Topic: Social Drama

Direction Charles Chaplin

Cast Charles Chaplin · Paulette Goddard · Henry Bergman · Chester Conklin

Synopsis Modern Times (1936) follows the journey of a nameless factory worker, played by Charlie Chaplin, who is a small part of the vast industrial machine. His task is to tighten bolts on an assembly line, a job that becomes increasingly...

Direction Frederick Wiseman

Synopsis Welfare (1975) delves into a broad spectrum of welfare-related scenarios over its 167-minute duration. The documentary explores various topics such as joblessness, housing issues, marital separation, medical and psychological challenges, the needs of the elderly, child maltreatment, and the plight...

Direction John Ford

Cast Henry Fonda · Jane Darwell · John Carradine · Charley Grapewin

Synopsis The Grapes of Wrath (1940) follows the story of Tom Joad, portrayed by Henry Fonda, who, upon his release from prison, finds his family evicted from their Oklahoma farm. In pursuit of a brighter future, Tom, his mother (Jane Darwell),...

Direction Luis Buñuel

Cast Alfonso Mejía · Roberto Cobo · Estela Inda · Miguel Inclán

Synopsis The Young and the Damned (1950) follows the story of El Jaibo, a young man who flees from a correctional facility and reunites with his friends in their local community. Shortly after his escape, El Jaibo, accompanied by his friend...

Direction Tony Kaye

Cast Edward Norton · Edward Furlong · Fairuza Balk · Stacy Keach

Synopsis American History X (1998) follows the journey of Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton), a former skinhead from Southern California who finds himself behind bars after a racially motivated killing. During his incarceration, Derek undergoes a profound transformation, shedding his extremist beliefs...

Direction Mireia Sallarès

Direction Mario Camus

Cast Alfredo Landa · Francisco Rabal · Juan Diego · Terele Pávez

Synopsis The Holy Innocents (1984) unfolds in the 1960s within the rural landscapes of Spain, where Paco and his wife Régula struggle with poverty. Their existence is defined by resignation, sacrifice, and obedience as they toil for a wealthy landowner. Their...

Direction Bruno Stagnaro

Cast Rodrigo de la Serna · Diego Alonso Gómez · Ariel Staltari · Franco Tirri

Synopsis Okupas (TV Miniseries) (2000) is a gripping 11-episode TV miniseries that delves into the lives of four young men from diverse backgrounds who come together to inhabit an unoccupied house. As they navigate their new living situation, they encounter a...

Direction Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Cast Gottfried John · Hanna Schygulla · Luise Ullrich · Werner Finck

Synopsis Eight Hours are Not a Day (TV) (TV Miniseries) (1972) is a five-episode television miniseries that delves into the societal challenges and realities of Germany in the 1970s. The narrative unfolds through the lens of a young man and his...

Direction Bong Joon-ho

Cast Song Kang-ho · Lee Seon-gyun · Jang Hye-jin · Cho Yeo-jeong

Synopsis Parasite (Gisaengchung) (2019) presents a captivating narrative about two families from vastly different social strata, revealing a stark and thought-provoking reflection of contemporary society. The Kim family, consisting of Gi Taek (Song Kang-ho) and his kin, are all without jobs....

Direction Jorge Furtado

Synopsis Isle of Flowers (S) (1989) is a 1989 Brazilian short film directed by Jorge Furtado. This documentary follows the journey of a tomato from its origin in a garden to its final destination in a landfill, utilizing a monotonous voiceover...

Direction Bill Bain · Christopher Hodson · Raymond Menmuir · Derek Bennett

Cast Gordon Jackson · David Langton · Jean Marsh · Angela Baddeley

Synopsis Upstairs, Downstairs (TV Series) (1971) is a British television drama that aired from 1971 to 1975, spanning 5 seasons and 68 episodes. The show delves into the lives of the aristocratic Bellamy family and their domestic staff residing in a...

Direction Roberto Gavaldón

Cast Ignacio López Tarso · Pina Pellicer · Enrique Lucero · Mario Alberto Rodríguez

Synopsis Macario (1960) follows the story of a destitute and famished farmer, burdened with a wife and multiple children, who ekes out a living by selling firewood in his village. Exhausted by a life filled with struggles, Macario yearns for a...

Direction Bahman Ghobadi

Cast Avaz Latif · Soran Ebrahim · Hirsh Feyssal · Saddam Hossein Feysal

Synopsis Turtles Can Fly (2004) is set in a Kurdish village near the Iran-Turkey border, where residents anxiously search for a satellite dish to stay informed about the impending American invasion of Iraq. A young boy, his sister, and her child...

Direction Alejandro González Iñárritu

Cast Emilio Echevarría · Gael García Bernal · Goya Toledo · Alvaro Guerrero

Synopsis Love Dogs (2000) marks the dynamic directorial debut of Alejandro Gonzalez Iniarritu, presenting a high-energy and captivating cinematic experience that bursts with relentless vitality. Structured into three distinct segments—OCTAVIO AND SUSANA, DANIEL AND VALERIA, and EL CHIVO AND MARU—the film...

Direction Robert Bresson

Cast Nadine Nortier · Jean-Claude Guilbert · Jean Vimenet · Marie Cardinal

Synopsis Mouchette (1967) follows the story of a young adolescent girl navigating the harsh realities of rural life. Her mother is on the brink of death, and her father is neglectful, leaving her to face her struggles alone. Unable to articulate...

Direction Sergei M. Eisenstein

Cast Maksim Shtraukh · Grigori Aleksandrov · Mikhail Gomorov · Ivan Klyukvin

Synopsis Strike (1925) unfolds in the tumultuous factory districts of Russia under the Czarist regime, where discontent brews among the labor force, and clandestine plans for a strike are set in motion. The management, in response, deploys spies and external agents...

Direction King Vidor

Cast Walter Miller · Sylvia Sidney · William Collier Jr. · Estelle Taylor

Synopsis Street Scene (1931) delves into the everyday experiences of a diverse group of individuals residing in a bustling urban neighborhood. The narrative unfolds over the course of a single day, capturing the essence of their interactions, struggles, and joys. The...

Direction Hirokazu Koreeda

Cast Yûya Yagira · Ayu Kitaura · Hiei Kimura · Momoko Shimizu

Synopsis Nobody Knows (2004) unfolds in a cramped Tokyo apartment, where a 12-year-old named Akira takes on the responsibility of looking after his younger siblings. Their mother has abandoned them, and there's no indication that she will come back. Akira must...

Direction Walter Salles

Cast Fernanda Montenegro · Vinicius de Oliveira · Marilia Pêra · Soia Lira

Synopsis Central Station (1998) follows the story of Dora, a stern and bitter elderly woman employed at a bustling Rio de Janeiro train terminal. Her job involves composing and dispatching letters for clients, a task she performs with a cold detachment,...