Eastern European Cinema
Again this category lumps a lot of countries together where the Alice collection is not large enough to warrant separate shelf-space for each country represented. Eastern European films are often categorised by a healthy black humour, an ability to look hardship in the eye and laugh - if somewhat bitterly at times. Included here are films from Poland, Austria, Yugoslavia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. To look for films from a specific country refer to the 'By Country' link on the left.
Nina's Journey (2005)
Director: Lena Einhorn
Starring: Agnieszka Grochowska, Maria Chwalibog, Andrzej Brzeski, Pawel Iwanicki, Narrated...
Narrated by Nina Einhorn herself, this dramatized feature film tells the story of her life focusing on the years between 1937 and 1945. Her Jewish fam... Read more
Loves of a Blonde ( A Blonde In Love ) (1965)
7.7/10
Director: Milos Forman
Starring: Hanna Brejchova, Vladimir Pucholt, Vladimir Mensik
Milos Forman's great comedy is an acute satire of Czech daily life. The film focuses on the relationship of a factory girl and a touring piano player.... Read more
Police, Adjective (2009)
7/10
Director: Corneliu Porumboiu
Starring: Vlad Ivanov
A double prize winner at Cannes, Police, Adjective is the new whip-smart, dryly funny comedy from Romania's official entry to the 2009 Academy Awards.... Read more
Kolya (1996)
7.8/10
Director: Jan Sverak
Starring: Zdenek Sverak, Andrej Chalimon, Libuse Safrankova
This warm and witty seriocomedy follows a down-and-out cellist and confirmed bachelor who agrees to a marriage of convenience with a friend's beautifu... Read more
Mother Joan of the Angels (1961)
7.7/10
Director: Jerzy Kawalerowicz
Starring: Lucynna Winnika
A brilliantly filmed and at times unsettling exploration of faith and repression, the film is based on the documented story of the possession of a gro... Read more
Camera Buff (1979)
8/10
Director: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Starring: Jerzy Stuhr, Malgorzata Zabkowska
The breakthrough film of the great Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski ("Three Colours" trilogy), "Camera Buff" is a dryly ironic meditation on the f... Read more
Leben fur Leben ( Life for Life ) (1991)
Director: Krzysztof Zanussi
In 1941, a young Silesian, Jan, manages to escape from Auschwitz. In retaliation, the camp commandant condemns 10 prisoners to the 'starvation bunker... Read more
Taxidermia (2006)
7/10
Director: Gyorgy Palfi
Starring: Csaba Czene, Gergely Trocsanyi, Piroska Molnar, Adel Stanczel, Marc Bischoff, Ga...
The deeply bizarre and graphically shocking sophomore film from Hungarian Gygory Palfi ('Hukkle'), tells a multi-generational story beginning with a p... Read more
Intimate Lighting (1965)
7.6/10
Director: Ivan Passer
One of the finest works of the Czech New Wave, Passer's film is a quietly funny film that has a lot to say about our lives and what we do to get by. I... Read more
The Oak (1992)
8.2/10
Director: Lucian Pintilie
Starring: Maia Morgenstern, Razvan Vasilescu
A darkly humourous parable set in Romania 1988, just before the fall of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. Young schoolteacher Nela (Maia Morgenstern) is abo... Read more