Saturday, November 26 6:00 pm
Monday, November 22 // 6:00 pm 
Director: Karl Markovics
With: Thomas Schubert, Karin Lischka, Gerhard Liebmann, Georg Friedrich 
2011, 90 minutes

Breathing is the story of a young man who is released on probation following a stint in a juvenile detention center. He finds work at a municipal morgue in Vienna where he discovers that one of the body bags is labelled with his surname. Luckily the deceased woman turns out not to be his long-lost mother, but the discovery prompts him to begin the search for her. Ironically enough, his job dealing with death shows him the path back to life.

Director: Nic Balthazar
With: Marije Pinoy, Greg Timmermans, Cesar De Sutter
2007, 93 minutes

Ben is an autistic teenager whose daily life is a living hell because of constant bullying at school. To escape from his harsh reality, Ben retreats into the virtual world of online gaming. In his own virtual world, Ben soon devises a plan. But when he meets Scarlite, his online girlfriend, things begin to change.

Director: Viktor Chouchkov Jr.
With: Yavor Baharoff, Radina Kardjilova, Georgi Staykov, Ovanes Torosyan
2011 97 minutes

In the early 1990s, four friends are trying to make money with the dream of opening their own bar, called TILT. A chance meeting between Stash and Becky results in a passionate love affair. Suddenly, the friends are caught illegally distributing porn films. Becky’s father, a police colonel, takes charge of the case and threatens them with prison. The only way to avoid that fate is for Stash and Becky to stop seeing each other. The group decides to run away in a small German village, which results in a series of funny and absurd situations. Stash constantly tries to reach Becky, but with no luck. The four friends finally decide to go back to Bulgaria. Meanwhile, Bulgaria has changed, and so has Becky…

Director: Elias Dimitriou
With: Marios Ioannou, Marlene Kaminsky, Anne-Marie O'Sullivan,
Diomedes Alceste Pavlidou
2011, 102 minutes

Andy, a hard working Cypriot immigrant in London who deep-fries his
way into oblivion, decides to leave London for his native Cyprus. Having slaved away for others his entire life, he finally opens his very own chip shop at home. But his dream turns into a nightmare, as he seems to have overlooked one small detail: Cyprus just isn’t London!

Director: Marek Najbrt 
With: Jana Plodkova, Marek Daniel, Klara Meliškova, Tomaš Měchaček
2009, 100 minutes

Emil, a radio reporter, is married to the beautiful Hana, an actress whose new film has catapulted her into fame. However, this is Prague in 1938. As the Nazis come to power, Hana’s Jewish heritage means a fall from stardom to the bottom of the social ladder. In order to protect her, Emil compromises his principles by collaborating with the new Nazi-controlled state radio station. But as Emil starts enjoying the attention and respect that had previously eluded him, his fidelity and loyalty towards his wife begin to falter. The assassination of the Third Reich Deputy Protector and a chance encounter on a bicycle bring their faltering marriage to a crisis point, possibly sealing Hana’s fate.

Director: Morten Giese
With: Cyron Melville, Sara Hjort, Dejan Cukic, Charlotte Fich
2009, 95 minutes

 

Daniel is an extremely talented music student aiming for an international career. He meets and falls in love with Sofie and soon moves in with her. For the first time in his life, Daniel is not solely focused on music. They make a plan to go to New  York, but as Daniel’s affection grows, so does his all-consuming jealousy. Slowly but surely his suspicions consume him and a dangerous side of his personality emerges.

GRAVEYARD KEEPERS DAUGHTER // Surnuaiavahi tütar

Tuesday, November 22 // 8:30 pm

Director: Katrin Laur
With: Maria Avdjushko, Rain Simmul, Kerttu-Killi Grenman, Esther Koiv
2011, 100 minutes

 

Present-day life in Estonia, seen through the eyes of a child as eight-year-old Lucia leads a mischievous life in a small town. Her father is the local graveyard maintenance man who can barely make ends meet for his family, while her mother is an alcoholic. An unexpected invitation to spend a week in Finland changes everyone in unexpected ways.

Kolkata Film Festival, India 2011

Wednesday,  November 23 // 6:00 pm 

Director: Dome Karukoski
With: Jussi Vatanen, Pamela Tola, Jasper Pääkkönen, Timo Lavikanen
2010, 92 minutes

 

Janne, an unemployed slacker of very little action, is not in the habit of getting things right. The simple task of purchasing a digital converter box for the home he shares with his girlfriend Irina is derailed by having a few beers with his friends Kapu and Raisanen. This is the last straw for Irina and Janne is faced with an ultimatum: get a digibox by the next morning or she is leaving. What follows is a Ulyssean quest, only a lot colder than the Mediterranean can ever be.

Wednesday, November 30 // 6:00 pm

Director: Cedric Klapisch
With: Karin Viard, Gilles Lellouche, Audrey Lamy
2011, 109 minutes

France, a single mother from the blighted industrial north and Steve, a hotshot trader with akeen eye for the killer deal, are thrown together when he’s looking for a cleaner and she’s looking for a job. When Alban, Steve’s 3-year-old son, arrives on the doorstep to stay with his dad, Steve might need more than a cleaner. And France might need some payback from the man who almost single-handedly shut down the factory where she worked...

Director: Yasemin Samdereli
With:  Fahri Ogun Yardim, Petra Schmidt-Schaller,Denis Moschitto, Vedat Erincin
2009, 105 minutes

 

When six-year-old Cenk is not picked to play on a soccer team by his German schoolmates, ittriggers an identity crisis. He wonders where he fits in - is he German or Turkish? To cheer him up, his cousin Canan tells him the story of her grandfather Huseyin, who moved with his family to Germany in the early 1960s as a “guest worker”. When Huseyin announces that he has bought a house in Turkey and wants to take everyone back “home” with him, a witty and dramatic road trip ensues.

Festivals and Awards:

Website and Trailer (in German)

Read more about the film at the Goethe Institut filmblog

 

Director: Sofia Papachristou
With: Lars Brygman, Mechtild Grossman, Dimitris Piatas, Nikos Zolopoulos
2009,  minutes

Peter works for a multinational company whose environmental commitment is dubious at best. In an effort to keep his job, Peter agrees to supervise the construction of a high-technology waste recycling plant for producing electricity on the Greek island of Pera Kassiros, a small dot on a map in the Aegean Sea. Peter soon discovers that conditions on the island are not what they appear to be. To further complicate matters, he falls in love with Areti, an extraordinary and mysterious woman. Despite his best efforts he fails and is forced to leave the island. Soon after he returns home, Peter is faced with a moral dilemma: let the multinational company continue to use the plant in Pera Kassiros as a cover for the dumping of toxic substances, or save the island (and the woman) that has found a place in his heart.

Website and Trailer (in Greek)

Director: Endre Hules
With:Zsolt Laszlo, Endre Hules, Bea Melkvi, Deborah Kara Unger
2011, 107 minutes

International producer, Michael A. Dobbin, of Quiet Revolution Pictures, in conversation with Martin Harbury of the Ontario Media Development Corporation discusse the development, challenges and rewards of European-Canadian co-production films. Michael Dobbin's recent theatrical titles include The Maiden Danced to Death, a Hungarian-Canadian-Slovenian co-production and Boris Rodriguez’s Eddie, a co-production between Canada and Denmark.

Michael A. Dobbin, Producer

Film: Steve, a dancer-turned-impresario, returns from Canada to his native Hungary after 20 years. He finds that the Communist regime that expelled him is gone, but his brother, Gyula, hasn't changed.  He still works with the same cash-strapped dance company they started together and is married to Steve's former sweetheart, Mari. The two men’s rivalry is triggered instantly, but Mari challenges them to revive their last success together, a dance on the ballad The Maiden Danced to Death. Cinematographer, Oscar winner, Vilmos Zsigmond.

Q & A with Producer, Michael A. Dobbin, to follow Screening.

Director: Rebecca Daily
With:Antonia Campbell-Hughes,Sam Keeley,Vicky Joyce
2011, 88 minutes

A sleepwalker. A body. A family. A small community.Arlene is like a ghost in her life. She lives in a small town in the midlands – surrounded by field after field, woodlands and laneways to disappear down and never come back...  One morning Arlene wakes in the woods beside the body of a young woman. Someone watches from the trees. The body is soon discovered and suspicion spreads through the community.  Increasingly drawn to the girl’s family – her grieving sister and accused boyfriend, Arlene barricades herself in at night, afraid to sleep. Haunted by grief buried and delayed, Arlene’s sleeping and waking realities soon blur. And all this time someone is watching her.

  

 

Friday, November 25 // 8:30 pm

Director: Rocco Papaleo
With: Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Alessandro Gassman, Rocco Papaleo, Paolo Briguglia
2008, 111 minutes

 

Four would-be musicians and an unhappy journalist chronicling their adventures, experiencea series of chance meetings and unexpected accidents. Their eventful 10-day journey changes their lives forever. Accompany a group of outcasts on a picturesque crossing of Southern Italy as they travel to participate in a music festival.

Director: Gatis Smits
With: Andris Keiss, Guna Zarina, Gatis Gaga, Vilis Daudzins
2010, 90 minutes

After recovering from an overseas mission Krists Lapins moves into a quiet
neighborhood in Riga. His new peaceful life soon is disrupted by a mysterious blond, a wannabe private detective,a bankrupt millionaire and a rigorous cop. A witty portrayal of modern Latvian society.

Website and Trailer

Director: Tomas Donela
With:  Dainius Kazlauskas, Olga Generalova
2010, 90 minutes

A terminally ill sailor, Audrius, comes ashore for the last time ever. He is
aware that time isrunning out for him and his story unfolds through conversations and interaction with his loved ones. During his grandmother’s birthday celebration in the countryside, while surrounded by his family, he makes a final attempt to find peace.

facebook 

STRICKEN // Komt een vrouw bij de dokter

Tuesday, November 29 // 8:30 pm

Director: Reinout Oerlemans
With: Carice Van Houten, Barry Atsma, Anna Drijver
2009, 110 minutes

Stijn seems to have it all – his own business, a beautiful wife and a wonderful daughter…and the occasional fling. But when his wife is diagnosed with breast cancer his world falls apart. Between the hospital visits and chemotherapy sessions, Stijn seeks to escape through sex, drugs and rock‘n roll. He meets Rose and embarks on a passionate affair. His life becomes completely chaotic with his wife, his daughter, his work, and his lover - now he must choose.

Thursday, November 17 // 8:30 pm

Director: Wiesław Saniewski
With: Janusz Gajos, Paweł Szajda, Marta Żmuda Trzebiatowska, Wojciech Pszoniak
2011, 107 minutes

The Winner is a touching story about friendship, passion, love and the power of dreams. Oliver is a talented young pianist of Polish American heritage. After cancelling his European tour, he is obligated to repay the tour organizers an enormous sum of money. During his travels, Oliver meets Frank, a retired high school math teacher and a horse racing enthusiast. He dreams of returning to America as a “somebody,” but can only do so after winning a momentous prize. From then onthe two characters work towards success and in doing so discover true friendship.

 

 

THE MYSTERY OF SINTRA  // O Mistério da Estrada de Sintra·

Sunday November 27 // 8:30 pm
Director: Jorge Paixao da Costa 
With: Ivo Canelas, Antonio Pedro Cerdeira, Bruna Di Tullio, Carmen Samora
2007, 104 minutes

 

It is the summer of 1870 and two writers have collaborated on a newspaper serial whose plotlines turn out to be closer to reality than they thought possible. All the elements of a great mysteryare here - a deadly duel, threats, love and intrigue! The lines between fact and fiction areblurred in this revealing snapshot of Portuguese society in the 19th century.

WEDDING IN BESSARABIA// Nuntă în Basarabia

Monday, November 28 // 6:00 pm

Director: Napoleon Helmis
With: Vlad Logigan, Victoria Bobu, Constantin Florescu,Viorica Geanta Chelbea 2010, 92 minutes

The film opens on a train, where young Vlad and Vica are having a heated quarrel, yet the passionate and dramatic love between them is obvious. They are expecting a baby and would like to move in together, but they need money. Their travels will take them to Vica’s homeland of Molodva, where the wedding will be held. An opportunity beckons to reunite with relatives and receive presents, including much-needed cash. Old flames also make an appearance at the wedding. The story celebrates not only humanity but also the complex and multi-layered history of the region.

Director: Vladimir Balko 
With: Attila Mokos, Roman Luknar, Helena Krajčiova, Robert Więckiewicz
2009, 97min

Tono returns from prison to his home village to find that everything has changed: he is a stranger to his wife, he hardly knows his 5-year-old son, and he cannot find a decent job. His childhood buddies, a Catholic priest and a successful businessman, do their best to help Tono resume a normal life. Tono’s captivating story is set against the backdrop of challenges facing Central Slovakia: patriarchal families, problems with poachers, racial discrimination and lumber theft. His story also illustrates the dramatic power of family bonds, faith, friendship and love.

Kansas International Film Festival: Jury Award for Best Social Justice Film

 Saturday, November 26 // 8:30 pm 

Director: Daniel Sanchez Arevalo
With: Quim Gutierrez, Marta Etura, Raul Arevalo, Antonio de la Torre
2006, 105 minutes

Jorge is a 25-year-old janitor who is experiencing many challenges in his life. He is desperately trying to find a new job so that he can take better care of his invalid father. Antonio, Jorge’s older brother, is in jail but is soon to be released. Antonio and his girlfriend Paula want to have a baby,but when Antonio finds out he is infertile, he asks Jorge to impregnate Paula. To further complicate things, Jorge’s old flame Natalia returns after a long absence.

BALLS // Farsan

Sunday, November 27 // 6:00 pm

Director: Josef Fares 
With:  Torkel Petersson, Hamadi Khemiri, Nina Zanjani
2010, 98 minutes

Three friends are sitting outside Jorgens Cykel. Jorgen is afraid of being left
alone, Juan is worrying over how Labrador is doing, but Farsan is feeling great. He is handsome, makes the best tasting food and knows how to please a woman. Any day, he will become a grandfather – to a perfect little boy, for sure! But when he goes looking for a warm and suitable grandmother, most things
don’t go according to his plans.