Feature Films
Kosovo
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Unwanted
Overview Alban, a lonely teenage boy, who lives in Amsterdam with Zana, his refugee mother from Kosovo, keeps getting into trouble while yearning for her acceptance. But the traumas caused by the war, which his mother initially hides away from him, turn eventually his world upside down. Director, Writer, Producer: Edon Rizvanolli Genres: Drama, Romance, War, Teenagers Director Statement: UNWANTED is a social drama, set in present day Amsterdam, which deals with the aftermath and the trauma caused by the 1999 war in Kosovo, as experienced from two different perspectives. It also addresses the issues of belonging and identity of the second generation of migrants living in Western Europe. I left my home country Kosovo as a teenager. Since then I lived in several different countries and have experienced what it is like to be a foreigner. And also what it is like to turn into a stranger in your own country. I grew up in a state which was filled with hatred for “the others” who spoke a different language, “looked” differently and thought differently. And all of these experiences are now part of my personality and influence my every day life. They also spill over into the lives of the people around me; my family and friends. Living in various places for such a long period of time meant also a constant fight to reject identities which were forced on me, identities which, to me, felt fake. Moreover it was a continuous struggle to embrace values which I appreciated but had not yet been accustomed to. Most of all however, it was a struggle to accept and be accepted. And acceptance is also the main theme in UNWANTED. |
Moldova
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The Last Day Before June
Overview Angela returns to Moldova with her Italian husband Marco to try to take her daughters from her ex-husband back to her new home in Italy. She is ashamed and afraid of the upcoming meeting. So Marco leaves Angela in the motel not too far from the village while he goes by himself to converse with her ex-husband on his farm. Marco knows about the temper and stubbornness of Angela’s ex and the father of their two girls, but to his surprise he meets a quiet, well-adjusted man. Convinced that his wife will never come back to Moldova again, Angela's ex-husband decides to give up his daughters and allows them to go to Italy. Will Angela be able to appreciate his sacrifice? Director, Writer: Igor Kistol Director Statement: Blinded by the righteousness of our doings we sometimes make fatal mistakes. We are absolutely sure that what we do is the only option and nobody can knock into our formed mind. In the pursuit of personal happiness and self well-being we don't see how we make miserable everyone around. We are trying to match the speed of the world's downfall and all spiritual appeals are just an old-fashioned blues which causes nothing but irritation. And only the awakening allows us to understand the real scale of destruction. |
Bulgaria
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All She Wrote
Overview When Aaron, an ex-fighter, turns to music after years of being knocked around and left with permanent mental disabilities, falls for Jana, an off-centered Bulgarian immigrant living in New York. While he recognizes that she is as crazy as him, Jana does not share the same opinion. But her brother, Bobby, an upcoming wannabe fighter, decides to convince her she is that crazy, in order to get Aaron in the ring against him. Director, Writer, Producer: Niki Iliev |
Albania
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Life Between the Waters
Overview A disaffected mechanic and his unemployed wife face a harrowing several days when their daughter suddenly disappears. Her absence forces them to confront the alienation and bitterness that have come to define their familial and individual lives. Director: Ardit Sadiku |
Turkey
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Snow
Overview Müzeyyen, is a woman who lives under the societal ethics line. She shares this life that equiped with fights and drugs with her friends like her. Her brother, Ali, learns about her recently and interrupts his bourgeois, successfull life in Bolu, comes to meet her to Antalya. Legitimate child – Ali will be exemined with his sins not be tested yet, and illegimate child – Müzeyyen will be tested with the hope Ali has taken with. Director, Writer, Producer: Emre Erdoğdu Director Statement: I have made this film to damage people, who are sure of their own consciences and justices, with lives of people on the other side of society norms, because I believe each sin has a lot of reason from that sinner’s life. We leave Ali alone with people normally he changes his way to see them on the street, and watch him being tested with sins which he had never been tested before. Also, we are alone with Müzeyyen’s hopes and consciences that we are unaware of their existence. That is why we are listening her cry until the end. |
Macedonia
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Oh, My Love
Overview "Oh My Love" is a film about a famous singer, who after a successful tour through Turkey and turbulent emotional problems, after breaking the longstanding love affair, comes to a hotel to rest in peace and quiet, away from the public and journalists. But her former lover comes to see her for last time and from this point everything goes wrong. Surprising meetings, unexpected personalities and situations... Director, Writer: Kole Angelovski |
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Avec l'amour
Overview 115 rotten vintage cars, a young wife, students that adore him – Dionis, a biology teacher with love for life. (or just another reason to keep on buying useless vehicles) A love Story. Director, Writer: Ilija Cvetkovski |
Greece
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Lines
Overview Greece now days. Seven different stories about seven persons who have already reached their limits and finally fall apart. Despite their seemingly obvious connection they are simultaneously connected through a common desperate action: the last phone call to the psychological support center called “life line”. It’s their last hope. As no one can really help them, even then, they all remain another part of the contemporary Greek tragedy. Director, Writer, Producer: VASSILIS MAZOMENOS |
Romania
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Havaii
Overview Andrei and his father Vasile live in the communist Romania. Unexpectedly, they receive news from Petrus, Vasile´s brother who was assumed dead after an escape attempt years before.Petrus was living in Hawaii all this time and on his death has left Andrei and Vasile a large legacy. They cannot inherit it, however, as the concept of private property does not exist in communist Romania. The only alternative left to them is to try and claim their inheritance via a free country. Director, Writer: Jesús del Cerro |
Serbia
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Goat's Ears aka Out of the Woods
Overview Out of the Woods is a black comedy about a particular woman in a particular country. Stojanka (62) lives in a small village in Banat, on the edge of the Deliblato Sands. As with all her compatriots, her circumstances are wretched – a daily struggle to scrape out an existence and an even worse struggle to make sense of such a life. At one point in her past, Stojanka – like the country in which she lives – stood at a crossroads and took the wrong turning. Today, determined not to cry over spilt milk, she has survived, but has been unable to find any happiness. Through the minutiae of daily life which follow one on another, always defying expectations, Stojanka uses every opportunity she can to make clear decisions and follow them through in her own eccentric way. Sometimes she succeeds and sometimes she fails. But through all these events Stojanka realises that identity is not set in stone: it is a living process and it is never too late to repair what can be repaired. And not only for the benefit of those on whom the world depends, but for one’s own personal benefit. Director: Marko Kostic |
Slovenia
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Slovenia, Australia and Tomorrow the World
Overview A story of a family and the pursuit of happiness in the world of business. Boris is a married man and a father of two. He works as an electricity technician in a large manufacturing company, the only member of his family to have a regular job. His wife, Vesna, is unemployed and cannot find work except for short-term employments. Boris harbours hope that not all is lost yet, dreaming of providing for his family and giving them a life free of worry. He finds incentive in the business model of Cosmica, a new kind of company dealing with sales, consulting and investments in securities. The company promises its members a chance to make some money on the side and a new hope sparks in Boris’s heart. However, success doesn’t come overnight and soon, Boris finds himself torn between the elusive idea of success in business and the needs of his family. Boris starts an affair that puts even more strain on his life, jeopardising his marriage. Director: Marko Naberšnik TRAILER |
Bosnia and Herzegovina
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Nothing But the Wind
Overview What is the true phrase? Heart is where the home is? Home is where the heart is? Vedran (37) is Bosnian-born Swede. After 18 years he has to visit his hometown. Against his will, Sarajevo is changing him. But that does not make him less Swedish or more Bosnian, just more himself. Or simply, home is where you are Director: Timur Makarevic |
Croatia
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The Constitution
Overview Four very different people live in the same building but avoid each other because of differences in how they live their lives, what they believe in, and where they come from. They would probably never exchange a word, but misfortune pushes them towards each other. Their lives entangle in ways that profoundly challenge deep-held beliefs and prejudices surrounding material status, sexual orientation, nationality and religion. Slowly, and even painfully, they begin to open up to each other and recognize the essential humanity each of them possesses. Director: Rajko Grlic TRAILER |
Montenegro
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Iskra
Overview Petar is a retired detective and all he has left is his daughter Iskra. The monotony of his pensioner’s days are interrupted when Igor, Iskra’s coworker, tells him that she has been missing a couple of days. While working on an article, she borrowed in a hurry Igor’s car and never came back. The car was eventually found in a ditch near the narrow and hidden mountain road, but without a trace of Iskra. The proofs showed that someone could have been with her in the car. The persuit to find Iskra begins and the investigation takes Petar back to his past. Director: Gojko Berkuljan TRAILER |
