Matthias is going on a weekend course of self-discovery called “My Value on Earth,” which was an expensive gift from his girlfriend. The course is supposed to help him deal with his chronic inability to finish things that he’s started. But before Matthias leaves, his girlfriend springs a surprise on him: he’s going to be a father. And so he hopes to use the weekend, which he has no real desire to go on, to answer new and pressing questions. The “alternative” therapist, however, doesn’t inspire much trust. The tragicomedy Frantic Attempts takes aim at the field of personal development, in particular, dubious therapists who offer quick fixes. After all, what if we should answer our existential questions ourselves instead of trying to find answers from others?
Viktor
In the streets of New York, a young woman is relentlessly, stubbornly and desperately looking for a sofa. This is a funny story with some touching moments about holding on and letting go.
Disinterested in life, Mason decides to end it all. When he finds the recipe for a 24-hour poison, he plans his last day down to the minute.
Musse is a mannerly local doctor trying to live by the rules, but the challenges from his environment threaten his ability to control situations and he becomes the person he despises.
Sometimes the most beautiful men harbor the ugliest secrets. Two guys are naked in bed, having sex. One man gets up, uses the bathroom, gets dressed, says, "Goodbye, see ya 'round," and leaves. The other man knows he will never see the guy again. He looks at the clock and then reaches underneath the bed for a pill bottle. It's time for him to take his HIV medicine.
A group of Swedish tourists are on the way to a Russian village to witness the so called 'Festivity of Neptunus', in which the inhabitants take a dive in a hole in the ice. This tradition, however, does not exist at all. The inhabitants try to make a good impression by starting the 'tradition' to please the tourists.
Alfalfa gives up being "King of the Crooners" to sing opera, but a nightmare of being under the thumb of an evil producer sends him back to his roots.
A couple's fairytale romance mirrors the classic story of The Little Mermaid, with similar tragic results.
A female impersonator giggles and flirts. By the following decade, many female impersonators would be shown doing their acts on the stage and in the movies; the Eltinge Theater on 42nd Street in New York is named for Julian Eltinge, the most famous of them. This was probably the earliest "name" example for the movies. Gilbert Saroni plays an exceedingly ugly woman who coyly flirts with her fan.
An allegory about the moment when a child is forced to choose between ideology and humanity while living and playing in a dangerous war environment.
Heather is a shy lady who works in a helpline call centre. When she receives a phone call from a mystery man, she has no idea that the encounter will change her life forever.
An unspoken incident unravels the lives of two families into nightmare, fracturing time and memory.
The Journey of Roy, a 17-year-old Israeli teenager, trying to win the affection of a girl from his class while they both travel in Poland with their school between Holocaust memorials and death camps.
A unique story told by nine different actors which explores the haunting of a conscience by lost souls that won't let go.
Two friends doggedly build a mysterious artefact in the forest, the function of which remains unclear until the very end. INSIDE starts with a shot of a burnt tree stump in a forest. Materials are gathered. What are the various branches, stones and pieces of grass for and what will the silent activities lead to? INSIDE slowly uncovers an act of human solidarity. The camera hovers around two boys, ramping up the tension, and is supported by an excellent soundtrack.
After a tragic loss, Ivan becomes obsessed with the personality of the elephants, which they say, never forget.
A sort of documentary on the people known to have fallen out of windows in a certain time frame in a certain geographical location. One of Greenaway's early short films.
A series of gags at a dog show, including a stage revue. A dog gets into a trunk of roller skates and crashes through the stage show.