featured-image

Week after week, in spite of a less-than-promising exhibition landscape, U.S. distributors release noteworthy international titles in a small number of theaters and/or on digital platforms for American audiences to access.

Unfortunately, these films not in English and without any household names in their cast often struggle to find their audience amid the noise of mainstream Hollywood fare, even among those generally more adventurous than the average moviegoer. And with the increasingly limited resources at publications of all sizes, many of these productions face an uphill battle trying to land coverage. Now that we’ve crossed at the halfway point of 2024, we’ve put together a list of 20 films from around the world, with stateside releases between January and June, that fell through the cracks but merit seeking out.



A portrait of the ideological earnestness that only youth can sustain, Chinese animated drama features lofty debates on the meaning of art, Duchamp’s urinals, and selling out from the minds of two painting majors in their early 20s. Xiaojun listens to Nirvana, hates traditionalist art, and seems unwavering in his idealistic notions about creating without interest in fame or monetary gain. His best bud Rabbit has less virtuous aspirations.

Their heartfelt exchanges brim with grand philosophical inquiries revealing them to be adrift while eager to be seen as defiant. But over the course of their final year in college, writer-director Liu Jian traces how life .

Back to Fashion Page