Gagarin. Pervyy v kosmose (2013)

This magnificent film from Russia delivers the story of the first human ever traveling in space, the legendary Yuri Gagarin. It is a beautiful story that finds a young boy staring at the stars and imagine himself going to space. He will follow his dream and join the air force academy instead of his father refusal. His wife's understanding will help him to reach his target and finally be the first candidate to enter the Vostok rocket. His kind character made him a loveable man who has been trusted by Sergei Pavlovich, the lead Soviet rocket engineer and spacecraft designer in the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The actors do a magnificent job of capturing the raw emotion of that day and present us with a story of all the people responsible for the first flight into space. Particular regard is to be had for Yaroslav Zhalnin who does a stellar job portraying the man himself. Recommended for fans of space exploration.

 

O Homem do Futuro aka The Man from the future (2011)

Zero is a genius scientist who tries to find a new power source into the lab of a college university. When he finally finds the solution and the miracle comes, he finds himself back to time and exactly when he was a teenager, full in love with Helena, the most beautiful girl in college. He tries to change the future and avoid public humiliation from her who left him furious for the rest of his life. But he complicates things more than he ever thought and his alter ego alongside with other characters from future built a surreal past where crazy situations come to reality. A great science fiction comedy from Brazil where Wagner Moura delivers an amazing performance and justifies his place as one of the best actors in Latin America.

Krugovi aka Circles (2013)

Circles of life can seen in every society. A soldier, Marko, has been kicked to death from his comrades on his effort to save Haris, a Muslim during the civil war in Yugoslavia. His heroic act will always haunt the families of participants even twelve years later. His best friend who works as a doctor will have a dilemma to save the life of the soldier who started the fight. Marco's father decides to build a church on his son's memory and will accept the help of a young boy whose father was another soldier, also responsible for Marco's death. Marco's girlfriend who left her country and got married in Germany will find shelter from Haris who lives there with his family as she abandoned her violent husband and escaped with her son. Kindness and solidarity contrast guilt and frustration on this exceptional film from Serbia that is based on real events.

Heli (2013)

Heli describes us the difficult situation of teenager, Heli and his little sister, Estela, in Mexico. A drama that starts with the relationship of Estela and a young boy who trains for being a cop. The last one finds two parcels of cocaine in an abandoned place and hides them on the roof of Estella's house. Their lives are in danger now and no one can help them as drug dealers arrive there and kill Heli's father. Living and die in Mexico is always a matter of luck for poor people who have to survive in difficult situations. Most of them often turn into illegal activities and police is corrupted as also government. Direction was realistic and the cast is really interesting. A great production that won the prize for best director for 2013 in Cannes festival.