11 Films - 11 Days

One can never be totally certain whether their clothes were sewn in a dark windowless cellar by someone working under wretched conditions and without safety regulations. This film tracks the persistent efforts of a mother to obtain not only justice for her son but also dignified conditions for thousands of others. Does she stand a chance against corporate interest and the western demand for cheap clothing, when the path to justice is arduous and drags on for years? But, does she even stand a chance against corporate interest and the western demand for cheap clothing?  

Since the beginning of the crisis, thousands of refugees have died crossing the Mediterranean and been buried in both marked and unmarked graves in Greece, their final resting places to remain a mystery. This documentary follows the story of Fereshta, an Afghan woman who survived a deadly shipwreck, as she, like thousands of others, searches for her lost loved ones.

The Rohingya in Myanmar are the most persecuted minority in the world. Why, in 2018, were their villages burned to the ground and hundreds of thousands driven from their homes, in a country effectively ruled by Noble Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi? Few conflicts are as complicated as the Rohingya crisis. EXILED explores the history of this Muslim minority in the Buddhist-majority nation of Myanmar. Burmese and Rohingya speak about the deep roots of violence and report on hate and ethnic cleansing.

A love letter sent from a young mother to her daughter during the uprising in Aleppo, Syria. FOR SAMA follows the story of Waad al-Kateab for five years, as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, while the terrible conflict spreads around her like wildfire. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival, as Waad struggles with an impossible choice: whether to stay and fight for her freedom or to flee the city to protect her daughter’s life.

FROM HERE is a hopeful story of Tania, Sonny, Miman, and Akim - artists and activists based in Berlin and New York whose lives and futures hang in the balance of immigration and integration debates. As the US and Germany grapple with racism, nationalism, and a fight against diversity, our protagonists move from their 20s into their 30s and face major turning points in their lives: fighting for citizenship, starting families, and finding room for creative expression.

GAZA brings us into a unique place beyond the reach of televised news reports to reveal a world rich with eloquent and resilient characters and to offer us a cinematic and enriching portrait of a people attempting to lead meaningful lives despite the rubble left by perennial conflict. In this uplifting film, we follow the lives of everyday Gazan citizens.

A political thriller that shows how communication can be turned into a weapon. It is the story of Lord Tim Bell, the infamous spin doctor. Bell, who began his career in advertising, had an affinity for difficult assignments and "people with problems", as he liked to call them. He designed campaigns for unpopular politicians, dictators, disgraced companies, and celebrities, in the same way, he put together product labeling —he was concise and brutal. Until the day he finally stumbled upon his own work.

A girl learning to skateboard in Kabul seems impossible. The challenge, not just for her but for the society around her, seems insurmountable. But, with every training session, the girls get better: their confidence in their own bodies and abilities grows. Suddenly, for two sisters, getting an education doesn't seem like such an absurd idea. This uplifting film, which shows a different side to Afghanistan, won an Oscar this year for its directors Caroline Dysinger and Zamarin Wahdat.

Her first song made her famous, her latest one made her a political refugee. With a single song about her home country, the Vietnamese singer Mai Khoi gained money, popularity, and the blessing of the Communist Party. Now, she realizes that she can no longer remain silent about the current political situation. Despite intimidation from the regime, she steps up her critique and records her new album "Dissent", in which she calls for freedom of speech and democracy — and flees the country the day of its release.

An intimate portrait of the world-famous photographer Jan Grarup: As a war photographer, he repeatedly risks his life while his four children are waiting at home in Copenhagen. But suddenly he is a single parent and has to rethink his life concept. PHOTOGRAPHER OF WAR gives insights into the working reality of a war photographer, but also draws the psychological portrait of a man who has documented the horrors of war for 25 years and suddenly has to face a new, inner struggle.

A growing group of young adults in the Democratic Republic of Congo are resisting the western one-sided reporting of their country: stereotypical images of war, violence, and poverty. Three young Congolese photographers and filmmakers want to capture their own images of their country to replace those images that don’t reflect the reality in which they live. At the same time, they question whether western filmmakers are capable of capturing any of this complex, damaged, and beautiful country’s truth at all.