World Cinema Resources

World cinema DVD reviews, international film festival news, subtitled movie competitions, foreign language film features, world film trailers, foreign film star interviews, the best in new anime…finally, you’ve found a film magazine-website whose editorial focuses on what others won’t! With Hollywood news dominating every British movie website, subtitledonline.com brings film fans who aren’t satisfied with yet another sequel or franchise reboot information on alternative cinema that can still challenge, surprise, educate and, most importantly, capture the imagination of audiences worldwide – film fans such as esteemed BBC critic Mark Kermode and broadcaster Jonathan Rigby, who have both featured on this website in interviews where both cooed over the wonders of foreign language cinema. The chances are, if you are using this website, you’ll already have a good knowledge of the key works and directors of world cinema, but if you’ve only recently managed to break off the mainstream’s shackles, here’s a quick guide to help you out!

World Cinema film favourite, Battle Royale.

So what do we mean by World Cinema? Wikipedia’s article on world cinema (or foreign film) uses the term to describe films which are produced outside of English speaking countries such as the UK and USA. Therefore, these films tend to be not-in-the-English language (and so released here with subtitles and occasionally dubbing), are usually of a lower budget than their Western counterparts, and are generally helmed by auteurs who are still allowed to create visionary pieces, unshackled by a studio’s desperation to see a huge return at the box office – when your main stars earns $20 million, you need a formula that guarantees a good financial return, and boy have they flogged that cash cow to death!

Directors like Pedro Almodovar and Michael Haneke, and actors including Infernal Affair’s star Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, are highly revered worldwide, and their works regularly highlight film festivals, such as the BFI London Film Festival and Edinburgh International Film Festival, whose prominence is growing year in year out as more movie goers become disenchanted with the overly commercial aspect of Hollywood filmmaking – even if our media is too afraid to let you know about it (it takes a bit more work for them to get an upskirt shot in Asia, after all).

Whilst our editorial is equally relevant to film fans worldwide, given the ease with which foreign film fans can watch and purchase world cinema titles from online retailers such as Amazon – and we bring news on major events, including the Berlin International Film Festival, which take place outside of our little island – our main focus is on titles being made available to film goers in the UK. We bring together news and reviews for titles released by distributors including Artificial Eye and Arrow Film, and coverage of cinema releases and films seasons which form a key part of the programming at the Picturehouse chain, BFI Southbank and Barbican. From Edinburgh to London, world cinema fans are catered for – and now you have somewhere to find out about it!

Why We Love World Cinema

Our world cinema website covers films produced or co-produced outside of the UK and USA. Art house film, GLBT cinema, cult and controversial favourites, Bollywood, independent and low-budget filmmaking…we have a large team of knowledgeable and passionate film writers who can offer an educated, interesting and entertaining viewpoint no matter what the genre or sub-genre. Why not check out our ongoing contributor series, World Cinema: Why I Love It! to get an insight into why we are so passionate about foreign world film, or our editor’s About Us piece, which will give you a better understanding of why this website was launched, and a little about its history.

World Cinema Article Database

Every day we update the site with fresh cinema, DVD and Blu-ray reviews, foreign film news and the latest subtitled film clips and trailers. As a result, we have built up a huge archival world cinema resource. Of course, our flexible search facility will give you easy access to these resources.

However, if you are new to world cinema, or just keen to find out more as quickly as possible, here are a few pointers to important articles which we know you will enjoy reading – and will quickly give you a taster of what foreign film has to offer the discerning film fan…

World Cinema A – Z

In this three part article, we explore some of the ‘must-see’ films in world cinema. Part 1 takes us from Amelie through to Hard Boiled by the brilliant John Woo. In part 2, we explore various classics, including the acclaimed Pan’s Labyrinth from Guillermo del Toro. Finally, in part 3, we bring our feature to an conclusion with Takeshi Kitano’s award-winning Zatoichi.

World Cinema Directors

We have been lucky enough to interview and profile some of the ‘great directors’ of foreign film. Check out these profiles and interviews on world cinema’s favourite auteurs.

Wayne Wang. Interview with Hong Kong born director Wayne Wang who enjoyed worldwide acclaim for his movie adaptation of Snow Flower And The Secret Fan.
Bertrand Tavernier. Interview with French director Bertrand Tavernier whose 1990 film Life And Nothing But won a BAFTA and a total of four César Awards.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet. A profile of eccentric French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet, who has enjoyed international acclaim thanks to films like Amelie.
Pedro Almodóvar. Pedro Almodovar is the most influential Spanish filmmaker since Luis Buñuel. Find out why in this profile of the director of The Skin I Live In.
Hayao Miyazaki. The world-renowned Japanese anime director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki has enchanted audiences with films like Ponyo.
Takeshi Kitano. A discussion on the career development of Takeshi Kitano, who rose to international promise with notorious films including Battle Royale and Hana-Bi.
Wim Wenders. An interview with one of the most important directors of world cinema, Wim Wenders, a leading representative of ‘New German Film’.
Michael Haneke. Austrian director, Michael Haneke has achieved international success with his disquieting and bleakly haunting style of film. Films like Funny Games and The White Ribbon.
The 5 Worst Karan Johar Moments. A light-hearted look at the scenes which writer-director Karan Johar should have left on the cutting room floor.
Gerardo Naranjo. The Mexican director, Gerardo Naranjo, who rose to prominence in 2011 with the award-winning and controversial Miss Bala.
Matthew Parkhill. The return of director Matthew Parkhill, who rose to prominence with the Gael García Bernal starring Dot The I in 2003.
Alexei Popogrebsky. Russian director Alexei Popogrebsky, who won numerous international awards for How I Ended This Summer.
Jean Vigo. Jean Vigo is a legendary name in the world of French cinema and has entranced generations of film fans.
Christian Carion. BAFTA nominee, Christian Carion directed the acclaimed espionage thriller Farewell.
Navot Papushado & Aharon Keshales. The directing duo who rose to international prominence after producing Israeli’s first horror film, Rabies.
Mahamat-Saleh Haroun. Chad born director, Mahamet-Salet Haroun, who was nominated for the Palme d’Or Award in 2010 for A Screaming Man.
Dominic Allan. Interview with former TV documentary maker Dominic Allan, who went on to wow audiences on the film festival circuit with the unflinching Calvet.
The Soska Sisters. Canadian sisters, Jen and Sylvia Soksa made waves in the world of indie horror with their low-budget debut Dead Hooker In A Trunk.
Justin Mitchell. Documentary filmmaker Justin Mitchell who received acclaimed for Brazilian documentary Rio Breaks.
Lars von Trier. Exploring the fundamental question: is Lars von Trier a genius or a fraud?
François Ozon. The famous French director François Ozon, famed for his internationally acclaimed 8 femmes and Sous le Sable.
Godfrey Ho. Considered the “Ed Wood of Hong Kong Cinema” by many a Z-movie aficionado, Godfrey Ho is a highly prolific director and screenwriter of improbable cult standing.
Rafi Pitts. Exiled Iranian film director Rafi Pitts is one of the Middle East’s most prominent filmmakers thanks to Golden Bear Nominee It’s Winter.
Kristijan Milic. Croatian filmmaker Kristijan Milic who directed the film adaptation of Josip Mlakic’s popular novel The Living And The Dead.
Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Thailand’s director, Apichatpong Weerasethakul is revered due to the success of films like Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.
Diego Luna. Star of films including Y Tu Mama Tambien and Milk, Diego Luna has also achieved success directing the film Abel.
Mathieu Amalric. Cesar and Lumiere award-winner, Mathieu Amalric is also acclaimed behind the lens for films such as Cannes favourite On Tour.
Jalmari Helander. Finland’s Jalmari Helander, who led the way in the resurgence of Christmas themed horror with Rare Exports.
Ruben Östlund. Sweden’s Ruben Östlund is the director of the multi award-winning Involuntary.
Lixin Fan. Chinese documentary filmmaker Lixin Fan, who made his debut with the gruelling Last Train Home.
Shozin Fukui. Shozin Fukui is an independent filmmaker who’s secured a small international cult fan base through his work in Japan’s extreme cyberpunk movement of the late-80s and ‘90s.
Stéphane Aubier & Vincent Patar. Stéphane Aubier and Vincent Patar are leading names in animation whose works, including A Town Called Panic, enjoys a solid popular and critical following.
Richard Berry. An actor since the ‘70s, Richard Berry established himself as one of France’s most promising writer/directors with films such as The Black Box.
Shinya Tsukamoto. Arguably one of the most important and influential figures in contemporary Japanese cinema, Shinya Tsukamoto is best known for his groundbreaking Tetsuo movies.
Tom Six. Dutch director Tom Six has courted controversy for his horror films such as The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) which was originally banned in the UK.
Sammo Hung. Sammo Hung is one of the most prolific actors and directors in the history of Eastern cinema, with the likes of Ip Man 2 to his credit.
Manoel De Oliveira. One of Portugal’s most respected directors, Manoel De Oliveira’s films include Eccentricities Of A Blonde Haired Girl.
Gareth Evans. Welsh-born director Gareth Evan made his directing debut with Indonesian martial arts flick Merantua Warrior.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Jean-Pierre Jeunet has produced a string of critically acclaimed movies, including Micmacs, Delicatessen and the stunning Amelie.
Jacques Audiard. The Cannes winning director of films such as A Prophet and The Beat That My Heart Skipped, Jacques Audiard.
Erik Gandini. Documentary filmmaker, Erik Gandini courted controversy for his film Videocracy, which took a swipe at the then Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Cary Fukunaga. After award success with short Chino, Cary Fukunaga rose to international prominence with Mexican gang film Sin Nombre.
Alain Resnais. Legendary film director whose name should be familiar with any true fan of world cinema, Alan Resnais.
Andrew Lang. Director Andrew Lang was granted exclusive access to the academy that has helped Cuba dominate Olympic boxing for the past 25 years in his highly rated documentary Sons Of Cuba.
Jessica Hausner. Austrian filmmaker Jessica Hausner has become a regular face at film festivals such as Cannes thanks to films Lovely Rita and Hotel.
Mia Hansen-Løve. Mia Hansen-Løve once wrote for the famed Cahiers du Cinéma but she’s definitely found her true calling on the evidence of her second film, Father Of My Children.
Philipp Stoelzl. Director and scriptwriter Philipp Stoelzl succeeded in newly defining the genre of the mountain film with North Face.
Haim Tabakman. Israeli director Haim Tabakman, who courted controversy with Eyes Wide Open.
Leena Yadav. Indian director Leena Yadav combines traditional storytelling and cutting edge production values, evident on 2010’s Teen Patti.
Aleksi Salmenpera. GLBT cinema director, Aleksi Salmenpera brought us Producing Adults.
Takashi Miike. Takashi Miike can be counted as one of the world’s most prolific directors of all time. Famed for films such as Audition and 13 Assassins.
Dominic Allan. British director, Dominic Allan enjoyed critical success with French language film Calvet.
Pablo Giorgelli. Editor, scriptwriter and director, Pablo Giorgelli won the prestigious Camera d’Or award at Cannes for Las Acacias.
Chris Browne. Jamaican director Chris Browne has brought to vibrant life the Jamaican ghetto with films such as the Lennox Lewis produced Ghett’a Life.
Jean-Pierre Améris. Acclaimed and award-winning director, Jean-Pierre Améris has received recognition from Cannes for the films Les aveux de l’innocent and Lightweight.
Athina Rachel Tsangari. Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Attenberg has featured highly at a number of film festivals, winning a number of awards.
Zhang Yimou. Now one of China’s best known and celebrated directors, Zhang Yimou’s films have changed much since the early ‘red’ trilogy, with House Of Flying Daggers.
Ashley Sabin & David Redmon. Documentary makers David Redmon and Ashley Sabin who came to attention with Girl Model, an expose on the model industry.
Faouzi Bensaïdi. Winner of the Youth Award at the Cannes Film Festival, Faouzi Bensaïdi received acclaim for Death For Sale which screened at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Guillermo del Toro. Interview with the director of the classic Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo del Toro, ahead of the release of Don’t Be Afraid Of The Dark.
Wong Kar-wai. Wong Kar-wai is one of few directors who also manages to continue to shoot short films despite their virtually non-existent market.
Sébastien Lifshitz. The director of Presque Rien, Sébastien Lifshitz’s subtle and highly stylized Wild Side has drawn comparisons to Agnes Godard’s Beau Travail.
Pedro Almodovar. Pedro Almodovar is often said to be one of the masters of Spanish cinema and has a vast cinematic catalogue spanning almost four decades.
Michael Haneke. A controversial director with a consistently clinical style, Michael Haneke’s distinct and uncompromising oeuvre is perhaps not well suited to dividing up into boxes.
Markus Schleinzer. Director Markus Schleinzer courted controversy with debut feature Michael, after working with the likes of Michael Haneke previously.
Roland Emmerich. German director Roland Emmerich made his name with Hollywood blockbusters such as Independence Day.
Lars Von Trier. The controversy Lars von Trier so frequently courts has got him into a lot of trouble, but also seems to be making him money.
Jarreth Merz. An African Election is a suspenseful political drama about the 2008 presidential elections in Ghana, West Africa through the eyes of its director, Jarreth Merz.
Paul Tanter. British director Paul Tanter has been likened to Guy Ritchie following films such as The Fall Of The Essex Boys.
Roman Polanski. Roman Polanski is among the most well-known, and distinctive directors in world cinema.
Javier Rebollo. Critically acclaimed director Woman Without Piano, which won him the Best Director award in San Sebastián in 2010, Javier Rebollo.

World Cinema Film Stars

Whilst world cinema actors do not receive the publicity overkill or inflated salaries of Hollywood’s major players, there are still a number of actors whose body of acclaimed works has made every new release they are involved with a major event across the globe.

Vincent Cassel. Here we bring together a selection of Vincent Cassel’s best films, including his breakthrough hit La Haine, and the controversial Irreversible.
Shahrukh Khan. We pick the ten best performances from Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, including the heartbreaking My Name Is Khan.
Ajay Devgan. Well known for his reticence in interviews and his marriage to Kajol, Ajay Devgan is less of a star and more of a serious actor.
Tony Leung Chiu-Wai. A profile of the Chinese actor Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, whose best known for starring in Wong Kar-wai classics, such as In The Mood For Love.
Isabelle Huppert. One of the greatest actresses France has produced, Isabelle Huppert has not been afraid to tackle some of the silver screens most controversial roles.
Chinese Film Stars. This anthology looks at what, precisely, made a Chinese star, well, a Chinese star, featuring Jet Li and Bruce Lee.
Michelle Yeoh. Famed for her kung fu hijinks, Michelle Yeoh has starred in martial arts classics such as Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.
Conrad Veidt. An iconic German actor, Conrad Vedit left his impression on many through several haunting horror and villain roles.
Javier Bardem. Javier Bardem is one of Spain’s most respected actors, enjoying acclaim for performances in the gritty Biutiful as well as Hollywood hit No Country For Old Men.
Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan is revered and adored by audiences and contemporaries alike as the world’s favourite action movie star.
Diego Luna. Star of films including Y Tu Mama Tambien and Milk, Diego Luna has also achieved success directing the film Abel.
Anna Friel. Anna Friel made her name in the UK with Liverpool-based soap opera Brookside, but has gone on to receive for acclaimed roles in Hollywood and European productions.
Adrien Brody. Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody talks about the production of Splice with fellow cast members and the film’s director.
Edgar Ramírez. Venezuelan actor Edgar Ramírez whose performance as Venezuelan revolutionary Ilich Ramírez Sánchez in TV mini-series Carlos The Jackal saw Hollywood come calling.
Iko Uwais. Star of Merantau Warrior, Iko Uwais has received rave reviews from martial arts aficionados, who dubbed him “the new Tony Jaa.”
Sammo Hung. Sammo Hung is one of the most prolific actors and directors in the history of Eastern cinema, with the likes of Ip Man 2 to his credit.
Melanie Laurent. Star of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, French actress Melanie Laurent has also enjoyed critical acclaim for her performances in films such as In Concert.
Elena Anaya. Not shy to bare all for the camera, Elena Anaya has shown off her assets in films such as Hierro and Pedro Almodovar’s The Skin I Live In.
Benoît Poelvoorde. After making his breakthrough with the infamous Man Bites Dog in 1992, Benoît Poelvoorde has since starred in films such as Coco Before Chanel.
Isabelle Carré. A star of stage and screen, Isabelle Carré has worked with legendary directors Alain Resnais and François Ozon.
Andy Lau. Working in a variety of genres, from crime thrillers and martial arts to comedies and straight romances, Andy Lau is a diverse and dedicated talent.
Jackie Chan. Not only does Jackie Chan possess a superhuman work ethic, churning out film after film, he has also been making films for over forty years.
Mads Mikkelsen. It took Casino Royale (2006) to give the world Mads Mikkelsen, as the archetype of the European bad-guy.
Christoph Waltz. Chrisoph Waltz made Oscar and Golden Globe winning turns in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds and Django Unchained.

World Cinema Country by Country Guide

A country’s national cinema affords us a wonderful and rare insight into unfamiliar customs and traditions – and let’s be honest, with the economy only heading in one direction, for many of us, world cinema offers the only way for us to experience a culture foreign to our own.

Contemporary Argentine Cinema. Part 1 and part 2 of our feature looking at the directors making up the Argentinean film landscape today, bringing us delights such as The Headless Woman.
Taiwan Cinema: A Contested Nation On Screen. Taiwan cinema pre-1982 has at last been given a voice, and it speaks loud and clearly within the pages here.
World Cinema Locations: Tokyo. Essays and analysis of key scenes from classic, undervalued and contemporary films set in Tokyo.
10 Holiday Destinations Any Horror Fan Should Avoid. A light-hearted look at the characteristics which define the horror films produced by 10 different countries.
New Argentine Film: Other Worlds. A look at what characterised an important movement in Argentina cinema history and its reflections on Argentine society.
Neoliberalism And Global Cinema. This article takes us from the centre of capitalist culture in Hollywood to the cinema of resistance in France, stopping in Latin America, Asia and Africa along the way.
East Asian Cinemas. How Hollywood is remaking many Asian films which have found success in their home country and ruins them – films such as The Grudge.
Top Films In Spanish Cinema. A list of films to whet your appetite for the excellence which Spanish cinema has to offer, featuring Pan’s Labyrinth and Bad Education.
Japanese Cinema And Otherness. An attempt to form a style of Japanese film analysis that places a stronger importance on cultural context.
Postnationalist African Cinemas. African cinema is no longer simply nationalist reactionism to the colonial past, but rather has a growing cinema industry with its own interpretation of classic genres.
Czechoslovak Cinema, Surrealism And The Sixties. The Czechoslovak New Wave boasts some of the most attractive and intelligent films produced anywhere in 1960s Europe.
The Faber Book Of French Cinema. Covering the major directors and films throughout the ages, and charts France’s turbulent cinematic history.
Short French Films. A variety of directors have contributed with several of these French films having won awards at an international level.
Directory Of World Cinema – Japan. Covering a number of significant genres within Japanese cinema, and examines the films within the national and social contexts which shaped them.
Directory Of World Cinema: Russia. Breaking down Russian cinema into varying categories and genres.
New Directions In German Cinema. Shining a light on the constantly evolving cinema of Germany – one of the most pioneering countries in the medium of film.
Women And Film In Africa. Highlighting the work of African Women in film, both in front of and behind the camera, including Yaba Badoe and Jihan El-Tahri.
Directory Of World Cinema: Spain. A complete overview of Spanish cinema, including Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem in Jamon Jamon.
Popular Italian Cinema: Culture And Politics In A Postwar Society. Popular Italian cinema from the 1940s to the 21st century, including Once Upon A Time In The West.
Top Ten Crossover World Cinema Directors. The number of foreign directors developing films for Hollywood studios has never been short, so here’s a rundown of our Top 10.

World Cinema Genre By Genre Guide

Whilst in Hollywood, the horror genre is made up of countless remakes and endless sequels, and rom-coms fit a standard template designed to allow the ‘star actor’ to be easily interchanged from release to release, you never know what to expect when exploring a particular genre within world cinema.

Top 10 Jumpy Moments. Taking the horror genre, we countdown some of the most jumpy scenes in world cinema, including Takashi Miike’s infamous Audition.
Top 10 Soul Crushing Films. From the drama and horror genres, here is a list of the top ten depressing films that venture into the dark shadows of the human monster.
Le Notte Bianche Vs Saawariya. Comparative piece looking at how two different genre of film tackle the same story, including Bollywood’s Saawariya.
Landmarks Of Horror Cinema. 129 memorable moments in horror cinema, taking us from Nosferatu to Let The Right One In.
Let The Right One In Vs. Let Me In. A comparative article looking at how the remake of acclaimed Swedish horror film, Let The Right One In faired against the original.
10 Holiday Destinations Any Horror Fan Should Avoid. A light-hearted look at the characteristics which define the horror films produced by 10 different countries.
Top 10 Date Films. A fun list of the best films to suit a particular type of date, from Spanish horror classic [REC] to espionage thriller The Lives Of Others.
An Introduction To Toei’s Pinky Violence Genre. A look at the Japanese pinky violence genre, which had a huge influence on contemporary films, such as Kill Bill.
Clash Of The Rats. Comparison article looking at how Hollywood’s remake of thriller Infernal Affairs, from Martin Scorsese, compares to the influential original.
Copycat Filmmaking. How Hollywood looks to world cinema for their ideas, with particular focus on the remake of Spanish horror [REC].
Rediscovering The French New Wave. How the French New Wave influenced British hit Submarine.
All Through The House: Black Christmas And The Giallo. The origins of the American slasher, giallo and the films of Dario Argento and Mario Brava.
Top 10 Gangster Films Of World Cinema. We take a trip around the globe in search for the top 10 Gangster films of world cinema, including Gomorrah.
Films That Deliberately Make The Viewer Feel As Uncomfortable As Possible. Five films that make viewers feel uncomfortable about enjoying horror, including [REC].
Unmissable Latin Cinema. A countdown of the classics of Latin cinema, including The Motorcyle Diaries and City Of God.
Terrifying Moments In World Cinema. A countdown of 30 horror film featuring some of the scariest scenes in world cinema.
Extreme Cinema. An article looking at the films which fit within the subgenre extreme cinema.
Art house Cinema. The art house cinema finds its definition in how its main impetus is the need for artistic, expressive merit.

Anime Guide

Anime has been big business in Japan for a long-time, but the rest of the world is catching up, with distributors such as Manga bringing new films and series to a growing legion of fans here in the UK and internationally. It’s a daunting prospect for the uninitiated, but we can help.

Gainax: One For The Fans. A closer look at the popular anime studio Gainax, a fan-founded studio famous for works including Gunbuster and Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Hayao Miyazaki. The world-renowned Japanese anime director and co-founder of Studio Ghibli, Hayao Miyazaki has enchanted audiences with films like Ponyo.
The World History Of Animation. Titans of the animation world, including Studio Ghibli, are covered alongside the more unusual and unheard of artists.
An Anime Primer, Part 1. Essential pieces of information which will allow you to grasp what anime is all about and help you to understand its basic vocabulary.
Manga. Manga representative Jerome Mazandari talks about some of the difficulties distributors face in releasing anime on DVD and Blu-ray in the UK.
An Anime Primer, Part 2 – A Buyer’s Guide. This article offers some practical information which will help you unearth and safely purchase good quality anime with a minimum of hassle
Battle Lines Drawn. How animated films have directly portrayed war, including Studio Ghibli’s Grave Of The Fireflies.
Anime Classics Zettai! The first comprehensive guide to what Japanese anime films and series are worth viewing, including Pokemon and Astro Boy.

Bollywood Guide

Like anime, and even more so, Bollywood is a huge industry whose popularity and influence is only growing worldwide. Bollywood films tend to be musicals, with song-and-dance numbers woven into the script. Major actors enjoy similar levels of celebrity status as their Hollywood counterparts at home in India.

Le Notte Bianche Vs Saawariya. Comparative piece looking at how two different genre of film tackle the same story, including Bollywood’s Saawariya.
Shahrukh Khan. We pick the ten best performances from Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan, including the heartbreaking My Name Is Khan.
The 5 Worst Karan Johar Moments. A light-hearted look at the scenes which writer-director Karan Johar should have left on the cutting room floor.
Ten Worst Bollywood Heroes. Here are ten Bollywood heroes who really have no business being called that at all, including Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’s Rahul.
Ajay Devgan. Well known for his reticence in interviews and his marriage to Kajol, Ajay Devgan is less of a star and more of a serious actor.
Bollywood: The Other Hollywood? With a slew of Western action remakes in production, Bollywood is starting to look a little bit Hollywood.
Reading ‘Bollywood’. Bollywood films, often seen as a uniquely sentimental and romantic form of cinema escapism, both challenge and endorse traditional Indian values and morals.

International Film Festival Guide

With the dominance of Hollywood worldwide, many great films struggle for theatrical and/or home entertainment release – and even if they do, it can be many years later. International film festivals offer film goers the chance to see new films they otherwise wouldn’t be exposed to, and are vital in promoting world cinema.

Festival Ambulante 2011. Ricardo Giraldo brought Ambulante to Los Angeles to screen a series of striking documentary films, including The Two Escobars.
65th Edinburgh International Film Festival. Report from the 65th Edinburgh International Film Festival, featuring Troll Hunter and Phase 7.
Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. A film festival known for its coverage of Asian and Asian-American titles, which address very complex issues.
We Love Anime. Annual anime film festival for lovers of anime, such as Laputa: Castle In The Sky, King Of Thorn, Summer Wars and Sword Of The Stranger.
Human Rights Watch International Film Festival. Human Rights Watch is a leading organisation for the protection of human rights around the world.
Glasgow Film Festival. Billed as ‘the people’s festival’, this annual event in Glasgow, Scotland celebrates a love affair with cinema.
Zipangu Fest. London’s Zipangu Fest offers a cinematic smorgasbord of Japanese rarities.
AFI Fest. The premiere and longest-running Los Angeles International Film Festival.
Fashion In Film Festival. The Fashion In Film Festival offers a hint of Oriental exoticism.
Leeds International Film Festival. Every year, Leeds plays host to an International Film Festival which brings together cinema, documentaries and events from across the globe.
Grimm Up North Film Festival. Grimm Up North is Manchester’s premier horror and sci-fi film festival.
The 10 Films That Made The Biggest Impact At The 2011 Film Festivals. Cities across the world play host to a plethora of films, hand-picked from across the globe.
London Turkish Film Festival. The festival has now become a vibrant event in the London film calendar, showcasing the best of contemporary Turkish cinema worldwide.
Lincoln Festival Of Japanese Culture. The aim of celebrating and promoting greater awareness and appreciation of Japanese culture.

GLBT Cinema (or LGBT Cinema) Guide

Outside of the mainstream, world cinema’s most challenging releases are often marketed as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender-related films. These are films with prominent LGBT characters or deal with LGB issues and include same-sex romance or relationships as an important plot device.

A Guide To… LGBT Cinema. The history of homosexuality on our cinema screens is long and convoluted, with the representation of LGBT (or GLBT, if you prefer) characters careering wildly

European TV Guide

Thanks to the success of The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo film and BBC’s subsequent ratings winner The Killing, the UK has been inundated with top classic European TV shows in recent years. Mainly crime series, Arrow Video has even created a label specifically to release Nordic Noir titles such as The Bridge and Borgen.

A Guide To… European TV. With the vast plethora of European crime drama currently available and constantly emerging these days, it can sometimes be difficult to know where to begin…