An Endless Road  - 10 AM

by Chen Yongkang DCP, 119' (China), 2024

Rebajicun, singer Jiangyang, and dancer Cangla — through their intertwined stories, the film explores the perseverance and inner conflicts of folk artists in the era of globalization. Rebajicun represents the love for traditional folk art and the tension with the influence of new cultural trends. Jiangyang embodies loyalty to the traditional values of marriage and ideal love, while Cangla symbolizes the emancipated vision of modern women striving to transcend traditional beliefs in pursuit of international goals.

​

Chen Yongkang, born in Chaoyang, Beijing (China), is an art curator, screenwriter, film director, and classical poet. He has directed art films such as Outline Light and the literary film Snowy Reba, as well as cinematic works like Green Dream, Water Show, Legend of the Mandarin Duck Mirror, and Twin Butterflies, in addition to the action film Dragon Gate Swordsman. Author of over 5,000 classical poems and awarded musical compositions such as Lime and Summon, which won the National Radio and Television Administration Original Music Award in 2004.

Desde Fuera Y Tan Adentro - 12 AM

by Fab Llanos DCP, 94' (Chile, Spain), 2024

The narrative begins in 2018, intertwining deeply personal and collective moments, reflecting on resilience, solidarity, and the fight for human rights and gender equality.

​

Fab Llanos is a Spanish director with a strong passion for social cinema and documentary filmmaking. Always committed to telling stories that amplify human rights and gender issues, her work focuses on themes such as culture, inequality, feminism, and violence. From Far Away and Deep Inside represents her most ambitious project, combining her artistic experience with a desire to shed light on stories of resilience and social transformation.

Old Friend - 1.40 PM

by Sam Yekta DCP, 83' (Iran), 2024

The documentary Old Friend retraces the professional lives of renowned art journalists active during the 1950s and 1960s in a popular and prestigious youth magazine that had a significant impact in launching numerous artists across various fields, including cinema and music.

​

Sam Yekta, born in 1979, is a filmmaker and documentarian passionate about telling stories that explore art, culture, and the social impact of media.

by Shilan Saadi DCP, 85' (Iran), 2024

Kurdish director Shilan tells the stories of young Yazidi refugee girls who survived the Sinjar massacre and, five years ago, lived in a Turkish refugee camp. As the girls are now scattered across Europe, Shilan narrates a powerful tale of resilience and survival, exploring the rich history of the Kurdish people and shedding light on the ongoing plight of the displaced Yazidi community.

​

Shilan Saadi is an independent director and producer from Mahabad, a Kurdish city in Iran. Her films are dedicated to the daily struggles of the Kurdish people, particularly women, in their fight against various forms of oppression. She holds a degree in Cinema from Sureh University in Tehran and has attended documentary workshops led by Arne Bro and Asghar Farhadi.

by Constantin Rusu DCP, 63' (Italy), 2024

Constantin is a young Moldovan man who emigrated to Italy at a very young age. Just a few months before his wedding, he decides to return to Moldova in search of his cultural roots and true identity. What awaits him is a country much changed from what he remembered—one facing the threat of imminent war, where he is seen as a stranger.

​

Constantin Rusu is a film director and producer born in post-Soviet Moldova and raised in the Roman suburb of Tor Bella Monaca, a challenging and complex environment. He graduated in directing from the Griffith Academy of Film and Television and studied screenwriting at Tracce School in Rome, training with acclaimed mentors such as Daniele Ciprì, Daniele Vicari, Graziano Diana, and Heidrun Schleef. In 2019, he wrote, produced, and directed the short film Run, Prince, Run!, a fantasy piece on the theme of bullying, which was selected at the International Children’s Film Festival in India.

by Rico Speight DCP, 84' (United States, Algeria, Martinique), 2024

The film examines the tragic killings of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Walter Scott, Philando Castile, and the murder of George Floyd, highlighting Fanon's insights on the vulnerability of Black bodies within a system of anti-Black racism.

​

Rico Speight is an independent producer, director, writer, and educator with extensive experience in documentary, narrative, television, theatre, and web productions. His documentary Who’s Gonna Take the Weight?, the first of a two-part series on the parallel lives of African American and South African youth, was released in 1997 and screened at the 52nd Cannes International Film Festival in 1999. In 2007, he produced the sequel Where Are They Now?, which was broadcast nationally in South Africa by the South African Broadcasting Corporation TV.

by Kate Tiuri DCP, 61' (Ukraine), 2024 

Katya is a Ukrainian filmmaker from Sevastopol who has been forced to flee war for the second time. After the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, she relocated to Kyiv, only to be displaced again in 2022 following the full-scale invasion, seeking refuge in the Czech Republic. As she attempts to rebuild her life, Katya embarks on an 8,525-kilometer journey to discover, through the stories of children affected by war, the true meaning of "home." The children teach her that home is not just a physical place, but a refuge we can carry within ourselves, even in the most difficult times.

​

Kateryna Tiuri is a Ukrainian director originally from Sevastopol, with over 12 years of experience in directing commercials and music videos. After February 24, 2022, she turned her focus to documentary filmmaking. In 2019, she debuted with a short film about Kyiv's dance community, which was selected by 40 international festivals and received several awards. In 2020, she directed a series of shorts dedicated to summer weekends, featured in both Ukrainian and international festivals. In 2023, she began working on her first feature-length documentary about Ukrainian children, completed in February 2024. That same year, she released People Who Keep Living, a short documentary about cultural life in Ukraine during the full-scale war.

The School Principal   - 8.10 PM

by Mikaeel Dayani DCP, 15' (Iran), 2024

Set in a school where students actively participate in the revolution for women's freedom, The School Principal portrays the conflict that arises when the headmaster stands against the movement. Motivated by seemingly logical reasons, the principal's opposition creates a powerful clash between youthful ideals and institutional authority.

​

Mikaeel Dayani (born in 1989) is a social journalist who brings his experience documenting socially impactful realities into his films. He holds a Master's degree in Media Management from the University of Tehran and studied filmmaking at the Iranian Youth Cinema Society.

The Unseen Wound   - 8.25 PM

by Parag Chhapekar DCP, 25' (India), 2024

A couple of software engineers abandon the American dream to serve their home village in India. However, the birth of their dark-skinned daughter forces them to confront deep-rooted prejudices, societal judgment, and their own internalized biases. This leads them on a transformative journey of acceptance, resilience, and unconditional love.

​

Parag Chhapekar has over 25 years of experience in the Bollywood film industry. He has interviewed many of the top actors and actresses in Hindi cinema and received numerous accolades. As the creator of successful shows like Parag Dil Se (Live India, TV18), he also launched popular programs such as Cinema A to Zee (Zee) and Mirch Masala (Star). An actor and director, he has appeared in films such as OMG 2, Youngistan, and Chal Chale. As a director, he has made several short films for Zee Media, and his film Suno was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. He has served on juries for the National Awards and the Indian Film Panorama, and collaborates with major international festivals including Ladakh and Lonavala.

RETURN TO PLANET UNDERGROW - 9 PM

by Gideon Homes DCP, 91' (Netherlands), 2024

A former underground techno DJ, now working at a prestigious law firm, delves into the darker sides of society, where the war has already begun. He finds himself navigating moral dilemmas and gray areas. With one eye on the past and one on the future, he moves through the ashes of the true underground scene.

​

Gideon Homes, born in Eindhoven, Netherlands, has Indigenous roots from the Sabajo family, part of the Arawak (Lokono) tribe of Suriname. In his projects, he explores subcultures and the many layers of society. His debut film, Return To Planet Underground, abstractly portrays the parallels between past and present, focusing on themes such as social injustice and the cyclical nature of history.