One of the multiple films shot by Maier for director Jasmila Zbanic about the events and aftermath of warfare in Bosnia, this unflinching wartime drama spotlights a dancer from Australia whose encounters with the population and locations involved in war atrocities seep into her own heart and her artistic expression.

Life coaching is taken to a drastic extreme in this sci-fi parable from director Ruth Mader about the title agency devoted to letting people live their most productive lives – unless you do something the system doesn’t like. The gleaming aesthetic of a futuristic world is a striking backdrop here, with warm colors entirely sapped away.

Barbara Albert’s delicate period piece set in 18th-century Vienna charts the true story of a blind piano prodigy who resorts to unorthodox treatments under her doctor’s care. The use of light itself is vital here to keep the audience within the perspective of its main character, whose virtual lack of sight is echoed with careful use of focus and indistinct background detail.

Zbanic’s Oscar-nominated drama set in Bosnia is based on true events involving the displacement of a local village invaded by the Serbian Army, with a translator among those who look for shelter. With its spare but compelling imagery, the film is a potent example of how cinematography and acting can work hand in hand to tell a story.