THE TEACHER’S LOUNGE

Germany | 2023 | 94

In this intense study of the power dynamics in contemporary German society, an idealistic middle-school teacher makes a bad decision while trying to do the right thing, and her every subsequent move mires her in an even bigger mess.

COMMON GROUND

USA | 2023 | 105

This alarming yet hopeful documentary explores sustainable farming and the power of “Regenerative Agriculture,” following a politically and culturally diverse group of farmers, ranchers, scientists and advocates as they work toward harvesting a more harmonious relationship with the environment.

MERCHANT IVORY

USA | 2023 | 110

Here is the definitive chronicle of the filmmaking collective behind such beloved, groundbreaking films as A Room with a View, Howards End, The Remains of the Day and Maurice, spearheaded by director James Ivory and his producer and partner Ismail Merchant.

A NORMAL FAMILY

South Korea | 2023 | 116

In this simmering pressure cooker of a thriller, two brothers – one a doctor, the other a criminal defense lawyer – must put aside their ideological differences and work together after unearthing a shocking discovery concerning their teenage children.

KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

USA | 2023 | 206

Told through the romance of Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Mollie Kyle (Lily Gladstone), Martin Scorsese’s highly lauded epic tracks the suspicious murders of members of the Osage Nation, who became rich overnight when oil was discovered underneath their land.

FALLEN LEAVES

Finland/Germany | 2023 | 81

Precise and intelligent, this bittersweet romance between two Helsinki loners (Alma Pöysti and Jussi Vatanen, both irresistible) posits love as the means to transcend – or at least survive – the grim reality of living in a capitalist society.

GLORIA GAYNOR: I WILL SURVIVE

USA/Spain | 2023 | 99

Gloria Gaynor’s radiant spirit shines in this inspiring portrait of the great disco queen of the ’70s. Overcoming one hurdle after another – a crippling back injury, an abusive husband, a murdered sister – Gaynor roars back with her Grammy-winning gospel album.

THE CONVERT

New Zealand/Australia | 2023 | 119

Set in New Zealand in the 1830s, this breathtaking revisionist Western stars Guy Pearce as a mysterious lay preacher who arrives at a British settlement, only to find himself at the center of a war between Maori tribes.

THE ECHO

Mexico/Germany | 2023 | 102

In this tender and visually stunning documentary, three rural families in the tiny Mexican village of El Eco find hope as they struggle within the unyielding demands of nature and community.

MAESTRA

USA | 2023 | 88

Move over, Tár! In this musical documentary, aspiring women conductors gather in Paris for a career-making competition. We get to know these remarkable young women – from Atlanta, Poland, France, Greece and Ukraine – in a grand demonstration of the art of conducting.

LATE BLOOMERS

USA | 2023 | 92

When aimless late-twentysomething Louise (Karen Gillan) lands in the hospital, she makes quick enemies with Antonia, an elderly Polish woman who speaks no English. Despite their mutual distaste, Louise becomes her caregiver, and the odd couple form an unlikely bond.

WONDERLAND

Singapore/Malaysia/USA | 2023 | 125

After his daughter moves to the United States for school, Loke befriends his neighbor Tan, who helps him translate letters to and from his only child. When bad news comes from overseas, Tan must decide how to tell his new friend.

FAIRYLAND

USA/France | 2023 | 115

Based on Alysia Abbott’s memoir, a teenager (Emilia Jones) reflects on coming of age in San Francisco in the 1970s and ’80s while being raised by her widowed bisexual father, poet and activist Steve Abbott (Scoot McNairy).

LISTEN UP!

Norway | 2023 | 86

In this warm and lively family comedy exploring identity, gender and class, the Mahroofs are a Pakistani household living in East Oslo who don’t quite fit in, and whose lives are about to change when a family secret is revealed.

CHASING CHASING AMY

USA | 2023 | 95

Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy was the movie that saved 12-year-old Sav Rodgers’ life. Now a filmmaker, Rodgers embarks on a journey of self-discovery as he seeks out Smith and the cast to explore the 1997 film’s controversial legacy.

ABOUT DRY GRASSES

Turkey/France/Germany/Sweden | 2023 | 197

Assigned to a remote Turkish village, a middle-aged teacher from Istanbul is accused of an inappropriate relationship with one of his pupils in this searing, slow-burn drama from Turkish master Nuri Bilge Ceylan.

FOUR DAUGHTERS

Tunisia/France/Germany/Saudi Arabia | 2023 | 107

Join us for a post-screening Q&A with director Kaouther Ben Hania on January 9.

In this highly inventive and moving documentary, professional actresses and real-life subjects collaborate to tell the true story of a Tunisian single mother of four whose two eldest daughters disappear after becoming radicalized by ISIS.

THE HANDMAIDEN

South Korea | 2016 | 145

An instant classic, Park Chan-wook’s lavish, steamily erotic 2016 thriller was hailed by The New York Times as “an emporium of visual delights.” A spellbinding tale of criminal schemers, whiplash reversals and double- (and triple-)crosses, it leaves you breathless.

SHAME ON DRY LAND

Sweden/Malta | 2023 | 91

Forget the peculiar title, which is a literal translation of a Swedish expression, and enjoy this surprising, twisty neo-noir set among hedonistic Swedish expats in sunny Malta, where a former swindler seeks forgiveness from the business partner he betrayed.

SIRA

Burkina Faso/France/Germany/Senegal | 2023 | 121

In the sprawling desert of the Sahel, young Sira and her family are en route to her wedding when ambushed by an Islamist gang, forcing her to fight for her life in this stunning tale of survival and resilience.

FANCY DANCE

USA | 2023 | 90

Desperate to locate her missing sister, Native American swindler Jax (Lily Gladstone in a tour-de-force performance) hits the road with her teenage niece Roki (Isabel Deroy-Olson) for the Oklahoma state powwow in director Erica Tremblay’s unpredictable and moving debut feature.

BORN HUNGRY

Canada/India | 2023 | 89

In this inspiring story of grit and determination, a runaway child from the streets of India is adopted by a Canadian family and becomes the chef-owner of Sash, one of Toronto’s trendiest restaurants.

HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON

Canada | 2023 | 92

This charming, funny and stylish play on the traditional vampire tale tells the story of Sasha, a young vampire who can’t bring herself to kill. Facing starvation, she meets a young depressed man who could help solve both their problems.

LAROY

USA/France | 2023 | 112

Steve Zahn stars as an overeager small-town private eye alongside John Magaro as a suicidal cuckold who’s mistaken for a hitman in this twisty, darkly funny neo-noir set in a dusty Texas town where blackmail seems to be the local sport.

WILD AT HEART

USA | 1990 | 125

Young lovers Sailor and Lula run from the variety of weirdos that Lula’s mom has hired to kill Sailor.

THE BURDENED

Yemen/Sudan/Saudi Arabia | 2023 | 90

In this powerful drama from Yemen, a couple with three children grapple with an unplanned fourth pregnancy at a time when healthcare costs soar and their country’s conservative abortion laws back them deeper into a corner.

TIGER STRIPES

Malaysia/Taiwan/Singapore/France/Germany/Netherlands/Indonesia/Qatar | 2023 | 95

Twelve-year-old Zaffan is the first in her class to undergo physical changes in her body. She’s singled-out, taunted and stigmatized. As her transformations start to correlate with rumors of a campus demon, Zaffan decides to embrace her monstrosity.

THE MONK AND THE GUN

Bhutan | 2023 | 107

In this playful satire, the Bhutanese government holds a mock election to educate the locals about democracy after the king abdicates. Meanwhile, a monk is sent on a mysterious quest and crosses paths with an ensemble of colorful characters.

PUAN

Argentina/Brazil/Germany/Italy/France | 2023 | 109

When the head of his department unexpectedly dies, college professor Marcelo believes he is the logical replacement. But the arrival of an overconfident colleague poses competition, and a deliciously entertaining philosophical duel ensues.

EZRA

USA | 2023 | 100

Join us for a post-screening Q&A with director Tony Goldwyn on January 6.

A New Jersey comic (Bobby Cannavale) at odds with his ex (Rose Byrne) and eccentric father (Robert De Niro) takes off on a road trip with their 9-year-old autistic son (William A. Fitzgerald) in this irresistibly charming dramedy about a father’s love taken to the extreme.

SOCIETY OF THE SNOW

Spain | 2023 | 144

Based on a true story, a rugby team is aboard Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 when it crashes in the Andes. Trapped in a hostile and inaccessible environment, the surviving passengers must resort to extreme measures to stay alive.

CONCRETE UTOPIA

South Korea | 2023 | 130

A massive earthquake rolls through Seoul, upending every apartment complex – except one. With refugees at their doorsteps, the residents of the remaining Imperial Palace apartment decide to wall out the rest of society, and an apocalyptic showdown becomes inevitable.

SOLITUDE

Iceland/Slovakia/France | 2023 | 75

Circumstances lead taciturn farmer Gunnar to settle in Reykjavík where he gradually develops a friendship with Ari, the precocious 10-year-old paperboy next door, in this poignant and surprising take on the two-lonely-strangers-forge-an-unexpected-bond tale.

LIES WE TELL

Ireland | 2023 | 89

Adapted from Sheridan Le Fanu’s revered gothic novel, this taut 19th-century thriller pits a smart but stubborn orphaned heiress (Agnes O’Casey) against her scheming guardian uncle, his odious son, spoiled daughter and a sinister governess.

THE VANISHING SOLDIER

Israel | 2023 | 98

In this tragicomic adventure set over 24 hours, an 18-year-old IDF soldier goes AWOL from the Gaza battlefield to see his girlfriend in Tel Aviv only to learn that the military elite, convinced that he was kidnapped, is retaliating.

20,000 SPECIES OF BEES

Spain | 2023 | 125

Eight-year-old Lucía spends a summer in the country with the family’s widowed matriarch when questions about her gender identity arise, leading each woman in the family to face her own doubts and fears.

POWER ALLEY

Brazil/France/Uruguay | 2023 | 100

When a young volleyball player searches for a solution after an unwanted pregnancy threatens to derail her international career path, she becomes the target of the conservative community, igniting a spark of solidarity and sisterhood from her teammates.

BONUS TRACK

United Kingdom | 2023 | 98

An underachieving teenager navigates the rocky road through high school by immersing himself in music. His dream of winning the school talent show seems attainable when he pairs up with a famous musician’s son who understands his music – and his heart.

VERA

Austria | 2022 | 115

Children of celebrities often have a hard time existing in (and out of) their famous parent’s shadows. This fascinating hybrid documentary centers on Vera Gemma, daughter of a popular spaghetti Western star, who plays a version of herself.

ALL ABOUT THE LEVKOVICHES

Hungary | 2024 | 85

After his wife's death, a stubborn boxing coach agrees to allow his estranged Orthodox Jewish son from Israel to sit shiva, as long as he brings the grandson he has never met, in this heartwarming dramedy set in contemporary Budapest.

A LOOK THROUGH HIS LENS

USA/France/Ireland/UK | 2023 | 103

Oscar®-winning cinematographer Philippe Rousselot offers a master class in image making, with insightful examples from his work on Diva, Hope and Glory, A River Runs Through It, Dangerous Liaisons, Interview with the Vampire and many more in this cineaste’s delight.

SLOANE: A JAZZ SINGER

USA | 2023 | 96

Worshiped by jazz musicians and critics but largely unknown to the general public, Carol Sloane’s brilliance as a jazz singer is abundantly clear in this affectionate portrait which finds her in her 80s, preparing for a crowning comeback performance at Birdland.

MR. BLAKE AT YOUR SERVICE!

France | 2023 | 110

John Malkovich and Fanny Ardant headline this breezy comedy in which a widowed British businessman decides to stay at the chateau where he met his late wife – a stay that will change him in ways he never expected.

ALL WE CARRY

USA/Mexico | 2024 | 88

In this heartfelt documentary, a young couple and their baby flee violence in Honduras only to find themselves caught in the complexweb of the United States’ draconian immigration system, before finding shelter in an unlikely place.

THE EXTORTION

Argentina/USA | 2023 | 106

Airline pilot Alejandro hides a secret that puts his career in jeopardy. When intelligence service agents attempt to blackmail him, Alejandro enters a world of intrigue and corruption in this high-octane entertainment with constant twists and unpredictable consequences.

FRESH KILLS

USA | 2023 | 119

Join us for post-screening Q&As with director Jennifer Esposito and others on January 6, 7, 8 and 10.

Jennifer Esposito’s electrifying debut as writer-director centers on the women behind the men of a mafia family in 1980s Staten Island, and how teenager Rose Larusso forges her own path to break free from a life of fear and violence.

GOODBYE JULIA

Sudan/Egypt/Germany/France/Saudi Arabia/Sweden | 2023 | 120

Tensions between Northern and Southern Sudanese communities erupt into violence, forever changing two families in this moving story of an unlikely bond between two women as they confront issues of class, gender and race.

AMONGST THE TREES

USA | 2023 | 75

In the final days of their season, Joshua Tree’s own Copper Mountain College men’s basketball team, the Fighting Cacti, make one last push for the playoffs in an unforgettable, nail-biting game against the visiting Cypress College Chargers.

THE SWEET EAST

USA | 2023 | 104

After Lillian (Talia Ryder) separates from her classmates on a school trip, she embarks on a Kafkaesque journey across America’s East that quickly begins to resemble a modern-day Wonderland. Deliriously funny, dreamy and freewheeling, here’s a trip like no other.

DAY OFF

Taiwan | 2023 | 106

After 40 years on the job, a hairdresser takes a day off to visit an old client miles away. Though her children are against the road trip, nothing will stop a determined pro and the simple, timeless obligations of kindness.

WE HAVE NEVER BEEN MODERN

Czech Republic/Slovakia | 2023 | 117

In this masterfully mounted drama about privilege, prejudice and gender identity, the discovery of a dead intersex infant amid the rubble of a factory town in 1937 sends shock waves through a society fixated on only one kind of progress.

IN FLAMES

Pakistan/Canada | 2023 | 98

After the death of the family patriarch, a young medical student struggles to prevent her mother from making impetuous, life-altering mistakes, all while being surrounded by supernatural forces she can’t understand.

SLEEP

South Korea | 2023 | 94

When her husband’s strange sleeping habits escalate from disruptive to disturbing, Soo-jin is forced to take desperate measures to protect herself and her newborn. Director Jason Yu’s startling, genre-hopping debut will keep you guessing till the very end.