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Writer-director Rainer Sarnet’s deliriously weird The Invisible Fight would be irksome if it weren’t crafted so lovingly and with a charming earnestness. Part wuxia homage, part coming-of-age story, this slice of absurdist historical fiction has little on its mind other than to amuse, which it does regularly enough to stay on the audience’s good side.

The film is set in the Soviet Union circa 1973, with the drabness of life under an authoritarian regime sharply contrasting with the more fulfilling, vibrant existence that our protagonist, Rafael (Ursel Tilk), is chasing after. The young man, who still lives with his mother in a modest apartment, is the only survivor of an attack by three Chinese bandits at the Soviet-Chinese border, where he works as a guard. When his car breaks down one day near a monastery, Rafael, a rebel in search of radicalization, goads the monks and does his...

LevelK has boarded “Kalev,” Ove Musting’s political sports drama which represents Estonia in the Oscar race. The banner is international sales on the film.

“Kalev,” which will kick off the Baltic section at Tallinn Black Nights, had its local release in Estonia on Sept. 22 and has so far sold 105,000 tickets.

Inspired by a true story, the film is set during the summer of 1990. The Soviet Union is on the verge of collapsing and Baltic nations are struggling to regain independence. Against this political upheaval, the Soviet Union`s basketball championship is about to begin. The Estonian team, named Kalev, has to make a difficult decision as it faces calls to withdraw from the high profile sports event.

“Kalev” boasts a strong ensemble cast including Mait Malmsten (“Your Honor!”), Priit Võigemast (“Dawn of War”), Reimo Sagor(“Take It or Leave It”) and Mihkel Kuusk(“Maria’s Paradise”).

The film marks...

Hong Kong has selected the crime thriller Where the Wind Blows as its official submission to this year’s International Feature Oscar race.

Directed by Philip Yung, the film follows four corrupt police officers who rose to power in 1960s Hong Kong played Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Aaron Kwok, Patrick Tam, and Michael Chow.

Photo Gallery: Best International Feature Film Oscar Winners

With a reported budget of 38m, the crime epic is one of the most expensive Hong Kong films of all time.

The film was set to open the 2021 edition of the Hong Kong International Film Festival, but it was pulled from the lineup shortly before its world premiere with festival organizers citing “technical reasons.”

Vague technical issues have increasingly become a common euphemism for last-ditch censorship efforts by Chinese film regulators. Similar “technical issues” were cited when the Shanghai film festival yanked the Huayi Brothers’ big-budget Chinese war drama...

Film and folks in attendance on the Croisette this year:

“Captain Morten & the Spider Queen,” directed by Kaspar Jancis, Henry Nicholson, Riho Unt

In this feature-length stop- motion animation, a young boy learns to take control over his life when he is shrunk to the size of an insect and has to sail his toy boat through a flooded cafe. (Market)

Intl. sales: Sola Media

“Fire Lily,” directed by Maria Avdjushko

Mystery drama about a recently divorced, middle-age ophthalmologist whose marriage has ended because she could not have children. As she gets on with her life, she finds herself pregnant. But who or what has impregnated her? (Market)

Intl. sales: The Yellow Affair

“Jesus Shows You the Way to the Highway,” directed by Miguel Llansó (Spain/ Estonia/Ethiopia)

The Estonian co-producer is Kristjan Pütsep from Alasti Kino. (Frontières Platform)

“The Little Comrade,” directed by Moonika Siimets

Historical drama based on...