Three countries. One passion. Three hundred bodies — climbing, reaching the sky to build a human tower.

In Mumbai, India, a team of men attempt to break the Indian record for biggest human tower at the one-day Dahi Handi Festival. In Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain, a group of castellers ( climbers) formed by men, women and children share their passion with the world following a tradition that goes back 400 years. A legendary coach takes his passion to Santiago, Chile, hoping to empower and help the local groups to improve their performances while unifying them as a community.

The film cuts between the three countries, leading to a major climatic scene that will take your breath away and keep you on the edge of your seat. All it takes is one shaky foot and the human tower falls, sending hundreds of bodies tumbling in the rain or into the mud or onto the crumbling pavement of a forgotten neighborhood. A passion beyond race, borders, and ages. A global story of fearless skills heart-pounding suspense and also of human connection.

Why Make Human Towers? Human towers are medicine for the soul. You risk your life for a moment of sublime camaraderie and community. Trust is paramount. All it takes is one shaky foot and the entire tower falls, sending you and hundreds of others tumbling into the air, onto each other and then onto the pavement. Building human towers is more than a quirky attraction, more than an international sport and more than a refuge for lost youth. It’s more even than a thirst for the glory of winning. A human tower, when done right, represents an unparalleled passion for human connection that goes beyond race, borders and ages. In this sense, the world’s best human tower builders represent all of us — all people, all communities, all nations — in our hope for a better future.

A charming and intriguing kids’ film from India, “Gattu” is about an orphan being raised by a strict uncle constantly frustrated by his nephew’s inability to focus on work. Gattu is obsessed instead with kite-flying, and in particular with defeating the mysterious Kali, a black kite that rules the skies. To do this, Gattu is prepared to steal, lie, and even go to school! The only problem—he is illiterate. Nonetheless, our hero takes up the challenge, proving anything might be possible when the will is strong enough. Nominated for Best Children’s Feature Film at the 2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.

The fifth-grade chorus of PS22 on Staten Island, N.Y., became a YouTube sensation when their teacher started posting videos of them singing. Their rousing renditions of pop songs soon earned them a national legion of fans, as well as the attention of Academy Awards producers. This joyous documentary follows the talented and diverse group of kids and their energetic instructor, as together they tackle creative differences, lost voices, and homesickness on their way to appearing in the finale of the 2011 Academy Awards ceremony. The transformative power of music shines throughout.

Uno de los planos más famosos de la comedia muda: un hombre con sombrero de paja y gafas con montura de cuerno, colgado del minutero de un reloj a 12 pisos de altura sobre la calle... ¡y sin embargo no mucha gente ha visto "Safety Last"! El genio cómico de la estrella del cine mudo Harold Lloyd es eterno. Chaplin es el inocente vagabundo, Keaton el forastero estoico, pero Lloyd -el tipo moderno que lucha por el éxito- somos nosotros. Con su torrente de gags perfectamente ejecutados y asombrosas acrobacias, "Safety Last!" es la introducción perfecta a esta luminaria de la era muda.

Esta película de animación sin palabras, evocadora y original sigue a Cuca, un niño brasileño que se aventura desde su sencillo hogar en el campo hasta una metrópolis carnavalesca llena de neón en busca de su padre. Es un festín audiovisual. Cuando aparezcan los títulos de crédito, es muy probable que tu interpretación de la película sea distinta de la de los demás, ¡pero qué pasada!

Abra sus sentidos a una película de animación refrescantemente original y singularmente visual del artista brasileño Alê Abreu. Empleando desde mosaicos hasta acuarelas, la película desborda deleite, explotando con colores vibrantes y ritmos de samba/hip hop. La historia se centra en Cuca, un niño que crece en el campo brasileño con su familia. Un día, su padre se marcha a trabajar a la ciudad, lo que lleva a Cuca a poner rumbo a la metrópoli, decidido a reunir a su familia. La animación comienza de forma sencilla, pero a medida que Cuca se adentra en el mundo, el estilo visual adquiere una mayor complejidad, creando finalmente un paisaje urbano impregnado de neón con una variedad de extraños personajes nunca vistos. La historia, aparentemente sencilla, revela una serie de conflictos entre el campo y la ciudad, la pobreza y la riqueza, lo hecho a mano y la maquinaria, de tal manera que públicos de todas las edades experimentarán la misma narrativa en diferentes niveles. La película de Abreu es cautivadora, y mantendrá la atención del espectador durante toda su duración, sin apenas diálogos, hasta su sorprendente y emotivo final.