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

A bittersweet memoir of a melancholic woman called Grace Pudel - a hoarder of snails, romance novels and guinea pigs.

In 1970s Australia, Grace's (Sarah Snook) life is troubled by misfortune and loss. After their mother dies during pregnancy, she and her twin brother, Gilbert (Mason Litsos), are raised by their paraplegic-alcoholic former juggler father, Percy (Dominique Pignon). After Percy passes away in his sleep, the siblings are forcibly separated and thrust into separate homes. Gilbert finds himself in the care of a cruel evangelical family, while Grace, grappling with intense loneliness, gradually withdraws into her shell, much like the snails she adopts. As the years pass, and despite new disappointments and sorrows, a glimmer of hope emerges when she strikes up an enduring friendship with an elderly eccentric woman called Pinky (Jacki Weaver). Adam Elliott - Australia’s answer to Aardman’s Nick Park – has created a beautiful film with a distinctive kind of lovability and an instinct for the underdog and outsider.

Australia 2024 Adam Elliot 95m