Abouna (2002)

أبون‎‎ / Our Father

2002 | Chad | Mahamat-Saleh Haroun | ★★★★

Anchored by the performances of Ahidjo Mahamat Moussa and Hamza Moctar Aguid, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun's elegantly directed, expressively lit Abouna is a brightly coloured Chadian parable, filled with memorable imagery and discomforting turns of plot.

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"Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s second feature following the award-winning Bye Bye Africa offers confirmation of the arrival of a visually assured and highly sophisticated new talent in world cinema. Set in Haroun’s native Chad, the sensuous Abouna begins with the striking image of a man in Western dress crossing a desert in the southern Sahara. The man, who pauses briefly to stare down the camera lens, is the father of 15-year-old Tahir (Ahidjo Mahamat Moussa) and Tahir’s eight-year-old brother Amine (Hamza Moctar Aguid). After being told by their beautiful mother (Zara Haroun) that he has left them, the two brothers undertake a momentous journey in an attempt to fill the void left by his absence." Optimum Releasing

Balnearios (2002)

2002 | Argentina | Mariano Llinás | ★★★

Mariano Llinás's mildly diverting, sporadically entertaining Balnearios is an episodic, anthropological docu-essay about the strange nature of Argentinian seaside resorts, featuring wry narration and generally stimulating archival material.

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"Lifeguards, luxury hotels from early XXth Century, mermaids, sea animals and sand castles gather in this labyrinthine essay. A “documentary” about balnearios, Argentine bath resorts and the idea of cities dedicated exclusively to idleness, empty along the winter months and crowded in the summer." Mubi

Chicken Heart (2002)

衰男向前冲

2002 | Japan | Shimizu Hiroshi | ★★★★

Shimizu Hiroshi's hugely likeable Chicken Heart is a hilariously bizarre comedy starring Ikeuchi Hiroyuki, Imawano Kiyoshirō, and Matsuo Suzuki, featuring interesting visuals, notable performances, and a melancholically tender finale.

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"Former boxer Iwano, teamed up with Sada and Maru, who live in the same apartment building, makes his daily living as a punching bag for drunken businessmen in some corner of the amusement quarters. The three have continuously avoided putting themselves in a situation that could tie them down, especially Iwano, who is totally clueless about what he wants to do with his life. One day, they receive notice that their apartment building will be torn down. As a compensation for the eviction, their remaining rent is considered as settled. Having lost their place to live, the three each try to find their way." TMDb