We remember: Trauma

My Freedom(cs)

30 years of freedom = 30 authors = 30 minutes of films. A unique project of Reflex magazine and Czech Television, which in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution reflects many forms and understanding of freedom. Various personalities of the Czech cultural sphere have made their minute films.

Cycle of Memory(en)

Mel Schwartz escaped the Great Depression on a bicycle adventure he'd remember for the rest of his life... until Mel lost his memory to Alzheimer's. Now over seventy-five years later, his grandchildren set out to recreate his life-changing journey and find those memories before they slip away. Cycle of Memory explores the importance of intergenerational connection, healing painful pasts, and leaving a meaningful time capsule for the future.

Cinétracts(fr)

A series of 43 documentary shorts, directed (without credit) by several famous French filmmakers and each running between two and four minutes. Each "tract" espouses a leftist political viewpoint through the filmed depiction of real-life events, including workers' strikes and the events of Paris in May '68.

42 One Dream Rush(en)

An omnibus project bringing together acclaimed directors from around the world, each contributing a 42-second short inspired by a dream. Produced by 42 Below vodka, the collection blends surreal, poetic, and experimental visions into a mosaic of oneiric cinema.

Violently in Love(da)

Behind the closed doors of the Copenhagen-based women's shelter, the women and children are slowly recovering after having escaped domestic violence. Day by day the women are processing their traumas, building confidence and slowly understanding what it takes to break the cycle of violence.

60 Seconds of Solitude in Year Zero(en)

An anthology of one-minute films created by 51 international filmmakers on the theme of the death of cinema. Intended as an ode to 35mm, the film was screened one time only on a purpose-built 20x12 meter public cinema screen in the Port of Tallinn, Estonia, on 22 December 2011. A special projector was constructed for the event which allowed the actual filmstrip to be burnt at the same time as the film was shown.

Diameter of the Bomb(en)

Since the renewed Intifada began in 2000, there have been over 75 Palestinian suicide bombings. This is the story of 0ne-the bombing of bus 32 in Jerusalem in June 2002. The film connects the stories of a group of ordinary Israelis-Jews and Arabs. Each of them holds a clue to someone who died that day.

Carnations(en)

Seven strangers are interviewed to talk about the relationship they have with their mother.

Ottimismo democratico(it)

The Gulf War... What Next?(ar)

The second Gulf War from 1990 to 1991 represents in the collective Arab memory a turning point in regards to the Arab nationalism’s self-perception as well as a moment of deep historical and existential insecurity. Five Arab directors discuss the events from their personal perspective.

Memories to Choke On, Drinks to Wash Them Down(cn)

This anthology film, whose Chinese title begins with a romantic name for human excrement, premiered internationally at Rotterdam and won Best Screenplay from the Hong Kong Film Critics Society. A variety of Hong Kong people wrestle with nostalgia when facing an uncertain future. Their stories give way to a documentary featuring a young barista turned political candidate.

Life Goes On(ko)

Yoo Kyung-geun, who lost her daughter Ye-eun in the Sewol Ferry Disaster, sits down at the podcast production studio. It is to meet with the bereaved families of numerous social disasters before and after the Sewol Ferry Disaster. They are Hwang Myung-ae, the mother of Han Sang-im who died in the 2003 Daegu Subway Fire, Ko Seok, the father of Gahyun and Nahyun who died in the 1999 Sealand Youth Training Center Fire, and Bae Eunsim, the mother of Lee Hanyeol who died in 1987's June Struggle. The bereaved families talk about "the life after" and their daily lives, and Yoo Kyung-geun learns to live without Ye-eun.

Rewinding Dominoes(en)

In her attempt to escape her past, Huiju relocated to the UK over 11 months ago. However, even after moving to a new country, she found that her nightmares from Korea continued to haunt her. Determined to move forward, she made the decision to confront her memories head-on in a very contemporary way, using dating apps to push the boundaries she had set due to her sexual trauma.

SEWOL: Years in the Wind(ko)

The 10-year struggle of the families who lost their children from the Sewol Ferry Disaster.

Flee(da)

Recounted mostly through animation to protect his identity, Amin looks back over his past as a child refugee from Afghanistan as he grapples with a secret he’s kept hidden for 20 years.

September 7, 2012(en)

On September 7, 2012, Ashley MacDonald was sexually assaulted. In this powerful first time film, she talks to strangers about what that same day looked like in their own lives. What were they doing? What happened to them? The result is a documentary about processing trauma, and the power of openness and connection to help us heal.

The Truth Shall Not Sink with Sewol(ko)

A documentary on the South Korean ferry disaster that claimed the lives of more than 300 passengers in April, 2014.

Voices in Wartime(en)

Voices in Wartime is a 2004 documentary that explores the human experience of war through poetry. Combining interviews with soldiers, journalists, and historians, it reveals how war affects individuals and societies across time and place. The film features poets from around the world – from Homer and Wilfred Owen to Shoda Shinoe and modern writers in Iraq and Nigeria – showing how poetry expresses the pain, trauma, and truth of conflict. By linking verse with real-life accounts, Voices in Wartime highlights how poetry helps us understand the emotional and moral impact of war.

Gottland(cs)

Gottland provides an unconventional look at Czechoslovak 20th century history. Inspired by the bestselling book “Gottland” from the Polish journalist Mariusz Szczygiel, this feature-length film is comprised of short stories portraying peculiar fates. Young documentary film makers from renowned Prague Film School FAMU, inspired by the book, take a closer look at the history of post-war Czechoslovakia and Czech Republic, in order to discover new heroes and remind us of the ones that were forgotten or erased from the history.

Within my soul(de)

Between psychosis, delusions of persecution and trauma, A finds himself at an interface between past and present after a stay in hospital. What is still reality and what is a fearful manifestation of traumatic encounters? By confronting herself with old diary entries, she tries to come to terms with the emotional maelstrom. The breaches of trust from her youth keep pushing their way to the surface in her current relationships and make it difficult to grasp happiness.