Nicole Santé

In visually breathtaking fashion, and full of wonderful, human, slightly absurdist observations, As the Tide Comes In tells the story of the Danish Wadden Island of Mandø through Gregers, the last farmer resident. At the same time, it is - inevitably - a story about climate change and humankind’s fight for and against nature.

It may not be a hugely original premise - to invite (very) old people to talk about their lives and former partners - but Echo of Life is a wondrous experience that touches your soul. It is a poetic reflection on life and love which indicates that, by the end, we remember what really matters, and shows how important (shared) memories are in a person's life.

Beautifully composed and superbly edited, the film portrays one of the last crop farmers in The Netherlands, plying his trade in the shadow of giant multinationals. The effect of the documentary is profound. You want to share this rare gem of a man, his philosophy and life, with as many people as possible, but at the same time keep himto yourself, cherish him and guard him.

‘We don’t measure how much silence hurts until the day we speak,’ filmmaker Asmae El Moudir says at the end of an emotional and painful search for the truth about tragic events in the year of 1981 in Casablanca, Morocco. This personal quest, beautifully presented using figurines in a model set, may lead to emotional breakdown as it reveals the intricate relationships in her family, but provides much needed catharsis.    

If filmmaker Alan Zhang had the intention of expunging the lines between reality and fiction and leaving us pondering on the need for such lines, then she has succeeded in her quite brilliant debut This Woman. Both the film and its protagonist, as well as the director herself, leave you guessing about the veracity of what you have just seen - and whether or not it really matters.

Filmmaker Sara Dolatabadi has had the good fortune to be the daughter of one of Iran’s most revered writers, Mahmoud Dowlatabadi. In her lyrical and delicate, yet powerful, film she patiently crafts a loving portrait of the great man from personal observations and memories, and written works that underline his incredible talent, intellect and profound knowledge of the human condition.

It takes a while before director Yamina Zoutat reveals where her thirst for blood stems from. But by then you are already completely immersed in a riveting and highly visual musing on blood, blood ties, family, femininity, life and death. Audiences will be rewarded with a new perspective on this substance, as natural as it is magical, which, for the director, very clearly runs thicker than water.

A beautiful and grim fairy tale about a Russian bird of paradise looking for a place to spread its wings. The film testifies to the power of art and shows why so many of those in power within Russia are rightfully afraid of the country’s artists and creatives.

If you’ve ever wondered whether or not plants have feelings, then take a look at Light Needs, world-premiering at CPH:DOX and offering sublime insight into the secret life of plants, those who care for them and the special relationship they share. It is a film packed with love, humour and a sensuous attention to detail.

Is the Klezmer Project a failed movie? Because, in essence, it doesn’t feature a lot of klezmer (Yiddish folk) bands. And it is definitely not a straightforward documentary on music or musicians. What it is, nevertheless, is a smart, funny, personal and at the same time universal document of an almost erased culture, an honest, analytical self-reflection on identity and traditions…and a tragic love story.