February, 1st
Leila Macaire, Mo Mo
France, Burma. 2021. 12 min

Mo woke up on February 1st 2021 and learnt that she had lost her freedom. The army had just taken control of her country, Myanmar, yet again. A year earlier, to the exact day, Leïla had travelled there for the first time as a French tourist, and found in this country a breath of freedom which she had never known before.

Indian Space Dreams
Sue Sudbury
Great Britain. 2020. 76 min

For the very first time, access has been granted to film behind-the scenes of an Indian space mission.
With extraordinary insight into contemporary India, this film follows space scientists in Mumbai as they prepare to launch the country’s first astronomical satellite to explore the super-massive black hole at the center of our universe … on a fraction of NASA’s budget.
As things start to go wrong, they soon discover the enormity of the challenge they have taken on. Filmed over 5 years, we follow these astronomers on this ‘topsy-turvy ride’ to space. As countdown to launch approaches will their 15 years of hard work pay off and their dreams be realised? And what of the dreams of the children who live the other side of the Space Center’s wall?

Dancing With Dharma
Sukanya Jhala
UK, India. 2021. 17 min

This is a story about accepting death not necessarily as an end, but rather as an inevitable part of life. The film follows the journey of two oddly paired characters across the span of a night. Dharma, having lost her husband all of a sudden, is grappling to come to terms with his death. Death, having collected the soul of her husband, is trying to make the most of his night in London. When she persistently follows him, a bizarre bond forms between the two— Dharma is able to get some of the answers she needs, and Death is able to alleviate his loneliness even if it’s only for one night.

Odh Gohri
Rochna Kumar
UK, India. 2021. 16 min

Dulari, lives her life through the choices of a patriarchal society. She suffers at the hands of her own people as they consider her to be an incarnation of evil-witch. Her family, her own people fail to fathom her and their minds are clouded with ‘others’ opinion. Are family relations so fragile? Does patriarchy takes away her voice ? Witch hunting, a myth, is an old practice continuing to control women’s agency. Odh Gohri is a manifestation of how superstitions can engulf people and make both love and family fragile concepts.

Promises
Lana Vlady
Russia. 2021. 20 min

One day, five years old Tanya realises that her father will not always be by her side, so she gives him a promise which will not leave her during all her life, and will have its resonance even after she’s gone.

Plumber
Anna Ozar, Pavel Emelin
Russia. 2021. 15 min

Elena is a widow. Serafim is a plumber. Both are in their 50-s. It looks like something might happen between them. Are they gonna fix something else despite the pipe? Is it Elena’s broken heart? Or is he just fighting against social inequalities?

Luz
Jasmin Lord
Germany. 2021. 30 min

The young Colombian LUZ gets a coveted position as a housemaid with a diplomatic couple. Finally, she will earn enough money to support her family in Bogota. Soon Luz discovers a dark abyss behind the perfect facade…

Fire
Aizhana Kassymbek
Kazakhstan. 2020. 82 min

Tolik is a bright representative of a middle-aged family man who lives an ordinary life, makes his best to feed the family and it seems that his problems will never end. The endless debts, Kazakh weddings and funerals, everything needs money. Once he finds out that his teenage daughter is pregnant. Tolik plans to find out who the father is in order to talk to him about his daughter’s future and their future intentions.
With this entire burden Tolik gets involved in an absurd adventure that almost costs the life of his best friend. Money stealing, police chase, car accident, one failure follows the other. Going through all the troubles he finally understands what are the most important things in life. And this understanding and acceptance fires the hope.

Babenco: Tell Me When I Die
Barbara Paz
Brazil. 2019. 75 min

I have already lived my death and now all that is left is to make a film about it.” So said the filmmaker Hector Babenco to Bárbara Paz when he realized he did not have much time left. She accepted the challenge to fulfill the last wish of her late partner: to be the main protagonist in his own death. Babenco made of cinema his medicine, and the nourishment that kept him alive. “Babenco – Tell me when I Die” is a film about filming so never to die.