Jean Vigo’s A propos de Nice exposes the seedier side of life on the French Riviera, contrasting the labor of low-paid workers with the idle tourists as the city prepares for carnival. It is a high-kicking last hurrah for the roaring 1920s, shot by Boris Kaufman, and as thrilling as it is caustic. (Run time: 25 minutes)

Manoel de Oliveira’s first film, Douro, Faina Fluvial, is a masterpiece, filmed in Porto. This remarkable film combines a poetic portrait of the urban poor making a living on the Douro River with rigorously geometric shots of the built environment: the lighthouse that bookends the film, the imposing Dom Luis bridge. (Run time: 21 minutes)

The mesmerizing Regen/Rain was apparently shot during a rainstorm in Amsterdam. But in reality, it is composed of images from several days. The precise rhythm of the editing echoes the beat of the falling rain, and director Joris Ivens’ carefully composed images exploit the slick textures and reflections created by the water. (Run time: 12 minutes)

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Image: À propos de Nice, Jean Vigo, 1930