One of this year’s most talked-about Oscar snubs was Canada’s entry for Best Film in a Foreign Language being denied a nomination. Xavier Dolan’s Mommy (pictured) tells the story (in French) of a single mom struggling to bring up a troubled teenage son, and her encounter with a mysterious neighbor who wants to help. Playing from April 25 at Human Trust Cinema Yurakucho (2-7-1 Yurakucho, Chiyoda-ku; www.ht-cinema.com) and Shinjuku Musashinokan (3-27-10 Shinjuku; http://shinjuku.musashino-k.jp)

It is pretty safe to say few have seen a film like Ukrainian indie The Tribe. Set in a boarding school for adolescent deaf students, the dialogue is completely in sign language, with no subtitles. The no-holds-barred visual storytelling about the new kid in school being drawn into a world of organized crime and falling for the classmate he is assigned to pimp is a unique, challenging viewing experience. On from April 18 at Cinema Qualite (3-37-12 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku; http://qualite.musashino-k.jp) and Eurospace in Shibuya (1-5 Maruyamacho, Shibuya-ku; www.eurospace.co.jp)

Japan lost a legend when actor Ken Takakura died last November. Shin-Bungeiza in Ikebukuro (3F, 1-43-5 Higashi-Ikebukuro Toshima-ku; www.shin-bungeiza.com) pays tribute April 19-May 5, with 30 films, which unfortunately are not subtitled, but many are presented in new 35mm prints.