Must-watch World Cinema Roundup 2018

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Posted By: students September 25, 2018

The best in cinema across the world in 2018

 

Burning (South Korea)

Directed by Lee Chang-dong (Peppermint Candy, Oasis, Secret Sunshine)

The film tells the story of Jongsu (Yoo Ah-in), a frustrated introvert, whose life is complicated by the appearance of two people into his orbit: first, Haemi (Jun Jong-seo), a spirited woman who offers romantic possibility, and then, Ben (Steven Yeun), a wealthy and sophisticated young man she returns with from a trip. When Jongsu learns of Ben’s mysterious hobby and Haemi suddenly disappears, his confusion and obsessions begin to mount, culminating in a stunning finale.

The winner of the Cannes FIPRESCI Prize, it made history by achieving the highest score ever given by the Cannes jury.

It was also selected as the South Korean entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Oscars.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

 

Capernaum (Lebanon)

Directed by Nadine Labaki (Caramel, Where Do We Go Now?)

A politically-charged fable, featuring mostly non-professional actors, about a child who launches a lawsuit against his parents.

The film earned the director Nadine Labaki the Cannes Jury Prize.

It was also selected as the Lebanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Oscars.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

 

Cold War (Poland)

Directed by Paweł Pawlikowski (Ida, Last Resort and My Summer of Love)

A passionate love story between two people (Tomasz Kot & Joanna Kulig) of different backgrounds and temperaments, who are fatally mismatched, set against the background of the Cold War in the 1950s in Poland, Berlin, Yugoslavia and Paris.

Pawel Pawlikowski won the Best Director award at Cannes 2018 for making this film.

It was also selected as the Polish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Oscars.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

 

Dogman (Italy)

Directed by Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah, Tale of Tales)

Marcello (Marcello Fonte), a small and gentle dog groomer, finds himself involved in a dangerous relationship of subjugation with Simone (Edoardo Pesce), a former violent boxer who terrorizes the entire neighborhood. In an effort to reaffirm his dignity, Marcello will submit to an unexpected act of vengeance.

Marcello Fonte won the Best Actor award at Cannes 2018 for working on the film.

It was also selected as the Italian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Oscars.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

 

Roma (Mexico)

Directed by Alfonso Cuaron (Y Tu Mamá También, Children of Men, Sólo con Tu Pareja)

The film follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a young domestic worker for a family in the middle-class neighborhood of Roma in Mexico City. Delivering an artful love letter to the women who raised him, Cuarón draws on his own childhood to create a vivid and emotional portrait of domestic strife and social hierarchy amidst political turmoil of the 1970s.
The film won the Golden Lion award at the Venice International Film Festival 2018.
It was also selected as the Mexican entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Oscars.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes.

 

Shoplifters (Japan)

Directed by Hirokazu Koreeda (Nobody Knows, Still Walking, After the Storm)

After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together until an unforeseen incident reveals hidden secrets, testing the bonds that unite them.

The film won the Palme d’Or award at Cannes 2018.

It was also selected as the Japanese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Oscars.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes.

 

The Guilty (Denmark)

Directed by Gustav Möller (I mørke)

When police officer Asger Holm (Jakob Cedergren) is demoted to desk work, he expects a sleepy beat as an emergency dispatcher. That all changes when he answers a panicked phone call from a kidnapped woman who then disconnects abruptly. Asger, confined to the police station, is forced to use others as his eyes and ears as the severity of the situation increases.

The film won the Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival 2018.

It was also selected as the Danish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Oscars.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes.

Edited by Aditya Singh