Madhavpur: A Cinematic Journey(2024)

Gjama(sq)

“Gjama” is a rarely practiced mourning ritual that was performed by Albanian men throughout the centuries. By shouting specific phrases and acting out a strict choreography, it is a way of paying respect to the deceased but also overcoming grief and pain over the loss of a loved one. Through the documentation of the re-enactment of the ritual, Zgjim Elshani seeks to recover fragments of the practice in the communities where this form of collective grieving is still a way of overcoming loss. By doing so, the project intends to rethink collective grieving and what it means to publicly display emotions in a male-headed society.

Telezonia(en)

Four children want to invite their friends to a picnic, but they don't know how to use the telephone. Suddenly, the room goes dark and the phone becomes large enough for them to climb into. They walk through a tunnel and meet a man named Telly, who takes them into the world of Telezonia, where they are shown various kinds of telephones. They meet several costumed characters, such as Question Mark, who teaches them how to answer the phone; Q and Z, who show them how to use the phone book; and Exclamation Point, who teaches them how to place a call. By the time they leave Telezonia, they are full-fledged telephone users.

White Peril(en)

This RKO Pathé Screenliner show members of the 'snow patrol' at work in the Cascade Mountains of Washington state. At designated places, they measure snowfall and take core samples of the snow and measure its weight and density. They also measure river currents in relation to the snowfall. The data is used by the U.S. Geological Survey to help determine how the water runoff in the spring will translate into supplies of fresh water.

Clone Wars: Bridging the Saga(en)

A short documentary on the making of the Cartoon Network's Clone Wars micro series, specifically the final 5 episodes.

Fragments(en)

Images, voices, and interrupted silences that evoke the intangible losses caused by COVID-19.

With Love from Truman(en)

At his Long Island beach house, and on the occasion of the publication of his masterful nonfiction novel In Cold Blood, reporter Karen Dennison interviews celebrated writer Truman Capote, who displays his exuberant personality, makes witty jokes, shares his thoughts on writing, reflects on various aspects of the book and, in a sweet and endearing voice, reads and explains some of its highlights.

Wall Street(en)

Shot at high noon in New York’s financial district, Wallstreet is much like a vertical tickertape, charting the existence of typical office workers. The film’s elongated shadows suggest these workers’ depersonalized, neuter, nearly uniform lives, which flow by without any solid or stable element that might provide definition.

King for a Day(en)

King for a Day is a poetic archive-led documentary immersing us in the personal story of the people of Padstow in Cornwall, their ancient rituals and the challenges they face in a rapidly changing world. The tension between tradition and progress highlights the importance of cultural identity and the role of folk customs in our globalised society. King for a Day is an intimate portrait of a place and community pushed to the margins. A cinematic journey interweaving audio-visual archive spanning 150 years. Will this be the last generation to tease the ‘Old Oss’ from his stable to welcome the Summer?

AWAKE!(en)

AWAKE is a short experimental documentary about a liminal moment in the calendar - midwinter - observed by the inhabitants of a small rural village in England. A time outside time, magic is everywhere and anything is possible. Bearing witness to this turning point, the inhabitants gather for a wassail - a centuries old thanksgiving ritual in which folk gather to honour the slow return of the sun and bless the apple trees whose fruit are essential to the village ecosystem, not least the crumbles, juice and cider that sustains them throughout the year.

Yo soy una niña(es)

This short film brings light to the reality of transsexuality during childhood and aims to emphasize the importance of the role of grandparents.

Luttes intimes(fr)

Davis Report(de)

Angela Davis visiting the German Democratic Republic. A film about the people she met and her impressions.

Flares(en)

After a near-death experience, a person floats in a mysterious space, gradually being reborn by reconnecting with the sensations of their body.

The Wind in the Wires(en)

This documentary recounts the history of modern aviation (primarily in Britain) from roughly 1900 until the inter-war period, using old monochrome footage of original aircraft, contemporary color footage of replica planes in flight as well as a number of photographs of famous aviators.

James Mason: The Star They Loved to Hate(en)

Retrospective of the life and movie work of British actor James Mason. The documentary presents interview footage interspersed with some movie excerpts, mainly from his pre-hollywood period.

The Search for Alexander the Great(en)

Friends, contemporaries and even enemies of Alexander the Great gather in a tent to tell his tale through their eyes.

Casa Conveniente(fr)

Mónica Calle is fighting with her theatre company to remain an actress, a woman, in a society where the place of art is constantly challenged. She draws this strength from Zona J, a district in the periphery of Lisbon, where she has set up her new place of creation, surrounded by former prisoners.

James Baldwin Abroad(en)

Showcasing three short films by American writer James Baldwin, wherein he muses about race, sexuality and civil rights, among other topics, in Istanbul, Paris and Great Britain.

Plankare(sv)

Is it okay to ride the subway without paying for the ticket?

Overwork(de)

The found-footage short film OVERWORK offers a personal reinterpretation of a collection of instructional 16mm films from the German Employment Agency.