Alicia Lu

Agnieszka Holland’s 'Green Border' examines the ongoing migrant crisis at the Poland-Belarus border through the eyes of migrants, border guards, and activists. The result is an unflinching yet thoughtful look at an impossibly complex crisis from all angles. 'Green Border' will give you an urgent new perspective on this global humanitarian crisis.

Ramata Toulaye-Sy’s debut feature film ‘Banel & Adama’ follows a young married couple living in a rural Senegalese village as they dream of a life unconfined by tradition. Protagonist Banel is one of the most complex, multidimensional, and unforgettable female characters in recent film history. The visually stunning parable, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, explores love, duty, and supernatural retribution.

Johan Grimonprez’s "Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat" is a kinetic, eye-opening collision of jazz, Cold War politics, and colonial history not found in textbooks. At the center of the story is the CIA-backed assassination of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and a conspiracy between the U.S. and Belgium involving everyone from Louis Armstrong to Nikita Khrushchev with reverberations into the present day.

Andrzej Żuławski’s 1981 film Possession is one of the most controversial and talked-about horror films of all time. Following a couple going through divorce, Possession features unrelenting and unforgettable performances by Isabelle Adjani and Sam Neill and an infamous subway scene that has catapulted the film into legendary status. But the deranged love story also makes it the perfect alternative to the typical Valentine’s Day movie.

Fans of Sean Baker’s Anora may like Mikko Mäkelä’s Sebastian, a refreshingly honest and real depiction of a young sex worker in London. Sebastian follows 25-year-old Max, an aspiring writer by day and a male escort by night. What starts out as an experiment to inspire his novel soon spirals into something more all-consuming. Watch Kino Lorber’s interview with director Mikko Mäkelä on his film and stream Sebastian on Kino Film Collection.

Sally Aitken’s ‘Every Little Thing’ follows the work of Terry Masear, a hummingbird rehabilitator in Los Angeles. The documentary offers an intimate look at Masear’s unique expertise in healing hummingbirds and provides heart-expanding lessons in compassion, hope, and resilience.

Meet Lina Wertmuller, the first female director to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar. Exploring themes like sex, violence, and politics, the Italian auteur filmmaker is best known for her provocative and subversive films of the 1970s. Stream six of them on Kino Film Collection now.