Spotlight (2015)

"Break the story. Break the silence."

Directed by Tom McCarthy
Produced by Blye Faust, Steve Golin, Nicole Rocklin, Michael Sugar
Written by Tom McCarthy, Josh Singer
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci
Music by Howard Shore
Cinematography: Masanobu Takayanagi
Edited by Tom McArdle
Production companies: Anonymous Content, First Look Media, Participant Media, Rocklin/Faust
Distributed by Open Road Films
Release date: 6 November 2015 (United States)
Running time: 129 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $20 million
Box office: $27.3 million

"Spotlight" is a biographical drama film directed by Tom McCarthy and written by McCarthy and Josh Singer. The story is about how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover-up within the local Catholic Archdiocese, shaking the entire Catholic Church to its core.

Joy (2015)

Directed by David O. Russell
Produced by John Davis, Megan Ellison, Jonathan Gordon, Ken Mok, David O. Russell
Screenplay by David O. Russell
Story by Annie Mumolo, David O. Russell
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Edgar Ramirez, Diane Ladd, Virginia Madsen, Isabella Rossellini, Bradley Cooper
Music by West Dylan Thordson, David Campbell
Cinematography: Linus Sandgren
Edited by Alan Baumgarten, Jay Cassidy, Tom Cross, Christopher Tellefsen
Production companies: Fox 2000 Pictures, Davis Entertainment Company, Annapurna Pictures, TSG Entertainment
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date: 25 December 2015 (United States)
Running time: 124 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $60 million
Box office: $52.1 million

"Joy" is a biographical comedy drama film written and directed by David O. Russell. It tells the story of Joy, who rose to become founder and matriarch of a powerful family business dynasty.

The Danish Girl (2015)

"Find the courage to be yourself."

Directed by Tom Hooper
Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Anne Harrison, Tom Hooper, Gail Mutrux
Screenplay by Lucinda Coxon
Based on "The Danish Girl" by David Ebershoff
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ben Whishaw, Sebastian Koch, Amber Heard
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography: Danny Cohen
Edited by Melanie Ann Oliver
Production companies: Working Title, Pretty Pictures, Revision Pictures, Senator Global Productions
Distributed by Focus Features, Universal Pictures International
Release date: 27 November 2015 (United States)
Running time: 119 minutes
Country: United Kingdom, United States
Budget: $15 million
Box office: $31 million

"The Danish Girl" is a romantic biographical drama film directed by Tom Hooper and written by Lucinda Coxon, based on the novel of the same name by David Ebershoff and loosely inspired by the lives of Danish painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. The story is about Lili and Gerda's marriage and work that evolve as they navigate Lili's groundbreaking journey as a transgender pioneer.

Steve Jobs (2015)

"Can a great man be a good man?"

Directed by Danny Boyle
Produced by Danny Boyle, Guymon Casady, Christian Colson, Mark Gordon, Scott Rudin
Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
Based on "Steve Jobs" by Walter Isaacson
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels
Music by Daniel Pemberton
Cinematography: Alwin H. Küchler
Edited by Elliot Graham
Production companies: Legendary Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, Mark Gordon Company, Entertainment 360, Decibel Films, Cloud Eight Films
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date: 9 October 2015 (United States)
Running time: 122 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $30 million
Box office: $31 million

"Steve Jobs" is a biographical drama film directed by Danny Boyle and written by Aaron Sorkin, based on Walter Isaacson's 2011 biography of the same name and interviews conducted by Sorkin. It tells the story of Steve Jobs who takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution, to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter.

In the Heart of the Sea (2015)

"Experience the true encounter that inspired the myth Moby Dick."

Directed by Ron Howard
Produced by Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Will Ward, Joe Roth, Paula Weinstein
Screenplay by Charles Leavitt
Story by Charles Leavitt, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver
Based on "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy, Tom Holland, Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson
Music by Roque Baños
Cinematography: Anthony Dod Mantle
Edited by Dan Hanley, Mike Hill
Production company: Village Roadshow Pictures, Roth Films, Imagine Entertainment
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: 11 December 2015 (United States)
Running time: 122 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $100 million
Box office: $90.4 million

"In the Heart of the Sea" is a biographical action adventure film directed by Ron Howard, written by Charles Leavitt, based on Nathaniel Philbrick's non-fiction book of the same name. The story is about a whaling ship which is preyed upon by a sperm whale, stranding its crew at sea for 90 days, thousands of miles from home.

Bridge of Spies (2015)

"In the shadow of war, one man showed the world what we stand for."

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Produced by Steven Spielberg, Marc Platt, Kristie Macosko Krieger
Written by Matt Charman, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Starring: Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan, Alan Alda
Music by Thomas Newman
Cinematography: Janusz Kamiński
Edited by Michael Kahn
Production companies: Touchstone Pictures, DreamWorks Pictures, Fox 2000 Pictures, Reliance Entertainment, Participant Media, Afterworks Limited, Studio Babelsberg, Amblin Entertainment, Marc Platt Productions
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios, Motion Pictures, 20th Century Fox
Release date: 16 October 2015 (United States)
Running time: 141 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $40 million
Box office: $160.9 million

"Bridge of Spies" is a historical biographical drama film directed by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen and Joel Coen. The story is about an American lawyer who is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot during the Cold War.

Legend (2015)

"Love, fight, live, rule like a legend."

Directed by Brian Helgeland
Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Chris Clark, Quentin Curtis, Brian Oliver
Screenplay by Brian Helgeland
Based on "The Profession of Violence" by John Pearson
Starring: Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, David Thewlis, Duffy, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri
Music by Carter Burwell
Cinematography: Dick Pope
Edited by Peter McNulty
Production companies: Anton Capital Entertainment, Cross Creek Pictures, StudioCanal, Working Title Films
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date: 9 September 2015 (United Kingdom)
Running time: 131 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: $25 million
Box office: $38.7 million

"Legend" is a biographical crime thriller drama film written and directed by Brian Helgeland and based on the book "The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins" by John Pearson. It follows the story of the identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray, two of the most notorious criminals in British history, and their organised crime empire in the East End of London during the 1960s.

Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)

"Beauty inspires obsession."

Directed by Peter Webber
Produced by Andy Paterson, Anand Tucker
Screenplay by Olivia Hetreed
Based on "Girl with a Pearl Earring" by Tracy Chevalier
Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Essie Davis, Tom Wilkinson, Cillian Murphy, Judy Parfitt
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography: Eduardo Serra
Edited by Kate Evans
Production companies: UK Film Council, Archer Street Productions
Distributed by Pathé, Lions Gate Films
Release date: 16 January 2004 (United Kingdom)
Running time: 100 minutes
Country: United Kingdom, United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Netherlands
Budget: £10 million
Box office: $31,466,789 (Worldwide)

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" is a biographical romantic drama film directed by Peter Webber and based on the novel of the same name by Tracy Chevalier. The story is about a young girl who working as a maid attracts attention of painter Johannes Vermeer and becomes his talented assistant and a part of his masterpieces.

Wild (2014)

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
Produced by Bruna Papandrea, Bill Pohlad, Reese Witherspoon
Screenplay by Nick Hornby
Based on "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail" by Cheryl Strayed
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, Michiel Huisman, Gaby Hoffmann
Cinematography: Yves Bélanger
Edited by John Mac McMurphy, Martin Pensa
Production companies: Pacific Standard, River Road Entertainment, TSG Entertainment
Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release date: 19 December 2014 (United States)
Running time: 115 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $15 million
Box office: $52.5 million

"Wild" is a biographical drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and based on Cheryl Strayed's 2012 memoir "Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail". The story is about a woman who decided to find herself by a 1,100-mile solo hike.

The Aviator (2004)

"For some men, the sky was the limit. For him, it was just the beginning."

Directed by Martin Scorsese
Produced by Michael Mann, Sandy Climan, Graham King, Charles Evans, Jr.
Screenplay by John Logan
Based on "Howard Hughes: The Secret Life" by Charles Higham
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, Ian Holm, Danny Huston, Gwen Stefani, Jude Law
Music by Howard Shore
Cinematography: Robert Richardson
Edited by Thelma Schoonmaker
Production companies: Forward Pass, Appian Way, Miramax Films, Intermedia, Initial Entertainment Group, Cappa Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: 25 December 2004 (Canada)
Running time: 170 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $110 million
Box office: $213.7 million

"The Aviator" is a biographical drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and based on the non-fiction book "Howard Hughes: The Secret Life" by Charles Higham. The story is about the life of Howard Hughes, an aviation pioneer and director of Hell's Angels, which is depicting the early years of his career, from the late 1920s to the mid-1940s.

Schindler's List (1993)

"Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire."

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Produced by Steven Spielberg, Gerald R. Molen, Branko Lustig
Screenplay by Steven Zaillian
Based on "Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Keneally
Starring: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Jonathan Sagall, Embeth Davidtz
Music by John Williams
Cinematography: Janusz Kamiński
Edited by Michael Kahn
Production company: Amblin Entertainment
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date: 25 December 1993 (Canada)
Running time: 197 minutes
Country: United States, Poland, Israel
Budget: $22 million
Box office: $321.2 million

"Schindler's List" is a biographical history drama, directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg, scripted by Steven Zaillian, and based on the novel "Schindler's Ark" by Thomas Keneally. The story is about Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.

Coco Before Chanel (2009)

"Before she was France's famous mademoiselle..."

Directed by Anne Fontaine
Produced by Simon Arnal, Caroline Benjo, Philippe Carcassonne, Carole Scotta
Written by Anne Fontaine, Camille Fontaine
Based on "Chanel and Her World" by Edmonde Charles-Roux
Starring: Audrey Tautou, Benoît Poelvoorde, Alessandro Nivola, Marie Gillain, Emmanuelle Devos
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography: Christophe Beaucarne
Edited by Luc Barnier
Production company: Haut et Court, Ciné@, France 2 Cinéma
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics
Release date: 22 April 2009 (Belgium)
Running time: 105 minutes
Country: France, Belgium
Budget: $19,430,000
Box office: $50,813,834

"Coco Before Chanel" is a biographical drama film about the early life of famed French fashion designer Coco Chanel.

American Sniper (2014)

"The most lethal sniper in U.S. history"

Directed by Clint Eastwood
Produced by Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper, Peter Morgan
Written by Jason Hall
Based on "American Sniper" by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen, Jim DeFelice
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller
Cinematography: Tom Stern
Edited by Joel Cox, Gary D. Roach
Production company: Village Roadshow Pictures, Mad Chance Productions, 22nd & Indiana Pictures, Malpaso Productions
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Release date: 1 January 2015 (Italy)
Running time: 132 minutes
Country: United States, Morocco
Budget: $58.8 million
Box office: $472.1 million

"American Sniper" is a biographical war drama film directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Jason Hall. It's based on the book "American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History" (2012) by Chris Kyle, with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice. The story is about Kyle, the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history: with 255 kills, 160 of which were officially confirmed by the Department of Defense. His pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind.

The Imitation Game (2014)

"Unlock the secret, win the war"

Directed by Morten Tyldum
Produced by Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky, Teddy Schwarzman
Written by Graham Moore
Based on "Alan Turing: The Enigma" by Andrew Hodges
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance, Mark Strong
Music by Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography: Óscar Faura
Edited by William Goldenberg
Production company: Black Bear Pictures, FilmNation Entertainment, Bristol Automotive
Distributed by StudioCanal, The Weinstein Company
Release date: 14 November 2014 (United Kingdom)
Running time: 114 minutes
Country: United Kingdom, United States
Budget: $14 million
Box office: $153.9 million

"The Imitation Game" is a biographical thriller drama film directed by Morten Tyldum and based on the biography "Alan Turing: The Enigma" by Andrew Hodges. It tells the story of the British cryptanalyst Alan Turing, who helped solve the Enigma code during the Second World War and was later prosecuted for his homosexuality.

Foxcatcher (2014)

"Based on the shocking true story"

Directed by Bennett Miller
Produced by Bennett Miller, Megan Ellison, Jon Kilik, Anthony Bregman
Written by E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman
Starring: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave
Music by Rob Simonsen, West Dylan Thordson
Cinematography: Greig Fraser
Edited by Stuart Levy, Conor O'Neill, Jay Cassidy
Production company: Annapurna Pictures, Likely Story
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics
Release date: 20 November 2014 (Israel)
Running time: 134 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $24 million
Box office: $14.2 million

"Foxcatcher" is a biographical sport drama film directed by Bennett Miller and written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman. It's loosely based on 1984 Olympic gold medalist and two time world champion US wrestler Mark Schultz's autobiographical memoir,"Foxcatcher: The True Story of My Brother's Murder, John du Pont's Madness, and the Quest for Olympic Gold". The film's plot revolves around multimillionaire E.I. du Pont family heir and wrestling enthusiast John E. du Pont's recruitment of Schultz and his older brother, Dave, also a 1984 Olympic gold medalist, to help coach US wrestlers for participation in National, World, and Olympic competition, and the tragic events that followed.

The Theory of Everything (2014)

"His mind changed our world. Her love changed his."

Directed by James Marsh
Produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten
Screenplay by Anthony McCarten
Based on "Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen" by Jane Wilde Hawking
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Charlie Cox, Emily Watson, Simon McBurney,David Thewlis, Christian McKay
Music by Jóhann Jóhannsson
Cinematography: Benoît Delhomme
Edited by Jinx Godfrey
Production company: Working Title Films
Distributed by Focus Features, Universal Pictures
Release date: 7 November 2014 (Canada)
Running time: 123 minutes
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: $15 million
Box office: $58.6 million

"The Theory of Everything" is a biographical romantic drama film directed by James Marsh and adapted from the memoir "Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen" by Jane Wilde Hawking. It tells a story of her relationship with her ex-husband, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, his diagnosis of motor neuron disease, and his success in physics.

Big Eyes (2014)

"She created it. He sold it. And they bought it."

Directed by Tim Burton
Produced by Tim Burton, Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski, Lynette Howell
Written by Scott Alexander, Larry Karaszewski
Starring: Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Danny Huston, Jon Polito, Krysten Ritter, Jason Schwartzman, Terence Stamp
Music by Danny Elfman
Cinematography: Bruno Delbonnel
Edited by JC Bond
Production company: Silverwood Films, Electric City Entertainment, Tim Burton Productions
Distributed by The Weinstein Company
Release date: 25 December 2014 (Canada)
Running time: 106 minutes
Country: United States, United Kingdom, Canada
Budget: $10.000.000
Box office: $17.800.000

"Big Eyes" is a biographical drama film directed by Tim Burton and written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. It tells the story based on true events. An American artist Margaret Keane, who had created Big Eyes paintings, was burned by her husband Walter. However, will she clue his cheat?

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

"Dare to Live"

Directed by Jean-Marc Vallée
Produced by Robbie Brenner, Rachel Winter
Written by Craig Borten, Melisa Wallack
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto
Cinematography: Yves Bélanger
Edited by John Mac McMurphy, Martin Pensa
Production company: Truth Entertainment, Voltage Pictures

Distributed by Focus Features (US)
Release date: November 1, 2013 (United States)
Running time: 117 minutes
Country: United States
Budget: $5,000,000
Box office: $55,200,000

"Dallas Buyers Club" is a biopic drama film directed by Jean-Marc Vallée and written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack. It tells the story about Ron Woodroof, Dallas electrician and rodeo cowboy Ron Woodroof is diagnosed with AIDS and given 30 days to live. He's soon ostracized by family and friends, gets fired from his job, and is eventually evicted from his home. At the hospital, he is tended to by Dr. Eve Saks, who tells him that they are testing a drug called zidovudine (AZT), an antiretroviral drug which is thought to prolong the life of AIDS patients—and which is the only drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for testing on humans. Saks informs him that in the clinical trials, half the patients receive the drug and the other half are given a placebo, as this is the only way they can determine if the drug is working. What will fall to Ron's share?

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

"To Walt Disney, "Mary Poppins" was more than a book. To her, it was more than a movie."

Directed by John Lee Hancock
Produced by Alison Owen, Ian Collie, Philip Steuer
Screenplay by Kelly Marcel, Sue Smith
Starring: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman, Bradley Whitford, Colin Farrell
Music by Thomas Newman
Cinematography: John Schwartzman
Edited by Mark Livolsi
Production company: Walt Disney Pictures, BBC Films, Essential Media Entertainment, Ruby Films, Hopscotch Features
Distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
Release date: November 29, 2013 (UK & Ireland)
Running time: 125 minutes
Country: Australia, United Kingdom, United States

"Saving Mr. Banks" is a biopic comedy drama film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith. One day Walt Disney gave a promise to his daughter that he would make a film based on her favourite book - "Mary Poppins" by P.L. Travers. But he didn't even suppose that idea would take twenty years. Disney had been confronted by many difficulties with the screen version before in 1961 a hard-edged author arrived in Los Angeles from Great Britain. However, problems didn't end -  P.L. Travers inserted lots of amendments, the business magnate wasn't able to do anything. It seemed like that screen version would stay just a dream.

My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Directed by Simon Curtis
Produced by David Parfitt, Harvey Weinstein
Screenplay by Adrian Hodges
Based on "The Prince", "The Showgirl and Me" and "My Week with Marilyn" by Colin Clark
Starring: Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne, Emma Watson, Judi Dench
Music by Conrad Pope, Alexandre Desplat
Cinematography: Ben Smithard
Edited by Adam Recht
Distributed by Entertainment Film Distributors, The Weinstein Company
Release date: 25 November 2011 (United Kingdom)
Running time: 101 minutes
Country: United Kingdom

"My Week with Marilyn" is a biopic drama film directed by Simon Curtis and written by Adrian Hodges. It's based on two books by Colin Clark, which describes the making of the film "The Prince and the Showgirl" starring Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. "My Week with Marilyn" tells the story which happens on the week when Monroe spends time being escorted around London by Clark after her husband, Arthur Miller, had left the country.