Do Elephants Pray - Raindance Film Festival

DO ELEPHANTS PRAY? 

SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER AT 6:30PM & SUNDAY 10 OCTOBER AT 2PM 

As the film opens, a naked man charges through the forest, 

grabbing our attention as he runs. One thing is certain from 

the outset, Do Elephants Pray does not fit the typical Brit film 

template. Callum, head and lynchpin of his own failing marketing 

company, is pretty set in his ways, doing a half assed job whilst 

enjoying his favourite poisons: cigarettes, alcohol and only the 

very finest coffee. Callum is a man looking for a meaning to it all, 

attending tai chi classes, scouring spiritual websites and in darker 

moments, suicide forums. 

Whilst struggling to come up with a successful angle to sell a 

girls alcoholic drink to men in an already saturated market, Callum 

encounters Malika, a free spirited French girl who pulls him out 

of his lifeless existence and drags him across to France into 

the heart of a military zone in search of a legendary lake said to 

transform people. As they journey deeper into the forest, Malika’s 

spiritual carefree nature begins to rejuvenate Callum. 

Do Elephants Pray is a profoundly affecting film that makes us 

question our sense of value and the way we live our lives. With a 

twist ending that sets the whole film in a new light, it’s certain to 

have audiences talking. As for whether Elephants pray, well, that 

is a question to think about, not to answer. CB 

HALKKE 9 

UK 3 mins Format Super-8mm 

Director/Producer/Screenplay/ 

DoP/Cast/Print Source Richard Jung 

A parody of a 1950s kitchen appliance 

commercial. Observe for youself how this 

extraordinary, atomic-powered machine 

makes old fashioned kitchen drudgery 

a thing of the past. 

Country UK Running Time 105 mins Format DCP Director Paul Hills 

Producers Paul Hills, Jonnie Hurn Screenplay Jonnie Hurn DoP Roger Bonnici 

Cast Jonnie Hurn, Julie Dray, Marc Warren Print Source Amaranth Film Partners 

Email office@elephantfeatures.com W www.doelephantspray.com 

52 18TH RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL

FIVE DAUGHTERS 

WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER AT 7PM 

Five Daughters is a touching and compelling tale based on the 

true, tragic story of the five girls murdered in Ipswich. The film 

dramatises the last few days in the lives of Gemma Adams, 

Anneli Alderton (Jaime Winstone), Annette Nicholls and Paula 

Clennel (Natalie Press), murdered in December 2006 at the 

hands of a serial killer, dubbed the ‘Ipswich Ripper’. When 19-yearold 

Tania Nicol is found dead, the police start investigating, only 

to find that other murders being carried out in the same area may 

be linked. 

The film portrays the harsh reality of the victims’ lives in the 

grim, dark streets of Ipswich’s Red Light District, where the 

cold winter contrasts with the tacky cheerfulness of Christmas 

decorations. All of the girls were drug users, addicted to heroin, 

and worked the streets to fund their habit. Torn between their will 

to live and the pull of their addiction, which made them resort to 

prostitution again and again, we see them going towards their 

deaths in a chilling fashion. 

The performances bring to life a tragedy that shocked the 

nation. Part thriller and part police reconstruction, testimonies 

from direct witnesses, friends and relatives have helped to render 

the story as accurate as possible. MP 

Country UK Running Time 126 mins Format HDCam Director Philippa Lowthorpe 

Producer Simon Lewis Screenplay Stephen Butchard DoP Chris Seager BSC 

Cast Ian Hart, Sarah Lanchashire, Jaime Winstone Print Source Phil Brown 

Email simon@opentvandfilm.com 

18TH RAINDANCE FILM FESTIVAL 

53

FREIGHT 

TUESDAY 5 OCTOBER AT 9:30PM 

Cristi and his gang smuggle Eastern Europeans into England for 

use as slaves. Travelling across Europe on dangerous and illicit 

journeys in freight containers, whole families are brought over to 

the Leeds base. The women are sexually exploited and the men 

are thrown into cage fights to earn back their wives and children. 

But when they kidnap the daughter of local businessman Gabe 

Taylor the gang have a war on their hands. 

Described as a ‘British Taken’ this fast-paced action thriller 

forces its audience through the squalid underworld of sex, drugs 

and murder. Despite this ‘commercial’ wrapping, Freight never 

shies away from the issues central to the film’s drama: human 

trafficking, modern slavery, the politics of immigration and 

national pride. Gabe fights for his daughter, for his honour and 

for England and although the film follows his journey, it takes the 

time to explore other points of view. These illegal immigrants have 

come to England seeking a better quality of life for themselves 

and their children and perhaps that was worth the risks they ran. 

Billy Murray gives an uncompromising performance as Gabe 

and Danny Midwinter’s Cristi is genuinely chilling. Director Stuart 

St Paul offers a roller-coaster ride unlike anything else you’ll see 

from Britain this year. LC 

Country UK Running Time 90 mins Format DCP Director/Screenplay Stuart St 

Paul Producers Stuart St Paul, Martin Campbell, Luke Aikman, Andy Thompson, Billy 

Murray DoP Carl Summerscales Cast Billy Murray, Craig Fairbrass, Danny Midwinter 

Print Source Icon 


HUGE 

SATURDAY 2 OCTOBER AT 6:45PM 

After successfully – and unintentionally – getting a few laughs 

out of a crowd at a small venue, aspiring comedian Warren 

(Johnny Harris) and local funny-man Clarke (Noel Clarke) decide 

to form a double-act in the vein of Morecambe and Wise. 

Huge is a drama about comedy and the sharply scripted 

picture shines brightest when exploring the delusions and 

the inner angst of protagonists Warren and Clarke. That said, 

it’s a very funny film with plenty of laughs to be found in both 

the hilarious cameos from various comedy luminaries and the 

awkward discomforts of the two main characters. 

Warren, in particular, is a fascinating man whose many 

contradictions go some way to making sense of his 

unpredictable, sometimes unexplainable actions. Johnny Harris is 

excellent at conveying the extent of Warren’s self-deception and 

has a brilliant rapport with Noel Clarke who turns in a fascinating 

performance. Writer/director Ben Miller’s greatest success, 

however, is the film’s interesting aesthetic; the vividness of the 

colours subverts the bleakness of the story. Set and costume 

designs provide further context and support to the character’s 

contrasting expectations and failures. ZB 

THE ACTRESS WHO FELL IN LOVE 

WITH HERSELF 

UK 4 mins Format Super-8mm 

Director/Producer/Screenplay/DoP 

Martin Gooch DoP Martin Gooch, Anna 

Carrington Cast Elena Byers Jo Byers 

Print Source Martin Gooch Email 

This is a film about an actress who fell in 

love with herself. 

Country UK Running Time 80 mins Format 35mm Director Ben Miller 

Producer Rebecca Farhall, Colin Jones Screenplay Ben Miller, Simon Godley 

DoP Trevor Forrest Cast Noel Clarke, Johnny Harris, Thandie Newton 

Print Source Rebecca Farhall, Colin Jones Email beck.farhall@gmail.com 


55

JACKBOOTS ON WHITEHALL 

WEDNESDAY 29 SEPTEMBER AT 7PM 

In what is one of the most refreshingly original and defiantly 

independent British films of the year, the brothers McHenry give 

us their own updated and fully puppeted version of the Second 

World War. Here Hitler invades London after a failed Battle of 

Dunkirk. The Nazis plan to tunnel beneath the English Channel 

and German tanks are set to arrive in Trafalgar Square. Swastikaembroidered 

flags hang from Buckingham Palace and Hitler 

swans about in drag as Queen Elizabeth I, plotting with Himmler. 

In Kent, country boy Chris curses the day the Army rejected 

him on account of his super-sized hands. Undeterred, he sets 

out to rally the locals, much to the delight of Daisy, her father the 

local vicar and an American airman who thinks he’s fighting the 

Russians. Joined on the way by a walking Australian armoury 

named Braveheart, this unlikely band of characters head off 

to London to rescue Winston Churchill. 

The film features the voices of some of the biggest and 

brightest UK acting talent including Ewan McGregor as Chris, 

Rosamund Pike as Daisy and Alan Cumming as Hitler with 

Richard E Grant as Daisy’s vicar father. Jackboots on Whitehall 

is a stunning debut from the brothers McHenry. SB 

Country UK Running Time 93 mins Directors/Screenplay Edward & Rory 

McHenry Producer Karl Richards DoP Michael Connor Cast Ewan McGregor, 

Rosamund Pike, Stephen Merchant Print Source Vertigo Films 


LEGACY 

FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER AT 7:30PM & SATURDAY 2 OCTOBER AT MIDDAY 

After a botched operation in Eastern Europe Malcolm Gray, an 

operative in a black-ops unit known as Darkhammer, finds himself 

at the mercy of sinister gun runner Solenko. His own brother 

and the man who founded the unit, Senator Darnell Gray Jr, has 

seemingly sold them down the river. As this thriller continues 

the truth of the events unfolding before our eyes becomes 

increasingly vague, along with the mental state of Malcolm. 

We’re reintroduced to Gray holed up in a run-down Brooklyn 

tenement, his tortured body riddled with scars like the canvas of 

an abstract expressionist, and his mind tripping with the thought 

of revenge. The film is largely set within these four suffocating 

walls as our unreliable protagonist attempts to sell his story to a 

journalist in order to reveal the rotten foundations of his brother’s 

political career to the world and to save Valentina, the woman he 

loved who he now discovers to be Darnell’s wife. 

Malcolm is played with incredible conviction by Idris Elba, while 

writer/director Thomas Ikimi skilfully orchestrates his mental 

decay; feeding the audience hints and flashbacks at just the right 

pace. In what is only his second feature Ikimi has crafted both 

an unbearably tense and superbly shot thriller as well as a highly 

complex mind-game. DB 

Country UK Running Time 95 mins Format HDCam Director/Screenplay 

Thomas Ikimi Producers Thomas Ikimi, Arabella Page-Croft, Kieran Parker 

DoP Jonathan Harvey Cast Idris Elba, Eamonn Walker, Clarke Peters 

Print Source Thomas Ikimi Email themerc01@mac.co 


57

LUMMOX 


Peter Boyd MacLean likes to make films about ‘people that make 

a difference’. His film focuses on digital artist Milree Hughes’ 

life and work in New York City. The film follows the strong willed 

artist as he expresses himself through both art and music. It 

also includes the ups and downs and miscommunications in 

the relationship between artist and director. 

Filmed with a handheld camera for the most part, Lummox 

contains some playful editing and shots that experiment with 

light, grain and colour. Boyd gets involved not only with the work 

of the artist but also Milree’s day-to-day life; observing him talk 

about his art and following him down the streets of New York. 

Putting Hughes’ work and personality on film, the director reflects 

his own experience and his thoughts on working so closely with 

an artist, capturing their most personal moments. 

This turns out to be fascinating but also difficult, because while 

Boyd is working to create his own form of art, Hughes is trying 

to defend and protect his own career. The film is a fascinating 

insight into an artist’s life and at the same time, an account on 

what it means to have the courage to leave your own mark. Peter 

Boyd’s says Hughes is ‘his own figure in his own landscape;’ 

capturing that landscape and figure is a work of art in itself. MP 

Country UK Running Time 41 mins Format DigiBeta Director/Producer/DoP 

Peter Boyd Maclean Cast Millree Hughes, Peter Boyd Maclean, Mark Kostabi Print 

Source Peter Boyd Maclean Email boydmaclean@gmail.com 


OLLIE KEPLER’S EXPANDING PURPLE WORLD 

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER AT 8:30PM & FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER AT 2:30PM 

Ollie is a regular guy with a passion for astronomy, a sound 

best mate, and a beautiful girlfriend. His astrological interests in 

particular seem to dominate his life; his own reality channeled 

through theories of quantum physics and unanswered questions 

regarding the universe. When his girlfriend dies unexpectedly and 

his best mate is offered a job in Sheffield, Ollie’s world is thrust 

into uncertainty. Returning to the scene of her death Ollie battles 

with the guilt of an unfulfilled promise and starts down a spiral of 

self-destruction. Struggling to cope with reality his mind becomes 

even more fixated on the voices in his head. 

Viv Fongenie’s second feature is a fascinating exploration of 

the human mind unraveling. Fongenie has a background as a 

mental health consultant and it’s clear from the outset that what 

we are seeing on screen is a thoroughly researched portrayal. 

Complementing the intriguing storyline are the brilliant 

performances Fongenie receives from his actors. Edward Hogg 

excels as Ollie, following on from impressive turns in both Bunny 

and the Bull and White Lightnin’, and Jodie Whittaker makes 

the most of her screen time as girlfriend Noreen. Ollie Kepler’s 

Expanding Purple World is an utterly convincing and tragic 

portrayal of a mind retreating from an uncomfortable reality. JM 

Country UK Running Time 90 mins Format HDCam Director/Producer/ 

Screenplay Viv Fongenie DoP Matthias Nyberg Cast Edward Hogg, Jodie Whittaker, 

Andrew Knott P/S Viv Fongenie E vivgenie@hotmail.com W www.olliekepler.com 


59

REBELS WITHOUT A CLUE 

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER AT 7:30PM & SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER AT 11AM 

Teens Damian and Mark long to escape their humdrum existence, 

closeted in a village in the Saddleworth Moors of Northern 

England. Their only distraction is taking potshots with Damian’s 

air rifle at passing cars, sheep and anything that moves. 

Their chance for escape comes when one of their shots 

interrupts a drug deal, causing a vicious criminal known only as 

The Killer to gun down his associate before fleeing the scene. 

Damian and Mark swoop in to claim their prizes of a gun, a 

briefcase of cocaine, a bag full of money and a 1966 Fleetwood 

Cadillac. The boys, concerned about being implicated in the 

murder, stuff the body into the back of the car and set off in 

search of a shovel. Of equal concern, however, is just how their 

newly acquired Cadillac can help them lose their virginity as soon 

as possible. To that end they drag Damien’s girlfriend Kylie and 

her friend Beth on a whirlwind ride, relentlessly pursued by a killer 

leaving an ever-widening trail of bodies in his wake. 

Rebels Without a Clue takes an age old tale of the kind 

made famous by the Coen brothers’ Fargo and Danny Boyle’s 

Shallow Grave and ties it effortlessly to a coming of age story 

of boundless humour and insight. CB 

Country UK Running Time 80 mins Format Red Director/Screenplay Ian Vernon 

Producers Ian Vernon, Julie Monfils DoP Ian Rennov Cast Stefan Gumbs, Rik 

Barnett, Lucy Brennan Print Source Ian Vernon Email i.vernon@ntlworld.co.uk 

W www.rebelswithoutaclue.co.uk 


ALL I EVER WANTED 

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER AT 7:15PM & FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER AT 2:30PM 

In December 2009 the Airborne Toxic Event played a special 

homecoming show at LA’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. Part 

documentary and part concert film, this chronicles the journey 

leading up to this sensational one-off show, and how it became 

not only a truly extraordinary gig, but also a celebration of LA’s 

musical culture. Known for their epic performances, the band 

are augmented here by a number of guests including the Calder 

Quartet, a children’s choir and a high school marching band. 

Their success has been predominantly organic, with news 

spreading about them thanks to word of mouth. A rock band with 

classical connotations, they garnered international recognition 

with their breakout hit Sometime Around Midnight, which made 

Radio 1 and the UK Top 40 without record label backing. There’s 

a sense of urgency to their songs. Their lyrics tell of heartbreak, 

loss and the dark places we’ve all found ourselves, but there’s an 

undeniable sense of euphoria in their music, and their live shows 

are nothing short of joyous. 

These musicians are more than just a band; they are a lifeaffirming 

experience, and are beautifully captured at their 

pinnacle. If you know them, chances are you already love them. 

If you don’t, this is your chance to see what the fuss is about. CP 

Country USA Running Time 102 mins Director/DoP Jon Danovic Producers Brian 

Girard, Pete Galli Print Source Pete Galli Featuring The Airborne Toxic Event Email 

gallimgmt@gmail.com 


AMERICAN GRINDHOUSE 

SUNDAY 3 OCTOBER AT 3:30PM 

From a striptease created by Edison on an early camera to Ilsa: 

She Wolf of the SS, sensational cinema has always had a place 

in the film industry. Grindhouse cinemas show exploitation films: 

movies featuring extreme sexual themes, drug-use, or violence, 

which advertisers could exploit to bring people into movie 

theatres. The history of sensational cinema is partly the story of 

independent cinema, and partly that of unabashed capitalism. 

Many genres of exploitation film started out as adult-only 

cinema, telling morality tales as a cover for the exploration of 

taboo subject matter. Sex, violence and race were highlighted 

in exploitation films before they became mainstream topics of 

discussion. Grindhouse cinemas survived on a young audience 

who wanted boundaries pushed and weren’t too concerned about 

critical opinions. 

Tracking the rise of the exploitation film from pre to post 

censorship laws, American Grindhouse explores the development 

of the many sub-genres of exploitation films and looks at the 

classics like Last House on the Left, Shaft and Teenage Hellcats. 

Told through archive film footage and interviews with exploitation 

filmmakers, American Grindhouse takes audiences on a tour of 

the most outrageous and taboo films of the past century. BE 

Country USA Running Time 82 mins Format DigiBeta Director/Producer Elijah 

Drenner DoP Dan Greene Featuring Joe Dante, Robert Forster, David Hess Print 

Source Sky Arts Email simon.talfourd@contentfilm.com 


63

BEDWAYS 

THURSDAY 7 OCTOBER AT 10:45PM 

Nina, a film director, and her two actors move into a large old 

apartment in a run-down area of Berlin. About to start shooting a 

movie on the physical side of love, she begins in-depth rehearsals 

with her actors, hoping to explore and develop the story she 

wants to tell. 

Set against the cold winter outside, the real-sex test rehearsals 

in front of the warm studio lights become hypnotic meditations 

in themselves. Sparsely shot, the physical drama and tension 

between actors resonates through the corridors of their 

dilapidated apartment. 

As Nina continues searching for the essence of her film, the 

acted and the genuine relationships begin to merge. Between the 

actors, Hans and Marie, there is a chemistry which starts in front 

of the camera and slowly permeates through to their real lives as 

they watch back rushes on a projector. Bedways is an exploration 

into the psychological effects on relationships when two people 

are made to act out real sex. It gives a cool, restrained portrayal 

of bohemian life in Berlin. A low budget erotic meditation, this film 

is set apart by its unique attitude and quirkiness. JK 

Country Germany Running Time 76 mins Director/Screenplay RP Kahl 

Producers RP Kahl, Torsten Neumann, Christoph Thoke DoP Fabien Knecht 

Cast Miriam Mayet, Matthias Faust, Lana Cooper Print Source Jinga Films 

Email info@jingafilms.com 


DIRTY DIARIES 

SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER AT 10.15PM 

Dirty Diaries is a collection of thirteen short pornographic films, 

produced by Mia Engberg and shot by a number of feminist 

directors. Each one tells a story or presents the act of sex 

through different modalities and different points of view. These 

films explore diverse ideas about the role of feminist sexual acts. 

All of them are intended to contrast the assumption that 

pornography is made by men, for men, and therefore has to 

satisfy male viewers. Dirty Diaries is an assertion that women in 

pornography need not be exploited and are just as capable as 

men of expressing their own sexuality and their own pleasure. 

Sold out screenings in Stockholm have proved the success of 

this project although unsurprisingly, Dirty Diaries has attracted 

controversy: both because of its often extreme sexual content 

and because it was financed with public funds. Beyond the shock 

factor however, is a collection of films which take a serious look 

at the role of women in pornography and attempt to redress the 

balance. Dirty Diaries is thematically overseen by Engberg, but 

each film is an individual’s celebration of sex and an individual 

idea about feminine sexuality. This rich diversity proves that 

reclaiming feminine sexuality on film is as much about celebrating 

individuality as it is about celebrating femininity. MP 

Country Sweden Running Time 105 mins Format DigiBeta Directors Joanna Rytel, 

Sara Kaaman, Ester Martin Bergsmark, Marit Östberg, Tora Mårtens, Elin Magnusson, 

Åsa Sandzén, Pella Kågerman, Wolfe Madam, Ingrid Ryberg, Jennifer Rainsford Print 

Source Nicolas Debot Email nicolas.debot@njutafilms.com 


65

HORI SMOKU SAILOR JERRY: THE LIFE & TIMES OF NORMAN… 

SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER AT 5PM 

Sailor Jerry was the moniker of Norman Collins, considered by 

many to be the father of modern American tattooing. Hori Smoku 

Sailor Jerry looks at Collins’ contribution to the history and 

development of tattooing and the unique style he created from 

the amalgamation of American and Japanese art and culture. 

Collins was also a key developer of tattooing milestones such 

as sterilization techniques and the development of new colours. 

In Collins’ time tattooing was associated with the criminal 

underworld and the armed forces, and ink was a serious and 

permanent statement of someone’s counter-culture intentions. 

Refusing to give interviews, Sailor Jerry was suspicious of the 

media, and so his story is constructed through vintage footage, 

photographs and interviews with other tattooists, including Don 

Ed Hardy, Zeke Owen and Eddie Funk. Hori Smoku Sailor Jerry 

is a glimpse into the life of a patriotic, right-wing prankster, who 

kept a picture of his enemy inside the lid of his toilet seat and 

changed the world of tattooing forever. LC 

Country USA Running Time 73 mins Format DCP Director/Producer Erich 

Weiss Featuring Don Ed Hardy, Michael Malone, Zeke Owen Print Source House 

Productions Email sailorjerry@housepr.com W www.sailorjerry.com 


L.A. ZOMBIE 

FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER AT 9:45PM 

Banned in Australia before it could screen at MIFF earlier this 

year, cult filmmaker Bruce LaBruce’s L.A. Zombie is possibly 

the most talked about indie film of 2010. Dubbed ‘gay zombie 

porn’ by censors, L.A. Zombie features French porn star François 

Sagat as the alien zombie who emerges from the sea in the 

search of dead bodies to fuck back to life. First he hitchhikes 

a lift from an unsuspecting driver who is soon left dying from 

a car-crash. Sagat stumbles out of the wreck to penetrate the 

gored carcass to get the exposed heart beating again. During 

his stay the zombie observes a number of events leading to the 

reincarnations. 

Balancing stunning visuals and a superb soundtrack, this 

experimental new sub-genre feature goes much deeper than 

first appearances suggest – quite literally. Exploring a number 

of issues including drug addiction, organised crime, and poverty 

L.A. Zombie draws parallels between all the disenfranchised 

communities of Los Angeles and highlights the redemptive power 

of love. There’s no point pretending this ‘penetrative drama’ isn’t 

going to make you squeamish at times, but it is full of symbolism 

and allusion, and is undoubtedly going to be recognised as an 

underground milestone in cinematic history. XR 

Country Germany/France/USA Running Time 62 mins Format Beta SP Director/ 

Screenplay Bruce LaBruce Producers Jurgen Bruning, Robert Felt, Arno Rok DoP 

James Carmen Cast François Sagat P/S Juergen Anger E jb@wurstfilm.com 


67

LOOK AT WHAT THE LIGHT DID NOW 

SUNDAY 3 OCTOBER AT 2PM 

Canada has one of the most exciting indie rock scenes in the 

world, shared by what seems to be an entire generation of 

musical and visual artistic collaborators. In Look at What the 

Light Did Now we get a colourful insight into this burgeoning 

bohemian movement, following Leslie Feist, member of Broken 

Social Scene, in her solo outing known simply as Feist. We are 

invited into the band’s fascinating and intimate recording sessions 

and follow the creative process right through to their sold-out 

arena concerts. 

While recording, Leslie and the band base themselves in a 

large old mansion, making use of their entire environment to 

saturate their album with context, narrative and sonic depth. 

Meanwhile the myriad of collaborating visual artists set to work, 

turning Feist’s sound into poetic, live light performances, music 

videos and album covers. This is one of those special music 

documentaries that has nothing to do with band politics or life 

stories, instead it focuses purely on the creativity and passion that 

goes into giving the audience a memorable experience. Watching 

Feist, the band and collaborators, you can’t help but feel you are 

witnessing something magical. JK 

Country Canada Running Time 77 mins Format HDCam Director/DoP Anthony 

Seck Producer Jannie McInnes Featuring Leslie Feist, Chilly Gonzales, Patrick 

Daughters Print Source Jannie McInnes Email jannie@revolverfilms.com 


SOUNDS LIKE A REVOLUTION 

WEDNESDAY 6 OCTOBER AT 7:15PM 

Today, due to the corporate monopoly over what gets airplay 

and exposure, it is harder than ever for independent, politically 

motivated musicians to reach large audiences. Sounds like a 

Revolution documents this imbalance in the music industry, telling 

the story of these underground artists who are fighting against 

the odds to get their message across. This is a documentary 

about the new generation of politically motivated musicians 

who use their music to communicate dissident social ideas and 

encourage political action. 

This movement is described from the perspective of four artists 

including Fat Mike from NOFX and folk/reggae singer Michael 

Franti. We see the worrying cultural shift since the 1960s when 

politically subversive artists such as Dylan and Neil Young were 

backed by major labels and had a strong voice in the mainstream, 

to today’s highly censored music culture where artistic integrity 

and creativity is stifled by corporate interests. 

Focusing mainly on these four artists, we get a strong sense of 

the passion and conviction which has crossed generations and it 

would be hard to watch Sounds like a Revolution without feeling 

stirred and genuinely inspired by these people’s determination to 

have their voices heard and make a difference. SE 

Country Canada Running Time 76 mins Director/DoP Summer Love Producers 

Summer Love, Jane Michener Featuring Michael Franti, Dixie Chicks, David Crosby 

Print Source Summer Preney Email summer@soundslikerevolution.com 

W www.soundslikearevolution.com 


69

SUPERSTONIC SOUND: THE REBEL DREAD 


Don Letts is perhaps best known for introducing reggae to punks 

in the 1970s He was DJ at the first punk club – The Roxy – where 

between sets he would play hard core dub-reggae. 

Told in Letts’ unique voice, he describes his background as 

a young boy growing up in Brixton at the same time as ‘Keep 

Britain White’ was scrawled across the walls of London 

The film also focuses on Letts’ 24-year-old son Jet who is 

trying to make it as a DJ and producer of Dubstep, the next 

generation of dub, reggae and hip-hop. 

Filmmakers Raphael Erichsen, a former indie label and record 

store owner and Edward Dallal examine the influence of the 

Letts family – Don Letts’ father was among the first Jamaican 

immigrants to the country and he brought his sound system with 

him, introducing London to Jamaican dub. 

Letts also adapted the DIY ethic to go on and make a series of 

films, his first, The Punk Rock Movie, shot entirely on super-8mm. 

He has directed over 300 music videos for a diverse range of 

artists, inlucding The Clash, Bob Marley and Elvis Costello. SB 

Country UK/Brazil RT 48 mins Director Raphael Erichsen Producer Ed Dallal 

DoP Marc Webb Featuring Don Letts, Jet Letts Print Source Ed Dallal 


SWANSEA LOVE STORY 


There has been a 180% rise in heroin use registered in Swansea 

over the past four years. Recorded over six months the film sheds 

some light on this shocking statistic, telling the stories of various 

young Swansea natives who have fallen foul to what’s been 

described as ‘one of South Wales’s most ever-present epidemics’. 

It is an uncompromising look at the city’s drug problem with 

peaceful images of the seaside and hymns sung by a local male 

voice choir contrasted starkly with explicit footage of drug use. 

A broad perspective is given. The film touches on the roots of 

the drug problem with the mass unemployment that inevitably 

followed the closing of the mines and also branches out into the 

issue of racial tension within the city. But the main focus is on 

Cornelius and Amy, a young homeless couple who have both 

been addicted to heroin since they were children. 

This is a sensitive and touching film but overall a bleak picture 

is painted of Swansea and there are no easy answers to be 

offered. Possibly the most poignant thing about the film is the 

feeling that these people had very little choice about the lives 

they’ve ended up leading. As Cornelius says, ‘People like us grow 

up with parents who are selling drugs and doing drugs, you learn 

where you live’. SE 

PRODUCT 

Australia 1 min Format 16mm Director/ 

Producer/Screenplay/DoP Johan 

Mard Cast Ben Andrews, Pia Olmeadhra 

Print Source Johan Mard 

Two outer-city youths talk about love and 

skin care. 

Country UK Running Time 60 mins Format DV Directors/Producers/DoP Andy 

Capper, Leo Leigh Print Source VBS 


71

SYMBOL [SHINBORU] 

SATURDAY 2 OCTOBER AT 9PM & MONDAY 4 OCTOBER AT 2:45PM 

A man in polka dot pyjamas, played by director/comedian Hitoshi 

Matsumoto, wakes up in a large empty doorless white room. He 

doesn’t know how he got there, or how to get out. But a short 

inspection of the room leads him towards a small white protruding 

object, which he touches. Immediately heavenly sounds fill the 

room and thousands of angelic babies fly out of the wall laughing 

at him, before remerging back into the white paintwork. They 

leave no sign of existence other than the remnants of their tiny 

willies and scrotums protruding out of the wall. 

As the protagonist stares bedazzled, some impulse helps him 

figure out that every time he ‘flicks the bean(s)’ – so to speak 

– an object flies at him from enigmatic holes that appear in the 

walls and ceiling before shutting closed. All he needs to do is 

figure out what combination of ‘willy flicks’ will lead him to his 

triumphant exit. Meanwhile, in a seemingly unrelated storyline, 

a Mexican boxer is about to leave his family to join a match. 

Somehow both men’s fates are intertwined. 

To say this film is difficult to understand is a grand 

understatement; you’re sure to be as confused as the film’s lead 

well after leaving the cinema, nonetheless, Hitoshi Matsumoto’s 

Symbol is a cinematic masterpiece. XR 

Country Japan Running Time 93 mins Format 35mm Director Hitoshi Matsumoto 

Producer Akihiko Okamato Screenplay Hitoshi Matsumoto, Mitsuyoshi Takasu 

DoP Yasuyuki Tohyama Cast Hitoshi Matsumoto, David Quintero, Luis Accinelli 

Print Source U-Media Email films@umedia.fr 


TOO MUCH PUSSY: FEMINIST SLUTS IN THE QUEER X SHOW 


This original and explicit documentary follows a group of female 

performers on tour around Europe with their Queer X Show. The 

girls – Judy Minx, Mad Kate, Madison Young, Sadie Lune, Wendy 

Delorme and Dj Metzgerei – are followed by the all-seeing 

camera of director Emilie Jouvet. They describe themselves 

variously as ‘sex workers’, porn actresses, and people who ‘work 

with their body.’ Their performances – a kind of modern Moulin 

Rouge-like open and itinerant show - are all about sexuality, 

freedom of expression, experimentation and art. 

Their travels take them from the capitals to the smaller towns 

of Europe where, to the bemusement of the locals, they put on 

impromptu street stripteases. Arguing that modern society is 

still sexually repressed and inhibited, particularly towards gay 

and lesbian sex, the girls include sex education in their act. 

They promote themselves as supporters of self-awareness and 

self-confidence; their act is a tool to help demystify sex and 

deconstruct taboos and prohibitions. 

We follow the girls as they put on their high impact, explicit 

performances and their life on the road. This fly-on-the-wall 

doc embraces sexual diversity, and deconstructs the social 

conventions that prohibit sexual individuality. MP 

Country France/Germany Running Time 98 mins Director/DoP Emilie Jouvet 

Producers Emilie Jouvet, Jurgen Bruning Featuring Wendy Delorme, Judy Minx, 

Sadie Lune Print Source Juergen Anger Email jb@wurstfilm.com 


73

WE ARE THE MODS 


High school student Sadie is a quiet and artistic teenager who 

has just been rejected by her best friend in favour of the incrowd. 

She plans to study photography at college but lacks 

inspiration or individuality. Everything changes when she meets 

the rebellious and self-assured Nico. Equally an outsider, Nico 

suffers from a genetic defect which forces her to walk with a 

crutch, but rather than being held back by her disability she 

seems to relish her differences. 

Nico’s lifestyle and attitudes have a huge influence on Sadie as 

she is introduced to Mod culture: fashion, European cinema and 

vintage scooters. Sadie finds a sense of identity and a muse for 

her artistic work and begins a transformation from shy teenage 

tomboy to stylish and confident young adult. Things soon get 

complicated though, as a love triangle develops between the two 

girls and Nico’s boyfriend Tregg. Director Cassidy subtly builds 

the sexual tension and Sadie’s exact feelings for Nico remain 

unclear to the audience throughout most of the film, as they are 

probably unclear to her. 

This perfectly cast coming of age story boasts a great 

soundtrack and has the kind of visual flair and striking images 

which should make it a shoe-in for cult status. SE 

RADIO GIRL 

USA 4 mins Format Red Director 

Ronni Thomas Producers Ronni 

Thomas, Dominic Thackray Screenplay 

Ronni Thomas DoP Eric Giovan Cast 

Vickers ‘Bastard’ Gringo, Legs Malone 

Noble Robinette, Denver McAlister P/S 

Ronni Thomas E raygun76@gmail.com 

A live action throwback to classic 

cartoons with a dark and surreal twist. 

Set to the music of The Real Tuesday 

Weld and for many reasons probably the 

best film ever made. 

Country USA Running Time 83 mins Format HDCam Director EE Cassidy 

Producers EE Cassidy, Robert Poswall Screenplay EE Cassidy, Bruce Pavalon 

DoP Robert Poswall, Alison Kelly Cast Melia Renée, Mary Elise Hayden, Lance Drake 

P/S Rica Jones Productions E info@wearethemods.com W www.wearethemods.com 


DONOMA 


This year’s out of the blue discovery, Donoma is the work of a 

Paris based collective led by writer/director Djinn Carrenard. 

Following on the recent trend that marked the successes of Etre 

et Avoir and Palme d’Or winning The Class, Donoma takes a 

fresh perspective on what it feels like to be a young kid from the 

‘banlieux de Paris’. 

Merging several different storylines based around the 

classroom, Dacio is introduced as the disruptive and vulgar 

lycée student. When his Spanish teacher Ana corners him after 

a lesson and tosses him off, he starts to become increasingly 

infatuated with her, something she uses to repeatedly humiliate 

and intimidate him. Dacio’s atheist girlfriend is oblivious to his 

obsession, and distracted looking after her older leukaemiasuffering 

sister. In this alternative vignette, she begins to question 

a number of unusual elements within her life. Their friend 

meanwhile, has just offered herself to a stranger, in an attempt 

to see whether love can be born from a single sexual encounter. 

The beauty of Donoma is difficult to contextualise. On one 

hand it’s a blindingly simple observation of suburban Paris, but 

on the other, it’s a Lynchian discovery movie so natural you’d think 

yourself in the room. XR 

Country France Running Time 135 mins Format HDCam Director/Producer/ 

Screenplay/DoP Djinn Carrénard Cast Emilia Dérou Bernal, Salomé Blechmans, 

Laura Kpegli Print Source Djinn Carrénard Email djinn@donomaprod.com 


LIGHTS OUT [SIMON WERNER A DISPARU] 

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER AT CINÉ LUMIÈRE AT 6:30PM & SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER AT 3PM 

Premiering in Un Certain Regard at this year’s edition of the 

Cannes Film Festival, this slick and stylish French psychological 

thriller chronicles the events that lead up to the discovery of a 

seemingly lifeless body in the forest. Set in 1992 and played to an 

original soundtrack by Sonic Youth, this cleverly structured film 

replays the series of events leading up to the discovery through 

the eyes of four different teens. 

As much a whodunnit as a play on college school youth, the 

story of Lights Out is a blend of genres, both art-house and high 

school movie. The vivid cinematography offers a different feel, 

something both dream-like and surreal. 

Simon’s girlfriend is wondering if she shares responsibility 

in his disappearance, whilst his friends have their eyes on the 

teachers, who they suspect may be involved in some form of 

blackmail. At the same time the viewer delves into the lives 

of the teenagers, each with their own secrets, questions and 

growing sense of being. The subtlety with which the characters 

are portrayed, through love triangles, deception, and new-found 

sexuality is supported by oustanding performances of the leads. 

Debut movie Lights Out will undoubtedly set director Fabrice 

Gobert as a name to follow closely. XR 

Country France Running Time 92 mins Format 35mm Director/Screenplay 

Fabrice Gobert Producers Marc-Antoine Robert, Xavier Rigault DoP Agnès Godard 

Cast Jules Pelissier, Ana Girardot, Serge Riaboukine Print Source TF1 International 

Email capiot@tf1.fr 


77

ROBERT MITCHUM IS DEAD [ROBERT MITCHUM EST MORT] 


As an agent and scriptwriter, Arsène (Olivier Gourmet) is 

intimately familiar with the hard knocks world of hunting down 

that elusive big break. So when the stars have allegedly aligned, 

and there’s an opportunity for him to get his actor Franky 

Pastor (Pablo Nicomedes) in front of a big name director, he 

goes for gold. Risking everything, the pair set out from France 

with the intent of driving to a film festival held in the Arctic 

Circle. However, as we all know, pretty much nothing ever goes 

according to plan. As the voyage unfolds we learn more about 

the softly strange Franky, and just how desperate Arsène really is. 

We’re not even certain that Franky can actually perform. 

Robert Mitchum Is Dead is populated with a generous array 

of curious personalities and takes a loving look at their everyday, 

and not so everyday, lives. In the spirit of road trip movies 

everywhere, the guys come across people and situations that no 

one could ever plan for. It’s that road trip ‘que sera sera’ mood 

that battles against Arsène’s singular determination throughout 

the film to make their journey so odd and unpredictable. Sprinkle 

in some desperation, social disorders, and a beautiful Polish film 

student, and you have yourself a journey worth witnessing. SS 

Country France/Belgium/Poland/Norway Running Time 91 mins Format 35mm 

Directors/Screenplay Olivier Babinet, Fred Kihn Producer Igor Wojtowicz DoP 

Timo Salminen Cast Olivier Gourmet, Pablo Nicomedes, Bakary Sangare Print Source 

Anne Wiedlack Email aw@m-appeal.com 


THE LONGEST FILM TITLE IN THE WORLD [ORIGINAL LANGUAGE TITLE] 

DAY 888 OCTOBER AT 88PM 

xxx 

SHORT FILM TITLE 

UK 12 mins Super16 Director Jon 

Bon Jovi Screenplay Jerry Lee Lewis 

Producer Dave Lee Travis Email 

somebody@somewhere.com 

Like a really short synopsis, two lines, 

three lines, who knows, just the right 

amount for a short film. 

SCREENING SPONSOR 

Country x Running Time x mins Format x Director/Screenplay x Producer x 

DoP x Cast x Print Source x Email x 


39

9:06 


Following the unusual suicide of piano teacher Marjan Ozim from 

a bridge at 9:06am, weary Police Inspector Dusan is to investigate 

the circumstances surrounding the death. Having separated from 

his wife following the loss of their eldest child, Dusan becomes 

obsessed with the man whose story he is unravelling. Eventually 

Dusan moves into Ozim’s apartment and starts living the life 

of the deceased man. What begins as a passing resemblance 

results in Dusan adopting his identity entirely. 

9:06 tells both an intriguing and gripping story, which poses 

questions about the nature of an individual’s identity. There are 

constant themes of guilt throughout, inter-tangled with those of 

loss and regret. Masterfully constructed, the narrative plays out 

beautifully against the striking and moody visuals of Slovenia. 

The powerful performance of lead actor Igor Sambobor offers 

a striking sense of importance surrounding 9:06. Its native 

home country is among the five countries in the world with the 

highest suicide rates, but this tragic statistic isn’t put under the 

microscope. No explanation is offered for Marjan’s decision to 

end it all, but we see the repercussions it leaves for those who 

loved him, providing a provocative and moving experience. CP 

Country Slovenia Running Time 71 mins Format 35mm Director Igor Sterk 

Producers Igor Sterk, Christoph Thoke, Frenk Celarc Screenplay Igor Sterk, Sinisa 

Dragin DoP Simon Tansek Cast Igor Samobor, Labina Mitevska, Silva Cusin Print 

Source Insomnia World Sales Email contact@insomnia-sales.com 


32ND DECEMBER [32. DECEMBAR] 


Taking inspiration from the style of Inarritu and Arriaga, director 

Sasa Hajdukovic weaves three stories into one tale of love, 

lust, violence, and betrayal. Three female college students are 

planning a celebration for New Year’s Eve but their night will 

take them in very different directions. A middle-aged man leads 

one of them astray and she becomes involved with his criminal 

associates who take advantage of her youth and naiveté. When19 

year old Una flirts with Piksi at his bar she starts a relationship 

that they both see in very different life. Where Una was looking 

for a night of fun Piksi has begun to fall in love. Meanwhile a girl 

abandons her alcoholic father and her boyfriend begins to have 

a mental breakdown, which leads to an untimely death. These 

stories climax in one catastrophic night as every character’s 

actions cumulate and culminate in a tragic accident.. 

Hajdukovic handles these disparate storylines with grace and 

precision, elegantly weaving them into a film that is more than 

the sum of its parts. Intricately plotted and deftly directed 32nd 

December is a film that delves into the relationships between 

men and women and puts questions about friendship and loyalty 

under the microscope. AAS 

Country Bosnia & Hercegovina Running Time 88 mins Format 35mm Director/ 

ScreenplaySasa Hajdukovic DoP Sasha Petkovic Producer Slobodan Perisic, Boris 

Jevdenic, Sasa Hajdukovic, Zoran Galic Cast Nikolina Jelisavac, Slobodan Perisic, Anja 

Stanic Print Source Zoran Galic Email vizart@teol.net 


81

ALIVE [GJALLE] 


Koli is living the ideal student life in Tirana, capital city of Albania. 

He has a beautiful girlfriend, aces his exams and spends his 

evenings in clubs, on beaches and endless parties. However his 

idyllic existence is interrupted by a visit from his stepbrother Roku 

heralding the death of his wheelchair-bound father. Koli travels 

by ferry to his old home in the heart of the Albanian countryside 

to attend his father’s funeral but his presence quickly erupts a 

century old blood feud, from which his father was only spared due 

to a code of honour forbidding vengeance against the disabled. 

Shouldering the burden of his grandfather’s crimes, Koli is 

forced to lie low while his fate is decided by those who believe 

that only blood washes away blood. Koli bears his position with 

good grace, taking the time to reconnect with the small town life 

he left behind and the family he had forgotten. 

Alive takes us from an easygoing world without boundaries to 

one bound by family ties and social obligations. Obligations that 

Koli can’t escape, no matter how far he runs or how low he lies. 

From the mysterious opening to the shocking conclusion, Alive 

is a beautifully shot morality tale on the importance of family and 

is Albania’s official entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign 

Language Film in 2010. CP 

Country Albania Director/Screenplay Artan Minarolli Running Time 90 mins 

Format 35mm s Artfilm, Wildart, Agat Films DoP Jacques Bouquin Cast Nik Xhelilaj, 

Xhevdet Feri, Bfsart Kallaku Print Source Wildart Film Email office@wildartfilm.com 


BO 


Schoolgirl Deborah longs for a life less ordinary, or at least the 

money to buy some new clothes. She is less than enamoured 

with life in her granddad’s flat, living with her mother and younger 

brother. When the glamorous Jen takes her into town for a night 

Deborah falls in love with her lifestyle. Jen admits she is a call 

girl and agrees to introduce Deborah to her manager, Vince. Thus 

begins Deborah’s (now Bo) spiral into prostitution, drugs and 

violence over the course of a single year. 

Struggling to handle her new lifestyle, keep it secret from her 

family and falling in love with Vince; Bo can’t keep on top of it all. 

Things go from bad to worse when she starts skipping school to 

go to work and finally gets caught with a client. 

Beautiful, lambent, cinematography highlights not only lead 

actress Ella-June Henrard‘s formidable performance, but also the 

beauty to be found in the urban landscapes of Antwerp. A subtle 

and varied score provides emotional context to many powerful 

scenes but is never used to overwhelm. This film is striking, 

powerful and poignant. It doesn’t make grandiose statements but 

simply and clearly lays out one girl’s path into a life of high-class 

prostitution and the effects that has on her life. JB 

Country Belgium Running Time 90 mins Format 35mm Director Hans Herbots 

Producer Bert Hamelinck Screenplay Nele Meirhaeghe, Hans Herbots DoP Danny 

Elsen Cast Ella-June Henrard Print Source Caviar Films 


83

CANNIBAL 

FRIDAY 1 OCTOBER AT 10PM 

Max, an agoraphobic golfer lives an isolated life in the woods. 

One day while out practicing his golf swing he stumbles across 

the body of a young woman. Unnerved at first, he tentatively 

approaches her only to discover she is not dead but unconscious. 

He slings her limp body over his shoulder and takes her back to 

his house. He cares for her but does not entirely trust her. He 

can’t help but notice the blood that remains after her shower and 

asks if she’s injured. As the two develop an uneasy relationship, 

Max finds himself increasingly attracted to this strangely ethereal 

young woman. One night she escapes, running off into the 

woods. Giving chase, he discovers her having sex with a man 

while cannibalizing him. He is shaken to the core but nonetheless 

starts a romantic relationship with her. 

The film features standout performances from the icily delicate 

Helena Coppejans in her debut film role and award-winning actor 

Nicolas Gob as the troubled ex-gangster Max. Director Benjamin 

Viré makes an auspicious debut with this stylish thriller that 

combines atmosphere with action to great effect, while producer 

Eloi Gérard was recently hailed as a producer to watch by the 

influential industry bulletin Sydney’s Buzz. SB 

Country Belgium Running Time 103 mins Format HDCam Director/Screenplay 

Benjamin Viré Producer Eloi Gérard DoP Raphael Kolacz Cast Helena Coppejans, 

Nicolas Gob, Eric Godon P/S Charlotte Capelle E charlotte.capelle@plotpointprod.eu 


DAYS OF HARVEST [I GIORNI DELLA VENDEMMIA 


Seventeen-year-old Elia is spending the summer harvesting 

grapes on his parent’s farm. Bored and a little lonely, his life is 

thrown into turmoil when the beautiful and experienced Emilia 

comes to help with the harvest. His father, Claudio is a staunch 

Communist and his life too is turned upside down when the 

popular party leader dies. Maddalena, the mother, continues 

stoically through it all, secure in her Catholic faith and the prayer 

meetings she runs. As Emilia becomes more involved in Elia’s 

life he opens up to her about the frustrations and joys of rural 

teenage life. 

Shot in the beautiful Italian countryside, the cinematography 

makes full use of the wonderful vineyards and farmhouse on 

which this film is set. There is a lingering patience to many of the 

shots, a desire to let the scene play out to its fullest, that really 

enhances the actors nuanced performances. The small cast does 

an impressive job of presenting a family bound together through 

time and familiarity, despite their differences in personality. 

D’Agostin gives an unselfconscious performance as Elia in 

director Righi’s deeply intimate look at growing up, both for the 

protagonist and for the country whose two competing political 

ideals are so well represented by his parents. JB 

RIBBON 

UK 5 mins Format Red Director/ 

Producer/S’play Joe Marcantonio 

DoP Chris Jones Cast Jake Curran, 

Gabriella, Krejci Frederick Roll Print 

Source Joe Marcantonio 

A young couple ask for permission to 

marry, blissfully unaware of what her 

eccentric father has in store for them. 

Country Italy Running Time 75 mins Director/Screenplay Marco Righi Producer 

Simona Malagoli DoP Alessio Valori Cast Marco d’Agostin, Lavinia Longhi Print 

Source Simona Malagoli Email simona.malagoli@iera.au 


85

I BELIEVE IN ANGELS [JERUJEM U ANDJELE] 


Sime is the postman of a small town built on an idyllic island. Well 

loved by the locals he has penetrating insight into their lives and 

the events of the town, even knowing what next week’s sermon 

will be. But Sime has a secret: he has perfected an undetectable 

technique for opening and resealing people’s letters and this 

is how he knows so much about those around him. When Dea 

moves to the town she becomes the subject of attention for the 

town’s bachelors. Determined to win her, Sime starts courting 

Dea, using her letters to a mysterious Klara as an insight into her 

life. But Dea isn’t all that she seems and her involvement with 

Sime may not be as coincidental as first thought. 

A passion product for Niksa Svilicic, he wrote, directed, edited, 

produced and acted in the film, although he admits he would 

never do all that again! Shot on the beautiful island of Vis in the 

Adriatic sea with beautiful, bright cinematography, I Believe in 

Angels brings the wonderful flavour of a Mediterranean summer 

to the big screen. A refreshing change from what has been a 

trend towards dark and violent cinema in Eastern Europe, the 

film is a timeless piece of cinema whose small setting and tight 

community make for a story that could have been told anywhere 

and at any time. JB 

Country Croatia Running Time 101 mins Format 35mm Director/Producer/ 

Screenplay Niksa Svilicic DoP Nenad Suvacarov Cast Aljosa Vuckovic, Dolores 

Lambasa, Vedran Mlikota Print Source Niksa Svilicic Email niksa.svilicic@proactiva.hr 


IRON DOORS 

THURSDAY 7 OCTOBER AT 10:30PM & FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER AT 3:45PM 

A young man wakes up in a cellar with no windows, an eerie 

neon light and a huge vault door made of impenetrable steel. 

The room is empty, except for a dead rat and a mysterious rusty 

locker he doesn’t have the key for. The man thinks he’s the victim 

of a particularly cruel practical joke, but soon he realises he’s 

going to die of thirst and hunger if he doesn’t quickly figure out 

how to escape. However, it seems there’s no way out. 

Claustrophobic and intense, this film is the epitome of 

independent filmmaking: one room, one actor, one camera and a 

very low budget. The setting is extremely basic and the music is 

minimal, which only adds to the tension and the feeling of dread. 

Alex Wedekind confidently takes on the role of the protagonist 

and powerfully represents his spiral into a vortex of madness, 

hope and resignation. This is the sort of situation anyone can 

imagine themselves in, what Iron Doors does so well is to take it, 

and you, in unexpected directions. 

This film is scary and disturbing and yet poetic and human. It 

will make you want to escape and, at the same time, it will keep 

you chained to your seat desperate to see how this man’s fate 

unfolds. This screening will be presented in 3D. MP 

Country Germany Running Time 80 mins Director Stephen Manuel Producers 

Stephen Manuel, Aaron Magnani, Axel Wedekind Screenplay Peter Arieson DoP Jan 

Reiff Cast Rungaro Nyoni, Axel Wedekind P/SJinga Films E info@jungafilms.com 

W www.irondoorsmovie.com 


87

KINO CARAVAN [KINO KARAVAN] 


Sent to a small village to screen a piece of Soviet propaganda, 

Comrade Tavi grows increasingly confused with his mission as 

he begins to fall for the village librarian. Set some time in the 

1960s, Kino Caravan, like 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days before 

it, epitomizes the strengths of Romanian cinema. Director Titus 

Muntean is more concerned with atmosphere, authenticity and 

realism than anything else; this film is a character piece and the 

character in question is Cold War Romania. 

The film’s unrelenting realism is brutal at times, amusing at 

others and integral to the exploration of Soviet involvement in its 

post WW2 satellite states. The acting is uniformly great but Doru 

Boguta’s performance as Comrade Tavi in particular is worth 

noting; he delivers dialogue in such an affected, authentic manner 

while demonstrating his character’s deep repression. 

Among other things, it is repression – both on a national and 

on a personal level – which Muntean examines and, consequently, 

criticizes. On a day of dreary rain and confusion it is the 

emergence of sunlight which sets in motion the stunning final act 

and the dramatic climax about which everyone will be talking. ZB 

Country Romania/Germany Running Time 100 mins Format 35mm Director/ 

Screenplay Titus Muntean Producers Tudor Giurgiu, Jens Korner DoP Vivi Dragan 

Visile Cast Mircea Diaconu, Dorian Boguta, Julia Lumanare E weit@aktisfilm.com 


MARIEKE, MARIEKE 

THURSDAY 7 OCTOBER AT 5PM 

Twenty year old Marieke lives at home in Brussels with her 

single mother. She spends her days gossiping with her 

colleagues at the chocolate factory where she works. When 

she finishes she heads to the local bar to dance and drink with 

much older men, sometimes sleeping with them. She likes to 

take intimate photographs of them, usually fragmented – bits of 

ear, elbow, back – perhaps they remind her of the fragmented 

memories of her writer father who died when she was very young. 

One day when she leaves the factory floor to fill in for a colleague 

in the shop, she meets an elderly man who asks her out for a 

drink. She goes on to discover that he was her fathers’ editor and 

he leads her to the apartment where the family used to live – that 

her mother had told her had been demolished. Through her new 

friend, she may finally be able to come to terms with her past. 

In a film that is full of nuanced performances, the stunning 

young Belgian actress Hande Kodje is particularly compelling in 

the title role while the well known Belgian character actor Jan 

Decleir is perfectly cast as her father’s old friend. The title of 

the film comes from the famous song by Jacques Brel, the only 

bilingual song he wrote. This sensuous, gorgeously photographed 

film is a stunning debut from director Sophie Schoukens. SB 

Country Belgium Running Time 85 mins Director Sophie Schoukens Producers 

Sophie Schoukens, Jan Schoukens DoP Alain Marcoen Cast Hande Kodja Print 

Source Jan Roekens Email sophimages@skynet.be W www.mariekemarieke.be 


89

MY FLESH MY BLOOD [MOJA KREW] 


Igor is a professional boxer whose life revolves around fighting 

and winning. His dreams are crushed when he is told that 

the boxing has left him brain damaged and without much 

longer to live. Fighting, though, is all he knows and loves and 

Igor refuses surgery, deciding to accept his fate. Instead he 

becomes obsessed with his legacy and determined to leave 

a child in the world before he dies. He soon meets Yen Ha, a 

young Vietnamese illegal worker who agrees to have his baby in 

exchange for Polish citizenship. Just like Igor, Yen Ha is lonely 

and in desperate search for a second chance in life: it is the start 

of an intense, emotional relationship between the two, who learn 

to overcome their anger and fear of the unknown and to love and 

appreciate each other for who they really are. 

Written and directed by Marcin Wrona, the story comes to life 

thanks to intense performances by Eryk Lubos, who powerfully 

portrays Igor in his desperation, anger, and disillusionment with 

life, and Luu De Ly, whose interpretation of Yen Ha’s fragility 

stands in contrast to the crude and harsh world surrounding her. 

My Flesh My Blood is a powerful film about clashing cultures, 

finding love and facing death. MP 

Country Poland Running Time 90 mins Director Marcin Wrona Producer 

Piotr Dzieciol, Lukasz Dzieciol Screenplay Marcin Wrona, Grazyna Trela, Marek 

Prichnievwski DoP Pawel Flis Cast Eryk Lubos, Luu De Ly, Wojciech Zielinski Print 

Source Insomnia World Sales Email contact@insomnia-sales.com 


NIGHT RUNNER [EL CORREDOR NOCTURNO] 

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER AT 4PM 

Insurance manager Eduardo lives a high-pressure life. Between 

cutbacks at the company, a job he’s not sure he’s qualified for, 

a busy family life and some dark secrets in his past, it’s all he 

can do just to stay afloat. Every night he escapes from it all 

by pounding through the city on long runs. When he meets 

Raimundo at the airport Eduardo is offered friendship, assistance 

at work and the chance to take his life into his own hands. As 

Eduardo gets to know him better however, he finds Raimundo’s 

behaviour more and more suspicious and begins to wonder if he 

can really be trusted. 

Atmospherically photographed in beautiful Buenos Aires, 

the exterior shots track Eduardo’s evening runs across the city. 

There is a real sense of style to the interiors too; an ultra-modern 

office, beautiful home and classy bars make up the majority 

of locations. Stand-out performances by the two lead actors 

form the centrepiece of this film and whilst Night Runner is a 

gripping psychological thriller, behind the thriller surface it hides 

an allegorical and philosophical study; Faustian overtones are 

layered onto an examination of Nietzschean ethics. This film 

is deep, dark and compelling, both an enthralling thriller and 

a serious exploration of modern morality. JB 


Country Spain Running Time 96 mins Format 35mm Director Gerardo Herrero 

Producer Gerardo Herrero, Vanessa Ragone Screenplay Nicolas Saad DoP Alfredo 

Mayo Cast Leonardo Sbaraglia, Miguel Angel Sola, Erica Rivas Print Source Latitdo 

Films Email latido@latidofilms.com 


91

QUESTION IN DETAILS [KÖNTÖUR FALAK] 

THURSDAY 30 SEPTEMBER AT 6:15PM 

Single father of two Zoli is a little clumsy, a little awkward and a 

little overweight. Somehow he’s won a date with the beautiful and 

funny Eszti after charming her at the right moment on a bad day. 

When the uncomfortable date falls apart they finally start to chat 

and Eszti invites Zoli back to her flat on the grounds that nothing 

is going to happen. Eszti shares a luxurious and modern openplan 

apartment in the centre of Budapest with her absent brother. 

As they getter deeper into conversation Zoli relaxes into their 

new relationship and opens up to Eszti about the mother of his 

children. When Eszti’s obnoxious brother returns home however, 

things take a darker turn as the three may share a secret none of 

them even knew about. 

This film is shot mostly in one apartment and features only 

three main characters. Despite, or perhaps because of these 

inhibitions writer/director Zsombor Dyga creates a fascinating 

and enthralling character piece whilst keeping the tension high 

as more and more shared history is revealed. With all the power 

of a compelling piece of theatre Question in Details is a tight film 

which underlines the importance of a great script. Without action, 

without locations, and without much money, Dyga has created a 

film that is funny, touching and powerful. JB 

HERE I AM 

Hungary 37 mins Format 35mm 

Director/Screenplay Bálint Szimler 

Producers Miklós Bosnyák, András 

Pires Muhi, Gábor Osváth DoP Marcell 

Rév Cast Viktor Vida, Dalma Berger, 

Hans Van Villet Print Source Hungarian 

Film Lab Email xantus.janos@szfe.hu 

Viiktor strolls the city in an insomnia 

induced haze, bumping into a number 

of people who’s succession isn’t only 

interlinked by change. 

Country Hungary Running Time 81 mins Director/Screenplay Zsombor Dyga 

Producer István Major DoP Gábor Marosi Cast Ferenc Elek, Kátya Tompos, Roland 

Rába Print Source Katalin Vajda Email kati.vajda@filmunio.hu 


A SERBIAN FILM [SRPSKI FILM] 

FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER AT 10:45PM PRIVATE SCREENING 

Milos is a retired porn star who now dedicates himself to his 

loving wife and young child. He is not happy however, and 

dreams of a better life for his family. He tries to work but, 

because of his past, he only gets offered roles in cheap and dull 

porn movies. Unexpectedly, one of his ex co-stars informs him 

that a new director is looking to cast him in an innovative project. 

A big pay-cheque is promised, but on the condition that Milos 

know nothing about the film. Hesitant at first, Milos signs the 

contract: it will be the beginning of a nightmare journey which 

leads him into sordid sex, violence, and deaths. 

Directed by Srdjan Spasojevic, A Serbian film has sparked 

huge controversies over some of its extremely violent scenes and 

shocking images. The movie has been described as an allegory of 

the pain and desperation experienced by a country destroyed by 

war and by the actions of its own government and which, to this 

day, still can’t escape from a vicious circle of self-destruction. 

Disturbing, twisted and scary, filled with very strong images of 

explicit sex and violence, this is an extremely well acted film that 

pushes the boundaries and plays on the lines between reality 

and nightmare, right and wrong, good and evil, to both horrify and 

amaze the viewers. MP 

Country Serbia Running Time 104 mins Format 35mm Director/Producer Srdjan 

Spasojevic Screenplay Aleksander Reivojevic, Srdjan Spasojevic DoP Nemanja 

Jovanov Cast Srdjan Todorovic, Sergej Trifunovic, Jelena Gavrilovic Print Source 

Jinga Films Email info@jingafilms.com 


93

TRASH 


Trash centres on two sisters, Clara and Susana and their mother 

who has recently been diagnosed with breast cancer. Susana is 

heavily pregnant and her partner Christian is regularly away on 

business while Clara’s boyfriend David is on the verge of signing 

a record deal with his rock band, from whom the film gets its title. 

Things start to unravel when Clara catches David cheating 

on her with his bandmate, who also happens to be her best 

friend and the following series of events see her pushed to the 

edge. Susana’s relationship is similarly in turmoil as Christian’s 

executive lifestyle constantly leads him astray. Christian seems 

to feel remorse for his infidelities while David’s life spirals out 

of control as he indulges his hedonistic urges at the cost of his 

band, his relationships and himself. 

Skilfully directed by Carles Torras, complex subplots are 

weaved into the central plot to add further depth to the story: the 

sisters’ sickly mother finds solace in an unexpected place and 

Clara’s colleague Nacho develops an unhealthy obsession. This 

is a serious and stylish piece of independent cinema about the 

emotional costs of infidelity and sexual promiscuity with powerful 

performances and an award winning original score. SE 


Country Spain Running Time 88 mins Format 35mm Director Carles Torres 

Producer Joan Ginard, Sergi Casamitjana Screenplay Carles Torres, Enric Pardo, 

Ramon Termens DoP Arnau Valls Cast Oscar Jaenada, Judit Uriach, Assumpta Serna 

Print Source Latido Films Email latido@latidofilms.com 


THE WOMAN WITH A BROKEN NOSE [ZENA SA SLOMLJENIN NOSEM] 

MONDAY 4 OCTOBER AT 8:30PM & TUESDAY 5 OCTOBER AT 2:45PM 

The woman with a bloodied face and a baby bundled up in her 

arms is clearly running from something or someone when she 

hails surly Gavrilo’s taxi, but the pace of her escape is quickly 

slowed by the solid traffic over a Belgrade bridge. Also stuck in 

the jam are troubled single schoolteacher Anica and in another 

car, self-medicating pharmacist Biljana, discussing wedding plans 

with her fiancé. 

In an instant, the lives of these strangers are changed forever 

when they witness the injured mother jump out of the taxi and 

off of the bridge, triggering an enthralling and intricately woven 

series of events. An emotionally charged yet never over-played 

illumination of the way strangers’ lives collide, The Woman with 

a Broken Nose deftly hints at the turbulent socio-political history 

of its Serbian setting without compromising the universality of its 

characters’ yearnings and fears. 

Anica and Biljana are drowning in emotional apathy as they 

wait to cross the bridge. Gavrilo, a Bosnian refugee, is a lovable 

grouch who softens as the baby left behind by his mysterious 

passenger breaks through his isolation. Director Srdjan Koljevic 

gradual revelations and interweaving of all three tales will have 

you gripped right up to the end. AS 

Country Germany/Serbia Running Time 100 mins Director/Screenplay Srdjan 

Koljevic Producer Alexander Ris, Jelena Mitrovic, Srdan Golubovic DoP Goran 

Volarevic Cast Nebosja Glogovac, Branka Katic, Anica Dobra Print Source Aktis Film 

Email info@aktisfilm.com 


95

VAMPIRES 

THURSDAY 7 OCTOBER AT 9:45PM & FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER AT 3:30PM 

Vincent Lannoo’s wonderful film follows the Saint-Germains, a family 

of Vampires living in Belgium. The film opens as dramatically as a thriller 

but gradually develops into a humorous yet enthralling mockumentary take 

on the supernatural. 

Living amongst a vampire community, the Saint-Germain family is being 

filmed by a crew of mortals who, after many attempts, are successfully 

recording the lives of the Belgian vampire community without being bitten. 

Georges, the father, is introverted and Bertha, his wife, is emotionally 

vacant. She has abandoned all responsibilities to her family and as a 

result the children are a little wayward. The daughter, Grace is a comically 

stereotypical teenager; rebellious and contemptuous of her parent’s 

lifestyle. She files down her fangs and continually attempts to become 

human by committing suicide. Samson, the son, follows the vampire code 

but is becoming something of a bad boy within the community. When 

Samson’s actions get them into trouble the Saint-Germain family are 

forced into exile and move to Canada. Here they must start a new life 

without the support of a familiar network surrounding them 

In this deranged and hilarious mockumentary the vampires make 

a diverting metaphor, skillfully used to uncover questions about family 

politics, sexuality and ethics. Lannoo successfully exploits these underlying 

issues and uses the entire vampire community to illustrate the struggles 

in pursuit of happiness and family development. AAS 

Country Belgium Format HDV Director Vincent Lannoo Screenplay Vincent Lannoo, 

Frédérique Broos Producer John Engel DoP Vincent Van Gelder Cast Carlo Ferrante, Vera 

Van Dooren, Pierre Lognay Print Source Left Field Ventures 


MACHO 

THURSDAY 7 OCTOBER AT 8PM & FRIDAY 8 OCTOBER AT 5:15PM 

Paul, a young art student from Mexico is now living in Los 

Angeles. He’s still on the rebound from the collapse of his 

relationship with Mariana when he meets the statuesque 

Canadian, Sofi, who is in town on a visit from Vancouver. After 

their first meeting they fall in love and as Sofi returns back 

home, their long distance romance begins. This pared-down love 

story is told in a series of intimate vignettes ranging from the 

conversational to the sexually intimate. 

The first problem to emerge in their relationship is one of 

geography as Paul is firmly LA based while Sofi is not prepared 

to uproot herself from Vancouver. The pair struggle hard to 

maintain their early passion via calls and infrequent meetings 

but before long their initial lust has turned to ennui - on the part 

of Sofi at least, while the ever-needy Paul struggles to retain 

a foothold in her life as he attempts to come to terms with his 

myriad of insecurities. 

Mexican director, Rafael Palacio Illingworth plays Paul, while 

the stunning Canadian newcomer, Jolene Andersen shines as 

Sofi. An intimate portrayal of the various stages in a relationship, 

this is a debut feature from Illingworth who also has a short in the 

Venice film festival this year. SB 

–C– 

UK 2 mins Format DigiBeta Director/ 

Producer/Screenplay Steffan Boke 

DoP Thomas Brechter P/S Steffan 

Booje Email steffan@littlefischfilms.com 

A cucumber talks about its ordeal in life. 

Country Mexico/Switzerland/USA Running Time 76 mins Director/S’play Rafael 

Palacio Illingworth Producer Eleonore Meier DoP Autumn Cheyenne Durald Cast 

Jolene Andersen, Rafael Palacio Illingworth P/S IFC E saorazio@ifcfilms.com 


SLACKISTAN 


A group of recently graduated 20-somethings are living out 

the first year of the rest of their lives in the ice cream bars and 

coffee shops of Islamabad. Slackistan is centred on Hasan, an 

aspiring film-maker who doesn’t know where to start. Starved 

of inspiration, he sits in his room staring at his camera. The city 

around him has become too familiar and he is beginning to worry 

that his life will remain unchanged for years to come. Meanwhile 

his friends are either going nowhere, moving on too fast, or falling 

in with a bad crowd. 

With the burden of freedom weighing down upon its 

protagonist’s shoulders, Slackistan becomes a heartfelt ode to 

the aspiring, young filmmaker struggling to make that first movie. 

The film is itself a prime example of low budget indie filmmaking. 

Shot with his own car, his actors’ own houses and no script, 

British director Hammad Khan ties colourful characters to an 

insightful story about Pakistan’s youth culture. 

This is a fresh and exciting debut feature from Khan, taking 

a new approach to exploring the lives of Pakistan’s youth. JK 

Country UK/Pakistan RT 87 mins Ft HD Director/DoP Hammad Khan, Producers 

Shandana Ayub, Hammad Khan, Menhaj Huda, Stella Nwimo Screenplay Shandana 

Ayub, Hammad Khan Cast Shahbaz Shigri, Aisha Linnea Akhtar Print Source Big 

Upstairs Films Email hkhan@bigupstairsfilms.com W www.slackistanthemovie.com 


99

SON OF BABYLON 


Set in post-Saddam Iraq, Son of Babylon follows Ahmed, a young 

boy, and his grandmother. Traveling from the Kurdish north 

they move deep into the country’s barren, war-torn landscape in 

search of the boy’s father who’s been missing since 1991. 

A desperate adventure, their journey is shared along the way 

with a rich cast of secondary characters each of whom has a 

different connection with recent events and their own story to tell. 

In a remarkable performance by Yasser Taleeb, Ahmed’s 

character shines out against a desert backdrop, as a boy on the 

cusp of adulthood, full of energy, wonder and innocence. As the 

search for Ahmed’s father unfolds, the dark secrets of Saddam’s 

time are slowly revealed to expose a population in disarray. 

Abruptly faced with the country’s undocumented history of 

death and violence, we watch as the brutal consequences of 

Saddam’s regime shape Ahmed’s childhood. 

Son of Babylon, offers an insight into Iraq beyond what we may 

be familiar with as a foreign audience through news coverage. 

Featuring breathtaking cinematography and set for nomination as 

the country’s 2011 Oscar contender, this may well be one of the 

definitive films to deal with Iraq’s recent history. The film received 

accolades at both Sundance and Berlin this year. JK 

Country Iraq/UK Running Time 90 mins Format 35mm Director Mohamed Al- 

Daradji Producers Isabelle Stead, Atia Al-Daradji, Mohamed Al-Daradji Screenplay 

Jennifer Norridge, Mohamed Al-Daradji, Mithal Ghazi DoP Mohamed Al-Daradji, Duraid 

Al-Munajim Cast Yasser Taleeb, Shehzad Hussen Print Source Human Film 


THE STORY OF MY SPACE [VIDRIMASGOR] 


After the funeral of Clara’s grandmother the kitchen window in 

her shared flat suddenly shatters. Replaced with what appears to 

be an enchanted piece of glass, the grey concrete yard seen out 

of the kitchen window suddenly transforms into a space unique to 

each who looks upon it. 

This optimistic comedy, the debut feature of Yana Polyarush, 

follows the seemingly innocuous lives of the flatmates and their 

transformations as they try to understand why their window 

shows them such views. Clara sees a glimpse of her recently 

deceased grandmother on a beach, Malakhitov, a fortnight of 

evening opera performances, and photographer Grisha’s view 

shows a venture into the cherry blossoms of Japan. As the flatmates 

struggle to work out whether the laws of physics have 

changed or they have gone collectively insane, the film gently 

explores the relationships between these endearingly eccentric 

characters. Between this character study and some beautifully 

striking images first-time director Polyarush has started a 

career that is sure to be followed. Vidrimasgor is a diverting and 

entertaining movie with a refreshing modern and Russian twist 

on the fairy tale concept of a journey inside oneself. LC 

Country Russia Running Time 78 mins Format 35mm Director Yana Polyarush 

Producer Vyacheslav Telnov Screenplay Yana Polyarush, Inga Kirkizh DoP Alexis 

Solodov Cast Alexandra Bayrakovskaya, Andrei Feskov, Sergei Migitsko Print Source 

Yana Polyarush 


101

THE TOLL 

SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER AT 11:45AM 

Still living at home with his mum, Steve is a healthcare 

professional who entertains dying patients. Left a book by a dead 

patient, inside the cover is a hand drawn map that shows where 

his savings are hidden in a town in Western Australia. Steve 

heads out on a treasure hunt with his best friend Nick under the 

pretence of a ‘fishing trip’. 

When they reach their destination, a small field, they dig up 

a chest of cash, but venturing back into the forest they face a 

difficult challenge ahead. No matter what they try to do, they 

can’t seem to find the exit and keep reaching the same spot 

they earlier dug up. Struggling without a phone signal, and 

without anybody knowing their whereabouts, their friendship and 

durability is tested to the limit. 

An entertaining, part coming of age, part psychological drama, 

The Toll is supported by stellar performances by Steve McCall 

and Nick Britton, who offer a sense of authenticity, and vibrant 

resilience on their trip into the wilderness. The soundtrack of 

electronic instrumentals sets up the atmosphere of the journey 

well, and the eerie confusion it creates complements the plot 

fantastically. JB 

Country Australia Running Time 90 mins Director Zak Hilditch Producer Zak 

Hilditch, Antony Webb Screenplay Zak Hilditch, Steve McCall DoP Antony Webb 

Cast Steve McCall, Nick Britton P/S Zak Hilditch E zak_hilditch@hotmail.com

Do Elephants Pray - Raindance Film Festival

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