Spotlight: O Canada!
Happy birthday to a country that has produced numerous great directors, is home to several world class film festivals, and is renowned for its support of its film industry. In short, Happy Canada Day! Celebrate with one of these fine Canadian films...
Stories We Tell
Every family has a story.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2012
- Director Sarah Polley
- Cast Michael Polley, Harry Gulkin, Susy Buchan, John Buchan, Mark Polley, Joanna Polley
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Freevee, Kanopy, Hoopla
Water
A widow breaks ranks by striking up an unlikely relationship with a follower of Mahatma Gandhi.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada, India • 2005
- Director Deepa Mehta
- Cast Lisa Ray, Sarala, John Abraham, Seema Biswas, Waheeda Rehman
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
The Barbarian Invasions
(Les Invasions barbares)
A provocative new comedy about sex, friendship, and all other things that invade our lives.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada, France • 2003
- Director Denys Arcand
- Cast Rémy Girard, Stéphane Rousseau, Marie-Josée Croze, Dorothée Berryman, Louise Portal, Dominique Michel
- Genre Comedy, Crime, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Hoopla
Eastern Promises
A midwife investigates the rape of a teenager, but her investigation leads her into the world of the Russian mafia.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Canada, United States • 2007
- Director David Cronenberg
- Cast Naomi Watts, Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinéad Cusack, Donald Sumpter
- Genre Thriller, Crime, Mystery
- Available on fuboTV, Paramount Plus, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
The Sweet Hereafter
A small Canadian mountain community is devastated after an accident leaves a number of its children dead.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 1997
- Director Atom Egoyan
- Cast Ian Holm, Caerthan Banks, Sarah Polley, Tom McCamus, Gabrielle Rose, Alberta Watson
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel
Incendies
The search began at the opening of their mother's will.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada, France • 2010
- Director Denis Villeneuve
- Cast Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Rémy Girard, Allen Altman, Abdelghafour Elaaziz
- Genre Drama, Mystery, War
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV
Mommy
Love takes many forms.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2014
- Director Xavier Dolan
- Cast Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clément, Antoine-Olivier Pilon, Patrick Huard, Alexandre Goyette, Michèle Lituac
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner
(Atanarjuat)
The on-screen retelling of a centuries-old Inuit legend.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2002
- Director Zacharias Kunuk
- Cast Natar Ungalaaq, Sylvia Ivalu, Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq, Lucy Tulugarjuk, Pakak Innuksuk, Madeline Ivalu
- Genre Fantasy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV
Kim's Convenience
The funny, heartfelt story of The Kims, a Korean-Canadian family who run a convenience store in downtown Toronto.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2016
- Creator Ins Choi, Kevin White
- Cast Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, Jean Yoon, Andrea Bang, Simu Liu, Andrew Phung, Nicole Power
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Amazon Video, Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
Up the Yangtze
A dramatic feature documentary on life inside modern China.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2007
- Director Yung Chang
- Cast Campbell Ping He, Jerry Bo Yu Chen, Cindy Shui Yu
- Genre Documentary
- Available on Apple TV, Filmzie, Kanopy
Monsieur Lazhar
An elementary school class is left reeling after their teacher dies by suicide—until the substitute arrives…
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2011
- Director Philippe Falardeau
- Cast Mohamed Fellag, Émilien Néron, Danielle Proulx, Sophie Nélisse, Marie-Ève Beauregard, Denise Lamontagne
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandor Amazon Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, Crackle, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Far Side of the Moon
(La face cachée de la lune)
After his mother passes away, a struggling PhD candidate searches for the meaning of life.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2003
- Director Robert Lepage
- Cast Robert Lepage, Céline Bonnier, Anne-Marie Cadieux, Marco Poulin, Érika Gagnon, Fabrice Mongeau
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Amazon Video
Spotlight: Happy Pride!
In celebration of LGBT pride around the world, and in recognition of all those places where LGBT people still struggle to live freely and with dignity, we present this selection of films that capture the full spectrum of those experiences.
Kiss of the Spider Woman
In a South American prison, a gay man imprisoned for immoral behavior and a political prisoner come to understand and respect one another.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Brazil, United States • 1985
- Director Hector Babenco
- Cast William Hurt, Raúl Juliá, Sônia Braga, José Lewgoy, Miriam Pires, Milton Gonçalves
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel
Fire
A landmark film in Indian cinema about lesbian love.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada, India • 1997
- Director Deepa Mehta
- Cast Nandita Das, Shabana Azmi, Javed Jaffrey, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Kushal Rekhi, Ranjit Chowdhry
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Carol
Some people change your life forever.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, United States • 2015
- Director Todd Haynes
- Cast Rooney Mara, Cate Blanchett, Kyle Chandler, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, John Magaro
- Genre Romance, Drama
- Available on Netflix, fuboTV, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Paramount+ with Showtime, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Call Me by Your Name
Is it better to speak or die?
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Italy, France, Brazil • 2017
- Director Luca Guadagnino
- Cast Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, Victoire Du Bois
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Netflix, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Disobedience
In the case of Ronit and Esti, love is an act of defiance.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Ireland, United States • 2017
- Director Sebastián Lelio
- Cast Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola, Cara Horgan, Liza Sadovy, Omri Rose
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
Show Me Love
(Fucking Åmål)
Two teen girls kiss on a dare and must reckon with the feelings and consequences that result.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Sweden, Denmark • 1998
- Director Lukas Moodysson
- Cast Alexandra Dahlström, Rebecka Liljeberg, Mathias Rust, Erica Carlson, Stefan Hörberg, Josefine Nyberg
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
A Fantastic Woman
(Una mujer fantástica)
My name is Marina Vidal. Do you have any problem with that?
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Chile, Germany, Spain • 2017
- Director Sebastián Lelio
- Cast Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Aline Küppenheim, Nicolás Saavedra, Amparo Noguera
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube, Fandango At Home
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
All About My Mother
(Todo sobre mi madre)
After Manuela’s teenage son Esteban is tragically killed, she searches for Esteban’s biological father, a transgender woman.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain, France • 1999
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Penélope Cruz, Candela Peña, Antonia San Juan, Rosa María Sardà
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
BPM (Beats per Minute)
(120 battements par minute)
A group of young activists desperately seek a cure for AIDS in 1990s Paris.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2017
- Director Robin Campillo
- Cast Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adèle Haenel, Antoine Reinartz, Félix Maritaud, Ariel Borenstein
- Genre Drama
- Available on fuboTV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Crackle, Pluto TV, VUDU Free, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
Rafiki
When Kena and Ziki start to become more than friends, they need to make a choice between their happiness and their safety.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Kenya, South Africa, Germany • 2018
- Director Wanuri Kahiu
- Cast Samantha Mugatsia, Sheila Munyiva, Jimmi Gathu, Nini Wacera, Dennis Musyoka, Patricia Amira
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand, Kanopy, Hoopla
Being 17
(Quand on a 17 Ans)
When his mother takes in a bully whose own mother is ill, Damien must learn to live with the boy who terrorized him.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2016
- Director André Téchiné
- Cast Sandrine Kiberlain, Kacey Mottet Klein, Corentin Fila, Mama Prassinos, Alexis Loret, Jean Fornerod
- Genre Drama
- Available on Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Spotlight: Summer (Film) Lovin'
What better way to enjoy the magic of summer than indoors, in the dark, watching movies that capture the magic of summer? And with the whole world to choose from, it's always summer somewhere...
The August Virgin
(La virgen de agosto)
An Éric Rohmer-esque love letter to Madrid and affairs of the heart.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2019
- Director Jonás Trueba
- Cast Itsaso Arana, Vito Sanz, Isabelle Stoffel, Joe Manjón, Mikele Urroz, Luis Alberto Heras
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Freevee, Plex, Plex Channel
A Summer's Tale
(Conte d'été)
Summer romances aren't all what they're cracked up to be...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1996
- Director Éric Rohmer
- Cast Melvil Poupaud, Amanda Langlet, Gwenaëlle Simon, Aurelia Nolin, Alain Guellaff, Evelyne Lahana
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Pauline at the Beach
(Pauline à la plage)
It was supposed to be a normal holiday...
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 1983
- Director Éric Rohmer
- Cast Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle, Pascal Greggory, Féodor Atkine, Simon de La Brosse, Rosette
- Genre Romance, Comedy, Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Summertime
A secretary from Ohio takes a solo trip to Venice, as she hopes to take advantage of her dream vacation.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, United States • 1955
- Director David Lean
- Cast Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda, Darren McGavin, Mari Aldon, Jane Rose
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
Summer 1993
(Estiu 1993)
A new family. A new world.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2017
- Director Carla Simón
- Cast Laia Artigas, Bruna Cusí, David Verdaguer, Paula Robles, Isabel Rocatti, Montse Sanz
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Plex, Plex Channel
May in the Summer
A bride-to-be questions everything after reuniting with her chaotic family in advance of her wedding.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Jordan, Qatar, United States • 2014
- Director Cherien Dabis
- Cast Cherien Dabis, Hiam Abbass, Bill Pullman, Alia Shawkat, Nadine Malouf, Alexander Siddig
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Tubi TV, Kanopy
Summertime
(La belle saison)
When Carole follows Delphine back to her family farm in the conservative French countryside, the two find gay rights and feminism are not as easily accepted in the countryside.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Belgium • 2015
- Director Catherine Corsini
- Cast Izïa Higelin, Cécile de France, Noémie Lvovsky, Laetitia Dosch, Kevin Azais, Loulou Hanssen
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
Early Summer
(麦秋)
28-year-old Noriko's parents pressure her to marry in postwar Japan.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 1951
- Director Yasujirō Ozu
- Cast Setsuko Hara, Chishū Ryū, Chikage Awashima, Kuniko Miyake, Ichirô Sugai, Chieko Higashiyama
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV
A Brighter Summer Day
(牯嶺街少年殺人事件)
A colorful coming of age odyssey set against the backdrop of 1960s Taiwan.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Taiwan • 1991
- Director Edward Yang
- Cast Chang Chen, Lisa Yang, Elaine Jin, Chen Shiang-Chyi
- Genre Crime, Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Summer Hours
(L'Heure d'été)
Two brothers and a sister find their memories of their childhood disappearing when relinquishing family belongings following their mother’s death.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France • 2008
- Director Olivier Assayas
- Cast Charles Berling, Juliette Binoche, Jérémie Renier, Edith Scob, Dominique Reymond, Valérie Bonneton
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Family
- Available on AMC+, Kanopy
Our Beloved Month of August
(Aquele Querido Mês de Agosto)
During the month of August, a town in the heart of Portugal is abuzz with people and activity.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Portugal, France • 2008
- Director Miguel Gomes
- Cast Sónia Bandeira, Fábio Oliveira, Manuel Soares, Joaquim Carvalho, Andreia Santos, Miguel Gomes
- Genre Music, Romance
- Available on DocAlliance Films, Metrograph, Kanopy
Y Tu Mamá También
(Y tu mamá también)
Two teenage boys and an older woman embark on a road trip and learn about life — and each other.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Mexico • 2001
- Director Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna, Diana Bracho, Verónica Langer, María Aura
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Hulu
Spotlight: Films of Bong Joon-ho
Congratulations to Bong Joon-ho, director of Parasite, and winner of the 2019 Palme d'Or, and the Academy Awards for Best Film, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.
Mother
(마더)
A girl is brutally killed, and a boy is charged with the murder. Now, his mother must prove him innocent.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2009
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yoon Je-moon, Jeon Mi-seon, Chun Woo-hee
- Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, FlixFling, Hoopla, Plex Channel
Memories of Murder
(살인의 추억)
A daring, nuanced story of the investigation around the man reported to be South Korea’s first serial killer, who was uncaught at the time of the film's release.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2003
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Kim Roe-ha, Song Jae-ho, Park Hae-il, Go Seo-hee
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Tubi TV
Snowpiercer
In 2031, the passengers aboard the Snowpiercer are the only survivors on Earth.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea, Czech Republic • 2013
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Ed Harris, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell
- Genre Action, Science Fiction, Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Plex, Plex Channel
Parasite
(기생충)
A poor family lies and schemes their way into the employ of a wealthy household — successfully, but with great consequences.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2019
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Chang Hyae-jin
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Max, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Okja
A young girl risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend — a massive animal named Okja.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea, United States • 2017
- Director Bong Joon Ho
- Cast Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Ahn Seo-hyun, Byun Hee-bong, Steven Yeun, Lily Collins
- Genre Action, Adventure, Drama, Science Fiction
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
The Host
(괴물)
A father tries to save his daughter from a terrifying creature as it wreaks material and biological havoc on South Korea.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2006
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Song Kang-ho, Byun Hee-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Doo-na, Go Ah-sung, Oh Dal-su
- Genre Horror, Drama, Science Fiction
- Available on Hulu, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, FlixFling, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex Channel
Barking Dogs Never Bite
(플란다스의 개)
An apartment building has a barking dog problem, and an unemployed academic has an extreme solution.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2000
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Lee Sung-jae, Bae Doo-na, Byun Hee-bong, Kim Ho-jung
- Genre Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, FlixFling, Tubi TV, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex Channel
Spotlight: Films from and about Iran
In this week’s Spotlight, a collection of films from and about Iran, from filmmakers working both inside and outside the country, and from master directors like Asghar Farhadi (A Separation and The Salesman) to first-time filmmakers like Babak Anvari (Under the Shadow).
Taxi
(تاکسی)
An exiled filmmaker posing as a cab driver captures incisive portraits of diverse passengers in present-day Tehran.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran • 2015
- Director Jafar Panahi
- Cast Jafar Panahi
- Genre Comedy, Documentary
- Available on Kino Film Collection, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
Children of Heaven
(بچههای آسمان)
A brother and sister swap one worn pair of shoes to avoid burdening their already struggling parents.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran • 1997
- Director Majid Majidi
- Cast Reza Naji, Amir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahare Seddiqi, Nafise Jafar-Mohammadi, Fereshte Sarabandi, Kamal Mirkarimi
- Genre Drama, Family
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Hoopla
Turtles Can Fly
(لاکپشتها هم پرواز میکنند)
In 2003 at the Iraqi-Turkish border, Kurdish refugees await invasion by American soldiers.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran, France, Iraq • 2005
- Director Bahman Ghobadi
- Cast Soran Ebrahim, Avaz Latif, Saddam Hossein Feysal, Hiresh Feysal Rahman, Abdol Rahman Karim, Ajil Zibari
- Genre Drama
- Available on Amazon Video
Close-Up
(کلوزآپ ، نمای نزدیک)
A young man is arrested for impersonating a famous filmmaker.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran • 1990
- Director Abbas Kiarostami
- Cast Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Monoochehr Ahankhah, Mahrokh Ahankhah, Nayer Mohseni Zonoozi
- Genre Crime, Documentary, Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, TCM, Apple TV, Amazon Video
Under the Shadow
After Shideh's building is hit by a missile during the Iran-Iraq War, a superstitious neighbor says the missile was cursed.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Jordan, Qatar • 2016
- Director Babak Anvari
- Cast Narges Rashidi, Avin Manshadi, Bobby Naderi, Ray Haratian, Hamid Djavadan, Bijan Daneshmand
- Genre Drama, Horror, Thriller, War
- Available on Netflix, Hoopla, Netflix basic with Ads, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store
Yalda
(یلدا)
Maryam accidentally kills her husband, and the only way to suspend her death sentence is if Nasser’s daughter forgives her on live television.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran, France, Germany • 2020
- Director Massoud Bakhshi
- Cast Sadaf Asgari, Behnaz Jafari, Babak Karimi, Fereshteh Sadr Orafaee, Forough Ghajebeglou
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
A Separation
(جدایی نادر از سیمین)
Simin wants to leave Iran to give her daughter, Termeh, a different kind of life outside the country. But Nader, Termeh’s father, refuses to leave his ailing father behind.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran, France • 2011
- Director Asghar Farhadi
- Cast Leila Hatami, Payman Maadi, Shahab Hosseini, Sareh Bayat, Sarina Farhadi, Babak Karimi
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Taste of Cherry
(طعم گيلاس)
A middle-aged man, Mr. Badii, seeks someone to bury him after he commits suicide.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran, France • 1997
- Director Abbas Kiarostami
- Cast Homayoun Ershadi, Abdolrahman Bagheri, Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari, Safar Ali Moradi, Mir Hossein Noori, Ahmad Ansari
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Max Amazon Channel, Kanopy
Ava
Coming-of-age in Tehran, a young girl starts to rebel against against the strictures imposed by her school and the society at large.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran, Canada, Qatar • 2017
- Director Sadaf Foroughi
- Cast Mahour Jabbari, Vahid Aghapoor, Parnian Akhtari, Sarah Alimoradi, Mona Ghiasi
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Amazon Video, Kanopy, Hoopla
The Salesman
(فروشنده)
Emad and Rana move into a new flat, but an incident with the previous tenant dramatically changes their life.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran, France • 2016
- Director Asghar Farhadi
- Cast Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Babak Karimi, Mina Sadati, Mehdi Koushki, Farid Sajjadi Hosseini
- Genre Drama, Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Freevee
Fish & Cat
(ماهی و گربه)
A group of students traveling to a remote area set up camp next to two cooks desperate for meat…
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran • 2013
- Director Shahram Mokri
- Cast Babak Karimi, Saeed Ebrahimifar, Abed Abest, Faraz Modiri, Pedram Sharifi, Mona Ahmadi
- Genre Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, Midnight Pulp, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spamflix, Kanopy
About Elly
(درباره الی)
A woman vanishes during a vacation with friends, causing them to blame each other for the disappearance.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iran, France • 2009
- Director Asghar Farhadi
- Cast Golshifteh Farahani, Tarane Alidousti, Shahab Hosseini, Merila Zarei, Mani Haghighi, Peyman Maadi
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, YouTube, Kanopy
Spotlight: Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day from Telescope! To quote Pedro Almodóvar’s dedication of his film All About My Mother: "To all actresses who have played actresses. To all women who act. To men who act and become women. To all the people who want to be mothers. To my mother."
My Happy Family
(ჩემი ბედნიერი ოჯახი)
In a patriarchal society, Manana defies her family to create her own path--unafraid of any and all consequences.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Georgia, Germany, France • 2017
- Director Simon Groß
- Cast Ia Shugliashvili, Merab Ninidze, Berta Khapava, Tsisia Qumsashvili, Giorgi Khurtsilava
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Mommy
Love takes many forms.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Canada • 2014
- Director Xavier Dolan
- Cast Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clément, Antoine-Olivier Pilon, Patrick Huard, Alexandre Goyette, Michèle Lituac
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
All About My Mother
(Todo sobre mi madre)
After Manuela’s teenage son Esteban is tragically killed, she searches for Esteban’s biological father, a transgender woman.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain, France • 1999
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Penélope Cruz, Candela Peña, Antonia San Juan, Rosa María Sardà
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Volver
Two daughters encounter their mother's spirit after a family tragedy.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Spain • 2006
- Director Pedro Almodóvar
- Cast Penélope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo, Chus Lampreave
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
The Second Mother
(Que Horas Ela Volta?)
Unspoken class barriers within a home come crashing down when the live-in housekeeper's daughter suddenly appears.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Brazil • 2015
- Director Anna Muylaert
- Cast Regina Casé, Camila Márdila, Karine Teles, Lourenço Mutarelli, Michel Joelsas, Helena Albergaria
- Genre Drama
- Available on OVID, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
The Babadook
A recently widowed mother battles "The Babadook,” a dark character from a children's book who is lurking in the house.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Australia, Canada • 2014
- Director Jennifer Kent
- Cast Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney, Daniel Henshall, Barbara West, Benjamin Winspear
- Genre Drama, Horror
- Available on Netflix, MUBI, Shudder, MUBI Amazon Channel, Shudder Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Netflix basic with Ads, Shudder Apple TV Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Channel
Sand Storm
(Sufat Chol)
When Jalila's husband marries a second woman, Jalila and her daughter's worlds are shattered.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Israel, Germany, France • 2016
- Director Elite Zexer
- Cast Lamis Ammar, Ruba Blal, Hitham Omari, Shaden Kanboura, Khadija Al Akel, Jalal Masrwa
- Genre Drama
- Available on No streaming locations found.
The Piano
A pianist who has been sold into marriage begins a new life with her daughter by her side.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- New Zealand, Australia, France • 1993
- Director Jane Campion
- Cast Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin, Cliff Curtis, Kerry Walker
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV
Mother
(마더)
A girl is brutally killed, and a boy is charged with the murder. Now, his mother must prove him innocent.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Korea • 2009
- Director Bong Joon-ho
- Cast Kim Hye-ja, Won Bin, Jin Goo, Yoon Je-moon, Jeon Mi-seon, Chun Woo-hee
- Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, FlixFling, Hoopla, Plex Channel
We Need to Talk About Kevin
After her son commits a horrific act, a troubled mother reflects on her relationship with her disturbed son.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, United States • 2011
- Director Lynne Ramsay
- Cast Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller, Jasper Newell, Rock Duer, Ashley Gerasimovich
- Genre Drama, Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, Fandor Amazon Channel, MUBI Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, MZ Choice Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, OVID, Cineverse, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Mirror
(Зеркало)
The thoughts, emotions, and memories of 40 year-old Alexei, reflecting on his life experiences in different time periods.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Soviet Union • 1975
- Director Andrei Tarkovsky
- Cast Margarita Terekhova, Ignat Daniltsev, Larisa Tarkovskaya, Alla Demidova, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Nikolay Grinko
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on Criterion Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Plex, Plex Channel
Félicité
A nightclub singer must support her son after he suffers a grave accident.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Belgium, Senegal • 2017
- Director Alain Gomis
- Cast Véro Tshanda Beya Mputu, Gaetan Claudia, Papi Mpaka, Nadine Ndebo, Elbas Manuana
- Genre Music, Drama
- Available on Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, VUDU Free, Kanopy
Spotlight: Films from the Arab World
In recognition of Arab American Heritage Month, Telescope presents a selection of some of our favorite recent films from the Arab world.
Theeb
A young Bedouin boy is forced through a greatly hastened coming-of-age as he embarks on a perilous desert journey.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan • 2014
- Director Naji Abu Nowar
- Cast Jacir Eid, Hassan Mutlag, Hussein Salameh, Marji Audeh, Jack Fox
- Genre Adventure, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, FlixFling, Kanopy, Hoopla
Caramel
(سكر بنات)
The intersecting lives of five Lebanese women in a Beirut beauty salon.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Lebanon • 2007
- Director Nadine Labaki
- Cast Nadine Labaki, Yasmine Al Massri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gisèle Aouad, Adel Karam, Sihame Haddad
- Genre Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Available on No streaming locations found.
Paradise Now
Two Palestinian men attempt to carry out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Palestine, France, Germany • 2005
- Director Hany Abu-Assad
- Cast Ali Suliman, Amer Hlehel, Hiam Abbass, Ashraf Barhom, Mohammad Bustami
- Genre Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, VUDU Free, Plex, Plex Channel
Where Do We Go Now?
(Et maintenant on va où ?)
The women of a Middle Eastern village must quell rising tensions between their Christian and Muslim men.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Lebanon, Egypt • 2011
- Director Nadine Labaki
- Cast Claude Msawbaa, Leyla Hakim, Nadine Labaki, Yvonne Maalouf, Antoinette Noufaily, Julian Farhat
- Genre Comedy, Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Son of Babylon
(Syn Babilonu)
A boy and his grandmother travel across Iraq in search of the boy’s missing father, a stranger to him.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Iraq, United Kingdom, France • 2009
- Director Mohamed Al Daradji
- Cast Shazada Hussein, Yasser Talib, Bashir Al Majid
- Genre Drama, Road Movie
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
Wadjda
(وجدة)
After a fight with a neighborhood boy, Wadjda attempts to raise money for a bicycle to beat him in a race.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Saudi Arabia, Netherlands, Germany • 2012
- Director Haifaa Al-Mansour
- Cast Reem Abdullah, Waad Mohammed, Abdullrahman Algohani, Ahd, Sultan Al Assaf, Dana Abdullilah
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Omar
(عمر)
A Palestinian freedom fighter is captured and forced to work as a double agent for the Israeli authorities.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Palestine • 2013
- Director Hany Abu-Assad
- Cast Adam Bakri, Waleed Zuaiter, Leem Lubany, Samer Bisharat, Iyad Hoorani, Mousa Habiib Allah
- Genre Drama, Romance, Thriller
- Available on Chai Flicks, Apple TV, Tubi TV, Kanopy
Of Fathers and Sons
(Die Kinder des Kalifats)
A rare glimpse into the life of a radicalist family, at the point where childhood dies and jihadism is born.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Germany, United States, Syria • 2017
- Director Talal Derki
- Cast Abu Osama
- Genre Documentary, War
- Available on Kino Film Collection, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
The Time That Remains
(الزمن الباقي)
A semi-biographical film about the lives of the Palestinians who remained during the creation of the state of Israel from 1948 to present day.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium • 2009
- Director Elia Suleiman
- Cast Saleh Bakri, Elia Suleiman, Amer Hlehel, Ali Suliman, Menashe Noy, Ayman Espanioli
- Genre Drama, History
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, YouTube
Divine Intervention
(يد إلهية)
Separated by a checkpoint, Palestinian lovers from Jerusalem and Ramallah arrange clandestine meetings.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Morocco, Germany • 2002
- Director Elia Suleiman
- Cast Elia Suleiman, Manal Khader, George Ibrahim, Amer Daher, Jamel Daher, Lufuf Nuweiser
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Chai Flicks, Kanopy
Capernaum
(کفرناحوم)
Zain, a hardened 12-year-old boy struggling to survive on the streets of Beirut, sues his parents for his conception.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Lebanon, United States, France • 2018
- Director Nadine Labaki
- Cast Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Treasure Bankole, Nadine Labaki, Kawthar Al Haddad, Fadi Kamel Youssef
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
The Insult
(L'Insulte)
One day, Tony gets into a heated exchange with a Palestinian refugee, which ends in a lawsuit.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Cyprus, Belgium • 2017
- Director Ziad Doueiri
- Cast Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha, Rita Hayek, Christine Choueiri, Diamand Bou Abboud, Camille Salameh
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, Kanopy
Spotlight: Films of Hirokazu Kore-eda
Congratulations to Hirokazu Kore-eda, director of Shoplifters, and nominee for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (2019)!
The Truth
(La Vérité)
A French film superstar's decision to publish her memoirs causes old tensions, feelings, and conflicts with her daughter to resurface.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Japan, Switzerland • 2019
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke, Clémentine Grenier, Manon Clavel, Alain Libolt
- Genre Drama
- Available on AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube
Like Father, Like Son
(そして父になる)
Ryota Nonomiya learns that his biological son was switched with another child after birth, and he must make a life-changing decision,
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2013
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yoko Maki, Lily Franky, Keita Ninomiya, Shôgen Hwang
- Genre Drama
- Available on AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
Nobody Knows
(誰も知らない)
After being abandoned by their mother, 12-year-old Akira must figure out how to keep his three siblings alive.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2004
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Yuya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura, Hiei Kimura, Momoko Shimizu, Hanae Kan, You
- Genre Drama
- Available on AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV
After the Storm
(海よりもまだ深く)
Who knows what a bright new morning can bring?
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2016
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Hiroshi Abe, Kirin Kiki, Yoko Maki, Taiyô Yoshizawa, Satomi Kobayashi
- Genre Drama
- Available on MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Spectrum On Demand, Kanopy, Hoopla
Our Little Sister
(海街diary)
A father's secret.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2015
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirose, Ryo Kase, Ryohei Suzuki
- Genre Drama, Comedy
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
The Third Murder
(三度目の殺人)
Everyone has a truth they want to believe.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2017
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Masaharu Fukuyama, Koji Yakusho, Shinnosuke Mitsushima, Mikako Ichikawa, Izumi Matsuoka, Isao Hashizume
- Genre Crime, Drama, Mystery
- Available on MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, Film Movement Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
Still Walking
(歩いても 歩いても)
Twelve years after their beloved eldest son, Junpei, drowned while saving a stranger's life, Kyohei and Toshiko welcome their surviving children home for a family reunion.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2008
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Hiroshi Abe, Kirin Kiki, Yui Natsukawa, Yoshio Harada, You, Kazuya Takahashi
- Genre Drama, Family
- Available on AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Shoplifters
(万引き家族)
Sometimes it's better to choose your own family.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2018
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka, Jyo Kairi, Miyu Sasaki, Kirin Kiki
- Genre Crime, Drama
- Available on Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, FlixFling, Spectrum On Demand, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, DistroTV, Hoopla
I Wish
(奇跡)
A little bit of magic and a little bit of love.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Japan • 2011
- Director Hirokazu Kore-eda
- Cast Koki Maeda, Oshiro Maeda, Nene Otsuka, Joe Odagiri, Ryôga Hayashi, Hoshinosuke Yoshinaga
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, FlixFling, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex Channel
Spotlight: Films of Pawel Pawlikowski
Congratulations to Pawel Pawlikowski, director of Cold War, and nominee for the Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film (2019)!
The Woman in the Fifth
(La femme du Vème)
An American writer moves to Paris to reconnect with his family, but a mysterious widow throws a wrench in his plans.
- ✭ ✭ ✭
- France, Poland, United Kingdom • 2011
- Director Paweł Pawlikowski
- Cast Ethan Hawke, Kristin Scott Thomas, Joanna Kulig, Delphine Chuillot, Samir Guesmi, Julie Papillon
- Genre Thriller
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandor, Fandor Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium, Peacock Premium Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Freevee, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
My Summer of Love
Two teen girls form an unlikely, and soon passionate, friendship.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- United Kingdom • 2005
- Director Paweł Pawlikowski
- Cast Natalie Press, Emily Blunt, Paddy Considine, Dean Andrews, Michelle Byrne, Paul Antony-Barber
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Cold War
(Zimna wojna)
Two performers find and lose love in Cold War Poland — only to find it again years later.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Poland, United Kingdom, France • 2018
- Director Paweł Pawlikowski
- Cast Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, Borys Szyc, Agata Kulesza, Cédric Kahn, Jeanne Balibar
- Genre Drama, Music, Romance
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Freevee
Ida
A young novitiate discovers a family secret dating back to World War II and must follow her history — wherever it takes her.
- ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭ ✭
- Poland, Denmark, France • 2013
- Director Paweł Pawlikowski
- Cast Agata Trzebuchowska, Agata Kulesza, Dawid Ogrodnik, Joanna Kulig, Adam Szyszkowski, Jerzy Trela
- Genre Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, Fandor Amazon Channel, MUBI Amazon Channel, fuboTV, OVID, Chai Flicks, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, YouTube, Crackle, Tubi TV, VUDU Free, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Reveel, Plex Channel