After a week of bad news and fearful futures, sometimes you need to switch off a bit. Other times, you want to have a long old cry about the state of our world, and that’s ok too. We’ve put together a mix of the best films which bring these sentiments together: political, but not depressing; funny, but socially aware. Scroll on down to discover five films to get you through the post-election world.

sorry to bother you

Musician, writer and director Boots Riley’s enthralling and vital directorial debut is the perfect film to start of the new era of #RESISTANCE. Tearing down boundaries cinematic and societal, Boots Riley is not sorry to bother you, because what he’s talking about is way too important. Telling the story of Cassius Green, a Black telemarketer who learns the secret to selling is his ‘White Voice’, no matter what the sale is, and there Riley’s capitalist critique finds its feet flawlessly. Oh and fuck the 1%.

the discreet charm of the bourgeoisie

Fancy laughing at the rich for a bit? Yeah, us too. Luis Buñuel’s surreal satire of the French bourgeoisie is the perfect antidote to this week’s affairs, as the avant-garde director and artist pokes fun at society’s elite. Following a group of upper-middle-class people attempting to dine together, the parties are broken up by a series of bizarre events: from murders to garden sex breaks to drug trafficking. Frustrating and playing tricks on his bougie characters, Buñuel exposes their sense of entitlement, as well as their hypocrisy and corruption.

assassination nation

What do you do when the whole world’s gone mad and you’re the only sane ones left? Wouldn’t you like to know… Featuring a Gen-Z cast of Hari Nef, Bella Thorne, Abra, Suki Waterhouse and promising newcomer Odessa Young, this high-school-gone-wrong tale of a small town turned upside down by hackers is a must-watch post-election. Just when you feel hopeless in a country full of bigots and Brexiteers, Sam Levinson’s Assassination Nation is waiting to make you feel a little less alone (and it has a killer soundtrack to boot).

between two ferns: the movie

After the cult Internet success of Zach Galifianakis interview show, where he takes on the likes of Barack Obama and Justin Bieber, Between Two Ferns was made into a short and sweet movie. This time, Zach heads on a road trip (with his two beloved ferns at his side) to restore his reputation alongside cameos from Paul Rudd, Matthew McConaughey and Keanu Reeves to name a few. Coming in at an hour, 22 minutes, this is the perfect wash-over-you movie for when you really do need a break.

support the girls

It’s not every day that a film can sweep you right into its world and away from your own… But then again it’s not everyday that Andrew Bujalski, Regina Hall and a killer cast team up. Reminding us of who the real heroes are (the people who have to deal with everyone else’s shit), Support the Girls eloquently envisions a day or so in the life of the ordinary women who run the place, centred around the intensely compassionate and hardworking manager Lisa. Capturing a side of America rarely focused on, the wholesome, heart-filled community of working-class women who deserve to be listened to just as readily as the rest.