“Bo’s all fears” (“Beau is Afraid”), dir. Ari Aster – May 4
The protagonist of the film is the lonely neurasthenic Bo, who for years did not dare to leave his comfort zone (or at least the confines of the apartment). However, his mother’s tragic death under strange circumstances forces Bo to go back to his hometown. This outer journey turns into an inner journey for man through all the fears and secrets of the past. On his way to his father’s house, he will encounter an orphans’ cult, bounty hunters riding a bear, a phallic-shaped monster, and other horrors of the outside world.
Author of horror master Ari Aster (Solstice, Reincarnation) this time tries to understand the nature of our fears rather than scare the audience, presenting an external threat in an absurd and parodic way. Joaquin Phoenix helps him in this – an actor with a thousand faces and an enormous professional amplitude, who manages to perfectly convey on the screen the image of a man who is worried, confused, but eager to take back his own life.
Doorman Yura, director. Vitaly Dudka – from May 4
After losing his job in the capital, ambitious young photographer Roma (Denis Vlasenko) returns to his hometown of Ufa. There he meets Yura (Anton Kuznetsov), a cheerful and good-natured doorman who finds himself in debt to swindlers. To help the lone hero raise at least some money, Roma photographs Yura as a star and uses Photoshop to put it on the cover of a fashion magazine. This picture is “infected” on the Internet, turning yesterday’s doorman into a network star, changing the lives of both Romans and Yura, for whom the whole country came to their aid.
Jura Doorman is based on the true story of photographer Roman Filippov and doorman Yuri Vetlugin, who find themselves in a difficult life situation. Vetlugin’s photo on the cover of GQ became a real sensation – not only because it initiated changes in the life of the latter, but also because it vividly reminded how wrong the first impression was and how great the kindness of strangers is. “The Doorman Jura” is, among other things, the first major acting role of Ida Galich, and at the same time a very inspiring and warm film in which you want to warm yourself in its bright rays.
Holy Spider Killer, director. Ali Abbasi – from 11 May
The events in the movie take place in Iran’s holy city of Mashhad. Local religious family man Said sets a dire goal of killing all the prostitutes in the city. After a flawless series of murders, Sayid discovers that none of the residents care about the dead, and that only makes him untie his hands even more. Journalist Rahimi decides to confront the murderer who wants to find the criminal and bring him to justice.
Iranian actress Zara Amir Ebrahimi, who played the role of Rahimi, received an acting award at the 75th Cannes Film Festival for this role, and Ali Abbasi’s drama was nominated for an Oscar in the nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.
According to critics, the tape deftly addresses the important issue of the oppression of Iranian women, who lack protection and desperately need the inviolability of their rights and freedoms.
“14+: The sequel”, dir. Andrey Zaitsev – from May 11
Continuation of the growth story of the 18-year-old young man Lesha (Gleb Kalyuzhny). After a brilliant first love in the past, he meets a new girl, Nastya (Polina Gukhman), who turns his world of acquaintances upside down. A new relationship gets the hero out of his head, but Lesha can’t forget the old Vika (Ulyana Vaskovich). As the hero gets older, his own problems become more serious and it becomes increasingly difficult to choose from the heart.
The new painting by Andrey Zaitsev, like the first part, inherits the charm and sincerity of classic films in the spirit of “You never dreamed of …” or “I’m wandering around Moscow”, which the young heroes grasp. the challenges of growing up – from finding themselves to falling in love in a big city.
“Who Killed BlackBerry” (“BlackBerry”), dir. Matt Johnson – May 11
A Canadian biography about a group of obsessive technicians who set out to do the unthinkable in the early days of smartphones, combining a cell phone and a computer in one device. Through their joint efforts, a technological revolution took place in the world – the BlackBerry smartphone was released, which turned people’s idea of mobile phones upside down. But the tech sensation that made their creators rich becomes a kind of curse for them: they need to be able to hold on to a market that Silicon Valley competitors are already encroaching on.
The world premiere of the film took place at the Berlin Film Festival, where the tape competed for the main prize of the show.
“No Filter” (“Follow It”), dir. Silvia Kaminer – from 11 May
Promising actress Jess agrees to participate in a fashion project on social networks. Under the guidance of a mysterious curator, it becomes an online phenomenon with millions of viewers. But with each new shoot, the girl’s curator subjects her to more and more gruesome and complex tests. Now Jess not only needs to get the likes of subscribers, but also needs to save her life.
“Unfiltered” explores the phenomenon of immersive performances in which the audience transforms from a mere observer to a direct participant and even the author of the events. The film received high approval from Western critics, who found the tape a good example of an exciting and intelligent genre film.
Hunt (Heonteu), director. Lee Jung-jae – from May 18
The events in the movie take place in 1983. After an assassination attempt on the South Korean president during his visit to Washington, domestic and foreign intelligence leaders are tasked with identifying a North Korean spy in their ranks. Thus begins a dangerous game in which everyone is suspicious of everyone.
The world premiere of “The Hunt”, the directorial debut of Lee Jong-jae, star of the South Korean hit “Squid Game”, took place on the out-of-competition program of the 75th Cannes Film Festival.
“Island of Illusions” (“Influencer”), dir. Curtis David Harder – May 18
The main character, Madison, is obsessed with social networks: she is a blogger and influencer who showcases her life for the approval of others. One day the girl decides to go to Thailand, where she meets a mysterious friend who travels the world alone and lightly. Together they travel to picturesque, uninhabited islands, each of which opens up with a darker and more sinister side.
Before its premiere at the Russian box office, “Illusion Island” managed to loudly declare itself at various horror festivals, for which it collected a number of awards.
“Being Salvador Dali” (“Dalíland”), dir. Mary Harron – from May 25
Out in 1974. Salvador Dali (played by Ezra Miller and Ben Kingsley in his youth and maturity respectively) is one of the most famous and outrageous artists in the world. However, he is more obsessed with painting than his wife and muse, Gala (Barbara Zukova). Passionate and sometimes awkward marriages go through hard times, and Dali, overcome by personal experience, prefers noisy parties to canvas. Young assistant James (Christopher Briney) is tasked with making sure Dalí comes to his senses and prepares for the big exhibition in New York at any cost.
Director Mary Harron was responsible for the film’s artistic value and integrity, most famously the American Psycho thriller starring Christian Bale. In his new painting, Harron continues to explore the dark side of a man who uses a brush and canvas, not an ax this time.
“Escape Illusion” (“Superposition”), dir. Caroline Lyngby – from 25 May
Looking for an ideal place for life and creativity, an urban couple with a child decides to give it a try. They flee to the deserted forest and talk about their new life together in a podcast. But the measured pace of the heroes’ new lives is disrupted by a sudden encounter with strangers who are strangely similar to them. What do mystery couples point to, and is it possible to get along with your own animated copy?
Scandinavians, like no one else in the world, are good at the psychological thriller genre. And while the plot of “Illusions of Escape” is officially reminiscent of Jordan Peele’s movie “We,” the Danish film goes much deeper into the intricacies of the story about how to accept and understand the person you see reflected in the mirror.