ALI AND NINO

In the city of Baku, Azerbaijan, on the eve of the Bolshevik Revolution, a young Muslim Prince falls in love with a Georgian Princess. As the First World War starts to encroach on their lives, they find themselves on a quest to find truth and love in a world full of conflict and contradictory beliefs.

"Mr. Bakri and Ms. Valverde have chemistry — their dance sequences at the beginning and end are especially lovely, as is everything else onscreen, from the majestic shots of highlands and deserts to the interiors of lavish homes. Asif Kapadia, the director (whose film Amy won an Oscar for best documentary), has a fine eye for splendor, as does Gökhan Tiryaki, his cinematographer."

Ken Jaworowski, NYTimes.com