Oscar favourite for Best Film. This is a visually arresting drama that tells the story of ambition, art and survival in the aftermath of World War II, exploring the life of a visionary architect as he seeks to leave his mark on postwar America.

László Toth (Adrien Brody) is a Hungarian architect who emigrates to America with his wife Erzsébet (Marion Cotillard), in search of a fresh start and creative freedom. As Toth’s career takes off, he faces the dark intersections of art and politics, grappling with personal sacrifice and ethical compromises. With stunning cinematography that mirrors the stark and monumental style of brutalist architecture, ‘The Brutalist’ is both a character study and a meditation on art’s power and cost. Corbet’s ambitious storytelling and the film’s haunting aesthetic make this an unforgettable cinematic experience.

USA/Hungary 2024 Brady Corbet 205m

Uso Happyaku

As the first of seven Japanese films in this mini-season, we offer this entertaining crowd-pleaser that offers a comical take on the serious world of antiques trading. Antiques Roadshow meets Ocean’s Eleven!

While searching a rich family’s storehouse one day, opportunist antiques dealer Norio (Nakai Kiichi) among other items, he finds a valuable 16th-century teacup from Japan’s most famous tea master Sen no Rikyu, and deceives the homeowner to get it for almost nothing. However, the homeowner himself is a fake – in reality, he is a talented but impoverished ceramic artist called Sasuke (Sasaki Kuranosuke). Norio soon realises that by combining Sasuke’s artistic prowess and his dealership, they could make a pretty penny. Maybe, just maybe, they can pull off the greatest swindle the world of Japanese antiques has ever seen. This is such an interesting film that manages to entertain while sharing knowledge about the world of antiques, history, and pottery with precision. (Subtitles)

Japan 2018 Take Masaharu 105m