Reality

Motel(en)

As Niagara Falls transformed from honeymoon capital of the world to Las Vegas North, corporate hotel chains and casinos cast a long shadow over the independent motels that once populated the town. The Continental survived the transition by converting its rooms into affordable housing units, becoming a home for those with few places to go. The night manager, Brian, once a freelance photographer who survived the horrors of war in Vietnam, shares his duties with his colleague Linda. Together they manage both the Continental and the individual struggles of its tenants, providing more than a roof over the heads of those who live under their supervision. Bringing a fresh focus to one of the most photographed places on Earth, director and cinematographer Jesse McCracken develops an intimate and caring portrait of the residents of this modest micro-community set against the backdrop of neon-lit tourist attractions.

Hackney Marshes(en)

Artist John Smith tells stories about tower block life, editing in bold, unconventional fashion, cutting into the material and highlighting the components and conventions of the film form - yet an intimate portrait of the block's inhabitants still emerges.

The Flaw(en)

The story of the credit bubble that caused the financial crash. Through interviews with some of the world's leading economists, including housing expert Robert Shiller, Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, and economic historian Louis Hyman, as well as Wall Street insiders and victims of the crash including Ed Andrews - a former economics correspondent for The New York Times who found himself facing foreclosure - and Andrew Luan, once a bond trader at Deutsche Bank now running his own Wall Street tour guide business, the film presents an original and compelling account of the toxic combination of forces that nearly destroyed the world economy.

Danchi Woman(ja)

85 years old and never married, Shizu has spent the past 3 decades living in one "Danchi" - the Japanese word for public housing - and filling it with the lifetime of souvenirs that have always kept her company. When the danchi is scheduled for demolition, Shizu and neighbors must say goodbye to their homes, and move into newer danchi that are too small to hold all of Shizu's mementos. This intimate documentary captures Shizu's sense of humor, and profound nostalgia, as she sorts through relics of her past, and chooses which memories she must fit into her new home, and which ones she can let go of.

Redefining China's Family: Women(en)

10 May 2007 - China's staggering economic growth has overshadowed a more subtle shift in Chinese society. In domestic life, many women are now ignore the advice of their mothers and grandmothers, turning instead to counselling hotlines and, increasingly, divorce.

Game Theory(zh)

This is a story about a five-year battle waged between the farmers of two villages and the local government over land-use rights. This documentary illustrates the subtle changes being made to the rules of the game between officials and citizens, and provides deep human insight into the loss, despair and increasing awareness experienced by common farmers in the pursuit of land-use rights.

Southbound Train(sh)

A power-cut in a great apartment building brings the tenants together.

Homeless(ko)

The young couple Han-gyeol and Go-woon are staying in a Sauna with their son Woo-rim. One day, Woo-rim gets badly hurt and to save hospital bills, Han-gyeol enters an empty house of the old lady he got to know while working on delivery. It’s a perfect home for the family but they can’t stay there forever. The sweet dream will end when the old lady comes back from trip.

Counterfeit Kunkoo(hi)

In a city overflowing with buildings and slums, Smita must find herself a house to rent. She is hard-working, honest and respectful - the ideal tenant - except for one glaring flaw. She is a middle-class Indian woman without a husband. An intimate perspective on the identity of the 'Ideal Indian Female' in urban India of today.

Shady Business(sh)

Residents of a shanty town are faced with its destruction. With the help of the local trickster, Paja "the Bighead" moves with his family to an empty flat in New Belgrade blocks. Everything goes fine until the real owner knocks at the door.

California Winter(en)

Young real estate agent Clara Morales encouraged risky loans to her clients during the housing boom. She must now rescue her father’s home from foreclosure - a consequence of the loan she advised him to take.

Dead on Appraisal(en)

Real estate agent John Dante has a problem. He's stuck with a house he can't sell. Despite his best efforts, he can't seem to overcome the house's past and the macabre tales that precede it in this haunting anthology. In the first story, THE MORNING AFTER, a group of friends wake up from the party of a lifetime to find a nightmare in the form of the worst bug invasion any homeowner has ever seen. Then there's Freddie Cooper and his band, FREDDIE AND THE GOBLINS; a tale of how Freddie's band mates try to kick him out and get caught up in the young singer's growing psychosis. With his hopes of selling the house fading, John is horrified to hear the story of Robbie, a young veteran of the war in Iraq, who returns home to live with his father Brad in FATHER LAND. Something isn't right, though, as Robbie's dark secret slowly bubbles to the surface. As the house's dark past comes to life, John becomes weary and is convinced the house is cursed and unsellable.

When Spring Came to Bucha(uk)

Russians bombarded Bucha, Borodyanka, Irpin and other cities in the region following their invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. By the time they retreated a month later, the damage was huge: buildings had been destroyed and there were corpses lying in the streets. Filmmakers Mila Teshaieva and Marcus Lenz went in immediately, in time to film local people emerging from their shelters, but never showing the actual atrocities. That wasn’t necessary, as the trauma of war is clear to see on everyone’s faces, including those of the volunteers who rushed in from far and wide to help.

The Pretenders: Chrissie Hynde or Rock Life(fr)

A journey through the artistic life of the British-American rock band The Pretenders, formed in 1978, and a portrait of its leader, the charismatic singer and songwriter Chrissie Hynde.

Doctor on Display: Blackpool 2(en)

In 1995, David Boyle founded the Doctor Who Experience in Llangollen, Wales. When it closed in 2003, he didn’t give up and moved north to Blackpool to open another exhibition there! This time it was his venture, organized and run by him and it was the biggest DOCTOR WHO exhibition ever – with both old and new series exhibits from the programme! In this film we pay tribute to both the exhibition and DAVID BOYLE… one of DOCTOR WHO’s greatest advocates!

Brechó Brasil(pt)

Naughty Young People: Chytilová, Kučera, Krumbachová(en)

Documentary about the making of Vera Chytilová's film DAISIES

Nas Entranhas de Nicolópolis(pt)

Trifles of Importance(en)

Part of John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series, this short shows how three seemingly unimportant things can affect people. The first is how the number 7 affects a student accused of theft charges. The second segment shows that a person's doodles can reveal personality traits. The final segment shows why certain items are on men's suits, such as lapels.

The Interview(pt)

On screen, a bride gets ready for her wedding day. Off screen, middle-class young women from Rio de Janeiro share their experiences and impressions concerning virginity, marriage, sex and politics.