there was a time when they were also young: they had their romances, pleasures, and tragedies. They were wild, brave and unstoppable. The world belonged to them, their future was still uncertain and you - today's youth, weren't even taken into account as living beings. But times fly and generations shift, making the young rediscover the past of their parents. It's a beautiful story of how one niece came across an amazing story of love, hidden by years of political changes and family conflicts. Colonial Africa, breathtaking views, cultural clashes, racial injustice, and one man's fight to happiness. Two generations connected with one snowy mountainous house of the present and scorching hot, wild beaches and bushes of distant Africa. Enjoy.

Share |

Julieta

accident 04:19:00

Can one coincidental meeting on a train outline your fate for the years to come? Can one tragedy put a break to happiness and family bliss? How complicated is a mother-daughter relationship, especially when the roles reverse and the younger has to take care of the older one? Why do you get disappointed with both your parents and children and all are individuals with their own needs and flaws? A mother in search of a daughter and a story about the woman's growth and lots of self-seeking. Julieta.

Share |

Mystic Pizza

growing-up 02:37:00

Growing up has one common quality: you make mistakes. You think that as a young woman you have it all figured out, your ambitious plan for happiness is set to push you onto the road of accomplishment and love, but the reality can be harsher than that. Can looks, brains or having a loving boyfriend help you in your process? Or will you learn the hard way that you don't always get what you want? Three completely different girls, one extra job in a pizza place, and a very warm and smart film to watch. Enjoy.

Share |

Gattaca

brothers 04:19:00

Imagine a world where your genes determine what kind of profession and lifestyle you are going to have. There are no job interviews, no doubts, no dreams. A simple blood test outlines your professional path and there's nothing to discuss. Either you're a champion or you're a loser. You can design your perfect child and this perfect child can be put on the road to success. You can see that nature is full of flaws and in comparison with genetic modifications, it fails to create perfection. But what if your dreams surpassed your inborn abilities and you wanted a better life for yourself? What if there was a plan to deceive the system? Why talent and predispositions are not enough and to achieve what you dream about you need a very strong will, luck, and one or two lies? Gattaca.

Share |

Working Girl

business 03:27:00

What still seems to be difficult in the business world, is having a career by a woman. We are flooded with stereotypes that women are more emotional than men and less suitable for business. Women still have to cover their brains behind the curtain of pretty faces and sexualized bodies. Female workers also prove to be their greatest enemies, as a competition of a good job, a great man by the side, and other personal achievements seems to overshadow simple solidarity between them. And still, very few ladies are consequent enough to pursue a career in their dream field, resigning from achievements and devoting their lives to family. Personal failures are still accepted less than professional ones. But what if you have brains to follow your dream and circumstances prove that you have nothing to lose? The late eighties very much remind us of contemporary times and the struggles of contemporary women. Haircuts might have changed, but can't we all identify? Working Girl.

Share |

Green Book/ Philadelphia

class 06:27:00

It seems that the firmest prejudices are among those who have the least knowledge on the subject. The biggest racists are those who have no friends or acquaintances among black people. The biggest homophobes are those whose fears are based on urban legends, not actual experiences of knowing gay couples. Your eyes open only when you happen to witness. Your knowledge and testimony are worth only when you have actual experience. And then you can change your mind and often stop idolizing those who grew in your perception to the level of heroes. Befriending those whom you previously unfairly despised of or were afraid of seems to be the greatest proof of humility and humanity. This is how society changes. It starts with one man and spreads throughout nations. How two worlds crashed and overcame racism and homophobia in divided America? Two best movies of two generations, Green Book and Philadelphia.

Share |

9 1/2 Weeks

adventure 04:51:00

Don't you have a feeling that your relationship is a bit boring? Wouldn't you like just a little bit of... spice? There are moments in life when you need stability, crave something long-lasting, secure, and comfortable. At other times, be it recovering from your previous relationships or simply appreciating a moment in life, you'd rather go for the danger, uncertainty and the tempting appeal of great and crazy sex. When one attractive woman meets one attractive man the only option is romance. Two sex-figures of their generation, still good to watch. 9 1/2 Weeks. Enjoy.

Share |

Children of a Lesser God

deafness 04:12:00

Imagine yourself abroad when you don't know the language and nobody knows yours. This is, I imagine, what blind people feel among movie lovers and deaf people among music fans. This is what poor people feel among the rich. People have various points of reference and breaking out of your comfort zone is hard for everybody who lacks something. But what if a talented teacher inspired someone deprived of chances due to circumstances to become a bit more independent and fit in society? What is the language of love and can you overcome a disability, prejudices, and traumas to have a normal life? One of very few films about the hearing-impaired and a beautiful love story. Children of a Lesser God.

Share |

Matthias & Maxime

drugs 12:41:00

Sometimes you have to lose something to appreciate it. And often it means losing your best friend. But when emotions are running high and you are stuck in the world of professional expectations, loveless relationships, peer pressure, and a situation when the only person you care about is about to leave, you might lose it altogether. Equally hard is to deal with your troublesome family and decide to move countries to fight for yourself. But the more you set off and abandon the more you appreciate what you already have. A crisis is to put us in the right place and find our true selves. But do you have the guts to admit to your weaknesses and follow your heart? A love story on the verge of separation: Matthias & Maxime.

Share |

Terms of Endearment

cancer 03:12:00

Every mother-daughter relationship is hard. The former has devoted so much to raise the latter that the thought of that little one entering the adult world, getting married (to someone not good enough) and having children of her own is unbearable. However toxic it might seem, it's a bond that can never be replaced. Such closeness to any other woman in your life is almost impossible as it covers so many years and keeps so many memories. Even the best friend can turn into the most annoying friend but in times of hardship, she's there to support. A very moving story about one single mother and her daughter over the years of relationships, children, separation and never-ending phone calls. Still true, Terms of Endearment.

Share |

Rocketman

divorce 02:38:00

It's great when you're talented and your efforts are appreciated by your family members and the support has been given to you from early childhood. You then thank your parents when receiving another award and thrive supporting them in return. But when you're extremely talented and there is no support, not even acceptance among the members of your closest family, the talent and success itself are not enough to make you happy. How one world-famous singer had to face his demons, addictions and find a way to personal happiness? Early years of Elton John, Rocketman.

Share |

Monos

escape 03:03:00

War is not a child's game. It's about politics and ruthless killing. But once you form a unit of juveniles, equip them with weapons and make them take care of a hostage, you might deal with another Lord of the Flies. How pristine are human reactions in the face of a common enemy? Why trust is so easy to break? Why leadership goes from hands to hands in the face of circumstances? And why establishing a few rules makes people behave against their own beliefs? Monos.

Share |

Jojo Rabbit/The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

children 02:44:00

There's something wrong with the human race, as from time to time, it decides to hate one of its variety. Some think themselves better, others perceiving as monsters. But hatred between nations and religions is based on stereotypes and these stereotypes are easy to repeat. But what if during World War II a German, Hitler-obsessed boy was forced to accept a Jewish girl hiding in his house? What if another boy happened to be so close to the Concentration Camp and befriended one of its prisoners? How close can you be to the consequences of blind ideology and admit that you were wrong? A different perception of war, one funny in its bittersweetness, another heartbreakingly realistic and two moving pictures of how cruel was our history and our mistakes. Both based on books, Jojo Rabbit and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas.

Share |

The Two Popes

Anthony Hopkins 11:28:00

Sometimes in life, you need a sign, a signal from God that will lead you to a life vocation, a coincidence that will allow you to choose a profession that will make sense and make you fulfilled and happy. It can be a sign for your personal decision, retirement or resignation and making place for someone new.

We change as a society and as a society, we need different leaders; we need those who will understand us, have followed our footsteps and dived in the world of our mistakes. But we fluctuate from being conservative and liberal, trying to choose the right path and finding ourselves in the bowling pot of voices screaming which life is the best. This leadership especially touches upon the Church. Sometimes a major life decision is required to bring the essence of the Church (which is undoubtedly ultimately good) to the masses. Sometimes it requires the change of the Pope. Sometimes it calls for a film bringing two popes into our homes via Netflix. After over two thousand years of Christianity, it seems that the Vatican, Sistine Chapel, and those responsible for the Church can be close to us as humans and that atonement is possible for everybody. Unprecedented story of Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis, and a chapter of our history. The Two Popes.

Share |

Little Women

Christian Bale 11:55:00

As a girl, you play various games: in your imagination, you can be a captain of a ship, a writer, a soldier, a TV presenter or a cook. And then, as a woman, you are limited to social status: single, married, in a relationship, divorced, or widowed and wonder what could possibly have gone wrong.

What is the purpose of a woman on this planet? Why is she educated, cherished, and brought up to face the obstacles of the world? For many years, her only life dream and ability to survive was to get married as soon (and rich) as possible. But for generations of women, she was supposed to succeed and fall in love, passionately and romantically. Maybe that's why we were all enchanted by Little Women. Jo, Amy, Meg, and Beth March were always somewhere at the back of the minds of girls choosing their careers or making life decisions. They represented independence, friendship, sisterhood, dreams, and coming of age, they portrayed life seemingly distant from us, but so universal, everybody could relate. Little girls watching the 1994 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel can now, as grown women, admire another movie about four girls making their way in the world, where money count more than dreams, society deprives of values, and very few privileges allow women to live on their own terms. Surely girls being born today will need another reminder that there once were sisters with very similar dilemmas.

Share |

Proxima

career 09:31:00

It wasn't a long time ago when women were only a possession; their fathers', husbands', brothers', and sons' property to take care of or cruelly dispose of. Having the right to vote or engaging in typically male activities was unthinkable. Great World Wars changed it all, they pushed men from workplaces to the frontline and women from households to fields, plants, and services. And (oh Lord what a surprise!) they managed. Women succeeded in each and every area previously occupied by men and restoring the old order proved to be as difficult as restoring aristocracy.

Years have passed and still, a woman with a certain ambition has to devote as much as a man with the same dreams, but also face the social criticism of men, women (who pushed their ambition aside for the sake of cooking and cleaning), and society as such. Regardless, she is not willing to resign. One hundred years ago, a thought about a woman exploring the space would be laughed at. Now it's a fact. A professional struggle of one dreamer and a very realistic portrayal of a mother who wants to be something more than a parent and partner. Inspirational for many girls, Proxima.

Share |

Pulp Fiction

black comedy 09:00:00

Some people are really devoted to their professions. Others are equally devoted to their bosses, whether out of respect or fear of urban legends about the gloomy fate of those who dared to be disobedient. But what kind of consequences has a job in which your task is to kill fulfilling orders of your superiors? What if one such superior made you take care of his wife? What if, by killing the wrong person, you made your boss your biggest enemy? What if taking care of one crime you accidentally disturbed other more serious criminals and karma had some nasty ways to bite you back? Cult, violent, and hilarious, young Quentin Tarantino and his Pulp Fiction.

Share |

The Peanut Butter Falcon

adventure 11:18:00

Who said that you can't have dreams? And again, who said that these dreams cannot be made true? Rules are only rules because the society established them for more or less rational reasons and some are worth to be broken. You'd think that being born with Down syndrome, rejected by your family and imprisoned in a retirement home can ruin your chances for an exciting future, but the right moment can help you spread your wings and fly. Maybe a genuine friendship is just around the corner, maybe not only you have lost something and need something else, this time with meaning. A beautiful journey of three lost souls who found each other for a reason, good old magic of the 90s movies, The Peanut Butter Falcon. Enjoy.

Share |

Bombshell

abuse 10:55:00

In any business, for a woman to climb up the career ladder is difficult not only because she has to work twice as hard to prove that she's as good as men. She has to deal with the obstacles impersonated by mean colleagues from work, family's remarks, ticking biological clock, and a husband to juggle. To have it all seems almost impossible and very few are willing to devote the lifetime for professional work, being still labeled unscrupulous, greedy, and self-obsessed. Times haven't changed that much for the better as shows the selection of politicians, heads of the country, and people given the right to speak publicly. This is a men's world, indeed. Add to this omnipresent sexual harassment and it turns into a woman's hell. But don't you think that enough is enough, and those who sinned must be finally punished? What if one woman's voice triggered an avalanche of confessions? #metoo in the world of television, Bombshell.

Share |

Instant Family

adoption 08:18:00

There are couples who struggle to conceive a child, couples who are left with the "infertile" tag for the rest of their lives, and couples for whom having a child is nothing of a priority and they are childfree for a reason. Having said that, there are still children who desperately need parents. None of us had any influence on what kind of family we were born into. But does being born into families of pathology, alcoholism or even sexual abuse have to mean a whole life of struggle? Every child has a right for parents, even though biological ones might not have been equipped with the right qualities. But do you have the guts to lead through life living human beings, bear the whole responsibility, commit, and adopt those who weren't appreciated by others? Can you deal with the obstacles along the way? Can you build your own special family unit and save those who will otherwise fall into the predestined gaps of the system? Very moving and eye-opening, an appreciation of those who did dare to make a move, Instant Family.