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The London Film Festival may not get as many premieres as, say, New York, Cannes or Toronto, but its low-key approach means all the films are treated with equal respect. Fans of European film are always in for a treat, with the festival presenting everything from big names to independent first-timers. Here's a small selection of the best this year had to offer:

Some of the best cinema in the world is currently coming out of France, which makes the unevenness of this year's French line-up that much more frustrating. Luckily, hidden amongst yawn-a-thons like the tedious The Cage and unfunny comedy Monday Morning there were gems like the delightful L'Homme du Train. Screen veteran Jean Rochefort plays a retired school teacher living in a small provincial village; '60s pop icon Johnny Hallyday is the mysterious stranger who rolls into town. When the two become friends they realize each wants the life the other has. Visually, the film is warm and comforting, all deep browns and yellows, and the camera finds beauty in every glorious fold and wrinkle of the aging actors' faces. Director Patrice Leconte shows complete trust in her actors, resulting in subtle performances that are funny in all the right places, touching at all the right moments. A heart-warming film that shows coming of age isn't reserved for teenagers.

Italy's selection, on the other hand, was unerringly strong. Marco Bellocchio's My Mother's Smile takes the controversial subject of faith and uses it to lament the loss of personal freedom. When atheist Ernesto learns his mother is being canonized, he finds his independence pitted against pressure from family and church. Infused with melancholy and passion, the film carries its weighty topic with grace and aplomb. More timely is Across the Border, which tells the story of a woman who goes to Bosnia to help bring a young Serb girl into Italy. It's an engaging, wonderfully acted film, high on pathos but low on sentimentality. As for lighter (but no less poignant) fare, there's Respiro. Valeria Golino is glorious as Grazia, the free-spirited mother of three who goes into hiding after the town turns against her. Emanuele Crialese's film is an elegant and vibrant celebration of the human spirit, with one of the most hauntingly beautiful closing shots ever committed to film.

Finding humor in unlikely places seemed to be one of the themes of this year's festival, with two notable examples: The Czech Republic's Brats and Divine Intervention from Palestinian director Elia Suleiman. Brats focuses on a Czech family with three sons, two of them adopted Roma, who move to a small village to escape the racism they faced in Prague. No prizes for guessing that they discover prejudice isn't just a city trait. But instead of belaboring the point, director Zdeneck Tyc highlights the strength of a loving family and goes for laughs when others would dig for tears. In Divine Intervention , Suleiman takes the Middle East conflict and turns it into a raging comedy. Moving between mini disputes in a Palestinian village and a love affair at the Jerusalem/Ramallah checkpoint, the film doesn't miss a single target. Intelligent, eclectic and refreshingly grounded, the free-flowing gags offer new perspective without belittling the issue. A tricky idea, perfectly executed.

On the documentary trail, the festival was heavy on musical stories, from gospel to Chico Hamilton via the history of Britpop. But a different type of cultural insight was provided by The Day I Will Never Forget , an immensely powerful critique of female circumcision. Director Kim Longinotto travelled to Kenya and spoke to mothers, daughters, husbands and fathers, each with a different opinion, and organized their stories in a way that makes the complex topic more accessible. Using Doctor Fardhosa, an anti-circumcision advocate, as a mouthpiece, Longinotto makes an intimate connection with many of her subjects, showing how the consequences of the act reach beyond the physical to the emotional, educational, familial and societal. The scenes showing a circumcision ceremony are gut-wrenching, but seeing a 10-year-old girl eloquently scold her mother for having her circumcised offers hope that future generations will be brave enough to stand up to a centuries-old tradition.

• JUMANA FAROUKY
• Prime European film and talent on show at the Regus London Film Festival