10-05-2024 GIEFF-Films
Ayda, Lioness among Free Lions, The Chalice. Of Sons and Daughters, Wani, Japanese Buddhism, The Souls Of Bossales, The Ballads of the Forest, Chronicle of a Digital Funeral, Operation Namibia, The Empty Sign
Ayda, Lioness among Free Lions
Netherlands, 2023, 110 min
Location: Eritrea
A Film by: Metje Postma
"Ayda, Lioness among Free Lions" by Metje Postma provides a glimpse into the life of Ayda Saeed, a female member of the Free Lions Forces, an armed militia established by Sudanese Rashaida rebels between 1999 and 2006. Set in 2006 during peace negotiations with the Sudanese government, the film follows Ayda's daily life in Al Gerda camp near the Sudanese border in Tessenei, Eritrea. Amidst working on a restoration project for Mabruk Mubarak, the leader of the Free Lions, Ayda navigates personal and political dynamics, providing insight into the Rashaida community's struggle for identity and autonomy.
Screening: 10.05.2024 09:00
The Chalice. Of Sons and Daughters
Romania, 2022, 84 min
Location: Romania, Italy
A Film by: Catalina Tesar, Dana Bunescu
"The Chalice: Of Sons and Daughters" by Catalina Tesar and Dana Bunescu immerses viewers in the heart of a traditional Roma community in Transylvania, where arranged marriages and gender roles are deeply ingrained. The documentary follows Peli and Nina, a young couple in their mid-20s, who are striving to conceive a son, in order to comply with the local custom, while navigating disputes over the chalice pledged in their marriage. Through the heartfelt confessions and reflections of Peli's younger sister Bara, the film eloquently explores the strength and resilience of women in a male-dominated society grappling with the complexities of ‘tradition’ and ‘modernity’.
Trailer of Film: https://filmfreeway.com/submissions/25289348
Screening: 10.05.2024 11:15
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Wani
Not Specified, 2022, 52 min
Location: French Guiana
A Film by: Nicolas Pradal, Kerth Agouinti
"Wani" by Nicolas Pradal and Kerth Agouinti follows the story of Wani, a plumber at the town hall of Maripasoula, who also possesses a precious knowledge of a drum used to free mourning spirits. However, after his father, the traditional chief of the community, passes away, Wani grapples with an existential void and questions the meaning of his existence. Despite his inner turmoil, when a villager dies, Wani engages in the Puu Baaka ceremony to release the spirit of the deceased and support the grieving family. However, his mind is preoccupied elsewhere, reflecting his internal struggles and search for purpose.
Screening: 10.05.2024 14:00
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Japanese Buddhism
Japan, 2023, 61 min
Location: Japan
A Film by: Kazuya Ashizawa
"Japanese Buddhism" by Kazuya Ashizawa poses the intriguing question: Do the well-known characteristics of honesty, diligence, and politeness still define the Japanese people today? The key lies in Japanese Buddhism, which has been the spiritual center of the Japanese people for more than 1,500 years. Ashizawa shares with the world the stories and images of the people close to him, offering insights into the enduring values and traditions of Japanese society while pondering their continuity in the modern era.
Screening: 10.05.2024 15:00
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The Souls Of Bossales
France, 2023, 82 min
Location: Haiti
A Film by: Francois Perlier
The "bossales" were the African slaves who won the Haitian war of independence. This term is now used to refer to a rebellious person, like the protagonists of the film: Charlotte, a human rights defender, Foukifoura, a satirical columnist, Édris, a videographer of the insurrection, Michou, a worker struggling to survive, Ramoncite, an enigmatic voodoo priest. In an explosive social context, they embody the soul of their country, an incandescent home of political and spiritual resistance.
Website: https://www.corpusfilms.org/les-ames-bossales/
Screening: 10.05.2024 16:25
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The Ballads of the Forest
India, 2022, 15 min
Location: Taiwan
A Film by: Yaduvanshi Sachin
Images and sounds from the rituals of the indigenous Paiwan group, recorded in the village and in the forest and brought together in a sensual way, turn nature into a culture and the past into the present. With an experimental approach, Yaduvanshi Sachin delves into various sociological and ecological contexts through documentary arts.
Screening: 10.05.2024 18:00
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Chronicle of a Digital Funeral
Palestine, State of, 2022, 11 min
Location: Palestine
A Film by: Sophia Harb
“Chronicle of a Digital Funeral” is an intimate conversation with Nasser Jaber, a socially motivated chef based in New York City, reflecting on his father’s burial in Palestine, which he could not attend because of Covid-19. After hearing of the death of Nasser’s father, Sophia Harb contacted and interviewed him online. She also obtained funeral footage recorded by Muhammed Jaber.
Screening: 10.05.2024 18:25
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Operation Namibia
Germany, 2023, 93 min
Location: Gabon, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sao Tome and Princ
A Film by: Martin Paret
Can books start a revolution? 1976, Martin Paret’s uncle Hans boards an old fishing boat as a member of the left-wing activist group “Operation Namibia”. Their goal, to fight apartheid with 6000 banned books on board. But what was planned as a five-month journey turns into a tragic odyssey. “Operation Namibia” is a post-colonial experimental film that oscillates between written correspondence and original photographs.
Website: https://martinparet.com/operation-namibia/
Screening: 10.05.2024 20:00
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The Empty Sign
United States, 2023, 76 min
Location: Puerto Rico
A Film by: Kathryn Ramey
Mixing a hundred years of found footage - tourism, agricultural and propaganda films - with contemporary portraits of artists and activists this film is a journey through the complex layers of the United States’ occupation of Puerto Rico. Using an experimental and ethnographic approach the film reveals how carefully crafted American fictions of “democracy” and “debt” obscure a capitalist and military domination.
Website: https://rameyfilms.com/el-signo-vacio/
Trailer of Film: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/334323263
Screening: 10.05.2024 21:50
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