EUROPEAN

Applause
Powerful Danish drama about an alcoholic actress and mother starring mighty Dogme poster girl Paprika Steen.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 1.15pm, Fri 19 and 6.30pm, Sat 20 Feb.

The Girl on the Train
Racism and suburban snobbery in modern day France essayed by French filmmaker Andre Techine. Starring Catherine Deneuve.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 8.30pm, Sat 27 Feb and 1.30pm, Sun 28 Feb.

Bluebeard
Provocative, sexually demonstrative French filmmaker Catherine Breillat’s take on the French folktale of a murderous aristocrat.
The Grosvenor, 6pm, Fri 19 Feb. Cineworld Renfrew Street, 9.15pm, Sat 20 Feb.

The Ape
This Kafkaesque drama from Jesper Ganslandt follows one young man’s journey through the absurdities of a single day and showcases new Swedish cinema at its best.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 9pm, Fri 19 and 2pm, Sat 20 Feb.

Hilde
This fascinating biopic of singer, screen idol and author Hildegard Knef tracks the star’s route from war-torn Berlin to Broadway and back again.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 6pm, Tue 23 and 1pm, Wed 24 Feb.

Lourdes
Poignant and restrained drama about one wheelchair bound lady’s pilgrimage to the miracle grounds of French town Lourdes.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 6.30pm, Wed 24 Feb and 3.30pm, Thu 25 Feb.

GALA

Leaving
Steamy French drama starring Kristin Scott Thomas as a married women who leaves her husband for a hunkier younger model, but her husband proves to be a vengeful man.
GFT, 6.15pm, Fri 19 Feb.

Trucker
Interestingly messed around melodrama in which a workaholic lady trucker (Michelle Monaghan) is forced to rediscover family values when her ex-husband becomes terminally ill.
GFT, 3.30pm, Mon 22 and 11am, Tue 23 Feb.

Whip It!
Roller girls are go in Drew Barrymore’s gutsy directorial debut. Ellen Page, Juliette Lewis and Marcia Gay Harden are part of an impressive ensemble cast.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 6.30pm, Fri 26 Feb and 3.30pm, Sat 27 Feb.

L’Affaire Farewell
Complex, compelling and moving political thriller detailing the real life 1981 espionage case which triggered perestroika and the fall of the Soviet Union.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 8.45pm, Wed 24 Feb and 6.15pm, Thu 25 Feb.

New York, I Love You
Evidently following up on The List’s ‘We Love This City’ feature, this anthology showcases short films about the Big Apple from eleven international filmmakers.
GFT, 3.45, Wed 24 Feb and 6.15pm, Thu 25 Feb.

I Am Love
Masterful Italian familial drama starring Tilda Swinton set among a wealthy industrial family in Milan where all is not as it seems.
GFT, 8.15pm, Wed 24 Feb. Cineworld Renfrew Street, 6pm, Thu 25 Feb.

STATE OF INDEPENDENTS
Big Fan
Interesting drama in the ‘obsessive simpleton’ mould from the writer of 2008 Mickey Rourke hit The Wrestler.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 7pm, Fri 19 Feb and 2.15pm, Sat 20 Feb.

Against the Current
Pleasingly quirky deadpan comedy about a widower’s attempt to swim the length of the Hudson River in one month. Joseph Fiennes stars.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 8.30pm, Mon 22 Feb and 1.30pm, Tue 23 Feb.

WORLD
She, a Chinese
Humourous and quirky China to Britain immigrant comedy/drama from Chinese writer/director Xiaolu Guo, arguably the greatest living female filmmaker.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 8.45pm, Fri 19 Feb and 4.15pm, Sat 20 Feb.

Ajami
Compelling thriller set on the mean streets of Jaffa, one of Tel Aviv’s toughest neighbourhoods. Nominated for a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 8.30pm on Tue 23 and 1.15pm on Wed 24 Feb.

Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
Revealing and surprisingly poignant documentary about the Japanese fascination with insects – seemingly a national pasttime.
CCA, 6pm, Wed 24 Feb. GFT, 3.30pm, Thu 25 Feb.

City of Life and Death
The rape of Chinese city Nanking by Japanese troops in 1937 is told in this epic and engrossing black and white drama, based on true accounts.
Cineworld Renfrew Street, 6pm, Wed 24 Feb and 1pm, Thu 25 Feb.

BEST OF BRITISH
A Congregation of Ghosts
Witness great British actor Edward Woodward’s final performance as nutty priest of a Cornish parish whose mischievous and pious spirit lives on after he dies.
GFT, 6pm, Sat 20 Feb and 11.30am, Sun 21 Feb.

Bomber
Wry and droll British comedy from director Paul Cotter about a WWII veteran’s road trip to the French village he accidentally bombed during the war. Warm road movie smiles follow.
GFT, 8.45pm, Sat 20 Feb.

Down Terrace
Low budget, blackly comic drama about a paranoid ex-con father and son at odds with the truth about who and what landed them in the clink Impressive debut feature from Ben Wheatley. GFT, 6pm, Thu 25 Feb.

Kandahar Break
Afghanistan set British thriller about a British engineer’s awakening to the conflict around him.
GFT, 6.15pm, Sat 27 Feb.

STRANGER THAN FICTION
American: The Bill Hicks Story
An inventive documentary about the life and times of a sadly missed comic great, one unfraid to confront the hypocrisy of his home country.
GFT, 8.15pm, Sat 20 Feb.

Kicking It
Documentary chronicling the experience of seven homeless football players at the 2006 Homeless World Cup in Cape Town as they battle challenges both on and off the pitch.
GFT, 1.45pm, Mon 22 Feb.

MUSIC AND FILM
Chopin: Desire for Love
The Polish composer’s relationship with Aurore Dupin, aka George Sand, gets the historical romance treatment in this carefully realised film. The screening is preceded by piano recital. GFT, 5.45pm, Mon 22 Feb.

1234
One for the dreamers, Giles Borg’s debut feature casts the trials and tribulations of band formation in a wryly amusing light. A charming British feature as part of the excellent Music and Film Festival.
GFT, 8.30pm, Wed 24 Feb.

OUT OF THE PAST
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman
Rare cinema screening of wonderfully lush 1950 romantic fantasy starring Ava Gardner and James Mason. Feel the awesome power of Technicolour.
GFT, 3.30pm, Thu 25 Feb.

FASHION/ART/FILM
Punishment Park
Peter Watkins’ remarkable 1971 pseudo documentary, or ‘figurative depiction in a documentary style’ examines a 48 hour period in the tribunal halls and parks of imaginary anti insurrection parks in California during the Nixon administration. One of the best films you will see at this or any festival.
Tramway, 7pm, Fri 26 Feb.

FRIGHTFEST
A Lizard in a Woman’s Skin
Remastered and restored print of Lucio Fulci’s terrific trippy 1971 sex horror.
GFT, 2pm, Sat 27 Feb.

GREAT SCOTS
Gregory’s Girl: 30th Anniversary School Reunion
Scottish comedy reemerges for its 30th anniversary. Cast and crew will attend the screening, dedicated to late producer Clive Parsons.
GFT, 3.30pm, Sun 28 Feb.