Romania 2007 / directed by Cristian Mungiu / 113 mins / rated MA 15+

Set in 1987 Romania during the last days of communism, this hard-hitting film tells of a university student's need to have an illegal abortion.  She is helped by her roommate, but neither is prepared for the high price they will have to pay.  Brilliantly acted, it won the Palm d'Or at Cannes 2007 and the Fipresci prize.

China (Cantonese) 2007 / directed by Zhang Zeming and Paul Liu / 95 mins / rated tbc

The extraordinary story of seven Chinese men and women, all of them retired, who embark on a 3,100 kilometre journey from Lanzhou, a smoggy industrial city in north west China, across the Tibetan plateau to Everest Base Camp.

Israel 2007 / directed by Eran Kolirin / 87 mins / rated M - SOLD OUT

 A small Egyptian band arrive in Israel to play at the opening of an Arab Cultural Centre, but they lose their way and become stranded in a remote desert town.  The cross-cultural experiences which ensue are comical and heartwarming.  A multi-award-winning film on the international festival circuit.

Spain 2007 / directed by Juan Antonio Bayona / 105 mins / rated MA 15+

Juan Antonio Bayona brings this classy atmospheric horror/thriller/drama to our screens. It is set in and around an old orphanage by the coast in the Asturias, northern Spain. Laura, herself an orphan who was brought up in the mansion, decides to take her husband and adopted son, Simon, back to where she spent her childhood and has many happy memories. The trouble begins when Simon begins to have conversations with friends that only he can see. Suddenly he goes missing. The police conduct an investigation and a clairvoyant is brought in to help. Danger seems to lurk in every corner of the house, the outdoors does not bring relief either...

France 2007 / directed by Laurent Tirard / 120 mins / rated PG - SOLD OUT

An undocumented period in this famous French playwright's life is imagined in this biopic, covering the years from his release from prison at age 22 to his triumphant return to Paris 13 years later.  An extravagant and irresistible story of intrigue, romance, comedy and artistic inspiration.

Germany 2007 / directed by Fatih Akin / 122 mins / rated M - SOLD OUT

A gorgeously shot movie, slow-paced and full of rich performances, it makes both modernTurkey and modern Germany come alive. Its many twists and turns ultimately show how we are all connected, as each protagonist confronts death in different ways. A multi-awardwinning film, including Best Screenplay at Cannes 2007.
 

India 2006 / directed by Rajkumar Hirani / 144 mins / rated PG

The eponymous hero of the film, Munna Bhai, practises Gandhigiri (Satyagraha, non-violence and truth) to help ordinary people to solve their problems. It has had an enormous cultural impact in India, reviving Ghandi principles and is the third top-grossing Bollywood film of the 21st century. A Bollywood Plus experience.
 

Czech Republic 2006 / directed by Jiri Menzel / 120 mins / rated M

The film begins in an abandoned Czech village in the 1960s, but consist mainly of flashbacks to the 1930s-40s in Prague, with the protagonist looking back on his life of greed, lust, love for a German girl and immense wealth.  A black comedy with gorgeous cinematography, a terrific cast  and a worthy recipient of a Golden Berlin Bear and the FIPRESCI Prize 2007.

Taiwan 2007 / directed by Ang Lee / 148 mins / rated R

Ang Lee's latest highly-acclaimed film is a tense, erotic espionage thriller, sensual and beautifully shot.    An exquisite study of love, betrayal and revenge, it contains startlingly explicit sex scenes.  Margaret Pomeranz considers every frame to be a work of art. Please note the R rating.

Austria 2007 / directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky / 98 mins / rated MA 15+ - SOLD OUT

Winner of the Best Foreign Language Film category at this year's Academy Awards, it is the true story of the Nazi's plan in 1936 to flood the British and American economies with fake cash, using Jewish forgers.  An unsentimental Holocaust drama and a gripping story about moral choices made by amoral people.

Italiy 2007 / directed by Daniele Luchetti / 100 mins / rated M - SOLD OUT

This lighthearted Italian box-office hit about sibling rivalry is an exemplary family melodrama of the kind the Italians achieve so effortlessly.  A memorable depiction of brothers at political loggerheads with captivating performances and sharp humour.