Five films by French director Robert Bresson and five modern Latino films highlight the Baltimore Film Forum's Cutting Edge series that begins Thursday at the Baltimore Museum of Art's Meyerhoff Auditorium.

"A Man Escaped," the story of a French resistance leader who escapes from a Nazi prison hours before his scheduled execution, leads off the Thursday night series of films by Bresson, who is noted for his spare style.

It will be followed by "Au Hasard Balthazar" on Jan. 9; "Mouchette" on Jan. 16; "Lancelot of the Lake" on Jan. 23; and "L'Argent" on Jan. 30.

The Latino films begin Friday with "Whatever Happened to Santiago," a Puerto Rican film described as the story of a "widowed accountant whose life is turned upside down after a brief, chance encounter with an alluring, secretive beauty."

It will be followed by "The Tigress," an Ecuadorean film, on Jan.

10; "Man Facing Southeast," an Argentinian film, Jan. 17; "Rodrigo D," from Columbia, Jan. 24; and "The Story of Fausta," from Brazil, Jan. 31.

All films are in their native languages with English subtitles. Show times are 8 p.m. and admission is $5; $4 for students, seniors and BMA/BFF members. For more information, call (410) 889-1993.