Blaga´s Lessons
Stephan Komandarev
Bulgaria/Germany. 2023. 114 min

Seventy-year-old retired schoolteacher Blaga (Eli Skorcheva) has recently lost her beloved husband, a former police officer well-known in the austere, small northern Bulgarian town where she still lives. Determined to purchase a substantial gravesite and headstone for the deceased, the stern-minded, no-nonsense widow continues to work, giving Bulgarian language lessons to immigrants. However, Blaga’s already precarious world is overturned when one afternoon she falls prey to a frightening telephone scam. This is merely the beginning of a tautly conceived thriller that skillfully captures the feeling of a bleak post-Communist society beset by corruption—in both criminal and official capacities. Stephan Komandarev’s entirely gripping film rests on the ever-strengthening shoulders of veteran actress Skorcheva, whose remarkable journey from weather-beaten victimhood to aggressive resolve persuasively transforms the film into a provocative story of individual morality in a world gone wrong.

Voy! Voy! Voy!
Omar Hilal
Egypt. 2023. 109 min

VOY! VOY! VOY! tells the story of Hassan, a security guard living an impoverished life with his mother in Cairo, who dreams of starting a new life abroad. While plotting his journey to his new life, he stumbles on the sport of blind football and cunningly decides to pose as a visually impaired man to join a team – right before the World Cup Championship finals in Europe.
While disguised as a blind footballer, an attractive young journalist takes an interest in the team, hoping to tell the heartwarming story of Hassan and the team’s victory in Europe.
As Hassan’s despicable plan starts to crack, he and his friend’s go to unimaginable lengths to keep his place on the team and the dream of escaping to Europe alive.

Lost Girl
Ding Ding
China. 2024. 98 min

A young ballet dancer flees her home, finding refuge with San, a street orphan. An unexpected accident changes everything. Fueled by a desire to uncover the girl’s past, San embarks on a quest for vengeance, ultimately finding herself ensnared in a perilous predicament.