Topic: Small Town Life

Direction Rodrigo García · Alex Garcia Lopez · Laura Mora Ortega

Cast Diego Vásquez · Marleyda Soto · Claudio Cataño · Moreno Borja

Synopsis One Hundred Years of Solitude (2024) is a captivating TV series set to air from 2024 to 2025, spanning 16 episodes across two parts. The narrative unfolds in the enduring town of Macondo, where seven generations of the Buendía family...

Direction Paulo Rocha

Cast Geraldo Del Rey · Isabel Ruth · Maria Barroso · Joao Guedes

Synopsis Change One's Life (1966) follows the journey of a soldier who returns from his military service in Angola, only to discover that his beloved has wed his brother. In a desperate attempt to reconnect, he pursues his sister-in-law, but she...

Direction Ladislao Vajda

Cast Heinz Rühmann · Sigfrit Steiner · Siegfried Lowitz · Michel Simon

Synopsis It Happened in Broad Daylight (1958) follows a grim series of events where multiple young girls have been brutally murdered. Detective Matthaei is dispatched to the affected area to investigate and locate a child who bears a striking resemblance to...

Direction Ermanno Olmi

Cast Luigi Ornaghi · Francesca Moriggi · Omar Brignoli · Antonio Ferrari

Synopsis The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978) is a profound exploration of the struggles endured by peasants in late 19th-century Lombardy, directed by Ermanno Olmi. This Palme d’Or-winning film is a quintessential example of neorealism, offering a vivid and authentic depiction...

Direction Agnès Varda

Synopsis The Gleaners and I (2000) takes viewers on a journey through France, where director Agnès Varda encounters a diverse group of individuals who gather discarded items, driven by necessity, chance, or personal choice. Unlike the traditional gleaners of the past,...

Direction Zhang Yimou

Cast Wei Minzhi · Zhang Huike · Tian Zhenda · Gao Enman

Synopsis Not One Less (1999) unfolds in an isolated mountain village where a teacher's temporary absence leads to an unexpected challenge. The village mayor, unable to find a suitable replacement, entrusts a 13-year-old girl, Wei Minzhi, with the responsibility of teaching....

Direction Nuri Bilge Ceylan

Cast Merve Dizdar · Deniz Celiloglu · Musab Ekici · Ece Bagci

Synopsis About Dry Grasses (2023) follows the journey of a young educator who aspires to secure a teaching position in the vibrant city of Istanbul after completing his mandatory service in a remote village. As the days turn into months, his...

Direction Kaneto Shindô

Cast Taiji Tonoyama · Nobuko Otowa · Shinji Tanaka · Masanori Horimoto

Synopsis The Naked Island (1960) portrays the grueling existence of a family of four, the sole residents of a minuscule Japanese island within the Setonaikai archipelago. They endure a daily routine of rowing to a neighboring island to collect water for...

Direction Li Ruijun

Cast Wu Renlin · Christina Hai · Guangrui Yang · Dengping Zhao

Synopsis Yin Ru Chen Yan (2022) follows the story of Ma, a reserved farmer who is the last in his family to remain unmarried, and Guiying, a woman who is disabled, infertile, and considered past the typical marrying age in rural...

Direction José Antonio Nieves Conde

Cast Luis Peña · María Asquerino · Francisco Arenzana · Marisa de Leza

Synopsis Furrows (1951) follows the journey of a humble family from the countryside of Spain who, in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, relocate to Madrid seeking improved living conditions. Their aspirations for a brighter future, however, are dashed by...

Direction Margot Benacerraf

Cast José Ignacio Cabrujas · Laurent Terzieff

Synopsis Araya (1959) explores the historic salt mines of Araya, situated on a peninsula in northeastern Venezuela. The documentary, directed by Margot Benacerraf, delves into the lives of the "salineros," the salt workers who, in 1959, were still using traditional, manual...

Direction Marco Tullio Giordana

Cast Luigi Lo Cascio · Tony Sperandeo · Ninni Bruschetta · Lucia Sardo

Synopsis The Hundred Steps (2000) unfolds in Sicily during the mid-1950s, focusing on the small town of Cinisi in the Palermo province. This town is notable for its airport, Punta Raisi, which serves as a hub for local Mafia activities. Young...

Direction Daisy May Cooper · Charlie Cooper · Tom George

Cast Daisy May Cooper · Charlie Cooper · Paul Chahidi · Michael Sleggs

Synopsis This Country (TV Series) (2017) is a comedic mockumentary that delves into the everyday experiences of youth in contemporary rural Britain. The series centers around the lives of cousins Kerry and Kurtan, who reside in the picturesque Cotswolds. Over the...

Direction Rodrigo Sorogoyen

Cast Marina Foïs · Denis Menochet · Luis Zahera · Diego Anido

Synopsis The Beasts (2022) follows the story of Antoine and Olga, a French couple who have settled in a small village nestled in the Galician countryside. Their life is peaceful, yet their interactions with the locals are far from harmonious. A...

Direction Pierre Perrault · Michel Brault · Marcel Carrière

Synopsis For Those Who Will Follow (1963) chronicles a compelling initiative by the young inhabitants of Ile-aux-Coudres, situated in the heart of the St. Lawrence River. Inspired by the filmmakers, these young men embark on a mission to honor their ancestors...

Direction Sergio Pablos

Synopsis Klaus (2019) follows the journey of Jesper, a postman assigned to the isolated and perpetually frozen town of Smeerensburg. Initially sent to the town as a form of punishment, Jesper's life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters Klaus, a...

Direction Vittorio De Seta

Cast Vittorina Pisano · Michele Cossu · Peppeddu Cuccu

Synopsis Bandits of Orgosolo (1961) unfolds in the rugged, granite mountains of central Sardinia, where the ancient town of Orgòsolo is nestled. Here, shepherds like Michele and his younger brother Peppeddu tend to their flocks and produce pecorino cheese, maintaining a...

Direction Zaza Urushadze

Cast Lembit Ulfsak · Giorgi Nakashidze · Misha Meskhi · Elmo Nüganen

Synopsis Tangerines (2013) unfolds during the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict in 1992, focusing on a small Estonian village nestled in the mountains. Most residents have fled, leaving behind only Ivo and Margus. Margus plans to depart once his tangerine harvest is complete. When...

Direction Sam Peckinpah

Cast Dustin Hoffman · Susan George · David Warner · Peter Vaughan

Synopsis Straw Dogs (1971) follows the story of David Sumner, an American astrophysicist, and his wife Amy as they relocate to the quiet countryside of Britain to escape the turmoil and violence of the United States. However, their peaceful retreat is...

Direction Luis García Berlanga

Cast Edmund Gwenn · Valentina Cortese · Franco Fabrizi · Juan Calvo

Synopsis The Rocket from Calabuch (1956) follows the journey of a celebrated atomic scientist who seeks refuge from his demanding life of equations and destructive innovations. He discovers solace in a tranquil Spanish coastal village, where he hopes to find peace...