And Then We Danced

Dir: Levan Atkin
Turkey/Georgia 2019 | 114 minutes | Cert 15

Merab is a dance student at the National Georgian Ensemble in Tbilisi, following a long line of family tradition. His rigidly constructed world is knocked sideways with the arrival a brash, handsome new dancer, Irakli. As he starts to explore his identity and sexuality both on and off the dancefloor, Merab finds he has to navigate the taboos of an ultra-conservative society and macho dance tradition. A heady, energetic and empathetic celebration of love and desire. 

Notturno

Dir: Gianfranco Rosi
Italy 2020 | 100 minutes | Cert 12

This arresting film explores the residues of war in everyday life in the Middle East, filming over a three-year period. Rosi’s method of patient observation allows him to make moving connections across borders, with the lack of intervening text or voiceover reinforcing the sense of a universality, and the breathtaking, painterly composition offering more cine-poem than documentary. Full of intelligence and empathy, Rosi shows us a world that  endures beyond its scars.

The Truffle Hunters

Dirs: Gregory Kershaw, Michael Dweck
Italy 2020 | 84 minutes | Cert 12

A beautifully crafted documentary depicting the unchanging lives of truffle hunters and their beloved co-worker dogs in the forests of Piedmont. These stubborn, fascinating and often mischievous old men, a dying generation, live a simple and fulfilling life guided by culture and tradition but operating in the cut-throat world of rising demand for a product that has defied cultivation. A warmly captivating film that offers a rich mixture of joy and melancholy.

Honeyland

Dirs: Tamara Kotevska, Ljubomir Stefanov
orth Macedonia 2019 | 87 minutes | Cert 12A

In the Macedonian mountains, Hatidze lives in near isolation and applies ancient beekeeping traditions to produce honey and eke out a living for her and her ancient mother. When a new family settles nearby, this livelihood is suddenly under threat. Stunningly beautiful portrait of a vanishing way of life and an extraordinary woman. Shot over three years, this remarkable documentary unfolds more as a drama, and a meditation on the delicate relationship between humans and nature. 

Corpus Christi

Dir: Jan Komasa
Poland 2020 | 116  minutes | Cert 15

Daniel leaves juvenile detention for parole work at a rural sawmill, but finds himself assuming the identity of the new young priest the town is expecting. Discovering an unexpected gift for pastoral care, he tries to help heal locals bereaved by a tragic road accident, settling ever more comfortably, and dangerously, into his fake role. Moving, at times funny and with an electrifying central performance, the film deals with themes of forgiveness while avoiding easy clichés and pat endings.

LIMBO

Dir: Ben Sharrock
UK 2020 | 104 mins | Cert 12A

On a remote Scottish island, a group of new arrivals await the results of their asylum claims. Among them is Omar, a young Syrian musician struggling with the guilt, doubt and grief that comes with leaving his former life and his family behind, burdened by the weight of his grandfather’s oud that he has carried from his homeland. A poignant, offbeat comedy-drama that shines a light on the hearts and lives of those at the centre of a crisis with gentle empathy and wit.

Beanpole

Dir: Kantemir Balagov
Russia 2019 | 130 minutes | Cert 18 

Two women re-establish their friendship and bond in a shabby, numbed post-WW2 Leningrad, where war is over but the trauma and pain of a siege where over 800,000 civilians were killed are still haunting the survivors. A brilliant and brutal – often shocking and disturbing – exploration of not the battles of war but the aftermath. While tough and unsparing, this film offers moments of kindness in its portrayal of love, friendship, loyalty and survival.

The Assistant

Dir: Kitty Green
USA 2019 | 87 minutes | Cert 15

Jane, a recent college graduate and aspiring film producer, has landed her dream job as a junior assistant to a powerful entertainment mogul. As she follows her daily routine, she grows increasingly aware of the abuse that insidiously colours every aspect of her working day, a steady accumulation of degradations. A subtle, low-key drama that packs a hefty punch in exposing a very modern and toxic reality.

A programme of short films from Ukraine

Runtime: 70 mins

Tull Stories/Encounters have curated a programme to highlight, celebrate and support Ukrainian filmmakers and artists which will be screened in cinemas across the UK. From a stylised sport drama to a funky animated short about the body expectations that mostly befall cisgender women, this programme welcomes strong and unapologetic voices unafraid to make noise.

ECHO, dir. Daryna Kuzmina, 2020, 1 min
WEIGHTLIFTER, dir. Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, 2018, 30 mins
THE FALL OF LENIN, dir. Svitlana Shymko, 2017, 12 mins
MISHA, dir. Kateryna Pavlyuk, 2021, 2 mins
SISTERS, dir. Valentina Petrova & Anna Scherbyna, 2019, 12 mins
MY FAT ARSE AND I, dir. Yelyzaveta Pysmak, 2020, 10 mins
UKRAINE: THREE YEARS OF TRUCE, dir.Benas Gerdziunas, 2018, 2 mins

Compartment Number 6

Dir: Juho Kuosmanen
Finland 2021 | 107 minutes 

A young Finnish archaeology student escapes an enigmatic love affair in Moscow by boarding a train to the arctic port of Murmansk. Forced to share the long ride and tiny sleeping car with a shaven-headed miner, the unexpected encounter leads the occupants of the compartment to face the truth about their own yearning for connection. An offbeat romantic story of strangers on a train that is full of human warmth and humour.