Romance Is Just a Word We Say (2020)

The Elementary Particles

Based on Michel Houellebecq's controversial novel, Atomised (aka The Elementary Particles) focuses on Michael and Bruno, two very different half-brothers and their disturbed sexuality. After a chaotic childhood with a hippie mother only caring for her affairs, Michael, a molecular biologist, is more interested in genes than women, while Bruno is obsessed with his sexual desires, but mostly finds his satisfaction with prostitutes. But Bruno's life changes when he gets to know the experienced Christiane. In the meantime, Michael meets Annabelle, the love of his youth, again.

Freaks

A circus' beautiful trapeze artist agrees to marry the leader of side-show performers, but his deformed friends discover she is only marrying him for his inheritance.

Bad Education

An examination on the effect of Franco-era religious schooling and sexual abuse on the lives of two longtime friends.

Ontem

17 year old Helena lives a love story that will incite her search for freedom. However, she will also discover that growing up involves difficult decisions that will lead to disappointments and losses.

Desert Hearts

While waiting for her divorce papers, a repressed literature professor finds herself unexpectedly attracted by a carefree, spirited young woman named Cay.

Bird Hours

In a dystopian near-future, a young couple slowly realizes their mega-corporation employer's VR work-from-home routine is draining the life out of their relationship and must decide whether to lose their humanity or break free.

Samba

Samba migrated to France 10 years ago from Senegal, and has since been plugging away at various lowly jobs. Alice is a senior executive who has recently undergone a burnout. Both struggle to get out of their dead-end lives. Samba's willing to do whatever it takes to get working papers, while Alice tries to get her life back on track until fate draws them together.

The Beautiful Summer

Seventeen-year-old Ginia leaves the countryside in search of a new life in Turin. Restless and seeking adventure, Ginia soon finds it in the beautiful, enigmatic Amelia, whose sensuality and confidence embolden her to begin modeling for the bohemian artists in their circle. A whirlwind affair ensues, and the young seamstress finds herself swept up in an unfamiliar and exciting world of discovery.

Amélie

At a tiny Parisian café, the adorable yet painfully shy Amélie accidentally discovers a gift for helping others. Soon Amelie is spending her days as a matchmaker, guardian angel, and all-around do-gooder. But when she bumps into a handsome stranger, will she find the courage to become the star of her very own love story?

Dead Poets Society

At an elite, old-fashioned boarding school in New England, a passionate English teacher inspires his students to rebel against convention and seize the potential of every day, courting the disdain of the stern headmaster.

Boys Don't Cry

A young transgender man explores his gender identity and searches for love in rural Nebraska.

The War of the Roses

Barbara and Oliver Rose live happily as a married couple. When Barbara starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver and likes what she sees, the two begin a campaign to force each other to leave their house, with their divorce lawyer D'Amato caught in the middle.

Black Pearls

Reform school teacher tries to carry his class to the right path by teaching them diving.

AfterSex

Bathed in the gentle embrace of a rainstorm, Nathan, stirred by an intimate moment with Alex, finds himself compelled to voice the currents of his inner discontent. Amidst the flickering city lights, their souls diverge—one yearning for a love that transcends the physical, the other finding solace in the realm of corporeal passion. Can they navigate the intricate labyrinth of their desires and break free from this cyclical discord, or are they fated to bring a sorrowful conclusion to their tumultuous relationship?

Melodrive

After separating from his wife due to an emotional affair, a homeward bound musician goes on a road trip, but after bumping into his high school sweetheart, his feelings become even more off balance.

Ellipsis

In the middle of a crowded city the paths of two strangers, a man and a woman, collide. This accidental, chance occurrence sets in motion a chain of events that sees the two strangers embark on a night of adventure and connection that challenges their separate lives.

Card Zero

Before disappearing in the Mojave Desert, Robbie Zagorac captured love, life and heartbreak in a video diary.

The Experience

At a wilderness camp for troubled youth, two girls Scarlet and Dylan form a bond that gets tested by love, money, and experiences beyond their perceived realm of existence.

La reine et la pluie

A film that explores the metaphor of human emotions through meteorological phenomena. The story follows a Queen whose feelings influence the weather: the skies are clear and radiant when she is in love, but her inner turmoil can unleash storms. This allegory reflects how our emotional states can affect our environment and relationships. The film highlights themes of identity and self-expression, positioning itself within a queer perspective.

Reckless

Teenager Johnny Rourke is reckless. Born on the wrong side of the tracks, he breaks the law and girls' hearts with equal cool. Cheerleader Tracey Prescott is reckless too. She dumps her conventional life and boring boyfriend to follow Johnny wherever his dangerous path leads.

Some Came Running

A former novelist returns to his small Midwest town after serving in the Army during WWII, to the chagrin of his social-climbing brother, and becomes close with an easy-going professional gambler and torn between two very different women.

Sensei's Pious Lie

Misuzu Hara (Nao) works as a high school teacher and prefers to keep a distance from her students. In her past, she was raped by her best friend’s boyfriend Hayafuji after he found out she liked him. She didn't report the crime to the police and she didn't tell anyone else what happened. She still suffers from the trauma from what happened, but she continues to have a forceful relationship with Hayafuji who is now her best friend’s fiancee. One day, a rumor spreads that her student Yuki Niizuma is in a secret affair. Misuzu Hara, as his teacher, has a meeting with him to provide counseling.

The Kiss List

High-school student Camille Collins finds herself in a social media spin-out after her crush, Dylan, spreads rumors that she’s a bad kisser. So, Camille creates a “kiss list” to prove Dylan wrong and find her one true love. Her plan derails early and often, with social media meltdowns and backlash from classmates, her best friend, Liam, and her single mom, who struggles with her daughter’s bisexuality. Adapted from Sara Jo Cluff’s young-adult book of the same name.

Chuka

A group under siege at an Army fort grapple with painful memories.

My Teacher's Wife

Todd Boomer is a college student aspiring to get into University. His chances are looking poor when his maths teacher, fails him in every maths test. Help arrives in the guise of the gorgeous Vicki, a mathematical genius who decides to tutor Todd. As the relationship develops,Todd finds himself in an affair with Vicki unknowing of her marriage to his math teacher.

Love Like the Falling Petals

Haruto Asakura falls in love with hairdresser Misaki Ariake and asks her out. Watching Misaki Ariake work hard to achieve what she wants, Haruto Asakura, who almost gave up his dream to become a photographer, begins to pursue his dream again, but Misaki Ariake is diagnosed with a disease that ages her 10x faster than normal.

Dazzling Mirage

An adaptation of Yinka Egbokhare's novel. The story of a young sickle-cell patient and the various social and emotional challenges she's faced with.

The Good Fairy

In 1930s Budapest, naïve orphan Luisa Ginglebuscher becomes an usherette at the local movie house, determined to succeed in her first job by doing good deeds for others and maintaining her purity. Luisa's well-meaning lies get her caught between a lecherous businessman, Konrad, and a decent but confused doctor, Max Sporum. When Luisa convinces Konrad that she's married to Max, Konrad tries everything he can to get rid of the baffled doctor.

Restless

Two outsiders, both shaped by the circumstances that have brought them together, forge a deep and lasting love.

Yesterday Once More

Gu Yuxuan and Han Shuyan almost had a fated encounter when they were children. After they grew up, the two met again as they are destined to fall in love. After experiencing the happiness and sweetness of love, they had to face the test of fate together. Can the miracle of love keep them together?

When Time Ran Out...

An active volcano threatens a south Pacific island resort and its guests as a power struggle ensues between the property's developer and a drilling foreman.

A.E.S.O.P.

An award winning Indie festival favorite, AESOP is a film about a company that has developed a pill that ends the aging process, meaning people will not age or die of old age. Unfortunately, not everyone will get it. Ruth works at AESOP, helping decide who gets the pill and who doesn't. She meets and falls in love with Marie, and eventually learns that Marie will not be eligible for the pill.

The Substitute

To compensate the loss of Lu’s brother, Lu, the captain of judo team at school, has been brought up by her mother as a substitute of her brother in Beijing. In the seemingly masculine appearance, she secretly falls in love with Nicole, the internet celebrity girl from Taiwan. Lu and Nicole meet each other in a judo competition of which the winner would have the chance to become the leading actress in an action film. Nicole wins the competition, but she disappears right before the movie start shooting. As Nicole’s substitute, Lu then has the chance to play the leading actress of the action movie. But the thing is, is Lu able to find her own self-identity and be the real her in one’s life?

The World to Come

In 1856, two women forge a close connection despite their isolation on the American frontier.

A Level

After getting through the O/L Examination with outstanding results, Anuththara with his friends eagerly look forward to experience their final years in school as seniors in the A/L class. They befriend Ahinsa and the other new girls who join their school. Ahinsa draws everyone’s attention for her smartness as well as her cheerful yet mysterious behaviour. Her irregular school attendance and the rumours circulating about her, make the others suspect that there’s a hidden story behind her cheerfulness.

Peony Pavilion

In 1930s Suzhou, the fifth wife of an opium-addicted aristocrat, her husband's female cousin, and a handsome instructor develop an intense relationship.

The Dybbuk of the Holy Apple Field

This mythic love story set in a timeless, lavishly colorful and mystical Jerusalem incorporates hard rock, striking set design, computer-generated imagery and modern-day tensions between the secular and the Orthodox worlds. Hanan, a handsome young traveler - who has pierced ears and wears grungy flannel shirts - falls in love with Lea, the beautiful daughter of a leader in the religious community. Unbeknownst to the couple, a deal was struck, years earlier, in which they were promised to each other by their fathers. When Hanan consults with a master of Kabbala, a set of mysteriously forbidden eleventh-century texts unleashes untold powers, merging the erotic with the divine and affirming love's infinite potential to transcend all obstacles. The lovers are played by Yehezkel Lazarov (Waltz with Bashir) and Ayelet Z'urer (Angels & Demons; Vantage Point). (from sfjff.org)

Just One Time

When the fiancé of a fireman reluctantly agrees to participate in a ménage à trois with another woman, she does so on the condition that he reciprocate the favor with another man, which ultimately puts their impending marriage in jeopardy.

Two Faces of My Girlfriend

From failing at job interviews, to being a 30-year-old virgin, Gu Chang seriously can’t catch a break. But that all changes when he meets Ah Ni, a lovely and innocent woman who makes Gu Chang think his luck has finally turned for the better — until her split personality Ha Ni rudely emerges during their first kiss. Between Ah Ni's sweet nothings and Ha Ni's abusive high kicks, can Gu Chang handle two girlfriends at once?

Sweet Hearts Dance

Wiley and Sandra have been happily married for years and are now in the process of breaking up. Sam, his childhood friend, is just beginning to fall in love with a new teacher at the high school. As they try to adjust to these conflicting emotions they find themselves having to evaluate their own relationship as well.

The Twilight Samurai

Seibei Iguchi leads a difficult life as a low ranking samurai at the turn of the nineteenth century. A widower with a meager income, Seibei struggles to take care of his two daughters and senile mother. New prospects seem to open up when the beautiful Tomoe, a childhood friend, comes back into he and his daughters' life, but as the Japanese feudal system unravels, Seibei is still bound by the code of honor of the samurai and by his own sense of social precedence. How can he find a way to do what is best for those he loves?

Natchathiram Nagargiradhu

Love and politics collide when modern day individuals working as theatre artists in fall in love while making a play about love. They realize that it's the social structure that determines their values and thoughts, and for their love to succeed, they have to go against it.

I'm in Love With My Little Sister

Yori and his twin sister Iku used to be very close as children but lately Yori has grown colder toward Iku and is always eager to stay away from her. Iku was confused by Yori's attitude. Actually Yori is in love with Iku and that forbidden love is causing Yori sleepless nights since Yori and Iku are sharing the same room with bunk beds. Yori tried to ease his intense desire for Iku by bedding Iku's best friend. He had even applied to attend a boarding school in another city to take him far away from Iku. Yori lost his resolve to stay quiet about his feelings when Iku started to talk about having a boyfriend and going on dates. Now Yori want to have his little sister and he confessed. Iku loves her big brother and wanted them to stay together, so Iku is willing to anything to keep them together. But Yori wanted to have Iku as a lover, not as a sister loyal to her twin.

The Broken Commandment

At the strong insistence of his father, Ushimatsu Segawa conceals his origins from a “buraku” area of low-class “untouchables,” leaving his hometown to serve as an elementary school teacher where he excels and is loved by his students. But he constantly struggles with the secret of his low-birth status and is disturbed by all of the discrimination levelled upon his class. It prevents him from pursuing a romance with Shiho, whom he meets at the temple where he resides, but who descends from a samurai family.

Esperanza H.

After committing a petty crime, a young man unexpectedly receives a confession of love. Brimming with curiosity, the young man embarks on a search throughout the city for signs of that love.

Achaneyanenikkishtam

The story is about a poor lorry driver named Bhaskaran (Kalabhavani Mani), who tries to give his son Kunjunni (Ashwin Thampi), a good education by sending him to a very expensive school. The rest of the story revolves around the events Kunjunni goes through in his life.

Summer in Bethlehem

Ravishankar and Dennis live on Dennis’s estate in the hills. When Colonel Menon arrives with his daughters, Ravishankar wonders which one of them has been sending him amorous letters. Meanwhile, Dennis is attracted to the enigmatic Abhirami, but what does Abhirami want?

Sofia

Sophiya, a stunning young woman, is romantically involved with the affluent Turk, Hüseyin, without knowledge of his marital status. Sophiya's path crosses with Azamat, a hopeful immigrant from Kazakhstan who arrived in Istanbul years ago.

Dying Young

After she discovers that her boyfriend has betrayed her, Hilary O'Neil is looking for a new start and a new job. She begins to work as a private nurse for a young man suffering from blood cancer. Slowly, they fall in love, but they always know their love cannot last because he is destined to die.

The Princess and the Warrior

Young nurse Sissi lives a secluded life entirely devoted to her patients at Birkenhof asylum. Her first encounter with ex-soldier and drifter Bodo has a lasting impact. He causes an accident in which he provides first aid, Sissi wonders if he may be the man of her dreams. But when she finds him weeks later she is rejected, as Bodo is stuck somewhere between a traumatic past and a criminal future.

Meinir's Tree

Plot unavailable

Rollercoaster Love

Plot unavailable

How Many Years, How Many Winters!

Plot unavailable

Election

Tracy Flick is running unopposed for this year’s high school student election. But Jim McAllister has a different plan. Partly to establish a more democratic election, and partly to satisfy some deep personal anger toward Tracy, Jim talks football player Paul Metzler to run for president as well.

Badineries

While their couple is falling apart, Baptiste and Violette, two students, discover a new passion that may revive their relationship: murder. Yet, it is not sure that Gabriel and Madeleine, their Catholic and puritan friends, are going to approve this process...

Burning Up

Racecar-driver Lou Larrigan gets mixed up with a crooked gang of racetrack promoters, and is in love with Ruth Morgan, whose father is marked as a victim by the gang.

Martyrs

A young woman’s quest for revenge against the people who kidnapped and tortured her as a child leads her and her best friend, also a victim of child abuse, on a terrifying journey into a living hell of depravity.

Badland

Jerry (Jamie Draven) was an idealist when he served in the first Gulf War. But when he was later deployed to Iraq, Jerry was an older man, a father of three and embittered by broken promises and unfulfilled desires. When Jerry returns from Iraq he has been transformed by horrors that cannot be forgiven. He lives a life of poverty, his children afraid of him and his wife, Nora (Vinessa Shaw), unsympathetic and unhappy. When Jerry discovers that Nora has betrayed him, his anger and despair drive him to commit an act so heinous and irreversible that nothing he had experienced in combat could have prepared him for.

Definitely, Maybe

When Will decides to tell his daughter the story of how he met her mother, he discovers that a second look at the past might also give him a second chance at the future.

When Night Is Falling

Camille is a professor at a Protestant college and is in a long-term relationship with Martin, a respected minister and fellow professor. When Camille meets Petra, a bold and flamboyant performer in a circus troupe, she is inexplicably drawn. Pursuing Petra, Camille throws her whole conservative life into disarray.

Honey

Honey Daniels dreams of making a name for herself as a hip-hop choreographer. When she's not busy hitting downtown clubs with her friends, she teaches dance classes at a nearby community center in Harlem, N.Y., as a way to keep kids off the streets. Honey thinks she's hit the jackpot when she meets a hotshot director casts her in one of his music videos. But, when he starts demanding sexual favors from her, Honey makes a decision that will change her life.

The Principal

Burglary. Drugs. Assault. Rape. The students at Brandel High are more than new Principal Rick Latimer bargained for. Gangs fight to control the school using knives - even guns - when they have to. When Latimer and the head of security try to clean up the school and stop the narcotics trade, they run up against a teenage mafia. A violent confrontation on the campus leads to a deadly showdown with the drug dealer's gang, and one last chance for Latimer to save his career... and his life.

The Class

Teacher and novelist François Bégaudeau plays a version of himself as he negotiates a year with his racially mixed students from a tough Parisian neighborhood.

Ayna

Wazim, Nathan, and Karthik are just 3 roommates enjoying the tail end of their college life,filled with internships, placements, and a whole lot of FIFA. But what seems to add a little bit of spice to this humdrum, everyday life of theirs is the arrival of a new mysterious golden haired tenant in their flat called Ayna. Wazim seems to think that this peaceful existence of theirs is under danger because of the girl. Is he overthinking, or is there something more to her than what meets the eye?

Colors of Wind

Yuri leaves Ryo with mysterious words. Ryo goes to Hokkaido knowing that his doppelganger magician is missing. Ryo realizes Yuri was also the magician’s lover and he learns magic. The story that crosses over two identities, illusion and magic.

Bound

Corky, a tough female ex-convict working on an apartment renovation in a Chicago building, meets a couple living next door, Caesar, a paranoid mobster, and Violet, his seductive girlfriend, who is immediately attracted to her.

Boys on the Side

After breaking up with her girlfriend, a nightclub singer, Jane, answers a personal ad from Robin, a real estate agent with AIDS, seeking a cross-country travel partner. On their journey from New York City to Los Angeles, the two stop by Pittsburgh to pick up Jane's friend Holly, who is trying to escape an abusive relationship. With three distinct personalities, the women must overcome their differences to help one another.