Autumn Tales
With the fall equinox well behind us, we head deep into autumn with the films in this week’s Spotlight. From pensive family dramas to stories of rebellion and revolution, these 12 films share warm color palettes, images of falling leaves and crisp autumn skies, and themes of transformation.
Petite Maman
(Petite maman)
A young girl ventures into the woods around her grandmother's house and forms a friendship with a lonely local girl.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2021
- Director Céline Sciamma
- Cast Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse, Stéphane Varupenne, Margot Abascal
- Genre Drama, Family, Fantasy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, Kanopy
The Wild Pear Tree
(Ahlat Ağacı)
A son returns home to only to be met with his father's debt.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Turkey, Macedonia, France • 2018
- Director Nuri Bilge Ceylan
- Cast Aydın Doğu Demirkol, Murat Cemcir, Bennu Yıldırımlar, Hazar Ergüçlü, Serkan Keskin, Tamer Levent
- Genre Drama
- Available on Metrograph, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
November
In a medieval Estonian village, a group of peasants use magic and folk wisdom to survive the winter.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Estonia, Netherlands, Poland • 2017
- Director Rainer Sarnet
- Cast Rea Lest, Jörgen Liik, Arvo Kukumägi, Katariina Unt, Taavi Eelmaa, Heino Kalm
- Genre Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Romance
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, OVID, Night Flight Plus, Midnight Pulp, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spamflix, Kanopy
The Duke of Burgundy
Tell me when to stop...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Hungary • 2014
- Director Peter Strickland
- Cast Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D'Anna, Eugenia Caruso, Zita Kraszkó, Monica Swinn, Eszter Tompa
- Genre Drama, Mystery, Romance
- Available on MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Amazon Video, Pluto TV, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
Late August, Early September
(Fin août, début septembre)
After struggling writer Adrien reveals to his friends that he is dying, they are prompted to reassess the trajectories of their lives.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1999
- Director Olivier Assayas
- Cast Mathieu Amalric, Virginie Ledoyen, François Cluzet, Jeanne Balibar, Alex Descas, Arsinée Khanjian
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel
The Double Life of Véronique
(La double vie de Véronique)
Each of us is matched somewhere in the world by our exact double, someone who shares our thoughts and dreams.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Poland, Norway • 1991
- Director Krzysztof Kieślowski
- Cast Irène Jacob, Halina Gryglaszewska, Philippe Volter, Guillaume de Tonquédec, Kalina Jędrusik, Aleksander Bardini
- Genre Drama, Thriller
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video
Maurice
After his lover rejects him, a young man trapped by Edwardian society tries to accept his sexuality.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 1987
- Director James Ivory
- Cast James Wilby, Hugh Grant, Rupert Graves, Denholm Elliott, Simon Callow, Billie Whitelaw
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, Cineverse, Kanopy
Autumn Sonata
(Höstsonaten)
Time can't heal all wounds.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- West Germany, United Kingdom • 1978
- Director Ingmar Bergman
- Cast Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Lena Nyman, Halvar Björk, Marianne Aminoff, Arne Bang-Hansen
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, YouTube
The Tree of Wooden Clogs
(L'albero degli zoccoli)
When the family of man was still--- a family.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy • 1978
- Director Ermanno Olmi
- Cast Luigi Ornaghi, Francesca Moriggi, Omar Brignoli, Antonio Ferrari, Teresa Brescianini, Giuseppe Brignoli
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
An Autumn Afternoon
(秋刀魚の味)
An aging widower arranges a marriage for his only daughter.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1962
- Director Yasujirō Ozu
- Cast Chishū Ryū, Shima Iwashita, Keiji Sada, Mariko Okada, Teruo Yoshida, Noriko Maki
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, Plex, Plex Channel
I Vitelloni
(I vitelloni)
Five young men dream of success as they drift lazily through life in a small Italian village.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France • 1953
- Director Federico Fellini
- Cast Franco Interlenghi, Alberto Sordi, Franco Fabrizi, Leopoldo Trieste, Riccardo Fellini, Leonora Ruffo
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Plex, Plex Channel
October (Ten Days that Shook the World)
(Октябрь)
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Soviet Union • 1928
- Director Sergei Eisenstein, Grigori Aleksandrov
- Cast Vladimir Popov, Vasili Nikandrov, Layaschenko, Boris Livanov, Mikholyev, Chibisov
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on Amazon Video, Tubi TV, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel