Softie / Kenya (Director and Screenwriter: Sam Soko) Boniface “Softie” Mwangi has long fought injustices in his country as a political activist. Now he’s taking the next step by running for office in a regional Kenyan election. From the moment Boniface decides to run, telling his wife, Njeri, in passing with a hesitant laugh, […]

Run Sweeteheart Run / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Shana Feste; Principal Cast:  Ella Balinska, Pilou Asbæk, Clark Gregg, Aml Ameen, Dayo Okeniyi,  Shohreh Aghdashloo). Timid and hardworking single mother Shari (Ella Balinska, Charlie’s Angels) brushes away hesitations and decides to dip her toe back into the dating scene after being spurred on by her coworkers. […]

Bad hair / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Justin Simien; Principal Cast: Elle Lorraine, Vanessa Williams, Jay Pharoah, Lena Waithe, Blair Underwood, Laverne Cox). Los Angeles, 1989. Anna Bludso (Elle Lorraine) is a scarred survivor of a scalp burn from a mild relaxer perm. She also has the smarts and ambition to be the next on-air […]

Sergio / USA (Director: Greg Barker; Screenwriter: Craig Borten; Principal Cast: Wagner Moura, Ana de Armas, Garret Dillahunt, Will Dalton, Bradley Whiford, Brían F. O’Byrne). Brazilian United Nations diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello has an extensive resume: assistant high commissioner for refugees, special representative of the secretary-general in Kosovo, transitional administrator in East Timor. It’s […]

The Killing of Two Lovers / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Robert Machoian; Principal Cast: Clayne Crawford, Sepideh Moafi, Chris Coy, Avery Pizzuto, Arri Graham, Ezra Graham). David is trying to keep it together. He and his wife, Nikki, are going through a time of transition and allowing each other space to figure out what it […]

Minari / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Lee Isaac Chung; Principal Cast: Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Youn Yuh Jung, Will Patton, Alan Kim, Noel Kate Cho). It’s the 1980s, and David, a seven-year-old Korean American boy, is faced with new surroundings and a different way of life when his father, Jacob, moves their family from the […]

His House / United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Remi Weekes; Principal Cast: Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu, Matt Smith). Many refugee stories end in the same place: a safe (if slightly bewildering) new home. And that’s where His House begins, with a Sudanese couple arriving in a quiet English town for their “happily ever after.” But […]

The Last Thing He Wanted / USA (Director: Dee Rees; Screenwriters: Marco Villalobos, Dee Rees; Principal Cast: Anne Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Willem Dafoe, Rosie Perez). Journalist and single mother Elena McMahon (Anne Hathaway) has rigorously investigated Contra activity in Central America for years. Frustrated when her coverage is censored, relief comes in an unexpected package: […]

The Evening Hour / USA (Director: Braden King, Screenwriter: Elizabeth Palmore; Principal Cast: Philip Ettinger, Stacy Martin, Cosmo Jarvis, Michael Trotter, Kerry Bishé, Lili Taylor). Cole, a popular, young health aide at a nursing home living in rural Appalachia, makes ends meet by redistributing excess medication from townies to local buyers. Among a community low […]

Luxor / Egypt/United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Zeina Durra. Principal Cast: Andrea Riseborough, Karim Saleh, Michael Landes, Sherine Reda, Salima Ikram, Shahira Fahmy).         Hana is seeking mental peace and physical respite after an overwhelming period spent working at a clinic in Ramtha, on the Jordanian-Syrian border, where she specialised in treating victims wounded in […]