This year's winner at the 56th London Film Festival for the Best Film award is a compelling and bold story telling by Director Jacques Audiard. One of the most unlikely union brought together in a horrific accident at work sublimely presented. A killer whale trainer Stephanie played by Marion Cotillard (in yet again another very challenging role), ends up with Sam a night club bouncer and his son. Emotionally intense and poetic.

An inspiring documentary on a small remote village in Northern Greenland about to be cleared out as there's not enough inhabitants for the country's governing body to support. All 59 individuals are practically related to each other and dwell in this village as their ancestors did. Can they manage to keep their island in existence and how? British Director Sarah Gavrom takes us to witness everyday life in such harsh circumstances where the human excrement of the whole village is collected by one man, one house at a time in buckets, filling-in one container to then dump as theres no sewage system. Where hunting sea lions for food to share to everyone is the prime occupation for a man and hunting a white polar bear is a big prize of meat to be shared to all 59 settlers. And where the only teenager manages to meet other teens luckily through Facebook just has to leave somehow to bigger pastures and a better future. An eyeopening experience to us all who have the usual common amenities we take for granted.

Russian Director-Screenwriter MikhailSegal stylishly gives us 4 fantasy stories which is a refreshing counterbalance to the usual dark works of his peers in Russian cinema today. The first story is of a wedding planner who can also plan the couples' future, the next is of political duplicity and petty bribery. The third is a librarian with witch like powers, and the final one is about the history of the Soviet Union intertwined with a middle aged man's sexual connection with a young woman who only loves animals and hardly knows of history. A great detachment to the current reality in Russian society today.

Practically somewhat a Taiwanese Short Film Fest in one sitting. A compilation of varied works by 20 Taiwanese Directors who illustrate and share the ways of life, humour, beliefs, attitudes, behaviour, ideas, outlook and so on, of the Taiwanese people. Quite a comprehensive crash course on Taiwan's Culture.

An adaptation from the screen writer's (Salman Rushdie) own prize winning novel, which takes as together with a family's journey through the transitions of India from the end of colonisation to the partitioning of Pakistan. Colourfully presented with comedic flair in conveying a story of Indian history, with brilliant performances from its well selected group of actors/performers. A film that may make us understand why India is what it is today. 

A collaboration of Swedish, German, and Danish Productions, 'Easy Money 1' was directed in 2010 by Daniél Espinosa. The fresh faced Joel Kinnaman playing the poor boy desiring to belong somehow in high society among Stockholm's young elite, ends up starting to embark on a dangerous and fast way to make money. 'Easy Money 2' was directed by Babak Najafi in 2012 where a much harsh and older looking Kinnaman comes out of jail from which he unexpectedly becomes good friends with his initial nemesis. More like a Hollywood blockbuster in Swedish with an international cast of lead actors who has all done well in convincingly portraying their characters. Two action packed films with good realistic stunts and effects. Altogether a gripping and captivating story line of a few lives with their own backgrounds intertwined in the dark world of the drug business, each with his own moving story to tell. 

How does one persist innocence with the allegation of betrayal. An atmospheric war movie that questions ethics and foregrounds on emotions done in simple narrative. This production in German-Russian-Latvian-Netherlands-Belarus by Director-Screenwriter Sergei Loznitsa strongly conveys soulful damage from war where a few different insights of different men are conveyed with honesty. This film was a prize winner in Cannes.