The Prophet, by celebrated Lebanese author Kahlil Gibran, is among the most popular volumes of poetry ever written. Gibran’s timeless verses have been given enchanting new form in this cinematic adventure about freedom and the power of human expression. Exiled artist and poet Mustafa embarks on a journey home with his housekeeper and her daughter; together the trio must evade the authorities who fear that the truth in Mustafa’s words will incite rebellion.

It’s New Year’s Eve in Tehran, Iran, where it’s a tradition to buy or catch a fish. Razieh yearns for a new goldfish for her family’s pond, but in 90 minutes (told in real time) all the shops will close for a week-long holiday. After badgering her mother for 500 tomans, Razieh and her brother, Ali, must make it to the market in time, ward off shady characters looking to prey on them and hang on to the money. PERSIAN W/ENGLISH SUBTITLES

Cuca’s cozy rural life is shattered when his father leaves for the city, prompting him to embark on a quest to reunite his family. The young boy’s journey unfolds like a tapestry in this parable about the perils of industrialization and the gaping disparity between the haves and the have-nots. This dialog-free, cautionary tale of globalization teaches above all the dangers of the massification of the economy, of the mind and of the soul.