Converging films from the far reaches of the world, the Tribeca Film Festival’s World Narrative Competition truly lives up to its name. Films representing nations such as Iran, Serbia, and Argentina serve to expand the viewers perspective on the stories told. A welcome trend in this lineup are the many familiar American actors, like Kevin Kline, Geena Davis, Aidan Quinn, and Jennifer Beals, who are cast in these foreign features. Here are some of the imports from the upcoming festival.
About Elly (Darbareye Elly/Iran)
Directed and written by: Asghar Farhadi
A group of old college pals reunites for a weekend adventure on the sea, but compounding lies and deception quickly lead to catastrophe. Everyone hopes Sepideh’s new friend Elly will hit it off with Ahmad, newly divorced from his German wife and in search of an Iranian bride, but Elly disappears on the second day, plunging the group into a complex mystery. Asghar Farhadi took the Best Director prize at Berlin. In Persian with English subtitles.
Accidents Happen (Australia)
Directed by Andrew Lancaster
There are dysfunctional families… and then there are the Conways. After a family tragedy, 15-year-old Billy Conway has become the de facto glue between his bitter mom (Geena Davis), distant brother, and stoic dad. But when Billy starts to act out, everything changes for him and his family in this visually stunning, bittersweet drama.
The Eclipse (Ireland)
Directed by: Conor McPherson
Award-winning screenwriter and Tony-nominated playwright McPherson crafts an exquisite atmospheric drama about a widower (Ciarán Hinds, Munich) who sees and hears strange things in his house. His life converges with a beautiful author of supernatural fiction (Iben Hjejle, High Fidelity) and a full-of-himself pop novelist (Aidan Quinn) at an international literary festival that will alter their lives in surprising ways.
The Fish Child (El Niño Pez/Argentina)
Directed by: Lucía Puenzo
Likened to a bold Argentine Thelma and Louise, Lucia Puenzo’s follow-up to her Cannes winner XXY wraps a passionate love story in the arms of a pulsating thriller. When an upper-class Argentine falls for her family’s sultry Paraguayan maid, the two make plans to run away together, but their hope for escape is derailed when shocking secrets become unveiled. In Spanish with English subtitles.
Here and There (Tamo i Ovde/Serbia)
Directed by: Darko Lungulov
Miserable middle-aged musician Robert suddenly finds himself homeless and in need of quick cash. He accepts an offer from a young, enterprising Serbian immigrant named Branko: Travel to Belgrade, marry Branko’s girlfriend, and bring her back to the US. But while on the trip, Robert meets Branko’s mother, discovers that happiness comes when least expected, and begins to question whether money or love would be the true cure to his ills. In English and Serbian with English subtitles.
North (Nord/Norway)
Directed by: Rune Denstad Laglo
A road movie without a road, North is a wry comedy about a former ski champion recovering from a mental breakdown and on a journey to start anew. Having just learned he has a five-year-old son, he hops on his snowmobile with some moonshine, bound for his ex-girlfriend’s home in Norway’s Far North. His oddball encounters along the way make this fresh and original debut both tender and amusing. In Norwegian with English subtitles.
Queen to Play (Joueuse/France)
Directed by: Caroline Bottaro
Sandrine Bonnaire plays an inquisitive hotel maid captivated by a vacationing couple (Jennifer Beals, Dominic Gould) playing chess. Thus begins her obsession with mastering the game and transforming her uninspired life. An American expat (Kevin Kline) mentors her in the game that alters both their lives in this delightful feel-good French import. In French with English subtitles.
Seven Minutes in Heaven (Sheva Dakot Be’gan Eden/Israel)
Directed by: Omri Givon
A young woman struggles to reconstruct her memory of the events immediately following the Jerusalem bus bombing that took the life of her boyfriend and left her back badly scarred. Part memory play, part love story, and part metaphysical thriller, this startling debut feature announces Givon as a forceful storyteller and exciting new voice in international cinema. In Hebrew with English subtitles.
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