OVID’s November Lineup: Nikolaus Geyrhalter’s MELT, Ida “Mother” Lupino double-bill, The Brothers Quay, Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Serpent’s Path & much more!

This November, OVID exclusively premieres Melt, with director Nikolaus Geyrhalter traveling the world of melting glaciers and extreme weather conditions, challenging the damaging ethos from Elon Musk and AI tech doomlords that we can take Earth’s finite resources for granted: “Geyrhalter’s work demonstrates what George Orwell once described as ‘a power of facing unpleasant facts,’ a steely-eyed engagement that can be confused with simple provocation or misanthropy… often rendering the world in wide-angle static shots whose symmetrical stylization is inherently if sinisterly humorous.” (Vadim Rizov, Documentary magazine)

We also take you to the depths of the ocean with How Deep Is Your Love, following a team of marine biologists to capture awe-inspiring footage of otherworldly creatures and fragile ecosystems that thrive in eternal darkness.

We’re bringing back our food collection for Thanksgiving, with Blank Plate, where we take you to Spain’s Disfrutar, named the best restaurant in the world in 2024, and Pizza: A Love Story, featuring cameos from Henry Winkler, the Clintons, Sen. Chris Murphy, and MANY others.

For lovers of classic gems, we’ve got Ida Lupino’s The Bigamist, included in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die: “One of several out-of-nowhere masterpieces” (Chris Fujiwara). We’ve paired this with Lupino’s noir The Hitch-Hiker, hailed as one of “100 Best Film Noirs of All Time” (Paste).

We continue to expand our thriller collection with Giuliano Montaldo’s Closed Circuit, one of the most unique and criminally underseen Italian thrillers of the ‘70s. We’ve also added another Brothers Quay film, The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes: “Haunting… a tragic fairy tale drenched in otherworldly visual splendor.” (Slant)

Plus, the new French-language remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 1998 crime drama Serpent’s Path, reimagined in a Paris setting: “Wrenchingly magnificent… a taut and nerve-wracking morality play that’s high on tension and suspense.” (Mitchell Beaupre, Letterboxd)  

And more restored gems from our new content partner Kani Releasing this month, with two from punk auteur Masashi Yamamoto: What’s Up Connection and Robinson’s Garden. 

Full details on November’s complete lineup are below.

Image above from Nikolaus Geyrhalter's MELT, premiering on OVID on November 20th.

Wednesday, November 4

The Water Rats
Directed by Jillian Edelstein
Bullfrog Films | Documentary | UK | 2022 | 48 min

Captures the adventures of twelve strangers from diverse walks of life–mixed ages, ethnicities, and interests–as they unite and grow into a motley crew of outlaws swimming in the wild cold waters of London’s Hampstead Heath during (and in spite of) the first COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. The film explores the power of human connection arising from such a unique and challenging experience against a backdrop of some of London’s best-kept-secret natural locations.

“A tonic for the soul… A piece created with deep poignancy and sophisticated levity… Bears important testimony to how a pandemic touched us and made us rethink our humanity.” —Robyn Sassen, The Arts at Large

OVID EXCLUSIVE

Thursday, November 5

Wolobougou
Directed by Camille Varenne
Icarus Films | Documentary | France, Burkina Faso | 2025 | 66 min

For Honorine Soma, maternal health is about much more than prenatal care. A trained midwife, Soma is the founder and director of Wolobougou, a clinic in the village of Farakoba, Burkina Faso. Soma and her team provide a space for women to give birth in addition to ensuring women receive essential medical care and a healthy dose of empowerment, in a patriarchal society where female genital mutilation remains common. Both a portrait of one woman and an understated chronicle of resistance, Wolobougou was made in collaboration with local midwives.

“A deeply human documentary, marked by the precision of its commitment and the sensitive gaze of Camille Varenne.” —Corsica.Doc Jury Statement

“An intimate look into a dignified quest in justice for the woman’s body.” —Black America Web

OVID EXCLUSIVE – SVOD Premiere

Friday, November 6

Robinson’s Garden
Directed by Masashi Yamamoto
With Kumiko Ota
Kani Releasing | Comedy-drama | Japan | 1987 | 119 min

On a drunken walk home, bohemian drug-dealer Kumi discovers an abandoned building on the outskirts of Tokyo. Attracted by the vast and untapped space rampant with luxuriant vegetation, she promptly sells all of her belongings and retreats from the world. She carves an island out of the concrete squat and wiles her days away growing cabbage and expressing herself in any way she pleases. 

Following his gonzo hachimiri (8mm) debut Saint Terrorism (1980) and the memorable Carnival in the Night (1981), this film offers a stark contrast to the sights of financial prosperity brought forth by the films of the Economic Bubble era. Lensed by Tom DiCillo (Living In Oblivion, Johnny Suede), it instead shares much in common with the No Wave films the cinematographer pioneered alongside Jim Jarmusch. An unsung, anticapitalist masterwork.

** Winner, Special Mention, 1987 Locarno International Film Festival

Tuesday, November 10

The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes
Directed by The Quay Brothers
With Amira Casar, Gottfried John, Assumpta Serna and César Sarachu
KimStim | Animated Drama | 2005 | UK, Germany, France | 99 min

On the eve of her wedding, the beautiful opera singer Malvina is mysteriously killed and abducted by a malevolent Dr. Droz. Felisberto, an innocent piano tuner, is summoned to Droz’s secluded villa to service his strange musical automatons. Little by little Felisberto learns of the doctor’s plans to stage a ‘‘diabolical opera’’ and of Malvina’s fate. He secretly conspires to rescue her, only to become trapped himself in the web of Droz’s perverse universe.

** World Premiere,  Toronto International Film Festival, 2005

“Haunting…a tragic fairy tale drenched in otherworldly visual splendor.”  —Nick Schager, Slant 

Thursday, November 12

The Space Architect
Directed by Rebecca Carpenter
Bullfrog Films | Documentary | USA | 2025 | 42 min

Visionary space architect Constance Adams gives her final interview, reflecting on a career devoted to helping humans thrive in extreme environments. From designing skyscrapers for Kenzo Tange to developing habitat concepts for NASA missions to Mars, her work was guided by a single question: What do humans truly need to flourish when everything familiar is stripped away?

“This is the deeply human story of a complex engineer designing her life her own way, and changing the way humans think about space exploration forever.” —Lindy Elkins-Tanton, Professor of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California Berkeley

OVID EXCLUSIVE

Friday, November 13

Serpent’s Path
Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa
With Damien Bonnard, Ko Shibasaki
KimStim | Drama | France, Japan, Belgium, Luxembourg | 2024 | 112 min

A French-language remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 1998 crime drama, reimagined with a Paris setting, a gender-swapped lead role, and an international cast. In the suburbs of Paris, Albert, a freelance reporter, vows to take revenge for the brutal murder of his young daughter while Sayoko, a Japanese female doctor, assists him in his quest for revenge. This new film joins Kurosawa’s series Penance, plus his films Creepy and Bright Future on OVID.

“Wrenchingly magnificent… a taut and nerve-wracking morality play that’s high on tension and suspense.” —Mitchell Beaupre, Letterboxd

“A disturbing, elegant remake of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s 1998 thriller that blends psychological depth with moral ambiguity… its thematic richness and technical expertise make it a thought-provoking experience for arthouse and psychological cinema fans.” —Caleb Anderson, Gazettely

Tuesday, November 17

The Bigamist
Directed by Ida Lupino
With Ida Lupino, Joan Fontaine, Edmond O’Brien, Edmund Gwenn
MVD | Drama | USA | 1953 | 79 min

San Francisco businessman Harry Graham and his wife and business partner, Eve, are in the process of adopting a child. When private investigator Jordan uncovers the fact that Graham has another wife, Phyllis, and a small child in Los Angeles, he confesses everything. Of the seven movies Ida Lupino made, The Bigamist marks her as the first woman in the sound era to direct herself.

“Remarkably complex and deeply sympathetic to all three of its protagonists… a melo-noir.” —Melissa Andersson, 4Columns

The Hitch-Hiker
Directed by Ida Lupino
With Edmond O’Brien, Frank Lovejoy, William Talman
MVD | Drama | 1953 | USA | 71 min

Beyond its obvious cultural significance as the only classic film noir directed by a woman, The Hitch-Hiker is perhaps better remembered as simply one of the most nightmarish motion pictures of the 1950s. Based on the true-life murder spree of Billy Cook, the film is a tension-laden saga of two men on a camping trip who are held captive by a homicidal drifter. He forces them, at gunpoint, to embark on a grim joyride across the Mexican desert.

“Taut, tough, and entirely without macho-glorification, it’s a gem, with first-class performances from its three protagonists, deftly characterized without resort to cliche.” —Geoff Andrew, Time Out

Wednesday, November 18

How Deep Is Your Love
Directed by Eleanor Mortimer
Impronta / DS2 | Documentary | UK | 2025 | 100 min

A visually stunning, thought-provoking documentary that plunges into the mysterious depths of the ocean—a vast, largely unexplored world that covers 70% of our planet. Following a team of pioneering marine biologists, the film captures awe-inspiring footage of otherworldly creatures and fragile ecosystems that thrive in eternal darkness.

“This remarkable documentary manages to both inform and inspire.” —Monica Reid, Far Out Magazine

“One spectacular visual extravaganza.” —Susan G. Cole, POV Magazine

** True/False Film Festival, 2025, World Premiere

OVID EXCLUSIVE

Thursday, November 19

What’s Up Connection
Directed by Masashi Yamamoto
With Reiko Arai, Wai-Kit Tse, Li Cheong, Michiko Suzuki
Kani Releasing | Drama | 1990 | Japan, Hong Kong | 121 min

Masashi Yamamoto one-ups Robinson’s Garden (1987) with the go-for-broke ambition of What’s Up Connection: a rare bilingual Japan-Hong Kong co-production that unfolds as part unhinged globalization mini-epic, fringe documentary and portrait of a crazy family. A breathless, kaleidoscopic evocation of a specific pan-Asian cultural experience as the 1990s drew near, What’s Up Connection has it all: Hongkongers looking to Japan for shopping and recreation; Japanese looking to Hong Kong for investment and opportunity – and the gangsters, hackers, thieves and Taoist priests stuck in between it all. Scored by avant-garde trumpeter Toshinori Kondo, here is a lively film that bursts at the seams with possibility and brings Yamamoto’s project – of capturing beauty and resilience in the margins of capital – to its maximalist apex.

Thursday, November 20

Melt
Directed by Nikolaus Geyrhalter
Icarus Films | Documentary | Austria | 2025 | 128 min

In his inimitable way, Nikolaus Geyrhalter travels the world of snow and ice. From Japan to the Alps, Northern Canada to Iceland, and Antarctica; Melt is the story of people living amid the gradual disappearance of the ice that was once presumed infinite. Everywhere Geyrhalter goes, his subjects talk of melting glaciers and increasingly extreme weather conditions, revealing how they experience climate change in their everyday lives and work. 

“A meticulous, contemplative sweep of the globe, Nikolaus Geyrhalter’s impressive doc takes stock of humanity’s toil to control ice and snow as the climate crisis advances.” —Carmen Gray, The Film Verdict

“A fascinating, unsentimental love letter to snow and icy landscapes.” —Susanne Gottlieb, Cineuropa

** World Premiere, Viennale 2025

OVID EXCLUSIVE – SVOD PREMIERE

Food Glorious Food 🍽️ Thanksgiving week!

Tuesday, November 24

Blank Plate
Directed by Alan Fàbregas & Ramon Pardina
Syndicado | Documentary | Spain | 2025 | 59 min

Blank Plate chronicles the extraordinary journey of Disfrutar, following its visionary chefs as they redefine fine dining through innovation, creativity, and relentless dedication. From bold culinary experiments to the pressures of international acclaim, the film offers an intimate look at the passion, teamwork, and perseverance that ultimately lead Disfrutar to be named the world’s best restaurant.

OVID EXCLUSIVE

Wednesday, November 25

Pizza: A Love Story
Directed by Gorman Bechard
With Henry Winkler, Chris Murphy, Lyle Lovett, Bill and Hillary Clinton (and many others!) 
MVD | Documentary | USA | 2019 | 85 min

Pizza wasn’t invented in New Haven. It was perfected there. Marinara sauce runs red through the streets of New Haven in this surprising, delectable documentary that profiles three pizza restaurants — Pepe, Sally’s, and Modern.

Friday, November 27

Closed Circuit 
Directed by Giuliano Montaldo
With Flavio Bucci, Brizio Montinaro, Aurore Clément, Giuliano Gemma
Severin Films/MVD | Thriller | Italy | 1978 | 107 min

One of the most unique and criminally underseen thrillers of the ‘70s: At the local cinema, an audience watches a Spaghetti Western matinee. During the film’s on-screen climactic duel, a bullet is fired into a patron. With no leads and a theater full of suspects, police investigators lock the doors, put everyone back in their seats and run the movie again. But will this shot in the dark reveal the real killer? Written by Oscar® nominee Nicola Badalucco (The Damned).

“A mind-bending treat for cinephiles… a prime example of a cult item still awaiting discovery.” —Mondo Digital

Complete list of films premiering on OVID this month (in alphabetical order):

Blank Plate, Alan Fàbregas & Ramon Pardina (2025)  
Closed Circuit, Giuliano Montaldo (1978)
How Deep is Your Love, Eleanor Mortimer (2025)  
Melt, Nikolaus Geyrhalter (2025)  
Pizza: A Love Story, Gorman Bechard (2019)
Robinson’s Garden, Masashi Yamamoto (1987)
Serpent’s Path, Kiyoshi Kurosawa (2024)
The Bigamist, Ida Lupino (1953)
The Hitch-Hiker, Ida Lupino (1953) 
The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes, The Quay Brothers (2005)
The Space Architect, Rebecca Carpenter (2025)
The Water Rats, Jillian Edelstein (2022) 
What’s Up Connection, Masashi Yamamoto (1990)
Wolobougou, Camille Varenne (2025)