WATCH THE WORLD

Our goal is to open up the world to everyone through film. Everyone should travel if they can (the world is amazing), but it costs time and money which we don't always have. That's where FilmRoot comes in. We bring the world of films to your couch, so you can travel wherever you want to without the flight fees.

Use our World Map to find the best films from each country, choose a continent below to explore the best films from each continent, or simply scroll down to see our latest posts featuring films from around the world. Or, if you're up for a challenge, work your way up to the top of our Film Difficulty Rankings to become a World Film expert.

Latest Posts

Short Films To Watch Out For From AFI Fest 2026

There’s always a lot going on at AFI Fest, from red carpet premieres and international film festival hits to highly anticipated films from returning filmmakers. However, the short films can sometimes fly under the radar, even though it always features a wealth of talent. This year we focused on the animated offering with a couple of dashes of live action.

Here are our highlights from the short films at AFI Fest 2026.

The Best Short Films at AFI Fest 2026

Trading Cards (Australia)

The sinister nature of Trading Cards fit the week-before-Halloween timing of AFI Fest perfectly. It explores identity, mental health, and the erosion of childhood innocence through the story of a man who journeys back to encounter his younger self. The animation of the older self reminded me of the morally ambiguous villains of Studio Ghibli films that you never fully trust. He’s creepy and creatively animated, and he makes this short unique and memorable. Director Radheya Jang is one to look out for in the future.

Venezia Diorama (Italy)

Somehow Venezia Diorama manages to be both classic and fresh. The quaint pictures of Venice are elegantly detailed, giving the short a timeless feel, while the little windows where the animation occurs are uniquely captivating. These animation windows highlight movement in an otherwise still-life picture, and convey the effects of time and erosion on a city; showing Venice slowly succumbing to time.

We Were Here (India)

Silly, but pertinent, We Were Here follows three men that can’t find work and choose to become robots in a satirical play on the rise of ‘artificial intelligence’ and smart machines. The jokers in this docu-comedy emphasize both the uselessness of humans playing machines and the specificity of machines in the human realm. It’s a tongue-in-cheek protest against the current capitalist state of the world and a reminder that humans will always be more human than machines.

In The Beginning (Poland)

In The Beginning tells three quirky true stories about our treatment of animals across the ages. Each story is quite interesting and captured my attention in the same way as the science videos from Kurzgesagt. However, the beautifully vibrant coloring sets this short apart. Each story is marked by a different color, which while simple, appears dynamic and eye-catching.

Where Were We (India)

Studio Eeksaurus have dropped the most creative animated commercials of the past year in Desi Oon and The Godawan, so we weren’t surprised to find more creativity here. In Where Were We, we’re taken on a trippy dive into an anxiety laden handbag, with each item coming alive to portray different anxieties in the owners life. This short further proves the talent of Studio Eeksaurus and shows that they don’t need advertising money to make great short films.

Saba (U.S.)

Combining an emotional punch with an imaginative world in which gravity is reversed, we would not be surprised to see Saba on the Academy Awards shortlist in the not too distant future. It shows Saba, a grandfather, with his grandson living on a floating boat reminiscent of the titular castle in Howl’s Moving Castle. As they navigate storms, and Saba metaphorically ascends to heaven, the grandson transcends horizontal planes to find closure. It’s an emotional and creative hit.

Aktos (Kazakhstan)

It’s not often you see Kazakh animations on the festival circuit, so this is worth a watch just for this reason. However, more than that, you can find felt-based characters that ooze a homey warmth through their texture. The depictions of traditional Kazakh clothing and food also turn this sad tale into a heart-warming one. The flashbacks and backing soundtrack might add a bit too much melodrama, but it’s a method that almost guarantees tears in the film’s viewers.

We strongly encourage everyone to check out AFI Fest next year. Please find previous coverage of AFI Fest here and check the official AFI Fest website for news on next year’s schedule!

Flies (Mexico) – Caught in the Mexican Healthcare System

Flies Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Flies is a warm-hearted drama set in Mexico City that follows a grumpy old woman and a young boy both tangled in the web of the Mexican healthcare system. Watch it if you’re a fan of arcade games (a form of Space Invaders plays a significant part in the narrative), to navigate the brutalist buildings of Mexico City through the eyes of a 9 year-old, or if you’re simply a fan of modern Mexican films shot in black and white (see Roma, Gueros, or We Shall Not Be Moved).

From: Mexico, North America
Watch: IMDb, Trailer
Next: We Shall Not Be Moved, Gueros, Death of Mr. Lazarescu

Flies – The Breakdown

I was a little worried that this film was going to be a bit too loyal to its title. Five minutes in and all you’ve seen is an old lady (Olga) trying to swat a fly buzzing around her apartment. Breaking Bad had a 47-minute episode directed by Rian Johnson which follows the main characters trying to kill a fly in the meth lab for the majority of the episode, so my fear wasn’t unfounded. Luckily, the film soon introduces Cristian and his dad, who are looking for a place to stay in the city while his mum is in hospital.

The faults of the Mexican healthcare system bring Olga and Cristian together. Olga has just put a room in her apartment up for rent because she needs money to afford to remove her bunions. Meanwhile, Cristian and his dad need a cheap place to stay in the city whilst his mum is in hospital. They’re far from home, most likely because the specialists she needs can only be found in Mexico City. The same faults of the Mexican healthcare system also fuel Cristian’s relationship with Olga. Cristian’s dad only leaves Cristian alone at Olga’s apartment because he has to find work to pay for his wife’s desperately needed medicine. As the chain of events revolves around the healthcare system, Flies becomes a subtle critique of a system that fails to fully meet its citizens needs.

Despite the social critique which underlying the movie, Flies is a very warm-hearted film that offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of young Cristian and the solitary Olga. Through Cristian’s eyes and likability, the film takes us into the everyday corners of the city: the comedors (daily eateries), brutalist apartment blocks, and even the hospital’s security guard posts. Director Fernando Eimbcke conveys Cristian’s perspective naturally through these everyday shots and interactions, making the film a wonderful modern addition to the recent black and white releases showcasing neo-realist Mexico City alongside Gueros, We Shall Not Be Moved, and Eimbcke’s debut Duck Season.

Filipiñana (Philippines) – An Anti-Capitalist Satire on the Golf Green

Filipiñana Film Difficulty Ranking: 3

If you’re looking for a film with land exploitation, the Filipino elite, and golf courses caught in the crosshairs of its sniper rifle, you’ve come to the right place. Filipiñana doesn’t shout. It silently stalks its prey in every carefully constructed frame, slowly revealing the insidious nature of the privatized paradises that are quietly conquering a country and its people. It’s a remarkable debut film from Rafael Manuel, who marks himself as a powerful one to watch.

From: Philippines, Asia
Watch: JustWatch, IMDb
Next: A Touch of Sin, Ascension, The French Dispatch

Filipiñana – The Breakdown

If you’ve seen Manila on screen or been in person, you’ll find nothing unfamiliar in the opening of Filipiñana. The first shot of a bus driver navigating busy streets tinted with warm colors evokes the heat and vibrant life of the city. The friendly tourist leader’s voice speaking to a silent crowd of Chinese tourists also highlights one of the country’s biggest industry’s: tourism. However, the familiarity of the opening is set against the political nature of the next two shots.

A shot of Filipinos lining up for clean drinking water.
A shot of a lush green golf course being showered by a cascade of water.

This juxtaposition is the jumping point into the privatized, fabricated paradises of the Filipino golf courses; luxuries reserved for the elite and served by the working class. This carefully constructed, slightly zany film, is a criticism of the globalized capitalist land-complex that swallows up indigenous land and crafts it into exclusive resorts.

The director, Rafael Manuel, follows two female protagonists from different social standings in this film. Isabel is a worker that has recently arrived from the Ilocos region in the north-west. It’s a region where palm trees and lush environments are expected; a landscape that the elite have artificially recreated in golf courses. As a new hire, Isabel is still learning the subservience her job demands, and Manuel doesn’t shy away from showing it. In one shot, she is sexualized by being framed between a golfer’s legs, carefully placing his golf balls on the tee in close proximity to the danger of his swing. It highlights how exposed she and her colleagues are to danger and sexual exploitation. While Isabel is initially drawn to the president through a sense of shared heritage (the president in Filipiñana is a close copy of real President BongBong Marcos, who is also from Ilocos), her journey is one of growing awareness from ignorance to recognition of her own exploitation.

In contrast, Clarita, a niece of a golf company CEO, is simply visiting family in the Philippines from her base in New York. She’s initially aware of the class differences between her life in the U.S. and those living in the Philippines, but that awareness gets stifled by the status quo as she settles into the fake hospitality afforded to her as a privileged guest. While the uncanny valley nature of the luxurious golf course awakens something in Isabel, it dulls Clarita’s mind instead, welcoming her into the comfort of the Filipino elite.

Isabel and Clarita’s respective journeys to enlightenment and dulled awareness are guided by an invisible protagonist: the heat. The sun’s rays paralyze the characters throughout the film. It’s a constant presence, since the entire film is shot in piercing daylight. The heat influences everything in the film, from the slow languid camera pans and long, patient shots, to the slow-moving characters and the sparse, unhurried dialogue. The stifling heat also becomes a visual metaphor for the characters’ inaction; their unwillingness to challenge either their own exploitation or the status quo. Interestingly, the only character that appears to be immune to the inhibiting effect of the heat is the golfing, singing, dancing President. It’s as if he’s an inverse vampire that thrives in the daylight and still manages to suck the life out of everyone else. Seen in this light, it’s a neat criticism of a President that has consistently expanded the ability of foreign investors to control Filipino land.

Conclusion

Filipiñana operates with measured power, firing subtle shots at the Filipino elite who built the exploitative, global-capitalist land complex, and at the people who go along with it. Every frame in this film is as carefully constructed as a Wes Anderson film to support this. In Filipiñana, Rafael Manuel lights his career with a bang, marking himself as a major talent to keep track of in the future.

LALIFF 2026 – A Community Celebration of Latinos in Film

Los Angeles is spoiled for film festivals. You can find film festivals representing communities from almost every part of the globe, from the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival to Outfest. LALIFF is one of the most popular film festivals in the city, and for good reason: it’s both the longest running and biggest Latino film festival in the country. If you missed it this year, make sure you grab a ticket this time next year!

The Experience

This year was the first time I’ve covered LALIFF in person, and wow, it was buzzing. Whilst you could see the excellent film programming in the virtual versions of the festival during the pandemic, the heart of the festival beats for building community in-person. I usually dread the long bus journey to the tourist-trap of Hollywood, but the LALIFF bar takeover, life-filled cinema lobby, and the screenings made everything feel more welcoming.

LALIFF stood out from other festivals I’ve covered because of this atmosphere. It was the first festival I’ve been to where the screenings received screams, whoops of excitement, and big prolonged applauding, making it feel like a true celebration of film. The atmosphere was created by the presence of the talent, and their passionate entourages of family and friends. It felt like LALIFF is a place where you could bring along anyone, no matter their age or how loud they are, making it feel like a valuable third space for the Los Angelino community.

The Films

As with previous editions, the feature-film programming was impressive. With only 17 feature films screening across the 4 days of the festival, the programmers focus on quality rather than quantity. However, despite the low number of films, the festival represented a wide range of countries, from the less-established film industries of Bolivia and Honduras to the ever present on the festival circuit film producing nations of Argentina and Mexico.

LALIFF 2026 also balanced genres well through their programming. Even in the 6 feature films we watched, there was a wide range of genres. Here’s how the feature films we saw stacked up:

The Condor Daughter (Bolivia)

The Condor Daughter is a beautifully shot tale of tradition standing against the threat of expanding globalization. You’ll be transported to the awesomely scenic mountains of the Bolivian Andes and thrown into the Quecha culture of the Totorani community. You’ll follow Clara, a young woman working with her adopted mother as a midwife, as she battles the allure of modernity and fame. Read the full review here.

Eva (Honduras)

An immensely warm-hearted film which breaks traditional gender roles by casting Endry Cardeño, a trans-woman, as Eva, a grandma, forced to take care of her granddaughter. As per the idiom; “it takes a village to raise a child,” we find a small tight-knit community in Tegucigalpa, the largest city in Central America, instead of one of the murder capitals of the world. Read the full review here.

The Red Hangar (Chile)

The Red Hangar is a dark, gripping thriller that depicts the Chilean coup of 1973 in real-time through the eyes of a patriotic air force captain. It’s based on a true story and brings you right into the fascistic chaos with hand-held cameras following the captain as he questions his integrity. This one is for fans of political thrillers and those seeking films which represent Chile’s fall into fascism in the 1970s.

A Place of Absence & How to Clean a House in 10 Easy Steps

A Place of Absence and How to Clean a House in 10 Easy Steps are two personal projects that explore the immigrant experience and grief through the eyes of daughters and their mothers. Both films bring color to lives that have been hidden and invite the audience to join the filmmakers on their journey to process the trauma and experiences that have shaped their families and lives.

Fifteen (Mexico)

For something completely different to the above look out for this high-school lesbian body-horror comedy. Fifteen seamlessly merges a wide range of genres to make something that unbelievably works. It’s fun, funny, and a refreshing change to everything mentioned above. It reminded me a lot of Good Manners and Medusa – two wildly inventive genre-bending Brazilian films.

The Shorts at LALIFF 2026

We also caught a shorts segment, which was the highlight of the festival. The theater was packed with talent and some huge entourages of friends and family, which made the viewing a real atmospheric treat. The films below were all refreshing and unique and well worth seeking out.

#Blessed: this comedy short about Juanita looking for the love of her life is filled with plenty of tongue-in-cheek silliness, vivid colors, and pop editing to make it a very fun watch.
Loco: a man in his late 20s/early 30s hilariously tries to navigate an existential crisis without his parents knowing; “you don’t need therapy, you only need Jesus”.
Marga en el DF: captures the difficulty of relationships and the warm vibes of Mexico City accompanied by Selena through the experiences of a pregnant lady.

LALIFF 2026 Footnote

LALIFF 2026 was one of the most lively film festivals I’ve experienced in Los Angeles owing to the amazing job it did of welcoming talent and building community. It also had a diverse range of high-quality film-programming and events too. So if you’re in Los Angeles, brave the trip to the TCL Chinese theater complex in Hollywood next year to celebrate Latino film.

Eva (Honduras) – LALIFF 2026

Eva Film Difficulty Ranking: 2

Whilst the drama of Eva is kicked off by tragedy, the film never feels tragic. This is an immensely warm-hearted film which breaks traditional gender roles by casting Endry Cardeño, a trans-woman, as Eva, a grandma forced to take care of her granddaughter. As per the idiom; “it takes a village to raise a child,” we find a small tight-knit community in Tegucigalpa, the largest city in Central America, instead of one of the murder capitals of the world.

From: Honduras, North America
Watch: IMDb
Next: The Awakening of the Ants, Amor y Frijoles, La Yuma

Eva Breakdown

In Eva, a trans-woman takes care of her granddaughter after the sudden death of her daughter-in-law. While processing grief, she tries to help her son connect emotionally to his daughter. Amid tensions, reproaches, and silence, Eva and her son embark on separate paths towards the reconstruction of their family bond and place within their community.

The combination of tragedy and tight-knit family and community make Eva a heart-warming addition to the Central American ‘hood film’ genre. Like the first ‘hood films’ from Los Angeles, such as Boyz n the Hood and Menace II Society, and along the lines of Amor Y Frijoles and La Yuma, Eva centers on the experiences of characters growing up in under-served communities in urban environments. It shows that community bonds are the key to surviving through tragic realities of the city in the face of limited government support. For Eva, there’s no evidence of public support for her adoption of her daughter-in-law. Instead, she builds connections with her in-laws, family, lovers, and customers, to turn the overwhelming city into a warm, mellow community.

It’s also wonderful to see nontraditional gender roles integrated so naturally in Eva. By casting Endry Cardeño as a trans, single grandmother, director William Reyes, normalizes trans people on film, trans people in family roles, and trans people as grandparents (especially pertinent as the life expectancy of trans-women in Tegucigalpa is just 32 according to the director William Reyes).

Look out for Eva‘s release in the coming months to catch a tender, poignant film that centers on family and community navigating tragedy.

Head to our LALIFF 2026 festival Hub for more reviews from LALIFF 2026.