Over the last 19 years Films We Like has released hundreds of great films. That has us wondering , what are our team’s all-time favourite Films We Like titles? For November, we have curated a list of films that include each of our team members favourite flicks from the FWL catalogue . Our #TeamFavourites collection highlights films that are not only as diverse as the Films We Like catalogue itself, but as wide ranging as our team members’ tastes and motion-picture preferences.

Mercy’s Favourites

WE ARE LIVING THINGS (2021)

Antonio Tibaldi’s WE ARE LIVING THINGS traces the story of Solomon and Chuyao, two immigrants living in New York City, who after a chance meeting, find themselves brought together by a shared fascination with UFOs. Following a jarring and violent altercation the two set off on a road trip across the United States to find Solomon’s mother, who he believes has been abducted by aliens.

499 (2020)

Rodrigo Reyes’ form and genre bending 499 blends fiction and non-fiction to deliver a singular piece of cinema that unpacks the irrevocable impacts of imperialism and violence in a truly unique way. When a 16th century conquistador washes up on the shores of modern-day Mexico, he begins retracing the steps of the Spanish Conquest, and must come to terms with its lasting impacts on Mexican society and culture. Winner of the Hot Docs Special Jury Prize, 499 is an unforgettable cinematic experience.

THE WITChES OF THE ORIENT (2021)

Tracing the almost too-strange-to-be true story of Japan’s 1964 Olympic gold medal winning women’s volleyball team, Julien Faraut’s WITCHES OF THE ORIENT relays how a group of factory workers from Osaka became some of their country’s all-time great athletes and cultural icons. Featuring an incredible score by Jason Lytle and K-Raw, and striking volleyball game-play sequences, this doc is as entertaining as it is eye opening.

Ned’s Favourites

A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE (2014)

Roy Andersson’s Golden Lion winner, A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH RELECTING ON EXISTENCE, encompasses a series of vignettes that are at once hilarious, horrific, strange, satirical, and completely absurd. From the traveling novelty salesmen, to the local watering hole set upon by 17th century cavalry, A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE is a completely absurd yet entirely human cinematic masterwork.

LUCKY (2017)

John Carroll Lynch’s directorial debut LUCKY features Harry Dean Stanton in his final turn as the film’s titular character. A chain smoking, bloody mary drinking 90 year old, Lucky is nearing the end of his days as he begins a journey of self-exploration and enlightenment. Equal Parts a love letter to Harry Dean Stanton and a mediation on mortality and spirituality, this quirky comedy is bound to enthral viewers.

A TOUCH OF SIN (2013)

Best screenplay winner at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Jia Zhangke’s A TOUCH OF SIN interweaves four disparate stories into a concise and impactful film. The stories of a miner revolting against corruption, a sauna worker facing abuse in the workplace, a factory worker trying to improve his life prospects and a migrant labourer discovering the power of a gun, A TOUCH OF SIN is a deeply insightful reflection on the intersection of modernization and violence.

MICHAEL’S FAVOURITES

PARIS IS BURNING (1990)

Ground breaking at the time of its initial release, over 30 years later, Jennie Livingston’s PARIS IS BURNING is as relevant, fresh, and entertaining as ever. Profiling the key figures in the drag, ballroom and voguing sub-cultures of late 80’s New York, PARIS IS BURNING provides an unprecedented look into queer culture of the late 20th century.

THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN (2012)

Much like the song from which it draws its name, Felix van Groeningen’s Academy Award nominated THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN has become a timeless classic. Both heart-wrenching and deeply moving, the film tells the story of Elise and Didier, who, after falling in love through their shared passion for bluegrass, must navigate tragedy, and personal and creative aspirations and differences.