New Girl in the City
Aakriti Thatal, Ashutosh Mishra, Asmita Srivastava
India. 2023. 16 min

In New Girl in the City, two women new to Mumbai navigate through the city and write postcards and letters about their new experiences to their friends back home. Based on their social locations and how Hindi Cinema influences their perceptions of the city, their experiences- that make up the film- bring to light aspects such as relatability and alienation that may or may not align with what is seen on screen. The filmmakers also explore the romantic image of Mumbai and how they view it in relation to the one Hindi Cinema curates for us.

And Towards Happy Alleys
Sreemoyee Singh
India. 2023. 75 min

Fascinated by Iran’s film culture and the poetic works of the feminist poet Forough Farrokhzad, Indian filmmaker Sreemoyee Singh sets out in search of the protagonists of Iranian cinema. The numerous interviews she conducts over a period of six years with filmmakers Jafar Panahi, Mohammad Shirvani and human rights activist Nasrin Sotudeh, among others, show the precarious situation in which critics of the regime find themselves, including the constant threat of imprisonment and being banned from practising their profession. With a keen eye for unusual situations, she documents the effect of the Islamic Republic’s strict and omnipresent censorship on the daily lives of Iranian women whose uncompromising struggle has put them at the forefront of the protests that are currently rocking the country.
And, Towards Happy Alleys is a passionate declaration of love for the cinema and poetry of Iran which also provides a frank view of daily life, and bears witness to a fearless generation raising its voice and implacably demanding its civil liberties.

Bye Bye Tiberias
Lina Soualem
France, Palestine. 2023. 82 min

In her early twenties, Hiam Abbas has left her native Palestinian village to follow her dream of becoming an actress in Europe, leaving behind her mother, grandmother, and seven sisters . Thirty years later, her filmmaker daughter Lina returns with her to the village and questions for the first time her mother’s bold choices , her chosen exile and the way the women in their family influenced both their lives.
Set between past and present , Bye Bye Tiberias pieces together images of today, family footage from the nineties and historical archives to portray four generations of daring Palestinian women who keep their story and legacy alive through the st rength of their bonds, despite exile , dispossession, and heartbreak.

A Boy Called Piano
Nina Nawalowalo
New Zealand. 2023. 60 min

A Boy Called Piano – The Story of Fa’amoana John Luafutu tells the remarkable story of Fa’amoana’s time as a state ward in the 1960’s and the intergenerational impacts of these experiences. Growing from the long term collaboration with Fa’amoana Luafutu and the Luafutu Aiga, the film blends dramatised sequences alongside powerful interviews and beautiful aerial and underwater photography – translating Nina Nawalowalo’s celebrated visual storytelling to the screen for the first time. The Conch has been honoured to walk alongside Fa’amoana and the Luafutu Aiga as they courageously bring their untold story into the light, with the kaupapa of connecting directly with survivors – and illuminating the survivor experience in wider society.

“I began in innocence, new born, a blank page. The story was written, the story of thousands of children, has to be heard. Our History must be faced. May the truth set us free.” Fa’amoana John Luafutu

Postcards from the Verge
Natalia Koniarz
Poland. 2023. 40 min

A young Polish couple embark on a long bike ride through the Andes. The dangers of this undertaking become apparent as lightning strikes around them, the cold takes its toll and their muscles begin to seize up. They try to cross the border into Bolivia in the back of a truck, while a soldier has his gun at the ready.

Despite the growing tensions between them, the journey also proves to be a way to get to know themselves better. The young man spends a lot of time on the phone with his parents, who are getting a divorce, and he sadly realizes that home is no longer home. As he gradually breaks free from the ties to his parents, he strengthens his bond with his girlfriend.

Under these extreme conditions, the couple film breathtaking shots of the endlessly deserted mountain landscape, creating a visually stunning story about growing up and cementing a relationship in the midst of a crisis.