Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight”
Sublime and surprising coming-of-age, romance and social commentary masterpiece with pitch perfect performances, sumptuous visuals and a haunting soundtrack
Jafar Panahi’s “Taxi Tehran”
Joyful and ingenious, this view of a cross section of people in Tehran by way of a shared taxi turns a series of seemingly disparate stories into a coherent and potent whole
Götz Spielmann’s “Revanche”
Absorbing and naturalistic story built around a bank robbery at its centre which quietly discusses ethics, freedom, guilt, revenge and redemption to great effect in this daylight noir
Carine Adler’s “Under The Skin”
Potent story of grief and sisterhood with a powerful performance from Samantha Morton in her feature film debut is at once difficult, cathartic and thoughtful
Samantha Morton’s “The Unloved”
Semi-autobiographical directorial debut from Samantha Morton is an accomplished and powerful film with a terrific lead performance by Molly Windsor which is on a par with the lauded, recently released “The Quiet Girl”
Lynne Ramsay’s “Morvern Callar”
Absorbing and atmospheric character study led by a stunning performance from Samantha Morton is masterful visual storytelling which cuts deep
Hirokazu Koreeda’s “Broker”
Beautiful and complex yet tender story of family and human connections that touches on hefty concepts while being extremely engaging dented slightly by its denouement
Jerzy Skolimowski’s “EO”
Cinematic storytelling of the highest calibre offering a unique and compelling view on the world and humanity through the twisting fate of a donkey
Park Chan-Wook’s “Decision to Leave”
Subtly but masterfully crafted visual storytelling in the same vein as Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” is a mystery of human emotion and motivation whose narrative burns a sinewy path from beginning to end
Michael Morris’ “To Leslie”
With a centrepiece performance by Andrea Riseborough which has garnered attention from Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet and others, “To Leslie” charts the fragile path of addiction and the importance of empathy and forgiveness in a nuanced and frank narrative
Ali Abbasi’s “Holy Spider”
Thrilling, thoughtful and multilayered story based on true events as a female journalist tracks down a serial killer in a conservative Iranian city
Kyle Edward Ball’s “Skinamarink”
This sustained atmospheric, psychological horror is like a distilled nightmare summoning childhood terrors that tap into the root of our fears
Santiago Mitre’s “Argentina, 1985”
Compelling and accessible true-life courtroom drama recalls the antifascist struggle of a group of prosecutors tasked with indicting key members of the military for their brutal campaign which resulted in the murder and torture of thousands
Mark Jenkin’s “Enys Men”
Those expecting a horror will be disappointed but those willing to allow themselves to be absorbed by the atmosphere of this enigmatic and experimental work will be rewarded
Carla Simón’s “Alcarràs”
Multilayered slice of life on family, childhood, growing up, modernisation and farming as a family face their last harvest on a generations’ held farm in Alcarràs, Catalonia
Max Walker-Silverman’s “A Love Song”
A beautiful, low-key film of quiet power led by a moving performance from Dale Dickey with hints of Wim Wenders and Chantal Akerman
Gastón Duprat & Mariano Cohn’s “Official Competition”
In a year full of satire, this wins out with a sharp and witty script, outstanding performances and great humour that plays out like a combination of Fellini’s “8½” and Frank Oz’s “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” with an Almodovar sensibility
Michelangelo Frammartino’s “Il buco”
One of the most breathtakingly beautiful films of the last few years takes an almost zen approach to telling the parallel stories of a shepherd and a group of cave explorers while remaining easily accessible to a wider audience; a sublime cinematic experience
Lukas Feigelfeld’s “Hagazussa: A Heathen's Curse”
Earthy and sensual horror debut of quiet potency and staggering beauty
Ti West’s “Pearl”
An outstanding prequel to “X” which is fresh and stands on its own paying homage to Hitchcock in his prime as well as the movies of the period