Subscribe to watch - 14-day free trial, then £6.99 a month
Power Alley
Queer sisterhood and collective power lie at the heart of this arresting Brazilian debut, in which a promising volleyball player faces an unwanted pregnancy.
Director: Lillah Halla
Overview
Sofia is 17 years old and a talented volleyball player. Her world collapses when she seeks an abortion on the eve of a future-defining championship and subsequently faces violent threats from a local fundamentalist group. Propelled by a pulsing electronic soundtrack and spirited performances by its cast, Lillah Halla's vivid, vibrant and colourful debut articulately explores the issue of female reproductive rights in Brazil.
very strong language, upsetting scenes, strong sex
Related
The Exterminating Angel The Exterminating Angel
Drama 1962 93 mins Director: Luis Buñuel
Buñuel’s surreal, darkly satirical masterpiece about a group of wealthy dinner guests finding themselves inexplicably unable to leave the room.
In My Skin In My Skin
Drama 2002 95 mins Director: Marina de Van
Marina de Van’s deeply personal debut about a young woman's addiction to self-mutilation stretches the body horror genre in new ways.
Viridiana Viridiana
Drama 1961 91 mins Director: Luis Buñuel
Banned in Spain, condemned by the Vatican and celebrated at Cannes, Buñuel’s satire about an aspiring nun takes a stinging crack at society.
Simon of the Desert Simon of the Desert
Biopic 1965 45 mins Director: Luis Buñuel
Silvia Pinal's Devil torments and tempts a holy man in Buñuel’s final Mexican film, which features the most thrillingly unexpected ending.
20th Century Women 20th Century Women
Drama 2016 118 mins Director: Mike Mills
Annette Bening stars as a mum enlisting two friends (Greta Gerwig and Elle Fanning) to help her son navigate adolescence in Mike Mills’s comedy-drama.
Urchin Urchin
Drama 2025 99 mins Director: Harris Dickinson
The debut feature from actor Harris Dickinson sees a homeless addict get a shot at recovery and redemption.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Romance 2019 121 mins Director: Céline Sciamma
Céline Sciamma’s BAFTA-nominated film about the tentative love between a painter and her subject in 18th-century France.
Who We Love Who We Love
Drama 2021 94 mins Director: Graham Cantwell
Bullied for her sexuality, Dublin schoolgirl Lily turns to her gay best friend for support in this vibrant coming-out, coming-of-age drama.
Je tu il elle Je tu il elle
Drama 1974 86 mins Director: Chantal Akerman
Akerman’s debut feature, with its 10-minute lesbian sex scene, revealed its maker to be a radical and uncompromising force in cinema.
The Balconettes The Balconettes
Comedy 2024 104 mins Director: Noémie Merlant
Co-written with Céline Sciamma, Noémie Merlant’s bold film follows three friends as they dispose of the body of an abuser they’ve accidentally killed.
Sebastian Sebastian
Drama 2024 110 mins Director: Mikko Mäkelä
A young London-based writer begins a double life as a sex worker to research his debut novel, in this gripping psychological drama.
Four Mothers Four Mothers
Comedy 2023 89 mins Director: Darren Thornton
Hilarious, uplifting tale of an Irish son juggling four very different mothers over one chaotic weekend in Dublin.
The Exterminating Angel The Exterminating Angel
Drama 1962 93 mins Director: Luis Buñuel
Buñuel’s surreal, darkly satirical masterpiece about a group of wealthy dinner guests finding themselves inexplicably unable to leave the room.
In My Skin In My Skin
Drama 2002 95 mins Director: Marina de Van
Marina de Van’s deeply personal debut about a young woman's addiction to self-mutilation stretches the body horror genre in new ways.
Viridiana Viridiana
Drama 1961 91 mins Director: Luis Buñuel
Banned in Spain, condemned by the Vatican and celebrated at Cannes, Buñuel’s satire about an aspiring nun takes a stinging crack at society.
Simon of the Desert Simon of the Desert
Biopic 1965 45 mins Director: Luis Buñuel
Silvia Pinal's Devil torments and tempts a holy man in Buñuel’s final Mexican film, which features the most thrillingly unexpected ending.
The Ice Tower The Ice Tower
Fantasy 2025 117 mins Director: Lucile Hadzihalilovic
Marion Cotillard brings a thrilling magnetism to this snowbound tale of obsession and wish fulfilment between an actress and a young runaway.
Rhianna Dhillon's Fresh Starts Rhianna Dhillon's Fresh Starts
Short documentary 2026 11 mins Director: Henry Barnes and Maha Albadrawi
Critic and broadcaster Rhianna Dhillon selects her pick of the films that will help you make a change for 2026.