With his trademark mix of tenderness and unexpected comedy, Japanese auteur Hirokazu Kore-eda (Shoplifters) explores the meaning of love and relationships in this quirky story of an “air doll” that comes to life. The loneliness of life in the city is perfectly captured with a melancholy beauty.

For the second feature to be shot outside of his native Taiwan, Hou Hsiao-hsien ventured to Paris for this lyrical masterpiece. Starring Juliette Binoche, and captured in swooning tracking shots by cinematographer Lee Ping Bing, The Flight of the Red Balloon is a work of warm and delicate wonder.