Worldviews Program – MFF26
Strong characters and compelling narratives dominate this category. Showcasing favorites from the global festival circuit, these films let you travel the world without leaving the cinema.
Presented by: Joan Lubar and John Crouch
The Films
A Sad and Beautiful World
Drama
Romance
Across three decades of passion, loss, and hope, Nino and Yasmina are bound by a magnetic relationship. Torn between love…
Across three decades of passion, loss, and hope, Nino and Yasmina are bound by a magnetic relationship. Torn between love and survival, they must decide whether to build a family and seek happiness in Lebanon, or leave their home, amid the country's unfolding tragedies. Director Cyril Aris describes that he sees "how humor and love become shields against darkness. [The film] embraces that uniquely Lebanese humor while exploring deeper themes of parenthood and legacy."
BURN
Drama
Cult
When runaway teen Ju-Ju is embraced by a tribe of misfit youths in Kabukicho, she finds belonging for the first…
When runaway teen Ju-Ju is embraced by a tribe of misfit youths in Kabukicho, she finds belonging for the first time—until betrayal and despair twist her haven into a prison, and she’s left with one way to take back control. "While it contains some harsh, bleak truths, there’s an empathy for these kids that’s palpable, and it’s the sense that Nagahisa cares about Ju-Ju that makes it work." (Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com)
Christy
Drama
Comedy
17-year-old Christy is at a crossroads. Kicked out of his suburban foster home, he moves in with his estranged older…
17-year-old Christy is at a crossroads. Kicked out of his suburban foster home, he moves in with his estranged older brother Shane. As far as Shane is concerned this is a temporary arrangement, but Christy begins to feel at home on Cork's working-class Northside. As the brothers look to reconcile their turbulent past, their family and the community around them offer hope for Christy’s future in this heartfelt and lightly humorous drama.
Erupcja
Drama
Romance
Closed Captions Available
While on vacation in Poland, Bethany (Charli XCX) breaks away from a romantic itinerary planned by her doting boyfriend, Rob…
While on vacation in Poland, Bethany (Charli XCX) breaks away from a romantic itinerary planned by her doting boyfriend, Rob (Will Madden), fearing that a marriage proposal is imminent. Reuniting instead with an old friend, Nel (Lena Góra), the two women rekindle a uniquely combustible and volcanic chemistry over the course of a few days in a chaste but burning tryst predicated on sapphic synchronicity and a mutual penchant for poetry.Community Partner: Europhile Podcast
Filipiñana
Drama
At a pristine resort on the outskirts of Manila, 17-year-old tee-girl Isabel tries to return a mislaid golf club to…
At a pristine resort on the outskirts of Manila, 17-year-old tee-girl Isabel tries to return a mislaid golf club to the club president, discovering sinister revelations about her workplace, its elite members, and her own past. Winner of the World Cinema Dramatic Jury Award for Creative Vision at Sundance this year, FILIPIÑANA is "An incisive, slow-burning satire of capitalism and powerful men with far too much hubris—basically, a story for our times." (Aisha Harris, NPR)
Future Council
Documentary
Family
Seeking solutions for a greener world, documentarian Damon Gameau assembles a group of the world's most innovative thinkers—who also happen…
Seeking solutions for a greener world, documentarian Damon Gameau assembles a group of the world's most innovative thinkers—who also happen to be kids. Brilliantly flipping climate anxiety into tear-jerking heaps of hope, FUTURE COUNCIL chronicles eight middle-school activists on the ultimate field trip: traversing Europe in a yellow school bus to visit the natural wonders they aim to save, learn from each other, and challenge real world leaders to fight for their future.AGES 10+ limited cursing ("shit" and "badass" are said), discussion of anxiety and the weight of carrying global issues as a kid, some animated perilCommunity Partners: Ian's Pizza, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Alice's Garden Urban Farm
Happy Birthday
Drama
In this poignant debut feature, eight-year-old Toha works as a child maid for a wealthy Cairo family and forms a…
In this poignant debut feature, eight-year-old Toha works as a child maid for a wealthy Cairo family and forms a special bond with her employer's daughter, Nelly. Having never celebrated her own birthday, Toha becomes determined to ensure Nelly has a perfect party. As Toha's relationship with Nelly's mother, Laila, begins to transcend typical employer-servant boundaries, deep-rooted social hierarchies are threatened, forcing the young girl to confront harsh realities of class division in modern Egypt.
Hen
Drama
Cult
Following his cult films TAXIDERMIA and FREE FALL, György Pálfi is back with a tragicomic tale full of heart and…
Following his cult films TAXIDERMIA and FREE FALL, György Pálfi is back with a tragicomic tale full of heart and feathers. Escaping from a chicken farm, our hen heroine finds refuge in the courtyard of a crumbling restaurant. There, she discovers love, confronts the pecking order, and fights to protect her eggs from a greedy owner. Her droll yet touching quest for motherhood mirrors the messy compromises and silent struggles of human lives.
HOLD ONTO ME (Κράτα Με)
Drama
11-year-old Iris learns her estranged father, Aris, is back in town for his own father’s funeral. Determined to know him,…
11-year-old Iris learns her estranged father, Aris, is back in town for his own father’s funeral. Determined to know him, Iris tracks him down to a dilapidated shipyard, where he’s been keeping to himself. What begins as a stubborn attempt to reconnect slowly unfolds into a fragile bond. Winner of the Sundance Film Festival World Cinema Dramatic Audience Award, director Myrsini Aristidou's feature debut is a touching and poignant family tale.
I Swear
Drama
Open Captioned Screening
Closed Captions Available
Closed Audio Description Available
I SWEAR tells the life story of Tourette Syndrome campaigner John Davidson, MBE. Set within 1980s Britain, the story follows…
I SWEAR tells the life story of Tourette Syndrome campaigner John Davidson, MBE. Set within 1980s Britain, the story follows him throughout his troubled teens and early adulthood, and explores this little known and entirely misunderstood condition, along with his attempts to live a ‘normal’ life against the odds. The film is led by a tour-de-force performance from actor Robert Aramayo, who won a BAFTA for the role.
La Hija Cóndor (The Condor Daughter)
Drama
In this enthralling story of tradition, ambition, and carving your own destiny, Clara and her adoptive mother Ana are midwives…
In this enthralling story of tradition, ambition, and carving your own destiny, Clara and her adoptive mother Ana are midwives to a remote indigenous community in the Bolivian Andes. Clara dreams of becoming a singer, but remains bound to the confines of her community and duties. Tempted by outside forces, she runs off to the city in pursuit of her aspirations, unwittingly leaving a dark void in her wake.
Laundry
Drama
Johannesburg, 1968. Khuthala hates his father’s laundromat and doesn’t want to take over the family business, but the apartheid government…
Johannesburg, 1968. Khuthala hates his father’s laundromat and doesn’t want to take over the family business, but the apartheid government is cracking down on Black business ownership. Khuthala is torn between pursuing his own dreams of becoming a musician and fighting against the injustice that threatens the business, his only means of subsistence and the glue that holds their family together.
Love Letters
Drama
Romance
Paris, 2014. Céline is expecting her firstborn. But she’s not the one who’s pregnant. In three months, her wife, Nadia,…
Paris, 2014. Céline is expecting her firstborn. But she’s not the one who’s pregnant. In three months, her wife, Nadia, will give birth to their daughter. Under French law, Céline must secure testimonies from her friends, her mother, and others from her past to adopt the child carried by her wife. This stunning feature debut frames love as radiant armor against life’s thorniest trials.Community Partners: Alliance Française de Milwaukee
Mārama
Horror
1859, North Yorkshire. When young Māori woman Mary arrives from New Zealand, she’s trapped as governess to a wealthy whaler’s…
1859, North Yorkshire. When young Māori woman Mary arrives from New Zealand, she’s trapped as governess to a wealthy whaler’s granddaughter. Living among her ancestors’ stolen artifacts, she uncovers Sir Cole’s horrific crimes. Embracing her Matakite powers, Mary becomes Mārama and must save Anne and avenge her family by destroying him. Taratoa Stappard's feature debut brings gothic vibes rivaling Robert Eggers' NOSFERATU infused with a dark history more frightening than any jump-scare.
Nino
Drama
A sudden diagnosis leaves Nino, a young man in his late 20s, facing mortality with grace, quiet humor, and the…
A sudden diagnosis leaves Nino, a young man in his late 20s, facing mortality with grace, quiet humor, and the company of family and friends over the course of his birthday weekend, all anchored by Quebec actor and multi-MFF alum Théodore Pellerin’s soulful performance. “Loques’ tender debut feels connected to a tradition of French cinema that includes Agnes Varda’s CLEO FROM 5 TO 7 and Francois Ozon’s TIME TO LEAVE." (Allan Hunter, Screen Daily)
Palestine 36
Drama
Annemarie Jacir returns to the fest with her follow up to MFF2018 selection WAJIB. In PALESTINE 36, rising numbers of…
Annemarie Jacir returns to the fest with her follow up to MFF2018 selection WAJIB. In PALESTINE 36, rising numbers of Jewish immigrants are arriving to escape persecution in Europe just as Palestinian villages are uniting in the largest and longest uprising against Britain’s 30-year colonial rule. The region is reaching a breaking point, spiraling toward an inevitable collision that will be a decisive turning point for the British Empire and the future of the land.
Perla
Drama
In 1981 Vienna, Perla, a dissident artist and single mother, struggles to build a stable life for her daughter Julia,…
In 1981 Vienna, Perla, a dissident artist and single mother, struggles to build a stable life for her daughter Julia, a gifted young pianist. But when Julia’s estranged father reappears after years of absence, claiming to be gravely ill, Perla is forced to make a dangerous journey back to communist Czechoslovakia. This perilous return compels her to confront a past she thought she had left behind, jeopardizing her present to protect her future.
Power Ballad
Comedy
Drama
Closed Captions Available
Closed Audio Description Available
When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two…
When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. From writer-director John Carney (SING STREET, ONCE), POWER BALLAD is a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition.Lionsgate presents, in association with 30WEST + Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, a Likely Story / Distressed Films production, in association with Treasure Entertainment.Community Partner: Boho Luxe Boutique
Romería
Drama
Orphaned at a young age, 18-year-old Marina must travel to Spain’s Atlantic coast to obtain a signature for a scholarship…
Orphaned at a young age, 18-year-old Marina must travel to Spain’s Atlantic coast to obtain a signature for a scholarship application from the paternal grandparents she has never met. She navigates a sea of new family members, uncertain whether she will be embraced or met with resistance. Stirring long-buried emotions, reviving tenderness, and uncovering unspoken wounds tied to the past, Marina pieces together the fragmented and often contradictory memories of the parents she barely remembers.
Silent Friend
Drama
A majestic ginkgo tree in the heart of a medieval German university town stands witness to three human lives. 2020,…
A majestic ginkgo tree in the heart of a medieval German university town stands witness to three human lives. 2020, a neuroscientist from Hong Kong, exploring the mind of babies, begins an unexpected experiment with the old tree. 1972, a young student is profoundly changed by observing and connecting with a geranium. 1908, the university’s first female student discovers, through the lens of photography, sacred patterns of the universe hidden within the humblest of plants.Community Partner: Amity Loft
Silent Rebellion
Drama
A virtuous teen in a repressive rural Protestant community in 1943 Switzerland questions her village's morality as they turn away…
A virtuous teen in a repressive rural Protestant community in 1943 Switzerland questions her village's morality as they turn away Jewish refugees. After a personal trauma upends her life, she must find the courage to forge her own path against social expectations. Director Marie-Elsa Sgualdo's feature debut explores the consequences of neutrality in the face of oppression, relevent now as much as it was then.
The Blue Trail (O último azul)
Drama
To maximize economic productivity, the government orders the elderly to relocate to distant housing colonies. Tereza, 77, refuses, instead embarking…
To maximize economic productivity, the government orders the elderly to relocate to distant housing colonies. Tereza, 77, refuses, instead embarking on a journey through the Amazon that will change her destiny forever. Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, the latest from director Gabriel Mascaro (DIVINE LOVE, MFF2019) is an inspiring reminder that it’s never too late to take flight.
The Fisherman
Comedy
Atta Oko is a retired traditional fisherman from Ghana whose life takes a whimsical turn when he is forced into…
Atta Oko is a retired traditional fisherman from Ghana whose life takes a whimsical turn when he is forced into retirement and acquires a talking fish with a bougie attitude, leading him on an adventure to Accra. Joined by his three quirky “associates” with a dream of owning a boat, they navigate the chaos of the modern world. Filled with laughter, magic, and vibrant Ghanaian culture, this feature is sure to make you laugh, cry, or both.
The Last One For the Road
Comedy
Carlobianchi and Doriano, two broke fiftysomethings with a “never skip the last drink” philosophy, meet Giulio, a shy architecture student…
Carlobianchi and Doriano, two broke fiftysomethings with a “never skip the last drink” philosophy, meet Giulio, a shy architecture student adrift in life. What starts as a chance encounter turns into a chaotic road trip through the Venetian plains. THE LAST ONE FOR THE ROAD is "a pleasant Italian gem on drinking buddies, aging and wistful flavors of life." (Tomris Laffly, Variety)Community Partners: Limitless Travel, The Pasta Tree
What Does that Nature Say to You
Drama
Comedy
A young poet drops his girlfriend off at her parents' house and is amazed by its grandeur. He bumps into…
A young poet drops his girlfriend off at her parents' house and is amazed by its grandeur. He bumps into her father, meets her mother and sister, and they all end up spending a long day together; fueled by conversation, food, and libations. In his 33rd feature, multi-MFF alum Hong Sang-soo spins a bitterly comic fable on the trials of living simply and righteously in our world.Community Partner: Fondy Food Center
Yes
Comedy
Drama
Cult
In YES, Director Nadav Lapid (MFF2019) once again takes vigorous critical aim at the Israeli government with a new approach:…
In YES, Director Nadav Lapid (MFF2019) once again takes vigorous critical aim at the Israeli government with a new approach: submission. In the days following October 7, Y., a jazz musician, and his wife Yasmin, a dancer, resolve to say yes to everything. They surrender themselves and their art to Israel’s social, political, and military elite. Soon, Y. is entrusted with a mission of the utmost importance: to compose the music for a rousing, ruthless new national anthem.