Sooner Exclusives: Stories that Matter

Director Umut Subaşı deftly captures the essence of millennial malaise in contemporary Istanbul.

A creeping, almost invisible toxic waste catastrophe is taking place on Somalia's coast.

In a stark portrayal of corruption in the Kazakh steppes, young policeman Bekzat is torn between loyalty and decency.

Lee and Jasmin's lesbian idyll on the outskirts of Salzburg starts to crack when they give documentary filmmaker Amira a glimpse into their lives.

A gripping film by Ukraine's Maryna Er Gorbach about the tragic events of the Russian invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014.

A love letter to the unique magic of solo traveling.

A dark comedy-drama, delving deep into the psyche of a man in denial and a woman confronting their grim reality, reflecting on societal pressures.

"Don’t become like my father" - a credo that will drive Alex, a man on the run from himself, to the edge of reason.

In a snowy Turkish village, a nurse faces a web of power, mystery, and suspicion, where a missing man and rumored bears blur reality.

The employee of a Way-Home-Phone service experiences the nightly horror of a young woman who is followed by a stranger on her way home.

In the heart of Berlin, a film noir billiard thriller unfolds with deceit, ambition, and suspense.

A photojournalist is threatened by right-wing extremist groups in Belgrade and flees to Germany with her daughter.

In the vast emptiness of the Patagonian steppe, 13-year-old Mora embarks on a journey with an old, indigenous Mapuche gaucho.

Between the war's frontlines to the dance floor, a Kurdish woman's journey defies tradition and embraces liberation.

A lawyer faces infanticide charges for a child she didn't know she was carrying, igniting a trial that questions motherhood's essence.

Heartfelt musical comedy about a woman trying to save her drug-addicted husband.

A riveting Iranian drama set in a unique kindergarten in Tehran, where the usual gender segregation of schools is yet to begin.

The dark, dystopian horror cabinet with BDSM vibes about the man in the monkey mask enters its second round.

For a young Kurdish woman, the entrance exam for university will decide, if she can live freely or has to submit to the men in her life.

A summery film about lust and love and choices you have to make (or not).

In the Ukrainian answer to "Euphoria", 11th graders are preparing for their final exams, making friends, falling in love, competing and quarreling.

This poignant and thought-provoking documentary offers a unique and deeply moving insight into the lives of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

While Wissam fights for his love, political tensions rise and the Israeli army invades Lebanon.

The threat of being outed causes an explosion of violence: Cristi, a gay Romanian policeman lives under the threat of being outed against his will.

A multi-layered drama that skillfully explores how both feelings and memories stay locked away in post-reunification East Germany.

In a traditional Azorean island, Ana's journey of self-discovery and queer friendship challenges the confines of her world.

For Carys, the end of her relationship is also the end of the world. Single for the first time in ages. And now?

This poignant coming-of-age drama that delves into the complexities of Palestinian identity under Israeli rule.

With a budget of 517 euros, Axel Ranisch created his debut, a tragicomedy in a warm-hearted, improvisational style.

Nika leaves Ukraine to follow her boyfriend Vlad, a French foreign legionnaire, to a military camp in Corsica. There, she meets the commander's wife.

The prophecy of his death sends Muzamil on a journey of defiance and self-discovery in the midst of cultural and political upheaval.

After thirty years, the Mayor of Lyon is running out of ideas, and thanks to a young and brilliant philosopher, he is now getting new hope.

A political novice joins the campaign team of a presidential candidate, where he faces backstabbing and opportunism.

A parasitic fungus infects humanity. It triggers visions and also enables communication with the dead.

Based on a true story: The wife of a politician is found dead in a hotel room. What happened in room 108?

Albert Serra distills the philosophical and spiritual core of Miguel de Cervantes' classic tale.

An omnipresent giant who sees everything, but can’t be seen himself ... An “City Symphony” entirelly composed from material generated by CCTV.

Authentic, haphazard and unromantic, three residents of a high-rise housing estate search for love, friendship and sexuality.

Either the grass is greener, or the houses are bigger, or the sun is warmer ... anywhere else is better.

Todd Solondz's key film of the 90s and Sundance winner manages the balancing act between coming-of-age and social criticism with sublime radicalism.

A family’s peaceful existence is threatened when a busy highway is opened only meters away from their isolated house in the middle of nowhere.

Tense psychological drama and mesmerizing portrait of adolescence set in South Africa brims with religious motives and impending doom.

Hannah, a recent college grad, spends her summer falling in and out of love, leaving destruction in her wake as she searches for romantic fulfillment.

Four unsuccessful actors retreat to a cabin in the woods to write a screenplay, but their concocted horror story suddenly becomes bitter reality.

When two small time engineers accidentally create a time machine, their friendship is put to the test.

Photojournalist Camille goes to the Central African Republic to cover a brewing civil war. What she sees there will change her destiny forever.

A gritty thriller inspired by a true story. After suffering a brutal attack, a teenager seeks revenge.

After completing MAELSTRÖM, Denis Villeneuve (Dune, THE 32nd AUGUST ON EARTH) retired for nearly a decade.

Jean-Claude Lauzon's feature debut is a gritty crime thriller which won a record 13 Genie Awards in every single category where it was nominated.

A family turns a blind eye to an injustice in this Turkish drama, provoking an even worse disaster.