Esprits Libres

The Hunchback of Notre Dame(en)

The classic tale of a loveable, outcast hunchback and the gypsy girl he adores is transformed into a musical, warmhearted animated classic in this delightfully updated version of a stirring masterpiece.

24h01(fr)

Behind Closed Doors(en)

On their talk show, three female hosts talk about their various sexual escapades which are then shown in flashbacks

The Fishbowl Girl(zh)

Wei, a young lesbian, goes to Thailand on a graduation trip. After witnessing an intimate interaction between the girl she fancies and a male friend, she goes to a Thai massage parlour, but the experience isn't as beautiful as she envisioned.

The Heretics(es)

Four couples in crisis attend a multi-faith Conjugal Love retreat. Each participant carries a very clear idea of what she hopes to achieve. However, the strange tasks ordered by the monitors continually disrupt personal plans. The confusion increases when the same monitors stop hiding their conflicts, forcing each participant to assume an unexpected responsibility despite the consequences.

Karma's Loop(en)

Aspiring business man is on the way to a meeting when he is disturbed by a man on the floor, after their brief encounter he tries to get on with his day, but fate has other plans.

Scroll Back(en)

Daniel and Carter try to find home.

Two Night Owls in Paris(fr)

Near the oldest bridge in Paris, the Pont-Neuf, Camille, a second-hand bookseller, crosses paths with Paul, an Eiffel Tower trinket seller. Over the course of one night, these two young souls give in to the captivating rhythm of the City of Light.

Trop Tard(fr)

On Way Ginette(fr)

Ginette dreams of becoming an actress and sees an opportunity when she hears about Louis’ project, a young filmmaker who wants to shoot a tender cannibal romance. Louis spots Virgile, a young butcher, to play the lead role, unaware that he is also Ginette’s casual lover. When the three meet on set, things don’t go as planned, blurring the lines between reality and fiction, and turning the shoot into unexpected chaos.

FELIPE(es)

The Argentine crisis of 2001 is about to explode. Felipe, 13, sees how his family environment is cracking due to the economic and political pressures. Misunderstood, he falls in love with Lucía, the neighbor next door and for a moment he stops feeling alone. But when external violence becomes a real danger, Felipe escapes with her, fed up with the lies of his parents, leaving behind his innocence.

Insortable(fr)

Pamplemousse(fr)

Cléo and Oscar are a couple that seems perfect in every way. During an evening with friends, the lovers end up committing an irreparable crime. They will have to maintain their appearances to face the consequences of their actions.

Ruth(es)

The year 2000. Maya, a young Londoner, goes to the small village of her Spanish girlfriend, Ruth, who has just died in an accident. She wants to say goodbye, but the shock and anxiety of presenting herself as the “foreign girlfriend” to family and friends she doesn't know and who speak a different language, is compounded by the perplexity of discovering that nobody knows who she is.

Una mano bajo la nieve y otras historias(es)

An anthology of 7 Mexican short films, all created by 5 up-and-coming independent filmmakers, with a common thread: to explore themes of human relationships. In order, A Hand Beneath the Snow (Una mano bajo la nieve), Friendship (Amistad), The View from Up Above (La vista desde arriba), The Short Film (El cortometraje), Silvestre (Silvestre), Cocktails For Two (Cóctel para dos) and When I Hear You Sing, I Forget (Cuando te escucho cantar, olvido).

AfterSex(en)

Bathed in the gentle embrace of a rainstorm, Nathan, stirred by an intimate moment with Alex, finds himself compelled to voice the currents of his inner discontent. Amidst the flickering city lights, their souls diverge—one yearning for a love that transcends the physical, the other finding solace in the realm of corporeal passion. Can they navigate the intricate labyrinth of their desires and break free from this cyclical discord, or are they fated to bring a sorrowful conclusion to their tumultuous relationship?

PALOMA(es)

Paloma is a young adult who finds herself living in automatic mode, following every imposed social norm, already working in an office and living alone in a studio apartment. Her daily life passes fleetingly and with little taste, until one night, after a long day of work, she receives an email titled FOR MY FUTURE SELF, which prompts her to change her life.

Sans Un Mot(fr)

Automagic(fr)

On his return home, androgynous-looking Madhu attempts to seduce Ratnakar, his rickshaw driver, who is practicing celibacy in preparation for a religious pilgrimage.

Big Boys Don't Cry(fr)

It's summer for Lucas and his band of friends in their village near Marseille. Hicham returns after a three-year absence and military training. They get together to organize a friend's bachelor party and enjoy one evening at the seaside after another. But Hicham's return rekindles raw emotions in these men parched by summer.

Six: Inside(en)

Delves deep into the anxiety, thrill and uncertainty of six aspiring animation artists as they are plunged into the twelve-week trial-by-fire that is the NFB's Hothouse for animation filmmakers.

The Main Celebration of Life(ru)

In Russia, the attitude to death is paradoxically irrational – we all seem to live forever. Entrepreneur Sergey Yakushin is the only reasonable "madman" who conducted a funeral "revolution" in his native Novosibirsk. Yakushin himself turned around to face death after being diagnosed with late-stage cancer 15 years ago. And they gave me a year of life.

Re/cycle(en)

With input from actor and writer Jan Hlobil, director and cinematographer Rene Smaal presents a film in the true surrealist tradition, in the sense that only 'found' elements were used, and that it defies interpretation based on ordinary cause-and-effect time sequence.

With a Right to Kill(da)

This documentary looks at the Danish resistance movement's execution of 400 informers during the Nazi occupation and the ensuing cover-up.

1-2-3(en)

“1-2-3” explores the harrowing tale of human trafficking in the country.

Hello(en)

The film tells the story of three best friends named Ako, Aki and Awang, who are well-known in their village for their mischievous and humourous pranks. The trio work for Pak Man. One day, they are assigned to pick up his daughter Misha, who has just returned from overseas and dreams of becoming a doctor. The trio have been in love with her for a long time but she does not pay them any heed. When Misha is robbed by a snatch thief one day, she is rescued by a doctor named Shafiq. Her face reminds the doctor of his late wife, and he begins to pursue her, which annoys the trio.

Snake 3: Dinosaur vs. Python(zh)

The construction team blindly developed the unknown island, which alerted the two fierce creatures on the island to be destroyed.

The Last One of the Six(fr)

Paris, France. Commissaire Wens is put in charge of the investigation into the murder of one of six friends who, in the past, made a very profitable promise.

Re-Births(fr)

A documentary film depicting five intimate portraits of migrants who fled their country of origin to seek refuge in France and find a space of freedom where they can fully experience their sexuality and their sexual identity: Giovanna, woman transgender of Colombian origin, Roman, Russian transgender man, Cate, Ugandan lesbian mother, Yi Chen, young Chinese gay man…

The Way Back(en)

Ember is a 21-year-old photography student, stubborn, confident and independent. Her biggest dream has always been to move out of her hometown - she hated it for as long as she could remember and never felt comfortable there. But as Ember fulfils her dream and moves away to a different city, she keeps coming back to the memories of her past life and introspecting her connection with her hometown.

Neo Rauch - Comrades and Companions(de)

Documentary about Leipzig artist Neo Rauch, who is considered to be one of the seminal painters of his generation. Born in 1960, Rauch lost his parents in an accident while he was still a baby. He studied at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig, and rose to international fame in the 1990s. Rauch, whose paintings often revolve around notions of home, is one of the most eminent figures of the Leipzig New School.

Lake Placid 3(en)

A game warden moves his family to Lake Placid, once the site of deadly crocodile attacks. Locals assure him the crocs are gone, but his mischievous young son finds a few baby crocs and begins feeding them. They quickly grow into very big adults and start attacking the game warden's family and nearby town.

Hello...?(en)

"a colorful poem of the first copy-motion film... the system registers images directly from a color (xerox) duplicator model 6500... an original, versatil, unique system developed by Darino" –Back Stage

HELLO(en)

Through a haze of smoke, coke, and booze; possible futures, pasts, and presents coalesce chaos inside the mind of a man drifting directionless through life. When your future calls, what will you have to say?

Er(it)

Hello...?(en)

"a colorful poem of the first copy-motion film... the system registers images directly from a color (xerox) duplicator model 6500... an original, versatil, unique system developed by Darino" –Back Stage

Meltdown: Days of Destruction(en)

Despite scientist Nathan's warnings, his boss continues an experiment meant as publicity for his satellite firm: exploding an asteroid. Instead it splits, and the major piece, the size of Iceland, changes course to earth. It is deflected but so close that it shift our course closer to the sun, causing rapid extreme heating, hopefully only mid-term. Nathan warns his sister, TV journalist Carly, and she her lover, police detective Tom. He brings his unruly daughter Kim, her ex-con lover C.J. and her mother, nurse Bonnie, when Nathan offers a flight to a friend's Arctic weather station. Tom takes charge of a dangerous trip to the airport, as everywhere on earth things catch fire and people fight for water, transport and sheer looting.

Hello(hi)

Call-center workers receive a phone call from God.

Cine Gibi 6: Hora do Banho(pt)

Cascão's smell gets out of hand, and the gang decides to give him a good bath. So, he decides to hide in the movie theater. In the dark, Cascão uses a shadow trick to fool Franjinha and pretend to be Cebolinha.

BOX(en)

A female boxer 10 minutes before her final match gets into an emotional crisis and has to fight it. A fight before a fight.