Catch these movies at EUFF 2016. |
Another year, another edition of the European Union Film Festival (EUFF), and with it comes a wide and exciting selection of only the best movies Europe has to offer. However, with 21 titles in total, it might be a headache to pick which of these movies to watch. The ideal scenario would be to catch all 21 but if you're pressed for time, these are the five must-watch movies at this year's EUFF.
The 17th European Union Film Festival kicks off in Klang Valley from 20 to 30 October. It will then head to Georgetown, Penang from 3 to 9 November; Kuching, Sarawak from 17 to 23 November and Kota Kinabalu, Sabah from 1-7 December.
A 2013 Spanish comedy drama written and directed by David Trueba. The movie, set in 1966, is about an English teacher and die-hard Beatles fan Antonio (Javier Cámara). Hoping to meet John Lennon, he embarks on a road trip to Almería, where Lennon was filming Richard Lester's How I Won the War. On his quest, he picks up two hitchhikers, Juanjo (Francesc Colomer) and Belén (Natalia de Molina), and together the trio set off on an adventure.
Awards won: Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor (Javier Cámara), Best New Actress (Natalia de Molina), Best Original Screenplay and Best Original Score at the Goya Awards, Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Premios Feroz.
Also known as Standing Tall, this 2015 French movie directed by Emmanuelle Bercot tells of a troubled teen named Malony (Rod Paradot), who is constantly sent in and out of juvenile court. His problematic personality and violent ways are due to the trauma of being abandoned by his mother at young age. However, Florence Blaque (Catherine Deneuve), an almost-retired juvenile judge, and Yann (Benoît Magimel), a caseworker who is also the survivor of a very difficult childhood, decide to help the young delinquent and restore his faith in life.
Awards won: Most Promising Actor (Rod Paradot) and Best Supporting Actor (Benoît Magimel) at the 41st Cesar Awards, Most Promosing Actor (Rod Paradot) at 21st Lumieres Awards.
Baran bo Odar-directed 2014 German techno-thriller film, also known as Who am I - No System is Safe, about young computer genius Benjamin (Tom Schilling) and charismatic Max (Elyas M'Barek), who join a subversive hacker group named CLAY. The group aims for global fame, but when one day they go a little too far, they end up being interrogated by the German Secret Service and Europol. Now the group learned the hard way that there are always consequences to their actions. The movie will be getting a Hollywood remake as Warner Bros. has won the rights for it in 2014.
Awards won: Best Film at Bambi Awards 2015, Best Direction at Bavarian Film Awards 2015, Best Cinematography at German Camera Award 2015, Best Production Design, Best Sound and Best Editing at 2015 German Film Awards.
Have You Ever Been on the Moon or Ever Been to the Moon are two English titles this 2015 Italian romantic comedy goes by. Directed by Paolo Genovese, the movie focuses on a charming farmer named Renzo (Raoul Bova) who lives on a farm in the remote village of Apulia. There he meets Guia (Liz Solari), an elegant journalist at a prestigious fashion magazine, who has just inherited his farm. Guia, who lives a more luxurious, jet-setting life, finds herself drawn to the charms of the local life – and inescapably, the charms of Renzo himself.
Awards won: Best Song (Sei mai stata sulla Luna? by Francesco De Gregori) at the Nastro d'Argento.
A Polish film written and directed by Jacek Lusiński after coming across a touching story in the newspaper. The film follows a high school teacher, Kacper (Andrzej Chyra), who is slowly losing his eyesight, but hides the truth in order to keep his job and continue prepping his students for finals. Due to a genetic condition, he is at risk of losing his eyesight permanently. While dealing with the new circumstances and new challenges, Kacper befriends a colleague and tries to help a rebellious student, who has a secret of her own.
Awards won: Grand Prize at Shanghai International Film Festival, Audience Award at Wisła Polish Film Festival, Best Sound Effects at the Bluebox festival in Olsztyn, Elżbieta Czyżewska Best Actor Award (Andrzej Chyra) at the Polish Film Festival in New York City, Best Actor award at the China Golden Rooster & Hundred Flowers Film Festival.
Cinema Online, 18 October 2016