Autumn Leaves: Films for Fall Days

The labyrinthine world of Cold War espionage is exemplarily captured in Thomas Alfredson's already classic adaptation of John Le Carré's book of the same name. BAFTA Award for Best British Film and three Oscar nominations — At the height of the Cold War, a veteran agent returns to active duty to expose a Soviet spy operating within British intelligence. — Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay | Oscars | 2012 Nomination for Best Leading Actor (Gary Oldman) | Oscars | 2012 Best Adapted Screenplay | BAFTA | 2012 Best British Film | BAFTA | 2012

One of the finest Jane Austen adaptations ever made, Joe Wright’s breathtakingly beautiful film feels both modern and timeless, with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen embodying the iconic roles of Elizabeth and Darcy. — Elizabeth Bennet lives with her mother, father, and sisters in the English countryside. As the eldest daughter, she faces growing pressure from her parents to marry. When Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy, the two develop strong feelings for each other but despite their undeniable chemistry, Darcy’s reserved and prideful nature threatens to keep them apart. — Most Promising Newcomer (Joe Wright) | BAFTA Awards | 2006 Nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Keira Knightley) | Oscars | 2006 Nomination for Best Original Score | Oscars | 2006 Nomination for Best Achievement in Costume Design | Oscars | 2006

From Academy Award-winning writer and director Adam Elliott ("Mary and Max"), another 100% handmade claymation that spotlights a life in a shell, drenched in bleak humor and moments of pure, honest emotion. A little masterpiece. — Grace is a lonely woman who loves books, collects snails and faces a series of misfortunes when she is separated from her twin brother. Despite her difficulties, she finds inspiration and hope again when she begins a friendship with an eccentric older woman named Pinkie. — Best Film | Annecy Film Festival | 2024 Best FIlm | London Film Festival | 2024

Aki Kaurismäki, the great poet of minimalism and melancholy, returns with his twentieth feature film, creating another unforgettable anthem for all those forgotten by the society. This film rightfully received the Jury Prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. — Two lonely people meet by chance one night in Helsinki and try to find the first, unique and absolute love of their lives. Their path to this goal is hindered by the man's alcoholism, lost phone numbers, not knowing each other's name or address, and life's general tendency to put obstacles in the way of those seeking happiness. — Jury Prize | Cannes Film Festival | 2023 FIPRESCI Prize | San Sebastian Film Festival | 2023

The ultimate musical crowdpleaser of the ’90s is a bittersweet soul fable with a working-class heart, irresistible humor and a soundtrack that became the stuff of legend. The cast also features the recently deceased songwriter Glen Hansard, who would go on to win all our hearts two decades later with “Once.” — Jimmy Rabbit tells the story of how, despite being an unemployed Dubliner with no prospects, he managed to put together a soul band made up entirely of working-class musicians from across the city. — Nominated for Best Film Editing | Oscars | 1992 Best Film | BAFTA Awards | 1992 Best Adapted Screenplay | BAFTA Awards | 1992 Best Editing | BAFTA Awards | 1992 Best Direction | BAFTA Awards | 1992 Best Director | Tokyo IFF | 1991

Todd Haynes (Carol, Velvet Goldmine) shows us what Douglas Sirk’s melodramas might have looked like if the master filmmaker had been able to speak even more openly about his themes, giving Julianne Moore one of the defining roles of her career. — Cathy Whitaker, a seemingly typical housewife in the affluent American suburbs of the 1950s, watches her perfectly crafted family life fall apart as her once-courteous neighbors begin to avoid her. In the midst of the unraveling, she finds unexpected comfort in her friendship with a gardener named Raymond. — Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role (Julianne Moore) | Oscars | 2003 Nominated for Best Original Screenplay | Oscars | 2003 Best Actress (Julianne Moore) | Venice Film Festival | 2002 SIGNIS Award - Honorable Mention | Venice Film Festival | 2002

Underrated in its day and nowhere to be seen for years, the great Jean-Pierre Melville's most personal film about the French Resistance, in which he also participated, is now recognized as the masterpiece of his filmography. — France, 1942. A civil engineer, member of the Resistance against the Nazis who have taken over the country, is arrested and sent to a concentration camp. When he manages to escape, he will look for the informant who turned him in to take revenge, while continuing his resistance action.

An appreciative, festival-friendly addition to Woody Allen's "european films", set this time in the enchanting San Sebastián and its local film festival, which serves as a breeding ground for humorous stories arising from the anxieties and neuroses of its protagonists. — Intellectual Mort Rifkin accompanies his wife Sue to Spain's prestigious San Sebastian Film Festival, worried about her falling out with young director Philippe. While Sue is passionately involved with the charming Philippe, Mort meets the sweet Dr. Rojas and something inside him changes. A mood to review life through the power of classic cinema rekindles Mort's hope for the future.

In the spirit of Linklater's Before trilogy and with DIY attitude, the Greek film of the year follows two people on a magically melancholic journey. Awards in Thessaloniki and a triumph at the Hellenic Film Academy Awards for the directorial debut of comic book creator Giorgos Goussis. — Elena is traveling with no destination and unexpectedly boards the ship to Kefalonia. Antonis, who is on the same ship, is heading to the island's cemetery to bury his aunt's ossuary. When his car breaks down, Elena offers to take him to a hotel and then again the next day to the cemetery, where they are told they can't keep the box for bureaucratic reasons. Having enjoyed each other's company, they decide to continue roaming around the island looking for a good place to bury the box. — Golden Alexander | Thessaloniki Film Festival | 2021 FIPRESCI Award | Thessaloniki Film Festival | 2021 Greek National Television Award | Thessaloniki Film Festival | 2021 Best Film | Hellenic Film Academy Awards | 2022 Best Actress (Elena Topalidou) | Hellenic Film Academy Awards | 2022

One of the most talented representatives of the new generation of Chinese directors, Shujun Wei, impresses with his third feature film, a sophisticated crime drama that intertwines film noir with existential exploration, in the best tradition of the Asian school of the genre. — A young police officer takes on the investigation of a series of murders that have shocked public opinion in China. Under pressure from his superiors, he reaches the long-awaited arrest. However, could the real culprit still be at large? — Official Selection - Un Certain Regard | Cannes Film Festival | 2023