Astra Film

Dan Alexe's film captures in an unconventional manner life in Afghanistan after the Talibans. A freelancer journalist, the author lived in Kabul for a long period of time, and learned the Persian language. Among many other stories he heard in all these years, one of them was about the last two jews living in Kabul. The two hate each other, and consequently divided the synagogue between the two of them. Isaac Levy sells amulets and casts spells on soldiers and on barren women. Zabulon Simantov produces alcoholic drinks for the black market, and sells the poduce to Isaac's customers. The two last jews live in constant conflict. The author creates an intimate film, full of humor and humanity.

EVERY GOOD MARRIAGE BEGINS WITH TEARS

Director: Simon Chambers

Country: U.K.
Year: 2006

Lenght: 62'

interviews

Migration is usually analysed from the point of view of immediate material problems. The issue of the immigrants’ children is the object of recent discussions. What culture do children of the 1950-1970 immigrants belong to? Do they fit into the Western European culture, or are they still part of the culture of their parents? The film makes a statement about what we call “culture clash” in the contemporary world.

GOLDEN DANCES

Director: Ali Kalantari

Country: Iran
Year: 2006

Length: 26'

After he has worked traditional gold brocade all his life, an old man who has been deprived of his job because of the war and the poor economical conditions of his country, must find a way to carry on without the original material, which has become much too expensive. Shotgun shells can do, after they are turned into long shiny thin threads. The film depicts the journey of the used cartridges from the army barracks to the colorful decorations on Iranian costumes and traditional musical instruments.

HIPPIE MASALA

Director: Ulrich Grossenbacher, Lüthi Damaris

Country: Switzerland
Year: 2006

Length: 93'

The hippy revolution engendered several waves of migration from Europe to India during the 1960-1970. A lot of rebel young people who were fed up with the capitalist society left for India, in search of real spiritual values. For some, the dream did not last long. The shocking realities of India made them give up and go back home. Others however discovered Paradise in India, or at least they thought they had at the time. Some of them still do.

LOSERS AND WINNERS

Director: Ulrike Franke, Michael Loeken

Country: Germany
Year: 2006

Length: 96'

official website

For one year and a half, the filmmakers have watched a gigantic industrial site of the Ruhr region in Germany being dismantled, documenting the stories that accompanied its disappearance. Workers in the industrial Ruhr region experience the arrival of the Chinese workers, who come to dismantle the plant and pack everything for shipment to China. They find out about how the Chinese work, how they feel about their jobs, what hopes and doubts they have about their future, and about the conflicts that arise between them. Two worlds collide. In the era of globalization, the Germans watch the disappearance of the plant where they had made a living for so many years. Who is the winner and who is the loser?

MAKING RUN

Director: Liivo Niglas, Frode Storaas

Country: Estonia/Norway/Mozambique
Year: 2007

Length: 57'

The Vumba Hills in Central Mozambique, close to the Zimbabwe border, are in the kingdom of Mambo (Chief) Chirara. The Mambo’s leading position is acknowledged by the government, and in addition to being the region’s most important spiritual leader, the Mambo has the right to hold court cases that deal with minor crimes, problems involving spirits and domestic affairs. He is assisted by several subchiefs and ritual leaders. In the northernmost corner of the Moambo’s kingdom, Mbuya Gondo, an over 70-years-old woman, is a spiritual medium. Mambo Chirara is not pleased with the old lady’s activities. In his opinion, Mbuya Gondo acts too independently and demands too much money for carrying out the ceremonies. In the film, gender issues and local politics are brought to the surface as we follow these two leaders during a period of preparing for and performing the annual rainmaking rituals.

MERCHANDS OF MIRACLES

Director: Gilles Remiche

Country: Belgium

Year: 2006

Length: 55'

interviews

Imported charlatanism or local traditions, miracles can be sold in Africa just like any other merchandise. Some believe in the noisy speeches, others don’t. Still the show offered by the “merchants of miracles” is sometimes fascinating and the film reveals its entire “splendour”. Either captivating or repugnant, it is worth, anyway, watching it.

NO LONGER ACHMED

Director: David Deri

Country: Israel
Year: 2007

Length: 54'

official website

Achmed Hamdoon, a young Arab Bedouin of the Hamdoon tribe, was raised in the family tin hut, a few meters away from the locked gate of Kibbutz "Lotem" in West Galilee, Northern Israel. Having longed for the kibbutz life most of his youth, he finally pulls out and moves to "Lotem", changing his name to the typically Israeli name Meidan Sade. The clan is outraged and sees him as a "traitor". But Meidan, no longer Achmed, feels this is the only way to access the opportunities offered by the Israeli society. The price, however, is high. Meidan is lonely, unable to find a Jewish girl to accept him, nor a Bedouin girl to understand why he has chosen to cross the line.

ON A TIGHTROPE

Director: Lom Petr

Country: Norvegia/ Canada
Year: 2006

Length: 70'

official website / interviews

The Xinjiang Province of China is one of th worst places in the world when it comes to human rights abuse. The Muslim Uyghurs are systematically oppressed. At least 10,000 have been imprisoned, suspected of separatism, and hundreds have been executed. This film follows four children at a government orphanage who are learning the Uyghur tradition of Dawaz, tightrope walking.

PRIRECHNYY - THE TOWN THAT NO LONGER EXISTS

Director: Grøttjord Tone

Country: Norway
Year: 2006

Length: 52'

The inhabitants of the Russian town of Prirechnyy have received a letter from the county of Murmansk telling them that their town no longer exists. Still, a handful of retired persons refused to leave this once-proud community. We meet four of them in their absurd, small universe in northern Russia.

ROOM 11, ETHIOPIA HOTEL

Director: Itsushi Kawase

Country: Japan
Year: 2006

Length: 23

official site

Ethiopia Hotel used to be part of the Italian army barracks during the Fascist occupation. From the hotel windows you can see the street, and the street children who struggle to survive each day. The film recounts the life of street children in Gondar, Ethiopia, by witnessing the communication and collaboration between the filmmaker and two children in a limited spatial setting, room 11 in the Ethiopia Hotel. This limited space allows the film to focus on communication and captures some of the ideas that enable them to endure and survive on the street.

SCHOOL SCAPES

Director: David MacDougall

Country: Australia
Year: 2007

Length: 77'

interviews

Inspired by the cinema of Lumière and the ideas of the 20th century Indian thinker Krishnamurti, David MacDougall this time explores a famous progressive school in South India, the Rishi Valley School.  This is a film dedicated to the simple act of looking, in which each scene is a single shot.

SCREAM OF THE STONE

Director: Ton van Zantvoort

Country: The Netherlands
Year: 2006

Length: 60'

go to film page / official website

At Potosí, just like everywhere else, mining gives birth to local traditions and a specific way of life. This occupation engenders legends, myths and superstitions. Yet this „touristy” façade often hides the sufferance of the people working here. This is the only job they know from generations, thus they are condemned to mining for life.

WORKER'S DREAM

Director: Thao Tran Phuong

Country: Vietnam
Year: 2006

Length: 52'

Ioan and Ngah fill in employment application forms, go to interviews but fail to get a job.
Dinh talks about the working conditions in the international corporations which have set up in Vietnam and voices her claims. Thao films loan and Ngah during those long waiting days while they encourage and comfort each other. They talk about their hopes and disappointments, the lack of money and love.

YELLOW BOX

Director: Huang Ting-Fu

Country: Taiwan
Year: 2006

Length: 53'

You come across betel nuts stands everywhere you go in Taiwan.In order to start your own business, you only need a Hi-Fi, a desk, a mirror, a refrigerator and neon lights for decoration.The stand must be located on some main street or on the highway, as the target customers are male workers and truck drivers. The betel nuts stand girls must addapt to their customers’ sexual fantasies. Scantily dressed and wearing a charming smile, they offer brief moments of relief to those who are overworked. From the outside, it looks like a glamorous life, but if you look behind the showcase window you can see to many working hours for too little money.