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Berlin
‘The Longing’ review: Toshizo Fujiwara directs and stars in sweet Panorama drama
Dir: Toshizo Fujiwara. Japan. 2025. 104mins
This endearingly heartfelt, low-budget Japanese drama offers with the oldest of tales: a younger man who went off the rails...
‘Hysteria’ review: Tense German satirical thriller eyes breakout status
Dir/scr: Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay. Germany. 2025. 104mins
It needs to be a golden alternative. Latest college graduate Elif (Devrim Lingnau) has scored an intern place...
‘Girls On Wire’ review: Implausible action drama from China’s Vivian Qu
Dir/scr: Vivian Qu. China. 2025. 114mins
Crippling money owed, habit and simmering grudges have dogged the households of cousins Tian Tian (Liu Haocun) and Fang...
’We Believe You’ review: Tense Belgian family custody drama is a knockout
Dirs/scr: Charlotte Devillers, Arnaud Dufeys. Belgium. 2025. 78mins
Charlotte Devillers and Arnaud Dufeys’ gripping debut characteristic We Consider You captures all of the abdomen churning tensions...
‘What Marielle Knows’ review: Stylish, sly German comedy starring Julia Jentsch
Dir/scr: Frederic Hambalek. Germany. 2025. 87mins.
Ever since a buddy slapped her face within the playground, 13-year-old Marielle has gained the power to see and...
‘Late Shift’ review: Leonie Benesch excels as a Swiss nurse under pressure
Dir/scr: Petra Volpe. Switzerland/Germany, 2025. 92 minutes
Late Shift is a finely-strung hospital drama from Switzerland starring the exceptional German actor Leonie Benesch which can twang...
‘The Message’ review: Low-key black-and-white pleasure from Argentina’s Iván Fund
Dir. Iván Fund. Argentina/Spain/Uruguay 2025. 91mins
The younger heroine of Argentinian drama The Message is just not a horse whisperer, precisely – extra an empathetic gazer at, and seemingly a ‘channeler’...
‘Dreamers’ review: Tender queer migrant drama from Britain
Dir/scr: Pleasure Gharoro-Akpojotor. UK. 2025. 78mins
When Nigerian refugee Isio (Ronkę Adékoluęjo) is positioned in a prison-like UK asylum removing centre, it feels as if...
‘The Settlement’ review: Egyptian debut is a bleak and dispiriting revenge thriller
Dir/scr: Mohamed Rashad. Egypt/France/Germany/Qatar/Saudi Arabia. 2025. 93mins
In a bleak and lawless nook of Alexandria, Egypt, a delinquent 23-year-old son is pulled again into the...
‘Blue Moon’ review: Ethan Hawke sings in Richard Linklater drama
Dir: Richard Linklater. USA/Eire. 2025. 100mins
Earlier than Rodgers and Hammerstein, there was Rodgers and Hart. It was composer Richard Rodgers’ inventive partnership with lyricist...