Waterdrop
Robert Budina
Albania, Italy, Romania, Kosovo. 2024. 91 min

In a picturesque Albanian town on the shores of Lake Ohrid, Aida reigns as a tough, successful businesswoman. As city planner, she manages the allocation of lucrative EU subsidies, navigating a corrupt system where her boss pockets large portions of the funds. To maintain her position in this ultra-masculine, patriarchal world, Aida isn’t above accepting the occasional bribe herself.

Humans in the Loop
Aranya Sahay
India. 2024. 74 min

Nehma, an Adivasi woman from the Oraon tribe, returns to her village with her children twelveyear- old Dhaanu and one-year-old Guntu, after her divorce. She begins to work as a data labeller, training the ‘childlike’ AI models to recognise images.
While Nehma faces the challenge of connecting with Dhaanu – who is biased against village life and forever tempted to flee back to the city she also notices that the AI she works with is adopting harmful human biases, echoing prejudices against her own community.

Deal at the Border
Dastan Zhapar Ryskeldi
Kyrgyztan. 2024. 104 min

At the Kyrgyzstan-Kazakhstan border, Aza and Samat work as members of a drug trafficking organization. One day, they run into Nazik, who has narrowly escaped from human traffickers. Aza decides to give up the drug money and save Nazik, but Nazik tragically dies while crossing a river. Aza is determined to at least return Nazik’s remains to her homeland, but his decision thrusts him into even greater danger. The border regions of Central Asian countries, that are located adjacent to Afghanistan where massive amounts of drugs are produced, are hotspots for drug trafficking and organized crime. As those desperate for survival struggle to maintain a shred of dignity, the camera frequently pulls back to capture the vast and indifferent mountainous landscapes of the borderlands. The film is genre-driven but is also captivating with its restrained dialogue and composed visuals.

Man and Woman
Vladimir Kott
Russia. 2024. 116 min

A poignant tales about men and women who cast their lots with each other for years or just for one hour or merely for five minutes. Those are stories which are overheard in the kitchen, on the train in the same compartment with a stranger, in a taxi or written in a notebook as memories because if the feelings are real and sincere, they last forever. There are moments of strange encounters and bitter partings which look somewhat familiar. People’s feelings are always unique. But their chemistry is clear to everyone who has fallen in love and parted at least once.

Money Exchange!
Lautaro García Candela
Argentine. 2022. 90 min

Pablo and Florencia work on Florida Street, the economic and tourist epicentre of Buenos Aires. Economic difficulties affect their life together. Pablo, in order to survive, begins to clandestinely smuggle dollars in the street. Taking advantage of the imminence of a currency crisis they will try to strike the blow that will take them out from the street once and for all.

A House in Jerusalem
Muayad Alayan
Palestine, UK. 2023. 104 min

Young Rebecca is forced to move with her father from the UK to Jerusalem, in the hopes that a new beginning can help her heal from her mother’s sudden death. Soon after settling into an old house in a neighbourhood known as the Valley of the Ghosts, a series of mysterious events begin and Rebecca is blamed. Diving deep into the mystery of the house and the mystical city of Jerusalem, Rebecca sets out on an enigmatic journey to discover what hides in the shadows of the house. Crafted by the talented duo Muayad and Rami Alayan, A HOUSE IN JERUSALEM is an eerily suspenseful and touching story told through the eyes of a young girl, exploring the strength of memory and the power of love.

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.