By 
By Roger Costa
The annual New York Film Festival, now in its 55th anniversary will present from September 28 thru October 15, some of the most anticipated and exciting new productions from all over the world, award-winning films from acclaimed filmmakers, new discoveries and promising talents, as well as a showcase for new inventive cinematic forces. Among the 25 Main Slate selection, they all present a similar aspect of examination on modern issues such as social, moral and economic displacements in many parts of the globe, with focus on the clash between rich and poor. Here are some not-to-be-missed examples.
THE SQUARE
The biggest winner at this year’s Cannes is, so far, the best film of 2017, with its insightful and satirical perspectives on modern behavior, greedy, social injustices, emotional disconnections, materialism and individualism. Swedish Director Ruben Östlund’s masterpiece addresses all these issues through the efforts of a Museum’s curator and his crew on promoting a new controversial exhibition. Each frame of this picture asks for human values adjustment with explosive sarcasm, offering a mirror to society.
THE OTHER SIDE OF HOPE
A Syrian refugee seeks asylum in Finland, in acclaimed director Aki Kaurismäki’s latest comedic take on human relationships, financial trouble and compassion. Fleeing the horrors of war, and searching for his sister, he finds shelter with a divorced restaurant owner, becoming part of the team. Filled with lively sarcasm, it’s a pleasurable and simply hilarious social-political statement on modern conflicts and the haunting aspects of abandonment..
ISMAEL’S GHOSTS
A stellar cast exceed in vulnerability in this sensual, surrealist, reflective comedy by auteur Arnaud Desplechin. In a very familiar terrain, the film finds a neurotic widower filmmaker on the edge of madness when haunted by the arrival of his “dead” wife, the complications with his current partner and the struggle to finish his latest project. Mathieu Amalric, Marion Cotillard and Charlotte Gainsbourg form this unusual and unexpected love triangle, delivering impeccable irreverent performances.
CIELO
Shot in the Andes and the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, capturing splendorous images of vivid skies, documentary filmmaker Alison McAlpine explores the mystery and magnitude of the roof above our heads and how a group of people living in the area, including humble locals and scientists, explore its eternal transformation with spirituality, tradition and accurate facts. A visually striking cinematic experience.
THELMA
Director Joachim Trier redefines the psycho-horror-genre with this erotic, subversive and bizarre drama that follows the young lesbian college student of the title on her quest to figure out the epileptic attacks she’s been experiencing. Meanwhile, a series of strange disappearances are happening around her, elevating the complexity of the Cronenberg-influenced intriguing plot. Unaware of what’s going on to her body, Eili Harboe gives a courageous breakthrough performance.
THE FLORIDA PROJECT
Following up his respected I-Phone shot “Tangerine”, writer-director Sean Baker returns with another look on modern behavior, this time turning the attention to a group of children and their parents living under poor conditions at a motel in sunny Florida. As they enjoy their childhood, creating lots of trouble for everyone around, the film digs deep in topics such as abuse, financial despair, prejudice, loyalty and the distortion of values.
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