The first in the Paradise thematic trilogy, Love starts the series of darkly comic tales about the human search for happiness, making bold connections between sex tourism and globalization through the lens of aging desire. The rounded lead character of contradictions is consistently fascinating.

This beautiful, unsettling documentary from the adventurous maverick Michael Glawogger travels from Thailand to Bangladesh to Mexico to view how the oldest profession differs across cultures. The candid, intimate experiences of sex workers form the empathetic center of this remarkable film.

After Love comes Faith! The Paradise thematic trilogy heads into even more dangerous territory with the twisted middle installment’s look at extreme faith, diving forward with zero inhibitions and a positively fiendish eye for unsettling satire. One of the best films of 2012, said John Waters!

At times recalling The Wrestler in its study of chasing faded fame, Rimini is a funny, sometimes vulgar and often moving tale of people struggling towards contentment despite lifetimes of disappointment. The film is a scathing character study about how easy it can be to commodify people’s lives.

Mixing interviews with scripted monologues, this polyphonic portrait of Catholic faith is a frank, honest exploration of the relationship with God. Jesus, You Know is unafraid of portraying believers’ darker thoughts born from crises, though is wholly sympathetic to their earnest conviction.