Films that develop the theme of Human Unity
A JOURNEY EXTRAORDINARY
2012, Documentary, Bengali with English subtitles, India 62 min
The film traces the month-long road trip of around 150 villagers from a small town in West Bengal. It attempts to capture their moments of joy, excitement and despair and explores their spiritual quest as the tour follows the entire southern coastal belt up to Kanyakumari, with stoppages at famous temples, palaces, cities and other places of interest.
Director, Script, Sound, Editing: Mahadeb Shi
Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust, Rajiv Mehrotra
Camera: Sashikant Anantachari
Contact: Public Service Broadcasting Trust , A 86, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110013, India
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Fr 20 17:00
A TEMPLE TO THE COMMONS…
2012, Documentary, English with English subtitles, India, 58 min
Ninasam is a cultural organisation that reverses the flow of cultural energy by delivering literature, theatre and cinema from all over the world to a rustic, rural audience. A critical interaction with Ninasam promises a stimulating engagement with larger issues of cultural transaction and artistic production. The interaction drives us to seek answers to crucial questions about the universality of art, the nature and process of its consumption and the relationship art has with the audience. This film is about a unique cultural trade.
• Official Selection, 6th John Abraham National Awards, Signs, 2012
• Official Selection, 15th Istanbul International 1001 Documentary Film Festival, 2012
Director, Script: Gautham S
Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust, Rajiv Mehrotra
Camera: Sachin Singh; Sound: Asheesh Pandya
Editing: Shikha Sen
Contact: Public Service Broadcasting Trust , A 86, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi, Delhi 110013, India
screening time: Cinema Paradiso We 18 17:00
AM ANFANG WAR DAS LICHT
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS LIGHT
2013, Documentary, German with English subtitles, Austria, 104 min
Can we survive without taking food or water for weeks, years, decades? Most people, be they scientists or experts, would answer “No. Impossible!” All over the world, the director interviewed doctors, researchers and scientists as well people on long fasts. How will scientists react in the face of undeniable evidence in the form of authentic research, interviews and laboratory experiments that are contrary to common perception?
This film is a fascinating and intriguing survey. Here is an exploration not only of traditional Asian spiritual knowledge but also of the latest discoveries and explanations of Quantum Physics.
Without promoting ‘Light Nourishment’, this documentary puts forward an alternative to our needs, unsettling our present philosophy’s mechanistic and materialistic views. Would it then be possible to live otherwise?
Director, Script, Camera, Music Design: Peter-Arthur Straubinger
Producer: Allegro Film, Helmut Grasser; Sound: Christofer Frank
Editing: Michael Hudecek; Assistant Editor: Eva Jungmaier
Cast: Pater Josef Banz, Zinaida Baranova, Ute Baumgarten, Dr. Jakob Bösch
Rüdiger Dahlke, Dr. Urman Dhruv, Dr. Qi Duan Li, Brenda Dunne, Prof. Dr. Amit Goswami
Contact: Peter-Arthur Straubinger, 41 rue Claude Terrasse, 75016 Paris, France
Contact: Helmut Grasser, Krummgasse 1A, A-1030 Wien, Austria
Website: http://www.jupiter-films.com
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Th 19 15:22
AUROVILLE, LE LIEN D’OR
AUROVILLE, THE GOLDEN BOND
2012, Documentary, French / English with English subtitles, France, 52 min
What is the magic “glue” which unites one hundred communities and fifty nationalities?
Beyond all the challenges, in every domain – ecological, financial, cultural, the governance pattern, ethical, spiritual, etc, – something is holding Auroville together for more than four decades. Ten Aurovilians, artists, designers and managers of all backgrounds wonder and answer each other in a single and multiple voice to express this force which connects them, and keeps them faithful to the Call which radically transformed their lives.
Director, Producer, Script: Michèle Decoust
Camera: Florence Chaumont, Denis Ben sussan; Sound: Florence Chaumont
Editing: Gabrielle Baud
Contact: Michèle Decoust, 238 rue du Faubourg Saint Antoine, Paris 75012, France
Website: www.micheledecoust.fr
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Th 19 20:26
BIG DREAM LITTLE BEARS
2012, Documentary, English, Australia, 52 min
Big Dream Little Bears gives a rare glimpse into the mysterious island of Borneo and an insider’s view of a ten-year dream to save the smallest bears on earth. In a story laced with humor and filled with urgency, Borneo specialist, Dr Audrey Low, returns to her former homeland to assist Sun Bear expert Siew Te Wong in the most dangerous and unpredictable phase of his dream. Big Dream Little Bears follows Audrey’s journey of rediscovery, Wong’s indefatigable dream and Suria, the youngest and smallest bear who, although ostracized and wounded by the other bears, survives to lead them to freedom. Big Dream Little Bears reaffirms there is hope in the small but significant victories of individuals.
“TEDX, Kuala Lumpur” Launched on 2012 on TEDX by Siew Te Wong. “Official Selection” – SCINEMA – CSIRO Australian Science Film Festival (screening in 400 venues across Australia, and 20 countries, in 2012 as part of National Science Week.) “Official Selection” – ATOM AWARDS – Australia – 2012 “Official Selection” – KLEFF – Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival – 2012 “Special Screening Selection” – CANDAS – Inaugural International Film Festival Brunei. “Official Selection” World Kids International Film Festival, Mumbai, India. (2012 – touring Mumbai for one year.)
Director: Howard Jackson
Producer: Wildhoop Productions, Audrey Low
Script, Camera, Sound, Editing: Howard Jackson
Cast: Dr Audrey Low, Wong Siew Te
Contact: Wildhoop Productions , 1/8 Melrose Parade, Clovelly, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
Website: http://wildhoopproductions.tumblr.com
screening time: Cinema Paradiso 22 16:44
DILLI
2011, Documentary, Hindi with English subtitles, India, 19 min
Millions of people across India leave behind their homes and families, in the hope of finding a better life in Delhi. Completing 100 years as the capital of modern India, Delhi today stands at the crossroads of time. Amongst the fastest growing cities in the world, this city is also home to India’s second largest slum population. As Delhi straddles its different worlds, Dilli tells the story of this city, as seen through very different eyes. Shot in the heart of this bustling megalopolis, Dilli finds its storytellers in the men, women and children who are the invisible hands that continue to build this city of dreams.
It was broadcast on NDTV / 2012.
Director, Script: Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh
Producer: Black Ticket Films, Robin Raina
Camera: Sushmit Ghosh; Sound: Pratik Biswas; Editing: Rintu Thomas
Contact: Black Ticket Films, C-91, First Floor, East of Kailash, New Delhi 110065, India
Website: http://www.dillifilm.com
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Sa 21 15:53
EARTH WITNESS: REFLECTIONS ON THE TIMES & THE TIMELESS
2011, Documentary, English with English subtitles, India, 61 min
Four common people – a teacher, a farmer, a shepherd, a father – find themselves on the front line of the earth’s biggest, most complex crisis: climate change. Living in diverse climatic regions – the mountains of Nagaland, the grasslands of Kutch, the Gangetic delta and the forests of Central India – they use this challenge as a part of their art with nature. Their lives journey through the dark labyrinths of the multidimensional crisis, reflecting stories of our times – of trees, mining, monkeys, logging, rivers, seeds, waterfalls, flowers and the spirit of the timeless.
Best Film Award for Climate Change & Sustainable Technologies, CMS Vatavaran Environment & Wildlife Film Festival, 2011. Technical Excellence Award for Best Cinematography, CMS Vatavaran Environment & Wildlife Film Festival, 2011. Special Jury Mention, International Documentary & Short Film Festival of Kerala, 2012 ~ SELECTED SCREENINGS 6th CMS Vatavaran Environment & Wildlife Film Festival, 2011 Open Frame Film Festival & Forum, 2011 Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF), 2012
Director: Akanksha Joshi
Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust
Script: Akanksha Joshi; Camera: Akanksha Joshi; Sound: Dharmender Kumar
Editing: Akanksha Joshi; Music: Chinamaya Dunster
Additional Music: Thomas Mahler
Cast: Shikari Baiga, Forest Ecosystem (Baigachak, Chhattisgarh), Seno Tsuhah, Mountain Ecosystem (Chizami, Nagaland), Doongra Rabaari, Dryland Ecosystem (Kutch, Gujarat), Sukdev Mondal, Coastal Ecosystem (Sunderbans, West Bengal)
Contact: Public Service Broadcasting Trust, PO Box 3264, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110013, India
Website: www.psbt.org
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Sa 21 17:05
ELEMENTAL
2012, Documentary, English / Hindi with English subtitles, USA, 93 min
Elemental tells the story of three individuals united by their deep connection with nature and driven to confront some of the most pressing ecological challenges of our time.
It has been shown at Newport FILM, Washington, DC International Film Festival, Environmental Film Festival at Yale and many others. Award for Best Film with a Global Message at the Jaipur IFF.
Director: Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee
Producer: Go Project Films, Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee
Camera: Emily Topper; Editing: Pedro Kos
Cast: Rajendra Singh, Eriel Deranger, Jay Harman
Contact: Go Project Films, PO Box 151020, San Rafael, CA 94915-1020, USA
Website: http://elementalthefilm.com
screening time: Outdoor We 18 20:04
FEEDING CITIES
2013, Documentary, English, United Kingdom, 16 min
With urban population increase comes the demand on the urban food supply. The rise in food and energy prices, the increased demand for food, and the cultural disconnect between society and the food we consume creates the opportunity for innovators to explore ways to combine city living with local support systems that make the city more resilient and self-sustainable in times of change. Telling the story of urban food growing, gaining insights from research and practice.
Director, Script, Camera, Sound, Editing: Caroline Ward
Producer: Squirrel Nation, Erinma Ochu
Cast: Rob Alderson, Anna Bunney, Catherine Burgess, Patricia Cumper, Lynda McIntosh, Dr. Jasber Singh, Tom Wakeford
Contact: Caroline Ward, 32 Norton Street, Old Trafford, Manchester, M16 7QG, United Kingdom
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Th 19 17:07
HAPPY NEW YEAR
2012, Compilation, English, Auroville, 2 min
A glimpse of Aurovilians wishing a happy new year.
Director: Vimal Bhojraj
Producer: Auroville Collaborative
Script, Camera, Sound, Editing: Vimal Bhojraj
Cast: All Aurovilians, guests and volunteers
Contact: Auroville Collaborative, Saracon Campus, Kottakarai Plaza, Auroville, TN 605101, India
Link: https://vimeo.com/56541418
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Th 19 15:20, Conference Room Fr 20 15:00
I AM
2011, Documentary, English, USA, 78 min
What if the solution to the world’s problems was right in front of us all along?
Director Tom Shadyac speaks with intellectual and spiritual leaders about what’s wrong with our world and how we can improve both it and the way we live in it.
Shadyac has mostly been known for directing commercially successful comedies, such as “Ace Ventura” and “Bruce Almighty”. However, after suffering a terrible bicycle accident resulting in a concussion and a very near death, Shadyac began to question the true values in life, and how his own capitalist lifestyle had been. His quest has resulted in this film. Here Shadyac speaks with intellectual and spiritual leaders to go deeper in finding out ‘the nature of humanity’, the world’s ever-growing addiction to materialism, and how we can improve both it and the way we live in it.
Director, Script: Tom Shadyac
Producer: Flying Eye Productions, Dagan Handy
Sound: Odin Benitez; Editing: Jennifer Abbott
Music: Nancy Gassner-Clayton, Linda Osher; Cast: Desmond Tutu, Howard Zinn, Noam Chomsky, Coleman Barks,Thom Hartmann
Website: http://www.iamthedoc.com
screening time: Cinema Paradiso We 18 20:25
INVICTUS
2009, Drama, English with English subtitles, USA, 164 min
The film tells the inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team to help unite their country. Newly elected President Mandela knows his nation remains racially and economically divided in the wake of apartheid. Believing he can bring his people together through the universal language of sport, Mandela rallies South Africa’s rugby team as they make their historic run to the 1995 Rugby World Cup Championship match.
Director: Clint Eastwood
Producer: Warner Bros, Gary Barber
Script: Anthony Peckham; Camera: Tom Stern; Sound: James Aswill
Editing: Joel Cox
Contact: Warner Bros Pictures, Eros Cinema Building, 4th floor, M. Karve Road, Church Gate, Mumbai, India
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Fr 20 19:30
LE HAVRE
2011, Fiction, French with English subtitles, Finland, 90 min
Marcel Marx, a former author and a well-known Bohemian, has retreated into voluntary exile in the port city of Le Havre, where he feels he has reached a closer rapport with people by serving them in the honourable, but not too profitable, occupation of shoe-shiner. He has buried his dreams of a literary breakthrough and is living happily within the triangle of his favourite bar, his work, and his wife Arletty when fate suddenly throws in his path an underage immigrant refugee from darkest Africa.
When Arletty gets seriously ill and is bedridden, Marcel once more has to rise against the cold wall of human indifference, his only weapons being his innate optimism and the unwavering solidarity of the people of his neighborhood. Against him stands the whole blind machinery of the Western constitutionally governed state, represented by the dragnet of the police which is moment-by-moment drawing closer around the refugee boy.
It’s time for Marcel to polish his shoes and reveal his teeth.
Director, Script: Aki Kaurismäki
Producer: Sputnik Oy, Aki Kaurismäki
Camera: Timo Salminen; Sound: Tero Malmberg; Editing: Timo Linnasalo
Contact: Sputnik Oy, Helsinki, Finland
screening time: Outdoor Th 19 20:27
LES CERISES DU BATEAU
CHERRIES OF THE BOAT
2012, Fiction, French / Arabic with English subtitles, France, 26 min
Beirut, the late 00’s. A woman wanders through the Dome (the old cinema of the Martyrs’ Square, destroyed during the civil war). A young man calls her with a whistle. They start gradually talking. It’s the beginning of an improbable encounter.
– Beirut International Film Festival (BIFF), 2012
– Festival Tous Courts d’Aix en Provence, France, 2012, Cinécourts Award
– Festival International du Film d’Aubagne, France, 2013
– Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur, 2013
– Many broadcasts on Ciné+ (French cable TV) in 2013, in Cinécourts’ program
Director, Producer, Script: Sarah Hatem
Camera: Ghinwa Daher; Sound: Nadim Maalouf; Editing: Agnès Mouchel
Cast: Sarah Hatem, Mounzer Baalbaki
Contact: Sarah Hatem, Jounieh BP 688, Lebanon
screening time: Cinema Paradiso We 18 20:00
LILLI
2012, Drama, German with English subtitles, Germany, 30 min
Whenever mom gets sick, which has been happening a lot lately, Lilli (9) and her brother Paul (6) do their best to ensure that no neighbors and no teachers find out that something isn’t right at home. But when the heating stops working and the apartment becomes freezing cold, Lilli doesn’t know what to do anymore.
This film has participated in more than 20 festivals all over the world since 2012.
Director, Producer: Jan Buttler
Script: Nicole Armbruster; Camera: Alex Bloom; Sound: Rene Paulokat
Editing: Benjamin Beck; Composer: Georg Donkel; Assistant Director: Sarah Paar
Contact: Jan Buttler, Cuvrystr. 25, Berlin 10997, Germany
Website: http://www.lilli-film.de
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Fr 20 16:24
LOVE, HATE AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN
2011, Documentary, English, United Kingdom, 55 min
Man’s capacity for kindness and compassion is overshadowed only by his ability to be cruel and destructive. Can empathy resolve issues of aggression and subjugation where wars, politics and economic sanctions have failed? New research in neuroscience, psychology, education and technology suggests it might. “Love, Hate And Everything in Between” explores the role of empathy and its extraordinary relevance in today’s increasingly interconnected world.
London International Documentary Festival; Imagine Science Film Festival, Dublin; Imagine Science Film Festival, New York; Pariscience Film Festival, Paris
Director: Alex Gabbay
Producer: Monkey & Me Films, Alex Gabbay
Script: Sara Adhikari; Camera: Alex Gabbay
Sound: Wajid Yaseen; Editing: Gordon Beswick
Contact: Sara Adhikari, 71 Park Street, London, SE1 9EA, United Kingdom
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Sa 21 20:00
MAMA AFRICA
2011, Documentary, English / French with English subtitles, Germany, 88 min
A documentary about the recently deceased South African icon Miriam Makeba. Miriam traveled with her powerful music around the world to spread her political message against racism and poverty and for equality and peace. Music from Africa gives homage to this extraordinary and impressive artist who incarnates the voice and the hope of Africa.
It has been shown at ARTE, ORF (2013), Berlin Film Festival, and many more.
Director: Mika Kaurismäki
Producer: Starhaus Filmproduktion GmbH, Rainer Kölmel
Script: Mika Kaurismäki, Don Edkins
Camera: Jacques and others, Cheuiche and others; Sound: Uwe Dresch
Editing: Karen Harley; Additional camera: Wolfgang Held, Frank Peter Lehmann, Martina Radwan, Eran Tahor; Additional editing: André Bendocchi, Uwe Dresch Effect Music: Andreas Schilling; Music Supervisor: Uwe Kirbach
Production Manager: Nina Spilger; Creative Producer: Wasiliki Bleser
Co-Producers: Don Edkins, Mika Kaurisimäki, Hans Robert Eisenhauer
Cast: Zenzi Monique Lee, Nelson Lumumba Lee, Victoria Suthukazi Arosi, Bageot Bah, Camagwini, Kathleen Cleaver, Jean Marie Doré, Leopoldo Fleming, Lorraine Gordon, Stix Hojeng, Angélique Kidjo, Joel Klein, Kemoko Kouyaté, Papa Kouyaté, Abigail Kubeka, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, Hugh Masekela, Thandiswa Mazwai, Zamo Mbutho, Dorothy Masuku, Joe Mogotsi, William “Bill” Salter, Amadou Thiam, Mandla Zikalala
Contact: Rainer Kölmel, Starhaus Filmproduktion GmbH, Belfortstraße 8, Munich, Bavaria 81667, Germany
Website: http://www.starhaus.de
screening time: Outdoor Fr 20 19:30
MV BILL: PEACE TO THE FAVELAS
2013, Documentary, Portuguese / English with English subtitles, Brazil, 3 min
The famous “City of God” slum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a site of abandonment. Vital social services provided by the government to other parts of the city never reach the favelas, where the majority of the population is Afro-Brazilian. Hip-hop artist MV Bill says, “Historically, the only arm of government that enters that community is the police.” MV Bill is one of many residents who are determined to change the community by both steering youth away from violence and altering public perceptions. As a social activist MV Bill is the co-founder of Central Única das Favelas (CUFA), a network of NGOs working in urban areas across Brazil to engage youth in music, sports, and the arts. His network has now spread to eleven countries, including offices in Spain, Argentina and the United States. This short film profiles MV Bill and others who are working for a more just, peaceful community in the favelas.
Director: Iara Lee
Producer: Caipirinha Productions, Iara Lee
Camera: Miguel Vassy; Sound: Valeria Ferro
Contact: Iara Lee, 65 Broadway #807, New York 10006, USA
http://films.culturesofresistance.org/node/360
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Fr 20 16:20
ONE DAY, EVERYTHING WILL BE FREE
2013, Documentary, English / Creole with English subtitles, USA 83 min
This is a feature-length documentary about an ecological restoration project run by a utopian community in one of the most politically complicated and environmentally degraded terrains in the world, an area referred to locally as “the wasteland”. The movie explores the challenges, motivations and broader implications of Sadhana Forest Haiti, an unlikely reforestation community organized around an alternative, cashless economy in an area of Haiti devastated by soil erosion and social immobility.
Director, Producer, Script, Camera, Editing: Joseph Redwood-Martinez
Contact: Joseph Redwood-Martinez, 41515 North Canyon Springs Drive, Cave Creek, Arizona 85331, USA
Website: http://onedayeverythingwillbefree.com
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Tu 17 20:16
PICTURE AFGHANISTAN: TEACHING PHOTOJOURNALISM IN A WAR-TORN COUNTRY
2013, Documentary, English / Pashto with English subtitles, Afghanistan, 4 min
Photojournalists from around the world have been sent to Afghanistan to capture the human toll of the war there; however, we rarely see the work of Afghan photographers who can bring a local perspective to what is happening in their country. That is why the 3rd Eye Photojournalism Center trains young Afghanis to work with cameras, set up websites, and critically evaluate media depictions of their communities. As program graduate Zekria Gulistani says, “Most of the photographers who come to Afghanistan are only coming to go to provinces where there is always fighting.” Pointing to a picture of a young boy building a structure out of stone bricks, Gulistani continues, “Even if there is fighting, we have people who are already interested in starting their new lives in Afghanistan. So we need photographers who show the lives of the people.” This short film takes a look at those rarely-seen pictures, and it profiles the young people who will shape the future of photojournalism in Afghanistan.
Director: Iara Lee
Producer: Caipirinha Productions, Iara Lee
Camera: K Newman
Contact: Iara Lee, 65 Broadway #807, New York 10006, USA
http://films.culturesofresistance.org/node/387
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Su 22 15:22
PINA
2010, Documentary, French / English / Italian / German / etc. with English subtitles, UK, 100 min
PINA is a feature-length dance film in 3D with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, featuring the unique and inspiring art of the great German choreographer, who died in the summer of 2009.
The film takes the audience on a sensual, visually stunning journey of discovery into a new dimension: straight onto the stage with the legendary Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch ensemble. It follows the dancers out of the theatre into the city and the areas surrounding Wuppertal, which for 35 years was the home and centre for Pina Bausch’s creativity.
Director, Script: Wim Wenders
Producer: Neue Road Movies, Wim Wenders
Camera: Toni Froschhammer; Sound: Benjamin Bober; Editing: Toni Froschhammer
Contact: Neue Road Movies , Münzstr.15, Münzstr.15, 10178 Berlin, Germany
Website: http://www.neueroadmovies.com
screening time: Outdoor Sa 21 20:11
RITRATTO LIQUIDO
LIQUID PORTRAIT
2011, Experimental, English, Auroville, 6 min
This video was inspired by the intense heat of the Aurovilian summer and by a deep desire to invert the sense of reality and perception of video into portrait.
It was screened at the Auroville Festival in New Delhi, 2012.
Director, Producer, Script, Camera, Sound, Editing: Cecilia Cortés
Contact: Cecilia Cortés, Auromodele, Auroville, TN 605101, India
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Sa 21 19:30, Conference Room We 18 10:07
SEA THE TRUTH
2010, Documentary, English with English subtitles, Netherlands, 61 min
Sea the Truth is the second documentary from the scientific bureau of the Party for the Animals, the only political party in the world that represents animals. In 2048 the oceans will be emptied, if we do not act today! This documentary is seen through the eyes of underwater photographer Dos Winkel, who has seen the oceans degenerate. Two marine scientists research his observations and come to the conclusion that we should not eat fish anymore. Not only are the oceans polluted but so are the fish we eat. This and other issues such as overfishing, by-catch and problems in fish farms are addressed.
Ecological Film Festival Ghent, Belgium; Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, Washington, USA
Director: Claudine Everaert
Producer: Alalena Productions
Script: Monique van Dijk; Camera: Claudine Everaert; Sound: Gertjan Zwanikken Editing: Martijn Bekers
Cast: Marianne Thieme, Dos Winkel, Barbara van Genne
Contact: Alalena Productions, Torenlaan 36, 1251HK, Noord-Holland Laren, Netherlands
Phone: 0031 35 6265190 <info@alalena.nl>
Website: http://www.seathtetruth.nl
screening time: Conference Room We 18 16:58
SEMMOZHI
THE BEAUTY OF CLASSICAL LANGUAGE
2013, Fiction, English with English subtitles, Auroville, 13 min
Semmozhi is a short film that emphasizes the importance of the official and most widely spoken language in India. Murugan, a local filmmaker from Tamil Nadu, and Rachel, a documentary film director from America, travel to Kajurahao in Madhya Pradesh for documentary film research. Murugan knows French, German, and Swedish, but he doesn’t speak Hindi. During their travels to North India, he finds he is unable to communicate with his own countrymen. Rachel states that India has many different cultures, regions, and people, but she finds India is one of the few countries that puts into practice human unity despite cultural diversity. This trip teaches Murugan the importance of learning and speaking his own country’s most widely spoken language.
This story is based on actual experiences of the film’s director.
Director, Script, Editing: Yatra E. Srinivassan
Producer: Yatra Multimedia, Sri Adhilakshmi
Camera: Rajaram; Sound: PRG Studio; Assistant Directors: Kannan, Thambidurai
Art Director: Danasu; Co-Director: Danasu,Vinoth; Music: Rajkumar Rajmanickam
Cast: Loretta Shartsis, Yatra E. Srinivassan, Amaranathan, Radhika Ranjan Das, Thambidurai, Vinoth, Kannan
Contact: Yatra Multimedia, near New Creation, Kuilapalayam, Auroville, TN 605101, India
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Th 19 20:14, Conference Room Fr 20 10:22
SKATEISTAN!
2013, Documentary, English / Pashto with English subtitles, Afghanistan, 3 min
Most people might think that helmets, kneepads, and skateboards are unusual tools for rebuilding a society, but not Oliver Percovich, who in 2007 founded Skateistan, Afghanistan’s first and only co-ed skateboarding school. Poor families will often dedicate their limited resources to investing in the education and futures of their sons at the expense of their daughters. At Skateistan, girls are given the same opportunities that are afforded to boys and are provided a safe space where they can develop a sense of freedom. Percovich hopes that the new-found confidence coming out of this experience will help young women take charge of rebuilding a society fractured by war.
Director: Iara Lee
Producer: Caipirinha Productions, Iara Lee
Camera: K Newman
Contact: Iara Lee, 65 Broadway #807, New York 10006, USA
http://films.culturesofresistance.org/node/387
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Su 22 15:18
SOMETIMES I CAN FLY
2012, Documentary, English with English subtitles, Auroville, 30 min
Alex explores Auroville in his wheelchair. “An adventure; from time to time a little funny, at other times a little difficult, and… sometimes he can fly!”
It has been shown in many places in Auroville: Sadhana Forest, Life Education Centre, Future School, Cinema Paradiso and in Deepam School. It was screened at the We Care Film Festival, Pondicherry University in March 2013 and also in several places in India and abroad.
Director, Editing: Yatra E. Srinivassan
Producer: Susmita Ferrero
Script: Louise Robbinson; Camera: Rajaram R; Sound: Johan Zilverzurf Zachrisson
Cast: Alex, Shraddhavan, Sauro, Susmita, Yatra E. Srinivassan, Harini, Indirani, Life Education Team, Mitra Youth Hostel Team
Contact: Susmita, Accessible Auroville, Arati 3B, Auroville, TN 605101, India
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Sa 21 21:15, Conference Room Su 22 17:28
TALES FROM NAPA
2010, Documentary, Hindi / Gujarati / English with English subtitles, India, 27 min
The remarkable story of a little village that resisted the forces of fundamentalism during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Set at the village of Napa, in Borsad district of Central Gujarat, the film investigates the role played by local Hindus and Muslims and their social institutions in maintaining peace within the context of a history of economic interdependence, communal harmony and syncretism.
It was shown: 15.01.2011, Doordarshan
• Official Selection: Focus Section, 5th John Abraham National Awards, Signs, 2011
• Official Selection: Short Documentary Competition, 4th International Documentary and Short Film Festival, Kerala, 2011
• Official Selection: Mumbai International Film Festival, 2012
Director, Script, Editing: Lalit Vachani
Producer: Public Service Broadcasting Trust, Rajiv Mehrotra
Camera: Mrinal Desai, Sound: Anita Kushwaha
Contact: Public Service Broadcasting Trust , A86, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi, Delhi 110013, India
screening time: Conference Room Th 19 16:34
THE AUROVILLE CHOIR FROM DIVERSITY TO UNITY
LA CHORALE D’ AUROVILLE DE LA DIVERSITE’ A L’UNITÉ
2012, Documentary, English with English subtitles, 29min
The Auroville Choir that shows at the same time a great diversity of Aurovilians who are part of it, as well as the unity that links them thanks to the same musical language and work at the service of Auroville.)
Was screened for the Auroville Choir in Cinema Paradiso.
Director: Danielle de Diesbach, Yatra E.Srinivassan
Producer: Yatra Multimedia, Danielle de Diesbach
Script: Daniellede Diesbach
Camera: Daniellede Diesbach, Rajaram, Yatra E. Srinivassan, Selvam
Sound, Editing: Yatra E. Srinivassan; Music: The Auroville Choir
Additional crew: Laurence Leininger, Adhilakshmi, Priyadharshini, Arulmozhi
Cast: Anandamayi, Afsaneh, Alexsey, Angelika, Carl, Gumsoon, Jean-Yves, Marco, Moghan, Nuria, Otto, Srimoyi, Swaha
Contact: Yatra Multimedia, near New Creation, Kuilapalayam, Auroville, TN 605101, India
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Su 22 17:38, Conference Room Fr 20 10:35
THE COURAGE OF NEIGHBORS: STORIES FROM THE RWANDAN GENOCIDE
2013, Documentary, English / Kinyarwanda with English subtitles, Rwanda, 3 min
According to Human Rights Watch, the Rwandan genocide resulted in the death of at least 800,000 people. In a matter of months in early 1994, Hutus slaughtered the majority of the country’s Tutsi population, despite the fact that the two groups had long lived side-by-side. However, amid these terrible acts of violence, incredible stories of humanity also emerged. Many Hutus, defying ethnic divisions, risked their lives by hiding Tutsi neighbors in their homes. In 2008, Tutsis who were saved reunited with those neighbors who put their lives on the line and rejected violence. This short film interviews both Hutus and Tutsis as they recall incredible acts of humanity that took place even during the darkest days of the genocide.
Director: Iara Lee
Producer: Caipirinha Productions, Iara Lee
Camera: Stuart Harmon, Sound: Cory Choy
Contact: Iara Lee, 65 Broadway #807, New York 10006, USA
http://films.culturesofresistance.org/node/387
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Su 22 15:07
THE HELP
2010, Fiction, English, USA, 147 min
Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling novel, The Help is a provocative and inspiring look at what happens when a southern town’s unspoken code of rules and behavior is shattered by three courageous women who strike up an unlikely friendship.
Director, Script: Tate Taylor
Producer: DreamWorks Studios, Brunson Green
Camera: Stephen Goldblatt; Sound: Dennis Drummond; Editing: Hughes Winborne
Contact: DreamWorks Studios, 100 Universal City Plaza, Bldg 5121, Universal City, CA 90068, USA
screening time: Outdoor Tu 17 19:30
THE SUFFERING GRASSES
2013, Documentary, Arabic/English with English subtitles, Turkey, 52 min
After two years, with thousands dead and counting, the ongoing conflict in Syria has become a microcosm of political tensions in the Middle East and an unsavory reflection of the world at large. Against the backdrop of the Arab Spring and the complicated politics of the region, this film seeks to explore the Syrian conflict through the humanity of the civilians who have been killed, abused, and displaced to the squalor of refugee camps. In all such conflicts, large and small, it is civilians women and children, families and whole communities – who suffer at the leisure of those in power and get caught in the crossfire of the hegemons. When elephants go to war, it is the grass that suffers!
Director: Iara Lee
Producer: Caipirinha Productions, Iara Lee
Camera: Sabah Haider, Iara Lee; Sound: Sam Kashefi; Editing: Emad Maher
Contact: Iara Lee, 65 Broadway #807, New York 10006, USA
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Sa 21 16:13
THEMBO KASH: CARTOONING FOR JUSTICE
2013, Documentary, English / French with English subtitles, Congo, 5 min
Thembo Kash, an illustrator from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), focuses his work on two themes: the corruption that plagues his country’s government and the exploitation of natural resources by foreign corporations. Speaking about one of his illustrations, Kash says, “I’ve drawn Congo as a cake. People are helping themselves, but the Congolese don’t benefit from it.” Perhaps the most well known of a new generation of visual artists in his country, Kash believes that the collective work of artists seeking to expose injustice can produce revolutionary results. This short film takes a look at some of Kash’s work and features an interview with the artist about the political situation in the DRC.
Director: Iara Lee
Producer: Caipirinha Productions, Iara Lee
Camera: Stuart Harmon, Sound: Cory Choy
Contact: Iara Lee, 65 Broadway #807, New York 10006, USA
http://films.culturesofresistance.org/node/387
screening time: Cinema Paradiso Th 19 19:37
TIMBAKTU
2011, Documentary, English / Telugu with English subtitles, 29 min
When a small farming community in South India decided to switch from their decades-old practice of chemical agriculture to organic farming, little did they know that they were planting the seeds of a silent revolution. By showcasing the exemplary efforts of farmers of a tiny village in Andhra Pradesh, Timbaktu explores critical issues of food security and sovereignty. At its heart, Timbaktu looks at the relationship that a farmer shares with her land and her seeds, and raises critical questions about food, the very essence of human life.
It was shown 26th July, 2013, Lok Sabha Channel, India
Director, Script: Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh
Producer: Black Ticket Films, Public Service Broadcasting Trust
Camera: Sushmit Ghosh; Sound: Pratik Biswas; Editing: Vishal Chauhan
Music: Ishaan Chabbra
Contact: Public Service Broadcasting Trust, PO Box 3264, Nizamuddin East, New Delhi 110 013, India
Website: http://www.psbt.org
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0Wp-5Mjs7Y&fb_source=message
screening time: Conference Room Th 19 17:34
YOM ECHAD ACHARI HA-SHALOM
ONE DAY AFTER PEACE
2012, Documentary, English / Hebrew with English subtitles, Israel, 86 min
Can the means used to resolve the conflict in South Africa be applied to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? Robi, born in South Africa during the apartheid era, wonders about this. Her son was killed while he was serving in the Israeli Army. She attempted to initiate a dialogue with the Palestinian who killed her son. Her overtures were rejected, so she embarked on a journey back to South Africa to learn more about that country’s TRC in overcoming years of enmity. Robi’s thought-provoking journey leads from a place of deep personal pain to a belief that a better future is possible.
It was shown on Israel Doc Channel 8 and at many film festivals.
Show Me Justice Film Festival: Jury Award for Feature Films; The 11th Paris International Film Festival on Human Rights: Grand Prix Jury Etudiant; Doc Aviv: First Prize Best Research; United Nations Headquarters: Special Screening.
Director: Erez, Miri Laufer
Producer, Camera: Erez Laufer
Script, Editing: Miri Laufer; Sound: Erez Shavit; Original Music: Phillip Miller
Cast: Robi Damelin, Andrea Vlok, Archbishop Desmund Tutu
Contact: Erez Laufer, Films Bloch, 37 Tel-Aviv, Tel-Aviv 64681, Israel
Website: http://onedayafterpeace.com
screening time: Cinema Paradiso We 18 15:35
