A Poem For Little People
A cinéma vérité examination of the most vulnerable people on the front lines of the Russo-Ukrainian War and the brave volunteers risking everything to evacuate them to safety. The film weaves together two parallel narratives: one follows a volunteer evacuation team in Eastern Ukraine, led by the young and remarkably stoic volunteer, while the other depicts the wartime daily lives and surprising friendship of two elderly women who chose to remain in their homes in the now de-occupied Chernihiv region.
"a cinematic poem about courage and resistance during wartime....A vivid reminder that small acts can often accomplish great things" - CPH:DOX
Los Saldos / Remainders
José Ramón Capdevila lives in Binéfar, a village located in the province of Huesca, at the foot of the Pyrenees. He is a farmer, struggling (like many others in the same situation) with a drastic change in his social environment, since a large industrial abattoir was built in the region. His already complicated life is turned upside down upon learning that his filmmaker son Raúl, who had gone to work and live in the city, is to return home. The film follows a city-dweller’s reintegration into rural life as well as the dramatic condition of the countryside. Remainders, which opens in bright light, gradually plunges us into the darker world of what remains of farming culture today. The situation builds to a strong crescendo, exploring the most profound reasons behind this malaise, ending on a dazzling, dramatic final shot. - Visions du Reel
Hold on to Her
Mawda Shawri, two years old in 2018, sister of Hama, daughter of Phrast and Shamden, was shot dead by a Belgian police officer during a migration border control on a Belgian central highway.
In 2023, over 40 people, both undocumented and documented resident activists, assembled before the camera at La Voix des sans papiers in Brussels to stage a collective hearing of documents from and reactions to Mawda’s case.
In this collective hearing, the speakers acknowledge a ghostly haunting caused by police impunity and the state's lack of accountability. In their rejection of such a lack of truth and human rights, they feel the need to explore beyond the official narratives. Together they are producing the forensic counter-evidence to Mawda's deadly Channel crossing.
"a beautiful work of art and absolutely heartbreaking" - Letterboxd
Larry (They/Them)
Young non-binary trans photographer Laurence Philomène has emerged as one of the most original and inspiring voices of their generation and an LGBTQ+ community icon. Exploring the artist’s intimate world and creative process, LARRY (they/them) paints a luminous and engaging portrait of the complex, often misunderstood multiplicity of trans and non-binary identities and
experiences.
"For non-binary trans photographer Laurence Philomène, art, life and identity are intimately entwined. Though drawing from art history, their photographs strike a distinctive note with their pastel colours; capturing queer subjects, including Philomène themself, in restful poses, these portraits bloom in soft hues of pink, purple, blue – the full rainbow. This style seems to seep into Catherine Legault’s intimate documentary, which captures not only the artist’s creative process but also their daily life with vibrancy" - Guardian
*not available Canada
Guián
After grandma Guián passes away, Nicole decides to go to China for the first time to look for the house Guián left when she emigrated to Costa Rica. This is a journey to answer the questions she
was never able to ask Guián because she never learned Chinese, and her grandma never learned Spanish.
"a sublime cinematic diary" - Visions du Reel