OVID’s July Lineup: The March to War, Trespassing Bergman, Love Triangle, Cats of Istanbul, Save Our Souls & much more!

OVID’s July lineup includes the exclusive premiere of The March to War: Iran, Israel, and the USA by Ilan Ziv. Was the war inevitable? This timely series reveals the strategic blunders of Israel and the United States in their dealings with Iran, charting a path of escalating tension and open conflict that stretches back to the 1979 Iranian Revolution.

July also brings Trespassing Bergman: 1711 Videos, a six-part series featuring Lars Von Trier, Martin Scorsese, Isabella Rossellini, Michael Haneke, Claire Denis, Laura Dern, and many others, on the lasting influence of the legendary Swedish filmmaker Ingmar Bergman.

Other exclusives include Save Our Souls, a Visions du Réel award-winning film by Jean-Baptiste Bonnet: “Powerful… A raw account of a rescue mission” (Telerama), and “a drop of humanity in a sea of distress.” (Abus de Ciné)

Award-winning narrative films on the way include Saim Sadiq’s Joyland, which made history as the first Pakistani film to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival where it won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize and Queer Palm; and Bernhard Wenger’s Peacock, a zingy Austrian comedy starring All Quiet on the Western Front‘s Albrecht Schuch, which won Best First Feature Award at the 35th Stockholm International Film Festival.

We’ll also bring you Mistress Dispeller, a spellbinding documentary about an infidelity mediator of sorts for hire who intervenes in a love triangle, setting emotions and cultural norms on a collision course.

As always, there’s much too much to get into here, so let’s get into it film by film below!

Full details on July’s complete lineup are below.

Image above from Ceyda Torun's KEDI, premiering on OVID on July 21st.

Thursday, July 2

Alumination
Directed by Eric Bricker
With Wally Byam, Kate Pierson, Patrick Dempsey
Oscilloscope | Documentary | USA | 2021 | 69 min

Narrated by Kate Pierson (of The B-52s), Alumination is a compelling, feature-length documentary capturing the spirit of Airstream founder Wally Byam. Nearly 90 years ago, Wally began his quest to produce a travel trailer possessing the finest engineering and design in order to facilitate his vision for travel and adventure. The film captures Wally’s vision and the innovative, adventurous spirit that has carried the iconic American brand and its community of passionate road warriors through a century of exploration. From never-before-seen archival footage to interviews with today’s fervent fans, Alumination is a deep dive into American innovation and the joy of travel.

“Represent[s] the spirit of adventure lying within all of us.” —Alan Ng, Film Threat

Friday, July 3

Golden Years
Directed by Barbara Kulcsar
With Esther Gemsch, Stefan Kurt, Ueli Jäggi, Gundi Ellert
Music Box Films | Feature | Switzerland, Germany | 2022 | 92 min

When a retired couple prepares to enjoy their life as pensioners on a cruise trip through the Mediterranean, they end up going on separate journeys of self-discovery and find unexpected ways to explore their golden years.

“A seriocomic movie with charm, depth, and a cliche-resistant belief that it’s never too late to bust out of one’s own status quo.” —Dennis Harvey, 48 Hills

Wednesday, July 8

Hello, I Must Be Going
Directed by Todd Louiso
With Melanie Lynskey, Christopher Abbott
Oscilloscope | Comedy | USA | 2012 | 95 min

An affair with a 19-year old actor (Girls’ Christopher Abbott) helps reinvigorate life for thirty-something Amy (Melanie Lynskey, Heavenly Creatures) after she moves home to her parents’ house following her divorce, in this humorous take on modern relationships.

“A spectacular performance from Melanie Lynskey… at once richly comic and emotionally honest.” —Dana Stevens, Slate

** 2012 Sundance Film Festival

Friday, July 10

The March to War: Iran, Israel and the USA
(Chapter 1 – Broken Dreams)
Directed by Ilan Ziv
Icarus Films | Documentary | France, Israel | 2021 | 55 min

In the 1970s, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi saw himself as a modern Cyrus. The Shah, installed and backed by the United States, was also a ruthless dictator presiding over an authoritarian state that brutalized its own citizens. This episode retraces the military and civilian co-operation among Israelis, Americans, and Iranians. Israel built dams and advised the Iranian secret police, the U.S. supplied arms and encouraged the Iranian nuclear industry. Neither country was prepared for the Islamic Revolution that would lead to a dramatic realignment of regional power.

OVID EXCLUSIVE – SVOD PREMIERE

The March to War: Iran, Israel and the USA
(Chapter 2 – The First Battle)
Directed by Ilan Ziv
Icarus Films | Documentary | France, Israel | 2021 | 55 min

Was the 1982 invasion of Lebanon by Israel the first battle in the Israeli-Iranian war? While Iran had previously funded the PLO, by the early 1980s it was training and funding Hezbollah, which could serve as its proxy in southern Lebanon. This episode looks at Iran’s strategy, the rise of Hezbollah, and the profound impact of its signature tactic — suicide bombing — as well as at the Israeli embrace of targeted assassinations and their deadly consequences.

OVID EXCLUSIVE – SVOD PREMIERE

The March to War: Iran, Israel and the USA
(Chapter 3 – Diplomacy Subverted)
Directed by Ilan Ziv
Icarus Films | Documentary | France, Israel | 2021 | 55 min

Israeli and American attempts to slow Iranian nuclear research seem out of a James Bond movie — with cyber-attacks, assassinations, and military strikes. This episode goes beyond the headlines to look at the many missteps and blunders that also led to war. After quietly cooperating with the United States during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Iran hoped to open the door to normalizing relations. But insiders detail how efforts at negotiations were repeatedly derailed. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes clear that his worldview has no place for peace with Iran.

OVID EXCLUSIVE – SVOD PREMIERE

Tuesday, July 14

Trespassing Bergman: 1711 Videos (A Six-Part Series) 
Episodes 1–3 with Thomas Alfredson and Wes Anderson; Alejandro Innárritu; Zhang Yimou and Daniel Espinosa
Directed by Hynek Pallas, Jane Magnusson
First Hand Films | Documentary | Sweden | 2013 | 45 min per episode

Ingmar Bergman’s life and his key films as seen and told by the greatest actors and directors of our time. Candid interviews with Wes Anderson and others, some shot at Bergman’s last home on the island of Fårö, are interwoven with never-before-seen footage from behind-the-scenes of many of the Swedish masters’ films.  

Episode 1: Directors Thomas Alfredson and Wes Anderson discuss comedy filmmaking and Bergman’s films.
Episode 2: Alejandro Innárritu comes to Bergman’s home and muses on filmmaking and death.
Episode 3: Acclaimed directors Zhang Yimou and Daniel Espinosa discuss Bergman’s film taste, and their own sense of adventure.

** Venice (Venice Classics), Montréal, CPH:DOX, Rio de Janeiro, Rotterdam, Göteborg, DocAviv, Planete Doc, ZagrebDox, Istanbul Int. FF, Minneapolis, IndieLisboa, Jeonju Int. FF, Filmfest München, Scanorama Vilnius   

Wednesday, July 15

Trespassing Bergman: 1711 Videos (A Six-Part Series)
Episodes 4–6 with Claire Denis, Michael Haneke, John Landis
OVID Exclusive
Directed by Hynek Pallas, Jane Magnusson
First Hand Films | Documentary | Sweden | 2013 | 45 min per episode

Ingmar Bergman’s life and his key films as seen and told by the greatest actors and directors of our time.

Episode 4: Claire Denis visits Bergman’s home, browses his collection, and discusses his impact on her work. 
Episode 5: Legendary director Michael Haneke discusses his use of violence in cinema while browsing Bergman’s video collection.
Episode 6: Blockbuster director John Landis makes the voyage to Bergman’s home and opens up about his love for film.

OVID EXCLUSIVE

Friday, July 17

Mistress Dispeller
Directed by Elizabeth Lo
Oscilloscope | Documentary | China | 2024 | 94 min

In China, a new industry has emerged devoted to helping couples stay married in the face of infidelity. Wang Zhenxi is part of this growing profession and is hired to go undercover and break up affairs by any means necessary; a “mistress dispeller.” Offering strikingly intimate access to a real, unfolding love triangle, Mistress Dispeller documents all sides of what is usually kept behind closed doors. As Teacher Wang attempts to bring a couple back from the edge of crisis, sympathies shift between husband, wife and mistress while emotion, pragmatism and cultural norms collide in this spellbinding look at modern love.   

“An intimate study of the mechanism of mistress dispelling and a tender, compassionate portrait of a love triangle caught up in the complexity of love, family, duty, and desires.” —Kathy Ou, The Brooklyn Rail

** World Premiere, 81st Venice International Film Festival

Peacock
Directed by Bernhard Wenger
With Albrecht Schuch, Julia Franz Richter, Anton Noori
Oscilloscope | Comedy | Austria, Germany | 2024 | 102 min

Matthias (Albrecht Schuch, All Quiet on the Western Front) masters impersonating roles for hire: cultured boyfriend, perfect son, sparring partner. Professionally adept at pretending daily, his true challenge lies in being himself.

“An auspiciously polished and snappy debut… tart, funny, slightly heartbreaking.” —Guy Lodge, Variety 

** Venice Film Festival 
** Best First Feature Award at the 35th Stockholm International Film Festival

Tuesday, July 21

Kedi
Directed by Ceyda Torun
Oscilloscope | Documentary | Turkey | 2016 | 79 min

Hundreds of thousands of Turkish cats roam the metropolis of Istanbul freely. For thousands of years, they’ve wandered in and out of people’s lives, becoming an essential part of the communities that make the city so rich. Claiming no owners, the cats of Istanbul live between two worlds, neither wild nor tame –and they bring joy and purpose to those people they choose to adopt. This film is a sophisticated take on your typical cat video that will both dazzle and educate.

“Splendidly graceful and quietly magical.” —Joe Leydon, Variety

Thursday, July 23

Young, Black and Gifted: Diversity at the Paris Opera
Directed by Virginie Plaut & Youcef Khemane
Icarus Films | Documentary | France | 2025 | 58 min

At age 20, Guillaume Diop risked his career to sign a manifesto against racism at the Paris Opera. Three years later, he was named a Danseur Étoile — a star dancer — in the Paris Opera Ballet, one of the world’s most prestigious companies. As the first Black Danseur Étoile, Guillaume is thrust into becoming a national symbol for diversity. We also meet double-bassist Sulivan Loiseau, the first Black musician to join the Opera’s orchestra. Young, Black and Gifted: Diversity at the Paris Opera gives us a revealing, behind-the-scenes look at the Paris Opera, over the course of a year. In rare rehearsal footage, performers prepare for a production of The Nutcracker.

“Superb.” —Mondafrique

OVID EXCLUSIVE — SVOD PREMIERE

Friday, July 24

Joyland
Directed by Saim Sadiq
With Ali Junejo, Rasti Farooq, Alina Khan
Oscilloscope | Drama | Pakistan | 2022 | 94 min

The debut feature from writer-director Saim Sadiq, Joyland explores the many sides of love and desire in a patriarchal society. The story follows the youngest son in a traditional Pakistani family who takes a job as a backup dancer in a Bollywood-style burlesque and quickly becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman who runs the show. 

“A daring film… treads dangerous ground with confidence and compassion.” —Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire

“An unexpected gut punch… a thoughtful, well performed and engrossing drama set in a culture that’s shifting, and not always with ease.” —Anna Smith, Deadline

** Festival De Cannes Un Certain Regard Jury Prize
** Winner 2024 Independent Spirit Awards – Best International Feature

Wednesday, July 29

Flipside
Directed by Christopher Wilcha
With Judd Apatow, Monica Bill Barnes, Anna Bass, Dan Dondiego Jr., Ira Glass
Oscilloscope | Documentary | USA | 2023 | 92 min

When filmmaker Chris Wilcha revisits the record store he worked at as a teenager in New Jersey, he finds the once-thriving bastion of music and weirdness slowly falling apart and out of touch with the times. Flipside documents his tragicomic attempt to revive the store, while revisiting other documentary projects he has abandoned over the years. In the process, Wilcha captures This American Life icon Ira Glass in the midst of a creative rebirth, discovers the origin story of David Bowie’s ode to a local New Jersey cable television hero, and uncovers the unlikely connection between jazz photographer Herman Leonard and TV writer David Milch. This disparate collection of stories coheres into something strange and expansive—a moving meditation on music, work, and the sacrifices and satisfaction of trying to live a creative life.

“A Treasure Trove of Music and Memory.” —Richard Brody, The New Yorker

OVID EXCLUSIVE

Friday, July 31

Save Our Souls
Directed by Jean-Baptiste Bonnet
Icarus Films | Documentary | France | 2025 | 92 min

Filmed on the Ocean Viking, a ship chartered by the humanitarian organization SOS Méditerranée, sailors and medics face the perilous mission of rescuing migrants from overcrowded boats. Off the coast of Libya, the crew are on the lookout for boats in distress. After a high-risk rescue, shipwrecked travelers and rescuers live together while waiting to dock at a safe port. This interim period on board is the first shelter the survivors receive during their journey, fostering a unique bond with the rescuers. Save Our Souls is an immersive meditation on responsibility that explores who answers a call for help, and who has the power to decide the fate of the most vulnerable. 

“A drop of humanity in a sea of distress.” —Abus de Ciné

“A powerful documentary. It’s a raw, unadorned testimony of a rescue operation and the bond forged between survivors and rescuers.” —Télérama

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

Alumination, Eric Bricker (2021) 
Flipside, Christopher Wilcha (2023) 
Golden Years, Barbara Kulcsar (2022) 
Hello, I Must Be Going, Todd Louiso (2012)
Joyland, Saim Sadiq (2022) 
Kedi, Ceyda Torun (2016) 
Mistress Dispeller, Elizabeth Lo (2024) 
Peacock, Bernhard Wenger (2024) 
Save Our Souls, Jean-Baptiste Bonnet (2025)  
The March to War: Iran, Israel and the USA, Ilan Ziv (2021)
Trespassing Bergman: 1711 Videos, Hynek Pallas, Jane Magnusson (2013)
Young, Black and Gifted: Diversity at the Paris Opera, Virginie Plaut & Youcef Khemane (2025)