Waves Turn
A “torrential hormonal cocktail of emotions,” bliss but also strain—the postpartum period shapes the lives and emotions of Judith, Doris, Nina, Ludisis, and Luise, whom Josephine Ahnelt portrays in her observant documentary. In warm, intimate 16mm images she moves close capturing bonding and love, but also depression, worry, and the sense of losing one’s own identity. A film that offers insight into a normality that usually remains hidden.
"A gentle, curious and informative conversational documentary that finds its sublime beauty as well as its intellectual depth in its dedication to the ordinary and its trust in life itself, whatever the challenges one faces on the way" - Int. Film Fest Rotterdam
Marching in the Dark
Intent on providing a better life for herself and her children after her farmer-husband’s suicide, Sanjivani struggles against her culture’s traditional abandonment of widows, until she joins a discussion group with other farmer-suicide widows. Empowered by community, shared stories of resilience, and unexpected solidarity, Sanjivani forges a path forward.
"A powerful and compelling film about solidarity between sisters" - Special Mention, Human Rights Award, CPH:DOX
The Black Garden
Samvel and Avo, Erik and Karen live in the land of a century-old conflict, rooted in the rubble of the Russian Empire. In Nagorno-Karabakh, people live, dream and prepare for a tragedy that is always on the horizon. Over 3 years, Alexis Pazoumian films the epilogue of the black garden, a land where war waits for no one.
"Pazoumian has ended up making a unique historical document, filled with beautifully composed imagery put into a complex framework" - International Cinephile Society
Okurimono
Noriko returns to Japan, her native land, in the hopes of reviving her mother’s memories, a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bomb, while preparing for her childhood home’s sale.
"Through Laurence Lévesque’s thoughtful storytelling marked by stunning visuals, Okurimono navigates the delicate realms of unspeakable pain and intergenerational trauma with grace, painting a poignant picture of closure" - hotDOCS
This is Ballroom
In Rio de Janeiro City and its outskirts, LGBTQ+ youth of colour recreates Ballroom culture on their own terms. A portrait of the dramas, the voguing performances, and the art of shade, 50 years after its inception in New York. Rio is burning!
"sensational and visually stunning....An immersive vision of the Kiki houses of Rio de Janeiro, as members challenge each other on the floor in dance, beauty and performance categories, blended with discussions on race and gender in a celebration of Black and Brown queer community" - Melbourne Queer Film Fest, Winner Best First Feature
*not available Australia, Brazil