Arianna

Encountering heretofore unknown aspects of your own identity is the stuff of any coming-of-age story. In Arianna, a movie about a young person of an ambiguous sex, this concept is taken to its apogee. This is a lyrical coming-of-age story set in a scenic, seaside vacation spot, but it must be emphasized ‘lyrical’ isn’t code for licentious. Too often, feminine maturation is represented on film with nubile girls testing their sexual power. But Arianna does not test her sexuality to define her boundaries — boundaries are left unresolved, making it a real story of self-discovery. - Athena Bryan

Banat

Adriano Valerio's tale of displacement takes a brilliantly unsentimental path to show what happens when people from formerly privileged economies must make their way to less fortunate places. In this case two Italians move to Romania where they must learn about a new culture while performing tasks they wouldn't have dreamed about before. But don't confuse this for a reverse rags-to-riches tale, but rather a very timely reminder of the way in which the world is shrinking and the only true borders left behind are those within the mind.

- Jose Solis

Solo

From its Fellini-esque opening sequence to its lovely Sophia Loren-infused finale, Laura Morante's sophomore directorial effort brims with the legacy of great Italian cinema. She's bringing back the picaresque romantic comedies of the 1960s, in this case to tell the story of a twice divorced woman (played by herself) who seeks to reclaim her life. Morante gives a delicious performance that's equally sensual, captivating and insightful. A romantic heroine for now! - Jose Solis

Non essere cattivo

In the Roman suburbs of the 90s a game of ball on the beach might end with an accidental prick from a discarded needle. Or at least, this happens to Cesare (Luca Marinelli) in Non essere cattivo (awkward English translation, “Don’t’ Be Bad”). Cesare and his best friend Vittorio (Alessandro Borghi) swing from petty crime to the uncertain but legal job market. The cycle of crime, the spiral of poverty, the constant threat of relapse: all of these factors make the narrative oppressively circular. But time changes everything, and as years pass by, there is triumph in just surviving. - Athena Bryan

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