After the fall of the Berlin Wall, a communist family discovers a bunker full of money soon to be worthless. With the help of their neighbours, they embark on a race against time to enter the capitalist world in style.

In 1990 East Germans were given exactly six days after their currency was replaced by the West German Mark to exchange any ‘old’ coins and banknotes. As our East German heroes outsmart formidable opponents, the heist takes an unexpected turn when money officially unrecognized in the GDR circulates. Sandra Huller (‘Anatomy of a Fall’, ‘Zone of Interest’) takes the central role in this sentimental heist comedy, whose title was taken from the unfavourable exchange rate that was imposed on ‘Ostmark’ swaps. Look out for the amazing locations, surviving examples of socialist modern architecture, public art and stylishly hip interiors that act as backdrops to this sunny power-to-the-people crowd-pleaser.

Germany 2024 Natja Brunckhorst 116m

When a Cardinal is tasked with leading one of the world's most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundation of The Church.

Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church. This is a skilfully crafted film with stunning cinematography and a beautiful score that takes many surprising turns, culminating in a climactic reveal that will leave audiences astonished. The A-list cast also includes Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini.

UK/USA 2024 Edward Berger 120m

Kuraudo

A young man who resells goods online finds himself at the centre of a series of mysterious events that put his life at risk.

By tracing the fallout of an online scalper, Yushii (Masaki Suda), who gets his comeuppance from the people he’s ripped off, this modern thriller parable subverts the safety people feel when enacting cruelty from behind the screen. Yushii scams unsuspecting buyers with fake goods to make a profit, but the scammers’ schemes quickly produce a growing list of vengeful enemies… with grudges that must be settled. This riveting and highly unusual thriller is a sophisticated send-up of social commerce culture, with a second half resembling a Tarantino production. (Subtitles)

Japan 2024 Kiyoshi Kurosawa 123m

In the lead up to Holocaust Memorial Day (27 Jan), we present this story of mismatched cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother.

David Kaplan (Jesse Eisenberg) is a married Manhattan tech worker with a young son, who decides to bid the family goodbye and take a week-long road trip to Poland with his screwup cousin Benji (an off-the-charts great Kieran Culkin), whose default mode happens to be, obnoxious. Their beloved, recently deceased grandmother yearned for them to see her native Poland and understand how she grew up in a nurturing Jewish culture and escaped a Nazi death camp. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. This is a film that manages to be ruefully perceptive and laugh-out-loud funny, often at the same time: and that’s not easy.

USA/Poland 2024 Jesse Eisenberg 90m

When a solitary writer adopts and bonds with a Great Dane that belonged to a late friend, she begins to come to terms with her past and her own creative inner life.

Writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor (Bill Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 70-kilogram Great Dane. The regal yet intractable beast, named Apollo, immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's problematic choices in both life and death. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the animal, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend, and her own creative inner life. Content expanded. Based on the award-winning 2018 novel, you will find a sweetness in the film that is rare in cinema today… and you may find yourself wanting to adopt a Great Dane.

USA 2024 Scott McGehee/David Siegel 120m

A fascinating, all-consuming film about a doctor in Georgia who faces serious accusations after a newborn's death.

Nina (Ia Sukhitashvili) works in a small provincial town hospital as an obstetrician-gynaecologist. Single and in abstinence from personal relationships, she is unconditionally devoted to her Hippocratic oath. When a newborn dies within seconds of being delivered under her supervision, she is accused of wrongdoings. She is well known for supplying under-the-counter contraceptive pills and carrying out unofficial, illegal abortions in outlying villages, and the grieving father – furiously and disapprovingly aware of her reputation – is now demanding an inquiry into her alleged malpractice.

Under investigation, every detail of Nina's personal and professional life is scrutinized, and despite the risks, she remains devoted to her duty as a doctor. “This is a formidable, defiantly esoteric work. It demands considerable investment from the audience, but does repay it.” – Screen International. (Subtitles)

Georgia 2024 Dea Kulumbegashvili 134m

After garnering acclaim with ‘The Great Beauty’ and ‘The Hand of God’, Paolo Sorrentino, known for his stunning visuals and meditative storytelling, dives once more into themes of memory and regret, painting a story as visually stunning as it is emotionally raw.

The film’s title character, Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta), is a stunning young woman named after a mythological siren inextricably linked with the city of Naples, where she lounges through idle summers and on the nearby island of Capri. There, five years later, she encounters the writer John Cheever (Gary Oldman), an author she’d been reading and quoting for years. Sorentino’s last film, 2021’s ‘The Hand of God’, was a love letter to his hometown of Naples with lots of autobiographical elements, and this one removes the personal story but retains the sense that it’s a tribute to the place. ‘Parthenope’ is both a tribute to Naples and a lushly poetic reflection on the creative process, carried by unforgettable performances and a mesmerizing score. Sorrentino, as ever, delivers unforgettable, immersive and ravishing cinema. (Subtitles)

Italy/UK 2024 Paolo Sorrentino 121m

A platoon of Navy SEALs embarks on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.

Written and directed by Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, the film embeds audiences with a platoon of American Navy SEALs in the home of an Iraqi family, overwatching the movement of US forces through insurgent territory. A visceral, boots-on-the-ground story of modern warfare, told like never before: in real time and based on the memory of the people who lived it. Co-Director Alex Garland comes with very high credentials after last year’s excellent ‘Civil War’ and the much-lauded 2014 thriller ‘Ex Machina’.

USA/UK 2025 Alex Garland/Ray Mendoza 95m

Iris et les Hommes

A fun comedy about a woman who has everything: a wonderful husband, two perfect daughters, a successful business - but no sex life.

Iris (Laure Calamy) has a busy life with a loving husband and two daughters living in a beautiful Parisian apartment. She is a successful, if somewhat eccentric, dentist. But, and it’s a big BUT, Iris has not had sex with her husband for a long time. The spark has gone. A mother at parent-teacher night overhears Iris complaining on the phone about the lack of sex and quietly suggests she take on a lover. So “pourqoi pas?”, Iris begins to delve into the world of dating apps for married people and after an awkward start, embraces this advice with gusto. This is cheeky, joyous and a feel-good summer delight of a film which includes an all-singing all-dancing French version of ‘It’s Raining Men’ where Calamy shines bright. (Subtitles)

France 2023 Caroline Vignal 98m

2024 Palme d’Or Winner! A young sex worker from Brooklyn meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch, but once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as the parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

Anora (Mikey Madison) is a New York escort and table dancer. One night, her club manager announces that a high roller is in the house, asking for a dancer who can speak Russian. Ani, who is from an Uzbek background, volunteers. The man is the sweet-faced but otherwise appalling and entitled son of an oligarch, and he quickly takes her back to his luxurious apartment and proposes a Vegas marriage. When Vanya’s less-than-delighted father hears the news, he sends some goons round to sort out the situation with his boneheaded son. Scene-stealing leading lady Madison is surely destined for stardom thanks to her role in this high-energy panic comedy that offers a more realistic take than ‘Pretty Woman’.

USA 2024 Sean Baker 139m