'World Cinema' programme highlights

The World Cinema Showcase has grown in strength since programming was taken over by the people behind the main midwinter festivals and this year's lineup is the best yet. Among likely highlights:

20:30:40 (Hong Kong/Taiwan): A romantic comedy interweaving the stories of three Taiwanese women of different ages.

A State of Mind (North Korea/UK): A documentary providing a rare glimpse of North Korean society.

Bad Education (Spain): Premiere screenings of Pedro Almodovar's newest.

The Blues Series: five documentaries on the origins of the blues by film-makers including Martin Scorsese, Wim Wenders and Mike Figgis.

The Boy who Played with the Buddha of Bamiyan (UK): Highly regarded documentary about Afghani refugees.

Brotherhood of War (Korea) War drama that is the highest grossing film of all time in South Korea.

Exiles (France): The latest from the gypsy genius Tony (Latcho Drom) Gatlif won the Best Director award at Cannes last year.

La Strada: A Fellini masterpiece