International Film Showcase

05/02/2026

While Colours of Time is doing very well in Orinda we are very happy to announce our next movie: Ky Nam Inn. This was Vietnam's Oscar submission earlier this year and my favorite film at the Palm Spring International Film Festival last January. A wonderful love story.
The film will play at the Jarvis Napa on 5/9/26 and will open the Orinda run on 5/22/26.
Synopsis: Set in 1985 post-war Vietnam, Khang moves to Saigon after securing a position to translate “The Little Prince.” Due to his family connections, Khang’s life under the new regime is secure. But everything changes when he meets Ky Nam, a reserved older widow from the defeated South who carries the weight of unspoken grief. Against a backdrop of Vietnamese cuisine, music, and everyday ritual, Ky Nam and Khang wrestle with conflicting feelings of desire and duty in their new world.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/Q1QW0kd4yuI

04/08/2026

We are very pleased to announce the screenings of another crowd pleaser from France: Colours of Time. The film will play at the Jarvis Conservatory , Napa on 4/18/26 and will open at the Orinda on 4/24/26.
Synopsis: United by the unexpected inheritance of a house in Normandy, four estranged cousins discover their family history. While exploring the house, left untouched since the 1940s, they excavate the life of their ancestor, Adèle Vermillard, a 20 year old woman who lived there in 1895. The end of the 19th century saw the birth of both photography and the Impressionist movement, which profoundly changed painting.
Through back-and-forth journeys between 1895 and 2025, they find in the relics of the past what will help them better envision their own future.
Trailer: https://internationalshowcase.org/?p=833

03/07/2026

Opening March 20st at the Orinda and March 21st at the Jarvis Conservatory, Napa is a true story from Brazil: A Wolf Among the Swans.

01/26/2026

Our February selection is Morocco’s Oscar submission for this year Calle Malaga. This film already won 6 international awards and was the opening night feature at the Palm Springs International Film Festival earlier this month. A real crowd pleaser. The film will play at the Orinda Theater starting 2/20/26 and will play at the Jarvis Conservatory, Napa on 2/21/26.

Synopsis: Maria Angeles, a 79-year-old Spanish woman, lives alone in Tangier, Morocco, and enjoys her daily routine. However, her life is turned upside down when her daughter arrives from Madrid to sell the apartment in which she has always lived. Determined to stay, she does everything she can to get her home and her belongings back and, unexpectedly, rediscovers love and sensuality.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/_KH669u7LCw

12/14/2025

Hello everyone,
In January 2026, we are bringing a film everyone must see from France. The film will play at the Orinda Theater starting 1/16/26 and at the Jarvis Conservatory twice on 1/17/26.
Alfred Dreyfus[a] (9 October 1859 – 12 July 1935) was a French Army officer best known for his central role in the Dreyfus affair. In 1894, Dreyfus fell victim to a judicial conspiracy that eventually sparked a major political crisis in the French Third Republic when he was wrongfully accused and convicted of being a German spy due to antisemitism. Dreyfus was arrested, cashiered from the French army and imprisoned on Devil's Island in French Guiana. Eventually, evidence emerged showing that Dreyfus was innocent and the true culprit was fellow officer Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy.
Only few days ago: France promotes Jewish soldier Alfred Dreyfus, 130 years after wrongfully convicting him of treason
Just selected as TIME Magazine’s #2 film of 2025
With Antisemitism exploding all around us, this film is a must see by all.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/0Ih9mPxe_YY
Yardena Brooks

10/23/2025

Tina, A heartwarming film from New Zealand will open at the Jarvis, Napa on 11/08/25 and at the Orinda Theatre on 11/17/25/ You will love it/

10/16/2025

Great news international film enjoyers! Our October Film, Frieda's Case, has been extended at the Orinda Theatre! It will be playing once a day so make sure to check the theater's site for showtimes and tickets. Check out the trailer here:

In cinemas from January 23rd, 2025! From Academy Award®-nominated director Maria Brendle. With Julia Buchmann, Max Simonischek, Stefan Merki, Rachel Braunsch...

09/21/2025

Opening 10/10/25 at the Orinda Theater and on 10/18/25 at the Jarvis Conservatory, Napa is the Swiss movie Frieda's Case. A True story!
In 1904, 25-year-old seamstress Frieda is on trial in St. Gallen. She is accused of killing her illegitimate child. But is this really true? And how much of a victim lays within the alleged perpetrator?
The case brings lawyers, press and civil society onto the scene, arguing about how many rights a woman is entitled to. Based on true events, director Maria Brendle fans out an exciting social drama about equal rights and justice, which led to reforms in the Swiss justice system.

08/19/2025

Winner of 19 international awards including 3 at the Venice Film Festival and a Bay Area Premier. The New Year that Never Came from Romania is coming in September to our Showcase.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/5Q2CjH__Af8
Synopsis: On December 20th, 1989, Romania stands on the brink of revolution. The streets are alive with demonstrations, students mock the regime through art, and New Year’s shows glorify Ceausescu. Yet, behind closed doors, families grapple with personal conflicts and the omnipresent Secret Police. Six seemingly disconnected lives intersect in unexpected ways. As tensions reach a boiling point, an explosive moment brings them together, culminating in the dramatic fall of Ceausescu and the communist regime.
Details on our web site at: www.internationalshowcase.org

07/03/2025

Our August feature is a Bay Area premiere from Belgium. Opening in Orinda on 8/1/25, in the Empress Vallejo on 8/10/25 and in the Jarvis Conservatory on 8/16/25.

This film deals with the tough issues of Muslim immigration and integration into European culture. It is a very current and controversial topic. We believe it is very well done.

Synopsis: Amal, a French teacher in a Brussels high school, encourages her students to cultivate a passion for reading, defend freedom of expression, and promote acceptance of others. But her outspokenness upsets some students and colleagues tied to Islamic extremism. Yet Amal stands her ground, especially when she helps one of her students suspected of being homosexual, has been attacked, harassed and threatened.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/bt7Nbzs-pDY

FRIEDA’S CASE (October 2025) July 15, 2025 In 1904, 25-year-old seamstress Frieda is on trial in St. Gallen. She is accused of killing her illegitimate child. But is this really true? And how much of a victim lays within the alleged perpetrator? The case brings lawyers, press and civil society ont...

04/28/2025

We are very happy to be the USA theatrical premiere of Odd Fish from Iceland. The film will open in Orinda on 5/9/25, at the Jarvis Conservatory, Napa on 5/17/25 and at the Festival Theaters in Palm Springs on 5/29/25. This is a dramady telling a story of friendship.
When two childhood friends get an unexpected opportunity to keep their fish restaurant open all year round, one of them comes out of the closet as a trans woman, putting a strain on their friendship and they see their lives in a new light.
Trailer: https://youtu.be/ZAFFW61dI7I