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Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan [FL 1] In Kyrgyzstan, it is not unusual for a girl to go to school in the morning without a care in the world, but to end up a bride in a family of strangers by nightfall. In Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia, men abduct a bride if they are not rich enough to pay a dowry. The kidnapping is often discussed beforehand in the potential groom's family: who has a car available, what the girl should be able to do, and where she will live. After the abduction, the new in-laws inform the girl’s parents, who often accept the “proposal.” Kidnapping a bride is common practice. “We have all been abducted,” a women tell a freshly kidnapped girl who reluctantly stands in a corner. Director Petr Lom films the brides, the grooms and the in-laws, and tells the story from this remote country in five chapters. Petr Lom, Canada, 2004, Kyrgyz/Subtitles: English, 51 min, documentary film, VHS Love and Diane [FL 2] Diane Hazzard, a recovering crack addict, and her troubled daughter Love navigate the obstacles of joblessness, parenthood and the American welfare system. Diane has spent years separated from her six children after the state split them up in foster care. Whereas her mother and siblings drank their futures away, Diane's chosen weapon was crack cocaine. Her then 8-year-old daughter Love reported Diane's neglect to authorities, unwittingly triggering the state action that tore the family apart. Now, after years apart, the family members practically limp in from their respective corners to reunite. Jennifer Dworkin, United States, 2002, English, 153 min, documentary film, VHS Hitler, Stalin, and I / Hitler, Stalin a ja [FL 3] The life story of a Jewish woman, Heda Margoliova, who together with her husband is sent into the Lodz ghetto and then deported to Auschwitz. After the war her husband becomes a communist, only to find himself at the centre of a trial and sentenced to death. His wife is branded as the wife of ‘a traitor to the people’. Helena Trestikova, Czech Republic, 2001, Czech/Subtitles: English, 56 min, documentary film, VHS To Live is Better than to Die / Hao Si Bu Ru Lai Huo Zhe [FL 4] In the 1990s, around 100,000 subsistence farmers in central China were offered a rare opportunity to earn some extra income. Through a state-organized program, they could sell their blood for money. However, due to the poor conditions of the state hospital, over half of those giving blood were infected with the HIV virus. In the beginning of 2001, director Chen Weijun went to the village of Wenlou, which had come to the world‘s attention because of the number of its infected citizens. In a cinéma vérité style he captures the tragic fate of a family with three small children, in which only the eldest sister was able to escape the deadly disease. Chen Weijun, China, 2003, Chinese, Mandarin/Subtitles: English, 60 min, documentary film, VHS Wheel of Time / Rad der Zeit [FL 5] Documentary on the pilgrimage to the holy Tibetan mountain of Kailas. In 2002, half a million pilgrims gathered in Bodh Gaya, India to promote universal peace and harmony on the occasion of one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist rituals, Kalachakra. An impassioned philosophical discussion under the tree where Buddha achieved enlightenment, preparation of food for the never-ending crowds of believers, an interview with the Dalai Lama, and the first footage of these secret Buddhist ceremonies are all part of Werner Herzog‘s film, offering spiritual insight into contemporary Tibetan Buddhism. Werner Herzog, Germany, 2003, German/Subtitles: English, 81 min, documentary film, VHS Hamsa, I am / Hamsa, já jsem [FL 6] An intimate dialogue with several strong personalities, through which the director succeeds in creating a vivid picture of life in a community of blind conservatory students. The film is surprising for its humorous and non-sentimental rendering of people that most of us approach with shyness. Miroslav Janek, Czech Republic, Czech/Subtitles: English, 59 min, documentary film, VHS L. A. Story of Biggie and Tupac [FL 8] In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, the Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incidents, the apparent victims of hip hop's infamous east-west rivalry. Nick Broomfield's film introduces Russell Poole, an ex-cop with damning evidence that suggests the LAPD deliberately fumbled the case to conceal connections between the police, LA gangs and Death Row Records, the label run by feared rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight. Nick Broomfield, United Kingdom, 2002, English, 107 min, documentary film, VHS Parade, The (Our story) / La Parade (Notre Histoire) [FL 9] In July 2001, in Sion, a Catholic stronghold and capital of the ruggedly mountainous Swiss canton of Valais, a group of six women and a man, led by Marianne Bruchez, dared to organise the first gay parade ever held in this small provincial town. The community officials refused to issue the required permit for the parade, local protesters published a slanderous full-page article in the local newspaper. Marianne Bruchez, a young thirty-year-old woman with no previous experience as a gay activist, suddenly found herself making front-page news in Swiss newspapers, and being forced to accept high-profile media visibility of the worst sort. Lionel Baier, Switzerland, 2001, French/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Taste of Koumiz, The / Le Gout du Koumiz [FL 10] The story of a man who long ago left his birthplace at the foot of the Black Mountains, lured away by the magic of big city life. Now he nostalgically remembers his childhood spent in the raw beauty of the mountains of Kyrgyzstan and searches for signs of the traditional nomadic life of his forefathers. Scenes from the peaceful life of days long gone by, living in tents and in close communion with nature, are contrasted with the anonymous, busy outskirts of the town, full of wandering dogs and run-down houses. Xavier Christiaens, Belgium, 2003, Russian/Subtitles: English, 53 min, documentary film, VHS Battle for Life / Bitva o život [FL 11] Using a mixture of documentary material they shot themselves, historical material and half-scripted scenes, the filmmakers show a year in the life of the village of Bystré, in the Orlické mountains, a former textile region experiencing significant economic and demographic change. The film combines "conventional" documentary footage with discussions on drink and democracy, and a record of social events and festivities in which the villagers greet the millennium, view the eclipse, and re-enact scenes from Czech history. Miroslav Janek, Vнt Janeиek, Roman Vávra, Czech Republic, 2000, Czech/Subtitles: English, 89 min, documentary film, VHS No. 17 / Haharug Ha-17 [FL 13] Seventeen people died in a bomb explosion in a bus traveling from Tel Aviv in June 2002. Police were unable to identify one of the victims, and as a result the body was buried in an anonymous grave separated from the Jewish part of the cemetery, on the assumption that it was a foreign worker. Israeli director David Ofek decided, with the help of his crew, to reconstruct the entire course of the tragic event and ascertain the true identity of the unknown victim. During six months of filming, which is reminiscent of a detective investigation, the filmmakers set out for clues of the mysterious victim number 17. From a girl who got off the bus a stop earlier, they are able to get a description of the victim. After publicizing the information in the newspapers, they are eventually able to discover that the victim was a Jewish settler, whose family came from Morocco. The makers of this documentary are able to form a mosaic of the intimate, personal views of those in Israeli society who live in the shadow of a Palestinian suicide attack. David Ofek, Israel, 2003, Hebrew/Subtitles: English, 76 min, documentary film, VHS Adisa or a Thousand Years Story / Adisa O La Storia Dei Mille Anni [FL 15] A voyage among men, women, and children of the Romany people in Bosnia Hercegovina, documenting the reality and the present life in a country still wounded by the consequences of the war. Massimo D. D'orzi, Italy, 2004, Serbian/Subtitles: English, documentary film, Beta SP 66 seasons / 66 sezon [FL 18] A documentary where, in the words of the filmmakers, “history comes to bathe.” Through several stories that unfold between the years 1936 and 2002, the film brings together 66 seasons at a popular swimming pool, and through this offers a unique look at 66 years of central and eastern European history. From watching World War II fighter planes, through the changing fashion styles, to the moment two lovers met, the pool has always been the social hub. With the help of old footage and some unusual recreations, the visitors join director and Kosice native Péter Kerekes in recounting their memories of the sixty-six seasons of the pool. Péter Kerekes, Slovakia, 2003, Slovak, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 86 min, documentary film, VHS Surplus / Surplus [FL 20] A visually colorful, compilation-style documentary that offers a critical view of consumer society. The authors use footage collected over three years from eight countries to create a playful but serious look at globalization and its impact on the developing world. Police marching in formation against demonstrators during anti-globalization protests in Genoa in 2001, a passionate speech by Silvio Berlusconi, and arguments from opponents of the World Bank and IMF are synchronized to modern dance music. Next to these gripping images, the filmmakers give space to the ideas of radical anti-globalization guru John Zerzan and shots of Indian workers, who on average consume thirty times less than the average person in the United States. In a series of revealing juxtapositions, we see the empty shelves and rationing system in Cuba, we listen to the fanatical boss of Microsoft, Steven A. Ballmer, and we are asked whether modern technology is really setting us free. The film uses the same techniques as television advertisements, such as the manipulative collage of sounds and pictures that focus on repeating certain motifs, to drive its message home. Erik Gandini, Sweden, 2003, Spanish, English/Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, Beta SP Surplus / Surplus [FL 20] A visually colorful, compilation-style documentary that offers a critical view of consumer society. The authors use footage collected over three years from eight countries to create a playful but serious look at globalization and its impact on the developing world. Police marching in formation against demonstrators during anti-globalization protests in Genoa in 2001, a passionate speech by Silvio Berlusconi, and arguments from opponents of the World Bank and IMF are synchronized to modern dance music. Next to these gripping images, the filmmakers give space to the ideas of radical anti-globalization guru John Zerzan and shots of Indian workers, who on average consume thirty times less than the average person in the United States. In a series of revealing juxtapositions, we see the empty shelves and rationing system in Cuba, we listen to the fanatical boss of Microsoft, Steven A. Ballmer, and we are asked whether modern technology is really setting us free. The film uses the same techniques as television advertisements, such as the manipulative collage of sounds and pictures that focus on repeating certain motifs, to drive its message home. Erik Gandini, Sweden, 2003, Spanish, English/Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, Beta SP You are the only one who knows / Vain sä tiedät [FL 22] A story of 15-year-old Pia's search for sexual identity. The documentary is built around the letters of Pia and her pen pal girlfriend Päivi. Pia begins to fear exposing her feelings because of Päivi's strong religious faith, Päivi finds it hard to accept the new situation. Still they do not want to give up the friendship. Three years later, the girls spend a day together going through the old letters, in which intense feelings unfold. Finally they come to terms with the fact that the most important thing is to be honest to yourself. Jenni Linko, Finland, 2003, Finnish/Subtitles: English, 24 min, documentary film, VHS Sleeping Rough / Abgehakt [FL 24] Homeless people on the streets of Hamburg. The film depicts homelessness as a complex phenomenon, showing people with various reasons for being homeless, and elaborates on their sophisticated social networks. Martin Gruber and Jochen Becker, Germany, 2002, German/Subtitles: English, 40 min, documentary film, VHS Postcard from Auschwitz [FL 25] This documentary is centred on director's great-uncle's experiences in the infamous concentration camp. Eric Bednarski, Canada, 2003, English, 16 min, documentary film, VHS Justice in the Time of War [FL 26] The Turra family lost their exquisite son in Colombia. Giacomo was a poet, an anthropologist, a sensitive and by all accounts loveable boy. But Giacomo was arrested by the police, and died in their custody. The Turras refused to accept the official explanation, according to which, their son had been in possession of cocaine, and acted violently under the influence. For years they tried get justice for Giacomo but failed. Out of the Turras' story, Fabrizio Lazzaretti has fashioned a parable for our times. It seems that you cannot even secure the minute amount of dignity for your dead son. People will lie to you, and otherwise treat you with contempt. Around this revelation the film weaves a depressing tapestry of contemporary Colombia. It appears to be a place so violent that individual actions no longer mean very much. An impassioned, terrifying film. Fabrizio Lazzaretti, Italy, 2003, Italian, Spanish/Subtitles: English, Polish, 77 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Communist Charity [FL 27] In this investigative documentary, Chinese activist Harry Wu tries to prove the shocking connection between the execution of prisoners and organ transplants. Raw footage of public executions are set against the testimonies of doctors and others involved, in which we learn among other things that during one heart transplant operation a prisoner was brought to the hospital garage, 100 meters from the operating room, where he was shot in the head. Harry Wu, United States, 1998, English, 29 min, documentary film, VHS When I Grow Up, I'll Be Kangaroo / Kad porastem biću kengur [FL 29] Another of Radivoje Andric’s urban comedies, although less successful than Munje. The film consists of three parallel and interconnected stories happening to a group of friends, all of them in their mid 20s, one summer day in the Belgrade suburb Vozdovac. The first story follows Braca, the guy from the neighborhood with no money, on his date with a famous model. Although she belongs to a different world from his, Braca has fallen in love and wants to take her back home. The second story is situated in the betting cafe, where Somi and Duje together with other regulars anxiously watch the football game between Manchester and Eastwich. Since their old school friend Kangaroo is the Eastwich goalkeeper they have bet on Eastwich winning. The last story happens on the roof of an apartment building in Vozdovac where Avaks and Hibrid spend their days doing nothing and drinking beer, that is until they see a UFO. In the end, the whole group gathers on the same roof, where they recover from their unsuccessful adventures: Braca quarrelled with his date and went home alone, Somi and Duje sold their winning betting ticket before the end of the match, and Avaks and Hibrid failed to record their unusual vision and did not become famous when the TV crew came to take their testimonies. Radivoje Andrić, Serbia and Montenegro, 2004, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 92 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Professional, The / Profesionalac [FL 30] Until recently a University professor, a bohemian writer, a member of Belgrade's intellectual circles and a passionate opponent of the Milosevic regime, Teja is now the manager of a big publishing house. One day, during a strike, a strange visitor comes uninvited to his office, carrying a big suitcase. The man turns out to be an ex-secret security agent who dedicated the last ten years of his life entirely to Teja as he continuously spied and wrote reports on him. His suitcase is full of Teja’s belongings, some of them very precious, ranging from these reports and Teja’s collected speeches to the favorite toys of Teja’s son. The rest of the film follows the long conversation between the two men, coming from different and even opposing backgrounds. Full of sudden surprises and intimate details, interrupted by numerous flashbacks, the conversation reveals how interconnected the lives of these two men were, during this long decade of Milosevic’s regime. Dušan Kovačević, Serbia and Montenegro, 2003, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 104 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Fuse (aka Fire!) / Gori Vatra [FL 31] Two years after the end of the war, the small Bosnian town of Tesanj is slowly rebuilding itself. The war has left serious scars on the life of the people and the city. The social cohesion is fragile and below the peaceful surface, there is another reality of national hatred and division along ethnic lines accompanied by flourishing crime and prostitution. The announcement that the American president Bill Clinton might pay a visit and become an honorary citizen of Tesanj changes everything. The whole town goes completely crazy as, all of a sudden, in just seven days, under the surveillance of international observers and members of peace keeping missions, Tesanj and its citizens must whip together an image of democracy. Pjer Zalica, Bosnia and Hercegovina, 2003, Bosnian/Subtitles: English, 98 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM No Man's Land / No Man's Land (aka Ničija Zemlja) [FL 32] The film is situated in Bosnia in 1993 during the recent war. It tells the story of three wounded soldiers, two Bosnians and one Serb, who after various skirmishes confront each other in a trench in no man's land. Things get even more complicated as one of the wounded Bosnian soldiers can't move and is forced to lie as a bouncing mine, laid by another Serb soldier, is beneath him. The two wounded soldiers, Bosnian Cuki and Serb Nino wait for dark in order to retreat, trading insults; sometimes one has the gun, sometimes the other and sometimes both. Still they manage to find some common ground, decide to cooperate and wave white flags forcing their lines to call the UN to negotiate and find some way out of the crises. The story unfolds as, first, the UN high command tries very hard not to help, but then a French sergeant shows courage and moves in and an English reporter shows up looking for an exclusive TV story. In a bloody finale, both the hypocrisy of international military observers and the tragedy of war come to the surface. Danis Tanovic, Bosnia and Hercegovina, 2001, Bosnian/Subtitles: English, Slovenian, 97 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Wounds, The / Rane [FL 33] Based on a true story and constructed as a series of flashbacks, the film follows Pinki and his childhood friend Švabo as they come of age in Belgrade in the first half of the 1990s. After apprenticeship under a small-time gangster and war criminal, the teenagers start their own booming criminal career when U.N. sanctions create a black-market for just about everything. Soon, they take over their mentor’s business as well as his girlfriend and their extreme behavior and first killing win them a guest spot on a celebrity-gangster TV talk-show “The Street Pulse” which glamorizes criminals. With their brains more and more fried by coke and fame, the boys kill anyone who gets in their way or simply on their nerves. They become increasingly callous and violent, eventually turning on each other. In the film’s dramatic climax Pinki and Švabo end up shooting each other and lying barely alive in the same rubble-strewn lot where they used to hurl stones at one another when they were kids. Srđan Dragojević, Yugoslavia, 1998, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 99 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Hornet, The / Stršljen [FL 34] Combining a crime plot with a tragic love story, the film is set against the background of the recent Albanian-Serbian conflict in Kosovo. Shot before the Kosovo war, the film follows young Belgrade student Andrijana, in love with a mysterious Italian with whom she luxuriously travels across Europe. After she realizes that he is actually a Kosovo Albanian she starts to worry, and with constant changes of their place of residence, she gradually realizes that her boyfriend is involved in some shady business. The family drama evolves further as it soon becomes clear that he is a hit man for the Albanian drug mafia, while his brother is a detective with Serbian police who are trying to stop the drug route across Kosovo. Torn between Albanian mafia, family ties and chased by the Serbian police, he tries unsuccessfully to save his love and his life. Interestingly, but not unexpectedly in a bloody finale he also kills his own brother, otherwise virtually the only positive Albanian character of the whole movie. Gorcin Stojanovic, Yugoslavia, 1998, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 107 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM March of the Living, The / Marsz zywych [FL 35] One day a catholic priest, a Jew whose parents died in a Nazi concentration camp and who was brought up by a Polish family, answered a phone call from Martin Bormann, the son of the Martin Bormann who was a close associate of Hitler. The phone talk moved the priest. Some days later he received Borman's autobiography. After considerable effort and a correspondence which provoked strong emotions on both sides, it was possible to persuade the son of the oppressor and the son of the victims of Holocaust to meet to discuss the memories of the past. Grzegorz Linkowski, Poland, 2003, Polish/Subtitles: English, 50 min, documentary film, Beta SP Jung (War): In the Land of the Mujaheddin / Jung (Guerra) Nella Yerra Dei Musaheddin [FL 36] ’Jung’ means war in the language of the Dari, who consider war to be the very essence of life. This narrative documentary follows the quest of a surgeon who wants to establish an emergency hospital for civilian war victims in Afghanistan and is accompanied by an old correspondent who has reported there ever since the Soviet invasion. A deeply human story set against the backdrop of an endless war that has been forgotten by everyone except its victims. Alberto Vendemmiati and Fabrizio Lazzaretti, Italy, 2000, Dari/Subtitles: English, 114 min, documentary film, Beta SP Forgive me, Sergei / Прости меня, Сергей [FL 37] Caroline, a young American, is interested in the life story of a russian mariner Sergei, who escaped from the Soviet Union to the US, where he asked for political asylum and became a religious activist, publishing numerous accounts of terrifying life 'behind the iron curtain' until he died a strange death in a hotel room in the US. Inspired by such a fascinating story, Caroline travels to Russia to find places and acquaintances of Sergey and to learn more about the life of believers in the Soviet Union and contemporary Russia. To her great surprise, she learns that many of Sergey's stories were invented and that the truth about him and his life is not easy to unravel. Damian Wojciehowski, Russia, 2004, Russian/Subtitles: English, 56 min, documentary film, VHS Boris I / Борис Първи [FL 41] Prince Boris I ruled Bulgaria in the late 9th century: the film is a hagiographic account of his life. In his youth, he suffered military defeats, but succeeded in keeping the territorial integrity of the country by seeking peace with the Slavic neighbors. During his reign, Bulgaria breaks with paganism and joins the Christian community, albeit paying a heavy death toll. When one of his sons wants to return to paganism, Boris condemns and blinds him. Having unified and Christianized the country, as well as having secured a Cyrillic alphabet for the nation, Boris retires to a monastery and is later included in the pantheon of Bulgarian saints. Borislav Sharaliev, Bulgaria, 1984, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 148 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Pretty Village, Pretty Flame / Lepa Sela, Lepo Gore [FL 42] Allegedly based upon a true story and set during the Bosnian war in 1992, with the time swinging back and forth all the way to the early 1980s, the film focuses on the long-term friendship between Muslim Halil and Serb Milan. In the interlude set in a Belgrade hospital, gravely injured Milan remembers his youth and friendship with Halil. While growing up, the two often hung out near the abandoned tunnel which they never dared to enter since they believed that vicious boy-eating creatures lived there. 12 years later, the Bosnian war starts and the friends find themselves on opposing sides. Along with his small unit, Milan is trapped in that very tunnel, while Halil is a soldier in the Muslim army carrying out the siege. With nothing to do but wait for inevitable death, the trapped soldiers amuse themselves by staging allegorical circus acts. Milan eventually survives the battle, but lies seriously wounded in the hospital where his nostalgic memories of youth are transformed into a determined pledge to fulfill his duty. Srđan Dragojević, Yugoslavia, 1996, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 115 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Every day God kisses us on the mouth / In fiecare zi Dumnezeu ne saruta pe gura [FL 46] Dumitru is a killer twice over: he is a butcher and an murderer. Dumitru is just out of prison, for the first time since the fall of communism. On his way home he kills twice, once because of a card game and second because he finds his wife pregnant by his own brother. This triggers a whole series of murders. By the end of it all, Dumitru decides to kill himself but finds out that God has other plans for him. Sinisa Dragin, Romania, 2001, Romanian/Subtitles: English, 100 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Occident, the / Occident [FL 48] Movie by a young Romanian filmmaker. The plot consists of 3 episodes with different protagonists. The main characters of each story become secondary figures in the others. At the same time, all the stories are ultimately intertwined. The first is about the relationship of a young man, Luci, and his girlfriend Sorina, whom he tries to convince he is able to provide for their household. But he has to compete for her with Jerome, a Belgian on a visit to Romania. The second story features Mihaela, Luci's co-worker, who is dropped by her fiancé on their wedding day. Her parents are trying to find her another husband, this time looking for a promising foreigner. The third story presents Nae Zigfrid, who emigrated from communist Romania and now returns to Bucharest to help his best friend's mother, Luci's aunt, as well as to bring the news of the death of her son. Nae befriends a Colonel, Mihaela's father, who arrested Nae and his friend during their first attempt to flee the country. The main theme of the movie is the obsession with emigrating to better Western countries because of the difficulty of making a future in "transitional" Romanian society. The soundtrack of the film uses youth propaganda songs from the Ceausescu era. Cristian Mungiu, Romania, 2002, Romanian/Subtitles: English, 101 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Nuremberg Trial, The [FL 56] At the end of World War II in Nuremberg, Germany, twenty-one former officials in the Nazi regime were tried before the International Military Tribunal, composed of judges from the United States, England, France, and the Soviet Union. The defendants, ranging from SS policy makers to high-level hatchetmen, stood accused of crimes against humanity, crimes against peace, and war crimes. From 1945 to 1946, testimony and evidence presented at this first of twelve Nuremberg Trials revealed the scope of Nazi atrocities. Anne Dorfman, United States, 1995, English, 47 min, documentary film, VHS Between a Star and a Crescent - Bricha / Mezi Hvězdou a Půlměsícem - Otec uprchlíků [FL 74] "Bricha" is the Hebrew name given to the Jewish underground movement which after WWII attempted to move as many of the displaced Jews as possible to Palestine. Czechoslovakia was involved with this Zionist movement, even when the country was already under Soviet rule. Petr Bok and Martin Smok, Czech Republic, 1998, /Voice-over: English, 53 min, documentary film, VHS Between a Star and a Crescent - Trials / Mezi Hvězdou a Půlměsícem - Otec uprchlíků [FL 74] The post-war tragedy of Jewish Communists is also mostly forgotten today. These people rejected their family traditions because they believed, naively, that the Bolshevik New World Order would eradicate anti-Semitism and racist hatred forever. Petr Bok and Martin Smok, Czech Republic, 1998, /Voice-over: English, 53 min, documentary film, VHS Between a Star and a Crescent - Father of the Refugees / Mezi Hvězdou a Půlměsícem - Otec uprchlíků [FL 74] In the summer of 1967 the body of Charles Jordan, a man who wanted to change the very core of the conflict in the Middle East, was fished out of the Vltava river in Prague. His death remains a mystery to this day. The filmmakers discovered new details about the case, while the Czech detectives are still unsuccessfully investigating it. Petr Bok and Martin Smok, Czech Republic, 2004, /Voice-over: English, 52 min, documentary film, VHS Hitler's Hitparade [FL 75] Twenty five songs popular in the Third Reich compose the musical constituent part of the film that puts in a line, side by side, the fragments of period film hits, dancing creations from musicals, amateur films, animated films, instructional films, advertisements, propagandistic materials and documentaries made in Germany between the years 1933-45. The syrupy songs open the Aryan aesthetics up ready to remind in a new composition the role of entertainment in the history of Nazi Germany. This film clarifies the dark epoch of the popular music history, the way how it was abused for the fascist objections. The shots refer to the forms of joy and pandering luck, they show the certain attractiveness of the film as well as of the architecture, home design, technique and power of modern weapons. Yet the shots of the impacts of the dictatorship disturb the beauty, making the visual and the musical dimensions of the film drift apart. Oliver Axer, Susanne Benze, Germany, 2003, German/Subtitles: English, 75 min, archival collage, VHS Iag Bari: Brass on Fire [FL 79] The story begins with a scene of a young boy pulling a horn from a lake. Coming from a tiny village in Romania, the gypsy brass band Fanfare Ciocarlia has taken the world by storm and gained an international following. A musical documentary rich in poetic imagery that depicts the travels of a group said to be the world’s fastest-playing gypsy brass band. Featuring delightful footage of their performance in Tokyo. Ralf Marschalleck, Germany, 2002, Romanian/Subtitles: English, 103 min, documentary film, VHS Day I Will Never Forget, The [FL 80] As many as 100 - 140 million women worldwide have been subjected to female circumcision, a practice that dates back to ancient Egypt and which can be found in many traditional cultures today. It is estimated that as many as two million young girls undergo this painful and life threatening operation every year. Set in Kenya, the film explores the tradition of female circumcision in both Kenyan society and among the large group of Somali émigrés. Even though the practice is officially outlawed, cultural acceptance in these societies depends heavily on the fact of female circumcision, and the practice shows no signs of declining. Men support it as a way of guaranteeing fidelity, but it is women, mothers who were circumcised themselves, who are often the most outspoken supporters of the practice. Increasingly, young girls seek to defy their parents and avoid this painful and debilitating ritual. Kim Longinotto, England, 2002, Swahili (macrolanguage)/Subtitles: English, 92 min, documentary film, VHS My Terrorist / Ha-Mekhabel sheli [FL 81] Fahad Mihyi, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Yulie Cohen, a sixth-generation Israeli, first met in August 1978, when Mihyi pointed a machine gun at the El Al flight attendant in a terrorist attack. Twenty-three years later, in an effort to help break the cycle of violence, Yulie considers writing a letter in support of Mihyi's parole, thus thrusting herself into the turbulent world of Middle East politics. Winner of a Special Jury Prize at the Jerusalem International Film Festival, and nominated for the Silver Wolf award at the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival, My Terrorist asks hard questions about the meaning of forgiveness and hate, the inevitability of violence and, just possibly, about the chance of reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis. Yulie Cohen Gerstel, Israel, 2002, Hebrew, English/Subtitles: English, Hebrew, 58 min, documentary film, VHS My Terrorist / Ha-Mekhabel sheli [FL 81] Fahad Mihyi, a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Yulie Cohen, a sixth-generation Israeli, first met in August 1978, when Mihyi pointed a machine gun at the El Al flight attendant in a terrorist attack. Twenty-three years later, in an effort to help break the cycle of violence, Yulie considers writing a letter in support of Mihyi's parole, thus thrusting herself into the turbulent world of Middle East politics. Winner of a Special Jury Prize at the Jerusalem International Film Festival, and nominated for the Silver Wolf award at the Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival, My Terrorist asks hard questions about the meaning of forgiveness and hate, the inevitability of violence and, just possibly, about the chance of reconciliation between Palestinians and Israelis. Yulie Cohen Gerstel, Israel, 2002, Hebrew, English/Subtitles: English, Hebrew, 58 min, documentary film, VHS Kalahari Family, A [FL 85] Encapsulating 50 years of Namibian history and edited from 2 million feet of 16mm film, A Kalahari Family represents a lifetime of documentation, research, and personal contact with the Ju/'hoansi of Nyae Nyae by filmmaker John Marshall. Through the voices of Oma Tsamkxao and his extended family, viewers learn the extraordinary story of the Ju/'hoansi, beginning with their experiences as independent, self-sufficient hunter-gatherers, continuing through the wrenching changes of dispossession and militarization, and culminating with their attempts to establish viable farming settlements. Part 1: A FAR COUNTRY (90 Min.) In 1951, the Marshall family set out to document the life of the Bushmen of the Kalahari. After a week of hard travel in desert-adapted vehicles, they met Toma Tsamkxao and his Ju/'hoan band in Nyae Nyae. In their own words, Toma's extended family describes how they survive by gathering bush foods and hunting game. Part 2: END OF THE ROAD (60 Min.) John Marshall is reunited with Toma's family in 1978. Like a majority of Ju/'hoansi, they have settled at Tjum!kui, an administrative post run by the South African government. They came looking for water, jobs and an easier life, but found poverty, malnutrition and violence. Desperate for a more stable existence, the family heads back to their traditional water hole, /Aotcha, with shovels, cattle, and plans to start farming. Part 3: REAL WATER (60 Min.) Ju/’hoan farming communities multiply during the 1980s only to face a new threat. The Department of Nature Conservation wants to create a game reserve on Ju/’hoan territory. People will be forbidden to raise livestock or crops. Instead, Ju/’hoansi will be encouraged to act like "Bushmen" and hunt for the amusement of tourists. Urgent grass roots organizing ensues as the people seek to control their traditional lands. Part 4: STANDING TALL (60 Min.) After twelve decades of colonial rule, South West Africa is about to become the independent nation of Namibia and people are looking forward to democratic rule. Members of the newly formed, Ju/’hoan Farmers' Co-op travel throughout white ranching districts and black ethnic homelands to find long-lost relatives. Following Namibia’s first national elections, United Nations troops help relocate these families to traditional Ju/’hoan territory. Part 5: DEATH BY MYTH (90 Min.) Namibian independence attracts vast amounts of international aid, but development programs no longer benefit Ju/’hoan farms. We witness the power of the Bushman myth, belief that Ju/’hoansi live uniquely in harmony with nature and are born to hunt. John Marshall, United States, 2002, /Voice-over: English, 360 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Knife in the Water / Nóz w wodzie [FL 86] A couple driving along a deserted road to a lake nearly hit a young man, who almost gets run over as he flags down the car. The driver is a self-absorbed husband, the woman is his pretty and bored wife. They take the young man along and the husband, out of the sheer patronizing will, invites him to come sailing on their boat. During the boat trip there is clash of personalities. The husband is a self-made man and is delighted to show off in front of the boy. As an argument unfolds, he knocks the boy overboard. The couple think he has drowned and the husband swims ashore for help. Meanwhile the boy, who has hidden behind the boat, comes aboard to seduce the wife. Roman Polanski, Poland, 1962, Polish/Subtitles: English, 94 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Loves of a Blonde / Lásky jedné plavovlásky [FL 87] A working-class young woman (Andula) in a hick Czech town sleeps with one of the members of a band from Prague. "You are a Mondrian, not a Picasso," he tells her. When she doesn't hear from him again, she packs up and arrives on his doorstep in the big city, throwing his household (he lives with his parents) into chaos. Milos Forman, Czechoslovakia, 1965, Czech/Subtitles: English, 79 min, fiction film, VHS Competition, The / Konkurs [FL 88] This two-part comedy consists of "Why Do We Have All These Brass Bands?" and "The Audition." In the former, two brass bands practice to compete in an honorary ceremony. The two units are made up mainly of elderly musicians, but each has a youthful member as well. When the two young musicians forego practice to attend a motorcycle race, they are kicked out of their respective bands. The two musicians simply join up with the rival units to compete in the upcoming competition at the ceremony. In "The Audition," two young teenage girls vie for a part in a musical play. When the winner is stricken with stage fright, the second girl is slated to perform, amidst concerns about her supreme overconfidence. Milos Forman, Czechoslovakia, 1963, Czech/Subtitles: English, 85 min, fiction film, VHS Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors / Тени забытых предков [FL 89] The film is set among the Hutsul people of the Western Ukraine, an isolated ethnic group who live in the upper reaches of the mountain range. Their lives unfold within a harsh environment and an ornate cultural system little changed since the 18th century. The film opens with the deaths of Ivanko's brother, Olexa, crushed by a tree, and father, Pyotr Pavlichuk, killed outside the church by his rich neighbor Guteniuk. During the funeral procession for his father, Ivanko meets Guteniuk's daughter, Marichka, and the stage is set for the star-crossed lovers. Structured episodically, the film returns to Ivanko and Marichka as they fall in love and grow towards adulthood. Finally of an age to marry, Ivanko finds himself unable to do so, having been reduced to poverty by his father's death. Forced to work as a hired hand, he must leave his village and his beloved Marichka. Tragedy ensues and the remainder of the film concerns Ivanko's private and subtle dissolution as a result of this tragedy. Sergei Paradzhanov, Soviet Union, 1964, Ukrainian/Subtitles: English, 99 min, fiction film, VHS Inner Circle, The (aka Ближний круг) [FL 90] The true story of Ivan Sanchin, the KGB officer who was Stalin's private film projectionist from 1939 until the dictator's death. Told from Sanchin's point of view, the sympathetic but tragically flawed hero maintains unwavering faith in his "Master" despite the arrest of his neighbors and his involvement with their daughter, his wife's affair with the chilling State Security chief Lavrentii Beria and her tragic decline, and the deadly political machinations within the Kremlin that he witnesses firsthand. Andrei Konchalovsky, Italy, 1992, English, 137 min, fiction film, VHS Freeze-Die-Come to Life / Замри, умри, воскресни! [FL 91] Stuck in a mining town near Vladivostok in 1947 among Soviet exiles and Japanese POWs (Japanese prisoners remained in Siberia for years after the war had ended), the kids have to come up with something to keep them busy. Two boys, Valerka and Galla, play some peculiar, very dangerous games of their own amid the man-made wasteland of Suchan. Vitalii Kanevskii, Soviet Union, 1989, Russian/Subtitles: English, 105 min, fiction film, VHS Contract / Kontrakt [FL 93] The Contract is set during an "arranged" wedding ceremony. The bride and groom barely know each other, but this matters not at all to their tradition-bound families. At the last minute, the bride balks. Only slightly nonplussed, the groom's father, a status-seeking doctor, decides to go ahead with the expensive reception anyway. Krzysztof Zanussi, Poland, 1980, Polish/Subtitles: English, 100 min, fiction film, VHS Diamonds of the Night / Démanty noci [FL 94] Tense, brutal story of two Jewish boys who escape from a train transporting them from one concentration camp to another. Ultimately, they are hunted down by a group of old, armed home-guard members. The film goes beyond the themes of war and anti-Nazism and deals with man's struggle to preserve human dignity. Jan Nemec, Czechoslovakia, 1964, Czech/Subtitles: English, 63 min, fiction film, VHS Dream Brigade / Álombrigád [FL 95] Story of a "worker's brigade" attempting to produce a play by a Soviet writer on the Hungarian stage. Their conversations about censorship and brutal law enforcement may have had something to do with the difficulty the film had being released. András Jeles, Hungary, 1985, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 107 min, fiction film, VHS Professor Baltazar / Profesor Baltazar [FL 96] Selection of cartoons made by Zagreb film's Studio for Animated Film. Besides the “Professor Baltazar” series, the selection includes many international prize-winning pieces like ""Surrogate" (Dusan Vukotic), "Don Quixote " (Vlado Kristl), "Fly" (Aleksandar Marks and Vladimir Jutrisa), "The Wall" (Ante Zaninovic), "Number Five" (Pavao Stalter and Zlatko Grgic), "The Lonely" (Vatroslav Mimica) etc. Zlatko Bourek, Yugoslavia, 1976, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 159 min, entertainment program, VHS Lost Illusions / Elveszett illúziók [FL 98] László Sárdi, a young person from the countryside comes to Budapest at the end of the 1960s. He arrives with his lover, and older woman, planning to start a new life, but she eventually leaves him to pursue her own career. Literary ambitions keep László in the city, he rents a flat and works for a newspaper, learning his first lessons in cynicism and hypocrisy. Gyula Gazdag, Hungary, 1982, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 102 min, fiction film, VHS Is It Easy To Be Young? / Легко ли быть молодым? [FL 99] This documentary interviews Soviet youths from 16 to 20 years of age and captures their disillusioned and cynical attitudes. They reject the ideology of their parents and country, seeking only to have a good time and/or make money. Veterans who fought in the Afghanistan conflict are seen suffering from the same maladies as U.S. soldiers after their experiences in Vietnam. Teens embrace everything from punk-rock music and drugs to the Hare Krishna religion in their search for purpose and identity. Yuris Podnieks, Soviet Union, 1987, Latvian/Subtitles: English, 83 min, fiction film, VHS Ashes and Diamonds / Popiol i diament [FL 100] Maciek, a young Resistance fighter, is ordered to kill Szczuka, a Communist district leader, on the last day of World War II. Though killing has been easy for him in the past, Szczuka was a fellow soldier, and Maciek must decide whether to obey his orders. Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1958, Polish/Subtitles: English, 105 min, fiction film, VHS Hands Up / Rece do góry [FL 101] Andrzej Leszcyzc is one of several doctors attending a medical school reunion in a sealed-up railway carriage. Between drinks, the disenchanted medicos ruminate over the effect that communism (particularly the Stalinist brand) has had on their profession. Jerzy Skolimowski, Poland, 1981, Polish/Subtitles: English, 90 min, fiction film, VHS Camouflage / Ziemia obiecana [FL 102] A group of students at a university summer science camp are drawn into an incredible quagmire of conflicts, ranging from the relatively simple conflict between an engaging and forthright young teacher and his manipulative older colleague, to a contest pitting political correctness against free scientific inquiry. Krzysztof Zanussi, Poland, 1977, Polish/Subtitles: English, 106 min, fiction film, VHS Land of Promise / Ziemia obiecana [FL 102] A tale of the ruthless rise of early industrialists at the turn of the century. It takes place in Lodz, the heart of the textile industry at the time. Three school friends, a pole of a noble background, an assimilated Jew and a German decide to build a textile factory. They exploit the wife of a Jewish merchant who is in love with the Pole. The affair is uncovered and their factory is burned down. They persevere but soon labor unrest begins. Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1974, Polish/Subtitles: English, 178 min, VHS Hero of the Year / Bohater roku [FL 103] Ludwik Danielak, an out-of-work television personality, tries to make a come-back with a new program. The show will star Zbignew Tataj, who is scheduled to meet the public with a national promotional tour. The star becomes disillusioned when he is forced to read a prepared speech to the fans and is not allowed to deviate from the text. Feliks Falk, Poland, 1987, Polish/Subtitles: English, 115 min, fiction film, VHS All Quiet on the Western Front [FL 104] TV movie based on one of the most respected anti-war novels ever written, by Erich Maria Remarque. Delbert Mann, United States, 1979, English, 90 min, fiction film, VHS Father / Apa [FL 105] After his father is killed in World War II, a young Hungarian boy named Tako concocts a fantasy image of the parent he never really knew. Convincing himself of his father's unstinting bravery, the boy grows into a man who hopes to emulate his father’s heroism. István Szabó, Hungary, 1966, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 98 min, fiction film, VHS Autumn Marathon / Осенний марафон [FL 106] Comedy with Andrey Pavlovich Buzykin, an absent-minded English translator, divided between his wife and a mistress. Buzykin's faulty memory and his inability to plan his time properly lead to no end of trouble in that triangle. Georgi Daneliya, Soviet Union, 1979, Russian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, fiction film, VHS Closely Watched Trains / Ostre sledované vlaky [FL 107] Comedy-drama about a young man employed in a tiny station during World War II. Milos Hrma, a bumbling dispatcher's apprentice at a village railway station in occupied Czechoslovakia, longs to liberate himself from his virginity. Oblivious to the war and the resistance that surrounds him, he embarks on a journey of sexual awakening and self-discovery, encountering a universe of frustration, eroticism, and adventure within his sleepy backwater depot. Milos becomes involved in a plot to blow up a German ammunition train, but when the plan backfires, he is forced to commit the ultimate act of courage. Jiří Menzel, Czechoslovakia, 1966, Czech/Subtitles: English, 92 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM He Who Sings Thinks No Harm / Tko pjeva zlo ne misli [FL 108] The story is seen through the eyes of 6 year old Perica Safranek. On a family picnic Perica's mother starts flirting with Mr Fulir, a Zagreb dandy. The father at first doesn't notice it; he wants to marry off the aunt. After a couple of invitations to their Zagreb home, the father becomes aware that Fulir is making passes at his wife… Kresimir Golik, Yugoslavia, 1970, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 94 min, fiction film, VHS Mother of Kings, The / Matka Królów [FL 109] Made in 1982, shelved for five years. The story opens with Lucja Krol's husband falling under a tram. She gives birth to her fourth son on the floor of their new apartment. Neighbor Wiktor, a communist intellectual, befriends the poverty-stricken family but is soon arrested and sent to jail. During the war Lucja narrowly escapes a Nazi roundup at the black market. Her sons hold ardent Communist meetings in their apartment, with her blessing. Lucja works hard, but without complaining. After the war, Klemens is inexplicably arrested, accused by the new regime of being a collaborator. Wiktor, now a high-ranking party member, trying to defend him, but himself falls into disgrace. Klemens is tortured to "confess" and dies in jail, a Communist to the end. Lucja is never told about his fate. Janusz Zaorski, Poland, 1983, Polish/Subtitles: English, 127 min, fiction film, VHS Suspended / W zawieszeniu [FL 110] Anna, a nurse, meets her wartime lover Marcel in 1951. Learning that he has been sentenced to death for his role in the Home Army, she hides him in her cellar for five years. She becomes pregnant with his child and has the baby out of wedlock. Despite the hardships and gossip she holds out much better than he. In 1956 when the political climate changes, he resurfaces and is arrested, but then acquitted by the court. Waldemar Krzystek, Poland, 1987, Polish/Subtitles: English, 93 min, fiction film, VHS Great Generation, The / A nagy generáció [FL 111] This award-winning film is a commentary on the nature of the older and younger generations in Hungary during the mid-'80s. Réb (György Cserhalmi) stole his friend Makai's (Károly Eperjes) passport in 1968 and took off for the U.S. Seventeen years later, he comes back to Hungary with a teen-age daughter in tow and starts in with his usual underhanded, sly schemes for making money. Makai is at first happy to see him, but that soon fades. Réb's ex-wife Mari (Mari Kiss) feels the same. Meanwhile, Makai's son is called up for the army, and that leads Makai to make a poor decision about how to help him avoid military service. In contrast to Réb, Makai, and the younger set, the elders who experienced all the horrors of war seem like paragons of both wisdom and stability. Ferenc András, Hungary, 1985, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 109 min, fiction film, VHS Time Stands Still / Megáll az idő [FL 112] This drama follows brothers in Budapest attempting to survive a difficult youth in post-revolution Hungary during the early '60s. Péter Gothár, Hungary, 1981, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 95 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Top Dog / Wodzirej [FL 113] The stakes are very, very small for Danielak (Jerzy Stuhr), but a "careerist" doesn't measure these things. He wants an upcoming job as the dance leader and master of ceremonies for the opening ceremonies at a new provincial hotel's nightclub, and he will do anything to get it, including betraying his best friend. Feliks Falk, Poland, 1978, Polish/Subtitles: English, 115 min, fiction film, VHS Color of Pomegranates / Саят Нова [FL 116] Biography of the Armenian troubadour Sayat Nova, which concentrates more on the poet's life as revealed through his poetry than on a conventional narration of important events in Sayat Nova's career. We see the poet grow up, fall in love, enter a monastery and die, but these incidents are depicted in the context of what are presumably images from Sayat Nova's poems, poems that are seen and rarely heard. Sergei Paradzhanov, Soviet Union, 1968, Armenian/Subtitles: English, 75 min, fiction film, VHS Interrogation / Przesluchanie [FL 117] Cabaret entertainer Krystyna Jadna has a habit of flirting with high-ranking military officers. As a result, she is imprisoned and subject to a vicious interrogation by the secret police, who are convinced that Jadna's brief affair with an army major has fomented an anti-government movement. We are shown the lengths to which Jadna's questioners will go to extract their notion of the truth and the lengths to which the woman will go to cling on to her remaining shreds of dignity. Filmed in 1982, The Interrogation was almost immediately banned in Poland. It was not released abroad until 1990. Richard Bugajski, Poland, 1982, Polish/Subtitles: English, 118 min, fiction film, VHS Sweet Movie [FL 118] The winner of the Miss World Virginity contest escapes from a sexless marriage to an oil tycoon, has a wild affair with a famous rock star and settles in a radical commune. Meanwhile, a boat travels the canals of Amsterdam with a cargo of sugar, a demented crew, a revolutionary zealot captain and her lover, a refugee from the Battleship Potemkin. Makavejev's bizarre and pointedly satirical vision is totally uncompromising and filled with shocking images. Dusan Makavejev, Canada, 1974, English, 99 min, fiction film, VHS Man of Marble / Czlowiek z marmuru [FL 119] In 1976, a young woman in Krakow is making her diploma film, looking behind the scenes at the life of a 1950s bricklayer, Birkut, who was briefly a proletariat hero, at how that heroism was created, and what became of him. She gets hold of outtakes and censored footage and interviews the man's friends, ex-wife, and the filmmaker who made him a hero. A portrait of Birkut emerges: he believed in the workers' revolution, in building housing for all, and his very virtues were his undoing. Her hard-driving style and the content of the film unnerve her supervisor, who kills the project with the excuse that she's over budget. Is there any way she can push the film to completion? Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1974, Polish/Subtitles: English, 160 min, fiction film, VHS Shop on Main Street, The / Obchod na korze [FL 120] Slovakia during WW II. Tono lives a poor life, but the authorities offer to let him take over the Jewish widow Lautman's little haberdasher’s shop. She is old and confused and thinks that he is looking for employment and hires him. The odd couple begin to like each other. But some time later the authorities decide that the Jews must leave the city. What should Tono do with the old lady? Ján Kadár, Elmar Klos, Czechoslovakia, 1965, Czech/Subtitles: English, 128 min, fiction film, VHS Man Is Not a Bird / Covek nije tica [FL 121] One of Makavejev's first films, the title Man is Not a Bird refers to a hypnotist who makes people act like birds. It seems to be a veiled reference to the authorities; one line actually mentions the "authorities", but that's as specific as it was allowed to be at the time. The film depicts a man who cheats on his wife, but is still considered a heroic worker for propaganda purposes. Another man, an engineer who comes to town, finds himself attracted to the daughter of his landlord. Dusan Makavejev, Yugoslavia, 1965, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 81 min, fiction film, VHS Kung-Fu [FL 123] A well-regarded engineer in a big enterprise is hounded by trumped up attacks on his integrity when he delves too deeply into the way bonuses are handled by the management. He gets into an argument with the guard, is arrested and subsequently fired. An old friend, a journalist, tries to sort things out but the victim's stubbornness and past problems with his wife lead to losses on both sides. Janusz Kijowski, Poland, 1980, Polish/Subtitles: English, 112 min, fiction film, VHS Salt of the Earth [FL 124] Made at the height of the McCarthy era, depicting the events of a strike in New Mexico, "Salt of the Earth" was a joint effort by Hollywood professionals and the striking workers themselves. The film was immediately blacklisted by studios and distributors. Herbert J. Biberman, United States, 1954, English, 94 min, fiction film, VHS And your love too / …und Deine Liebe auch [FL 130] Berlin 1961: a love triangle develops as the Berlin Wall is being constructed. Eva, a young East German girl, must decide between two very different brothers - Klaus, who believes in making quick cash as a taxi driver in West Berlin, and the quiet, shy electrician Ulli, who stands firm behind the socialist ideology of the GDR. On August 13, 1961 Ulli stands guard at the border between East and West and, gun in hand, forbids his brother to cross into the West. When Klaus is later arrested for trying to flee, Eva makes her decision. With a small team Frank Vogel filmed on the streets of Berlin and observed the everyday life of the people with precision and humor. Frank Vogel, Germany, 1962, German/Subtitles: English, 92 min, fiction film, VHS Little Vilma: The Last Diary / Kisvilma: Az utolsó napló [FL 131] Noted director Márta Mészáros finishes up her acclaimed semi-autobiographical "diary" series which started with her 1982 "Diary for My Children". After her idealist father gets swept away by Soviet propaganda about a socialist Eden, young Vilma gets packed off to Kirgizstan along with her family. Instead of finding paradise, however, they discover only totalitarian oppression and political murder. One by one, her family is killed on trumped-up charges as part of Stalin's purges. Later, Vilma is taken into a Young Soviet school, given the more revolutionary name Nina Alexeyevna, and eventually allowed to return to her native Hungary. Márta Mészáros, Hungary, 2000, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 107 min, fiction film, VHS Bolse vita [FL 133] Set in Central Europe following the fall of Communism in 1989, this German-Hungarian ensemble piece centers on the reactions and attempts to get by in a brand new environment. Yura and Vadim are Russian musicians trying to get to Belgrade for a performance. Impoverished Sergei is trying to get there too. He sells knives to earn the money he needs. British Maggie and American Susan have drifted to Hungary in search of excitement. All five characters accidentally collide in the Bolse Vita bar in Budapest. While Sergei continues selling his cutlery in the open-air market, Yura and Maggie begin an affair as do Susan and Vadim. Much of the story chronicles the short-lived euphoria that followed the demise of oppression, but unfortunately, the people's happiness abruptly ended when the realities of life set in. So it goes for the characters as they all begin drifting towards their disparate destinies. Ibolya Fekete, Hungary, 1996, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 101 min, fiction film, VHS Bear 007, The / Medved 007 [FL 134] Political satire. A woodsman is requested by the local authorities to organize a bear hunt for a political VIP visiting the hunting ground. The only problem is that bears have already been extinct in the area for many years. Therefore the only solution is to set up a hoax with a circus bear. The film was banned by the producer TV Belgrade. Zelimir Gvardiol, Yugoslavia, 1986, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 52 min, VHS GDR Underground Films / Gegenbilder [FL 157] Experimental low-budget films from East Germany including Lutz Dammbeck, "Hommage a la Sarraz" (Leipzig, 1981, 13 min); Gino Hahnemann, "September September" (Ost-Berlin, 1986, 7 min); Cornelia Schleime, "Unter weissen Tuechern" (Ost-Berlin, 1983, 9 min); Cornelia Klauss, "Samuel" (Ost-Berlin, 1984, 3 min), Volker Lewandowsky "Report" (Dresden, 1987, 6 min); Thomas Frydetzki, "Engelchen" (Leipzig, 1985, 8 min); Claus Löser, "Nekrolog" (Karl-Marx-Stadt, 1985, 6 min); Tohm di Roes, "7 X 7 Tatsachen aus dem hiesigen Leben des Dichters Tohm di Roes" (Ost-Berlin, 1983, 17 min); Thomas Werner, "Guten Tag, Berlin!" (Ost-Berlin, 1987, 12 min); Ramona Köppel-Welsch, "Konrad! Sprach die Frau Mama…(Ost-Berlin, 1989, 9 min).Germany, 1989, German/Subtitles: English, 93 min, VHS Bezhin Meadow / Бежин луг [FL 175] Reconstructed version of the film, which was banned and destroyed by Soviet censors. The script was based on the incident of Pavlik Morozov, who denounced his father as a kulak and was killed by him. The reconstruction took place in 1971 from surviving single shots of various scenes, which were preserved by the film editor. Sergei Eisenstein, Soviet Union, 1937, (silent)/Subtitles: English, 32 min, fiction film, VHS Commissar, The / Комиссар [FL 203] The film is based on an early story by V. Grossman. During the civil war in Russia, the Red Army takes a small southern town. Between the two battles commissar Vavilova gives birth and stays with the Jewish family of a craftsman, who himself has many children. Together with them she experiences the hardships of the Civil War. When the Red Army returns, she leaves her child with the Jewish family, and joins her comrades in arms. Alexander Askol'dov, Soviet Union, 1967, Russian/Subtitles: English, 104 min, fiction film, VHS March of Time, The : The Cold War 1946-1951, Part 1: Changing Attitudes 1946-1948 [FL 243] Originally produced as a newsreel by Time Magazine, The March of Time was seen monthly for sixteen years in more than 50,000 theatres around the world. Content: 1. Atomic Power -- Exciting historic footage of the creation of the atomic bomb, on film for the first time. Included are interviews and anecdotes from such legendary figures as Albert Einstein, Dr. Conant and Dr. Bush. 2. The Russia Nobody Knows. -- Exclusive, uncensored motion pictures from behind the Iron Curtain! March of Time's cameraman has photographed the Russian people in their daily lives, just as he found them. Here is the chance to see them as they really are -- at work, at worship and at play. 3. The Cold War: Act I -- France -- See how the French people are dealing with post-war life. The Communists are ousted by Premier Robert Schumann, and we see a sample of the frugal way of city life through the eyes of the DuBois family. Their farming relatives fare slightly better; but if the middle-of-the-road policy is to work, the Marshall Plan must be implemented. 4. The Cold War: Act II. -- Crisis in Italy. A hard-hitting, realistic film vividly showing the vital importance of the U.s. Government's European Recovery Plan. This film gives us the shocking truth about the number of Communists in Italy, plus reasons for their success and strength. 5. The Cold War: Act III. -- Battle for Greece. A country torn by conflicting powers. March of Time takes a look at the U.S. and British efforts to bring aid to this ravaged country, through the American Mission for Aid to Greece, and their help in the reconstruction of agriculture, foreign trade and home industries.United States, 1995, English, 88 min, documentary film, VHS March of Time, The : The Cold War 1946-1951, Part 2: Hostility Grows 1948-1949 [FL 244] Originally produced as a newsreel by Time Magazine, The March of Time was seen monthly for sixteen years in more than 50,000 theatres around the world. 1. Battle for Germany -- A must for updating oneself on the developments in Germany. There is no war guilt shown by the activities in the daily life of a typical family. Democratic ways come hard to this Teutonic race, and we see the communists sabotage the U.S. program by inciting labor unrest, as well as the "Airlift Crisis." 2. America's New Air Power -- The race for superior technology is on! Already the planes that won the war are obsolete. In this fascinating film we see the swing to jet propulsion, the incredible size of these planes and a new breed of specially trained "jet" pilots. 3. Answer to Stalin -- Did we defeat the Nazis just to trade them for the communists? Concern for Russian tactics in world politics is growing. Communist success in creating strife in Middle Europe is highlighted, plus the current tension in France and Germany. The film climaxes with a view of the Economic Cooperation Administration under Paul Hoffman. 4. Asia's New Voice -- The dramatic, inspiring birth of a nation--India! A country of extremes, it has fabulously wealthy princes and dirt-poor "Untouchables." With its own mysterious caste system and its terror stricken migrations, India is a Twentieth Century phenomenon. An impartial view of the weakness and strengths of this new, potentially great, nation is the focus of this study. 5. Report on the Atom -- What exactly is Atomic Power, and how is it going to affect us? These are the issues dealt with in this relevant study. The production of radioactive materials and the disposal of the dangerous waste combine with a look at the use of these materials in industry, agricultural and medical research.United States, 1995, English, 90 min, documentary film, VHS March of Time, The: The Cold War 1946-1951, Part 3: Peace or War, 1949-1950 [FL 245] Originally produced as a newsreel by Time Magazine, The March of Time was seen monthly for sixteen years in more than 50,000 theatres around the world. 1. Sweden Looks Ahead. -- Unique among northern European countries, Sweden has been neutral for 135 years. But in uneasy contemporary times the policy of nonpartisanship is difficult to maintain. March of Time captures modern Sweden's carefully constructed society, including fair labor unions, well-run cooperatives and excellent social security. 2. MacArthur's Japan -- Return of the conquering hero! The U.S. occupation, lead by General MacArthur, introduces democratic reforms into the social, political and educational realms of post-war Japan. The U.S. hopes to thereby stem Communism in this defeated Asian country, and teach them to rule themselves. 3. A Chance to Live -- What happened to all the war orphans? In this heartwarming story, we see the history of the Italian Boys' Republic at Santa Marinella. It was established by a kindly priest, but is now run democratically by the boys themselves. The camera follows a boy from his initial distrust of the kindness there to his eventual integration into the community. 4. As Russia Sees It -- Imagine the world situation from the Russian viewpoint. That is what this film does, and, then shows us why they chose Korea for their offensive. It goes on to portray the U.S. meeting of the challenge: reactivating planes, tanks and ships to check the aggression of Stalin and his Communist satellites. 5. The Gathering Storm -- How prepared is America for all-out war? This pictorial analysis gives us a vivid look at just how ready we are for direct attack. Also shown is how much better prepared we are now than we were prior to World War II. This could well be the most dramatic dilemma facing us today -- a communist attack on America!United States, 1995, English, 83 min, documentary film, VHS March of Time, The: The Cold War 1946-1951, Part 4: Time Marches on 1950-1951 [FL 246] Originally produced as a newsreel by Time Magazine, The March of Time was seen monthly for sixteen years in more than 50,000 theatres around the world. Contents: 1. Tito: new ally -- Yugoslavia today lives up to its reputation as a homeland for fighting men. Out of her 16 million people she boasts 30 army divisions - divisions hopefully on the side of democracy should Russia decide to invade and overtake Europe. 2. Strategy for victory -- What the world needs now is mutual defense! Using UN retreats in Korea and debates over American foreign policy, this film shows what is being done through the Mutual Defense Assistance Program to build a European army strong enough to discourage Russian aggression. 3. Flight plan for freedom -- This is the story of the Strategic Air Command, under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Curtis LeMay. The purpose of this highly trained group of daring men is to carry swift, devastating retaliation to any power attacking the free world. 4. Moroccan outpost -- For the second time in nine years, engineers race to build air bases in Morocco. But there are many problems to be faced in this uneasy Moslem land, by both the US and France. 5. Crisis in Iran -- Here we see how fierce nationalism can upset the balance of world power. Iran is the hottest spot in the world today. We are shown the economic and political conditions that are responsible for the present crisis, and the people who manipulate these conditions. 6. Formosa: island of promise -- In this key area of the Orient, we see Chiang Kai-Shek as the head of both the military and the nationalist government. Working with progressive K.C. Wu, governor of Formosa, they jointly conduct the affairs of state.United States, 1995, English, 105 min, documentary film, VHS Face of Russia, The Part 1: The Face on the Firewood [FL 247] The Face of Russia is a personal interpretation of Russia’s cultural history by one of America’s pre-eminent Russian scholars, James H. Billington. Part 1: The painting of icons, or holy pictures, was the first art that Russia made her own. By 988, the Eastern tradition of icon painting had been nearly destroyed by a series of Byzantine emperors, the original iconoclasts. But the newly converted Russians revived the art, combined it with powerful symbols of indigenous folk culture, and made it an inspiring expression of Christian faith. In this first episode, viewers see how the purely religious tradition of the icon soared toward abstraction in Russia, influencing the birth of modern art in the early 1900s, and then helped legitimize secular political power in the Soviet era. Audiences witness the rededication of a monastery that had been used as a military barracks. They also see an Old Believers baptism and experience the isolated serenity of Ferapontovo in the North, with its ethereal frescoes by Dionysius and the melodious bells that symbolized both power and faith. Viewers then visit the Monastery of the Caves in Kiev and go inside the beautiful Cathedral of the Assumption in the Moscow Kremlin at the time of the attempted Communist putsch of August 1991. Murray Grigor, United States, 1998, English, 60 min, documentary film, VHS Face of Russia, The Part 2: The Facade of Power [FL 248] The Face of Russia is a personal interpretation of Russia’s cultural history by one of America’s pre-eminent Russian scholars, James H. Billington. Part 2: This program traces the growth of Russian architecture from the Eastern-inspired onion domes and tent roofs of the early wooden churches to the sprawling palaces and vertical spires of secular St. Petersburg. Viewers visit baroque palaces such as Peterhof, with fountains and classical statuary that echo the elegant parks of Italy and France; Rastrelli’s famed Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, and his Summer Palace at nearby Tsarskoe Selo. The program also explores the novel, especially the extraordinary achievement of writer Nikolai Gogol, who saw St. Petersburg as a heartless city—a city for parades rather than for people. The program takes an in-depth look at Gogol’s work of literary genius, Dead Souls, an inspiration to the radicals of the nineteenth century, dissidents of the Soviet period, and filmmakers and theater producers today. Murray Grigor, United States, 1998, English, 60 min, documentary film, VHS Face of Russia, The Part 3: Facing the Future [FL 249] The Face of Russia is a personal interpretation of Russia’s cultural history by one of America’s pre-eminent Russian scholars, James H. Billington. Part 3: Old Russia considered instrumental music to be the work of the devil; and no musical instruments were permitted in Russian Orthodox churches. The imperial court played Italian-style music; but only in the late nineteenth century, coinciding with the rise of the Russian revolutionary movement, did Russian music suddenly explode through the efforts of talented, unconventional composers. In this episode, viewers meet Musorgsky, the genius of this group, who dramatized in his operatic masterpiece, Boris Godunov, the conflict between Russia’s rulers and its people, its reverence for tradition and its passion for revolution. The program then introduces Sergei Eisenstein, the film director and brilliant innovator, who united all forms of Russian art into the new icon of film. His revolutionary cinema of the early Soviet period retold history with such power that the images became more real than the events—challenging today’s filmmakers to use the cinema to continue reshaping the face of Russia. Finally, the program examines how Russia’s traditional and new art forms are influencing the country’s current political process and its emerging democracy. Murray Grigor, United States, 1998, English, 60 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 1: Comrades 1917-1945 [FL 250] This TV documentary series tells how in the twentieth century two superpowers and their allies clashed, and prepared for a conflict that could have ended the human race. Each of the 24 programs features one major topic and may be viewed on its own. The series begins in 1945, with a flashback to the Bolshevik Revolution, and advances to 1991. Part 1: Once allies against Hitler, the Soviet Union and the United States confront each other at the end of World War II. Looming over the postwar landscape is the awesome, mushroom-shaped cloud of the atomic bomb.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 2: Iron Curtain 1945-1947 [FL 250] In the months following their victory in World War II, the alliance between the Soviet Union and the West quickly proves to be little more than a marriage of convenience. Suspicion clouds relations -- while a curtain descends over Europe.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 3: Marshall Plan 1947-1952 [FL 250] With hunger and discontent plaguing postwar Europe, the U.S. proposes an aid program to rebuild the ruined continent. But the Marshall Plan also solidifies the deep ideological differences between East and West.United States, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 4: Berlin 1948-1949 [FL 251] Three years after the end of World War II, the Nazis' former capital, Berlin, would once again find itself the target of an allied air fleet. This time, the air armada was working to save, rather than destroy, the city.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 5: Korea 1949-1953 [FL 251] It was one of the few times the Cold War went hot. The conflict on the Korean peninsula claimed millions of lives, and set the stage for the way both sides would view each other for years to come.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 6: Reds 1947-1953 [FL 251] As the Cold War intensifes, so do fears in the Soviet Union and the United States of outside influences -- prompting massive campaigns to purge the "enemy within."United States, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 7: After Stalin 1953-1956 [FL 252] In 1953, the death of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin creates a power vacuum in the Kremlin's leadership. It also unleashes a wave of unrest in Eastern Europe, as some Soviet satellites test the limits of Moscow's tolerance.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 8: Sputnik 1949-1961 [FL 252] The Soviet atomic bomb gives birth to a new arms race -- which turns into a space race. But any promising technological advances are overshadowed by the threat of long-range nuclear destruction.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 9: The Wall 1958-1963 [FL 252] For years, West Berlin was an escape route for East Germans seeking to flee communism. But growing Cold War tensions forced the Soviet bloc to erect a deadly blockade across the city -- a Wall that divided Berlin for nearly three decades.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 10: Cuba 1959-1962 [FL 253] In the 1960s the United States claimed its place as the world's leading defender against communism. But by the end of the decade, the nation was convulsed by dissent, riot, assassination and an increasingly unpopular war.United States, 1998, English, 140 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 11: Vietnam 1954-1968 [FL 253] It was a conflict that devastated one nation and divided another. Vietnam brought a new dimension to the Cold War -- and forced the United States to rethink its goals in the superpower rivalry.United States, 1998, English, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 12: Mad 1960-1972 [FL 253] With Cold War tensions heightening at the start of the 1960s, the superpowers are drawn into an escalating arms race. The world's safety depends on a nuclear paradox known as "mutual assured destruction."United States, 1998, English, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 13: Make Love Not War: The Sixties [FL 254] In the 1960s the United States claimed its place as the world's leading defender against communism. But by the end of the decade, the nation was convulsed by dissent, riot, assassination and an increasingly unpopular war.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 14: Red Spring: The Sixties [FL 254] In the 1960s, as dissent and protest swept through the West, nations of the Warsaw Pact were experimenting with reforms. But hopes for change were crushed by palace coups and, in the case of Czechoslovakia, outright invasion.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 15: China 1949-1972 [FL 254] The emergence of the People's Republic of China signals a new and dangerous phase in the Cold War. But a split between Moscow and Beijing opens the door for a change in U.S.-Chinese relations.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 16: Dйtente 1969-1975 [FL 255] By the end of the 1960s, the United States and Soviet Union faced a choice: slow down their Cold War competition -- a process that would be called détente -- or continue an arms race that could end in all-out war.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 17: Good Guys, Bad Guys 1967-1978 [FL 255] The Cold War takes on a new dimension as the Soviet Union, the United States and their allies become involved in wars between rivals in Africa and the Middle East.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 18: Backyard 1954-1990 [FL 255] Central America, the Caribbean and South America become the battleground for a test of wills between the United States and the U.S.S.R. -- as the Cold War comes to America's "backyard."United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 19: Freeze 1977-1981 [FL 256] In 1976, Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev promised to reduce East-West tensions. But within four years those promises turned to anger and mistrust. The Cold War was far from over.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 20: Soldiers of God 1975-1988 [FL 256] For centuries, nations had tried to conquer Afghanistan. None succeeded. But the Cold War -- and an Afghan civil war -- would bring a terrible toll of death and destruction to the people of this traditionally Islamic land.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 21: Spies 1945-1990 [FL 256] The Cold War was fought on two fronts. In public, it was a series of confrontations and crises. But the East and West also battled in the shadows, as intelligence agents risked their lives to steal secrets.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 22: Star Wars 1980-1988 [FL 257] In 1981, Ronald Reagan -- a strident Cold Warrior -- enters the White House on a platform of "making America strong again." Convinced the United States is lagging in the arms race, Reagan increases defense spending and proposes a "Star Wars" anti-missile system -- alarming leaders in Moscow.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 23: The Wall Comes Down [FL 257] For nearly three decades, the Berlin Wall symbolized the Iron Curtain that separated East from West. But by 1989, the Wall was starting to crumble -- and by the end of the year it would collapse.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Cold War on CNN, Part 24: Conclusion 1989-1991 [FL 257] It is the twilight of the Soviet empire. With the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Kremlin loses its iron-fisted grip on Eastern Europe. As events spiral out of control, Mikhail Gorbachev finds his authority challenged from within -- both by communist hard-liners, and by a popular reformer named Boris Yeltsin.United States, 1998, English, 45 min, VHS Battle of Russia, The Part 1 [FL 258] The fifth in the "Why We Fight" series of seven army information films, "Battle for Russia" gives the brief history of Russia and the wars fought on her homeland. Then it moves to WWII and the invasion by Nazi forces, using newsreels of the actual fighting. The Nazis are victorious at Moscow and Leningrad but, like Napoleon's troops, are utterly defeated at the battle of Stalingrad. Frank Capra, United States, 1946, English, 96 min, documentary film, VHS Triumph of the Will / Triumph des Willens [FL 260] Banned for more than 30 years, this propaganda masterpiece generated perhaps the greatest moral and legal controversy in motion-picture history. The subject of the film is the 1934 Nazi Party Congress held in Nuremberg, and mass rallies involving thousands. Leni Riefenstahl, Germany, 1934, German/Subtitles: English, 115 min, propaganda film, VHS Day of Freedom - Our Armed Forces / Tag der Freiheit - Unsere Wehrmacht Tag der Freiheit - Unsere Wehrmacht Tag der Freiheit - Unsere Wehrmacht Tag der Freiheit - Unsere Wehrmacht [FL 261] The 7th Nazi Party Congress with glorious marching of German troops during the colorful ceremonies in Nuremberg on German Armed Forces Day 1935. Leni Riefenstahl, Germany, 1935, German/Subtitles: English, 31 min, propaganda film, VHS Olympia, Part 1 - Festival of the People / Olympia 1. Teil - Fest der Völker [FL 262] Based on the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and dedicated to the honor and glory of the youth of the World, it is considered the greatest sports documentary of all time. Includes the lighting of the torch at the stadium and Adolf Hitler looking on in amazement as Jesse Owens wins an unprecedented four Gold Medals. Leni Riefenstahl, Germany, 1938, German/Subtitles: English, 111 min, documentary film, VHS Olympia, Part 2 - Festival of Beauty / Olympia 2. Teil - Fest der Schönheit [FL 263] The second part of Leni Riefenstahl's famous documentary of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. The film captures the grace of athletes during field hockey, soccer, bicycling, equestrian, aquatic and gymnastic events. Highlights are the Pentathlon and the Decathlon, which was won by American Glenn Morris. It ends with the triumphant conclusion of the games. Leni Riefenstahl, Germany, 1938, German/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, VHS Hitler's Constructions / Die Bauten von Adolf Hitler [FL 264] This propaganda film shows the varieties of National Socialist constructions: youth hostels and party schools, bridge projects and the Autobahn, ministries and party buildings, as well as the famous monumental works, such as the Zeppelinfeld at Nuremberg.Germany, 1938, German/Subtitles: English, 17 min, propaganda film, VHS Hitler's Birthday Parade [FL 265] This complete Nazi newsreel shows Berlin - adorned with flags and floral displays by its citizens and monolithic statuary designed by Albert Speer - preparing for the holiday: the 50th birthday of Adolf Hitler. Part of the festival is the greatest military demonstration in the history of the Third Reich.Germany, 1939, German/Subtitles: English, 21 min, newsreels, VHS Festive Nuremberg / Festlisches Nürnberg [FL 266] The film features highlights from the Party rallies at Nuremberg in 1936 and 1937. Throughout its spectacular sequences--night rallies, torchlit marches, massed throngs and fireworks--the film argues its case for an ever-growing bond between party and nation. Leni Riefenstahl, Germany, 1937, German/Subtitles: English, 21 min, propaganda film, VHS Time to Live, A [FL 267] Colorful documentary of the Ninth Annual Communist Youth Festival held in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1968. It is an anti-American film attacking the Vietnam War and stressing solidarity, world peace and freedom.Soviet Union, 1968, English, 55 min, propaganda film, DVD-ROM Red Nightmare [FL 268] US anticommunist propaganda film, produced for the Department of Defence by Warner Brothers, dealing with the nightmare of a small-town American who finds his community taken over by communists. George Waggner, United States, 1962, English, 25 min, propaganda film, VHS Face to Face with Communism [FL 269] This propaganda film, produced by the US Government, portrays the mock seizure of an American town by communists. Scenes show the tactics of communists arresting and sentencing citizens, and the actions of an Air Force sergeant in resisting the communist takeover.United States, 1951, English, 26 min, propaganda film, VHS Your Job in Germany [FL 270] This film was produced for American occupation troops to discourage fraternization with their former enemies. It is one of the most bitter and angry anti-German films of the war.United States, 1945, English, 15 min, propaganda film, VHS Our Job in Japan [FL 270] "Our Job in Japan" was probably never seen by either military or civilian audiences. By the time it was ready for release in March 1946, peace with Japan was a reality.United States, 1945, English, 17 min, propaganda film, VHS Only about Woman [FL 271] Film about the different occupations open to women in the USSR. Juri Gerstein, Soviet Union, 1971, Russian/Voice-over: English, 45 min, propaganda film, VHS Inside Russia [FL 272] A complete survey of the Soviet Union prior to WW II, this rare film was completed only weeks before the German invasion of the USSR. Charles A. Stuart, United States, 1941, English, 75 min, propaganda film, VHS Red Files, Part 1: Secret Victories of the KGB [FL 275] An episode from the "Red files" series on cold war espionage and the theft of American A-bomb secrets by the KGB. William Cran, United States, 1999, English, 55 min, educational program, VHS Red Files, Part 2: Secret Soviet Moon Mission [FL 276] An episode from the "Red files" series on the space race between the USA and the USSR. Also about Sergey Pavlovich Korolyov, chief Soviet designer of guided missiles, rockets and spacecraft. Greg Barker, United States, 1999, English, 55 min, educational program, VHS Red Files, Part 3: Soviet Propaganda Machine [FL 277] An episode from the "Red files" series on the propaganda war between the Soviet Union and the USA after World War II. Elizabeth Dobson, United States, 1999, English, 55 min, educational program, VHS Red Files, Part 4: Soviet Sport Wars [FL 278] An episode from the "Red files" series on the relationship between propaganda and sports in the Soviet Union. Greg Barker, United States, 1999, English, 55 min, educational program, VHS Among Blind Fools / Mezi zaslepenymi blazny [FL 279] Documentary about the fate of Slovak Jews during the Holocaust. Also about rabbi Michael Weissmandl, spiritual leader of the "Working Group", who rescued thousands of Slovak Jews. Petr Bok, Slovakia, 1999, English/Voice-over: English, 165 min, documentary film, VHS Among Blind Fools / Mezi zaslepenymi blazny [FL 279] Documentary about the fate of Slovak Jews during the Holocaust. Also about rabbi Michael Weissmandl, spiritual leader of the "Working Group", who rescued thousands of Slovak Jews. Petr Bok, Slovakia, 1999, English/Voice-over: English, 165 min, documentary film, VHS Death of Yugoslavia, The Part 1 [FL 280] Film on the disintegration of Yugoslavia, 1987-1994. Angus MacQueen, United Kingdom, 1995, English, 49 min, documentary film, VHS Death of Yugoslavia, The Part 2 [FL 281] Film on the disintegration of Yugoslavia, 1987-1994. Angus MacQueen, United Kingdom, 1995, English, 48 min, documentary film, VHS Serbian Epics [FL 282] Documentary profile of Radovan Karadžić, the Bosnian Serb leader, and examination of the forces that drive Serbian nationalism. Paul Pawlikowski, United Kingdom, 1993, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Saviour of Kosovo [FL 283] "The National" news program on the conflict in Kosovo. Nancy Durham, Canada, 1998, English, 16 min, documentary film, VHS Return to Kosovo [FL 283] "The National" news program on the conflict in Kosovo. Nancy Durham, Canada, 1999, English, 15 min, documentary film, VHS Truth About Rajmonda: A KLA Soldier Lies for the Cause, The [FL 283] "The National" news program on the conflict in Kosovo. Nancy Durham, Canada, 1999, English, 32 min, documentary film, VHS Anatomy of Pain, The / Anatomija bola [FL 284] Film about the NATO bombing of the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation's headquarters in Belgrade on April 23, 1999, when according to official reports 19 were killed. Janko Baljak, Yugoslavia, 2000, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 32 min, documentary film, VHS Noel Field: The Fictitious Spy [FL 286] Cold War story of an American accused by the Soviets of spying for the USA, and by the Americans of being a Communist agent. Werner Schweizer, Switzerland, 1996, German/Voice-over: English, 106 min, documentary film, VHS Regular Funerals: Back and Forth / Rendszeres temetések: oda-vissza [FL 287] Video essay on the symbolic meaning of public funerals in the USSR and Hungary. András Sólyom, Hungary, 1992, Hungarian/Voice-over: English, 41 min, cultural program, VHS Last Bolshevik, The [FL 288] The 20th century history of the Soviet cinema and the Soviet Union itself in the form of six video "letters" sent "posthumously" to the Soviet filmmaker Alexander Medvedkin (1900-1989). Chris Marker, United Kingdom, 1993, Russian/Subtitles: English, 118 min, art documentary, DVD-ROM Stolen Years [FL 289] Stalin era labor camps through the stories of the victims. Bruce Young, United States, 1999, English, 57 min, documentary film, VHS Anna Akhmatova File, The / Дело Анны Ахматовой [FL 294] A moving portrait of the extraordinary Soviet poet, Anna Akhmatova. Although her work was banned and went unpublished for 17 years, her poem "Requiem" became the underground anthem for the millions who suffered under Stalin. This unique film, which uses Akhmatova's diaries for text, also includes portraits of Akhmatova's friends and contemporaries--Boris Pasternak, Vladimir Mayakovsky, Mikhail Sostchenko. Semyon Aranovich, Soviet Union, 1989, Russian/Subtitles: English, 65 min, documentary film, VHS I Was Stalin’s Bodyguard / Я служил в охране Сталина [FL 295] Director Semyon Aranovitch brilliantly blends rarely seen newsreel and documentary footage of Stalin’s three-decade regime. The centerpiece is a long, fascinating interview with the last surviving personal bodyguard of the Soviet dictator. Also included are home movies of Stalin, his family and his inner circle. I Was Stalin's Bodyguard is neither blatantly pro- nor anti-Stalin; it offers the facts, then allows the viewer to make up his or her own mind. Semyon Aranovich, Soviet Union, 1990, Russian/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Coal Miners / Gornicy 88 [FL 296] Documentary film about a strike in a coal mine in Poland, organized and supported by Solidarity members. Andrej Piekutowski, Poland, 1988, Polish/Subtitles: English, 118 min, documentary film, VHS Directed by Andrei Tarkovsky / Regi Andrej Tarkovskij [FL 297] This documentary on Andrei Tarkovsky was made by the co-editor of his last movie "The Sacrifice". Michal Leszcylowski interviews Tarkovsky, considered the most important and influential Soviet director of the post-World War II era. Interviews with his widow in addition to television interviews with the legendary director give an insight into the vision and inspirations for his films. Michal Leszczylowski, Sweden, 1988, Russian/Subtitles: English, 102 min, documentary film, VHS Oratorio for Prague [FL 298] Filmmaker Jan Nemec and his crew risked their lives to create this historic documentary account of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. The award-winning work is the only filmed record of the invasion. Oratorio for Prague begins as a study of the liberalization of Czechoslovakia and then continues when the Russian forces moved in. The gripping footage was broadcast by television, providing the first report of the event. In addition to the news footage, the film features never-before-viewed scenes taken prior to the invasion that crushed Prague's anti-Communist movement. Jan Nemec, Czechoslovakia, 1968, Czech/Subtitles: English, 26 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Criminal Life of Archibaldo De La Cruz, The / Ensayo de un Crimen [FL 300] Due to a childhood experience with the death of the family maid (under erotic circumstances,) Archibaldo grows up with psychopathic killer tendencies toward women. He is constantly thwarted in his efforts to carry out any muderrs. The film not only pokes wicked fun at the decadent bourgeoisie and the Latin male, but also at the director's own obsessions - foot fetishism and surrealism. The film's oddball humor links it with Bunuel's later classic "Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie." Luis Bunuel, Mexico, 1955, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 91 min, fiction film, VHS Red Butterflies Where Two Springs Merge [FL 301] A lyrical portrait of the 64-year old Janyl Alibekova, who lives in the border mountain village of Achy-Kaindy. Janyl continues the age-old tradition of making felt carpets into which she creatively incorporates national motifs. She never relied on anyone, least of all on the government and modern industrial technologies. As history would have it, after the break-up of the Soviet Union and in a period of general economic decline Janyl became famous in Europe, a star of the magazine Elle, and the director of her own workshop. Yet she didn't change her lifestyle or her independent anti-patriarchal views. This film is part of the Gender Montage: Paradigms in Post Soviet Space film series made by The Network Women's Program of the Open Society Institute - Russia and the Gender Policy Institute. Gaukhar Sydykova, Diliya Ruzieva, Kyrgyzstan, 2002, Kyrgyz/Subtitles: English, 15 min, VHS Wishing for Seven Sons and One Daughter [FL 302] The traditional Azerbaijani wedding wish serves as the title to this film and appears to be just a flowery ritual formula. Yet the colorful ethnographic scenes reveal a tragedy that has lasted since time immemorial. In this patriarchal society, girls are unwanted and "useless". In the past, new-born girls were often simply killed; yet, since the development of ultrasound, women have been compelled to seek abortions. Such an attitude towards women occasionally results in terrible family tragedies, one of which shook Azerbaijan a few years ago. This film is part of the Gender Montage: Paradigms in Post Soviet Space film series made by The Network Women's Program of the Open Society Institute - Russia and the Gender Policy Institute. Ali-Isa Dzhabbarov, Azerbaijan, 2002, /Subtitles: English, 26 min, VHS Invisible [FL 303] This film, which borders on a sociological study and/or ethnographic report, focuses on the lives of women in such closed and patriarchal communities as Azerbaijani villages in Georgia. Women are "invisible" there. For example, one seldom sees girls attend high school. As to the outside world, it pays just as little attention to gender problems in Azerbaijani communities, as the latter is indifferent to the outside world. Liana Dzhakeli, Georgia, 2003, Georgian/Subtitles: English, 26 min, VHS Live Containers / Живые контейнеры [FL 304] This report from a women's prison tells about a recent but already widespread calamity . Economic hardship and political chaos have led many Tajik women to become, out of sheer necessity, "live containers", smuggling heroin inside themselves. These women, who led ordinary lives yesterday, could not possibly be called criminals. The government recognizes this and occasionally amnesties those women who were caught with relatively "small" (by Tajik standards) amount of drugs. Yet, despite their sincere repentance and their joy at being liberated, there is no guarantee that life will not make them go down this terrible path again. Orzu Sharipov, Tajikistan, 2002, Russian/Subtitles: English, 27 min, VHS Power: Feminine Gender / Власть - женского рода [FL 306] The authors of this film, which resembles a TV collage, assert that maternity is the natural form of social organization in Ukraine, as women traditionally play a major role in villages, local government, and business. Unfortunately, the political history of the second half of the nineties - especially, election campaigns - leads us to a sad conclusion: "female" political projects are used by the ruling class to fake a semblance of European-style democracy and only serve to banish women to the periphery of political life. This film is part of the Gender Montage: Paradigms in Post Soviet Space film series made by The Network Women's Program of the Open Society Institute - Russia and the Gender Policy Institute. Nina Rudik, Ukraine, 2003, Ukrainian/Subtitles: English, 23 min, VHS Ravens / Crni gavrani [FL 309] The story of Dušan Vuković, a father who decided to refuse the medal awarded to his dead son. Aleksandar was killed during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and the Slobodan Milošević regime decorated him for bravery in defending his country. The father decided to return the medal. For Alexander's parents, his death is pointless. They do not see it as the sacrifice of a hero, but rather as a tragic waste. His grandfather, on the other hand, belongs to the generation that had been indoctrinated in the communist spirit. His grandson died defending the nation and he is proud of him. This family, unable to reconcile, is the microcosm of Yugoslav society, where people fail to look beyond their own interpretation of the truth. Ћelimir Gvardiol, Yugoslavia, 2001, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 15 min, VHS Fractions, I-II / Törésvonalak, I-II [FL 311] The film shows the transition period in Hungary during the early 90s. It starts with the mass redundancies in the Videoton factory in Székesfehérvár in 1989 and through the next several years follows the ups and downs of several of the sacked workers, their struggle to find new jobs and make a living during the economic crisis. Some of them are more successful than others. Pál Schiffer, Hungary, 1998, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 107 min, DVD-ROM Pretty Dyana [FL 313] An intimate look at Gypsy refugees in Belgrade suburb who make a living by transfoming Citroen's classic 2cv and Dyana cars into Mad Max-like recycling vehicles, with which they collect cardoard, bottles and scrap metal. These modern horses are much more efficient than the cart-pushing competition, but more important - they also mean freedom, hope and style for their crafty owners. Even the car batteries are used as power generators in order to get some light, watch TV and recharge mobiles! Almost an alchemist's dream come true! But the police doesn't allways find these strange vehicles funny… Boris Mitic, Serbia and Montenegro, 2003, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 44 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM That was GDR, Part 1: I was a Citizen of the GDR / Das war die DDR, Teil 1: Ich war Bürger der DDR [FL 314] This television documentary series offers the most comprehensive visual account of the 40-year history of a separate East Germany. The series covers all the important cultural, economic and political developments, from the founding of the GDR to the popular upheavals that finally brought the Berlin Wall down. Part 1: In this simple phrase, "I was a citizen of the GDR," lie countless individual life stories. Former citizens of the German Democratic Republic tell of their personal feelings, experiences and attitudes toward the GDR as well as both material difficulties and the dominance of the State. They reflect on important, painful and contradictory historical events such as the uprising on the 17th of June 1953, the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall and the suppression of the Prague Spring in 1968. They also convey the sense of the hopes pinned on Mikhail Gorbachev's Perestroika. A historical collage in the form of stories told by East Germans both prominent and unknown. Gitta Nickel, Wolfgang Schwarze, Germany, 1993, German/Subtitles: English, 90 min, VHS That was GDR, Part 2: From Zone to State, From Economic Plan to Economic Collapse / Das war die DDR, Teil 2: Vom Plan zur Pleite [FL 315] This television documentary series offers the most comprehensive visual account of the 40-year history of a separate East Germany. The series covers all the important cultural, economic and political developments, from the founding of the GDR to the popular upheavals that finally brought the Berlin Wall down. Former GDR citizens share their personal feelings, experiences and attitudes toward the government of the East and the material difficulties and dominance of the state. Part 2: This documentary considers the events leading up to the construction of the Berlin Wall on August 13, 1961 - the final division between the two German states. From Economic Plan to Economic Collapse follows the development of the GDR's planned economy from its beginnings to its failure. Having risen from the ruins, Germany was a trophy in the struggle between the new powers after two world wars. Here the focus is not only on major political events but also on the spirit of the times as reflected in images from film, photographs, posters, caricatures, pop-songs and speeches. Gitta Nickel, Wolfgang Schwarze, Germany, 1993, German/Subtitles: English, 90 min, VHS That Was The GDR. Shield and Sword / Das war die DDR, Teil 4. Wir sind das Volk [FL 317] The Ministry for State Security (MfS) was from its founding in 1950 the central instrument of domination, the "shield and sword of the Party" for defense against external and internal enemies. The Stasi, the political secret police, conducted surveillance and investigated punishable activity. A gigantic European surveillance apparatus ultimately appears – spies and informants with German thoroughness, millions of victims and mountains of files in the "Gauck Archive". Anne Worst, Arnold Seul, Martina Kцrbler, Germany, 1993, German/Voice-over: English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Red Chinese Battleplan [FL 318] China 1900-1960. When this documentary was made in 1960 American anticommunism was strong. During the Korean War Chinese communist soldiers had fought and killed 50,000 Americans. This documentary does an excellent job of depicting the horrors of Chinese communism and its insidious dissemination by secret agents. It is a leading contender for the title of the most anti-communist film ever made about the Red Menace!United States, 1960, English, 28 min, VHS Eternal Jew, The / Der Ewige Jude [FL 319] One of the most notorious of the Nazi propaganda films. Produced under the close supervision of Joseph Goebbels, it depicts the Jews of Poland as a less-than-human species, living like rats and endangering racial "purity" while also controlling world commerce. Offensive in every regard, the film's hateful lies may seem obvious to day, but this movie remains a terrifying record of how widely they became accepted. Fritz Hippler, Germany, 1940, German/Voice-over: English, 62 min, VHS Night over China / Ночь над Китаем [FL 320] An extraordinary document from one of the Cold War's bitterest conflicts - between the Soviet Union and Communist China - this film spares no quarter in its indictment of Maoist evils and misrule. Includes many remarkable sequences, drawn from Chinese, Polish, and Western as well as Soviet sources, illustrating the grandeur and folly of China's fallen Revolution. Notable scenes depict the early upheavals of rural land reform, the backyard steel furnace campaign of the Great Leap Forward; and the Cultural Revolution (including Mao's celebrated swim in the Yangtze River, surrounded by swimming phalanxes of banner-waving Red Guards). Alexander Medvedkin, Soviet Union, 1971, English, 59 min, VHS Soviet Paradise, The / Das Sowjet Paradies [FL 321] The German Army cameraman on the eastern front not only witnessed World War II's greatest land battles, but was also a first-hand observer of life in Russia after 20 years of Soviet rule. His films of conditions inside Stalin's state were skillfully arranged by Hitler's propagandists to present a bleak picture of the Soviet paradise. Its citizenry are represented as starving children, youthful gangs, cowed laborers and wretched peasants barely existing on dilapidated collective farms or in overcrowded city slums, or even homeless on the barren steppes. A deserted university and desecrated crypts of an abandoned church form dismal monuments to knowledge and faith forsaken. Although scarcely impartial, this Nazi film offers us a unique picture of the Russian interior, compiled by the only cameramen ever unrestrained by Soviet censors. Friedrich Albat, Germany, 1941, German/Subtitles: English, 14 min, VHS Nuremberg [FL 322] This engrossing film depicts the Nuremberg trial of Third Reich leaders and recounts the crimes they were accused of. It was one of the first films about the trial, for it was originally made by the US Government in 1946 to be shown to Germans, and then appeared in this English-language version in 1949 on American television. Film footage and documents reveal the Nazi leaders' grab for power, German military invasions, and the horrors of German crimes against soldiers and civilians. We see and hear men like Goering, Keitel, and von Ribbentrop as they defend themselves before the World.United States, 1946, English, 76 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Mussolini Visits Hitler [FL 323] When Benito Mussolini visited Adolf Hitler in September 1937, a million people jammed Berlin's Olympic Stadium and adjoining Mayfield to hear speeches and witness a spectacular military exercise. This original Nazi documentary also features scenes of Mussolini meeting with Nazi leaders in Munich, watching the German Army's field maneuvers, visiting Göring and reviewing military parades.Germany, 1937, German/Subtitles: English, 30 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM March to the Fuehrer, The / Der Marsch zum Führer [FL 324] Marching boots were heard on German roads years before the Second World War, as each summer thousands of Hitler Youth traveled on foot from their home towns to Nuremberg to participate in the annual Nazi Party Congress. This Third Reich propaganda film tells of these columns as they march through the mountains, forests, fields and towns of Hitler's realm. Their pilgrimage climaxes by the colorful ceremonies of the Nuremberg Congress as they parade before their Führer and are addressed by Nazi youth leader Shirach, Rudolf Hess, and Hitler himself. Behind the splendid pageantry of this film and the remarkable discipline of its participants is revealed, as vividly as in any cinematic record in existence, the skill of the Nazi leaders in preparing Germany's youth, both physically and psychologically, for war.Germany, 1937, German/Subtitles: English, 50 min, VHS Interrogation of Enemy Airman [FL 326] A classified USAF training film, based on actual cases, that re-creates psychological techniques used to extract information from captured prisoners, including interrogations in German, Italian and Japanese.United States, 1944, English, 30 min, documentary film, VHS Reckoning, The [FL 328] In 1996 the UN War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague opened the hearings on Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić in the absence of the two accused. In spite of the many UN troops still stationed in Bosnia, to date neither Karadžić nor Mladić have been arrested and brought to trial for the war crimes they have committed. The film traces the story of the man whose name became synonymous with misguided Serb nationalism and who knew only too well how to incite the Serbs against the Muslim population. Included in the films are interviews with Karadžić's mother, his wife and old friends, which reveal various aspects of his contradictory character. Kevin Sim, United Kingdom, 1998, English, 95 min, VHS Hitler - A Film from Germany, Parts 1 & 2 / Hitler - ein Film aus Deutschland [FL 329] This seven-hour long epic completes the "German Trilogy" of Hans-Jurgen Syberberg, which began with his meditation on the life of Ludwig II of Bavaria and continued with a biography of popular writer Karl May. In this film, he explores the factors in the German psyche which sought for and then deified a man like Hitler. Using absolutely no archival footage from the Nazi era, this highly symbolic and poetic film explores German culture and history. At times, Hitler is depicted as a toga-clad spirit, quoting Richard Wagner, and at times he appears in other guises — all of them critical to understanding his role in the German mind, and hence to understanding the phenomena which caused the German people to support him. The film uses transcripts from radio broadcasts made during the Nazi era to underscore the importance of radio in unifying the nation at that time. Hitler: Ein Film aus Deutschland was made to run in four segments on German, British and French television. The segments were titled "The Grail," "A German Dream," "The End of the Winter's Tale," and "We Children of Hell." Hans-Jürgen Syberberg, Germany, 1977, English, 210 min, VHS Hitler - A Film from Germany, Parts 3 & 4 / Hitler - ein Film aus Deutschland [FL 330] This seven-hour long epic completes the "German Trilogy" of Hans-Jurgen Syberberg, which began with his meditation on the life of Ludwig II of Bavaria and continued with a biography of popular writer Karl May. In this film, he explores the factors in the German psyche which sought for and then deified a man like Hitler. Using absolutely no archival footage from the Nazi era, this highly symbolic and poetic film explores German culture and history. At times, Hitler is depicted as a toga-clad spirit, quoting Richard Wagner, and at times he appears in other guises — all of them critical to understanding his role in the German mind, and hence to understanding the phenomena which caused the German people to support him. The film uses transcripts from radio broadcasts made during the Nazi era to underscore the importance of radio in unifying the nation at that time. Hitler: Ein Film aus Deutschland was made to run in four segments on German, British and French television. The segments were titled "The Grail," "A German Dream," "The End of the Winter's Tale," and "We Children of Hell." Hans-Jürgen Syberberg, Germany, 1977, English, 210 min, VHS Mao, the Real Man / Az igazi Mao [FL 331] This satirical Hungarian pseudo-documentary speculates upon the true identity of Chairman Mao. The fun begins as Jonathan W. Highstone, an art history professor at Michigan University, lectures upon Mao's early life. According to Highstone, Mao's older brother moved to Chicago in 1906 where he immediately began a life of crime. He soon adopted the nickname Wasp and became involved in mob wars. In 1935, as Mao was embroiled in the Long March in China, Wasp suddenly disappeared. Using amazing film clips, Professor Highstone compares the pre-march Mao to the post-march Mao two years later. The latter Mao appears remarkably robust and healthy after the ordeal. On the basis of the photographs, Highstone concludes that the man in the photographs after the Long March is not Mao at all, but his older brother. The real Mao died en route. Therefore, the man who became China's leader was, in fact, a petty gangster. This explains how the Red Chinese got hold of military equipment (the Italian Mafia arranged it). Szilveszter Siklósi, Hungary, 1995, English/Voice-over: Hungarian, 55 min, VHS The Danube Exodus / A dunai exodus [FL 332] This travelogue documents the Jewish exodus from Slovakia just before the beginning of World War II. In two boats, a group of nine hundred Slovak, Austrian Jews tried to reach the Black Sea on the Danube towards Palestine. The director used the amateur films of Nandor Andrasovits, the captain of one of the boats. We follow the passengers as they prayed, slept and even got married on the boat. For all Peter Forgacs films see: http://osaarchivum.org/db/fa/320-1-4-1.htm Peter Forgacs, Hungary, 1998, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 60 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Budapest Retro: Genres from 60's and 70's, Part 1 / Budapest retró: Életképek a 60-as, 70-es évekből [FL 333] Archival footage of everyday life across two decades of recent Hungarian history. Gábor Zsigmond Papp, Hungary, 2003, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 80 min, DVD-ROM Budapest Retro: Genres from 60's and 70's, Part 2 / Budapest retró: Életképek a 60-as, 70-es évekből [FL 334] Archival footage of everyday life across two decades of recent Hungarian history. Gábor Zsigmond Papp, Hungary, 2003, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 80 min, VHS Thieves World / Блатной мир [FL 355] A special prison for convicts with life sentences is located in the middle of the Russian taiga in a former monastery. The documentary is about the mental reality inside the prison. The three main characters have different ways of surviving. What they have in common is the fact that none of them will ever leave their prison island. Jouni Hiltunen, Finland, 2001, Russian/Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, VHS Devils Don't Dream! [FL 362] A film about Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, elected President of Guatemala, overthrown and chased out of the country four years later by a CIA-orchestrated coup. Andreas Hoessli, Switzerland, 1995, German/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM North Korea, a Day in the Life / Noord Korea, Een Dag Uit Het Leven [FL 369] A glimpse of a society that remains closed to outsiders. In this narration-less documentary the family of Hong Sun Hui, a female worker in a textile factory, takes us through an ordinary day in the capital of North Korea. The film shows the country as it wants to be seen by outsiders. And yet it reveals much more than that - the very spaces and situations unveil the working of a totalitarian machine where both official institutions and family histories are penetrated by adoration for the leader and mistrust of outsiders. The people are subjected to an endless stream of propaganda. Unmoved, they perform their duties. At nursery school, Hong's daughter learns that 'flowers need the sun and she needs the love of the Great Leader Kim Jong Il to grow'. The system of indoctrination, control and self-criticism seems both frightening and ridiculous. Although unexpected, escape may not be impossible: English lessons for Hong's brother seem to bring a spark of hope. But 'Internet' is still only a word: it means International Network! The tension between the surface and the depths is powerfully exemplified through attentive observation. There is a silence that can speak. Pieter Fleury, Netherlands, 2004, Korean/Subtitles: English, 48 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Bond, The / Naata [FL 369] Mumbai is the city of contrasts: extreme richness and extreme poverty. It is a city of film stars and large slums. Two friends - Hindu Bhau Korde and Muslim Waqar Khan - live and work in a multi-ethnic neighbourhood of Dharavi, the largest slum in Asia. The making of a poster and an amateur film, initiated by the two friends, becomes an important step to unify the community and bring about ethnic amity. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians are played by children, each of them representing 'the other' religion. This work is part of other grass-roots programs for inter-religious amity. Yet Waqar and Bhau's work raises several uncomfortable questions for the filmmakers, so-called modern, middle-class, secular, urban beings. The meta-story of the film reflects on their own position of (im)partial observers/outsiders. By using abstract and anonymous everyday objects, standing in for detachment and reflection, the process of filmmaking itself becomes a subject of analysis. Anjali Monteiro, K. P. Jayasankar, India, 2003, Hindi/Subtitles: English, 45 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Suburban Train / Электричка [FL 370] Everyday situations and conversations between passengers on suburban trains around Moscow, recorded over a period of more than six months, provide an insight into contemporary Russian society, where modernity merges with traditional practices to form an open-ended story. All generations, lifestyles, and occupations are represented on suburban trains, a microcosm so close to - and yet so different from - life in the capital. The suburban train is at once an improvised market, a place to share a life story, to discuss politics, and to make friends. The camera, attentive and discreet, becomes a thoughtful passenger on this journey. Mayram Yusupova, Russia, 2003, Russian/Subtitles: English, 39 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Wait! / Жди! [FL 370] 7-year-old Masha is separated from her alcoholic parents and put in an orphanage. But not even the safe environment, the abundance of toys, and the kind personnel can replace the home that she still longs for and the parents she still loves. This deeply emotional film follows the first year of Masha and her sister until they find their new homes. An insight into the psychology of a child, this film is a lesson in love, patience, and responsibility. Sergei Bosenko, Russia, 2004, Russian/Subtitles: English, 40 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Klondike-a / Клондайка [FL 370] The Russian Klondike brings great losses instead of great gains. The population of Alapaevsk, a town in the Urals, lives off a large dumping area, collecting and selling radioactive waste. For many this 'lively and warm' slum becomes a second home, and for some - a place to lose their lives. The story of a 12 year-old boy sounds like an absurdist comedy until we learn of the tragic cost. Vladimir Popov, Russia, 2002, Russian/Subtitles: English, 24 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Inheritors of Paradise / Наследники рая [FL 371] An anthropological portrayal of the everyday life of a Roma community in a village on the Volga river, close to Kazan in Tatarstan, in the Russian Federation. Working days are succeeded by holidays and then by working days again: this attentive visual ‘diary’ refrains as much from reiterating traditional stereotypes as it does from imposing strong narratives on the flow of life. Strong ties bind the old and the young together in a single community. Marina Razbezhkina, Russia, 1997, Russian/Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Real Woman / Настоящая женщина [FL 371] In a northern village in Russia lives a young woman who used to be a man. Rural life imposes strict social roles on the villagers, so what happens to people who do not comply with these expectations? Her father, once head of a collective farm, punished his son for wearing his mother's dress and shoes, and when her father died she felt a sense of relief. In school her classmates laughed at her, trying to understand if she was a boy or a girl. Local doctors could not help. One day she came across an article about sex-change operations and went for it. She was overjoyed to become a woman and thought all her difficulties were over, but the operation did not solve the problems of social adaptation. The decision to become a woman, which came so naturally to the protagonist, leads to isolation and mistrust from men and women alike. She longs for a harmonious family life, but will she be able to overcome the hostility of the environment? Natalia Zhuravleva, Russia, 2002, Russian/Subtitles: English, 18 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM End of the Road, The / Az Út Vége [FL 372] Eastern Hungary in 2001-2002. One family sets off in search of opportunities, a second one waits for the opportunities to come to them - both families hope for a better life. Tamás Almási, Hungary, 2002, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 58 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Garden / Gan [FL 373] The Garden is a desolate section of Tel Aviv where young gay prostitutes and drug addicts gather. It's a territory for the dispossessed and for pickups, drug deals, and clashes with the law. The film follows a year in the life of two young men who have made the Garden their home: Nino, a 17-year-old Palestinian, in and out of jail and reformatories; and Dudu, an Arab-Israeli destroying himself through drug addiction. The filmmakers, ever mindful of the trust they have earned, create a powerfully honest film, affording Nino and Dudu the respect and dignity that are all too often denied them in their daily lives. Against the backdrop of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and the unease and ridicule still directed toward homosexuals, the two friends depend on each other for security and love. A poignant film that does not try to numb the pain or reduce the loneliness, Garden is ultimately about longing and belonging, and the elusive meaning of home. Ruthie Shatz, Adi Barash, Israel, 2003, /Subtitles: English, 83 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Eternally Aliens / For Alltid Fremmed [FL 373] Portraits of young people in Norway and France who live between two cultures. The Western culture of their homeland and their parents' Islamic cultural heritage both affect their lives. As a result, they feel homeless. In their homeland these young people are considered foreigners, but when visiting their roots they long for home. They feel eternally alien. The movie talks about life on the border-line between two cultures. What is it like to be an alien in one's own country? How does it feel to experience racism at the hands of one's fellow countrymen? And most important of all, how can one cope in spite of all the hatred that must be faced? Hisham al-Zouki, Norway, 2003, /Subtitles: English, 23 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM On The Seven Seas / Auf Allen Meeren [FL 374] The film traces the story of one of the mightiest Soviet warships and its crew after the break-up of the Soviet Union. The aircraft carrier 'Kiev,' once the pride of the Soviet navy, was decommissioned in 1994, and then set out on its last voyage, to become a tourist attraction in China. The director followed the 'Kiev' for more than five years, focusing on the changes in the lives of those who served aboard her since 1972. 'Kiev' has long since existed only in memory: a ghost ship, which sails on through the dreams of her former crew. Piecing together interviews with sailors, archive footage of the Kiev in action, and episodes from her final journey, down around Norway and Africa to her eventual resting-place, the film presents a multifaceted portrait of uneasy adaptations to the new realities. Johannes Holzhausen, Austria, 2001, Russian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Fit for the Streets / Utcaképes [FL 375] The filmmakers follow one hundred homeless adults and children as they wander the streets of Budapest. What makes the authors' attitude remarkable is their ability to get close to controversial social phenomena: they search for general human values in the behavior and mentality of their chosen characters. All this depends not only on creating situations which seem to be spontaneous, but also on the filmmakers' empathetic, human approach. The film's circular structure - returning to events of certain families' life - reflects the hopeless stages which characterize this temporary way of life full of traps and specious solutions. Márta Elbert, Hungary, 2003, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 95 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Power Trip [FL 376] In an environment of pervasive corruption, assassination, and street rioting, the story of chaotic post-Soviet transition is told through culture clash, electricity cut-offs and blackouts. AES Corp., the massive American "global power company," has purchased the privatized electricity distribution company in Tbilisi, capital of the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. AES manager Piers Lewis must now train the ex-communist populace to understand that, in this new world, customers pay for their electricity. Meanwhile the Georgians, from pensioners to the Energy Minister himself, devise ever-more ingenious ways to get it free - including elaborately-rigged nests of hazardous wiring, blackmail, and bribery. Determined to restore order, the power company's employees fight back - going so far as to shut down an airline's power supply just before a plane lands. Paul Devlin, United States, 2003, /Subtitles: English, 85 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Life to Live, A / Życie Przed Tobą [FL 376] Can we see the world of the blind? This film is a perceptive portrayal of blind children, for whom touch, sound, smell, and taste comprise a plentiful universe. Playing, dreaming, talking about their future, the children who cannot see with their eyes learn to sharpen their senses. They face many challenges in a world that is hostile to people who are not like us, the viewers. Using images to tell the stories of hearing, smelling, touching, the film shows how the perception-gap can be bridged with love and care. Maciej Adamek, Poland, 2003, Polish/Subtitles: English, 21 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Daughter from Yan'an / Enan no musume [FL 377] A Chinese woman's search for her real parents, members of the Red Guard who abandoned her shortly after she was born. Haixia has spent her entire life in Yan'an and she longs to know why she was abandoned. Through her single-minded quest for her parents, the viewer is offered an intimate glimpse of events which occurred in China in the mid-1960's, Mao inaugurated his Cultural Revolution, including the slogan "Young people will learn the roots of the revolution from peasant farmers." Haixia's parents were among sixteen million students to whom this slogan applied. The indisputable existence of the daughter of Yan'an forces the forsaken children of the revolution to confront the bitterness of the past - a period in which the smiling masses, resolutely looking forward to a splendid future, concealed the unbearable private suffering of so many individuals. An exceptionally personal view of the legacy of Cultural Revolution in China. Kaoru Ikeya, Japan, 2001, /Subtitles: English, 120 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Last Peasants, The. Film One: Journeys [FL 378] The Damian Family, once powerful under the communists, are now the poorest family in the village. Ion and Maria are desperate to leave to join his brother in Ireland or their sister-in-law in Paris. But life in Paris and Dublin is hardly a dream for the brother and sister in law. Their marriage is drifting apart as they both struggle to do much more than work and make money. Angus Macqueen, United Kingdom, 2003, Romanian/Subtitles: English, 50 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Last Peasants, The. Film Two: Temptation [FL 378] The Oprisc family have dominated the village for generations, through World Wars, occupation and communism. But ten years of "capitalism and democracy" is threatening everything they stand for. They own the water-driven threshing machine and take 10% of the villages corn. But their children do not want to take over the farm. The film tells the story of the collapse of a crumbling world, undermined by the dream of a little known and barely understood world outside. Angus Macqueen, United Kingdom, 2003, Romanian/Subtitles: English, 50 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Last Peasants, The. Film Three: A Good Wife [FL 379] The episode follows the fortunes of two families - one which decided to stay in the village, the other which split, the wife going to Paris while the husband was left behind. "A Good Wife" is about change and how the immigrants to the West are returning and transforming their homes. Angus Macqueen, United Kingdom, 2003, Romanian/Subtitles: English, 50 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Ladies, The / Zananeh [FL 380] The ladies' room in the center of Tehran becomes a meeting point for prostitutes, drug addicts and runaways, women who reject conventional roles but seek mental comfort. The old woman who runs the place is a support figure for many younger women who are in need of advice, consolation, or just someone to share a joke with. Many intimacies are exchanged, many sad and tragic stories confessed. Nonetheless, the tone of the film is a playful one. The women smoke, gossip about their husbands, drink tea together and sing songs. The rest room becomes a shelter where the women can enjoy a little freedom. Everybody finds sympathetic listeners in this unusual place, a washroom, where they are unveiled, both physically and mentally. Mahnaz Afzali, Iran, 2003, Persian/Subtitles: English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer [FL 381] This moving and tragic story of Aileen Wuornos, America's first woman serial killer, is a powerful indictment against capital punishment and the execution of the mentally insane. In 1992, acclaimed UK filmmaker Nick Broomfield made "Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of A Serial Killer," which revealed how Aileen's mother, her lawyer, and the Florida state police tried to sell her sensationalized story to the highest bidder. Amidst the frenzy of greed, Aileen emerges as the most sincere person in the film. Twelve years later, Broomfield was summoned to Aileen's final appeal before execution, and his earlier film was shown as evidence that she had not been given a fair trial. However, during the appeal, Aileen suddenly confesses that she committed the murders in cold blood and is ready to die (she later confides to Broomfield that she said this because she could no longer endure life on death row). Broomfield decides to probe deeper into Aileen's troubled life and reveals how her childhood of extreme abuse and neglect led her to become a runaway and teenage prostitute with severe drug problems. Broomfield's powerful film reveals the flaws in the US criminal justice system and the stark inhumanity of capital punishment, particularly of the mentally ill. Aileen Wuornos was executed by the state of Florida on October 9, 2002. Nick Broomfield, United States, 2003, English, 89 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Boy Who Plays on the Buddhas of Bamiyan, The [FL 383] In March 2001, the ruling Taliban destroyed the tallest stone statues in the world, the 'Buddhas of Bamiyan'. This film, shot over the course of a year, focuses on one of the refugees who now live among the ruins: an 8-year-old boy called Mir. Through Summer, Winter and Spring we follow Mir's life - the scrapes, the fun and the naughtiness - against the magnificent backdrop of Bamiyan and its ruined statues. His playground is the rubble and tunnels of the destroyed Buddhas, the shelled and burnt-out town bazaar, the orchard of the local militia. Through his eyes we see the destruction of the town, the ever-present militarization and the wary welcome given to the Americans. As Mir grows, the adults around him reveal what life has been like over the past two decades, when hundreds of thousands of children like Mir have been killed. Meanwhile, Mir hasn't got a clue about history but he knows how to have fun. Phil Grabsky, United Kingdom, 2003, Dari/Subtitles: English, 96 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Disowned / Kitagadottak [FL 385] The story of an extended (mostly Roma) family living in Northern Hungary, near the Slovak border. The starting-point of the family story is an old photo which suggests that they might have been of aristocratic origin. Following the different branches of the family tree, searching for ancestors together with the characters, the filmmakers interview family members leading different ways of life, as the family includes miners, musicians and farmers. This social and cultural 'in-betweenness' determines their life: where do they belong, with whom they can identify, what family stories will they pass on to the next generations? Edit Kőszegi, Péter Szuhay, Hungary, 2000, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 93 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Beauty of the Fatherland / Isamaa Ilu [FL 386] The film focuses on two protagonists whose views seem at first to embody opposing values and viewpoints: ex-Miss Estonia Tiina Jantson runs beauty contests, while Anne Eenpalu promotes traditional family values as leader of the Girl Scout troupe known as Home Daughters. Each has her own history: Tiina was a supermodel in the Soviet Union, Anne is a granddaughter of Kaarel Eenpalu, one of the presidents of the pre-war Republic of Estonia. Yet the main characters have more in common than might first appear. They are brought together by their very conservative notion about the role of women in society. Both claim to help the talents of young girls unfold, both project their own ideas and desires on them. Jaak Kilmi, Andres Maimik, Estonia, 2001, Estonian/Subtitles: English, 56 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM This Is The Track / To Ta Trať [FL 387] Memories of Roma men who were interned in labor camps in Slovakia during WWII. Of approximately 1,350 Roma who were forced to build a strategic railroad in eastern Slovakia, only seven are alive today. The film not only collects their testimonies but also shows rare footage from 1942, when Slovak president Josef Tiso visited the construction site. The film compares the wartime experience of the Roma with the reality they face today. Neither the landscape, nor the buildings, nor the railroad have changed in 60 years. And what about the people? Pavol Korec, Slovakia, 2002, Slovak/Subtitles: English, 40 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Schizophrenia / Schizofrenia [FL 388] You can lock people up in prison, or send them to the Gulag. Their body can be tortured. But what about their mind and soul, which somehow cannot be convinced that life in the Soviet Union is the epitome of happiness? You don't like the system? You are crazy! You have a serious disorder called 'sluggish schizophrenia'. Luckily it can be cured by means of the methods developed by the most distinguished Soviet psychiatrists. It is enough to lock you up in the psychiatric hospital and treat intensively for 5, 10, 15 or 20 years. You will suffer, you will feel how the soul separates from the body, forsake all hope and faith, beg for death but finally recover. The film shows the people who came to the hospital for political reasons. Their shocking narratives are juxtaposed with statements by doctors who were fully committed to the treatment of 'sluggish schizophrenia' and who are still absolutely convinced that such a disease exists. Vita Zelakeviciute, Poland, 2001, Russian/Subtitles: English, 58 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Parno Grast: Holidays and Week-days / Parno Graszt:Ünnepek és Hétköznapok [FL 389] The documentary introduces "Parno Grast," playing authentic gypsy music from the village of Paszab. The band is really one big family in the literal sense of the word, with members ranging from 15 to 70. The band has been touring the world for years, receiving much publicity and success through their concerts. In their homeland, Hungary's Szabolcs county, they still have to face unemployment and ethnic prejudice which are hard to escape. We follow them through their everyday lives, and see them at Easter and at the Mayday feast, experiencing their joys and sorrows. May 1, 2004 was the date of Hungary's accession to the European Union. Sándor Silló's film records, with an unmistakable touch of irony, how the inhabitants of the small village celebrate this important event. Will their living conditions change once Hungary belongs to the EU? Sándor Silló, Hungary, 2004, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 58 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Don't Worry, It Will Probably Pass / Du Ska Nog Se Att Det Gar Över [FL 390] Even in such a liberal environment as Sweden, coming out in public about one's sexual orientation is not an easy step. Especially when a person comes from a small town, where any noticeable difference is taboo for the local people. The director of the film, who lived through the same situation, in an effort to achieve complete sincerity, decided to give small digital cameras to the girls and let them document themselves. The result is a colorful story enriched by varied music, where changing moods correspond to the maturing process of the main protagonists. Cecilia Neant-Falk, Sweden, 2003, Swedish/Subtitles: English, 74 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Kingdom of Silence, The / Csendország [FL 391] The young deaf-mute boy who lives in a small village in Gyimes (Transylvania) receives a camera from his parents. What does the experience of "light-writing" mean to a hearing-impaired child? What traces does the rediscovery of the usual material and natural environment, capturing experiences, leave on the development of Alfi's personality? What perspectives does this new form of communication open for a disabled boy? Róbert Lakatos's attitude is empathic and sensitive enough to help us to find answers to these questions, using his film as a mirror. Although the filmmaker never actually appears in the film, the friendship between him and his protagonist gives the basic tone of the film. Róbert Lakatos, Hungary, 2001, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 37 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Wild East - Portrait of an Urban Nomad, The / The Wild East - Portrat Af En Storbynomade [FL 392] The streets of Ulan Bator, the coldest capital in the world, are thronged by young men buying cheap and selling dear. Zhenya and Sasha are two of them. They face particularly bleak times when the temperature drops to 45 degrees below zero. Zhenya tries to rustle up enough to keep the wolf from his tiny family’s door, while he dreams of a better life in a society undergoing a complete transformation after the collapse of communism. Armed with their phones, Zhenya and Sasha take us on their familiar route through Ulan Bator, visiting friends, the temple and the market. Ulan Bator is a kaleidoscopic snapshot where the concrete housing blocks which the Russians built are now surrounded by cities of tents, and the car parks are packed with everything from the hottest new Japanese cars to clapped-out Russian wrecks with cracked windscreens operating as taxis. Michael Haslund-Christensen, Denmark, 2002, Russian, English, Mongolian/Subtitles: English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Wild East - Portrait of an Urban Nomad, The / The Wild East - Portrat Af En Storbynomade [FL 392] The streets of Ulan Bator, the coldest capital in the world, are thronged by young men buying cheap and selling dear. Zhenya and Sasha are two of them. They face particularly bleak times when the temperature drops to 45 degrees below zero. Zhenya tries to rustle up enough to keep the wolf from his tiny family’s door, while he dreams of a better life in a society undergoing a complete transformation after the collapse of communism. Armed with their phones, Zhenya and Sasha take us on their familiar route through Ulan Bator, visiting friends, the temple and the market. Ulan Bator is a kaleidoscopic snapshot where the concrete housing blocks which the Russians built are now surrounded by cities of tents, and the car parks are packed with everything from the hottest new Japanese cars to clapped-out Russian wrecks with cracked windscreens operating as taxis. Michael Haslund-Christensen, Denmark, 2002, Russian, English, Mongolian/Subtitles: English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM True Romance / Tiszta románc [FL 394] A day in the life of a couple living on the streets as junkies. Balázs was born in Beijing, grew up in Moscow and came to Budapest during the transition. His girlfriend has been living with Balázs for the past two years, following him through everything. Judit Surányi, Hungary, 2002, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Gateway of the Gypsies [FL 395] Two American filmmakers follow the wanderings of a nomadic ethnic group in Northern India, in Rajasthan, in the Thar Desert. A series of short interviews, with minimal narration, carries the viewer through the life of communities which travel from village to village as their living space is narrowed down as a consequence of advancing modernity. The film presents the traditional activities of different tribes: the snakecharmers, storytellers, musicians, metalworkers, salt traders and dancers. Pepe Ozan, Melitta Tchaicovsky, United States, 2004, English, 54 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Infidels / Koffar [FL 396] The Godars are nomadic Gypsies who migrated from India to Iran. Nobody knows exactly when, but it is said that in the fifth century, in order to entertain his subjects, King Bahram Djour ordered two thousand Indian musicians to be dispatched to Iran. Among them were dancers, performers, musicians and prostitutes. This tribe speaks Chuleh, which is a combination of Sanskrit, Mazandarani, and Farsi. Their original Animist religion was based on the belief that natural objects and phenomena possess lives and souls. During the Islamic Revolution, they were forced to convert to Islam, but they are still outcasts and considered infidels. The film portrays the four ways which the Godars make their living: dancing, acting, hunting and music. Bahman Kiarostami, Iran, 2003, Persian/Subtitles: English, 40 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Life of an Agent, The / Az ügynök élete [FL 397] Hundreds of propaganda and instructional films as well as short and full-length features were produced by the Film Studio of the Ministry of Interior between 1958 and 1988. The films sought to teach the secret police about the best ways to protect the socialist state. Topics included the clandestine house-search, the operative shadowing of select targets, the installation of tapping devices, and the organization of agents and denouncers. The plain and straightforward narration of the films is slightly out of step with their serious patriotic aims, and modern viewers will be astonished by the amount of money, time and energy devoted to a form of ideological education which was both complex and expensive. This selection neatly illustrates how the coercive organization of Kádár's dictatorship worked, and what major motives lay behind it. Gábor Zsigmond Papp, Hungary, 2004, Hungarian, English, 82 min, archival collage, DVD-ROM Free Europe / Szabad Európa [FL 414] Television documentary about 'Crusade for Freedom' and 'Radio Free Europe', 'Radio Liberty'. Contemporary American and Eastern European archival footage is used. Images of revolutions in Berlin (1953), Budapest (1956) and Prague (1968) are used. Former RFE/RL directors, editors, journalists and political advisors are interviewed. The interviewees are: Ralph Walter, Paul Henze, James McCargar, Cord Meyer, William Griffith, István Deák and Ross Johnson. Csaba Kardos, Márton Ledniczky, Hungary, 1999, English/Subtitles: Hungarian, 49 min, documentary film, VHS T'an Bakhtale!: "Good Fortune!" [Roma in Russia] / T'an Bakhtale [FL 425] Alaina Lemon's documentary on Roma in post-Soviet Russia focuses on those Roma affiliated with the Roma theatre in Moscow. The film looks at perceptions (both positive and negative) of Roma in Soviet/Russian popular discourse, interviewing both Romani artists, actors and public figures and ordinary Russians in Moscow and across the country. Alaina Lemon, United States, 1994, Russian/Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Suspino. A cry for Roma [FL 435] The film focuses on the discrimination against Roma minority mainly in Romania and Italy. Among the addressed cases is a Romanian mayor's attempt to move local Roma into an abandoned chicken farm, encircled with barbed wire and patrolled by guards with dogs. A Roma family gathers in a Transylvanian graveyard to mourn the death of 3 brothers murdered in an earlier pogrom that also saw the destruction of 21 of their houses. In a squalid trailer camp ten kilometers from Vatican City, a young Roma couple that fled persecution in Romania is trying to build a new life. Instead they end up begging to feed their children. Their nightmare worsens when the mayor of Rome decides to bulldoze the camp to the ground. Activists of Roma rights give interviews on the problems of human rights violation against Roma and roots of the discrimination. Gillian Darling Kovanic, Canada, 2003, English, 72 min, documentary film, VHS Gypsies from Svinia, The [FL 435] A few hundred metres from the "white" part of Svinia, an eastern Slovak village, there is a "black ghetto". Half of the village's 12,000 population, the "blacks" or Roma, live there on a drained swamp in crumbling concrete blocks and huts made of sticks and mud. They drink dirty water and go to the bathroom in bushes. Naked children eat from bowls on the floor; flies cling to the faces of sleeping babies. Teenage girls nurse infants while smoking cigarettes. The film centres on Canadian anthropologist David Scheffel, who started a project in 1993 to help the Roma in Svinia become more self-sufficient by building their own houses. It argues that Slovakia's transition from communism to democracy has pushed Roma there to the margins of society. Mostly unemployed and living off welfare, they often steal from the homes and harvests of their white neighbours, causing a cycle of increasing tension in the community. John Paskievich, Canada, 1998, English, English, /Subtitles: English, 92 min, documentary film, VHS Gypsies from Svinia, The [FL 435] A few hundred metres from the "white" part of Svinia, an eastern Slovak village, there is a "black ghetto". Half of the village's 12,000 population, the "blacks" or Roma, live there on a drained swamp in crumbling concrete blocks and huts made of sticks and mud. They drink dirty water and go to the bathroom in bushes. Naked children eat from bowls on the floor; flies cling to the faces of sleeping babies. Teenage girls nurse infants while smoking cigarettes. The film centres on Canadian anthropologist David Scheffel, who started a project in 1993 to help the Roma in Svinia become more self-sufficient by building their own houses. It argues that Slovakia's transition from communism to democracy has pushed Roma there to the margins of society. Mostly unemployed and living off welfare, they often steal from the homes and harvests of their white neighbours, causing a cycle of increasing tension in the community. John Paskievich, Canada, 1998, English, English, /Subtitles: English, 92 min, documentary film, VHS Gypsies from Svinia, The [FL 435] A few hundred metres from the "white" part of Svinia, an eastern Slovak village, there is a "black ghetto". Half of the village's 12,000 population, the "blacks" or Roma, live there on a drained swamp in crumbling concrete blocks and huts made of sticks and mud. They drink dirty water and go to the bathroom in bushes. Naked children eat from bowls on the floor; flies cling to the faces of sleeping babies. Teenage girls nurse infants while smoking cigarettes. The film centres on Canadian anthropologist David Scheffel, who started a project in 1993 to help the Roma in Svinia become more self-sufficient by building their own houses. It argues that Slovakia's transition from communism to democracy has pushed Roma there to the margins of society. Mostly unemployed and living off welfare, they often steal from the homes and harvests of their white neighbours, causing a cycle of increasing tension in the community. John Paskievich, Canada, 1998, English, English, /Subtitles: English, 92 min, documentary film, VHS Mysterium Occupation / Оккупация. Мистерии [FL 437] Military drama set in 1942 in Byelorussia. Three intertwined stories about people who made mistakes which could not be repaired. A young peasant Adam, who wants nothing but household happiness, is forced to decide on lives of the others. A mute woman loses her child and tries to save a wounded Nazi instead. A young boy wants to find his father and instead scathes his mother. Andrei Kudinenko, Belarus, 2003, /Subtitles: English, 90 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Hungarian Wanderer / Magyar Vándor [FL 445] The seven leaders of the Hungarian tribes lose their people and search for them through the course of history. Gábor Herendi, Hungary, 2004, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, fiction film, DVD-ROM American Civil Liberties Union: A History, The [FL 447] For 80 years, one legal organization has supported the rights of the individual against the majority and the government, igniting rage in conservatives and liberals alike, That organization is the ACLU. The film, with commentary from Oliver North, Dave Barry, and Nobly Ivies, traces the tumultuous history of that organization from its inception by founder Roger Baldwin, through dozens of legal challenges over the past century, including the Scopes trial, the 1930s labor strikes, Japanese internment, the HUAC hearings and blacklisting, the Vietnam war crimes trials, the American Nazi Party's bid to march in Skokie, Illinois, and others. Lawrence R. Hott and Diane Garey, United States, 1997, English, 57 min, fiction film, VHS Deserter / Дезертир [FL 448] A young soldier drafted to serve in Chechnia deserts from the army. He shares his army experiences in front of the camera, still living in illegality and hoping for a pardon. Sergei Bosenko, Russia, 2001, Russian/Subtitles: English, 31 min, documentary film, VHS Chechen Gambit / Чеченский гамбит [FL 450] Reflexions on the first round of war in Chechnia. Contains extracts from interviews with soldiers and civilan population, bringing out the economic interests behind the war. The film also contains the images of destroyed towns in Chechnia and scenes of life of the soldiers drafted to serve in the army there. Sergei Bosenko, Russia, 2001, Russian/Subtitles: English, 39 min, documentary film, VHS Balkan Expres 2 / Balkan Ekspres 2 [FL 456] A sequel to the 1983 original continues following a group of musicians gathered in a band called “Balkan Express”, in fact a quintet of small-time crooks. After, by chance, they became helpers of Yugoslav partisans at the beginning of the Second World War, they now have to lie low for a while. The majority of the band escapes to another part of the country to the bordello “Marlene Salon,” with the Gestapo on their trail. Instead of peace and rest, they get involved in new complications as a series of agents try to recruit them for some kind of espionage. After a series of situations, all the original band members are finally together again and they plan a great closing scam. Their plan typically goes wrong, but in the finishing bloody showdown they manage to escape, under fire from the Gestapo, and fly off in a plane. The only problem is that their pilot actually does not know how to fly a plane. Aleksandar Đorđević, Predrag Antonijević, Yugoslavia, 1988, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 108 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM How I Was Systematically Destroyed by an Idiot / Kako sam sistematski uništen od idiota [FL 458] The death of Che Guevara shocked Babi Papuška, a homeless idealist from the social margins of Belgrade who still believes in a better world. After he gets disappointed in his “ideal love” Rita and in the authorities who deny him the status of disabled worker, he throws himself in front of the car, but only breaks a leg. Time spent in hospital intensifies his paranoia about having cancer and in an attempt to “save his life” he leaves for a local health resort where he spreads Marxist propaganda, until the lack of money and acceptance make him return to Belgrade. He meets Rita again and they leave for Babi’s home village where he tries to finish his life-long autobiographical work, which has the same title as the film. After an unsuccessful attempt to claim his father’s inheritance he escapes to Belgrade, getting there just in time for the 1968 student protest. Seeing in it “the revolution” he was always waiting for, Babi wants to join in, but turns out to be too radical for the student leaders. When the police arrive to arrest him, Babi commits suicide with his farewell lines ready. Slobodan Šijan, Yugoslavia, 1983, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 88 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Petria’s Wreath / Petrijin Vijenac [FL 469] The film takes place in a small mining town in Serbia and focuses on an illiterate village woman, Petrija, whose life story is interconnected with the fates of the three men she loved. With the help of the photographs she collected through the years she remembers her youth, starting with her first husband, a well-off farmer whom she married just before the Second World War. After the death of their second child he sent her away believing that she brought bad luck. With the end of the war, Petrija started a new life, working in the local inn, whose owner, good-hearted Ljubiša, took care of her. Petrija felt respect for him rather than passionate love and it was a regular customer miner Misa, who won Petrija’s heart. They led a simple and harmonious life for several years until Misa had an accident in the mine which left him lame. He started drinking heavily and eventually ended up in the hospital and died. The mine and the local train station were soon closed, but Petrija keeps her hope and faith in life, occasionally talking to Misa’s ghost and calmly waiting for her time to “go.” Srđan Karanović, Yugoslavia, 1980, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 99 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Harms Case, The / Slučaj Harms [FL 471] The film is based on the life and writing of Russian avant-garde poet of the 1920s Danilo Ivanovič Harms who has become a cult figure in Yugoslavia. Harms wrote about strange and absurd cases, only to became a “case” himself when he was persecuted by the Soviet authorities. The film describes a possible, but bizarre scenario of his last days in 1942. After the authorities have questioned him about his fictional literal characters and their whereabouts he is finally released. As he enters his flat he realizes that events he has been dreaming and writing about have suddenly become real. Namely, an angel looking for a beam, one of the “cases” he described, comes to him asking for help. Harms spends some time with him and his friends Irina and Zablocki wandering through a town full of surreal events and pictures. When one night he dreams about being executed by a firing squad, he is frightened that the dream will also come true. (He is not wrong.) Slobodan D. Pešić, Yugoslavia, 1988, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 93 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Strange Country, A / Neka čudna zemlja [FL 472] In this poetic art film with surreal scenery and no real time lines, a father, who died far away, asked that his son bury him in his native “Southern land.” He described this land as one of brave and honest people and with a tragic but heroic history. After twenty years of wandering the world, he finally arrives in an archaic country where his father’s language is spoken, but everything else seems absurd and unbelievable and quite different from his father’s story. He can only see greedy politicians with ludicrous laws and scared and inert peasants. Only a few individuals bear any resemblance to his father’s tales, amongst them a crazy pilot who claims he can fly his primitive plane by the strength of his faith. The son finally decides that this cannot be his father’s land and flies off in the pilot’s plane, landing in what is apparently the same country, maybe more modern and a few centuries later. Dragan Marinković, Yugoslavia, 1988, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 91 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Last Oasis, The / Posljednja oaza [FL 473] Petar Lalović, Yugoslavia, 1983, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 91 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Zika’s Dynasty, Part One / Žikina dinastija 1 [FL 474] Zika’s Dynasty follows the new adventures of characters already familiar from the “Foolish years” film series of popular Yugoslav folksy blockbuster comedies of the 1980s. Deeply influenced by the popular soap opera “Dynasty” and its homosexual character Steven Carrington, two grandfathers, Milan and Žika, begin to worry that their grandson Miša, the pillar of the “dynasty”, will develop similar undesirable (homo)sexual behavior. The grandfathers are particularly troubled by Miša’s constant violin practice and lack of apparent interest in women. They firmly decide to keep an eye on any possible signs of his “going astray” and desperately try to set him up with a number of girls. The movie became an even bigger blockbuster than its predecessors, initiating a series of its own. Zoran Čalić, Yugoslavia, 1985, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 95 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Zika’s Dynasty, Part Two / Druga Žikina dinastija aka Žikina dinastija 2 [FL 475] The second sequel to “Zika’s dynasty” continues where the first part stopped. The major difference now is that the generational misunderstanding acquires different flavour as Žika’s and Milan’s grandson Miša finally discovers all the delights of sex. All of a sudden, he finds himself surrounded by women, from secretaries having their coffee breaks in his company to idle neighbouring housewives unsatisfied with their domestic sex life. To prove himself “a real man,” Miša needs an empty apartment and at first his granddad Žika generously lets him borrow his. But this novel activity utterly occupies Miša’s attention and he forgets about both his violin and his girlfriend. Fearing for his spiritual health, especially since they already had had one sexual maniac in the family, the two granddads try to cure him of his new “addiction.” Zika’s Dynasty, Part Two again managed to become a blockbuster, relying heavily on a mixture of cheap jokes and plentiful nudity, thus serving as a prime example of late communist Yugoslav mass culture. Zoran Čalić, Yugoslavia, 1986, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Zika’s Dynasty, Part Three / Žikina dinastija 3 aka Sulude godine [FL 476] The final sequel of “Zika’s dynasty” shifts its focus from Misha’s sexual education to the adventures of his two grandfathers Milan and Žika, already familiar from the first two sequels. After a car accident, the grandfathers are injured and admitted to hospital. The hospital is already crammed and in disorder, with additional chaos being caused by the fact that it is under compulsory management. Using the disarray to their advantage and in order to avoid the responsibility for the accident, Milan and Žika decide that it would be the best to act as if they were insane. When it turns out that the hospital manager is actually a fake doctor, in reality a madman, total chaos starts. The third part of this folksy Yugoslav blockbuster comedy series of the late 1980s is again characterized by the same typical cheap humour, though this time accompanied with less nudity. Zoran Čalić, Yugoslavia, 1988, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 83 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM National Class Category Up to 750 ccm / Nacionalna klasa do 750 cmm3 [FL 479] Directed by one of the members of the so-called Prague school of Yugoslav film directors, this urban drama with lots of sad humor is situated in Belgrade of the late 1970s. The main character Floyd, a race driver in the “national class,” lives with his parents in a Belgrade suburb. Driving in this lowest and least respected category does not satisfy Floyd’s ambitions anymore, but in order to advance to a higher class, he must win an important race. The problem is that he has just received his draft papers, and in order to postpone his service he tries for the nth time to enrol at the university, this time at the Film Academy. He also claims that he is not fit for service and persuades a guy suffering from bad kidneys, to take medical examinations instead of him. Floyd’s other problem is his “official” girlfriend, who is pregnant and expects him to marry her, while he would rather flirt with idle female students. Eventually, all of Floyd’s plans fail and he looses both the final race and his freedom. Goran Marković, Yugoslavia, 1979, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 105 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Black Cat, White Cat / Crna mačka, beli mačor [FL 483] The film evolves around three generations of Gypsy men living along the banks of Danube, as they try to resolve their complex affairs. 80-year-olds, garbage dump gipsy “Godfather” Grga Pitić and cement dealer Zarije Destanov, have been friends for years. Zarije’s naïve son Matko comes to Grga asking for a loan for his robbery project. Unfortunately he is double-crossed by his partner, gangster Dadan, who now expects Matko’s son, Zare, to marry his miniature sister. However, Zare is in love with blonde Gipsy waitress Ida, and Dadan’s sister is also unhappy with the arrangement. Then Zarije’s sudden death seems to offer a way out for Zare, since no gypsy would have a wedding and a funeral on the same day. But Dadan delays the announcement by hiding Zarije, packed in ice, in the attic and the wedding gets underway. While guests celebrate, Dadan’s miniature sister flees her own wedding and on the run meets Grga Pitić’s son Grga Veliki and they fall in love with each other. Finally free, Zare embarks with Ida in a boat and sails down the Danube Emir Kusturica, Yugoslavia, 1998, /Subtitles: English, 124 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Labyrinth / Lavirint [FL 484] This thriller, set in Old Downtown Belgrade during the 1990s, focuses around adventurer and gambler Pop, nicknamed after his late father who was a priest. After twenty years of life abroad he decides to break with his past and return to his home town, where he is warmly welcomed by his brother, the famous architect and his old friend Laki. Pop is tormented by the guilt over the death of his young mate whom he did not help when he could have and soon becomes an object of romantic struggle between a mysterious mother and her daughter. All of a sudden he finds himself in the midst of a mystery evolving around the ancient Arian sect that shook the foundations of Christianity during the III century AD. The sect used to have a stronghold near Belgrade, but apparently its secrets still haunt the town as the sect left indelible marks on the destinies of past and present generations. The action leads Pop to the unknown dungeons of Kalemegdan Fortress where, with the help of his brother, he finds out about the daughter he never thought he had. Miroslav Lekić, Yugoslavia, 2002, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 115 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Sky Hook / Nebeska udica [FL 485] The film takes place during the NATO bombing of Belgrade in May 1999. The story focuses on a group of young people living in the same building in the Belgrade suburb. They are trying to continue to live as normally as possible with the bombing influencing many aspects of their lives – from family matters, love troubles to existential issues. One day Kaja, divorced ex-professional basketball player, comes up with the idea of re-building a local basketball court ruined by the NATO bombs. At first the suggestion is perceived as foolish, but soon all of the youngsters and even some elders including parents, seemingly uninterested viewers, local cigarette smuggler and a nearby hostile street gang are attracted by the idea. The new joint effort has a particularly positive impact on Kaja’s son, temporarily mute because of the explosions, who stays at Kaja’s place as his ex wife is busy getting the visa for the two of them to flee to Italy. The basketball courtyard is successfully reconstructed, only to be demolished again in the tragic end. Ljubiša Samardžić, Yugoslavia, 1999, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 95 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Bare Ground / Ledina [FL 486] The film is set in the early autumn of 1995 in the outskirts of Belgrade where a family of musicians just moves in. Dragan, a cellist and a teacher in a music school is Serbian and his wife, a flute player is Croatian. The whole family finds it hard to adapt to the new environment. Nine-year-old son Petar can not make friends with other children, who tease him because he comes from a mixed marriage. The wife is frequently provoked by ethnically related comments and in fact, most of this noisy neighborhood, full of refugees from all over former Yugoslavia, is hostile to the newcomers, especially the crazy chairman of the building Ostoja and a trio of bitter idle middle aged women. In the atmosphere of constant distrust and rampant racism, any situation can inflame brutal responses. A tragic finale is set when Ostoja decides to cultivate a yard in front of the building. Driven to insanity by the local delinquents who constantly ruin his efforts, he loads his gun ready to kill the first intruder. Unfortunately, the victim happens to be little Peter and the marriage finally breaks up. Ljubiša Samardžić, Serbia and Montenegro, 2003, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 78 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Natasha / Nataša [FL 487] The main character of the film is seventeen year old Belgrade girl Nataša whose father, an honest police inspector, was assassinated under mysterious circumstances. A year later, at the time when Milošević’s system is approaching its end, Nataša begins her childish revenge on the mafia. Determined to find out the truth, she starts sending threatening text messages to random phone numbers that she finds in her father’s notebook. Her victims include local criminals as well as high ranking state officials deeply involved with the mafia. Meanwhile she falls in love with married book salesman Marko. Although his wife is in the middle of getting the necessary documents for the two of them to leave the country, Marko delays the process since he has fallen deeply in love with the teenage girl. Eccentric Nataša fails to notice that her foolish game has grown out of proportion and turned into a deadly adventure as the mafia does not let her get away easily, while Marko’s marriage eventually falls apart. Ljubiša Samardžić, Yugoslavia, 2001, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Zona Zamfirova aka Zamfir's Zona / Zona Zamfirova [FL 488] The film is based on a novel by Serbian realist writer Stevan Sremac and depicts the atmosphere of the southern Serbian town Niš in the 19th century, in freshly liberated Serbia, not long after the end of Turkish rule. In the centre of the film there is a love story between two young people, whose love is not possible because of many differences. Coming from the richest family in the town, Zona, daughter of local chorbadzija, cannot marry ambitious goldsmith Mane, who has to make cunning plans in order to cross these social barriers and ensuing family disputes and reach happiness. The story is an adaptation of the Romeo and Juliet tale, except for its light and amusing tone and the happy end as the couple eventually get together. The dialect used throughout the film, characterized by old phrases and expressions from Turkish and Macedonian, cannot easily be understood even in the modern environment. Still Zona Zamfirova became the most popular contemporary movie in Serbia. Zdravko Šotra, Yugoslavia, 2002, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 95 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM It Isn’t Easy to Get Along with Men / Nije lako s muškarcima [FL 491] The movie evolves around the life of a divorced mother and her three teenaged daughters. The mother has a hard time in balancing the roles of working woman and good parent, while keeping a good relationship with her ex-husband. The introduction finds her delighted as for the first time in years she plans to go alone on a summer holidays to the sea, since her daughters have other plans. But their plans change and she ends up leaving for the seaside together with all of her daughters. The vacation does not get much better as they are forced to stay in the auto-camp, and the news arrives that her ex-husband is getting married again. When it seems that her vacation has hit rock bottom, she meets a handsome divorced doctor and they fall in love. Not accustomed to having a man beside her, she finds it hard to break the news to her daughters, especially as the oldest one has also fallen in love with the same person. New problems emerge with the arrival of a rich American who hits on her, but eventually, everything ends happily and the mother marries her doctor. Mihailo Vukobratović, Yugoslavia, 1985, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 91 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Throat Full of Strawberries, A aka Caught In The Throat aka Strawberries in the Throat / Jagode u grlu [FL 492] Director Srđan Karanović, a member of the so-called Prague school, returned once again to the characters he created for his legendary TV series and brought their lives up-to-date in this sequel which happens 15 years after the end of the final episode. Although fully understood only in the context of the whole series, a film functions equally well as a separate full-feature unit. The film begins with a sentimental meeting of the old friends who gather on a boat-restaurant where Bane Bumbar, his wife Biljka, and friends Goca, Uške and Boca celebrate the arrival of their friend Miki from abroad. Immediately, they start to remember their youth from the sixties, as well as recapitulating their past lives and boasting of new achievements, each trying to outdo the others. A peaceful reunion soon develops into a night of fierce discussions and the film quickly acquires the dark and depressiing tones of the last episodes of the series since it is obvious that most of their lives did not go the way they planned. Srđan Karanović, Yugoslavia, 1985, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 84 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Underground aka Once Upon a Time There Was a Country / Undergound aka Podzemlje aka Bila jednom jedna zemlja [FL 493] Based on Dušan Kovačević’s story, the film focuses on two crooked communist activists –manipulative charmer Marko and his best friend, foolishly impulsive Crni. After the German invasion of Yugoslavia, the two friends jointly undertake some acts of resistance as well as some profitable business. They also share a passion for Natalija, an actress under the protection of a Nazi officer whom Crni quickly kills. In order to keep Natalija only for himself, Marko arranges a cunning scheme. Under pretence of protection, he keeps Crni and other memebers of the resistance locked into the basement of his house where they produce weapons. After the war is over, Marko, now a war hero and Tito’s associate, continues to give them fictitious reports of German victories in order to go on making a profit from the arms production. During an underground wedding, Crni and his son find their way up and although it is 1961, their belief in Nazi rule is reaffirmed as they find themselves on the set of a movie about the German occupation. In an allegorical if dubious final part, all of the main characters find themselves in Slavonia during the 1991 war in Yugoslavia. Emir Kusturica, Yugoslavia, 1995, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 163 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM War Game, The [FL 498] Originally made for British television, this semi-documentary directed by Peter Watkins was never aired on television because it was considered too shocking and horribly realistic; instead after a delay it was released theatrically and won the Academy Award as best feature documentary of 1966. This film shows what could happen in Great Britain if it were under nuclear attack and the after-effects its survivors would suffer in a post-nuclear-war world. Peter Warkins, United Kingdom, 1965, English, 47 min, documentary film, VHS Private Film Collection of Eva Braun, The [FL 499] Germany, 1936--1943. Home footage of life at Hitler's mountain refuge--the Berghof. Spectacular Alpine panoramas highlight scenes of Nazi leaders, foreign diplomats and local visitors, and Eva Braun herself. Views of Hitler in war and peacetime, chatting with children, conferring with subordinates, relaxing after victories and recovering after Stalingrad. A unique picture of the Führer's private life.Germany, English/Voice-over: English, 60 min, VHS Private Film Collection of Eva Braun, The [FL 499] Germany, 1936--1943. Home footage of life at Hitler's mountain refuge--the Berghof. Spectacular Alpine panoramas highlight scenes of Nazi leaders, foreign diplomats and local visitors, and Eva Braun herself. Views of Hitler in war and peacetime, chatting with children, conferring with subordinates, relaxing after victories and recovering after Stalingrad. A unique picture of the Führer's private life.Germany, English/Voice-over: English, 60 min, VHS Chernobyl Heart [FL 502] On April 26, 1986, the worst nuclear accident in history occurred when a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine, releasing 90 times the radioactivity of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Sixteen years later, award-winning filmmaker Maryann De Leo took her camera to ground zero, following the devastating trail radiation leaves behind in hospitals, orphanages, mental asylums and evacuated villages. Following Adi Roche, founder of Ireland's Chernobyl Children's Project, CHERNOBYL HEART opens in the exclusion zone, the most radioactive environment on earth. From there, Roche travels to Belarus, home to many of the children she seeks to aid. The film reveals those hardest hit by radiation, including thyroid cancer patients and children suffering from unfathomable congenital birth and heart defects. Despite the fact that 99% of Belarus is contaminated with radioactive material, many people refuse to leave their homes behind. Asked why he would not move, the father of a radiation victim replies, "To leave the motherland where you were born and raised, where your soul is connected to the earth - I would not want to. To move to a new place is difficult, especially in terms of a job in Belarus and abroad." Maryann De Leo, United States, 2004, Russian/Subtitles: English, documentary film, DVD-ROM Belovs, The / Беловы [FL 514] In a Russian village lives twice widowed Anna Fedorovna Belova with her alcoholic brother Michail Fedorovich who philosophies about social and political matters, regularly gets drunk, and time to time threatens to kill his sister. Two other brothers visit them. They drink a great deal of tea, steam in a Russian bath and discuss whether there exists "a measure to measure ordeals." With this simple scenario, the director captures the everyday life of a rural family at once repetitive and shaken by the ongoing changes in the society. Viktor Kossakovskii, Russia, 1993, Russian/Subtitles: English, 58 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Last Yugoslavian Football Team, The / Het laatste Joegoslavische elftal [FL 515] Born in the same country, they became world youth champions in Chile in 1989; the 'Chileans' played together until 1990. Then war broke out and Yugoslavia started to fall apart. First the Croatian players left, then the trainer Ivica Osim resigned because the Serbians bombed his home town of Sarajevo. Under pressure of the international community, the team was banned from the European championships in Sweden. In March 1999 they were to share the same soccer pitch for the first time in a direct clash during the preliminary rounds of the Euro 2000 Championship. But this very tense qualification match between Yugoslavia and Croatia was again postponed because of war, this time in Kosovo. In August 1999 the game was played in Belgrade. Two months later the return game was played in Zagreb (Croatia). Players who knew each other intimately, grew up together and were world champions together, were now divided by contradictory interests as a result of the war. The war forced each of them to choose a new fatherland, a new nationality, a new national anthem and a new national football team. This film is his story about a country falling apart, told by its former heroes - the 'Chileans'. Vuk Janic, Netherlands, 2000, Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 85 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Jacob the Liar / Jacob der Lügner [FL 522] Jacob Heim is stopped by the police in the Jewish ghetto for being out after curfew. As his penalty, he must report to the Commander. On the police station radio, he overhears that the Red Army is advancing. New hope for himself and his fellow sufferers! He secretly passes on the news to the others, pretending that he has his own well-hidden radio. Jacob becomes a hero in spite of himself and the faith of all those in the ghetto hangs on his invented news reports. Frank Beyer, East Germany, 1974, German/Subtitles: English, 96 min, fiction film, VHS Stalingrad (aka Dogs, Do You Want to Live Forever?) / Hunde, wollt ihr ewig leben! [FL 523] Stalingrad, winter of 1942-43. The Wehrmacht soldiers and officers are preparing for the attack of the Soviet troops. A young Nazi lieutenant, the protagonist of the film, helps Russian girl Katia to find work in the occupied city. Further on, Nazi soldiers are presented having a peaceful dinner in a rural-looking hut together with a woman with 6 kids. Later on the advance begins and the German troops are encircled by the Russian army. The troops are split into the firm believers in Hitler's military wisdom and those who want to end the war. The lieutenant realizes the senseless war and loses his hope of final victory. Most of his unit perishes in the battle, he himself gets across the frontline wearing a Russian military hat and helped by the same Katia, whom he accidentaly meets serving food to the soldiers. Along with staged scenes the film contains original war footage and German newsreel clips that depict the last days of World War II's most important battle. Frank Wisbar, Germany, 1958, German/Subtitles: English, 60 min, fiction film, VHS Letter To The Dead [FL 527] In a small village of Papua New Guinea three exceptional men rival with each other in the field of rituals and artistic creation in order to win over their neighbours. They send a last letter to their dead who have abandoned them and who may have emigrated to a rich country from which the film-makers come. The film presents the world view of the people living in their communities that is constructed out of bits and pieces of information at hand, conditioned by local traditions, Christian missionaries’ teachings and millenary (year 2000) fears. The film is about the encounter between tradition and modernity. Andre Iteanu, Eytan Kapon, France, 2002, English, 62 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Ararat / Ararat [FL 530] A film within a film, this is a contemporary story of the making of a historical epic about the Armenian holocaust between 1915 and 1918. The story line follows how making the film transforms the life of an 18-year-old man hired as a driver on the production. Interrogated by a customs officer, a young man recounts how his life was changed during the making of a film about the Armenian genocide. Atom Egoyan, Canada, 2002, English, 115 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Living Rights: Roy [FL 532] Ten-year-old Roy lives in a small Peruvian village. Instead of going to school he often goes to the local mine, where under extraordinarily difficult and dangerous conditions he attempts to extract enough gold to help lift his family out of poverty. Duco Tellegen, Netherlands, 2004, English, 37 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Neon light tales / Неонови приказки [FL 533] The touching story of the homeless people: young gypsy prostitutes, jobless people without a shelter, and old hobos, living at the Central Railway Station in Sofia. Some are happy when they have a crust of bread or a penny tossed by a stranger, others are enraged by the humiliation they endure each and every day. The film is shot in black and white and the piercing neon light of the public building at night renders the dire circumstances of its inhabitants. Eldora Traikova, Bulgaria, 1992, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 24 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Life in a ghetto / Живот в гето [FL 533] Shot at first with the intention to reveal “the human rights violations” in a gypsy ghetto, the film features the squalid conditions in dilapidated apartment blocks where ethnic Bulgarian residents are outnumbered by gypsy. The Bulgarian neighbours are alienated and claim to be robbed and assaulted by gypsy gangs constantly. In the film, they explain in a cautious manner their desire to move out of the district with the “disparity between the two cultures”. The electricity bills collector confronts the tricks of the population to hide their consumption and persuades the women in charge of the cash, out of their money. The postal clerk that gives away the ECU checks gives her explanation about the swarming queues in front of her office with the long tradition of pampering the minorities. “I want to be gypsy on the weekends”, she confesses as the narration turns to the bright side of gypsy life – with their incessant wedding parties, music and dances. The film concludes with Prince Charles’ visit to the district, escorted by the Bulgarian president and a couple of British Bobbies, all greeting heartily the gypsy crowds. Assen Vladimirov and Eldora Traikova, Bulgaria, 1997, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 39 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Night and Fog / Nuit et brouillard [FL 534] Hailed as one of the world's greatest documentaries, "Night and Fog" is the definitive film on Nazi concentration camps and a devastating record of man's inhumanity to man. Like a master conductor, director Alain Resnais (Hiroshima, Mon Amour, Last Year at Marienbad) weaves contemporary images of the abandoned camp at Auschwitz with newsreel footage of the atrocities that occurred there. Juxtaposing color and black-and-white film, "Night and Fog" brings the horror of the Holocaust to the present. An elegy on memory and immeasurable sorrow, this tightly structured half-hour film foreshadows Resnais' remarkable feature films. Upon its release, Francois Truffaut called it the greatest film ever made. Alain Resnais, France, 1955, French/Subtitles: English, 30 min, documentary film, VHS Green Card / Зелена карта [FL 535] In two Muslim villages in the southern part of Bulgaria the only livelihood of people is growing tobacco. They live on credit for most of the year and pay back their debt when the stacks of dried tobacco leaves are sold. Most of the villagers dream for “the luck to be picked up by computer” – to win the green card that would provide a visa and employment in the United States. Sixty families have already been chosen by the computer which the remaining villagers believe “must be from” their village. Old grannies sit knitting by their video players and indulge home videos displaying their children and grandchildren in America reading English, eating in excess and throwing away the leftovers. An old lady tells her experience at the Atlantic shore “babysitting” her grandchildren and admires a shopping mall “as big as our village”. A pharmacist who applied for a green card and was lucky to win, but could not decide on leaving her good profession and status and leap into the unknown shows her issued visa with a sentiment of regret for missing her chance to see life in America and the Statue of Liberty. The former shop keeper who returns with his wife to visit relatives laments his children who would never come back to the village. Eldora Traikova, Bulgaria, 2001, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 26 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Born with the century / Родени с века [FL 536] The film follows the life histories of dozen Bulgarian men and women from various backgrounds and life occupations, born in 1900. Starting with stories from their childhood, deeply imprinted in their consciousness, their lives unfold through their young years of education and emigration for some, their love and marriage, work in factories and in the fields. The film reveals curious details that bring the flavour of town and countryside life at the turn of the century. The memories of the personal past involves the backdrop of majour historical events – the Balkan wars and the WWI figuring prominently in everyones’ memories, the emigration tides to Argentina, Nazi parades in Berlin and the segregation of Jews, the encolvement of youth in the communist movement, the “fascist” actions in Bulgaria through the experience of a seasoned young lady communist and the far more detached account of a non-believer, the coming of Soviet troops, collectivization and the mass killings by the communists. The combination of the narration of personal events, photos from family albums and the well selected archival footage, displays the convergence of personal and historical time, as well as the different meaning that grand events have in people’s lives. Eldora Traikova, Bulgaria, 2000, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 58 min, DVD-ROM Georgi and the Butterflies / Георги и пеперудите [FL 537] The fine line between brilliance and lunacy is extremely thin. This is what Georgi Borissov Lulchev, superintendent of a Bulgarian psychiatric institution, knows more than anyone else. With a fair dose of ingenuity and perseverance, he indefatigably looks for ways to make his institution, situated on the grounds of a former monastery, profitable. The ill-fated ideas sprouting from Georgi's mind are recreated with a keen eye to cinematographic beauty and accompanied by cheerful music. From the development of the property into a pheasant shooting ground for tourists and a snail, fur, ostrich and silkworm farm, to the invention of soy bread for diabetics, time and again Georgi embarks on the next prospectless project with renewed optimism. Neither his wife nor the cook understand why he is doomed to failure every time. Meanwhile, the patients and staff of the institution live together as one big harmonious family under the rotting roof of the old cloister, for there is no money to start using the new accommodation that was finished three years ago. But perhaps one day Georgi will win the lottery, which he plays with his patients' Social Security numbers. Andrey Paounov, Bulgaria, 2004, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 35 min, DVD-ROM Dancing Bear Park / Парк За Танцуващи Мечки [FL 538] Bulgaria is the last country in Europe where not long ago, dancing bears could be spotted in the streets, led on chains by bear-keeping gypsies. With the financial help from the Brigitte Bardot foundation, the world's largest and most sophisticated Dancing Bear Park was built near the small mountain town of Belitsa, and the surviving animals were resettled there. The film tells the story of the bears and of the people – the former bear-keepers who have been left without their livelihood, and the local impoverished population, who say with envy: "In Belitsa bears live better than people!" The goal-oriented NGO leader buys off the bears from their keepers for what they consider small money. He is happy with his state-of-art bear park explaining the initial skepticism of locals. Yet the ex-owners are not only shedding tears of separation, but have serious insecurities about the future income. Eldora Traikova, Bulgaria, 2004, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 54 min, DVD-ROM We are not Angels / Mi nismo anđeli [FL 541] This teenage comedy, virtually the only representative of the genre in Yugoslav cinema, centers around 26-year-old literature student Nikola, an incurable bachelor and hard drinking Belgrade playboy with irresistible charm. The trouble begins when keen high-school graduate Marina accidentally ends up as one of his ”one night stands” and gets pregnant. Though Nikola does not even remember her and declines the very thought of becoming a father, Marina falls deeply in love with him. Seeing that she is determined to have his baby, her best friend plans a series of crazy adventures aimed at persuading Nikola to fall in love with Marina. An additional twist to the movie is brought in by two bizarre side-characters, Devil and Angel who bet about the possible ending of this love venture and constantly reappear throughout the movie, commenting passionately on events. After a series of unsuccessful attempts, Nikola slowly begins to change and eventually agrees to marry Buba, only to suddenly flee to a deserted island. There, without alcohol and girls, he recognises all of his mistakes and after a final test ends with a newborn baby in his hands. Srđan Dragojević, Yugoslavia, 1992, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 98 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Fine Dead Girls aka Nice Dead Girls / Fine mrtve djevojke [FL 543] Situated in contemporary Zagreb, the film centers on a young lesbian couple, Iva and Mare. They rent a shady flat next to the railway station, but soon realize that this seemingly quiet neighborhood is full of dark secrets and prejudices. Among their new neighbors are a sleazy gynecologist, a prostitute and a war veteran who regularly beats his wife. Still the worst of all seems to be their landlady Olga who constantly observes the new tenants, and when she realizes that two girls are lesbians, immediately gives them notice. Hearing this, Olga’s aggressive son Daniel, whom she pathologically adores, rapes Iva. In an emerging clash, in which literally the whole neighborhood is involved Danijel falls under a train and Marija is killed under suspicious circumstances. Up to this point, we learn about this story retrospectively, through the testimony of Iva, who is by now married and has a son who has just been kidnapped. She is telling her story to the police inspector assigned to the case, how Marija’s murder remained unsolved, and when Iva became pregnant with her new husband, Olga was convinced that the baby was her grandson and the illusion drove her into kidnapping. Eventually, the boy is rescued, while Iva’s secret remains safe from her husband. Dalibor Matanić, Croatia, 2002, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 77 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Lucky Kid / Sretno dijete [FL 545] In this documentary, Igor Mirković, originally a news reporter, portrays the emergence of the independent, vibrant new wave punk-rock musical scene in Zagreb, ex-Yugoslavia, emerging at the end of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s. Most of the documentary consists of his interviews with Zagreb rock singers and other important actors on the scene as well as with some of their Belgrade counterparts. With plenty of original musical and archival images from the period, the film makes no claim to objectivity, but is rather a monument to the generation that grew up in the belief that rock’n’roll is larger than life. The story is narrated from the perspective of an outsider since the author was just a teenager when the scene exploded and is concerned with illustrating the life-long influence of rock-music on his way of life. Through Zagreb, Ljubljana, Vienna, Belgrade, Budapest, Paris, Utrecht and New York, the author thus finds himself in pursuit of the heroes of his youth. Mirković also implicitly tried to interconnect his rock story with the fall of socialism: he provides a historical background by bringing in important political moments of the period such as the death of Tito or the evolving economic crisis. Igor Mirković, (n/a), 2003, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 97 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Promising Boy, The / Dečko koji obećava [FL 548] The beginning of the movie finds Slobodan Milošević, a promising medical student from a respectable family background, being seduced by an open-minded Swiss girl. When he confesses the affair to his long-term girlfriend Maša, she hits him on the head with a paddle and his behavior is radically changed. He leaves home, has a serious quarrel with his parents, quits the university and engages in a series of sexual encounters with unknown women, including Maša’s mother. All of a sudden Slobodan's life evolves in the world without any social or moral obligations. Soon, he makes new friends in the Belgrade rock scene and forms a successful band, once again, with a promising, though different future in front of him. In the meanwhile, Maša, offended by his behavior, believes that another blow in the head would put things back under control again. This does indeed happen when Slobodan is injured in a bike crash: once he wakes up in hospital, he indeed starts acting “normal” again. He even plans a wedding with Maša only to find out, in the middle of the ceremony, that Pit, his friend from the band, has died and in his final agony he beats his head against the mirror. Miloš Miša Radivojević, Yugoslavia, 1981, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 95 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Maternal Halfbrothers / Braća po materi [FL 553] Two maternal half-brothers, a Croat and a Serb, have been separated since birth. Years later, Veselin murders a schoolmate and ends up in prison, where he receives a letter from his older Croat half-brother Braco, now a political emigrant living in Austria. A correspondence starts and Veselin learns about his brother’s past. Braco was born in 1930s in an ethnically mixed family. With the beginning of WWII, his Croat father was recruited by the Ustasha but soon killed by partisans. After the hardships of war, Braco’s Serbian mother married a village partisan and Veselin was born, but Braco was still regarded as a “son of the Ustasha”. While he was in the army, his girlfriend's family arranged for her to marry a much older man, and when she ran away to Braco, his superior officers informed her family and sent Braco to a distant garrison. Disillusioned, Braco escaped across the border and joined the Ustasha movement. Through the letters and tapes that the brothers send to each other, their relationship evolves from initial mistrust to a mutual understanding and almost a bond. Though aware that the police have listened to his tapes, Braco joins his employer on a journey to Yugoslavia, knowing that he will be arrested at the border. The two brothers finally meet in prison. Zdravko Šotra, Yugoslavia, 1988, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 85 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Better than Escape / Bolje od bekstva [FL 554] In this love melodrama, Stamena, an American woman of Yugoslav origin, comes for the first time to Belgrade wishing to learn the language. She meets young Belgrade actor Aleksa, falls in love with him and gets married. At first they live happily and she fully adapts to the new environment. However, unsatisfied with the stereotypical roles that he usually plays and troubled by the constant lack of money, Aleksa gradually turns to drink. Still, they manage to endure this difficult period when their son is born. Aleksa quits drinking and starts acting in a popular TV comedy series which brings him both money and new ethical dilemmas. Though the premiere of his ambitious politically engaged play turns out to be a huge success, it is immediately taken off the repertoire. Aleksa now starts to drink even more heavily and has serious fights with his wife. When he eventually causes a car crash with fatal consequences and ends up in jail Stamena returns with her son to America. The final scene finds them both in her American home – in what is to be their last encounter. Now talking in English, he can only see how her life completely changed and that his son does not even recognize him, let alone speak his language. Miroslav Lekić, Yugoslavia, 1993, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 100 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Byzantine Blue / Vizantijsko plavo [FL 561] This enigmatic artsy movie is a not very successful attempt at a screen adaptation of several different short stories by Serbian writer Milorad Pavić, internationally acclaimed author of “The Dictionary of the Khazars.” In its basics, it is a genuine if strange love story between two completely different people. She is in her twenties, a funny, playful and beautiful girl who makes hasty decisions and is a bit cynical about men. She also studies mathematics and is skilful with her computer where she stores her intimate thoughts, though this “emotional relationship” only shows her loneliness. Following a trail of blue dust the girl meets an unusual man and soon a bizarre intellectual and carnal romance develops between the two. He is older then her and always had to work hard and thus accepts that sometimes things slip from his hands, although he has talent, intelligence and hidden energy. Recently, he broke with his past and now searches obsessively for the fourth, secret element of the “Byzantine blue”, that special nuance of blue used by medieval Byzantine icon painters. It turns out at the end that he was searching for the formula of eternity. Dragan Marinković, Yugoslavia, 1993, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 88 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Igman March, The / Igmanski marš [FL 563] This epic war saga is based on real events and portrays one of the most celebrated heroic enterprises of the Yugoslav partisans during WWII. During the bitterly cold winter of 1942, the First Partisan Proletarian Brigade is surrounded by strong enemy forces on the Romanija Mountain in Bosnia. Faced with no other option, partisan headquarters decide to make a dangerous move – they will march through the night across Mount Igman near Sarajevo, until they reach the town of Foča which is under their control. Desperately trying to reach liberated territory, Yugoslav partisans of all nationalities engage in the legendary “Igman March” defying horrific weather conditions, chilling winds and temperatures of -40º. Their successful arrival in Foča, however, does not bring an end to the torments of 40 frozen fighters as they now must win the battle against frostbite, gangrene and fever. The long final part of the movie focuses on the recovery of those injured partisans, at least as painful as a real combat. In a series of genuine horror scenes occurring in Foča war hospital partisans are shown enduring superhuman pains during the amputation of frozen body parts without anesthesia or proper equipment. Zdravko Šotra, Yugoslavia, 1983, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 94 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Below the Line / Ispod crte [FL 565] This family drama set in contemporary, post-1990 Zagreb centers around youngster Toni, whose neighbor and ex-girlfriend Zrinka announces she is leaving with her mother for Italy in search of work. He finally realizes that he loves her and wants to leave with her. But there is yet another reason for his decision – Toni desperately wants to get away from his difficult family situation. His whole family is terrorized by his father, a traumatized war veteran with a serious case of PTSP. After nervous Toni unintentionally provokes the latest family incident, his mother ends up in hospital after a beating from his father, who is taken into custody. At that point, Toni’s grandfather and grandmother, who never accepted their son’s wife and blame her for all of his troubles, decide to kidnap Toni’s little sister Klara. Backed with political connections, they wish to take care of her and provide her with a proper moral upbringing. So Toni finds himself torn between his loved one, who is already packing her bags for Italy, and his family which he cannot leave in this hard times. The final sentimental scene finds them all in the yard in front of the hospital where the father, having escaped from prison, threatens to blow up everyone with the hand grenade. Petar Krelja, Croatia, 2003, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 105 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Fever of Love aka Love Fever / Groznica ljubavi [FL 566] The film revolves around two youngsters, Vesna and Bane; they are passionately in love, but when she goes abroad for the summer holidays, he cheats on her. On her return Vesna finds out about Bane’s infidelity, and though he deeply regrets it, breaks up with him. New problems arise when she realizes that she is pregnant. She cannot have an abortion and wants to keep her baby, but her mother has more ambitious plans for her. She forces Vesna to hide her pregnancy from everyone, including Bane, and through a lawyer arranges an illegal adoption by a German couple. Confused Vesna sees no alternative but to agree to this immoral plan. Still, when Bane finally finds about his ex-girlfriend's pregnancy and the wheeling and dealing that have taken place, he kidnaps the newborn baby. Realizing her mistake, Vesna forgives Bane for his infidelity and joins him and their friends in a joint endeavor to keep the baby. The lawyer, however, reports the kidnapping to the police and Bane gets arrested, while the baby is returned to the German couple. It seems that there is no way out of the situation, but a happy end is assured as Vesna’s father finally decides to protect his daughter and helped by their devoted friends, the young couple manages to get their son back. Vlastimir Radovanović, Yugoslavia, 1984, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 98 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Sixth Gear, The / Šesta brzina [FL 567] This light comedy, set in Yugoslavia of the late 1970s, revolves around various episodes in the life of middle-aged car mechanic Života. Easygoing and never in a hurry, Života runs his workshop in the in a very different way to his rival across the street, a swift businessman always busy servicing cars, but nothing more. Života is the opposite: in the setting of his workshop and the adjoining yard, his customers bring along their different life troubles as well. On and on, Života gets openheartedly involved in relationships with his lively customers, from a car hypochondriac utterly convinced that there is something wrong with his perfect new car to a pensioner who tries to turn his old car into suitable living quarters and thus make up for the lack of space in his small apartment. Regardless of what they are, Života tries to help them solve their private problems and in the process gets himself into some comical and sad adventures. Inevitably, times change and eventually, not without bitterness, he tries to change himself, intending to become more like his colleague across the street. But people need him the way he is and miss his closeness and warmth, and soon Života is his old self again. Zdravko Šotra, Yugoslavia, 1981, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 85 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Balkan Express / Balkan Ekspres [FL 568] This madcap comedy, set in the last days before the German invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941, follows the adventures of a group of petty-thieves, wandering around disguised as the music ensemble called “Balkan Express.” They find plenty of opportunities to practice their trade amidst the confusion which erupts everywhere as people flee the invading Nazis. However, when the Nazis actually move in, things take a turn for the worse and the group's only concern now is to stay alive under the first horrors of the war. Through chance and necessity, these people from the dregs of society grow out of their meaningless destinies and become unlikely war heroes . The film was a great success thanks to its unprecedented comic treatment of the mythic partisan struggle during WWII, and was soon followed by a sequel focusing on the same group of characters. Branko Baletić, Yugoslavia, 1983, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 88 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Moth, The / Moljac [FL 570] Dedicated to a famous Serbian theater actor and to his popular role, this film is a genuine example of Yugoslav mainstream comedy, filled with populist humor. The film tells the comic story of an actor who becomes over-involved in his role. Miodrag Andrić is a divorced national theatre star who tours the country playing a character named “Moth”. The play is popular, but the trouble is that everybody takes him for his theatrical character. Burdened by this popularity and numerous entertainment duties, and further troubled by his teenage son who wants to cash in on his father’s popularity, he starts losing his way, and in the process gets into a series of comic situations. Gradually he too gets so engrossed in his role that he starts believing that he is actually becoming a character from his act, the “Moth”, so he seeks professional help. Unfortunately, the doctor turns out to be even worse psychopath than Miodrag himself. In order to escape from his theater role, he quits acting and starts doing various different jobs, only to realize that he does not know to do anything except tell jokes. Milivoje Mića Milošević, Yugoslavia, 1984, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 85 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Hello, Officer / Ćao, inspektore [FL 571] Set in a small provincial town where nothing exciting ever happens and the two local police officers, Boki and Pajko, are constantly bored and devote their time to mutual childish pranks. The unexpected commotion begins when a dangerous international gang arrives with the intention of blowing up a hotel full of unsuspecting tourists. Boki is arrested by National Security as a prime suspect, on account of his remarkable resemblance to the main gang boss (played by the same actor as Boki). Soon National Security realizes that they could use this unusual coincidence to their advantage and recruit Boki as an undercover agent. All of a sudden his life changes completely as he is entrusted with a dangerous mission – he has to prevent the atrocity and eliminate the whole gang. This represents a major challenge for experienced Boki and, after a series of comic situations, he successfully accomplishes the task. The adventures of Boki and Pajko encouraged two more celluloid follow-ups. The film is also interesting for its basic homophobic storyline, since lots of cheap “jokes” revolve around the homosexuality of the main villains, which in itself is stereotypically portrayed. Zoran Čalić, Yugoslavia, 1985, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 85 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Hallo taxi / Halo taksi aka Halo taxi [FL 572] Set in Belgrade of the early 1980s this film, a mixture between a thriller and a gangster movie, begins in a suburban taxi station where the usual routine is changed when one day a new driver comes to work – a beautiful young woman. At first hesitant towards her, full of prejudices and suspicious off her professional qualities, her experienced male colleagues eventually accept her as their equal and tell her their life stories. One of her older colleagues, an ex-boxer called Suger, suspects that his wife is cheating on him and when he catches her in the act, he deals with her lover, Bizmark. After the incident his wif who turns out to be drug addict used by Bizmark, leaves him and he gets badly beaten up. Suger decides to take justice into his own hand. At the same time, the police also get interested in Bizmark who has a fleet of girls around him, all of them drug addicts with a habit of disappearing mysteriously. In a spectacular showdown leading to the happy end, everyone gets involved; from a massive line of taxi drivers led by their beautiful colleague, to the local police and Interpol. Vlastimir Radovanović, Yugoslavia, 1983, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 94 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Robbery Of The Third Reich, The / Pljačka Trećeg Rajha [FL 575] Shot after 1990, this comedy is supposedly based on true events that took place at the very beginning of WWII in Yugoslavia. The film’s unlikely heroes are not Yugoslav partisans, however, but two charming, stylish crooks. Glavonja – older and wiser of the duo, and Kalauz who is younger and quite naïve, but makes up for it by his courage, are inseparable friends and masters of their trade. Witty and proud of their “employment”, they are constantly in and out of the prison, with each departure and arrival passionately mourned and celebrated by their faithful wives, who literally adore them. With the beginning of the war, the two realize that the Germans have been stashing enormous amounts of stolen gold, money and artworks in Berlin. Confident in their skills they head for Berlin with the intention of robbing the famous “Hermes Bank,” where the stolen treasure is kept. After series of comical adventures, they successfully fulfill their mission and thus accomplish their “noble” revenge against the German invaders. Zdravko Šotra, Serbia and Montenegro, 2004, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 97 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM March to Drina, The aka March to River Drina, The / Marš na Drinu [FL 577] Unlike most of the war movies made under the Yugoslav communist regime, this film does not actually deal with either WWII or the communist revolution, but rather chronicles and celebrates the historic battle of Drina and Cer during the early stages of the First World War, when a small and outnumbered Serbian army defeated the invading Austro-Hungarian forces. The story revolves around the officers and men of a small Serbian artillery division, from before the actual campaign begins up to its victorious conclusion. Through their strenuous journey to Mount Cer, the film reveals in close detail several individual soldiers and their characters with the personal doubts, worries and joys which they bring into battle, with various consequences. At the end of an exhausting non-stop march, they finally arrive at Mount Cer and enter the battle in the decisive moment. After some initial mistakes and losses they eventually manage to repel the Austrian troops which invaded the country, but not before several of the main characters have met heroic deaths. Živorad Žika Mitrović, Yugoslavia, 1964, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 102 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Is it Clear, My Friend? / Jel' jasno, prijatelju? [FL 579] This prison action movie is colloquially referred to as the first film of Croatia’s Serbian minority on account of its director and the first post-1991 appearance of one-time house actor Rade Šerbedžija in a Croatian film. Set in the 1980s and supposedly based on a true story, the film unsuccessfully tries to use life behind prison bars as a sort of metaphor for the overall abuses of the Yugoslav communist regime. The film’s central character is quiet accountant Martin who is wrongly convicted of murder and sentenced to twelve years in a high-security, communist style prison in Stara Gradiška. All kinds of criminals live in this institution – from plain murderers and rapists to political prisoners and psychopaths. In spite of restrictions, inmates gamble, try to evade their duties and plan to escape. Martin soon discovers that the guards are as much a threat to his safety as the other inmates as he witnesses brutal violence, torture, sexual assault, and cold-blooded murder on a daily basis. Similar events cause a prison riot and Martin is involved as one of its leaders. A special agent is called from Belgrade to solve the problem. Seemingly friendly at first, he eventually betrays the rebellious prisoners and order is reestablished with many of the prisoners killed. Dejan Aćimović, Croatia, 2000, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 95 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM In the Name of God / Ram Ke Nam [FL 595] This film follows the campaign by the militant movement Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) to destroy a 16th century mosque in the city of Ayodhya. Supporters of the VHP claim that the mosque stands right on the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram, and that in order to build it the temple to Ram was destroyed several centuries ago. In retaliation they now demand the destruction of the Muslim sanctuary and the building of a new temple to honor the god Ram. The conflict escalated into open violence, in which thousands of people lost their lives. The film is a powerful testimony about how far religious intolerance can lead. Anand Patwardhan, India, 1991, English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Second Hand Books / Antykwariat [FL 596] A second-hand bookstore is most often associated with a peaceful visit, and the quiet time-travel among the dusty old books. This one in Warsaw, however, is entirely different. People come here not only for the books, which must be dug out with difficulty from the piles covering this small space. Customers are mainly regulars, treating the bookstore as a place to meet, chat and share their troubles. The owner, Krzysztof, watches over everything. Like a doctor, he seems to know what's ailing whom, and what his customers need. Maciej Cuske, Poland, 2005, Polish/Subtitles: English, 28 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Tigerwomen Grow Wings / Den Tigerfrauen wachsen Flügel [FL 597] A portrait of three women from different generations. Opera singer Hsieh Yueh Hsia experienced the Japanese occupation and the takeover of Taiwan by the National Chinese forces; she believes in traditional values and a strict hierarchy within the family. The next generation have seen a shift away from traditional female roles in Taiwanese society towards the idea of the modern woman, struggling for independence and equality. Writer Li Ang experienced the military dictatorship’s repressive value system; she also saw, as a young adult, the country’s transition to democracy. Young film director Chen Yin-jung, however, is a firm believer in modernity and globalization. This film is not only about the individual biographies of three women; it also aims to depict Taiwanese society during the heady days of transition from one political system to another. Monika Treut, Germany, 2004, Chinese, Mandarin/Subtitles: English, 83 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Unmik Titanic / Unmik Titanic [FL 598] New Year’s Eve, December 2003. Pristina, Kosovo: one of the most heavily guarded places on earth. After four years of Serbo–Albanian conflicts and 77 days of NATO bombing, UN administrators have taken over. But what kind of life do ordinary people lead there now? The film focuses on Serbian families living in an abandoned building. Of the 40,000 Serbs who lived in Pristina before the conflict, only 100 remain. Some of them took over a building from the Yu Programme, hoping for a better future. They expected to have to stay in this downtown residential area only for a while, but it has been their ghetto for five years. In spite of everything, nobody wants to miss the New Year celebrations. What is this special evening like for the families? The children are 'locked up' in the building, too scared to go outside. They play soccer between apartments and watch videos while adults chat over drinks and listen to Serbian turbo-folk music. With dynamic handheld camera-work and almost no artificial lighting, the director captures the depressing atmosphere and the hopelessness of people whose lives are ruled by others. Boris Mitic, Serbia and Montenegro, 2004, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 56 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Specialist, The / Un spécialiste, portrait d'un criminel moderne [FL 600] On May 11, 1960, Adolph Eichmann, the chief of SS transportation and a leading player in the Holocaust, was captured by the Israeli secret service in Argentina, where he had been living for ten years as ‘Ricardo Clement’. One year later he was put on trial in Jerusalem, seated in a bullet proof glass box and tried for ‘crimes against humanity.’ Drawing entirely on the 350 hours of rare footage recorded during the trial, this film about obedience and responsibility is the portrait of an expert in problems resolving, responsible of the elimination of several million people, a modern criminal. Eyal Sivan, Israel, 1999, Hebrew/Subtitles: English, 128 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM We All Are Made of Coal / Wszyscy Jesteśmy z Węgla [FL 601] An unemployed miner in Wałbrzych, Lower Silezia, turned to filmmaking for survival. But apart from recording baptisms, first communions, proms, and weddings, he has started to capture the world of poverty around him. Many of his unemployed friends continue quarrying illegally on the closed mines to provide for their families. "Everyone here is dying, but some are still fighting," says amateur filmmaker Roman Janiszek. It is these poverty-stricken people that he records with his camera. This is not a film, however, about human poverty, but about human passion. A deeply personal and apprehensive portrait of a young generation trapped by changing economic realities. Tomasz Wiszniewski, Poland, 2004, Polish/Subtitles: English, 45 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Lora - Testimonies / Lora – svjedočanstva [FL 602] A film about the prison located in the 'Lora' military harbor area in Split where over 1000 prisoners from Split, Dalmatia, Yugoslavia and Bosnia Herzegovina were held from 1992 until 1996. The testimonies recorded in this film confirm the system of brutal torture and also the death or 'disappearance' of some 70 prisoners. Former Croatian military police officers claim they can no longer remember the events in question, despite the detailed accounts previously given to pre-trial investigators. Likewise, former inmates of the prison have declined to answer court summonses or have changed their testimony on the stand. Nenad Puhovski, Canada, 2004, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 65 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Venecijus's Life and Death of Cezar / Venecijaus Gyvenimas ir Cezario mirtis [FL 603] Venecius is a Lithuanian peasant farmer just shy of fifty. From the time that his wife and children left him, he has lived on a remote farm, completely isolated from society. One day he bought a pig and named it Cezar. While he feeds and prepares it for slaughter, Cezar becomes more and more Venecius's companion and a witness to his loneliness. However, when the fattened pig reaches a weight of 80 kg, its fate is sealed. The film is a delicate balance between a melancholic documentary and humorous farce. Janina Lapisnkaite, Lithuania, 2002, Lithuanian/Subtitles: English, 54 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Your Crusade For Freedom [FL 604] This short filmreel originally accompanied the famous radio Free Europe fundraising/awareness campaign "The Crusade for Freedom" (1950). It tells the story of the Radio and the NCFE efforts to expand the network of broadacsting stations in Europe in order to fight communist propaganda and, in the words of Dwight Eisenhower to ‘tell the truth.’" The film shows the by now classical images of the Balloon Warfare -baloons captioned "SVOBODA" carried boxes containing leaflets that listed the wavelengths of major free world stations transmitting to Czechoslovakia. The Crusade for Freedom took as its symbol a bell resembling the American liberty bell. The bell traveled to West Berlin, where it was permanently installed on United Nations Day, October 24, 1950. More than 400,000 Berliners—100,000 of them having risked crossing the border from East Berlin—filled City Hall Square to witness the dedication ceremonies. Although the Crusade for Freedom never raised enough money to fund more than a small part of the RFE budget, its ubiquitous advertising, along with parades, public forums, and slogans such as "Fight the Big Lie with the Big Truth" and "Help Truth Fight Communism," served to mobilize American support for the Cold War. (excerpts only)United States, English, 6 min, propaganda film, DVD-ROM Red Nightmare [FL 604] The famous anti-Communist propaganda film, commisioned for the Department of Defense, was a standard curriculum in civics, history, etc. throughout the sixties. Today it is sometimes shown as "The Commies are Coming!" in classes about the anti-Communist excesses of the period. It's also become something of a cult comedy classic. "Red Nightmare" opens on a seemingly all-American town complete with American cars, soda fountains and freedoms but surrounded by barbed wire barricades and Russian soldiers. Jack Webb tells us "it may be assumed that such a town does exist, shrouded in secrecy and protected by utmost security, deep behind the Iron Curtain." According to Webb, it is used to train Russian students in "espionage as a science" and "propaganda as an art" in order to destroy American freedoms. Webb then launches into our main story, that of a typical complacent American, Jerry Donovan, who, the narrator tells us, "tends to take his freedoms much for granted." After being shown an idyllic picture of a typical American family complete with younger kids, the movie takes an eerie turn. The next day Jerry awakes to a Red Nightmare, his community overun by communists. He can't make a phone call without a permit, his wife & children are automatons, Bill is a Communist soldier who transports Linda to a farm collective in order to free her "from the lingering bourgeois influence of family life."Jerry is ultimately tried and convicted of crimes against the state for complaining of lack of warrants, his children being sent to a state school to make up for his failure to indoctrinate them, etc..Jerry awakens from his Red Nightmare with new dedication to the defense of liberty. And as an added bonus, his daughter defers her decision to mary until her fianceBill completes his hitch in the service. George Waggner, United States, 1962, English, 29 min, propaganda film, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: Battle of Russia [FL 605] "The Battle of Russia" is the fifth entry in Frank Capra's "Why We Fight" series, and arguably the most intersting one. Originally presented to audiences in two parts for its first run in 1943 it covers the years 1941-'42, and, as the title suggests, devotes most of its attention to the harsh realitiesof the Eastern Front following Germany's 1941 invasion into the USSR. A classical example of war propaganda, the film's lofty pathos may disappoint contemporary viewer looking for a more complex representation of the war at the Eastern Front. It is, however, a US government sponsored (!) rare coverage of the Soviet side of the trenches produced during the brief period of "good feelings" when both nations muted their criticism of the other. Thus, for the first and one of the few times Hollywood lauds prasie of the "free and united" people" of the Soviet Union." The film begins with a historical survey of repeated invasions and repulsions, almost all invaders breaking on the gate of Moscow, defeated either by Russia's immense size or its brutal winters. It then quickly returns to the modern day and shows Germany's speedy conquest of the Balkans, including Hungary, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Greece. The first part ends with the Germany's launching its attack on June 22, 1941.The second part examines the failure of Germany's blitzkrieg style of warfare when confronted with Russia's defense-in-depth strategy. The failed sieges of Leningrad and Stalingrad are show in detail, as well as close-shots of German atrocities, gallows, mass graves, etc. The film concludes with the uplifting message of the "heroic spirit" of the Soviet people shattering the myth of Germany's invincibility. Frank Capra, Anatole Litvak, United States, 1943, English, 83 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: Battle of China [FL 606] This part of the acclaimed Frank Capra series "Why We Fight!" series focuses on one of the forgotten theaters of the WWII, the war between between Japan and China, following the Japanese invasion of Manchuria. A classic example of war-time American propaganda, "Battle of China" is not immune to severe distortions and exeggerations, and some would argue, clearly racist connotations, typical of the so-called "Infotmational Films" produced by the US War departement to boost the morales of the domestic public and convey the message of the Allies' military and moral superiority. The film goes out of its way to celebrate Chinese resistance and military strength (arguably, in a somewhat exeggerated manner), while demonizing the Japanese aggression fthrough the closeups of atrocities committed against Chinese civilians. Japan's invasion of China is described as "Phase Two" of a four-part plan to conquer the world, ending with "Phase Four", an attack "Eastward to crush the United States". For all its ideological bias and obvious propagandistic agenda, the film is best seen together with other films from the Capra's series, such as the "Battle of Russia," or "War Comes to America." Bracketing the unfortunate distortions conditioned by the film's ideological message, "Battle of China" is a good source of military footage, including scenes of massacresc carried out by the Japanese army (e.g. the infamous Rape of Nanking that took the lives of 40 000 Chinese civilians, etc.) Frank Capra, United States, 1944, English, 64 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: War Comes to America [FL 607] The film's director Frank Capra served as a major in the U.S. Army Signal Corps and was commissioned by Army Chief of Staff General G. Marshall to make a series of films that would explain the government's policy to the troops hastily being assembled, trained, and sent overseas. The "Why We Fight" series is the supreme example of propaganda put out by the U.S. government during World War II. "War Comes to America" is the 7th and final film in the series. It sums up the historical and ideological information that was presented in greater detail during the other six films, reguritating a lot of material from "Prelude to War." It also delivers a powerful ideological statement about the mission and meaning of American democracy addressed both to domestic and international publics. It traces the shift in public opinion from isolationism towards supporting the Allies against the Axis forces brought about by Pearl Harbor. The film opens with children pledging allegiance to the flag, visits Lexington and Valley Forge, surveys the militant and idealistic history of the United States before embarking on a catalogue listings of states and nationalities contributing to the war effort. After this extended self-admiring prologue, the film recaps the major events of the War, starting with the 1931 invasion of Manchuria by the Japanese until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and America's entry into the war. Characteristically, the last three films of the Capra's series concentrate a lot more on the virtues of their Allied armies than on the atrocities of the Axis foes. Arguably, the events of the WWII are used as a backdrop against which the virtues of American society can be effectively celebrated - e.g. racial tolerance (the Japanese are conventiently unmentioned), freedom, solidarity, etc. Frank Capra, United States, 1945, English, 66 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: Divide and Conquer [FL 608] The third film in the Office of War Information sponsored and Frank Capra directed `Why We Fight' series, "Divide and Conquer" is more propaganda than a documentary. The films in the series were commissioned by United States Army Chief of Staff George Marshall to explain to the draftees why they were fighting and what principles they were fighting for, but were also released almost simultaneously to the general public in 1943. As an opening title card explains, `This film will deal with the period when the Nazi blitzkrieg reached its highest point and Nazi treachery reached its lowest point.' The film begins in the spring of 1940 with scenes of German propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels and Adolf Hitler giving speeches stating their friendly attitude toward the neutral countries of Denmark and Norway shortly before invading, overrunning, and occupying both nations. After comparing Hitler to the `gangster Dillinger,' "Divide and Conquer" turns it attention to the German plan to attack Holland, Belgium, and France. The French, secure behind the Maginot Line (a series of impregnable fortifications protecting France's border with Germany), and embracing a policy of defense, are caught unprepared when the Germans attack in force through the supposedly impassable Ardennes Forest. Germany's attack was launched on May 10, 1940, and to the surprise and amazement of the world France was overrun within weeks, signing an armistice with Germany on June 22. Meanwhile, the English army narrowly averted complete annihilation as its troops (along with a number of French and Belgium troops) are hastily and heroically evacuated from the French port of Dunkirk. Using a great deal of army and captured enemy film, animated maps and an unidentified US army officer explaining in detail the cause of France's defeat, "Divide and Conquer" portrays the Germans as practically invincible. Frank Capra, United States, 1944, English, 57 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: The Battle of Britain [FL 609] The film is the fourth addition to the Office of War Information sponsored and Frank Capra directed `Why We Fight' series. More propaganda than documentary, it was commissioned by United States Army Chief of Staff George Marshall to be screened both to the draftees and the general public as early as 1943. The time frame for this film is June through December 1940. We see Germans entering what can only be described as a stunned Paris, while a Darth Vader-like Adolf Hitler strides through the northern port city of Calais, looking hungrily through a pair of binoculars at what, we assume, is the southern coast of England. As the title indicates, "The Battle of Britan" is devoted to Germany's prolonged air assault of Britain following her swift defeat of France. It begins by sketching was the filmmakers believed was the phased plan for the conquest of Britain - defeat the Royal Air Force, then destroy coastal defenses and land paratrooper shock troops, finally ferry land troops and tanks over the by then secure English Channel. "The Battle" is an examination of the triumph of the RAF against daunting odds and a celebration of the indomitable spirit of the English people. The fourth of the seven `Why We Fight' movies is also the first to end without an Allied defeat or an Axis victory. Like all the `Why We Fight' movies, "The Battle of Britain" will likely look familiar even to those who've never seen them. The exact same footage of London in flames and scrambling RAF pilots has been used in countless subsequent documentaries of England's finest hour.Capra's technique - a rapid paced montage of newsreel footage punctuated by a dramatic voice-over narration - became the preferred way to present the subject. L Frank Capra, United States, 1945, English, 54 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: Nazi Strike [FL 610] The second part of the acclaimed Frank Capra series "Why We Fight", "The Nazis Strike " (released in 1943), covers the rise of the Nazis to power as Hitler establishes his dictatorship over Germany and then has his armies march on Austria and Czechoslovakia before invading Poland and officially beginning the war. It emphasizes the failed attempts at appeasement meant to deter Hitler from his dreams of conquest. Capra documents how Hitler combined political maneuvers with military preparedness to position Germany for war. The section on the "Blitzkrieg" ("lighting war") attack on Poland is a detailed record of the fall of that nation before the German juggernaut. The subsequent film of the series, "Divide and Conquer," follows the German war machine as it continued to march across Europe. Like the entire series, "Nazy Strike" combine documentary facet with an explicit propagandistic overtone. Although they clearly do not provide a sophisticated, detailed and detached analysis of history, the "Why We Fight" series is a good place to look for the authentic film footage of the time, some of it quite rare, as well as for an excellent example of government-sponsored war propaganda. Franc Capra, United States, 1943, English, 43 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: Know Your Enemy [FL 611] Originally made in 1945 as part of the acclaimed Frank Capra series "Why we Fight!", "Know Your Enemy - Japan" was desgined to fully inform the American soldier of the characteristics of his foe, the Japanese soldier. The movie opens with a characteristic statement that aptly captures its propagandistic spirit. The director explains that the focus of the fillm are not Americans of Japanese descent, or those Japanese fighting in Europe on the side of the Allies, "who however close they resemble our enemies in appearance have proved their right to American citizenship on the battelfields", but the "Japs of Japan to whom the words liberty and freedom are still without meaning." Extensively using Japanese feature films, newsreels and filmfootage, Capra presents a sweeping history of the Japanese people and their culture, from Shintoism, to social structure, to emperial family and martial arts. In an explicit juxtaposition with the enlightened and progressive American audience, the Japanese come across as backward, militarist, and infinitely remote from the "liberal and democratic values." "Know Your Enemy" is perhaps, one of the most blatantly propagandistic film of the Capra series, its documentary value obfuscated by the political agenda it puts forward; yet it is definitely an interesting example of the genre. Frank Capra, United States, 1945, English, 64 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: Prelude To War [FL 612] "Prelude to War" is the first film in Frank Capra's "Why We Fight" series that was commissioned by the United States Government to explain first to the soldiers, then to the general public, America's involvement in World War II. They aren't documentaries in the general sense of the word, and they don't pretend a detached view of America or its Axis enemies, but rather a calssical example of war-time propaganda film. "Prelude To War" is the most wide-ranging movie in the series. It stretches back from Moses and the Ten Commandments to `we hold these truths to be self evident' to the Lincoln Memorial to establish America as one of the `lighthouses of liberty' of the Free World. Capra contrasts this with the Slave World of Germany, Italy, and Japan, where men `threw away their human dignity,' destroyed the temples of worship, indoctrinated the youth in the habits of militarism, and forsook free thought for blind obedience to their charismatic leaders. A lot of screen time is devoted to contrasting the regimented life in the Axis states to the free life in the rest of the world. Capra deserves full credit for this strong to overpowering approach, with a nod to series' editor award-winner William Hornbeck, Japan's Tanaka Plan, it's `blueprint for world domination' is looked at in some detail, and Japan's invasion of Manchuria and China in the early '30s, phase one of the Tanaka Plan, is shown. The film ends with Italy's attack on Ethiopia in 1935. Frank Capra, United States, 1942, English, 53 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Why We Fight: Tunisian Victory [FL 613] In this installment of the acclaimed Frank Capra series "Why We Fight!," the director undertakes a detailed examination of the execution and planning of the Operation Acrobat, an Allied operation that paved the way for the subsequent defeat of Germany in North Africa. The series were commisionedby Army Chief of Staff General Marshall and were initially meant to explain the policy of the U.S. government to freshly recruited soldiers ready to be dispacthed to the battlefields of Europe, North Africa or the Far East. Eventually the "Why We Fight" series was shown to the public in theaters and prints were distributed to American allies in England and the Soviet Union as well. Although designed as a typical documentary film like other parts of the series, "Tunisian Victory" is an intersting example of war-time American propaganda and a good source of newsreels and film footage of the period. Frank Capra, United States, 1944, English, 75 min, newsreels, DVD-ROM Beshkempir / Бешкемпир [FL 614] A Kyrgyz/French co-production, the film "Beshkempir" restores the traditional Kyrgyz way of life in such a full value and such a precision as to create an impression of a documentary. Director Aktan Abdukalykov believes that the aesthetics of the film that is built upon the combination of several observation-episodes recalls of the aesthetics of the traditional Kyrgyz patch-work quilt - kurak, or tekemet, where each patch of fabric is a memory of concrete person. Not accidentally then, the film opens with a splash of color - a close-up of a beautiful tekemet, which introduces the film's theme and structure. The film starts with the picture of five women - besh kempir - holding a ceremony of socialization for an infant: an orphan baby adopted by a childless family. In order to protect the boy from the evil eye they give him the name - Beshkempir. Once a teenager, the boy learns that he was adopted and starts to look at his parents differently. The only person with whom he prefers not to analyze the matter of relations is his grandmother who dearly loves him. However, there comes a moment of growing up when the issue of origins stops bothering him. Aktan Abdykalykov, Kyrgyzstan, 1998, Kyrgyz/Subtitles: English, 78 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Orator, The / Voiz [FL 615] In a playful and slightly ironical way, the film conveys the history of the establishement of Soviet power in Uzbekistan. Irony notwithstanding, the plot is based on the cruel stories about the so-called "Hudjum" movement that persecuted Uzbek women who staunchly refused to renounce the wearing of traditional veils. The director fashions his story as a kind of Oriental fairytale about a poor arbakesh who happened to have three wives, and shortly thereafter, acquired a fourth one. In order to protect his wives from the new power, he, being a talented public orator, becomes a staff agitator - "the voice" of the Soviet authorities. But the cruel epoch crushes him all the same and ruins the lives of his wives. Yusup Razykov, Uzbekistan, 1998, Uzbek, Uzbek/Dubbing: Russian/Subtitles: English, 55 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Where Truth Lies [FL 616] This film is about one of the many cases to come before the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). 22-year-old student leader Siphiwo Mtimkulu, and his friend Topsy Madaka, were shot and burned in 1982 by the feared Security Police under the former apartheid government. Gideon Nieuwoudt - nicknamed "Notorious Nieuwoudt" - was a colonel in the Security Police. He and his colleagues are responsible for the torture, poisoning, and death of numerous black activists, including Steve Biko. In 1995 a group of top Security Police officers got a court order to block Mtimkulu's family from giving evidence before the TRC, threatening to undermine the whole process. 48 hours before the deadline expired, the officers finally applied for amnesty. Filmmaker Mark Kaplan documented the case for three years, during which time Nieuwoudt met with the Mtimkulu family seeking their forgiveness with unexpected and dramatic consequences. Mark Kaplan, South Africa, 1998, English, 30 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Aksuat / Аксуат [FL 617] "Aksuat" - the name of the village, where the director of the film was born and lived. The modern accessories of life, such as mobile phones, cars, and satellite dishes notwithstanding, the lifestyle here remains essentially traditional, with the decision of the "elder" - local mob leader - controlling any action that is taken in the community. The story line evolves around the relationship of two brothers: Kanat and Aman. Kanat is a quintessential "new Kazakh", flat broke and disenchanted, who comes back to the village with his pregnant Russian wife. The elder brother Aman has lived in the village all his life, built a house, settled down but never married. "Aksuat" marks the breaking point in the development of Kazakh cinema in the era following the collapse of the USSR and the attainment of independence. The fates of the two brothers are the metaphors of the possible nation-building. The ones who leave lose their roots and moral values embedded in the traditional background. Those who stay in the countryside live a hard life in a corrupt, unjust society. But for all the hardships, the protagonists remain on their mothers' land. Thus, Aman's is the punch line of the film: "This is my house, my matches." The premier of the film in Kazakhstan went unnoticed. Later it received a Special Jury prize at IFF "Eurasia - 98"; prize of the Jury at the "Festival of Three Continents" in Nantes - 99, etc. Serik Aprymov, Kazakhstan, 1997, Russian, Russian, Kazakh/Subtitles: English, 78 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Little Angel, Make Me Happy / Ангелочек, сделай радость [FL 618] This Turkmen-Russian co-production tells a story of a German boy, who was exiled with his family from the Volga region to Turkmenistan at the beginning of World War II. Having avoided by a lucky chance another impending deportation, this time to Siberia, the boy is left alone in the abandoned village, doomed to a hungry death…The film was awarded the Grand Prix as a feature film for children at the "Berlinale - 93,", the Liv Ullmann prize in Chicago - 94, "Golden Butterfly" award in Isfahan - 94, "Silver Elephant" award in Udaipur - 93, the Grand Prix at "Kinotavr" in Sochi - 94, along with numerous other prizes. Usman Saparov, Turkmenistan, 1993, German, Russian, German, Turkmen/Subtitles: English, 88 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM You are not an orphan / Ты не сирота [FL 619] The film is the touching story of an Uzbek family who gave shelter to 14 children evacuated to Uzbekistan during World War II while the family's own son was drafted to the front. Children of different nationalities and ages learn to live together in one house - a veritable metaphor for the multi-national country itself. The Makamov family shelters a Russian, an Uzbek, a Jew and Lithuanian a Tatar, a Kazakh, etc. Every child gets into the family by accident but eventually stays on by the decision and the good will of the foster parents who realize that their house is a safe haven for the kids during the complicated times, certainly preferable to the orphange. The film combines staple patriotic and internationalist ideas of the time with the affirmation of the national mentality of the Uzbek people. The film's director, Shukhrat Abbasov, received the "Hamza," a State award of Uzbek SSR. The film was also awarded best screenplay prize at the first All-Union film festival in Leningrad, 1964. Shukhrat Abbasov, Uzbekistan, 1963, Russian/Subtitles: English, 75 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM White Mountains / Белые Горы [FL 620] The film tells of the tragic events in the aftermath of the Kyrgyz popular revolt of 1916. "White Mountains" was the first film to express the spirit of the nation, its wisdom, strength and perseverance during hard times. The image of the Blind Mother (actress Baken Kydykeeva) who takes up the burden of all the hardships that befall her is a metaphor for the miserable Motherland - a noble blind woman, who lost her sight mourning her dead husband and son. Only one daughter remains with her - Uldzhan - and to make her happy, the Blind Mother agrees to her journey to the city with the young man Mukash. Mukash's devotion overcomes all the trials and tribulations that haunt the two young people. The film was awarded the First Prize at the1965 Almaty Film Festival of Central Asian Republics. The distribution title of the film was "Hard Passage". It was selected by Kyrgyz cinematographers and film critics for the collection of the Central Asian Cinema compiled by OSI, Budapest and the Center of Central Asian Cinematography in 2006 in order to save the first work of the national cinematography, renowned for its outstanding artistic qualities. Melis Ubukeyev, Kyrgyzstan, 1964, Russian/Subtitles: English, 63 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Daughter in Law / Невестка [FL 621] The film is based on a true story witnessed by the director of the film. At the very railway junction where he spent his childhood there lived two people - an old shepherd and his daughter in law. The shepherd's son died at the front. The young wife, however, never accepted his death and kept waiting for her husband's return. The film "Daughter in Law" portrays the usual lifestyle of Turkmen shepherds with much insight and sympathy for the deeper meaning of traditional values. The wealth of detail and the laconic, iconographic, imagery prompted certain critics to call this film an "encyclopedia of Turkmen life." The cast of the movie is also noteworthy, especially the performance of the young actress Maya-Guizel Aymedova, who later became one of the best-known actresses of Turkmenistan. The film received the USSR State prize and was awarded numerous prizes at international film festivals, including Locarno, Tbilisi, Sorrento, Venice, etc. Hodzhakuli Narliev, Turkmenistan, 1972, Russian, Russian/Subtitles: English, 75 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Hasan-Arbakesh / Хасан-Арбакеш [FL 622] At first glance, youmight think that the film is going to tell a trivial story about an arbakesh named Hasan, who has a cart and a horse and dreams only of earning enough to be able to marry his beloved. As in a traditional fairy tale Hasan is young and handsome, strong and determined and very much in love. The fairy-tale plot, however, is set against the very real historical background, which soon starts to interfere brutally with the romantic thrust of the story. The film was shot during the so-called "Thaw" of the 1960s and contains a metaphorical protest against the establishement of Soviet regime in Tajikistan. Its main theme ia the clash between the traditional Tajik culture, and the new "invading" Soviet one. Unlike most of the "revolutionary" films that were shot in the Soviet Asian republics and focused on the bloody fights between the "reactionary" forces of traditional societies and the "righteous" Soviet "liberators," "Hasan-Arbakesh" shows the process of peaceful sovietization, that nevertheless, ruthlessly reroutes the fates of the characters. Hasan's cart is replaced by a truck, personal work becomes collectivized, the veil is jettisoned and a liberated woman, like Hasan's beloved Saodat, joins the Komsomol and is sent to teach in a romote kishlak. By the end of the film, the ever-joyous,singing and dancing Hasan is only a shadow of his former self, lost in a totally new strange world, full of "kolkhoz peasants", "proletarians" , pioneers with bugles and drums, and endless columns of cars, "busy building Stalin's communism." Boris Kimyagarov, Tajikistan, 1965, Russian, Russian/Subtitles: English, 91 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Kosh Ba Kosh / Кош Ба Кош [FL 623] The film tells a romantic love story set against the background of Tajik Civil War (1992-1996.) Curfews and bursts of tracer bullets piercing the night hardly seem compatible with a love story. In this strange and dangerous time the men of the city are all into gambling. Everybody gambles with everybody. The situation reaches absurd proportions when the main protagonist wins a young woman from her father. Not knowing what to do, the man decides to take the girl into his shlelter - a cable-car station in the mountains. The war seems far away, but soon it reaches even the apparently peaceful refuge as well. The film conveys the atmosphere of war-torn Dushanbe, the spirit of its citizens strengthened by the hardships and absurdities of the strange war. The film was awarded the "Silver Lion" at the International Film Festival in Venice in 1993, the Grand Prix in Saint Petersbourg - 94, and altogether has been screened at over 30 international film festivals. Bakhtiyar Khudoinazarov, Tajikistan, 1993, Russian/Subtitles: English, 98 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Land of the Fathers, The / Земля Отцов [FL 624] "The Land of the Fathers" is one of the outstanding Kazakh films of the Soviet epoch. Since it was shot during the "Thaw," the director was able to portray truly national characters and their resistance to the Soviet ideology. The leading characters - an old man and his grandchild - travel by train through Kazakhstan to Russia in order to search for the remains of the kid's father (the old man's son) who perished during Wolrd War II and to carry the remains back to Kazakhstan for burial. The mission fails because the soldier was buried in a common grave. During the trip the old man and his grandson Bayan come across different people and various mundane situations, which help the boy see the special place of national values in the big world around him. The film starts off with a close-up of a tombstone with an epitaph in Arabic. This frame, as well as other references to Muslim prayers and customs in the movie, were indeed a bold decision on the part of the director, considering the period during which the movie was shot and the possible repercussions. These episodes, however, alongside with other traditional attributes of the Kazakh world - steppe, river, sound of the dombra, etc. encapsulate the ethical codes that are central to the concept of the film. The action that takes places on the road builds on yet another strong code - the nomadic lifestyle of the Kazakhs. The encounters are not mere elements of the plot, but help reaffirm the deeper meaning of the traditional Kazakh wolrldview and values against those of other, "Western", "modern" cultures. Despite official acknowledgment and a number of domestic and international prizes garnered by it, the film is undeservedly forgotten, although it is truly one of the outstanding works of Soviet Asian cinematography. Shaken Aimanov, Kazakhstan, 1966, Russian/Subtitles: English, 85 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Lakshmi and Me [FL 629] This personal film turns the camera on the director's maid Lakshmi. She works nearly 10 hours a day, seven days a week for a number of Mumbai families, earning in a month what her employers would spend on a good meal. Dress, family relations anchored in tradition, her relations to education, doctors, male and female family roles – in almost everything Lakshmi is different from the families who can afford to employ her. The director eloquently illustrates this point in a number of scenes, such as when the protagonist chooses to eat sitting on the ground at her employer's luxury flat. As well as its Indian elements, the film focuses on questions linked to the justice of work and equality between different social classes. Lakshmi works though she is pregnant, weighs only 44 kilograms and has to deal with serious health problems. The director gradually turns away from the flats of Lakshmi's employers and turns the camera on the subject's own living conditions. Nishtha Jain, India, 2007, Hindi/Subtitles: English, 59 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Aral: Fishing in an Invisible Sea [FL 639] In the last few decades the Aral Sea has lost over 80% of its surface area. This is due in large part to the mismanagement of irrigation in the Amudariya and Syrdariya rivers basin, and the growing cotton industry in the first half of the twentieth century. The disappearing sea leaves behind a polluted desert, destroying the lives of the local inhabitants, traditional fishermen of Aral. The Uzbek village of Moynak, once located in the shores of the Aral Sea, today is little more than a wasteland with a few grassy shallows containing the last remaining fish. A majority of the local population has already been forced to move to neighboring kazakhstan, as fishing had always been the primary and very nearly the only source of livelihood in Moynak. This Uzbek -Italian co-production is an intimate portrayal of the three generations of the family trying to make a living in the desolute area. "I cannot imagine the grandfather's stories of an immense sea, which was sailed on by great shipsm are based on the truth," says little Janibek Anuarov, who with his father tries day after day to catch at least a few fish for dinner in the frozen shallows. The laconic style of shooting utilizes long shots, which, combined with the disturbing music of A.R. Mutti, reflects the belak situation of the locals, Even thoughthe level of water in the Aral sea has slightly increased in the last few years, according to estimates it will most certainly disappear by the year 2010. Saddat Ismailova, Carlos Casas, Uzbekistan, 2004, Uzbek/Subtitles: English, 53 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Closed District [FL 646] "During the filming of the lives of the people living here, I felt surrounded by the constant thought of death," says Belgian director Pierre-Yves Vandeweerd, who in 1996 set off to southern Sudan. For more than thirty years this area has been tormented by war between Arab Muslims from the North and Black Christians from the South, the war that claimed the lives of at least 2 million people. Seven years after the beginning of filming the author decided to edit his material and add his own commentary. With the passage of time and the benefit of a hindsights he is able to to reflect on individual images. In the remote village of Mankien, Vandeweerd has faithfully captured the daily lives of the villagers, from the traditional religious rituals to the absurdly horrific martial training of the local paramilitary units. With the use of balck-and-white footage, the film's powerful composition serves to underscore the ever-present dust and dryness of this extremely unhospitable countryside where villagers are forced to struggle for the survival. During this period they are oblivious to the fact that within a few years their village will be complitely decimated by the government military. Pierre-Yves Vandeweerd, France, 2004, French/Subtitles: English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Our Folk / Sami Swoi [FL 647] Two quarreling peasant families, homeless war refugees from the eastern part of Poland, are settled by chance on two neighboring farms. Before the war Karguł’s cow had got into Pawłak’s meadow. As a result, two barns were burned down, blood was spilled, and Jaśko Pawłak, the eldest son, had to emigrate to the United States. Now he comes back, as John, and finds the two families living in peace and harmony. They try to convince John that things have changed. It was the turbulent love between the peasants’ children, Witi and Jadźka, that eventually brought the feuding families together. One of the most popular and acclaimed Polish comedies, partially based upon the screenwriter's family story. Initially shot in black-and-white, the color version was made in 2000 by a private TV station. Sylwester Chęciński, Poland, 1964, Polish/Subtitles: English, 80 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Immortal, The / El Immortal [FL 649] In 1979 in Nicaragua there occurred the uprising of the Sandinistas, who overthrew the long running dictatorship of the Somozas. The government of the United States at that time was afraid that there would emerge a "second Cuba" in the region and began to organize and finance the anti-revolutionary movement of the Contras. The following civil war, in which over 50,000 people died, affected the lives of almost every Nicaraguan family. The members of the Rivera family's lives were forever changed in 1983, when their village was raided by the Contra units, who burned their house, abducted the twelve year-old José Antonio and his older sister Reina, and drafted them both into the army. Director Mercedes Moncada Rodriguez, creator of the remarkable film The Passion of María Elena, which was screened at the One World Festival in 2004, was also able in her second documentary film to fully use her unquestionable filmmaking talent, emerging out of the tradition of magical realism. This is a visually refined and spiritually tuned film which utilizes imaginative composition and effective music to reveal through the story of one family how deeply war can affect the lives of ordinary people. The recording of the unfortunate fate of a missionary bus serves as a type of metaphor in this poetic story, as it travels to the remote corners of Nicaragua bringing the Christian faith that represents for many a comfort from the endured horrors of the war. Mercedes Moncada - Rodriguez, Spain, 2005, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 77 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM About Dogs and people / O psoch a l'ud'och [FL 652] In 1988. when Miso Suchy immigrated to America, he did not know a word of English. The film "About Dogs and people" reflects his experiences with "the mute," and is filmed almost without words. Dogs are mute animals, yet according to the director they can tell a lot about the society in which they live. This metaphorical film shows the accuracy of the saying that dogs are a reflection of the people who owe them. Miso Suchy, Slovakia, 1993, English, 44 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Concrete Revolution, The [FL 653] "We are not just good at destroying the old world, but also at building the new one," announced Mao Tse-tung many years ago, and even he could not have forseen the extent to which China is fullfilling his words at the beginning of the 21st century. Most notably Peking, in connection with the organizing of the 2008 Olympic Games, has become one giant construction site. This symbol of the "New China" is built by hand by approximately one million laborers travelling for work mainly from the poorer villages in the countryside. A number of them have not yet received their wages after several months, while their families wait desperately for the money. All of this is part of the transformation of Peking into a modern metropolis with a Western character. Young Chinese writer and documentary filmmaker Xiaolu Gao has succeeded in creating a visually rich an imaginative film essay that conveys the character of contemporary Chinese society, whose polished appearances have been created at the expense of the suffering of the ordinary people. The film is interlaced with playfully generalized passages of the turning points in Chinese history, ironic and bitterly humorous commentary of the other side of the "Chinese miracle." A high-quality soundtrack mix by Matt Scott is also worthy of notice. Xiaolu Guo, China, 2004, Chinese, Mandarin/Subtitles: English, 60 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Southern Comfort [FL 654] This documentary about a female-to-male transsexual who is dying of ovarian cancer caused a sensation when it first came out in 2001. Robert was born female and Lola was born male. Transgendered, they fall in love. Set in the backwoods of Georgia, SOUTHERN COMFORT tells the real-life story of Robert Eads, a warm and gregarious cowboy who as a woman married and raised two sons, then transitioned to living as a man. Fifteen years later Kate Davis follows Robert during the extraordinary last year of his life as he copes with ovarian cancer (after 20 doctors have refused him medical treatment) and falls headlong into a passionate romance with Lola, a transgendered male-to-female. It's a world of contradictions in which good old boys who drive pick-up trucks and shoot the breeze around the barbecue are also 21st century pioneers - courageously forging a new world for themselves, and for us. Kate Davis, United States, 2001, English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Orphans of Nkandla [FL 655] Through intimate verité footage shot in South Africa during 2003 and 2005, "Orphans of Nkandla" chronicles a tale of heartbreaking pathos and breathtaking beauty, as we witness human tragedy unfurl against a backdrop of vast landscapes and rustic poverty in rural Zululand. Where the tarmac ends, so does the running water and electricity; nutritious food is a luxury; and medical choices are made on cost and availability rather than necessity.The girls and boys we meet live in the rural village of Nklanda, situated north of the South African city of Durban. These children share a common burden: one or both of their parents have died of AIDS, and they must now care for siblings and, in some cases, an infected parent. The film includes numerous scenes in which sisters and brothers are forced to forsake simple childhood pleasures in order to survive. Despite its grim subject matter, "Orphans of Nkandla" provides a measure of hope, primarily through the person of Sister Hedwig, a nun who works at the local hospital. Travelling tirelessly around the countryside in her truck, Sister Hegwick helps the orphans cope with their loss and grief, at the same time trying to relocate them in relatives' homes while getting the government to provide them with grants that will pay for their education. As we see, Sister Hedwick's efforts are sometimes rewarded, although the specter of AIDS is constantly clouding each of the children's future horizons. Brian Woods, Deborah Shipley, United Kingdom, 2003, English, 80 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM But the Hour Is Near / Bet stunda nak [FL 656] The film applies methods commonly used with actors to real people and the world at large. The main characters Erik and Daniel are out on the streets of Riga preaching the Gospel and their understanding of the modern Christian lifestyle. Although friends, they assume radically different idealist and materialist views. The film is a grotesque and simultaneously real story about people who are trying to reconcile fanatical faith with worldly desires in the face of the demands of life in the rat race. “But the Hour is Near” (2004) focuses on contemporary human confusion, phobias and the search for God. The film sparked a lively public debate; fast becoming the most talked about Latvian documentary film of the year. It was awarded the prize of best Latvian documentary at the National film festival ‘Lielais Kristaps’. Juris Poskus, Latvia, 2003, Latvian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Women's Happiness or Men's Dignity / Женское Счастье или Мужское Достоинство [FL 657] This film portrays two women in Armenia. One protagonist is a divorcee who, forced to give up her career as an artist during her marriage, finds freedom, happiness, and creative expression in her new life; she struggles, however with social stigma and being labeled as a social outcast. The other is a widow who, nostalgic for her late husband, believes that women's happiness lies in the patriarchal male-headed household where women are homemakers. Despite their conflicting opinions, both find strength in themselves and their work, as they raise their families as single mothers. Karine Verdiyan, Nika Shek, Armenia, 2006, Russian, Armenian/Subtitles: English, 25 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Elechek / Элечек [FL 657] Sairash was an exemplary wife for twenty years. After her wedding, she put her former life 'on hold' and began to create a new one with her husband, building a house with the modest means available and finding joy in every new success on the road to their future together. When the new home was finally completed, her husband brought a new, younger, wife into the household, deciding to form a family with both the women, and their children. Sairash rebelled, however. She couldn't stand the new order and after a while she left home. In rebelling against the accepted order, did she become a bad wife, or an example and model for all oppressed women? Weaving together scenes from Sairash's daily routine with frank interviews – both with Sairash herself and those close to her – the filmmaker creates a picture of her transformed life. She thus portrays the inner workings of a woman who has found a new meaning in life, but whose happiness will never be complete without a husband and her children. The documentary is also a commentary on the current post–war situation in Kyrgyzstan where the number of women exceeds that of men, thus leading to frequent cases of polygamy. Sairash, rebelling against the strong, but unfair, order, still wears the elechek – the traditional high headdress worn by elderly married women in Kyrgyzstan. The filmmaker sensitively contrasts her rebellion with the conservative majority view that families should stay together, no matter what the cost. Nailya Rakhmadieva, Kyrgyzstan, 2006, Kyrgyz/Dubbing: Russian/Subtitles: English, 26 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Return / Возврашение [FL 657] Liya's past is troublesome - her mother was killed by her father, and she herself was beaten by him many times. She spends her adult life attempting to cope with her memories. To cut the vicious circle of violence in the village of her childhood, where domestic violence is considered "normal," Liya returns to her former home to awaken the villagers and establish new relationships among them. Levan Glonti, Georgia, 2006, Georgian/Dubbing: Russian/Subtitles: English, 28 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM New Penelope / Пенелопаи мо [FL 657] Economic depression and political chaos force Tajik men to become migrant laborers, working in unsafe conditions and with inconsistent pay. Tajik women attempt to keep their families alive, and m in some cases, enter polygamous marriages to feed themselves and their families. Often, these women relate to Penelope, the wife of the mythical hero odysseus, who waits many years for her husband to return. The men working abroad and the women left behind face the same fate: hard work and human rights abuses. This film allows the viewer to experience the hardships of migrant labor through the eyes of both women and men. Georgii Dzalaev, Tajikistan, 2006, /Dubbing: Russian/Subtitles: English, 25 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Girls to Mothers / De Niña a Madre [FL 659] An average of 400 children are born in Nicaragua every day, 100 of them to adolescent mothers. This documentary narrates the lives of three adolescents, aged 14 to 16, who had not planned to be mothers at such an early age. Florence Jaugey follows the lives of these young mothers for several months – during the last months of their pregnancies, and afterwards, when everything has irreversibly changed. We learn about their families, their stories of love, their doubts, their hopes and the tough reality they went through in their pregnancy and the prospect of having to raise their children. Jaugey builds up a very intimate relationship with her protagonists, detecting their moods and showing how their outward coolness is only a facade behind which they conceal their intricate fears. Along with exposing the alarmingly increasing numbers of adolescent mothers in Nicaragua, the film also raises fundamental questions about women’s identity and the meaning of maternity. Florence Jaugey, Nicaragua, 2004, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Pornography / Pornografia [FL 660] “I set "Pornography" in wartime Poland in order to show that it is not only national-catholic stories about Poland that can be told” – wrote Witold Gombrowicz. Indeed, the setting of this “erotic quartet” is accidental. Two middle aged men, a writer and a “man of the theatre”, leave occupied Warsaw for a friend’s provincial manor. Soon they start playing a mysterious and highly ambiguous game. They want to ignite the “chemistry of love” between their host’s beautiful daughter and a young farmhand – both adolescent, charming yet ignorant of their mutual attraction. The only obstacle is the daughter’s fiancée – a man from her social class, but naïve, vain and boring. The execution of a deserting officer in the Polish Home Army offers the two artists the chance to unite the young lovers in murder. A highly sensual and very well acted film, with an unexpected twist added by Jan Jakub Kolski in his adaptation of Gombrowicz’s novel. Jan Jakub Kolski, Poland, 2003, Polish/Subtitles: English, 103 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Decent Factory, A [FL 661] Director Thomas Balmes follows Nokia, the world's largest manufacturer of mobile phones, in his quest to tackle the problem of sustainable enterprise. Is it possible to make a profit and conduct business ethically at the same time? When the film begins, the originally Finnish company Nokia has just hired hanna Kaskinen as an "ethnical and environmental specialist," to propagate the concept of sustainable enterprise within the company. Apparently, Nokia managers are still quite unfamiliar with the phenomenon. Director Balmes follows Kaskinen and her English advisor to China, where they visit and inspect a number of Nokia suppliers. The filmmakers's direct cinema style mercilessly records the discomfort among the British managers, who walk the tightrope between profit and law. The executives' initial frankness changes when they find out that the film is not solely intended for internal use. By this time, though, we are already haunted by images of factory girls on as assemby line, putting together adapters day in and day out for less than the required minimum wage. Thomas balmes, Finland, 2004, Finnish, Macedonian/Subtitles: English, 79 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Who Will Sing a Lullaby… / Хто заспиває колискову… [FL 662] Masha's father and Katya's grandfather are on paternity leave. They are among the few, the very few (46 to be exact), men from Kiev who dared to use their right to take parental leave. Challenging their traditional role as breadwinners, overcoming social stigma, and encouraging their wives to realize themselves outside of the home, Masha's father and Katya's grandfather do not think of themselves as heroes or dependants. Instead, they are pleased that - with their own courage and support from family members and friends - personal choice can prevail for them and their wives over traditional gender roles. Nina Rudul, Ukraine, 2006, Ukrainian, Russian/Subtitles: English, 27 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM There Are Women in Russian Villages… / Есть женщины в русских селеньях… [FL 662] In this film, two women, a mother and her daughter, demonstrate that poverty in Russia is increasingly a women's phemenon. Luba and Alesaya live in a typical Russian village: the population consists of male drunkards, with few or no exceptions, and exhausted women. Luba and Alesya are milkmaids at a state farm - a profession that is underpaid and perceived as too strenous for most people. But Luba and Alesya, who are raising children and fleeing domestic violence, have little choice. While many in their circumstances would seek help from their government, they have no one to rely on in their small, isolated village except themselves. Pavel Kostomarov, Anton Kattin, Russia, 2006, Russian/Subtitles: English, 27 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Kristina and Christ / Kristina Krustuje [FL 662] in Lithuania, women occupy a lower position than men in the Lutheran Church hierarchy. Kristina, a graduate of Oxford University, is not ordained to become a priest because she is a woman. As an asistant pastor, she could act as a lay person only. Committed to theology and educating others, she has focused on encouraging women and girls in her community to seek equal rights of men and women in the Church and the society at large. The film helps to challenge the belief that the traditions of the Church are outside national andiscrimination labor laws. After the national premiere of this film, the Bishop and the Consistory of the Evangelical Church in Lithuania banned Kristina from teaching in the church and its institutions, accusing her of violating church teachings, and dismissed her from the position of assistant pastor. Inesa Kurklietyte, Lithuania, 2006, Lithuanian/Subtitles: English, 22 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Nevertheless / Sin Embargo [FL 663] A look at Cuba and its residents through the objects they use to replace what is not available on the market. Do-it-yourself goods are made with extreme ingenuity and imagination out of anything that comes to hand. Meet the guy who refurbishes toilets; the choreographer who, in the face of electricity shortages, creates a silent ballet; and other artisans who invent, adapt and try to make a living. This documentary is a testament to the spirit of individual initiative and creativity of the island’s residents, which have survived years of oppressive regime and extreme material shortages. Interviews with Cubans testify to an amazing will to persevere and even burst forth with optimism. udith Grey, Katherine Cheng & Eva Orner, Cuba, 2003, English/Subtitles: English, 43 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Nevertheless / Sin Embargo [FL 663] A look at Cuba and its residents through the objects they use to replace what is not available on the market. Do-it-yourself goods are made with extreme ingenuity and imagination out of anything that comes to hand. Meet the guy who refurbishes toilets; the choreographer who, in the face of electricity shortages, creates a silent ballet; and other artisans who invent, adapt and try to make a living. This documentary is a testament to the spirit of individual initiative and creativity of the island’s residents, which have survived years of oppressive regime and extreme material shortages. Interviews with Cubans testify to an amazing will to persevere and even burst forth with optimism. udith Grey, Katherine Cheng & Eva Orner, Cuba, 2003, English/Subtitles: English, 43 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Jose Manuel, the Mule and the TV / Jose Manuel, la Mula y el Televisor [FL 664] After lightening struck the televison antenna and hits the carrier signal, Jose Manuel decided to take matters in his own hands and carry on with the program by himself. He takes his mule and his television set to different local peoplefrom the Sierra Maestra (Cuba) and interviews them about their lives and the problems in the community. Neither he nor his interviewees seem to be disturbed by the setting of the interviews, as they speak to each other through the empty frame of an ex-television. This film takes a gentle look at how one mna uses his creativity and humor to produce social change in a small village in Cuba. Elsa Cornevin, Cuba, 2003, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 14 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Death in Gaza [FL 665] In the spring of 2003 director James Miller and reporter Saira Shah traveled to the Middle East to record the way in which ordinary children grow up under extraordinary conditions. The main characters in their film are Ahmed, Mohammed, and Najla, three friends living in the city of Rafah on the edge of the dangerous Gaza Strip, Ahmed and Mohammed spend their free time playing soldiers or throwing stones at the Israeli tanks or bulldozers. Their deeply-engrained hatred towards Israel, created by the conditions in which they grew up and fostered by a well-developed system of brainwashing, suggests that they are well on their way to becoming suicide bombers. During the making of the documentary, however, a shocking event occurs. Director and cameraman James Miller, father of two small children, is himself killed by an IDF soldier. Miller becomes another victim of the conflict whose destructive impact on the lives of Palestinian children he was trying faithfully to record. James Miller, United Kingdom, 2004, English, Arabic, Hebrew/Subtitles: English, 79 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Death in Gaza [FL 665] In the spring of 2003 director James Miller and reporter Saira Shah traveled to the Middle East to record the way in which ordinary children grow up under extraordinary conditions. The main characters in their film are Ahmed, Mohammed, and Najla, three friends living in the city of Rafah on the edge of the dangerous Gaza Strip, Ahmed and Mohammed spend their free time playing soldiers or throwing stones at the Israeli tanks or bulldozers. Their deeply-engrained hatred towards Israel, created by the conditions in which they grew up and fostered by a well-developed system of brainwashing, suggests that they are well on their way to becoming suicide bombers. During the making of the documentary, however, a shocking event occurs. Director and cameraman James Miller, father of two small children, is himself killed by an IDF soldier. Miller becomes another victim of the conflict whose destructive impact on the lives of Palestinian children he was trying faithfully to record. James Miller, United Kingdom, 2004, English, Arabic, Hebrew/Subtitles: English, 79 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Pripyat / Припять [FL 666] A portrait of the people who still live and work in the area contaminated by the explosion at the Chernobyl niclear plant in 1986. Stories of those who stayed and those who have moved back. What is it like to live with the invisible and incomprehensible danger of radioactivity? How do they deal with the after-effects of an accident, which is claimed to be "statistically imporbable''? Four protagonists tell their stories a provide a different glimse of everyday life in "their" zone. Nikolaus Geyrhalter, Austria, 1999, Russian, Russian, Ukrainian/Subtitles: English, 100 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Sentenced to Marriage / Mekudeshet [FL 667] Three yong married women trapped in religious courts in their attempts to get a divorce, which can only be granted with their husbands' consent. Dependant on their husbands' whim, they do not know when release will finally come. A married woman is forbidden to have a relationship with another man even if her husband has lons since gone to live with another woman. Denied other relationships, the women are condemned to profound psychological and physical suffering. In Israel, a democratic country of the 21st century, their pain and anguish is embedded in the law. Being young and anonymous, their voices are silenced. For two years the film follows the Kafkaesque struggle of Tamara, Michelle and rachel - three young women doing all that is humanly possible to obtain a divorce, with the help of a group of female orthodox rabbinical advocates. Anat Zuria, Israel, 2004, Hebrew/Subtitles: English, 65 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Skin Hunters / Łowcy skór [FL 669] A film based on one of the biggest and most shocking corruption scandals in post-socialist Poland. In 2001 paramedics of a Łódź emergency ambulance service were accused of killing their own patients. They were tempted to do so, because they had started to function as agents for funeral parlors, receiving money for information on deaths (i.e. “skins”) and forcing families to use a particular funeral parlor. In a number of instances they started “producing the skins”, i.e. not helping patients in critical states, or even giving them lethal drugs. This “skin trade” was uncovered by local journalists, and Marek, the main character in this quasi-documentary, is a journalist who discovers the shocking truth behinds a death of his colleague Piotr. Piotr had an riding accident, but then died unexpectedly on the way to the hospital. Marek cannot believe it was possible and soon learns that Piotr was working on a article about a shocking corruption scandal involving the emergency ambulance service, and his death was indeed not accidental. Rafał M. Lipka, Poland, 2003, Polish/Subtitles: English, 89 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM There and Back / Tam iz powrotem [FL 670] The story of the Polish “robbery of the century”. Lodz, 1965: a well-respected doctor with an anti-communist record wants to leave the country for England where his wife and daughter are. He meets an old acquaintance from the days of the anti-communist struggle who needs a partner in a robbery. It is the only way to get enough money to buy a passport and start a new life in the West, and he promises that the attack on a bank vehicle transporting money can be done without spilling blood. Trumped up charges brought by a secret police agent who wants to destroy the doctor’s career make it easier for him to decide. The robbery is successful, but one of the drivers gets shot. He is taken to the hospital for an operation. The surgeon is the very person who took part in the robbery. He has to decide whether the only witness should survive. This is the first feature film made by a director of a popular criminal television series. Wojciech Wójcik, Poland, 2002, Polish/Subtitles: English, 102 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Man of Iron / Człowiek z zełaza [FL 673] The most acclaimed and influential Polish film made during the Solidarity movement. The son of a famous Stakhanovite portrayed in the earlier "Man of Marble" works in the Gdańsk shipyard. He is particularly outspoken and the Party sends Winkiel – a weak alcoholic TV hack – to Gdańsk to collect materials that could discredit him. Posing as a friend, Winkiel interviews people who know Tomczyk, including his detained wife, Agnieszka. Their narrations become flashbacks using actual news footage of 1968 and 1970 protests and of the later birth of free unions and Solidarity. Some of the scenes were shot with the participation of Lech Wałęsa – the strike leader. Winkiel soon learns that he is on the wrong side, that power relations are likely to change and that there will be little room for him in the new order. Enthusiastically received in the West, Wajda’s film played an important part in the anti-communist resistance. Recently it has been pointed out that the film is propagandist in its black-and-white depiction of the August 1980 strikes. Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1981, Polish/Subtitles: English, Russian, German, Italian, Spanish, Finnish, 146 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Kiler / Kiler [FL 678] A spoof gangster film which was a huge commercial success in Poland. By sheer accident one morning a calm taxi driver called Jurek Kiler is arrested by the police and put in prison as a professional assassin nicknamed Kiler. Previously shy, lost and often grotesque, now Jurek is treated with awe not only by his fellow inmates, but also by the police and the prison guards as well as by women. Yet, he quickly decides to disregard this “fame” as he set free by local mafia king who wants his services. Together with a young journalist, he decides to fight the mafia and find the assassin. After numerous chases, twists and turns of action, he helps the police to arrest the real Kiler and can finally become himself. But for many people he is still a famous gangster. Juliusz Machulski, Poland, 1997, Polish/Subtitles: English, 103 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Landscape After the Battle / Krajobraz po bitwie [FL 680] The screenplay is based on concentration camp novels by Tadeusz Borowski’. The film opens with the mad rush of haphazard freedom as the concentration camps are liberated. Men are trying to grab food, change clothes, bury the tormentors they find alive. Then they are herded into other camps as the Allies try to find a way to control the situation. A young poet who cannot quite find himself in this new situation, meets a headstrong young Jewish girl who wants him to run off with her, to the West. He cannot cope with her growing demands for affection, while still harboring hatred for the Germans and disdain for his fellow men who quickly revert to petty enmities. When the girl is accidentally killed by an American guard, he cries for the first time and then decides to return home with the books he has picked up. This film initiated a series of adaptations of classical Polish literature made in the 1970s where the director pays more heed to the psychology of the characters than to the political and historical context. Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1970, Polish/Subtitles: English, Russian, German, French, Polish, Italian, Spanish, 101 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Debt, The / Dlug [FL 682] A gripping thriller about two entrepreneurs who become tangled in the web of a Russian thug. Two friends begin a business venture of importing Italian scooters into Poland. With no collateral, they turn to a Russian acquaintance that offers money and support in the beginning and then inexplicably turns violent and vicious. Tension mounts as the two friends begin to understand what must be done. Based on a true story, "The Debt" is a terrifying tale of ordinary men pushed to their limit. Stars Robert Gonera, Jacek Borcuch, Andrzej Chyra. Krzysztof Krauze, Poland, 1999, Polish/Subtitles: English, 97 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Owners of Nothing / Dueños De Nada [FL 683] Five-year-old Fatima has very poor eyesight: without glasses she is virtually blind. Most of her life takes place in a haze; it is only at school that she sees well, for there, in a locked drawer, lie her greatest treasure: blue spectacles with thick lenses. At the end of every school day, she has to put them back in the drawer. Fatima lives in El Vacie, a slum on the outskirts of Seville, Spain. Her parents are extremely poor; they have practically nothing, not even a proper roof over their heads and they cannot afford glasses for their daughter. In their shanty, which the first downpour will easily wash away, rats and other vermin have free play. There is no running water. In his film about the shockingly shabby El Vacie – one of the oldest slums of Europe – the young filmmaker Sebastián Talavera makes use of hip editing techniques and striking photography. Owners of Nothing is a poetic portrait of the slum and its people, devoting equal attention to daily misery and the zest of the children, who dream of a better life "anywhere, as long as it’s not in El Vacie". Sebastián Talavera Serrano, Spain, 2003, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 47 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Golden Hut: A Year with Emilke Karácsony in the Hidegség of Gyimes / Aranykalyiba [FL 684] Thirteen-year-old Emilke, who is similar to Ábel (the protagonist of a famous novel about a young boy living in the mountains of Transylvania – transl.), lives in his mountain hut in a place called Hidegség in Gyimes, Transylvania. From early spring to the first snowfall he grazes cows, makes cheese from the milk, and only sees his parents when one or the other goes up to the mountain pasture and takes the cheese home. These meetings are rare and short. The only companions for the boy are the cows and the dogs, since he has to climb one or two hills just to get to the closest neighbour. The hours, days, weeks, spring, summer, and autumn melt into each other in this solitude… Dezső Zsigmond, Hungary, 2003, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Goebbels Experiment, The / Das Goebbels-Experiment [FL 685] The name Goebbels stands for unbridled, cynical and - at least partially - successful propaganda. It's a convenient label, regularly used to brand politicians as evil rabble-rousers and polemicists. But Joseph Goebbels' life was more enigmatic and unsettling than his current classification as propaganda genius or 'inveterate liar of the Third Reich' would suggest, and here we see how Goebbels constantly stage-managed his life and reinvented himself, from his beginnings as a 'National Socialist' to his suicide with his wife and children. Unusually, for a documentary, it abstains from the use of commentary - the diary that Goebbels kept from 1924 to 1945 is the only 'voice' in the film. In particular, the film succeeds in conveying the gestures and facial expressions of this manic-depressive man, creating the picture of a modern media manager who devoted his workaholic personality to the whole spectrum of communication - only to fail so completely in political and moral terms. Lutz Hachmeister, Germany, 2004, German, English/Subtitles: English, 107 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Goebbels Experiment, The / Das Goebbels-Experiment [FL 685] The name Goebbels stands for unbridled, cynical and - at least partially - successful propaganda. It's a convenient label, regularly used to brand politicians as evil rabble-rousers and polemicists. But Joseph Goebbels' life was more enigmatic and unsettling than his current classification as propaganda genius or 'inveterate liar of the Third Reich' would suggest, and here we see how Goebbels constantly stage-managed his life and reinvented himself, from his beginnings as a 'National Socialist' to his suicide with his wife and children. Unusually, for a documentary, it abstains from the use of commentary - the diary that Goebbels kept from 1924 to 1945 is the only 'voice' in the film. In particular, the film succeeds in conveying the gestures and facial expressions of this manic-depressive man, creating the picture of a modern media manager who devoted his workaholic personality to the whole spectrum of communication - only to fail so completely in political and moral terms. Lutz Hachmeister, Germany, 2004, German, English/Subtitles: English, 107 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Eye of Vichy, The / L'Oeil de Vichy [FL 687] "The Eye of Vichy" is a carefully chosen compilation of long forgotten film footage and newsreels produced by the Nazis and French colloborators during World War II. From the small town of Vichy in central France, Field Marshall Petain's puppet government worked with their Nazi overlords in creating pro-Nazi propaganda. Seeking to turn the tide of public emotion against both the Allied Forces and the Jews, they skillfully produced a strange alternative hsitory of the war years that is shocking and grimly fascinating. French New wave founder Claude Chabrol creates a masterful look at Nazis and media manipulation that is engrossing as any of his thrillers. Claude Charbol, France, 1993, English, French/Subtitles: English, 110 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Eye of Vichy, The / L'Oeil de Vichy [FL 687] "The Eye of Vichy" is a carefully chosen compilation of long forgotten film footage and newsreels produced by the Nazis and French colloborators during World War II. From the small town of Vichy in central France, Field Marshall Petain's puppet government worked with their Nazi overlords in creating pro-Nazi propaganda. Seeking to turn the tide of public emotion against both the Allied Forces and the Jews, they skillfully produced a strange alternative hsitory of the war years that is shocking and grimly fascinating. French New wave founder Claude Chabrol creates a masterful look at Nazis and media manipulation that is engrossing as any of his thrillers. Claude Charbol, France, 1993, English, French/Subtitles: English, 110 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM When the War Is Over [FL 688] The film deals with the after-effects of the South African struggle against Apartheid, as experienced by survivors from the Bonteheuwel Military Wing (BMW), a militant teenage self-defense unit from the mid-1980s and a guerrilla branch of the ANC. Focusing on two ex-activists, Gori and Marlon, this documentary reveals the scars left among what has become the country’s lost generation. Gori has become an army captain, Marlon a gang member. Both are having trouble finding a path in life: the battle against Apartheid is over, but what now? The documentary is dedicated to seven BMW comrades who were casualties during this time and to the mothers who supported these teenagers during the anti-apartheid struggle. In his straightforward style, director Francois Verster presents an apt, and sometimes frightening, depiction of life in Bonteheuwel. François Verster, South Africa, 2002, Afrikaans/Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Angola: Saudades From the One Who Loves You / Angola, Saudades de quem te ama [FL 689] An insider’s portrait of an unknown, oil- and diamond-rich, war-damaged country. This journey across Luanda, the Angolan capital, introduces both the past and the present of the country, and its hunger for a new future after 27 years of the civil war. The memories of Portuguese colonial rule, the scars of the clashing interests of cold war superpowers, the years of foreign military occupation, and the long, long civil war, intensified by the conflicting interests in natural resources – all of these traces fuse in the dense life of the cosmopolitan metropolis. The journey takes us into the lives of characters from diverse backgrounds: a fish seller, street boys, a school teacher, an old peasant, two fashion models, and a rap musician whose songs denounce corruption and will get you into trouble if you try singing them in public. The film is a collaboration between Namibian director Richard Pakleppa, and Angolan musician and performer Paulo Flores. The letters are written by Paulo Flores, Richard Pakleppa, and Albano Cardoso. Richard Pakleppa, (n/a), 2005, English, Portuguese/Subtitles: English, 64 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Angola: Saudades From the One Who Loves You / Angola, Saudades de quem te ama [FL 689] An insider’s portrait of an unknown, oil- and diamond-rich, war-damaged country. This journey across Luanda, the Angolan capital, introduces both the past and the present of the country, and its hunger for a new future after 27 years of the civil war. The memories of Portuguese colonial rule, the scars of the clashing interests of cold war superpowers, the years of foreign military occupation, and the long, long civil war, intensified by the conflicting interests in natural resources – all of these traces fuse in the dense life of the cosmopolitan metropolis. The journey takes us into the lives of characters from diverse backgrounds: a fish seller, street boys, a school teacher, an old peasant, two fashion models, and a rap musician whose songs denounce corruption and will get you into trouble if you try singing them in public. The film is a collaboration between Namibian director Richard Pakleppa, and Angolan musician and performer Paulo Flores. The letters are written by Paulo Flores, Richard Pakleppa, and Albano Cardoso. Richard Pakleppa, (n/a), 2005, English, Portuguese/Subtitles: English, 64 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Tiny Katerina / Маленькая Катерина [FL 690] Northwestern Siberia, Russia. The camera attentively observes how a small Khanty girl, Katerina learns about the outer world from the age of two to four. Collecting wood, feeding the dogs, talking to deer – all the ‘adult’ activities are performed with intense concentration and surprising autonomy. Katerina becomes skilled at recognizing the voices of people and animals. Gradually she approaches the unknown and the unknown comes closer. Yet the traditional coexistence with nature is about to be shaken when an oilrig appears not far from Katerina’s nomad camp. Ivan Golovnev, Russia, 2004, Russian/Subtitles: English, 26 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Liberace of Bagdad, The [FL 691] Sean McAllister went to Iraq to film Saddam Hussein's trial. He came back with something quite different. He met Samir Peter, once the pianist of the Baghdad Symphony Orchestra, who has spent the past year entertaining journalists and security guards in a hotel bar. Holed up in a heavily fortified Baghdad hotel, the pianist and the film-maker try to survive the 'peace' of post-war Iraq. In his heyday, Samir described himself as the 'Liberace of Baghdad' but today he sleeps in a bricked up hotel room, too afraid to cross town to his seven-bedroomed mansion. He has a visa for America, where he could find fame and fortune in what he calls his 'one last adventure in life'. Will Samir sacrifice his American dream for the sake of his family in lawless Iraq? Sean McAllister, United Kingdom, 2004, Arabic, English/Subtitles: English, 72 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Liberace of Bagdad, The [FL 691] Sean McAllister went to Iraq to film Saddam Hussein's trial. He came back with something quite different. He met Samir Peter, once the pianist of the Baghdad Symphony Orchestra, who has spent the past year entertaining journalists and security guards in a hotel bar. Holed up in a heavily fortified Baghdad hotel, the pianist and the film-maker try to survive the 'peace' of post-war Iraq. In his heyday, Samir described himself as the 'Liberace of Baghdad' but today he sleeps in a bricked up hotel room, too afraid to cross town to his seven-bedroomed mansion. He has a visa for America, where he could find fame and fortune in what he calls his 'one last adventure in life'. Will Samir sacrifice his American dream for the sake of his family in lawless Iraq? Sean McAllister, United Kingdom, 2004, Arabic, English/Subtitles: English, 72 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Mr. Death: The Rise and Fall of Fred A. Leuchter, Jr. [FL 692] A story of life and career of Fred Leuchter, an engineer who became an expert in execution devices. Leutcher supports the death penalty, but believes that the government has an obligation to be respectful and delicate when taking a life. Leuchter introduces us to his chair: it is designed to get the job done quickly and effectively. Leutcher begins building these chairs for many different states in the US. He wins respect, and is considered by some to be a humanitarian. He is later hired by revisionist historian Ernst Zundel to 'prove' that there were no gas chambers at Auschwitz. Leuchter published a controversial report confirming Zundel's position, which ultimately ruined his own career. The film includes the footage of Leuchter, as well as interviews with historians, associates, and neighbors. Errol Morris, United Kingdom, 1999, English, 109 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Masha Mom [FL 695] Filmed in Russia over seven-years, this documentary follows Masha, a Russian American Jewish lesbian, in her quest for motherhood. After Masha’s open-minded grandmother urges them to give it a try, Masha and her girlfriend Kate set out to find a donor. After numerous disappointments and growing tension, the relationship breaks down, but Masha continues to follow her dream. She explores a variety of options, navigating the Russian social and legal landscape. Paradoxically, the legal system is not an obstacle in Russia, where an unmarried woman with a child has more rights than the biological father, who is rarely given custody. This one woman’s plan to create a family incorporates multiple approaches and an impressive amount of support from the people in her life. It is courageous attempt to make different roles compatible: to be a woman, to be a lesbian, to be a mother. Michał Bukojemski, Poland, 2003, English, Russian, 34 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Minders, The [FL 697] This film was made by Sean Mcallister during the last Iraqi crisis (the one defused by the UN's Kofi Annan in person). With air strikes averted, Mcallister decided to carry on filming, making a double portrait of his two Ministry of Information minders, Kifah and Alla. The likeable and decent Kifah, a former English teacher enjoying a rare spell of paid work, is a football mad Anglophile: 'I can't forget Bobby Moore,' he sighs. Alla, Head of Protocol, is a suave ladies' man and pop fan (very taken with Chumbawumba). Mcallister carries on filming Kifah after he is dropped as a minder and in doing so creates an illuminating and touching picture of the man and of everyday life in Iraq. Sean McAllister, United Kingdom, 1998, English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Great Communist Bank Robbery, The / Marele Jaf Communist [FL 698] In 1959 Romanian State Bank was allegedly robbed by a mysterious band of gangsters, who got away with millions of lei intended for the salaries of hard-working citizens. The police, helped by the secret agents, 'discovered' that the robbery had been carried out by a group of high-ranking communists, all holding important posts in government and all, as it happened, Jews. A show-trial followed, and the accused were forced to appear in a filmed 'reconstruction' of the robbery in exchange for promises of reduced sentences. The very same film was then used to provide vital 'evidence' for the prosecution. All but one of the defendants were sentenced to death, and the film was later used at closed party screenings for training purposes. Over forty years later, director Alexandru Solomon reconstructs the reconstruction, incorporating interviews with former prisoners, the cameraman of the infamous film, neighbors and secret police agents. Their accounts show that the propaganda film covered up more than it revealed. Alexandru Solomon, Romania, 2004, Romanian, English/Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Great Communist Bank Robbery, The / Marele Jaf Communist [FL 698] In 1959 Romanian State Bank was allegedly robbed by a mysterious band of gangsters, who got away with millions of lei intended for the salaries of hard-working citizens. The police, helped by the secret agents, 'discovered' that the robbery had been carried out by a group of high-ranking communists, all holding important posts in government and all, as it happened, Jews. A show-trial followed, and the accused were forced to appear in a filmed 'reconstruction' of the robbery in exchange for promises of reduced sentences. The very same film was then used to provide vital 'evidence' for the prosecution. All but one of the defendants were sentenced to death, and the film was later used at closed party screenings for training purposes. Over forty years later, director Alexandru Solomon reconstructs the reconstruction, incorporating interviews with former prisoners, the cameraman of the infamous film, neighbors and secret police agents. Their accounts show that the propaganda film covered up more than it revealed. Alexandru Solomon, Romania, 2004, Romanian, English/Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Rock Star and the Mullahs, The [FL 700] The lead singer of Pakistan's biggest rock group travels to Peshawar, where the local government has banned all music, and asks, "Why can't spirituality be expressed in pop song?" That's an issue that "The Rock Star & the Mullahs", a 50 minute documentary commissioned by the BBC sets out to explore. It follows Salman Ahmed, the charismatic lead singer of one of South Asia's biggest rock band 'Junoon' and a devout Muslim, who's concerned about his own country Pakistan's growing Islamic fundamentalism which condemns music as obscene. In this thought provoking film, Ahmad travels to Peshawar, where the local government, voted in on a wave of anti-Americanism, has banned all music. Ahmad confronts and challenges the Mullahs in Peshawar, he meets local musicians to see how they have been affected, he visits young men in madrassas (religious schools) to see what they think about music and finally he shows how the majority of people in Pakistan follow their religion. This is a film about Pakistan grappling with who it wants to be in the 21st centurym while some fear in the West that it may turn into another Taliban state. It is a contemporary film in style with a touch of politics and a mixture of sounds. Ruhi Hamid, United Kingdom, 2003, English, Persian/Subtitles: English, 50 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Rock Star and the Mullahs, The [FL 700] The lead singer of Pakistan's biggest rock group travels to Peshawar, where the local government has banned all music, and asks, "Why can't spirituality be expressed in pop song?" That's an issue that "The Rock Star & the Mullahs", a 50 minute documentary commissioned by the BBC sets out to explore. It follows Salman Ahmed, the charismatic lead singer of one of South Asia's biggest rock band 'Junoon' and a devout Muslim, who's concerned about his own country Pakistan's growing Islamic fundamentalism which condemns music as obscene. In this thought provoking film, Ahmad travels to Peshawar, where the local government, voted in on a wave of anti-Americanism, has banned all music. Ahmad confronts and challenges the Mullahs in Peshawar, he meets local musicians to see how they have been affected, he visits young men in madrassas (religious schools) to see what they think about music and finally he shows how the majority of people in Pakistan follow their religion. This is a film about Pakistan grappling with who it wants to be in the 21st centurym while some fear in the West that it may turn into another Taliban state. It is a contemporary film in style with a touch of politics and a mixture of sounds. Ruhi Hamid, United Kingdom, 2003, English, Persian/Subtitles: English, 50 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Calling the Ghosts / Prozivanje Duhove [FL 701] Jadranka Cigelj and Nusreta Sivac, childhood friends and legal professionals, enjoyed lives of "ordinary modern women" in Bosnia-Herzegovina, until they were put into a concentration camp, and raped and tortured by their neighbors. This powerful and sensitive film, chronicles the remarkable transformation of these women as their personal struggle for survival evolves into a larger fight for peace and justice. They formulate a mission--to put rape into the international lexicon of war crimes. Their success can be judged by the fact that their very torturers now stand indicted by the International War Crimes Tribunal. "Calling the Ghosts" reaches beyond the anonymous "victim" compelling viewers to personalize women's stories and embrace a sense of universal humanity. Mandy Jacobson, Karmen Jelincic, Croatia, 1996, English, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 63 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Calling the Ghosts / Prozivanje Duhove [FL 701] Jadranka Cigelj and Nusreta Sivac, childhood friends and legal professionals, enjoyed lives of "ordinary modern women" in Bosnia-Herzegovina, until they were put into a concentration camp, and raped and tortured by their neighbors. This powerful and sensitive film, chronicles the remarkable transformation of these women as their personal struggle for survival evolves into a larger fight for peace and justice. They formulate a mission--to put rape into the international lexicon of war crimes. Their success can be judged by the fact that their very torturers now stand indicted by the International War Crimes Tribunal. "Calling the Ghosts" reaches beyond the anonymous "victim" compelling viewers to personalize women's stories and embrace a sense of universal humanity. Mandy Jacobson, Karmen Jelincic, Croatia, 1996, English, Serbo-Croatian/Subtitles: English, 63 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM At the Epicentre [FL 702] Ruhi Hamid’s film tells the story of a village flattened by last year’s Tsunami. 7000 people and the domed Mosque were the only survivors in Lampuuk and amid constant earthquakes, safety and emotional hazards, Ruhi Hamid tells the story of those who escaped with their lives. "Capturing the stories of my characters was often upsetting, but my motivation was to tell their incredible stories of courage, resilience and hope in rebuilding their lives and observe the complexities of the politics around the disaster," said Ruhi about her film."Everyone is taking care of each other here… and we are becoming a solid community," says Anita, one of the 100 villagers who returned to Lampuuk six weeks after the tragedy to begin the reconstruction. Anita is convinced that the tsunami is a punishment. "it is a warning from Allah," she says, "because we have neglected our faith." Ruhi Hamid, United Kingdom, 2005, English/Dubbing: English, 49 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM At the Epicentre [FL 702] Ruhi Hamid’s film tells the story of a village flattened by last year’s Tsunami. 7000 people and the domed Mosque were the only survivors in Lampuuk and amid constant earthquakes, safety and emotional hazards, Ruhi Hamid tells the story of those who escaped with their lives. "Capturing the stories of my characters was often upsetting, but my motivation was to tell their incredible stories of courage, resilience and hope in rebuilding their lives and observe the complexities of the politics around the disaster," said Ruhi about her film."Everyone is taking care of each other here… and we are becoming a solid community," says Anita, one of the 100 villagers who returned to Lampuuk six weeks after the tragedy to begin the reconstruction. Anita is convinced that the tsunami is a punishment. "it is a warning from Allah," she says, "because we have neglected our faith." Ruhi Hamid, United Kingdom, 2005, English/Dubbing: English, 49 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Children (Kosovo 2000) / Деца-Fëmijët (Kosovo 2000) [FL 704] Kosovo in the spring of 2000. Winter is over but in a meteorological sense only. Ruins and pain. The marks of devastation in the sunny landscape. Wounds that never heal, the hesitating, vague gestures of a new beginning. Paradoxes. In black and white, with the broken images of memory imprints in color. Two words: деца and fëmijët, they mean children in Serb and Albanian. These expressions have no place in the irrational dicitionary of war. It is these children, though, who are the most defenceless victims of this war governed by mad hatred. Their suffering has become an indelible chapter of the chronicle at the end of the century, the dawn of the new millennium. Besarta, Violeta, Edmond and Valdrin, Miljana and Jelena are Albanian and Serb children, the film tells their story in black and white with colour Super8 images shot by the children themselves. Ferenc Moldoványi, Hungary, 2001, Albanian, Serbian/Subtitles: English, French, Hungarian, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Route 181: Fragments of a Jounrney to Palestine - Israel (part I) [FL 705] Capturing the fragments of a land shattered by politics, history, and colonialism, "Route 181", clocks in at about four and a half hours. The film's length is epic-worthy, but it allows the filmmakers to present oral history from a wide variety of people who live along the 1947 partition line, while at the same time allow for minutes-long footage of the monotonous grey concrete wall that quietly runs along one of the region's main roads. By portraying both the divide of the physical landscape and that of the humans that inhabit it, viewers receive a fuller understanding of this conflicted part of the world. Viewers meet Israelis and Palestinians of a wide variety of backgrounds and politics. Disillusioned Israeli Jews of Moroccan descent wish they had never emigrated to Israel in the first place, while adolescent Palestinian citizens of Israel, because they are educated with an Israeli curriculum, squabble over whether they are Palestinian or Israeli. Thus the film introduces to its audience, through extended interviews with various Israelis and Palestinians, the nuanced complexity of those people who live along the green line. Eyal Sivan, Michel Khleifi, Belgium, 2004, Hebrew, Arabic/Subtitles: English, 83 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Route 181: Fragments of a Journey to Palestine-Israel (part II) [FL 706] Capturing the fragments of a land shattered by politics, history, and colonialism, "Route 181", clocks in at about four and a half hours. The film's length is epic-worthy, but it allows the filmmakers to present oral history from a wide variety of people who live along the 1947 partition line, while at the same time allow for minutes-long footage of the monotonous grey concrete wall that quietly runs along one of the region's main roads. By portraying both the divide of the physical landscape and that of the humans that inhabit it, viewers receive a fuller understanding of this conflicted part of the world. Viewers meet Israelis and Palestinians of a wide variety of backgrounds and politics. Disillusioned Israeli Jews of Moroccan descent wish they had never emigrated to Israel in the first place, while adolescent Palestinian citizens of Israel, because they are educated with an Israeli curriculum, squabble over whether they are Palestinian or Israeli. Thus the film introduces to its audience, through extended interviews with various Israelis and Palestinians, the nuanced complexity of those people who live along the green line. Eyal Sivan, Michel Khleifi, Belgium, 2004, Hebrew, Arabic/Subtitles: English, 102 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Miner's Tale, A [FL 707] Joachim is a migrant labourer who is torn between his responsibilities for his junior wife in South Africa and his senior wife and family in Mozambique. When visiting his home village after a long absence, he is also torn between his understanding of the responsibilities of his HIV status and what traditional society expects of him as a man. He has to make a choice: he cannot please and protect everybody at the same time. The elders are adamant that Joaquim must do his traditional duty and give his wife more children. What will he choose? Nic Hofmeyr, Gabriel Mondlane, South Africa, 2001, English, 38 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Them and Me [FL 710] The film seeks to invert the classical approach of enthogrpahic films and to show how the native tribe sees the anthropologits that is observing it. The frustrations of the ethnologistsand the speculations revolving around him are the theme of the film. This is not a documentary about an exotic society, but about the exoticism of the anthropologist's gaze, and, perhaps, also about the art of exchanging gazes. Stéphane Breton, France, 2001, English, 63 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Turning Points of History: Ceausescu's Kids [FL 711] For a generation Romanian women were forced to have babies they didn't want. Nicolae Ceausescu imposed a ban on abortion and birth control and forced every woman of child bearing age to have at least four children. Control over reproduction was strictly enforced. The infant and maternal death rate was high. Thousands babies were born with AIDS. In cases when children were born with mental or physical disabilities, their parents were explicitly encouraged to leave them in the special orphanages. In certain cases, when parental agreement was not easily obtainable, parents were made to believe that their infant was dead while in reality the new-born was transferred to the special "child-care" institution. Plagued by horrifying living conditions and wide-spread abuse, these orphanages were often situated in remote areas of the country, keeping the "embarrassing" sight of disabled children away from public view. The film crew shot much of the footage in such institutions and the result is a shockingly graphic sequence of skeleton-like emaciated and neglected children. Ceausescu's lasting legacy is a generation of unwanted children. Mary Ann Alton, (n/a), 1989, English, Romanian, 60 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Radio La Califata [FL 712] Why the patients of the Clinic for mental diseases in Buenos Aires re-elected Carlos Mehnem for a president without liking him? A documentary on the 2003 presidential elections in Argentine. IN April 2003 Radio La Colifata has organized mock "presidential elections" in a mental clinic in Buenos Airesfor just a day before the official ones. Radio La Colifata, which in Buenos Aires slang means Crazy Radio - was the first radio show in the world to broadcast live from a mental hospital. The founder of the radio, psychologist Alfredo Olivera, had started to use a simple small dictaphone as a speech therapy. More than mere therapy, the show has proven popular with an estimated 12 million listeners. Away from the media limelight, the hospital says the show has had great therapeutic results. Saturday afternoon in Buenos Aires: tucked away behind the towering, prison-like Jose Borda psychiatric hospital, a large group of people is gathering. The Radio La Colifata team are now organizing their own presidential elections. The film provides an idiosyncratic look at the origins of democracy from inside a mental hospital where the patients do not have civil rights to vote. It is a documentary on the meaning of choice, free will and civil rights albeit cast in a grotesque and almost absurd light. Valentina Monti, Italy, 2004, Spanish/Subtitles: English, Italian, 33 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Not By Bread Alone / Не хлебом единым [FL 713] The year 1947, the aftermath of the war. Life in a small industrial town revolves around the steelworks. The protagonists meet in high school - Dmitrii Lopatkin is teaching physics, Nadezhda is an English teacher, married to the director of the steelworks, general Drozdov. Lopatkin dreams of designing a particular kind of tubes-making machine that promises to revolutionize the steel industry. The two fall in love and Nadezhda leaves her husband for Dmitri, fascinated by his project and taken in by his enthusiasm and devotion to his work. Drozdov seeks revenge by creating impedements for Lopatkin's invention. Stanislav Govorukhin, Russia, 2004, Russian/Subtitles: English, 112 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Sardine Girls / Les Filles de la Sardine [FL 715] A daily work-grind of female workers at the "sardine processing factory" in Douarnenez, the monotonous routine, gloved hands elbow deep in cold water, cutting sardines. Interviewed by the film director, Marie Hélia, the women share their life stories, their dreams and hopes. Marie Hélia, France, 2001, French/Subtitles: English, 50 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Squint Your Eyes / Zmruź Oczy [FL 717] An acclaimed feature debut. A spirited ten-year-old girl runs away from her proudly affluent parents and finds grudging refuge with the slightly slovenly caretaker of a closed down former collective farm. She prefers solitude and peace among fields and grasses to her nouveau riche family home, and the company of ‘losers’ like this ex-teacher. He ‘has no car, no money, no woman and does nothing useful’ but he has the peace of soul and internal freedom that the girl’s busy parents lack. They come searching for her and try to convince the ex-teacher, using various means, to turn the girl in. He makes them realize that she does not need a new doll, or a computer, but rather love and attention, and that taking her back by force will not solve anything. It’s enough to sit down, calm down and “squint your eyes” to see this. Andrzej Jakimowski, Poland, 2002, Polish/Subtitles: English, 86 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Turkmenistan [FL 718] "I am in Turkmenistan, one of the worst dictatorships in the world. All the footage that you will see was smuggled out of the country after I was deported." "Turkmenistan" conveys the director's experiences in a country reigned by intimidation and fear. All of the people interviewed for the film refused to have their names mentioned or their faces shown explaining that the repercussions of openly expressing dissent could be severe. Turkeminstan's leader of 20 years, Saparmurat Turkmenbashi, has been consistently cutting off Turkmen society from the rest of the world, destroying political opposition, free media, etc. His internal policies has also been highly controversial. Turkmenistan refuses to recognize university degrees earned outside the country, which has resulted in massive loss of jobs and discouraged Turkemen nationals currently studying abroad from ever returning home. Although the country's capital, Ashkhabad is currently a massive construction site replete with sumptuous palaces and monuments (for example,a collosal gold statue made of the president that turns after the sun and similar extravagancies), the country is plagued by endemic poverty. Symptomatic of the dire economic situation and of the dictatorial essence of the Niyazov's regime is his recent edict abolishing the pensions for senior citizens, which has placed thousands on the verge of death by starvation.United States, 2001, English, 11 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Living Proof: The Right to Live in a Community / Svjedočanstva: Pravo na život u zajednici [FL 719] "Living Proof" provides a voice for members of society who are all too often ignored. Stigma and discrimination are perpetuated by a social welfare system that keeps people with intellectual disabilities from realizing their fundamental right to live independently. By describing the experiences and presenting opinions of people with intellectual disabilities, this film demonstrates the importance of achieving change in the social welfare system and in society as a whole. "Everyone should leave the institutions and be in apartments the way I am. …they would be better off, like me. They would have their own lives," said Ivka Krzelj, one of the people interviewed in Living Proof. In Croatia, however, one in three people with moderate or severe intellectual disabilities lives in a long stay institution, isolated from society. The film was shot by members of the Association for Promoting Inclusion (API) in Zagreb, which since 1997, has provided community-based programs as alternatives to institutionalization, empowering people with intellectual disabilities to realize their rights and participate as equal citizens in society. "Living Proof" premiered in Croatia on December 8th, 2005 at the opening of a conference on the right to live in the community organized by API.Croatia, 2005, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 20 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion [FL 720] The film is an account of the half-century-long occupation of Tibet by China. Shot with footage gathered over ten years, the film includes accounts from Robert Ford, one of the few people to have lived in Pre-Chinese Tibet, interviews with Western scholars, and personal testimony from some of the monks and nuns that survived the Chinese crackdown on Tibetan religion and culture. While the film does gloss over the Chinese government's rationale for the occupation, stating that Tibet, far from being a utopian society, had been a feudalistic society plagued by poverty, it is clear from the start that this is a film meant to inspire outrage. The description and images of the 1987 Lhasa demonstrations, described by two American tourists who witnessed the protests and brutal crackdown that ensued, are particularly wrenching. Perhaps most memorable is the sentiment echoed throughout the film by the monks and nuns at the forefront of the Tibetan freedom movement and voiced by Gendun Rinchen, a former political prisoner: "The worst thing for a Tibetan under the Chinese rule is that one cannot say that I am a Tibetan, as simple as this." Tom Peosay, (n/a), 2002, /Subtitles: English, Polish, 103 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Lion's Trail, A [FL 721] "The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is one of the most recognizable pop songs in the world. But how many people realize that this American hit tune was actually written by Solomon Linda, a Zulu musician who never earned a cent in royalties and died in poverty? A LION'S TRAIL traces the music back to its original source, telling the story of how the Zulu song "Mbube" was transcribed by American folk singer Pete Seeger into "Wimoweh," finally gaining international recognition as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight." Verster began work on this film in 1999, when a South African TV show asked him to make a film about how “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” originated as an African song "Mbube"—a fact that came as a surprise to him. Once Verster began researching the original composition, he quickly became fascinated with the story behind the music. A friend gave him an audiocassette from Pete Seeger’s nephew that contained 21 versions of the same song. Verster was amazed at how these variations could all be traced back to Linda’s original four-chord tune. While exploring the moral and legal issues around the song, A LION'S TRAIL is also a vibrant and joyous celebration of the heritage of African music. Versions of the song are performed by musicians across the globe, including the Manhattan Brothers, Solomon Linda's daughters, Pete Seeger and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who lead the Church of God in Africa in the South African town of Clermont. By combining stunning visuals with powerful musical performances, A LION’S TRAIL not only opens up the debate surrounding the origins of “Mbube” itself, but also reveals the controversies regarding copyright and ownership in the global music industry. François Verster, South Africa, 2002, English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Perpetuum Mobile [FL 723] The film consists of several short novels that portray everyday life of the imhabitants of one of the small Buddhist monasteries in Mongolia. Assembled together and interlain by the selection of miniature poems (e.g. the Haiku poems of Basho and Issa, a Zen poem of Ryokon and the verse written by the film director, S. Byamba) the stories weave a poetic and throught-provoking narrative of time, hope and the brevity of human existence in the face of eternity. S. Byamba, Mongolia, 2002, Mongolian/Subtitles: English, 55 min, art documentary, DVD-ROM War of the Worlds - Next Century / W ojna Światów - Następne Stulecie [FL 725] Based on the classic novel by H.G. Wells, but with a twist: Earth is no longer a peaceful and pleasant place. The story opens on December 18, 1999, just a few days before the dawn of the new century. A local reporter, Iron Idem, announces that the Martians have landed. Shortly after that his program gets taken over: he is given the script telling the crowds how to welcome the invaders. Then chaos breaks out: the Martians and the police mistreat the populace; violence spreads. Idem's own wife is kidnapped and it seems somebody is trying compromise him as a reporter. Idem decides to fight back: he illegally broadcasts a message during the rock concert, but nobody believes him any more. In the end he is the victim of the televised bogus trial. The film was shot between the rise of Solidarity and the imposition of Martial Law as part of Szulkin’s “space trilogy” and was not screened in Poland until 1983. Piotr Szulkin, Poland, 1981, Polish/Subtitles: English, 92 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Teddy Bear / Miś [FL 726] One of the most acclaimed Polish “cult” comedies, depicting the absurdities of everyday life in the late 70’s. The main character is the manager of a sports club, nicknamed "Teddy Bear" by his friends and acquaintances. One day he is detained at the border just as his team is off to a tournament - somebody has torn a few pages out of his passport. It occurs to him that his ex-wife might have done so to get her hands on their joint account in a London bank. Therefore, he has to get to London as soon as possible in order to transfer the money to a different bank. The solution is a movie, made by his friend. The script calls for a double role, and the search for Teddy Bear's doppelganger is advertised. The double has to apply for the passport, and this is arranged through a girlfriend who agrees to play the dope's new fiancée. At the engagement party they slip him a mickey, and Teddy Bear runs off to the airport with the false passport. On the plane, however, he meets his ex-wife… Stanisław Bareja,, Poland, 1981, Polish/Subtitles: English, 63 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Man's Thing, A / Męska sprawa [FL 727] A short feature film shot in black-and-white, in documentary fashion. It depicts three days in the life of thirteen-year-old Bartek, living in Łódź, Poland, who desperately tries to hide the fact that his father beats him. Lonely, and with no support from his intimidated household drudge of a mother, the boy finds his only friend in an old stray dog from the kennels. He is a gifted soccer player and during preparations for a school football cup, Bartek’s secret is revealed. His coach, previously strict and hostile, now decides to intercede for him. Despite the good intentions of the coach, Bartek’s grim experiences have made him completely untrusting. Awards and nominations: nominated for Oscar for Best Short Film, Live Action, 2002 and for Best Short Film at European Film Awards 2001; awards: Silver Dragon at Cracow Film Festival 2002, Best Short Film at Dresden Film Festival 2002, European Short Film at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2001, Best Short Film at Shorts International Film Festival 2001,etc. Stawomir Fabicki, Poland, 2001, Polish/Subtitles: English, 26 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Jungle Book of Regulations, A / Nie ma róźy bez ognia [FL 730] A comedy dealing with Polish housing problems and the absurdities of regulations. Wanda and Jan Wiliakiewicz live in a tiny room in an office building. Jan deliberately stays at work to avoid going back home. One day they get a chance to move to a comfortable double-room apartment. They seize this opportunity, but soon Wanda’s ex-husband Jerzy moves in too. They are divorced, but he is still officially registered in Wanda’s apartment, and thus claims the right to one of the rooms. Jan decides to bring Lusia – Jerzy’s fiancée – to Warsaw, hoping she will help get rid of the unwanted tenant. She comes, but along with her new fiancée, and soon her father arrives with some furniture too. Jan’s nerves cannot take this any longer, and he ends up in hospital. Eventually, they move back to the original building, but now to a four-room apartment, from which the offices have been evicted. But Jerzy comes along too, claiming his right to the fifth room… Stanisław Bareja, Poland, 1974, Polish/Subtitles: English, Polish, 91 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Nikifor / Mój Nikifor [FL 732] A film based on the true story of Nikifor Krynicki, one of the most outstanding “naïve” painters. It depicts the last eight years of his life. Nikifor lived in tremendous poverty, suffered from tuberculosis, and had no relatives. He inherited a severe speech defect from his mother, which made him unable to produce understandable speech, was partially deaf, and considered by most to be mentally ill, but he was so involved in his work that he cared little about poverty and isolation. One day professional painters and party officials discover his talent. He is given the opportunity to live in better conditions in a family in Włosińscy. Initially they do not seem to be very happy about it, especially the head of the family, who is a painter himself, considered by Nikifor to be a bad one... The main character is played by a woman – acclaimed Polish theatre actress Krystyna Feldman. Screen writer Joanna Kos said in an interview that the film should be viewed as a study on humanity, and likened the story to that of the prophet Elijah. Krzysztof Krauze, Poland, 2004, Polish/Subtitles: English, 97 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Happy New Year / Szczęśliewego Nowego Jorku [FL 733] A film adaptation of Edward Redliński’s drama. Six Poles, dreaming of quick careers and fast money face the ruthless reality of poverty after they arrive in New York. They live in isolation, ignorant of American norms and of the English language. Each of them has a different story to tell. Some of them send video tapes to their families back in Poland showing off their alleged successes. Others try to make money illegally. The drama takes place during the three Sundays before Christmas. On Christmas eve, the characters’ lives will be changed, though. An ironical commentary on the “American dream”, watched by nearly half a million Poles. Janusz Zaorski, Poland, 1995, Polish/Subtitles: English, 97 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Academy of Mr. Kleks, The / Akademia Pana Kleksa [FL 736] An adaptation of a novel by Jan Brzechwa. 10-year Jaś Niezgódka begins his studies at a strange boarding school located in an old palace. The pedagogue, Mr. Blot, is not merely a teacher, but also an alchemist and a dream-interpreter. He lives on colorful confetti-like “freckles” that are provided for him on a weekly basis by Filip the Barber. When he runs out of “freckles”, he shrinks. Meanwhile, Jaś embarks upon several adventures and discovers the secret of Filip the Barber. The latter desires to ruin Mr. Blot and his Academy. Eventually he succeeds by sending robot named Adolf into the school. Partially animated and with numerous songs, this children’s film was widely acclaimed and seen by over 14 million spectators in movie theatres. It is filled with allusions, mainly to “Star Wars” and “The Muppets”. Krzysztof Gradowski, Poland, 1984, Polish/Subtitles: English, 158 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Pan Tadeusz: The Last Foray in Lithuania / Pan Tadeusz [FL 743] An adaptation of what is said to be the most important Polish historical epic, composed by the romantic poet Adam Mickiewicz. It deals with Polish hopes of regaining independence ignited by Napoleon Bonaparte. The character named in the title is a young nobleman who falls in love with a young girl from a rival local family. The key figure in Wajda’s adaptation, however, is Jacek Soplica – Tadeusz’s uncle, a murderer, a penitent and an exile, who comes back to Soplicowo under cover in order to prepare an insurrection against the Russians. A blend of family quarrels and politics in effect triggers the uprising, but it fails and the insurgents have to flee. Wajda’s adaptation was extremely popular and widely acclaimed, thanks to his decision not to take the patriotic and moral high ground, but rather to tell the story in a lighter way. Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1999, Polish/Subtitles: English, Russian, German, French, Italian, Spanish, 150 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Hi, Tereska / Czesc, Tereska [FL 744] Bitter coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old girl, learning to be a dressmaker, who lives with her parents in a typical urban area of blocks of flats in Warsaw. Her family is typical too - her father drinks, while her mother finds consolation in religion. The TV set is constantly switched on. Tereska dreams of being a fashion designer, and as she is good at drawing, her dream may come true one day. However, she cannot expect love and support from her parents. Tereska tries to find acceptance outside her family. She makes friends with Renata, who teaches her to smoke cigarettes, drink wine, steal and kiss boys. Her other new friends are even less acceptable. She spends some time with a crippled porter, a lonely alcoholic, who under cover of friendship expects sexual services from her. Her dreams of a great love are ruined in a tragic finale. The film is black-and-white, shot like a documentary and features non-professional actors. Awards: Golden Lion at Polish Film Festival, Special Prize of the Jury at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2001, Best European Film at Denver International Film Festival 2001, Golden Lily at Wiesbaden go East 2002, Best Young Actor in an International Film for Aleksandra Gietner, Young Artist Awards 2002. Robert Gliński, Poland, 2001, Polish/Subtitles: English, German, 86 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Ga-Ga Glory to the Heroes / Ga, Ga Chwała Bohaterom [FL 746] With « Ga, Ga », Szulkin ironically criticizes the society of the spectacle and predicts the success of the TV-reality phenomenon. In the 21st century, people are so happy that nobody wants to do the dangerous job of astronaut. There’s one solution to the problem: prisoners. Ejected from penitentiary space ships, they are sent to unexplored planets with a mission to colonize. Piotr Szolkin, Poland, 1984, Polish/Subtitles: English, 81 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Snodrop festivities / Slavnosti sněženek [FL 747] Acclaimed Czech director Jiří Menzel has pulled off another successful collaboration with writer Bohumil Hrabal in this light, sometimes saucy farce about two warring hunting factions in a small village and how they end up in a rousing, comic showdown. The village community is made up of a broad spectrum of eccentrics, from the farmer who escorts his goats to pasture in an old Pontiac car, to the sign painters who put up their handiwork slogans in the most unlikely places; there is humor enough for everyone. Then one day three hunters from one faction chase after a boar they found in the woods, and the wounded animal runs into a schoolhouse for refuge. Since the schoolhouse is in neutral territory, it becomes the scene for a reckoning between the two hunting factions. The upshot is a wild time in the local pub -- with some unexpected consequences Jiří Menzel, Czech Republic, 1983, Czech/Subtitles: English, 83 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Wedding, The / Wesele [FL 748] A story about passion and money, or rather about the passion for money. Wojnar – one of the richest citizens of a small town – is giving a wedding party for his daughter Kasia. Soon we realize, though, that the groom agreed to marry Kasia only because Wojnar promised to buy him a car. Kasia was already pregnant but by somebody else – who attends the wedding disguised as somebody recording it on video. We also realize that Wojnar needs the wedding in order to convince his own father to transfer a valuable piece of land to him. But the grandfather does not want to do so, and disappears. The local mafia, who were promised the land, move in on Wojnar, and so do others who want to drain him of all his money. By the morning, Wojnar is ruined, his wife has left him and his daughter has eloped with her first love. Wojciech Smarzowski, Poland, 2004, Polish/Subtitles: English, 100 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Edi [FL 749] The film tells a story of two scrap pickers in a Polish town of Łodz- the title hero Edi and his friend Jureczek. Edi spends his idle hours poring over books found in the trash. He lives quietly, avoiding "the brothers," booze-running thugs who rule their neighborhood. The brothers are maniacally protective of their sister, Princess. They hire Edi to tutor her, and Edi becomes embroiled in her affair with a gypsy, evincing a gentleness and self-knowledge that belies his lowly social station. Through this entangelment Edi is wrongly accused of having raped the girl. He severely punished for that but accepts his fate taking care of the girl's child. Piotr Trzaskalski, Poland, 2002, Polish/Subtitles: English, 98 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM O-BI, O-BA, The End of Civilization / O-BI, O-BA Koniec Cywilizacji [FL 750] Set in an underground dungeon inhabited by huddled, ragged human beings, after the nuclear holocaust. Eight hundred survivors wait for a "space-Ark” to arrive and rescue them while their habitat falls apart. Soon it turns out that the Ark was a myth devised by those in power. Still, the people live the Ark myth, decide to use guidelines from the Bible to build one themselves and start distributing seats in the rescue shuttle. Meanwhile, the concrete vault of the bunker threatens to collapse, and an engineer called Soft has to strengthen its structure. He wants to build the Ark nevertheless, but finds out that very little was left of the Bible after the war. He tries to escape using a secret airplane, but soon realizes that it has been rebuilt to resemble a fake Ark. The dome collapses, and the crowd starts running towards the light that is to bring the Ark. A grim portrait of post-apocalyptic paranoia, written under and inspired by Martial Law in Poland. Piotr Szulkin, Poland, 1984, Polish/Subtitles: English, 85 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Beyond the Sea: a history of the Mariel boatlift / Más allá del mar: una historia del exodo de Mariel Más allá del mar [FL 751] It began with a bus crashing through the gates of an embassy in Havana and unraveled into one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of human migrations. In a few short weeks, nearly 130,000 Cubans left their homeland in an unrelenting stream of vessels bound for America. More than two decades later, the personal stories surrounding the infamous Mariel Boatlift continue to resonate with an energy that can only be described as surreal, powerful. Weaving together these riveting stories along with rare, historical images, and footage from present-day Cuba, this film recreates this "explosion of 1980," a crisis that shook the very foundations of Cuban as well as American society. Lisandro Perez-Rey, Cuba, 2003, Spanish, English/Subtitles: English, 80 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Beyond the Sea: a history of the Mariel boatlift / Más allá del mar: una historia del exodo de Mariel Más allá del mar [FL 751] It began with a bus crashing through the gates of an embassy in Havana and unraveled into one of the most dramatic episodes in the history of human migrations. In a few short weeks, nearly 130,000 Cubans left their homeland in an unrelenting stream of vessels bound for America. More than two decades later, the personal stories surrounding the infamous Mariel Boatlift continue to resonate with an energy that can only be described as surreal, powerful. Weaving together these riveting stories along with rare, historical images, and footage from present-day Cuba, this film recreates this "explosion of 1980," a crisis that shook the very foundations of Cuban as well as American society. Lisandro Perez-Rey, Cuba, 2003, Spanish, English/Subtitles: English, 80 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Üxüf Xipai: The Plunder / Üxüf Xipai: El Despojo [FL 752] This multi-award winning film examines the multiple dimensions of the resistance of the indigenous Mapuche people in Chile over the last 120 years. First exploring the proud history and traditions of the community (both rural and urban), the film then looks at ongoing conflicts with the Chilean government and various companies who look to exploit their land. Dauno Totoro, (n/a), 2004, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Final Solution. Part I: Pride and Genocide [FL 753] "Final Solution" is a study of the politics of hate. Set in Gujarat during the period Feb/March 2002 - July 2003, the film graphically documents the changing face of right-wing politics in India through a study of the 2002 genocide of Moslems in Gujarat. It specifically examines political tendencies reminiscient of the Nazi Germany of early/mid-1930s. Part 1 of the ""Final Solution" deals with the carnage and its immediate aftermath. It examines the patterns of pre-planned genocidal violence (by right-wing Hindutva cadres), which many claim was state-supported, if not state-sponsored. The film reconstructs through eyewitness accounts the attack on Gulbarg and Patiya (Ahmedabad) and acts of barbaric violence against Moslem women at Eral and Delol/Kalol (Panchmahals) even as Chief Minister Modi traverses the state on his Gaurav Yatra. Rakesh Sharma, India, 2003, Hindi/Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Final Solution. Part II: Hate Mandate [FL 754] Final Solution is a study of the politics of hate. Set in Gujarat during the period Feb/March 2002 - July 2003, the film graphically documents the changing face of right-wing politics in India through a study of the 2002 genocide of Muslims in Gujarat. It specifically examines political tendencies reminiscient of the Nazi Germany of early/mid-1930s. Part 2 "The Hate Mandate" documents the poll campaign during the Assembly elections in Gujarat in late 2002. It records in detail the exploitation of the Godhra incident by the right-wing propaganda machinery for electoral gains. The film studies and documents the situation months after the elections to find shocking faultlines – voluntary ghettoisation, segregation in schools, formal calls for economic boycott of Muslims and continuing acts of violence. Rakesh Sharma, India, 2003, Hindi/Subtitles: English, 76 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Blue Angel, The / Der blaue Engel [FL 763] "The Blue Angel" deals with the humiliation and breakdown an inhibited, overbearing, sexually-repressed instructor at a boys' prep school. Professor Immanuel Rath discovers some of his students passing round seductive photographs of a sexy cabaret singer. His best pupil confesses that Lola Lola sings and dances at the "Blue Angel," a variety club near the docks. Rath visits the club that night to put a stop to this indecency, but is entranced by his first glimpse of Dietrich straddling a chair crooning "Falling in Love Again" in top hat, stockings, and bare thighs. Rath's self-righteousness cannot survive the seductive voice of the siren. Three of Rath's pupils are watching from the dark, though they duck out of sight of their teacher. Rath decides to corner Lola for "misleading" his pupils while she is in the dressing room preparing for her next appearance. They spend the night together; for the first time in his life, he arrives late for school the next morning to find his class in an uproar. When the principal shows up to investigate the goings-on, Rath leaves his job and marries Lola. The mismatched couple enjoy themselves until they have spent every cent of Rath's bank account. Consumed by desire and tormented by his rigid propriety, Rath's morality degenerates. Lola finally forces him to return to his home town and appear as a clown there. The performance ends scandalously. Lola leaves him for another man. A broken old man unable to bear the humiliation any longer, Rath returns to his old classroom and falls dead on the floor. Josef von Sternberg, Germany, 1930, English/Subtitles: Hungarian, 87 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Simon of the Desert / Simón del desierto [FL 767] Modeling himself after the 4th century stoic St. Simon Stylites, a man stands on a pillar in the Mexican desert for six years, six weeks, and six days as an example to the peasants below, resisting temptations that Satan throws at him. A master of cinematic surrealism, Luis Buñuel was able to create this award-winning film despite the constraints of a tight budget and an abbreviated shooting schedule. Luis Buñuel, Mexico, 1965, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 45 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Taurus Constellation, The / В созвездии быка [FL 776] November 1942. The battle for Stalingrad is at its height. 100 kilometers north of the city in the tiny village of Shishka that sits on top of a hill in the middle of the vast steppe life continues uninterrupted. The war, however, has reached into this pastoral idyll through the distant echo of the canonade, the roar of airplane engines and of explosions. At the center of the plot set in Shishka is the eternal triangle. Two boys, Vania and Igor, are competing for the heart of the local beauty Kalia. Naturally, Kalia fancies the handsome and well-read Igor who came from the city over the local Vania. Vania is jealous and confides his sorrows to his closest friends - the bulls that he looks after as a herder. Pyotr Todorovsky, Russia, 2003, Russian/Subtitles: English, 94 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Tree of Desire, The akd The Wishing Tree / Natvris khe [FL 777] Poetry, vivid imagery and allegory mark the nearly two-dozen episodes of this epic tale about human life and its troubles, set in the Georgian village of Kachetien near the turn of the century. One continuing thread concerns a young woman, in love with one man, who is married off to another by the village elders. When she is caught meeting her true love, she is paraded through the village for public abuse and ridicule, during which globs of mud are hurled at her. Many vividly drawn and eccentric village characters are portrayed, from simpletons to fortune-tellers, and their dreams reveal what each would consider to be happiness in this life. The well-regarded director of this film, Tengiz Abuladze, was known for his visually sophisticated and symbolically rich works. "The Wishing Tree" is the second film in a Georgian trilogy by Abuladze: the first, released in 1969, was "Encounter", about the primitivist artist Nikos Piosmani the last, released in 1987, is known as "Repentance." Together with "Plead" and "Repentance", "The Wishing Tree" constitutes a trilogy and is best viewed in sequence. Tengiz Abuladze, Soviet Union, 1976, Georgian/Dubbing: English, Russian, 101 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM My Enemy's Enemy [FL 781] Klaus Barbie was a war criminal. His hands were stained with the blood of thousands of people during the period when he was Gestapo leader in Lyon. He entered the history books largely thanks to his arrest and torture of the French Resistance leader Jean Moulin. After World War II came to an end he was not convicted but instead, with the help of the American secret services, started a new life. He was saved by his knowledge and expertise, which proved useful in an atmosphere of growing fear of world communism. This excellent documentary by the director Kevin Macdonald captures the life of Klaus Barbie, Nazi torturer, American spy, master of cruelty and life–long Nazi, from his time in the Gestapo through the years he spent in Latin America to his death. The film's makers have interspersed archive footage from more than four decades with the personal testimony of people whose lives were changed forever by meeting Barbie. The picture does more than just judge the chilling figure of Barbie – it touches with agonising eloquence the consciences of several western states, victors over Nazism, by revealing the principles which many of them accepted after the war. Kevin Macdonald, France, 2007, French, English, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 87 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM My Enemy's Enemy [FL 781] Klaus Barbie was a war criminal. His hands were stained with the blood of thousands of people during the period when he was Gestapo leader in Lyon. He entered the history books largely thanks to his arrest and torture of the French Resistance leader Jean Moulin. After World War II came to an end he was not convicted but instead, with the help of the American secret services, started a new life. He was saved by his knowledge and expertise, which proved useful in an atmosphere of growing fear of world communism. This excellent documentary by the director Kevin Macdonald captures the life of Klaus Barbie, Nazi torturer, American spy, master of cruelty and life–long Nazi, from his time in the Gestapo through the years he spent in Latin America to his death. The film's makers have interspersed archive footage from more than four decades with the personal testimony of people whose lives were changed forever by meeting Barbie. The picture does more than just judge the chilling figure of Barbie – it touches with agonising eloquence the consciences of several western states, victors over Nazism, by revealing the principles which many of them accepted after the war. Kevin Macdonald, France, 2007, French, English, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 87 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM German Invasion of Poland, 1930: The First Blitzkrieg [FL 782] The first blitzkrieg, Hitler's invasion of Poland, is vividly portrayed by original Nazi films. Panzers and infantry-men advance as the Luftwaffe bombs enemy targets, including Warsaw. German troops meet their advancing Soviet allies near Lemberg. Hitler is shown with his generals, among regular soldiers and reviewing a victory parade of the German Eighth Army in Warsaw.Germany, 1939, German/Subtitles: English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Dr. Todt, Mission & Achievement / Dr. Todt: Berufung und Werk [FL 784] At the time of his death in 1942, Dr. Fritz Todt was among the most powerful men of the Third Reich. By training a civil engineer, Todt first caught Hitler's attention in 1932 by emphasizing the importance of road building for national economic recovery. Upon taking power, Hitler made Todt responsible for what would become Germany's great Autobahn project. Every aspect of Autobahn construction--its design, aesthetic (to harmonize with the German landscape), and model role in National Socialist labor relations--was stamped with Todt's personality. As was his other great achievement, the building of the massive network of bunkers and fortifications known as the West Wall--described here as the first battle in the war against France. With the outbreak of war, Todt's organization provided German troops an exemplary corps of engineers, filling out Germany's expanding imperium with new roads, bridges, aircraft fields, and fortifications. All of this is lavishly documented in this film, which supplies extensive and often rare footage of Todt's life and work, concluding with remarkable footage from his state funeral inside the Chancellory in Berlin.Germany, 1943, German/Subtitles: English, 37 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Fall of Berlin, The / Падение Берлина [FL 785] Over 40 Byelorussian and 1st Ukrainian Army cameramen contributed footage of this remarkable documentary of the fall of Berlin, including captured German footage. Directed by Yuri Raizman. Yuri Raizman, Soviet Union, 1945, Russian/Subtitles: English, 72 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Lubyanka: Genius of the Intelligence Service / Лубянка: Гений разведки [FL 787] Another film in the documentary TV series "Lubyanka" is dedicated to little-known aspects of the career of one of the most successful Soviet intelligence agents, Nikolay Ivanovich Kuznetzov. Long before the beginning of the World War II, Kuznetzov, then an NKVD agent living under a different name, was already receiving invaluable information from the German embassy in Moscow. From this source, Stalin was personally informed about the Nazi plans to launch an offensive against the Soviet Union. During the first few months of the War against the USSR, Kuznetzov undertook special training as a saboteur and was sent far beyond the front line on a mission to assassinate a high-ranking official in the Nazi "Ukraina" Reichkommisariat.Russia, 2002, Russian/Subtitles: English, 78 min, television series, DVD-ROM Everything For Sale / Wszystko na spozedaź [FL 788] Inspired by the tragic death of the great Polish actor Zbigniew Cybulski, this Andrzej Wajda film focuses on the behind-the-scenes lives of a director and his actors when they are disrupted by the mysterious murder of their leading man. It is, in director Wajda’s words, "a story about the people who make films – the directors and the actors." Film fiction mixes with reality as some of the actors play themselves. Everything For Sale can also be viewed as a glimpse into the way in which Wajda deals with his past and with his friendship with Cybuski. Andrzej Wajda, Poland, 1968, Polish/Subtitles: English, Russian, German, French, Polish, Italian, Spanish, 94 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Brunet Will Call / Brunet wieczorowa pora [FL 789] A satirical comedy and a parody of English crime stories. Michał - a modest editor, has got rid of his wife and kids for the weekend and is trying to relax in his house on the outskirts of Warsaw. His quiet evening is only disturbed by the chance prediction made by a Gypsy woman, that the same evening he will murder a mysterious "brunet". At first he does not take this seriously, but when all the predictions made by the woman start coming true – he finds a lost watch, lottery numbers she gave were drawn. Michał leaves the house, hoping to escape his grim destiny, but soon a body is found there. All the evidence points to Michał as the murderer. Together with a friend, Michał sets up a trap for the real murderer. Soon it turns out who the Gypsy woman really was… Stanisław Bareja, Poland, 1976, Polish/Subtitles: English, Polish, 90 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Wife for an Australian / Żona dla Australijczyka [FL 790] A very popular comedy from the 1960s, both widely acclaimed and criticized for being an “animated brochure” of communist Poland. Robert – an Australian farmer of Polish decent – is looking for a Polish wife. She needs to be thrifty and pretty. He arrives in Gdańsk and a family friend agrees to help him in the quest. Robert is short of time, though, and would like to have a wider choice. While watching the “Mazowsze” folk dance group perform, Robert falls in love with one of the dancers. The friend assures him that she can be married. He overhears another dancer's conversation and concludes that kidnapping would be the best way to win the girl’s heart. Wrongly assuming that the girl dreams about romantic abductions, he imprisons her in an luxury apartment and tries to convince her of his passion. After the misunderstanding is cleared up, Robert gives up and releases the girl. He is resigned, but she seems to start feeling for him. They meet again on a cruise, and live happily ever after. Stanisław Bareja, Poland, 1964, Polish/Subtitles: English, 92 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Magnate, The / Magnat [FL 791] A precise yet artful reconstruction of the family history of the von Pless dynasty of Upper Silesia, between 1900 ad 1935. In 1900 Prince Hans von Teuss entertains Emperor Wilhelm II with a bison hunt at his palatial residence. Many years later, he finds out that his wife was the emperor's lover and divorces her. In the '20s, during the Silesian uprisings, the Prince's son Konrad falls in love with a foreman's son and they leave together for Warsaw. In 1932, the Prince, now married to younger Marisca de Bodege, becomes paralyzed and confined to wheelchair. Only the youngest of the three sons still lives at the estate. Informed about their father’s approaching death, the other two return. Their very different careers illustrate the contingencies and the choices made in interwar Silesia: the oldest, diabolical Franzel, runs coal mines in Westphalia, takes over the ruined family estate and, unknown to his father, becomes associated with Hitler’s supporters. The homosexual Konrad chooses Catholicism and Polishness. The youngest, Bolko. is more interested in playing pool and flirting with his father’s second wife than with business or politics. Yet soon he learns that he cannot stand aloof from his brother’s alliances and decisions and has to pay a high prize. Filip Bajob, Poland, 1986, Polish/Subtitles: English, French, Polish, 171 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Touch, The / Dotkniecie Reki [FL 792] Every night, a young student of musicology with psychotherapeutic talents dreams of the same mysterious tune. He thinks it could be the theme of a bigger piece. He does not work on it himself, but wants Henri Kesdi – a silenced classical composer and a survivor of the Holocaust – to write it. Kesdi, living in Denmark, is coaxed out of retirement by the inspired musicologist. Previously hateful and lonely, Kesdi regains his vigor, especially as the young musicologist thinks Kesdi has to awake his sexuality in order to write the “piece of his lifetime”. Kesdi gets a new musical secretary to help him. His loyal wife reluctantly accepts her as his young lover. Critics applauded this “return of the great Zanussi of the early 1970s” and pointed out the references to the story of Faust. Krzysztof Zanussi., Poland, 1992, Polish/Subtitles: English, Polish, 96 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Murderers Are Among Us, The / Die Moerder sind unter uns [FL 793] Ranked by critics as one of Germany’s most important films, "The Murderers Are Among Us" offers a wrenching look at history and humanity. The first feature film produced in Germany after World War II, it is set in Berlin just after the surrender, and the city is still being battered by air raids. The characters move through the half-destroyed husks of old buildings, and even simple acts like serving a meal at a table take on new meaning as the people try to put their lives back together. Susanne Wallner is a concentration camp survivor, eager to taste life again after her living death. She returns to Belin from the concentration camp to discover that someone else had moved into her apartment. Dr. Hans Mertens who had taken up residence in Susanne's place, is a former German officer, unable to live with the guilt of what he and his former comrades have done. The two must quite literally learn to live side by side as they come to terms with the past and start to look toward the future. The film is beautifully and sensitively made, and possesses a shining optimism that is surprising for its time. Wolfgang Staudte, Germany, 1948, German/Subtitles: English, 80 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Naked Among Wolves / Nackt unter Wölfen [FL 794] As rumors reach them that the Allied armies are advancing on their concentration camp at Buchenwald, Polish prosoners renew their feeble hope for survival and freedom. When a group of prisoners is transferred from Auschwitz, a four-year-old child is smuggled into the camp in a valise. Born at Auschwitz, he is Jewish and will be killed if discovred. A group of prisoners decide to protect the child, from the searching Germans, and although the kapos cannot smuggle the boy out of Buchenwald, they manage to hide him---moving from one place to another within the camp as the Nazis comb it. Threats and torture by SS men fail to turn up the boy who becomes a symbol of the struggle between captives and captors. Frank Beyer, Germany, 1963, German/Subtitles: English, 118 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Nazi Medicine: In the Shadow of Reich [FL 795] Marking the 50th anniversary of the Nuremberg Physicians the film studies the step-by-step process that led the German medical professiona down an unethical road to genocide. It graphically documents the racial theories and eugenics principles that set the stage for the doctors' participation in sterilization and euthanasia, the selections at the death camps, as well as gruesome medical experimentations involving camp inmates. John Michalczyk, United States, 1997, English, 54 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Cross and the Star, The: Jews Christians and the Holocaust [FL 795] "The Cross and the Star" finds disturbing echoes of antisemitism in the otherwise profound and lyrical Gospel of St. John, the sermons of st. Augustine, the writings of Martin Luther and in the voices of the Crusaders and the Spanish Inquisitors, all of which may have helped sow the ideological seeds that developed into Nazism's racist ideology against the Jews. John Michalczyk, United States, 1992, English, 52 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Photostory / Fotonovela [FL 796] A painter who fails to attain the success she desires, a husband tired of being her shadow, a pupil who admires her feverishly, and an art dealer who gives her a hard time. All converge in this film, which mixes elements of photo stories, comics, music videos, and fiction. Ana Fresco, Daniela Cugliandolo, Argentina, 2004, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 10 min, short film, DVD-ROM La Chivichana [FL 796] Here comes the 'chivichana', a new and unique invention for quick and comfy travel! It's a challenge to traditional mules and horses, it's fast and cheap – it's the pride and joy of the inventive local Cuban villagers. La chivichana will get you down to the city in no time, it'll serve as an ambulance, if that's what you need – it even helps the farmers to get their goods to market. La chivichana – the first choice of the brave and experimental villagers in Cuba. A kind and ironic view of how creativity can help make a virtue of necessity. Waldo Ramírez, Cuba, 2000, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 13 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Journey to Mars / Viaje a Marte [FL 796] Antonio is a boy who wants to travel to Mars and, fortunately, his grandfather knows the way. Juan Pablo Zaramella, Argentina, 2004, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 16 min, cartoon, DVD-ROM Based on a True Story / Baseado em estórias reais [FL 796] In 1972, during Brazil's dictatorship, a young man is arrested while attempting a bank robbery. A journalist who witnesses the event writes an article for her newspaper. In a parallel story, a woman bakes a cake from a recipe. Gustavo Moraes, Brazil, 2002, Portuguese/Subtitles: English, 15 min, short film, DVD-ROM Passenger, The / El pasajero [FL 796] A passenger hires a taxi for the day. Matías Meyer, Mexico, 2004, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 14 min, short film, DVD-ROM Bulb and the Flower, The / A lampada e a flor [FL 796] Pablo Ferreira, Brazil, 2003, Portuguese/Subtitles: English, 17 min, short film, DVD-ROM Parade, The / Defilada [FL 797] Already a classic, this film by experienced documentary filmmaker Andrzej Fidyk, which has received several prestigious awards, shows us the celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in 1988. One of the goals of this enormous celebration was to overshadow the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, which were held at the same time. Instead of using his own dialogue to accompany the footage of the masses of people paying tribute to their leader, the director uses quotations from North Korean newspapers and books. The chillingly fascinating choreography of the mass procession is conducted with absolute perfection and is strongly reminiscent of similar celebrations from Nazi Germany and shows how the manifestations of these totalitarian regimes resemble one another. The author of the film also visits a number of places touched by the feet of the "God-like" Kim Il Sung or his son Kim Jong Il, which immediately became national memorials. Footage of pre-school children who are able to repeat by heart exact information about the birthdays of members of Kim Il Sung's family shows the enormous extent to which brainwashing takes places among the local citizens, who are convinced of the prosperity of their country thanks to its absolute isolation. Andrzej Fidyk, Poland, 1989, English, 1 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Hiroshima, Mon Amour [FL 798] A cornerstone of French cinema, Alain Resnais' first feature is one of the most influential films of all time. A French actress (Emmanuelle Riva) and a Japanese architect (Eiji Okada) engage in a brief, intense affair in postwar Hiroshima, their consuming fascination impelling them to exorcise their own scarred memories of love and suffering. Utilizing an innovative flashback structure and an Academy Award-nominated screenplay by novelist Marguerite Duras, Resnais delicately weaves past and present, personal pain and public anguish, in this moody masterwork. Alain Resnais, France, 1959, French, Japanese/Subtitles: English, 86 min, fiction film, VHS Pianist, The [FL 801] Winner of the prestigious Golden Palm award at the 2002 Cannes film festival, "The Pianist" is the film that Roman Polanski was born to direct. A childhood survivor of Nazi-occupied Poland, Polanski was uniquely suited to tell the story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jew and concert pianist (played by Adrien Brody) who witnessed the Nazi invasion of Warsaw, miraculously eluded the Nazi death camps, and survived throughout World War II by hiding among the ruins of the Warsaw ghetto. Unlike any previous dramatization of the Nazi holocaust, "The Pianist" steadfastly maintains its protagonist's singular point of view, allowing Polanski to create an intimate odyssey on an epic wartime scale, drawing a direct parallel between Szpilman's tenacious, primitive existence and the wholesale destruction of the city he refuses to abandon. Uncompromising in its physical and emotional authenticity, "The Pianist" strikes an ultimate note of hope and soulful purity. Roman Polanski, France, 2003, English, Russian, German, 150 min, fiction film, VHS Package-Tour / Társasutazás [FL 802] This documentary follows a group of former prisoners as they travel to Auschwitz. The visit to the camp brings back their memories of the war and detention, the destinies of those who perished and those who survived. The scenes of the journey are intercut with an interview with a woman who stayed at home, suffering from a recurrent illness contracted in the camp. She speaks in tranquil recollection about the death queues where matters of life and death were decided with horrifying arbitrariness. Gyula Gazdag, Hungary, 1984, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 75 min, fiction film, VHS Dreaming of Space / Космос как предчувствие [FL 804] The film is set in 1957 in a small port town on the edge of the Soviet empire. The bright beaming eyes of Konyok and Lara - a simple-hearted restaurant cook and his waitress girlfriend - follow the movement of the first sputnik with delight. The film’s main protagonist is a “simple Soviet man.” His alter-ego, friend-enemy, the mysterious Gherman with a strange name and even stranger behavior appears out of nowhere and is prepares to escape from the Soviet Union. He practices sports, swims in icy water, learns a single English phrase about political asylum, and finally seduces Konjok’s girlfriend in order to gain access to foreign ships. Alexei Uchitel, Russia, 2005, Russian/Subtitles: English, 86 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Legend of the Suram Fortress, The / Ambavi Suramis tsikhitsa [FL 805] Almost 15 years after shooting his greatest masterpiece "Colors of pomegranates", after suffering accusations, spending years in prisons and concentrations camps, Parajanov finally returns with "The Legend of Suram Fortress". His first two movies were shot in Ukraine and Armenia respectively, this one was a work of GruziaFilm. The action takes place in medieval Georgia. The last wall around the Suram fortress constantly collapses no matter what the builders try... A spurned woman denied be the man she loves makes a prophecy and advises the prince who abandoned her to bury his son in the walls of Suram Fortress to protect it during a siege. According to the prophecy the only way to complete the wall around the fortress is to immure the hero into the wall. Sergei Parajanov, Soviet Union, 1984, Georgian/Dubbing: Russian/Subtitles: English, Russian, German, French, Arabic, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, Chinese, Mandarin, Hebrew, Japanese, Swedish, 82 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Strictly Propaganda: The Other Side of the Wall / Kinder Kader Kommandeure [FL 806] The history of the German Democratic republic is reflected in East german Newsreels and Propaganda films - this not very enticing persepctive turns out ot be a breathtaking journey of discovery. A fast-motion compendium of forty years of the GDR. Wolfgang Kissel and C. Cay Wesnigk, Germany, 1992, German, English/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Strictly Propaganda: The Other Side of the Wall / Kinder Kader Kommandeure [FL 806] The history of the German Democratic republic is reflected in East german Newsreels and Propaganda films - this not very enticing persepctive turns out ot be a breathtaking journey of discovery. A fast-motion compendium of forty years of the GDR. Wolfgang Kissel and C. Cay Wesnigk, Germany, 1992, German, English/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Muharem, Music The Eyes of Life / Muharem, muzika oči života [FL 807] This low budget film followed the life-story of a blind Romany banjo player as he related his long career singing and playing on trains while somehow hiding his bigamy in a desperate effort to ensure he had an heir. Željko Mirkovič, Serbia and Montenegro, 2005, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 27 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Years in a Hand / В руце летa [FL 808] The Southern part of the Ural Mountains, 2004. The town of Miass used to be known as one of the gold mining and steel work centers of the Southern Ural. Old believers started to settle in this region as early as the eighteenth century. They brought with them and have kept ever since their ancient religious and cultural traditions. The anti-clerical campaign unleashed by the Soviet regime from the 1920s made the monks painfuly aware of the fragility of their cultural legacy, prompting many to popularize their knowledge among the lay audiences. For instance, the films shows a local parioshioner at the Church of Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God demonstrating specific techniques of writing musical scripts employed for recording psalms and religios chants, one of which she performes. She was taught to read the notes by a nun called Minadora. Minadora also shares her knowledge of the ancient art of "Вруцелето" - calculating the dates of Orthodox feasts on the joints and fingers of a palm. Evgeny Aleksandrov, Russia, 2005, Russian/Subtitles: English, 46 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Uchuk / "Учук" [FL 811] Every spring after the sowing-time the Chuvash inhabitants of the village of Ultimorovka, in the Bakalinski area of Bashkortostan hold an ancient pagan feast of offerings. Lambs are slaughtered and a special meal is prepared for the crowd of the villagers assembled in the field. People eat the chopped lamb meat and pray to the Supreme God named Tura and to seven other deities of the upper world, asking for good harvest and the well-being of the community. Elena Danilko, Russia, 2005, Russian, English/Subtitles: English, 30 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Uchuk / "Учук" [FL 811] Every spring after the sowing-time the Chuvash inhabitants of the village of Ultimorovka, in the Bakalinski area of Bashkortostan hold an ancient pagan feast of offerings. Lambs are slaughtered and a special meal is prepared for the crowd of the villagers assembled in the field. People eat the chopped lamb meat and pray to the Supreme God named Tura and to seven other deities of the upper world, asking for good harvest and the well-being of the community. Elena Danilko, Russia, 2005, Russian, English/Subtitles: English, 30 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Last Days, The [FL 813] The 1998 Academy Award winner for Best Feature Documentary, "The Last Days" chronicles the experiences of five Hungarians who fell victim to Adolf Hitler's final genocidal push at the end of World War II. From the villages of Carpathia to the cosmopolitan city of Budapest, the Nazis ravaged Hungary and filled the Auschwitz death camp beyond capacity. In "The Last Days," survivors journey back to their hometowns and to the places where they faced the Holocaust. Their eyewitness testimony and rare archival footage reveals the harrowing journey that meant death for millions and survival for a precious few. James Moll, United States, 1998, English, German, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, VHS Last Days, The [FL 813] The 1998 Academy Award winner for Best Feature Documentary, "The Last Days" chronicles the experiences of five Hungarians who fell victim to Adolf Hitler's final genocidal push at the end of World War II. From the villages of Carpathia to the cosmopolitan city of Budapest, the Nazis ravaged Hungary and filled the Auschwitz death camp beyond capacity. In "The Last Days," survivors journey back to their hometowns and to the places where they faced the Holocaust. Their eyewitness testimony and rare archival footage reveals the harrowing journey that meant death for millions and survival for a precious few. James Moll, United States, 1998, English, German, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, VHS Kovno Ghetto: A Buried History [FL 815] Before World War II 35, 000 Jews lived in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania.) In a story familiar throughout Europe, few escaped the Holocaust. But despite their great suffering, the courageous inmates of the Kovno ghetto risked their lives to record their fate in thousands of photographs and documents. Incredibly many of these articles surivived the war, stashed away in hiding places, buried underneath the rubble, etc. They are the most complete record of any Jewish community's experience during the Holocaust. "Kovno ghetto" pieces together the story of the Jews of Kovno from the first stirrings of war to the annihilation of the ghetto just days before the city's liberation. And for the first time, 19 survivors of Kovno - including photographer Zvi Kadushin, whose images are at the heart of Kovno's moving legacy - tell their harrowing stories of survival and loss. Narrated and co-written by renoved historian Sir Martin Gilbert, the film is a gripping record of people who risked it all to document the most horrifying experience of their lives. Herbert Krosney, United States, 1997, English, Hebrew/Dubbing: English, 89 min, documentary film, VHS Kovno Ghetto: A Buried History [FL 815] Before World War II 35, 000 Jews lived in Kovno (now Kaunas, Lithuania.) In a story familiar throughout Europe, few escaped the Holocaust. But despite their great suffering, the courageous inmates of the Kovno ghetto risked their lives to record their fate in thousands of photographs and documents. Incredibly many of these articles surivived the war, stashed away in hiding places, buried underneath the rubble, etc. They are the most complete record of any Jewish community's experience during the Holocaust. "Kovno ghetto" pieces together the story of the Jews of Kovno from the first stirrings of war to the annihilation of the ghetto just days before the city's liberation. And for the first time, 19 survivors of Kovno - including photographer Zvi Kadushin, whose images are at the heart of Kovno's moving legacy - tell their harrowing stories of survival and loss. Narrated and co-written by renoved historian Sir Martin Gilbert, the film is a gripping record of people who risked it all to document the most horrifying experience of their lives. Herbert Krosney, United States, 1997, English, Hebrew/Dubbing: English, 89 min, documentary film, VHS Beauty Exchange, The / Ženy pro měny [FL 819] "The Beauty Exchange" looks at how the media (in particular, commercials and the so-called glossy women's magazines such as Cosmopolitan or Harper's Bazaar) make contemporary Czech women conscious of their appearance, and the ways in which they shape today's stereotypes of feminine beauty. It focuses on four women: a trendy 20-something who buys all the latest beauty products; an overweight woman who will try anything to lose the extra kilos; a 15-year-old who enters a competition to be a model and eventually succeeds; a mother who undergoes plastic surgery. The latter, Eva, says she can work on other parts of her body, but once her breasts sag there's nothing she can do about it. Except have plastic surgery, which she hopes will mean a complete turn-around in her life and self-esteem. Well, things do not quite work out the way she hoped: the operation requires further surgical treatment and Eva still cannot wear her favorite clothes which are now too tight at the top. The operation is shown at length and in detail, which some viewers may find difficult to watch. Erika Hníková, Czech Republic, 2003, Czech/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Salo, or 120 days of Sodom / Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma [FL 821] A loose adaptation of the Marquis de Sade's The 120 Days of Sodom, Pier Paolo Pasolini's Salò is perhaps the most disturbing and disgusting film ever made. The director was assassinated within a month of its release, allegedly because of the controversial nature of his oeuvre. It is also one of the most important of his works, offering a blistering critique of fascism and idealism that suggests moral redemption may be nothing but a myth. Set in the Nazi-controlled, northern Italian state of Salo in 1944, four dignitaries round up eighteen perfect specimens of youth and take them together with guards, servants and studs to a palace near Marzabotto. In addition, there are four middle-aged women, three of whom tell arousing stories whilst the fourth accompanies them on the piano. Two of the company die shortly, and the rest are subject to 120 days of physical, mental and sexual torture. The story is largely taken up with their recounting the stories of Dante and De Sade: the Circle of Manias, the Circle of S*** and the Circle of Blood. Following this, the youths are executed whilst each libertine takes his turn as voyeur. Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italy, 1975, Italian/Dubbing: Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 115 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Years of Rust, The / Godine Hrđe [FL 840] A story about workers at the Uljanik shipyard in Pula whose difficult and dangerous job is to apply anti-corrosion protection to ship metal. The combination of dust, rust, poisonous gases, inhumane conditions and long hours without rest breaks has slowly turned these workers into apathetic working machines. Unscrupulous exploitation, under the guise of "privatisation", has stripped them of the last traces of dignity and pride. Andrej Krovljev, Croatia, 2000, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 35 min, art documentary, VHS Golden Ice Cream / Zlatni sladoled [FL 841] Funny and enegetic film about Albanians who live in Istrian town of Porec. The movie deals with two groups of people: Muslims, who are the ice cream, and Christians, who are in the gold business. During the summer the street where they live is packed with tourists coming from different places, but in that melting-pot of different nationalities and cultures both communities preserve their own specific, time-enduring way of live. Fatmir Koci, Croatia, 1999, Albanian/Subtitles: English, 21 min, art documentary, VHS No substitute for victory - hosted by John Wayne [FL 870] Who better than John Wayne to host this documentary look at "America's fight against Communist aggression" in Vietnam? Along with a history of Red atrocities from the Russian Revolution to Southeast Asia, Wayne talks with such notables as Martha Raye, newsman Lowell Thomas and Green Beret-turned-pop star Sgt. Barry Sadler. In the end Wayne a puts the blame for the war's dragging on squarely on the shoulders of a "hostile press." The documentary aimed to shift the opinion of the public to favor support of the U. S. war against North Vietnam and the Viet Cong during a time when America's cultural atmosphere was strongly antagonistic towards this country's involvement. The documentary also contains archival footage related to both the Vietnam conflict and the history of the establishment of Communist regimes; however, their discursive framing is misleadingly created. Robert F. Slatzer, United States, 1970, English, 70 min, military propaganda film, VHS Nanook of the North [FL 872] This is a documentary about an Eskimo community which took 2 years for completion and it was shot on the Eastern shore of Hudson Bay. Flaherty's goal was complete authenticity, despite the fact that most of the scenes were enacted by Nanook and his companions. Though the film has no conventional plot, it tells a cogerent story throught its extraordinary images. However, the films owes its approach to its time: it hints at the old cliché about the noble savage being pushed towards a civilization that will destroy him. But it does so with a rare feeling for a timeless landscape and for a way of life that had remained unchaged for centuries. Robert J. Flaherty, Canada, 1922, English, 55 min, documentary film, VHS Power / Jew Süss [FL 875] The movie is based on Lionel Feuchtwanger's novel, which bears the same title. The story involves an enterprising Jewish businessman (Conrad Veidt) who gains power and influence in the upper-class community of Wurttemburg. He does this to help his people, who have suffered persecution under the Gentile burgomeisters. To his horror, Suss discovers that he is actually not Jewish at all. The question: Was his own suffering on behalf of the community's genuine Jews worth it, and will he continue to act in their best interest?Ultimately, he will put himself on the line to save an innocent Jew and thus he brings upon himself the wrath of those he serves. Lothar Mendes, United Kingdom, 1934, English, 95 min, fiction film, VHS Tale of Two Villages, A / Povestea a doua sate [FL 876] This is the story of the existence under communism of two villages: Nucsoara and Scornicesti. They are opposite examples of the results of collectivization policy of the regime. The former was one of the sites of the fiercest resistence to communism and its idea of rural modernization. The latter was the native village of the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, and became the flagship of his policies of systematization. Dissimilarities between these villages are expressive of the cleavages in Romanian society during post-communism. Despite different memories and remembrances of communism and its traumas, both villages are suffering from similar aftermath of the failed communist project of social engineering of the rural part of Romania. At the same time, the documentary is attempting to also link the the new challenges of the post-1989 period with the practices and legacies of communism. Alina-Mungiu Pippidi, Romania, 2002, English, , 58 min, documentary film, VHS Germany, Awake! [FL 878] A documentary on the World War II German motion picture and its use as a propaganda tool during the times of Goebbels. Clips from more than 20 films made between 1933 and 1945 are included. First released in Germany as a motion picture in 1968. Among the numerous works excerpted are: Bismark, Venus on Trial, Victory in the West, Jud Suss, I Accuse!, The Rothchilds, and The Great King. Erwin Leiser, Germany, 1968, German/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, VHS History Undercover: Last Mass Execution [FL 882] In August, 1945, seven German prisoners of war were hanged at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The prisoners did not commit a crime against the United States--they murdered one of their own, German U-boat crewmember, Werner Drechsler. He cooperated with U.S. Naval Intelligence for the interrogation of other German POWs. His fellow POWs demanded retribution for his betrayal to themselves and Germany. When transferred to Fort Leavenworth after his cooperation, authorities put Drechsler into the general population with his former comrades, his former comrades recognized him and passed judgement. They murdered Drechsler on his first night in Fort Leavenworth. Craig Constantine, United States, 1997, English, 50 min, documentary film, VHS Hitler in Havana [FL 892] "Hitler in Havana" is a classic Cold War call-to-arms portrays Castro’s Cuba as a clear and present danger to the United States. Drawing ominous parallels between Castro and Hitler, the film shows Cuba as a nation of concentration camps and firing squads, hell-bent on foreign expansion and communist subversion. Produced by the anti-communist organization INCA (Informational Council of the Americas), distributed to southern television markets in the mid-1960s, "Hitler in Havana" spotlights the growing threat of communism throughout the Americas, warning that "World War III may be fought in New Orleans and New York, not Normandy and Naples." But this is more than an alarmist period piece: the film offers rare and unique footage from the early days of Castro’s regime, smuggled into the United States by anti-Castro refugees, including scenes from the Bay of Pigs invasion and its aftermath.United States, 1966, English, 54 min, propaganda film, VHS Oswald: a self-portrait [FL 892] Before gaining notoriety as John Kennedy’s assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald had already become a lightning rod for controversy in his native New Orleans. This short stresses Oswald’s professed belief in Marxism, his brief stay in the Soviet Union, and his return to New Orleans as spokesman for the pro-Castro "Fair Play for Cuba Committee." Prominently featured here, as Oswald’s chief nemesis, is New Orleans’ noted anti-communist crusader Ed Butler (of the Information Council of the Americas), who confronted Oswald on New Orleans radio only three months before the Kennedy assassination. Butler recreates his part of this debate for the camera; the audio track is the actual radio program itself, in which Oswald explains his political views and Marxist convictions. A fascinating time capsule from a turbulent time, Oswald: Self Portrait poses questions about Oswald that remain unanswered.United States, 1965, English, 24 min, propaganda film, VHS Housing Problems [FL 894] Housing Problems is both a propaganda piece and a document of optimism. With its iconic image of new flats rising behind an old row of slum terraces in Stepney, it shows what has been done to improve living conditions by the most 'enlightened' local authorities and planners, and provides an exhortation to others to follow suit. Rather than merely asserting the necessity of new housing, it uses the voices and stories of working class men and women to demonstrate the slums' dreadful conditions, and the benefit of the new estates. Its method - ordinary people talking straight to the camera about their lives - was an innovation in documentary, though to a modern viewer the rehearsed words sound stilted. Arthur Elton and Edgar Anstey, England, 1935, English, 15 min, documentary film, VHS Normal life, A A Normal Life / Norma [FL 899] This documentary follows the fortunes of dynamic group of friends from Kosovo's capital city, Pristina. Theirs is a story of being born into the chaos of ethnic conflict, coming of age in war, and emerging as the bright young stars of an unexpectedly free society. As the dust settles on a bloody decade, "A normal life" describes members of Kosovo's vita generation ad their search tro resolve a single dilemma: for children of conflict, what happens after the war? From the devastating experiences that define their childhood to the decisions that now drive them apart, "A normal life" is an intesely personal account of growing up and moving beyond trauma. Hugo Berkeley and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, United States, 2003, English, 65 min, documentary film, VHS Troubled Waters [FL 901] In 1979 Australia expanded its territorial borders by 200 nautical miles to take advantage of the rich oil and gas deposits in the Timor Sea. For Centuries before, fishermen from the island of Roti in Indonesia were fishing for their livelihood in these same waters. Today they are regularly arrested for trespassing a border they cannot see, and are sent to gail for increasingly longer periods with no recourse to legal representation. They return home in debts many cannot foresee escaping from in their own lifetime. "Troubled Waters" investigates both the human and financial costs of Australia's current border protection policies and the story of a people evicted from their seas. Ruth Balint, Australia, 2001, English, 54 min, documentary film, VHS Forever Yesterday - Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies, Yale University [FL 902] This documentary is based upon Holocaust survivor testimonies. The rationale behind it was that the "living portraiture" of television would add a compassionate and sensitive dimension to the historical record. his undertaking led to the formation of a grass roots organization, the Holocaust Survivors Film Project, Inc. It brought together survivors, under the leadership of William Rosenberg; academic consultants led by Yale Professor Geoffrey Hartman; and other community members committed to this urgent task. Their efforts resulted in an initial collection of almost 200 videotaped testimonies; "Forever Yesterday" and "About the Holocaust," a specially prepared documentary for secondary schools. In 1981, all the original tapes were formally deposited at Yale University. The following year, with the aid of a start-up grant from the Charles H. Revson Foundation, the Video Archive was established as part of the University's Sterling Memorial Library, an internationally recognized research center. In 1987, Alan M. Fortunoff made a major gift to the endowment fund of the Archive. Dori Laub and Laurel Vlock - Project directors, United States, 1981, English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Behind the Fence [FL 905] In June 2002 Israel began construction of a 115-kilometre-long security fence along or near the "green line" separating the West Bank from Israel proper. Dubbed by its critics "The Berlin Wall of the Middle East" and the "Wall of Apartheid" it is being built at the cost of $1 million per kilometre. The aim, the Israeli government has stated, is to prevent Palestinian "terrorists" from infiltrating into Israel. For many Palestinians however it is nothing more than a sinister ploy to grab more of their land and further reinforce the occupation through the "ghettoisation" of their communities. At the same time many Israelis and Palestinians wonder if it could turn out to be the borderline for a future Palestinian state. Inigo Gilmore, United Kingdom, 2003, English, 45 min, documentary film, VHS Straddling the Fence [FL 907] Friedman visited the West Bank and spoke to Israelis and Palestinians about the Israeli West Bank barrier in order to explore the ramifications of this policy in Israel to separate the Palestinians on the West Bank from the Jewish settlements and towns nearby. While many Israelis see the wall as a necessary security measure, Palestinians see it as a unilateral land grab and physical barrier to their civil rights. Mr. Friedman also provides the historical and political context of the ongoing battle over the West Bank territory, and examines whether the wall is the first step in resolving the conflict and ending the violence that plagues the region. In the end the documentary tragically illustrates that, even as the wall goes up, the violence continues. Thomas L. Friedman, United States, 2003, English, Arabic, Hebrew, 50 min, documentary film, VHS War in Yugoslavia 1991-1992 / Rat u Jugoslavia [FL 910] Pro-Serbian movie that is attempting to unilaterally put the blame of the war years of 1991 and 1992 entirely on the shoulders of the Croatian leadership. Tudjman's regime is equaled to the Ustase fascist state, while the movement for Croatia's independence is solely seen as a step toward mass murder and genocide of the Serbs. The atrocities and crimes of the 1991-1992 period are discussed within the framework of the quarrel about Jasenovac, the concentration champ used both by Ustasa and partisans during the World War II. Generally speaking, this is a very bias and unilateral account of both second world war history and of early 1990s events, trying to whitewash the role of Serbia and of Serbs in Croatia in the conflict.Serbia and Montenegro, 1992, Serbo-Croatian/Voice-over: English, 40 min, propaganda film, DVD-ROM Fear and despair [FL 912] Short documentary about the wall built by the Israeli army in the Occupied territories. Various individuals and personalities, of different national, religious and occupational affiliation discuss the material and symbolic consequences of this wall for the people living in Palestinian territories and for the Israelis and their state as well. Michael Dwyer, United States, 2004, English, 10 min, documentary film, VHS Helen K Edited Testimony - Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies [FL 918] A survivor of the Warsaw Ghetto, Majdanek and Auschwitz relates her wartime experiences and describes her postwar reunion with her husband, whom she had married in the ghetto at the age of 16. She emphasizes her determination to survive as an act of defiance against Hitler, a decision she reached when her younger brother died in her arms in the cattle car en route to Majdanek. The theme of resistance, both passive and active, recurs throughout her testimony. Mrs. K. concludes on a pessimistic note, wondering whether "it was worth it" in view of the continuing suffering and inhumanity in the world. Dori Laub and Laurel Vlock - Project directors, United States, 1984, English, 30 min, interview, DVD-ROM Nazi Bomb, The [FL 931] THE NAZI BOMB is a fascinating look at the German A-bomb project, centering on the work of the Nobel Laureate physicist Werner Heisenberg. Did he deliberately mislead the Nazi leadership about the difficulties involved in building a bomb, or did he simply lose the race to more competent and committed scientists at Los Alamos? Documents and rare photos take us inside the top-secret Nazi program, while historians and scientists examine the many questionable decisions they made and question the reasons for them. The Germans had the money, the equipment, the natural resources and the scientists needed to develop the "ultimate weapon," yet they never completed the task. Why? Jim Lindsay, United States, 1998, English, 50 min, documentary film, VHS Apaches, The / Apaci [FL 933] Very propagandistic documentary about the Serbian community in the Sirinic valley in Kosovo. The director attempts to depict the tense and dangerous life-situation in which the people in this area live. However, the film is full of nationalistic innuendoes and is trying to mock the SFOR. Miroslav Nikolic, Serbia and Montenegro, 2002, English, 25 min, documentary film, VHS Free space [FL 934] During the last war in Croatia, many people were forced to leave their homes. This organised and politically premeditated action, called ‘human displacement’, took place especially in the Western part of Croatia, the territory known as Krajina. People from the Serbian minority were forced to go to Serbia or the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia, and became refugees. At the same time, Croats whose houses had been destroyed by Serbs in other parts of the country started to inhabit the empty homes in Krajina. But can you really be happy in somebody else’s house? Are the people who got houses from the government the lucky ones, or also unfortunate? In a rather experimental documentary, the director focuses on one house that is harassed by a plague of snakes. Using hardly any words, he tries to create the atmosphere of a ‘cursed’ house. Damir Cucic, Croatia, 2001, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 23 min, documentary film, VHS Minister Backtracks, A / Minister krydser sit spor, En [FL 936] While the war in Bosnia is over, the aftermath still resonates among its victims. This documentary follows the odyssey of one Danish woman from the comforts of the Danish ministry in Copenhagen to the heart of Bosnia to investigate a hideous war crime. In her position as the Danish Minister of the Interior, Birte Weiss was compelled to deny entry to many who were fleeing atrocities in the former Yugoslavia. Yet, she could not forget the heart wrenching accounts of the refugees seeking asylum. She resolved to step down as Minister to conduct an investigation into a particular massacre that had been described to her. She journeys to Bosnia and presides over the grim ordeal of exhumation of a mass grave. Relentlessly she pursues the Serb responsible for giving the orders to shoot over 200 people. To her amazement, he turns out to be the mild mannered former principal of the local school. This man had ordered the execution of his former students, yet he was not the embodiment of evil she expected. Ulrik Holmstrup, Denmark, 2000, English, 59 min, documentary film, VHS Lift [FL 956] The movie documents the everyday traffic of a high-rise elevator off London's Commercial Street. The director positions himself in the lift with his camera and films the people who come in. In this way, we can find out about bits and pieces of these people's lifes and dreams. Marc Isaacs, Netherlands, 2002, English, 25 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Settlers [FL 956] Jerusalem is an intense place at the best of times. Tonight's documentary 'True Stories:Settlers' was filmed in the city over the course of the last year when tensions have been creeping upto boiling point. The release of Palestinian prisoners, the Israeli government granting land to the Palestinians and the ongoing settlement of Jews in Arab Muslim areas formed the backdrop to director Sean Mcallister's riveting exploration of the settlement issue through the eyes of a Palestinian, Ali, and an ultra-Orthodox Jew, Dov. 'The Middle East is usually dealt with in an academic way on TV,' explains Mcallister. 'I wanted to focus in on common, human things that audiences here can relate to.' The two subjects presented themselves to Mcallister almost entirely by chance. First of all the director bumped into Ali, who'd spent 17 years in jail for planting a bomb. While the self-styled terrorist-turned-tour-guide is showing him round, the larger-than-life showman Dov popped up to insinuate himself into the filming process, just at the precise moment when Mcallister was looking to counterbalance Ali's views. Ali and Dov are both fascinating characters in their own ways - the contrast between their lives and entrenched political opinions makes for a gripping dynamic. Sean McAllister, United Kingdom, 2000, English, 63 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Mother's House, The [FL 957] Three generations of the Moses family - Miche, her mother Valencia and Valencia's mother Amy - live together in a small house in Cape Town's Bonteheuwel community, an Apartheid-produced ghetto pierced by domestic violence and gangsterism. A richly detailed and deeply emotional portrait of the Moses women is created with their alternate affection and animosity toward one another, their reactions to the pervasive violence surrounding them, and their endeavors to find their own unique places and selves within that community and their tight-knit family unit. The film shows the women at home and in the streets around their home, and men are almost entirely absent in both places-only boys of Miche's age appear at all. Each woman's story is indicative of her time of life: teenage Miche's coming-of-age, her mother's pregnancy and her grandmother's reflections on errors of the past. François Verster, South Africa, 2006, Afrikaans/Subtitles: English, 76 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Saddam's Killing Fields [FL 962] Historian and presenter Michael Wood pieces together evidence of the systematic destruction by the Iraqi government of the Shia Marsh Arabs. The film depicts the manner in which the Shia and the Kurds in northern Iraq were encouraged by the West to rise up against Saddam's regime at the end of the Gulf War. In retaliation, more than 300,000 Shia are believed to have been killed, risking the ruin of an entire culture. The documentary has three parts: first, lement for the South; second, massacre in the marshes; and third, crimes agaist humanity. Christopher Jeans, United Kingdom, 1995, English, 52 min, documentary film, VHS Symphony written by moevement - the tradition of mass gymnastics in Czechoslovakia (three episodes) / Symfonie psane pohybem [FL 966] The documentary tells the history of the developemnt of gymanstics in the Czech and Slovak lands, from Miroslava Tyrse up to the heroes of the commnist present. It is made up of three episodes (1862-1938; 1947-1965, 1975-1985), in accordance with the development of the gymanstics phenomenon in the country. The interesting element of the documentary lies in the fact that mass gymanstics are described as a fundamental expression of national identity, but their outmost perfection was achieved only under the communist regime, which in itslef generates a source of legitimacy, thus bringing the movie closer to being propaganda material. Many of the slogans of the communist period are reproduced with the pretext of telling the history of gymnastics, which often times it also overlaps with that of socialism in Czechoslovakia. However, the narrators still criticizes the so-called "dogmatism and formalism of the 1950s and 1960s'" - reflective of the different stage of state socialism at the time of the making of the documentary. Rudolf Krejick, Czechoslovakia, 1987, English, 90 min, documentary film, VHS Atomic Café, The [FL 970] As a history film, Atomic Café takes us to experience three levels of time. The first is the internal time, the Cold War, communism versus the free world, when propaganda about the atomic bomb was made to persuade the people that only nuclear weapons would protect them from the "Evil Empire". The period of the'Nuclear Free' movement comes next. And thirdly, the present time, when the world is changed but has to face the same irony that still is just as relevant today, the fear of weapons of mass destruction. "The Atomic Cafe" is an example of Eisenstein's notion of montage on the macro level. this film achieves it rhetorical potency simply by editing together old film and documentaries from the 1940's and 1950's. By putting a cartoon of Tommy the Turtle teaching school children to "Duck and cover" next to film of actual atomic bomb tests, "The Atomic Cafe" renders the Cold War both ludicrous and chilling at the same time. It is all about editing raw material and splicing segments of military training films, civil defense films, archive footage, interviews, newsreel material, and fifties music. Without narration and by using a few choice songs to accompany some of the clips, this documentary finds a surprising strong voice against the insanity of nuclear destruction. Generally speaking, Atomic Café gives us an historical perspective for reconsidering the effect of the issues of war, nuclear warfare and weapons of mass destruction. Kevin Rafferty, Pierce Rafferty, Jayne Loader, United States, 1982, English, 88 min, documentary film, VHS Center, The / Die Mitte [FL 973] The stated goal of Polish director Stanistaw Mucha is to ascertain the precise middle point of an ever expanding Europe. Though we do indeed get to see our share of maps and markers, produced by many a concerned EU citizen, Mr. Mucha is not interested in geography so much as a kind of anthropology. His intriguing premise is but an excuse to allow he and his film crew to film a real-life human comedy, gallivanting about Germany and everything East, visiting villages with plaques, countrysides with monuments, and townspeople with legends to sell, all proclaiming that the center lies HERE! The joy to be found here lies in its unique status as a road movie without a narrative trajectory, without an ending or completion. It is a celebration of the myriad faces the camera collects and their hopes, illusions, and good-humored resolve in the face of their sometimes tenuous everyday existence. That this journey takes the film crew as far East as Ukraine should speak volumes of not only the uncertain legacy left by the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but the even more uncertain one beginning in the era of the European Union. Stanislaw Mucha, Germany, 2004, /Subtitles: English, 85 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Kenedi goes back home / Kenedi se vraca kuci [FL 973] The documentary follows the lives of several Roma, two in particular, who have been deported from Germany to Belgrade, and inserted into economic and social situations totally alien to their previous experience. There is no narrative or music, and the director lets the characters deliver whatever messages the film conveys through their conversations and facial expressions. The two main characters both have very sympathetic stories. The first to be introduced has lost much in being deported, but has managed to buy a car and uses it to earn his livelihood. The second is a young man who has been separated from his parents, and is searching for them in the Roma community around Belgrade, with Kenedi's help. He has spent his entire life in Germany, is obviously bright and well educated, but can't communicate effectively in the local languages. What will happen to this young man, who obviously has a lot of potential? Zelimir Zilnik, Serbia and Montenegro, 2003, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Communist Charity [FL 973] A documentary on China's death penalty and the harvesting of organs from executed prisoners. Harry Wu & Nancy Morgan, United Kingdom, 1995, English, 14 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Auschwitz - A documentary film on German crimes at Oswiecim [FL 984] This Soviet Army film of the liberation of Auschwitz Concentration Camp was awarded the Red Banner in 1945. It contains dramatic footage of the survivors and some of the atrocities perpetrated in this most notorious of camps, including captured German film of medical experiments performed on prisoners. Photography by cameramen of the First Ukrainian Front: N. Bykov, K. Kutub-Zade, A. Pavlov, A. Vorontzov. N. Bykov, K. Kutub-Zade, A. Pavlov, Soviet Union, 1945, English, 21 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Little Doll, The / Arusak [FL 992] The documentary represents the author’s observations on the way of life experienced by contemporary Tajik girls and women. In times that are hard for themselves, for their families and for society, they find the strength to affirm their human dignity, to reflect on life, the lot of women and love. And there is not a grain of falsity in their stories, recollections and confessions. Robiya Atoeva, Tajikistan, 2002, /Subtitles: English, 30 min, documentary film, VHS False Word, The / Falsche Wort, Das [FL 1007] This documentary explores the round-up and extermination of Europe's Roma and the propaganda associated with it. It includes rarely seen archival footage of Nazi "scientists" carefully measuring the features of Roma children and conducting other experiments. This moving documentary attempts to shed light upon the plight of the Roma during WW2.. Melanie Spitta and Katrin Seybold, Germany, 1987, German/Subtitles: English, 83 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Between Two Fires [FL 1012] This is a documentary that exposes American involvement in what the director calls "one of World War II’s best-kept secrets." The film shows how Russian anti-Communists were held on American soil until the U.S. agreed to forcibly repatriate them, placating Stalin, but violating the Geneva Convention treaty on the treatment of prisoners of war. The downside of this film is that it doesn't analyze the actions and nature of the Osttroppen. It looks only at the relationship with the Nazis, overlooking their often involvement into anti-Jewish and ethnic atrocities. Douglas Smith, United States, 2002, English, 50 min, documentary film, VHS Ritchie Boys, The [FL 1013] "The Ritchie Boys" is the untold story of a group of young men who fled Nazi Germany and returned to Europe as soldiers in US-uniforms. They knew the psychology and the language of the enemy better than anybody else. In Camp Ritchie, Maryland, they were trained in intelligence and psychological warfare. Not always courageous, but determined, bright, and inventive they fought their own kind of war. They saved lives. They were victors, not victims. Christian Bauer, Germany, 2004, English, 93 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Andrei Rublev / Андрей Рублев [FL 1015] Based on the life of a 15th century icon painter, Andrei Rublev is comprised of seven episodes following Rublev through the political and social upheavals of medieval Russia. The film was commissioned by the government in order to celebrate Rublev's anniversary. Andrei Konchalovsky wrote the scenario, which was originally titled “The Passion according to Andrei” and Tarskovskii used the fact that it did not record much about the painter's life by making a biographical film projected with his own philosophical and theological vision of an artist. Rublev in the film is not portrayed as a saint at the peak of his art, but as an incredibly human monk, who takes a route of sufferings wandering at the bottom of life to reach the truth of art. When the original version (205 min) was presented in 1966, the audience applauded, but as the government's committee demanded a number of cuts which director refused and thus the film was banned until 1971. The director had to wait for seven years for his next film. Andrei Tarkovsky, Soviet Union, 1966, Russian/Subtitles: English, 205 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Valley of the Bees, The / Údolí včel [FL 1016] In this mesmerizing historical drama, Frantisek Vláčil, the godfather of the 1960’s Czech New Wave, epitomizes his commitment to what he called "pure film." At twelve Ondrej, the son of the lord of Vlkov is sent to study with the Brotherhood of Teutonic Knights where he befriends a fellow member of the Order, Armin, who leads him on his path to God. After coming across a fellow Brother, Rotgier, who is on the run, Ondrej begins to questions his beliefs and flees the Order to return to his childhood home where he finds his father dead, his land barren and his people with no hope. Ondrej finds solace and strength in his fathers widow but as he brings joy and prosperity back to his holding and finds a new meaning to his life Armin finds and confronts him. The Valley of the Bees is heart-wrenching story of a man conflicted by his desire for happiness and his belief in God. Frantisek Vláčil, Czech Republic, 1967, Czech/Subtitles: English, 97 min, DVD-ROM Children of Leningradsky, The / Dzieci z Leningradzkiego [FL 1017] An intimate and heartbreaking chronicle of a few days in the life of a group of homeless children aged from 8 to 14, living in Leningradsky Railway Station. They spend their days begging, playing, sniffing glue, drinking vodka, and missing their mothers. They’ve been beaten, abandoned, used, and discarded by drug-addicted or alcoholic parents, abusive passerbys and inhuman policemen. Many will never live to see their 15th birthdays. The camera descends into the children’s murky underground dwellings or slyly captures a policeman viciously pouring glue over a young boy’s head. The scenes in this raw, verité documentary combine footage of the children and of the Moscow authorities, who prefer to ignore or suppress the problem. This remarkably honest, compelling journey into the hidden world of Moscow’s homeless children was nominated for an Academy Award in Best Documentary Short Subject in 2004. Hanna Polak, Andrzej Celinski, Poland, 2004, Russian/Subtitles: English, 35 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Sessantotto - L'utopia della realta / 68 - Utopia of Reality [FL 1018] Sessantotto. L'utopia della realtà based upon the script by journalist Adalberto Baldoni, is an attempt to supply answers to the questions raised by the 1968 phenomenon in Italy within a transnational perspective. The documentary starts with a presentation of the Beat Generation (Ginsberg, Kerouac) and ends with the portrayal of the protest movement based in Rome. The central thesis of the film is that the escalation of violence in the 70s and 80s resulted from the “strategia degli opposti estremi”, an instumentalised polarisation of the anti-authoritarian conflict of ‘68. Ferdinando Vicentini Orgnani, Italy, 2006, English, Italian/Voice-over: Hungarian, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Coca - The Dove From Chechnya / Coca - Die Taube aus Tschetschenien [FL 1019] Her parents called Zainap Gashaeva “Coca” – the Dove. Born in exile in Kazakhstan, she raised four children and became a businesswoman. Since 1994, Zainap has been documenting what have become daily events in Chechnya: discrimination, abduction, torture, murder. Zainap is a founder of Echoes of War, a group of Chechen women who document the atrocities that the Russian government has committed in Chechnya while declaring war on terror. The videos, hundreds of them, are hidden by the women, buried under floorboards, stashed in the backs of closets and in hollowed out walls, and smuggled out of the country by Gashaeva and others in nondescript shopping bags as often as they can get them out. In addition to the mountains of dusty tapes, Gashaeva and her partners have built a database of information linking and cross-referencing facts about Chechens who have disappeared at the hands of the state police – a painstaking record which they hope will someday be used as a reckoning, and perhaps as a link to find out what happened to the missing. With Chechnya closed to the international media, Zainap Gashaeva is now bringing these tapes to the United Nations and other international organisations to serve as evidence so that the guilty will be punished. Eric Bergkraut, Switzerland, 2005, Russian, English, German/Subtitles: English, 87 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Coca - The Dove From Chechnya / Coca - Die Taube aus Tschetschenien [FL 1019] Her parents called Zainap Gashaeva “Coca” – the Dove. Born in exile in Kazakhstan, she raised four children and became a businesswoman. Since 1994, Zainap has been documenting what have become daily events in Chechnya: discrimination, abduction, torture, murder. Zainap is a founder of Echoes of War, a group of Chechen women who document the atrocities that the Russian government has committed in Chechnya while declaring war on terror. The videos, hundreds of them, are hidden by the women, buried under floorboards, stashed in the backs of closets and in hollowed out walls, and smuggled out of the country by Gashaeva and others in nondescript shopping bags as often as they can get them out. In addition to the mountains of dusty tapes, Gashaeva and her partners have built a database of information linking and cross-referencing facts about Chechens who have disappeared at the hands of the state police – a painstaking record which they hope will someday be used as a reckoning, and perhaps as a link to find out what happened to the missing. With Chechnya closed to the international media, Zainap Gashaeva is now bringing these tapes to the United Nations and other international organisations to serve as evidence so that the guilty will be punished. Eric Bergkraut, Switzerland, 2005, Russian, English, German/Subtitles: English, 87 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM White Terror [FL 1020] Over the past five years, new ideologists of radical far-right extremism have emerged all over Europe, North America and Russia. They do not necessarily shave their heads; they have created corporations, distribution companies, music clubs, magazines, publishing houses, internet sites and they have replaced the old symbols with new ones. With globalization taking a firmer hold and with clear demarcation lines blurring, the hate-mongers are rekindling the fires of the past, blowing on their glowing ashes. In this era of new technologies, the United States and Sweden have been deeply shocked to find their youth roused to racist violence, which has since contaminated the whole of the Western world as well as Russia and its neighbouring countries. For young Neo-nazis the past is virtual history where real cannot be distinguished from fake; their version of the future looks bleak and threatening. Daniel Schweizer investigates the forces that hide behind the «White Power» and the «New Racists» slogans. Daniel Schweizer, Switzerland, 2005, English, Russian, German, French, Swedish/Subtitles: English, French, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM White Terror [FL 1020] Over the past five years, new ideologists of radical far-right extremism have emerged all over Europe, North America and Russia. They do not necessarily shave their heads; they have created corporations, distribution companies, music clubs, magazines, publishing houses, internet sites and they have replaced the old symbols with new ones. With globalization taking a firmer hold and with clear demarcation lines blurring, the hate-mongers are rekindling the fires of the past, blowing on their glowing ashes. In this era of new technologies, the United States and Sweden have been deeply shocked to find their youth roused to racist violence, which has since contaminated the whole of the Western world as well as Russia and its neighbouring countries. For young Neo-nazis the past is virtual history where real cannot be distinguished from fake; their version of the future looks bleak and threatening. Daniel Schweizer investigates the forces that hide behind the «White Power» and the «New Racists» slogans. Daniel Schweizer, Switzerland, 2005, English, Russian, German, French, Swedish/Subtitles: English, French, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Before Flying Back to Earth / Pries parskrendant I Zeme [FL 1021] After his daughter survived eight months of treatment for leukaemia, the Lithuanian filmmaker Arunas Matelis did not turn his back on the hospital. He filmed the kids in the leukaemia ward in Vilnius during their day-to-day routine, without becoming sentimental. For the parents, their worst nightmare has come true, but what do the children themselves think? A life among medicine and tubes does not prevent them from just carrying on. Their adaptability is incredible. One of the mothers says her son has not grown dejected in hospital, because he has gotten used to it and does not know any better. The children practise karate or dream of getting hamburgers and Coke instead of the same old cabbage soup. The future is often brought up, as if it were not finite: they hope they will not turn blond when their hair grows back, or they want to become a doctor, "but not in the leukaemia ward." Before Flying Back to the Earth is interlaced with black-and-white pictures showing the children in the middle of a smile, yawn or gesture, momentarily freezing time in this thorough documentary that does not deal with death, but with life. Arunas Matelis, Lithuania, 2005, Lithuanian/Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM I Never Want To Be Famous / Ik wil nooit beroemd worden [FL 1022] "I don't ever want to be famous", Tobias mumbles. Tobias is a seriously disabled man and a great Bach enthusiast. Before he went into cardiac arrest and was left handicapped, he was a successful cellist. Now he is in a wheelchair suffering from spastic paralysis and unable to understand very much. By means of archival footage of concerts, photographs and memories of his relatives and a good friend, a picture emerges of the former Tobias, Tobias the cellist. This image is interwoven with images of Tobias today and his life in an institution for the mentally disabled. The contrast between these two worlds illustrates the tough issues Tobias's relatives must grapple with. How much of Tobias is still there? Would he have wanted to live like this? Would it be better if the heart failure had been fatal, or can Tobias still enjoy life? Candidly and sincerely, his relatives and friends discuss the dilemmas that confront them. Tobias himself is hardly, if at all, aware of the questions surrounding him. He enjoys Bach, cries when people leave and says he wants to live to be a thousand years old. Mercedes Stalenhoef, Netherlands, 2005, Dutch/Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Face of the Revolution, The. In Search of a Budapest Girl / A forradalom arca. Egy pesti lány nyomában [FL 1024] A young man and a girl on Muzeum boulevard in Budapest, shoulder to shoulder, looking directly into the camera. The above image appeared on the inner front page of the 30 October 1956 issue of Paris Match. 45 years after the photo was taken, historian Eszter Balázs and journalist Phil Casoar set up a journey to trace the young couple and find out who they were, whether they survived the revolution, and if yes, where they live. The film follows them in their quest. Since there was more information available about the girl, she is the one whose path the filmmakers trace. It turns out that the Paris Match image of the revolutionary girl is not simply a record of a moment in her life, but actually the publication of the photo in the Western press influenced her entire life. She had to flee Hungary partly because of that photo. On the other hand, that photo made her one of the best-known immigrants. She tried to become identical with the image of that photograph, therefore in the eyes of her acquaintances she remained the Hero of the Revolution. In the film, witnesses of her life, as well as the photographer tell their stories. Attila Kékesi, Hungary, 2006, Hungarian, English, French/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Face of the Revolution, The. In Search of a Budapest Girl / A forradalom arca. Egy pesti lány nyomában [FL 1024] A young man and a girl on Muzeum boulevard in Budapest, shoulder to shoulder, looking directly into the camera. The above image appeared on the inner front page of the 30 October 1956 issue of Paris Match. 45 years after the photo was taken, historian Eszter Balázs and journalist Phil Casoar set up a journey to trace the young couple and find out who they were, whether they survived the revolution, and if yes, where they live. The film follows them in their quest. Since there was more information available about the girl, she is the one whose path the filmmakers trace. It turns out that the Paris Match image of the revolutionary girl is not simply a record of a moment in her life, but actually the publication of the photo in the Western press influenced her entire life. She had to flee Hungary partly because of that photo. On the other hand, that photo made her one of the best-known immigrants. She tried to become identical with the image of that photograph, therefore in the eyes of her acquaintances she remained the Hero of the Revolution. In the film, witnesses of her life, as well as the photographer tell their stories. Attila Kékesi, Hungary, 2006, Hungarian, English, French/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM One Day in People's Poland / Jeden dzieñ w PRL [FL 1026] September 27, 1962. An ordinary day in Poland. 1600 babies are born, 600 people die and the weather is neither good nor bad. And yet, something of note happens everywhere in the country. The police arrest a suspect, the neighbor buys some salt and a man is openly reprimanded for wearing a beret. Creating a complex collage of footage from Polish archives and sound bites of radio recordings along with read-out documents ranging from police reports to citizens' complaints to the authorities, the director presents a nuanced image of everyday life in communist Poland. Now and then, sound and image seem to fit perfectly, and sometimes a striking combination of the two produces a new reality. A police officer reports his experiences of the day; a wife reads a letter to her husband in prison, begging for any sign of life; peasants don gas masks for an atomic alert exercise. Are these fragments 'authentic' historical documents? How much should one believe the tranquil images of life? When does the ordinary become historical? The fragments, following each other in a seemingly arbitrary order, lend the film a rhythm that ripples on, falters and fluctuates again. Just like life itself. Maciej Drygas, Poland, 2005, Polish/Subtitles: English, 52 min, archival collage, DVD-ROM Repatriation / Songhwan [FL 1027] In the spring of 1992, the South Korean film director became acquainted with two elderly North Korean men after their release from prison. Sent to South Korea as spies, they were arrested and spent over thirty years in prison, serving out their sentences without renouncing their communist beliefs. By the end of the 1990s, relations between North and South Korea had improved somewhat, and even the most hardened unconverted cases were released. The director's friendship with the released inmates allowed him to film them for more than a decade. Starting with questions on the dehumanizing conversion process, the filming evolved into a record of the diverse reactions towards the ex-spies now living in South Korean society. In 2000, sixty-three former ‘unconverted’ prisoners were finally repatriated to the North. When the filmmaker tried to follow them to Pyongyang he was refused an entrance visa and his communication with this group virtually stopped. This self-questioning reflection on the possibility of understanding the experiences and standpoints of others leaves the viewer with a disturbing question to ponder: can hope for peace and coexistence overcome ideological differences? Kim Dong-won, South Korea, 2003, Korean/Subtitles: English, 149 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM King of Velichovky / Král Velichovek [FL 1028] The dramatic story of the Seissers, a Sudeten-German family of prosperous land-owners from Velichovky, a little spa town in Bohemia. Drawing on a large family film archive and the recollections of relatives and contemporaries, the director performs at once the function of family chronicler and “time archeologist”, reconstructing their life in the 1930-40s, as everyday routine and festivities become more and more intertwined with 'big history'. Karl's oldest daughter Lili gets married to a Czech doctor in 1934 and the family travels to Germany for the occasion, filming the changing face of Berlin. Ria is dating a low-class clerk of German origin, who gradually starts taking advantage of his ethnic background. Edith, the youngest and most stubborn and rational, falls for a Nazi colonel much older then herself. The birth of their son coincides with his promotion to general in the German army. Adding to the private recordings a soundtrack which is at times meditative or anxious, the director makes us ponder on the complex fusion of personal choices and responsibilities. The flow of time, neither completely lost nor fully recaptured, is nurtured by exceptional intimacy, reachable only with very close people. In 1992, the director Jan Šikl founded an Archive of Private Film History. King of Velichovky is part of the on-going project called Private Century. Jan Šikl, Czech Republic, 2005, Czech/Subtitles: English, 52 min, archival collage, DVD-ROM Vukovar - Final Cut / Vukovar - poslednji rez [FL 1029] A painstaking investigation into the history of the 1991 Vukovar tragedy. Why was it that Vukovar, a rich Slavonian town famous as a "miniature Yugoslavia", Tito's exemplary town of unity, was the one location to suffer total apocalypse, one comparable to the sacrifice and siege of Stalingrad, and by the extent of destruction, and scenes shown around the world, reminiscent of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Why was a city which had neither strategic importance nor a strong military presence in the conflict between the Yugoslav National Army and the Croatian military, so systematically destroyed while the Serbian (Milosevic) and Croatian (Tudjman) leaders walked around Tito’s estate, discussing plans for a new division of Yugoslavia? With the help of the survivors and available archives, a Serbian director and Croatian journalist put together the pieces of this impossible mosaic. This film is neither a Serbian documentary nor a Croatian one. It is the first Serbian-Croatian co-production about this painful topic, whose wounds have yet to heal, even after a lapse of fifteen years. Janko Baljak, Serbia and Montenegro, 2006, Serbian, Croatian/Subtitles: English, 103 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM 3 Rooms of Melancholia, The / Melancholian 3 huonetta [FL 1030] This poetic and very sophisticated documentary is divided into three chapters, in three Rooms. In each of them, the atmosphere is determined by one predominant emotion. With very few words but with lots of eloquent cinematic means, the film speaks about basic emotional and mental states. In the first Room, we follow young boys, obedient cadets at a military school in St. Petersburg. These children of thirteen or fourteen are not here by choice: most of them come from dysfunctional families. Just by observing their morning rituals, the school's rigid discipline and their way of interacting, one gets a notion of their enormous solitude. One of the boys shifts the story to the second Room – Breathing – where we witness the doomed lives of the people of Grozny. The last Room – Remembering – crosses the Chechen border into the neighbouring province of Ingushetia, where people fight out their own tragedy. With a keen eye for detail, especially human faces, and with precise timing, the director successfully creates remarkable, emotionally loaded scenes. By combining vocals from the Orthodox Church with folk and classical music, together with pure sounds from nature, the film becomes uplifting and multilayered. Pirjo Honkasalo, Finland, 2004, English, Finnish/Subtitles: English, 85 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM 3 Rooms of Melancholia, The / Melancholian 3 huonetta [FL 1030] This poetic and very sophisticated documentary is divided into three chapters, in three Rooms. In each of them, the atmosphere is determined by one predominant emotion. With very few words but with lots of eloquent cinematic means, the film speaks about basic emotional and mental states. In the first Room, we follow young boys, obedient cadets at a military school in St. Petersburg. These children of thirteen or fourteen are not here by choice: most of them come from dysfunctional families. Just by observing their morning rituals, the school's rigid discipline and their way of interacting, one gets a notion of their enormous solitude. One of the boys shifts the story to the second Room – Breathing – where we witness the doomed lives of the people of Grozny. The last Room – Remembering – crosses the Chechen border into the neighbouring province of Ingushetia, where people fight out their own tragedy. With a keen eye for detail, especially human faces, and with precise timing, the director successfully creates remarkable, emotionally loaded scenes. By combining vocals from the Orthodox Church with folk and classical music, together with pure sounds from nature, the film becomes uplifting and multilayered. Pirjo Honkasalo, Finland, 2004, English, Finnish/Subtitles: English, 85 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Stork Story / Gólyamese [FL 1032] Open adoption means that the biological mother does not want or cannot bring up her unborn child, whom she entrusts into the care of adopting parents whom she herself knows and accepts. This film is about the sometimes shocking and dramatic process of open adoption. The waiting, the nerve-racking and joyful minutes, hours and weeks of preparation, the tribulations of the adopting family. And of course the struggle the mother goes through whether she should give up altogether, and whether she is capable of giving up what is the most sacred for every parent: their own child. The participants of open adoption are not enemies. They are simply mothers who make a decision in order to protect the child. György Dobray, Hungary, 2005, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 56 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Punam [FL 1033] 9 year-old Punam Tamang lives in the city of Bhaktapur, Nepal. Punam's mother died when she was only five. She was left with her father, her two–year–old brother Krishna and her newborn sister Rabina. The Tamang children see little of their father because he works from sunrise to sunset in a rice factory, in order to earn enough money for their school fees - $1.50 USD per month for a student. At home Punam assumes the roles of head of the family, caregiver and homemaker. Among Punam's friends, her family is still a lucky minority: in Nepal, 60% of children cannot afford to go to school at all. Many of her playmates had to abandon their studies and games to work in a stone quarry or brick–making factory to help their families get by. The film captures the hard work of the children, as well as Punam's dreams and hopes. She dreams of becoming a teacher and helping other children to study. Currently, one out of three children in Nepal is a child laborer. Natasa Stankovic, Lucian Muntean, Serbia and Montenegro, 2005, /Subtitles: English, 27 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Holidays / Каникулы [FL 1034] The Mansi children at the boarding school in the small town of Ivdel' - the northernmost town in Sverdlovsk region, 535 kilometers from Ekaterinburg - are waiting impatiently for the winter break. They are eager to return to their native village, where there are no televisions or computer games. It takes a whole day to cover a hundred and fifty kilometers in a weather-beaten lorry, through forests and snow-covered plains. Yet nothing is better than home, where you can go sledging, jump off the roof into the snow, or play cards with grandmother in the bleak light of the kerosene lamp all evening long. Witnessing the everyday life of Treskol'e villagers, this meditative and attentive film carries the viewers across both time and space. The laconic routine is interrupted by accidents which punctuate the predictable passage of time: a child burns himself, a car falls through the ice, somebody gets lost in the woods. The self-appointed shaman advises the locals to leave the village – too few families cannot make a living any longer. The holidays are a short break from town life for the children – will any of them decide to return for good? Marina Razbezhkina, Russia, 2005, /Subtitles: English, 52 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Swenkas, The [FL 1036] The Swenkas are Zulu men who are entertainingly profiled in this inventive and beautifully understated documentary. Every Saturday night, a group of laborers from Johannesburg transform themselves into the best-dressed men in South Africa. They take great pride in putting on flashy suits and stand out as an inspiration for others, leaving their grimy overalls behind and wearing their best Carducci or Pierre Cardin creations to impress the weekly selected judge with sultry steps and graceful arm gestures. They are a close-knit set of men who consider respect, tidiness and virtue of paramount importance. The film follows an elder known as 'Mr Dangerous' who takes a young man, Sabelo, under his wing. Sabelo's father, once a leading Swenka, has recently died and the emotional support he receives demonstrates a phenomenon which runs much deeper than an unusual fashion show. Their tale is told by an elderly Zulu man, who builds his fictitious story around real characters. Jeppe Rønde, South Africa, 2004, /Subtitles: English, 72 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Pipeline Next Door / Un dragon dans les eaux pures du Caucase [FL 1038] The oil pipeline that is being laid between the Caspian and Mediterranean Seas is of great geopolitical interest. It will be 1,110 miles long, 155 of which will run through Georgia, along Sakiré, a poor village with muddy roads and houses with flaking paint is. Without interviews or voiceover, as an unnoticed bystander, director Nino Kirtadze films the villagers who, especially in the street, vehemently discuss this unexpected clash with world politics: the health risks, the governmental corruption, who actually owns the land, the possibility of an attack by Bin Laden and especially the level of financial compensation from BP, the oil company responsible for the pipeline. The filmmakers contrast the quiet valley and its village with noisy images of the construction of the advancing pipeline. Emotions rise higher and higher: the elected village leader storms out of a chaotic meeting, where the resistance is led by the self-confident and self-appointed Leila. An equally chaotic court case against BP is lost, but the oil company is getting nervous too: the filmmakers travel by car with the general manager of BP in Georgia and attend talks about the villagers' objections. In the end, the general manager decides to pay a personal visit to the village. Nino Kartadze, France, 2005, Georgian, English, Georgian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Pipeline Next Door / Un dragon dans les eaux pures du Caucase [FL 1038] The oil pipeline that is being laid between the Caspian and Mediterranean Seas is of great geopolitical interest. It will be 1,110 miles long, 155 of which will run through Georgia, along Sakiré, a poor village with muddy roads and houses with flaking paint is. Without interviews or voiceover, as an unnoticed bystander, director Nino Kirtadze films the villagers who, especially in the street, vehemently discuss this unexpected clash with world politics: the health risks, the governmental corruption, who actually owns the land, the possibility of an attack by Bin Laden and especially the level of financial compensation from BP, the oil company responsible for the pipeline. The filmmakers contrast the quiet valley and its village with noisy images of the construction of the advancing pipeline. Emotions rise higher and higher: the elected village leader storms out of a chaotic meeting, where the resistance is led by the self-confident and self-appointed Leila. An equally chaotic court case against BP is lost, but the oil company is getting nervous too: the filmmakers travel by car with the general manager of BP in Georgia and attend talks about the villagers' objections. In the end, the general manager decides to pay a personal visit to the village. Nino Kartadze, France, 2005, Georgian, English, Georgian/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Moszny [FL 1040] Construction of the Lakeside housing development in Cluj – Napoca (Romania) began in the 1980s. Most of the private homes were demolished. The Moszny family was evicted against their will. József Moszny did not move into the apartment building that was offered to him in exchange to his house, instead, he withdrew with his cows, dogs and cats to his plot of land in between the two lakes. He has been reported several times because the cows wandered around the housing estate and the tennis courts in Cluj. Being the story of a silent, personal revolution, the film follows the life of Mr. Moszny during one year. Róbert Lakatos, Hungary, 2005, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 40 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Source / Zdroij [FL 1041] Baku in Azerbaijan, with some of the richest deposits of oil in the world, is becoming a focus for foreign investors eager to take advantage of the country’s natural resources. Source traces the 'Great Oil Road' from European highways to this surreal and sinister landscape, where cows graze on polluted land and children play in toxic gunge. With three quarters of the population living under the poverty line, the country’s post-Soviet government is promising that oil will turn Azerbaijan into a prosperous and flourishing ‘New Kuwait’. But between big oil companies like British Petroleum and the corrupt government lining their pockets, what does this mean for the ordinary people of Azerbaijan? Is this “liquid gold” more of a curse or a blessing for the country? Martin Mareček, Czech Republic, 2005, Russian, English, /Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Source / Zdroij [FL 1041] Baku in Azerbaijan, with some of the richest deposits of oil in the world, is becoming a focus for foreign investors eager to take advantage of the country’s natural resources. Source traces the 'Great Oil Road' from European highways to this surreal and sinister landscape, where cows graze on polluted land and children play in toxic gunge. With three quarters of the population living under the poverty line, the country’s post-Soviet government is promising that oil will turn Azerbaijan into a prosperous and flourishing ‘New Kuwait’. But between big oil companies like British Petroleum and the corrupt government lining their pockets, what does this mean for the ordinary people of Azerbaijan? Is this “liquid gold” more of a curse or a blessing for the country? Martin Mareček, Czech Republic, 2005, Russian, English, /Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Shutka Book of Records, The / Knjiga Rekorda Shutke [FL 1042] The Roma inhabitants of the Macedonian town of Shutka are poor, but their lives and their customs are exquisite. Each of the residents believes that he or she is the champion of a different discipline – protecting the community from evil spirits, singing, training fighting geese, fashion design, party planning and, of course, sexual technique. There's the man with the most money, the woman with the strongest opinions, the guy with the best suits, the greatest lovers, the most powerful music producer, the best bed maker for circumcisions, the best trainer of ganders and the best trainer of pigeons, to name but a few. The town boasts many competitions, including the annual Turkish music cassette contest. In this little-seen land, vampires are exorcised with fire and pure willpower and popular songs are composed in ten minutes by the world’ s most prolific songwriter. Severdzan Bajram, an actor known from Emir Kusturica’s Black Cat, White Cat, is our guide on this entertaining tour through the town. Aleksandar Manić, Serbia and Montenegro, 2005, Serbian, English, 79 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Dreaming By Numbers / Die Träume Neapels [FL 1043] Naples has many neighborhoods with small betting shops. The daily customers don’t pick numbers at random: some play the numbers which correspond to the dates of birth or death of relatives, others play the numbers of their dreams. Dreams are translated into numbers with the help of the Italian numbers book Grimas and by the knowledgeable owners of century-old lottery offices. A "reasoned bet" happens, for example, when someone has had a dream about his father stepping into a bucket of water. The lottery vendor takes the book out: father is 81, foot is 53, water is 39 and bucket is 4, so these are the numbers to bet on. When a regular customer's brother gets murdered, people even use this incident to stake their bets. The obsession with numbers sometimes reaches hilarious proportions ("which numbers can be derived from a dream about a cockroach with a limp?"), but behind the gambling, there are often tragic stories. A historian sees parallels with Pythagoras' theory of numbers, which is kept alive in Italian popular culture. Anna Bucchetti, Netherlands, 2005, Italian/Subtitles: English, 75 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Checkpoint / Makhsomim [FL 1044] The West Bank and Gaza Strip have been under Israeli military authority since 1967. Over three million Palestinians live in a nation under Israeli occupation. When they want to move from one village or city to another, to visit relatives or doctors, or to go to work, they have to pass through Israeli checkpoints. After years of terrorist attacks, dozens of these heavily guarded checkpoints have been set up. From 2001 to 2003, director Yoav Shamir has filmed and created an incredibly honest and moving verité record of various occurrences at these checkpoints. This experiential film conveys a saddening series of encounters between the humiliated Palestinians and the heavily armed, often very young soldiers, who sometimes feel uneasy in their commanding roles. But these men are often self-assured, too, apparently taking pleasure in intimidating the Palestinians, having them wait for hours in the burning sun or pouring rain. The tension is palpable when a large group of Palestinian people ignores the order to return and collectively pass the roadblocks. The general impression is one of an endless situation, in which people on both sides are forced into positions that leave little room for human dignity. Yoav Shamir, Israel, 2003, Hebrew, English, Arabic/Subtitles: English, 80 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Checkpoint / Makhsomim [FL 1044] The West Bank and Gaza Strip have been under Israeli military authority since 1967. Over three million Palestinians live in a nation under Israeli occupation. When they want to move from one village or city to another, to visit relatives or doctors, or to go to work, they have to pass through Israeli checkpoints. After years of terrorist attacks, dozens of these heavily guarded checkpoints have been set up. From 2001 to 2003, director Yoav Shamir has filmed and created an incredibly honest and moving verité record of various occurrences at these checkpoints. This experiential film conveys a saddening series of encounters between the humiliated Palestinians and the heavily armed, often very young soldiers, who sometimes feel uneasy in their commanding roles. But these men are often self-assured, too, apparently taking pleasure in intimidating the Palestinians, having them wait for hours in the burning sun or pouring rain. The tension is palpable when a large group of Palestinian people ignores the order to return and collectively pass the roadblocks. The general impression is one of an endless situation, in which people on both sides are forced into positions that leave little room for human dignity. Yoav Shamir, Israel, 2003, Hebrew, English, Arabic/Subtitles: English, 80 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Border-line Case / Határeset [FL 1045] In August 1989, having lived in Weimar in the German Democratic Republic, Kurt-Werner Schulz and Gundula Schafitel and their 6-year-old son were crossing Hungary on their way to the Western world. As so many of their East German fellow compatriots, they were planning to cross the border illegally. However, they had no hope of succeeding if all three of them stayed together. The story is told in the manner of a criminal investigation, spiced with some humour. Péter Szalay, Hungary, 2006, Hungarian, German/Subtitles: English, 32 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Here We Are / My Zdes [FL 1046] After World War II, the Krnáč family moved from Central Slovakia to Sub-Carpathian Ukraine. After the territory came under Soviet rule, the family was forced to settle in Balgarka, a village in the Kazakhstan steppe, where they spent over forty years. After the break-up of the USSR, the family decided to leave Kazakhstan. In 2000, they sell the family house and set out on a journey to Slovakia, a country they know only from their parents´ stories. Their first attempts to find jobs and accommodation in Bratislava are not very successful. Looking for a place to settle they cross the country from east to west, but find only half-abandoned villages, closed factories and high unemployment. After a long quest, they settle down in the countryside. The parents start working on a local farm and the children enter high school. This new beginning is hard for all of them: the older family members feel uprooted and keep thinking of their lives back in Kazakhstan, the younger ones struggle to study and be accepted as equals. Filmed over a period of four years, the film is a warm personal portrait of multi-generational search for roots and for the future. Jaroslav Vojtek, Slovakia, 2005, Russian, Slovak/Subtitles: English, 76 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Terminus / Végállomások [FL 1048] Bosnia 2005. Ten years have passed since the Dayton Peace Agreement, which brought the war to an end, but more than a million Bosnians are still waiting to return to their former homes.Among them are the last ethnic Bosnian refugees in Hungary, who in 1992 were freed from the institute for the mentally ill in Jakes, which was located right on the front line of the war. ”Since then my life has collapsed like a house of cards”, says Pandur, the self-appointed leader of a group of 28 people from Jakes. ”Since I came here my life has become hell. Really. Not just for me but for everybody. We are locked in all day and are only let out for breakfast and dinner.” For the inhabitants of this refugee camp for the mentally handicapped in Debrecen life passes in bleak monotony. The inactivity and monotony of the days kills their lust for life and these people, who are abandoned to their fate, are slowly giving up hope that they will ever return home. Gábor Péter Németh, Hungary, 2005, Hungarian, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 38 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Angelmakers, The [FL 1049] A small village in the Hungarian countryside appears to have a dubious past: in 1929, a series of arsenic murders was exposed here, and 51 women were arrested on suspicion of poisoning their husbands and relatives. The arsenic they used had apparently been taken from flypaper. In total, there were 140 cases of murder, for which many women went to prison. Besides a reconstruction of the killings, this film is a portrait of the present inhabitants of Nagyrév, who all remember something different about the murders. They also muse about the current exodus from the village, are worried about a melon theft and complain that life in the village is boring: there is no cinema or aerobics club. The desolation and isolation of the village is captured quietly and carefully: a stooped man shuffles past, a house stands empty on the edge of the village. The director filmed at the kitchen table, on the ferry and on a bench in front of a house, where an elderly couple recalls how they got married within two months of meeting one another: "He needed someone to mend the fishing nets." Astrid Bussink, Netherlands, 2005, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 35 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Prostitution Behind the Veil / Prostitution bag sløret [FL 1050] Nahid Persson returns to Iran after living for 17 years in emigration in Sweden. Coming back as a documentary filmmaker, she originally intends to make a film about an elderly man, Habib, who sells prophecies on the streets. But when she visits his run-down house, she is shocked and intrigued to discover that he shares it with Minna and Fariba, two heroin addicts who prostitute themselves to make a living and support their little children while both of their husbands are in prison. The women are neighbours, good friends and support each other. The film sympathetically explores their everyday life and the way prostitution functions in a country where adultery is persecuted, sometimes resulting in capital punishment. For men, there is a 'legal' way to buy sex and still comply with Muslim law: they marry the women in what is called 'Sighe', a temporary marriage legal in Shia Islam. 'Sighe' can last from two hours up to 99 years. In the film both Minna and Fariba undergo 'Sighe' with customers and Fariba gets married Sighe-style to Habib for 6 months. The film follows the women for more than a year, providing a personal and intimate look into the two tragic lives behind the veils. Nahid Persson, Sweden, 2005, Swedish/Subtitles: English, 58 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Person De Leo N., The / La Persona De Leo N. [FL 1051] Since 1982, Italian transsexuals have been able to have a sex change operation that is subsidised according to Section 164 of the law. Those eligible are also assisted in changing their sexual identity on paper. The condition is that they subject themselves to a complicated, lengthy and psychologically gruelling procedure. As a twelve-year-old boy, Nicola de Leo already knew she wanted to become a woman. Today, the now forty-year-old transsexual lives in Venice and has changed her name to Nicole. She has undergone hormone treatment and grown breasts, but she still lives inside the body of a middle-aged man, including a penis, a beard and a substantial Adam's apple. This is why Nicole is applying for a sex change through official channels. "I never thought it would be so hard. I thought making the decision was enough", she says. For five tense years, Nicole fights her emotional and physical struggle in the presence of director Alberto Vendemmiati's camera. Working as an actress, a seller of carnival masks and a prostitute, she finances her cosmetic treatment and looks forward to the subsidised sex change operation. Meanwhile, she turns for support to her elderly mother, who has a hard time accepting that her son will soon be a daughter. Alberto Vendemmiati, Italy, 2005, Italian/Subtitles: English, 86 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM God Is With Us, Men That Is / Bóg jest z nami, mężczyznami [FL 1052] Shot in a village in Northern Albania, the film tells the story of a woman who decides to become a man of her own free will. Bedri is the masculine form of the name Bedrie. Before her whole family, she solemnly pledges to become a man. This peculiar “rite of passage” exists in the mountains of Albania. The entire local community fully accepts and respects Bedri as they would a man. Her brothers will never blush from now on, as she is not going to bring shame upon them. As a man she must have no interaction with women, never have children and remain a virgin till the end of her days. Yet her advice in arranging marriages is valued by the community. Those who do not know her take her for a man anyway since Bedri shaves and dresses like one. Bedri smokes, drinks, plays domino with men and football with village boys. He declares that he is happy with his own self. Jan Sosiński, Poland, 2005, Albanian/Subtitles: English, 46 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Shinjuku Boys [FL 1053] The boys in the title are actually onnabes, or cross-dressing Japanese girls, who work as hosts at the New Marilyn club in Tokyo. They are women who live as men and have girlfriends, although they don't usually identify as lesbians. As the film follows them at home and on the job, all three talk frankly to the camera about their gender-bending lives, revealing their views about women, sex, transvestitism and lesbianism. Alternating with these illuminating interviews are fabulous sequences shot inside the club, patronized almost exclusively by heterosexual women who have become disappointed with real men. This is a remarkable documentary about the complexity of female sexuality. Kim Longinotto, Jano Williams, United Kingdom, 1995, Japanese/Subtitles: English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Divorce Iranian Style [FL 1054] Hilarious, tragic, stirring, this fly-on-the-wall look at several weeks in an Iranian divorce court provides a unique window into the intimate circumstances of Iranian women’s lives. Following Jamileh, whose husband beats her; Ziba, a 16 year old trying to divorce her 38 year old husband; and Maryam, who is desperately fighting to gain custody of her daughters, this deadpan chronicle showcases the strength, ingenuity, and guile with which they confront biased laws, a Kafkaesque administrative system, and their husbands’ and families’ rage, to win their divorces. Longinotto and her Iranian co-director Ziba Mir-Hosseini spend several weeks following the complainants in and outside of court as they go to great lengths to convince the patient judge to free them. Dispelling images of Iran as a country of war, hostages, and “fatwas”, and Iranian women as passive victims of a terrible system, this film is a subtle, fascinating look at women’s lives in Iran. Kim Longinotto, Ziba Mir-Hosseini, United Kingdom, 1998, /Subtitles: English, 80 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Sisters In Law [FL 1056] In the little town of Kumba, Cameroon, there have been no convictions in spousal abuse cases for 17 years. But two women determined to change their community are making progress that could change the world. This fascinating and often hilarious film follows the work of State Prosecutor Vera Ngassa and Court President Beatrice Ntuba as they help women fight often difficult cases of abuse, despite pressure from their family and community to remain silent. Six-year-old Manka is covered in scars and has run away from an abusive aunt, Amina is seeking a divorce to put an end to brutal beatings by her husband, the preteen Sonita has daringly accused her neighbor of rape. The documentary follows the “sisters in law” as they nourish grass-roots feminism in a Cameroon village. Winner of the Prix Art et Essai at the Cannes Film Festival and screened to acclaim at more than 90 festivals around the world, it is Kim Longinotto's latest documentary. Kim Longinotto, Florence Ayisi, United Kingdom, 2005, English/Subtitles: English, 106 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Sisters In Law [FL 1056] In the little town of Kumba, Cameroon, there have been no convictions in spousal abuse cases for 17 years. But two women determined to change their community are making progress that could change the world. This fascinating and often hilarious film follows the work of State Prosecutor Vera Ngassa and Court President Beatrice Ntuba as they help women fight often difficult cases of abuse, despite pressure from their family and community to remain silent. Six-year-old Manka is covered in scars and has run away from an abusive aunt, Amina is seeking a divorce to put an end to brutal beatings by her husband, the preteen Sonita has daringly accused her neighbor of rape. The documentary follows the “sisters in law” as they nourish grass-roots feminism in a Cameroon village. Winner of the Prix Art et Essai at the Cannes Film Festival and screened to acclaim at more than 90 festivals around the world, it is Kim Longinotto's latest documentary. Kim Longinotto, Florence Ayisi, United Kingdom, 2005, English/Subtitles: English, 106 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Taking Sides / Szembesítés [FL 1057] The film is based on the life of Wilhelm Furtwängler, Germany’s leading conductor and head of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra during the Second World War. One of the most spectacular and renowned conductors of the 1930s, Furtwangler's reputation rivaled that of Toscanini's. In his civilian guise, Major Steve Arnold of the US Army is an insurance salesman. Following the fall of the Third Reich he is given the task of establishing links between Furtwängler and key figures in the Nazi regime, including Hitler himself. Major Arnold’s commanding officer wants ‘proof’ that the conductor collaborated with the Nazis. With the help of his assistants - Emmi Straube (the daughter of a senior Nazi general who was executed for plotting Hitler’s assassination) and Lieutenant David Wills (a German Jew who was sent to the US by his parents at the start of the war, who returns as a member of the US army), Arnold questions members of the orchestra and Furtwängler himself, hoping to find evidence of Furtwängler’s close relationship with Hitler. István Szabó, (n/a), 2001, English/Subtitles: Hungarian, 108 min, DVD-ROM Shape of the Moon / Stand van de Maan [FL 1058] Shape of the Moon is the middle part of the cinéma vérité trilogy by Retel Helmrich about modern Indonesia. Rumidjah, a 62-year-old widow, lives in Jakarta with her son Bakti and her granddaughter Tari. Since the fall of dictator Suharto seven years earlier, she has witnessed the country passing through a tumultuous period of socio-political chaos. Islam, the largest religion of Indonesia, is becoming increasingly fundamentalist in tone, which affects the everyday lives of all Indonesians, no matter what religion they profess. Rumidjah, who is a Christian, has had more than enough of the capital's chaos. When her son Bakti converts to Islam in order to marry a Muslim girl, she seriously considers leaving the hectic city forever and moving to the safety of the countryside where she grew up. The only thing that still ties Rumidjah to the city is the responsibility she feels for Tari: she knows that there's no future for an eleven-year-old girl in the countryside. A close and sensitive portrait of the everyday life of three generations sharing their worries about the present and their hopes for a better future. Leonard Retel Helmrich, Netherlands, 2004, /Subtitles: English, 92 min, VHS Magnitogorsk: Forging the New Man / Magnitogorsk, de jeugd van de hoogovens [FL 1059] In the early thirties, the bare steppes of the Urals were transformed at breakneck speed into a blast-furnace complex and a city was erected out of nothing. Magnitogorsk was a model project to demonstrate the energy with which the first five-year plan of the communist state-controlled economy was put into operation. In 1932, Joris Ivens was invited to make a film about the building of the Soviet Union. He chose Magnitogorsk as an example of how the new world and the new man were to be forged, and the resulting film, Song of the heroes, encapsulates the prevailing ideology of the period. Joris Ivens lauded the enthusiasm with which the blast-furnace project was brought to fruition. Pieter Jan Smit's documentary sets out to find those who built and resided in the city of steel and to talk to them about their ideals yesterday and today. Magnitogorsk shows us what became of the heroes of Ivens' film. Pieter Jan Smit, Netherlands, 1996, Russian, Dutch/Subtitles: English, 60 min, DVD-ROM Cold Coke in the Days of the Cold War, A / Една студена кока-кола през Студената война [FL 1060] This is a story of how Coca-Cola has entered Bulgaria during the time of Communist regime in the mid-1960s. Till 1965 the communist propaganda described Coca- Cole as an alcoholic drink of the American soldiers. Bulgaria happened to be the very first socialist country where Coca-Cola has succeeded to break the ideological rules by having a trade contract and opening bottling factories. The contract was possible due to initiative of Mr. Toncho Michajlov, who has made the first contact with the Coca-Cola Company in 1965 with Mr. Alexander Makinsky. This is a story of a battle - the battle between the propaganda type of economy and the free market economy, a battle between the ideological communist society and the enterpreneur spirit. A story about the unknown sides of the communist history and the times of the Cold War. Evgenia Atanassova, Irina Nedeva, Damian Petrov, Bulgaria, 2005, Bulgarian/Subtitles: English, 56 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Portrait of a Man in Power / Portrait d'un Homme de Pouvoir [FL 1061] The trial of Todor Zhivkov provided an occasion to go back in time and rethink an entire era. The issues that concerned me in this film were fear and manipulation, what the mechanisms were that turned this man into a nondescript and mute automaton, and how deeply those mechanisms penetrated into his subconscious. The film crosses the paths of informants and victims, uncovering a perfectly honed system of rumors, denunciations, fear and surveillance by the security services. On the other side is Todor Zhivkov himself. His role is re-examined, with a look behind his mask as a "man of the people," which over the years gradually revealed a very good manipulator, who controlled the whole system personally and who, thanks to his skillfully perfected ability as a "puppet-master," managed to stay in power for 35 whole years. Zlatina Rousseva, Belgium, 1991, English, 55 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Cure, The / Kuracja [FL 1067] The imposing building of baroque grandeur is a temporary resting-place: a spa named Ciechocinek – very well known all across Poland. The guests stay here for a few days or weeks, far from their everyday life, their relatives and friends: here they are supposed to recuperate and heal, far from everything that made them sick. Here there’s no time-clock – life has a different rhythm defined by sleeping, eating, healing. The camera follows the summer-guests through the foyers of the spa, through the parks; watches them sitting on the benches – observed observers. Extremely long takes and the absence of a musical score or comment fit well with the quiet of the place. But even when it sometimes seems that nothing is happening, life has not stopped – on the contrary, it demands its due. The process of healing can also be seen during activities: people flirt, dance and celebrate – and, yes, also drink and quarrel. This is how this life – seemingly removed from normality – nevertheless mirrors what happens beyond the green lawns and avenues. Maciej Cuske, Poland, 2004, Polish/Subtitles: English, 56 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Children Kosovo 2000 / Деца-Fëmijët (Kosovo 2000) [FL 1069] In the spring of 2000, Albanian children in Kosovska Mitrovica confess to the camera the deepest pain they have experienced in their short lives: being forced to witness their parents being brutally humiliated, tortured or killed. In some cases, children had to bury a parent themselves. The black-and-white photography, often shot with a hand-held and deliberately shaky camera, reveals the Apocalyptic reality of Kosovo: its devastated villages and half-destroyed houses, where some of the children are forced to live, seem to come straight from a futuristic horror movie. Now and then, color Super 8 images, filmed by the children themselves, since they are the only ones that can see their world as it really is, alternate with shots of the destroyed areas. Ferenc Moldoványi, Hungary, 2001, Albanian, Serbian/Subtitles: English, French, Hungarian, 90 min, DVD-ROM Crossing the Line / Hvor går grænsen … - Dilemmaer for mennesker [FL 1070] The documentary investigates the extent of personal morality and how it stands up in extreme circumstances. With examples from the UK, Germany, former Yugoslavia and Iraq, Petersen invites us to question where the 'line' between good and evil should be drawn. In Iraq, an American lieutenant colonel puts a gun to a prisoner's head, forcing him to reveal his assassination plans. The officer saves his men but is later tried by a military court. In the UK, former home secretary Jack Straw is confronted with numerous examples of violence and abuse in British prisons. But improving conditions for prisoners doesn't bring in votes. In The Hague, the Human Rights Court finds a former Bosnian soldier guilty. Esad Landzo talks from prison about how he turned from a young man, dreaming of an artist's life, into an unquestioning torturer. In Frankfurt, a German police officer physically threatens a kidnapper to save a small child in a case that divides the nation. Lars Feldballe Petersen, Denmark, 2006, Danish, English, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 59 min, DVD-ROM Crossing the Line / Hvor går grænsen … - Dilemmaer for mennesker [FL 1070] The documentary investigates the extent of personal morality and how it stands up in extreme circumstances. With examples from the UK, Germany, former Yugoslavia and Iraq, Petersen invites us to question where the 'line' between good and evil should be drawn. In Iraq, an American lieutenant colonel puts a gun to a prisoner's head, forcing him to reveal his assassination plans. The officer saves his men but is later tried by a military court. In the UK, former home secretary Jack Straw is confronted with numerous examples of violence and abuse in British prisons. But improving conditions for prisoners doesn't bring in votes. In The Hague, the Human Rights Court finds a former Bosnian soldier guilty. Esad Landzo talks from prison about how he turned from a young man, dreaming of an artist's life, into an unquestioning torturer. In Frankfurt, a German police officer physically threatens a kidnapper to save a small child in a case that divides the nation. Lars Feldballe Petersen, Denmark, 2006, Danish, English, Serbian/Subtitles: English, 59 min, DVD-ROM Smiling in a War Zone - and the Art of Flying to Kabul [FL 1071] One day, artist and pilot Simone reads in her morning paper the story of a 16 year old Afghan girl who dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. By the time Simone finishes her coffee, she is determined to fly the 6000 km to Kabul, find young Farial and make her dream come true. She buys the only plane she can afford: a 40-year old 'Donald Duck' Piper-Colt made out of canvas. After challenging every military authority she comes across, weeks of travelling, 50 hours in the air, 33 landings, and in the end, flying illegally into Afghanistan at nerve wrecking heights, Simone finally reaches Kabul and finds Farial. Magnus Bejmar, Simone Aaberg Kaern, Denmark, 2005, Danish, English/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Smiling in a War Zone - and the Art of Flying to Kabul [FL 1071] One day, artist and pilot Simone reads in her morning paper the story of a 16 year old Afghan girl who dreams of becoming a fighter pilot. By the time Simone finishes her coffee, she is determined to fly the 6000 km to Kabul, find young Farial and make her dream come true. She buys the only plane she can afford: a 40-year old 'Donald Duck' Piper-Colt made out of canvas. After challenging every military authority she comes across, weeks of travelling, 50 hours in the air, 33 landings, and in the end, flying illegally into Afghanistan at nerve wrecking heights, Simone finally reaches Kabul and finds Farial. Magnus Bejmar, Simone Aaberg Kaern, Denmark, 2005, Danish, English/Subtitles: English, 78 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM In the Soldier's Footsteps / I soldatens fodspor [FL 1072] Steven, a former child soldier in Uganda and a refugee in Denmark, receives news that his missing son is not dead, but now himself a child-soldier. Steven determines to free his son, but things go terribly wrong, and suddenly Ugandan government representatives arrive in Copenhagen to stop this film. They claim that Steven is a terrorist and that Uganda is a free country without child soldiery. Soon the film crew finds itself entangled in a political game that involves the chief of Ugandan intelligence, ministers and generals, a game in which the truth is very hard to get at. Mette Zeruneith, Denmark, 2005, Danish, English/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM In the Soldier's Footsteps / I soldatens fodspor [FL 1072] Steven, a former child soldier in Uganda and a refugee in Denmark, receives news that his missing son is not dead, but now himself a child-soldier. Steven determines to free his son, but things go terribly wrong, and suddenly Ugandan government representatives arrive in Copenhagen to stop this film. They claim that Steven is a terrorist and that Uganda is a free country without child soldiery. Soon the film crew finds itself entangled in a political game that involves the chief of Ugandan intelligence, ministers and generals, a game in which the truth is very hard to get at. Mette Zeruneith, Denmark, 2005, Danish, English/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Anatomy of Evil, The / Ondskabens anatomi [FL 1073] What makes genocide possible? Serbian paramilitaries who took part in massacres in Kosovo during the late nineties, describe their experiences and try to explain what made them do such horrendous acts. They seem to have felt that their security was threatened, and that it was a matter of killing or being killed. Director Ove Nyholm draws a parallell to the second world war and the German massacres of jews. Warning: This film includes disturbingly explicit scenes. Ove Nyholm, Denmark, 2005, Albanian, English, Danish/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Anatomy of Evil, The / Ondskabens anatomi [FL 1073] What makes genocide possible? Serbian paramilitaries who took part in massacres in Kosovo during the late nineties, describe their experiences and try to explain what made them do such horrendous acts. They seem to have felt that their security was threatened, and that it was a matter of killing or being killed. Director Ove Nyholm draws a parallell to the second world war and the German massacres of jews. Warning: This film includes disturbingly explicit scenes. Ove Nyholm, Denmark, 2005, Albanian, English, Danish/Subtitles: English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Max by Chance / Rejsen på ophavet [FL 1074] This is the story of Max, the director's own story, playfully animated within the realms of documentary. Max's story traces back several generations to sailers, industrialists and Summer of Love hippies - everyone depicted with whole-hearted love and equal amounts of irony. But there is something more at stake here, something larger than the biographical filmic note of a single man. The film embraces with vulnerable playfulness life's many coincidences and grapples with questions such as genetics, destiny and family patterns. Max Kestner, Denmark, 2004, English, 29 min, documentary film, VHS Maximum Penalty / Den højeste straf [FL 1075] In 1937 the Danish communist Arne Munch-Pedersen disappeared in the Soviet Union. He was never heard from again. Sixty-two years later, another prominent Danish communist goes back to the secret archives in Moscow in search of the truth. A disheartening story of Stalin's paranoia and the price some people had to pay. Tómas Gislason, Denmark, 2000, Danish, Russian/Subtitles: English, 89 min, documentary film, VHS My Grandad's Murderer / Min morfars morder - En film om tilgivelse [FL 1076] Film director Søren Fauli wants to meet and forgive his grandfather's murderer, the last living SS-officer from the occupying forces in Denmark during the Second World War. That scares Søren's mother, who grew up in the shadow of the tragedy of losing a father. "My Grandad's Murderer" is a film about forgiveness and a son's attempt to help his mother reconcile herself with the past. Søren Fauli, Denmark, 2004, Danish, German/Subtitles: English, 61 min, documentary film, VHS German Secret, The / Den tyske hemmelighed [FL 1077] Kirsten Blohm leaves Denmark traveling to the place of her birth – to the place where the American prison in post-war Germany was. As captured by her husband, director Lars Johansson, the story of Kirsten Blohm’s family background turns out to be more fantastic than fiction, involving captivity and flight, secrecy and lies. Blohm, born in 1946, was raised by her grandparents. She did know her mother, the beautiful but cold Signe Gondrup, but Signe never wanted to disclose anything about her life, let alone about her daughter's father. Following her elusive mother's footsteps, Blohm’s journey takes her to the Czech Republic and Germany where she uncovers a series of dramatic events as well as embarrasing skeletons in the closet. Lars Johansson, Denmark, 2004, Danish, English, German/Subtitles: English, 88 min, documentary film, VHS German Secret, The / Den tyske hemmelighed [FL 1077] Kirsten Blohm leaves Denmark traveling to the place of her birth – to the place where the American prison in post-war Germany was. As captured by her husband, director Lars Johansson, the story of Kirsten Blohm’s family background turns out to be more fantastic than fiction, involving captivity and flight, secrecy and lies. Blohm, born in 1946, was raised by her grandparents. She did know her mother, the beautiful but cold Signe Gondrup, but Signe never wanted to disclose anything about her life, let alone about her daughter's father. Following her elusive mother's footsteps, Blohm’s journey takes her to the Czech Republic and Germany where she uncovers a series of dramatic events as well as embarrasing skeletons in the closet. Lars Johansson, Denmark, 2004, Danish, English, German/Subtitles: English, 88 min, documentary film, VHS Blue Collar White Christmas / Nede på jorden [FL 1078] December 2001. The workers at the lifeboat factory Viking are preparing for the coming Christmas holiday when news arrives that Viking is to open a new factory in Thailand. Redundancy looms. Throughout the Christmas month we follow the four main characters - Diana, Lotte, Kragelund and Tobiesen. While notification of who is to be laid off draws closer, the air becomes thick with rumours and predictions. Life continues nevertheless. "Blue Collar White Christmas" is a series of humorous everyday chronicles dealing with the fear and necessity of change. Max Kestner, Denmark, 2004, Danish/Subtitles: English, 82 min, documentary film, VHS What I Want My Words To Do To You [FL 1084] An unprecedented look into the minds and hearts of the women inmates of New York's Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. The film goes inside a writing workshop led by playwright and activist Eve Ensler, consisting of 15 women, most of whom were convicted of murder. As the film progresses, the writing becomes a process of discovery and self-reflection. The inmates face painful truths about the choices that irrevocably changed the course of their lives. The filmmakers use the exercises and the highly charged discussions to reveal how the women grapple with their own guilt. The film culminates in an emotionally charged prison performance of the women's writing by acclaimed actors Mary Alice, Glenn Close, Hazelle Goodman, Rosie Perez and Marisa Tomei. Madeleine Gavin, Judith Katz, Gary Sunshine, United States, 2003, English, documentary film, DVD-ROM Grissinopoli - Bread-Stickville / Grissinopoli — El pais de los grisines [FL 1098] Grissinopoli, a debt-laden grissini manufacturer, falls into bankruptcy and is abandoned by its owners. Against the backdrop of growing unemployment and economic insecurity, the plant’s 16 Argentine workers decide to resist by trying their hand at self-management. This utopian solution, born of desperation, is hard to actually put into practice. Almost immediately, the workers face internal dissension, potential expropriation, a lack of funds and management experience, and the risks of political and union co-optation. At the same time, they experience moments of solidarity, as they struggle with lawyers and lawmakers to pass an expropriation law that would allow them to maintain their plant. Following the tradition of direct cinema, this activist film provides an example of a growing social movement, that has already succeeded in saving more than 10,000 jobs in Argentina. Dario Doria, Argentina, 2004, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 80 min, DVD-ROM Under the Wheel / Daráló [FL 1101] The story of a man, long dead, who was ground down, chewed and spat out in pieces by the eager, merciless, and not exactly efficient Hungarian judicial system. Viewers will have the opportunity to see how an innocent man was framed by this stubborn, persistent system, which used any means at its disposal. It can only be hoped that this mistake, which was to cost a human life, was caused by an unfortunate series of events rather than by the inner logic of the system. Norbert Komenczi, Hungary, 2004, Hungarian/Subtitles: English, 51 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Secret of my Success, The [FL 1113] Lu Guo Hua is the corrupt but charming birth control officer in Fanshen, a rural community of northeast China. A village woman suspected of illegally being pregnant for the third time has disappeared. This causes consternation within the village council: she must have an abortion, for if the village exceeds its birth quota it will be severely sanctioned by the Communist Party. Mr. Lu’s own job is at stake. Local elections are coming up, and Mr. Lu has long dreamed of running for office. For six months in 2001, Jinchuan Duan filmed the local election campaign and the plotting, prevarications, and clever political manoeuvres that accompany it. The result is a humorous, insightful lesson into China’s attempts to adopt democratic norms and the impact of China’s one-child policy. Awarded a Silver Wolf in Amsterdam in 2002, The Secret of My Success is the first episode of the triptych Interesting Times, which probes a modern Chinese population. Jinchuan Duan, China, 2002, Chinese, Mandarin/Subtitles: English, 59 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Devil's Miner, The / Devil's Miner, The [FL 1115] The Devil's Miner follows two brothers, 14-year-old Basilio and 12-year-old Bernardino, who live in poverty with their mother in the mountains of Bolivia. They work long shifts in the Cerro Rico silver mines, braving deadly conditions to earn enough money to attend school.Through the children's eyes, we encounter the sixteenth century mine, where devout Catholics must sever their ties with God each time they enter the shafts, because of the ancient belief that the devil, as represented in the hundreds of statues constructed in the tunnels, determines the fate of all who work there.Raised without a father, the boys assume many adult responsibilities and must work to afford the clothing and supplies vital to their education. Basilio believes only the mountain devil's generosity will allow them to earn enough money to continue the new school year. Without an education, the brothers have no chance to escape their destiny in the silver mines. Richard Ladkani, Kief Davidson, United States, 2005, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 82 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM 12:08 East Of Bucharest / A fost sau n-a fost? [FL 1116] 12:08 pm Decmber 22, 1989 was the exact time of Ceausescu's fall from power in Romania. Sixteen years on, a provincial TV talk show decides to commemorate the event by asking local heroes to reminisce about their own contributions to the revolution. Securing suitable guests however proves an unexpected challenge and the producer is left with two less than ideal participants - a drink addled history teacher and a retired and lonely sometime-Santa Claus grateful for the company. In the farcical show that follows, the men's fanciful boasts of rebellious glory are hilariously disputed by phone-ins from viewers who recall an altogether different version of events. With entertainingly wry humour, Corneliu Promboiu's debut feature sharply satirises the short memories and inconsistencies of postrevolutionary Romania. Coreneliu Porumboiu, Romania, 2006, Romanian/Subtitles: English, 86 min, fiction film, DVD-ROM Politics of the Heart [FL 1121] Politics of the Heart is a moving portrait of lesbian and gay families who re-shaped the cultural and political landscape of Québec by fighting for recognition of their relationships, families and homoparental rights. In December 1977, Québec became the first Canadian province to extend human rights protection to gays and lesbians under its charter of human rights. The documentary traces the gradual politicization of local gay and lesbian communities and organizations over the next 15 years, and highlights their hard-won legal and political battles. The film pays particular attention to The Civil Union Bill (Bill 84), which passed unanimously in the Québec National Assembly in June 2002. The bill extends full rights to gay and lesbian parents and their children, giving Québec the most progressive laws in the world for homoparental families. Politics of the Heart is a penetrating look into the history of queer struggle and the individuals and organizations that sought to win recognition and rights for lesbian and gay families. Nancy Nicol, Canada, 2005, French/Subtitles: English, 67 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Stand Together [FL 1122] A history of the campaign for human rights protections following the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada in 1969. Nancy Nicol, Canada, 2002, English/Subtitles: English, 114 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Stand Together [FL 1122] A history of the campaign for human rights protections following the decriminalization of homosexuality in Canada in 1969. Nancy Nicol, Canada, 2002, English/Subtitles: English, 114 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM End of Second Class, The [FL 1123] The End of Second Class is a powerful documentary that traces the debate on same sex marriage in Canada up to the passage of equal marriage legislation on July 20, 2005. The story is told from the perspective of three couples from B.C., Ontario and Quebec and lawyers and activists who sought to uphold the Charter rights of lesbians and gay men. The End of Second Class vividly paints the context in which gays and lesbians fought to overcome a history of discrimination and second class status and sought to persuade both the courts and the Parliament of Canada to affirm their right to marry. Nancy Nicol, Canada, 2006, English, 90 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Big Sellout, The [FL 1124] Has the practice of privatization become similar to warfare, dehumanizing us and reducing us to mere statistics? Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and former chief economist at the World Bank, certainly thinks so, as does Bongani, a self-described "electro-rebel" in Soweto, South Africa, who illegally restores electricity to the homes of people too poor to pay the incessant bills of the newly privatized provider. Simon, a train driver who has worn the uniform of countless firms since his beloved British Rail was privatized, recounts the steady decline in service and maintenance and the sharp increase in accidents that have followed. In the Philippines, where the privatization of health care has led to an exodus of nurses and doctors, Minda struggles to afford the kidney dialysis treatments needed to keep her son alive. Meanwhile, martial law is declared in Cochabamba, Bolivia as protesters fight the privatization of water. A compelling portrayal of a complex subject, The Big Sellout offers an empathetic and sobering study of the human impact of global economics. Florian Opitz, Germany, 2006, English, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 94 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Big Sellout, The [FL 1124] Has the practice of privatization become similar to warfare, dehumanizing us and reducing us to mere statistics? Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and former chief economist at the World Bank, certainly thinks so, as does Bongani, a self-described "electro-rebel" in Soweto, South Africa, who illegally restores electricity to the homes of people too poor to pay the incessant bills of the newly privatized provider. Simon, a train driver who has worn the uniform of countless firms since his beloved British Rail was privatized, recounts the steady decline in service and maintenance and the sharp increase in accidents that have followed. In the Philippines, where the privatization of health care has led to an exodus of nurses and doctors, Minda struggles to afford the kidney dialysis treatments needed to keep her son alive. Meanwhile, martial law is declared in Cochabamba, Bolivia as protesters fight the privatization of water. A compelling portrayal of a complex subject, The Big Sellout offers an empathetic and sobering study of the human impact of global economics. Florian Opitz, Germany, 2006, English, Spanish/Subtitles: English, 94 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Standard Operating Procedure [FL 1125] “Standard Operating Procedure” delves into the infamous photos that captured the incidents, embarassing the U.S. government, leading to the trial of numerous low-level American soldiers and forcing the subsequent apology by U.S. President Bush. Through interviews with many of the convicted U.S. soliders, including Megan Ambuhl, Javal Davis, Lynndie England, and Jeremy Sivitz, Morris captures first-person accounts detailing and explaining the pictures, not ot mention a damning interview by General Janis Karpinski, all pointing to the fact the actions resulted from the policies of military higher-ups. Errol Morris, Hungary, 2006, English/Subtitles: French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Mandarin, Thai, Korean, 116 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM With much Love and Kisses / Krepko celuju i lublu [FL 1126] Northern Russia. The Solovetskii Islands in the White Sea. An ancient monastery, turned into a concentration camp. Here, in the 1930s, famous philosophers, scholars, engineers and writers spent the last days of their lives. At the end of October and beginning of November 1937 more than one thousand prisoners were taken from the Solovetskii islands to the mainland and executed. But their letters to their loved ones were miraculously preserved. Seventy years later, the victims' children and grandchildren come to the Solovetskii Islands to commemorate their fathers and grandfathers. Anastasia Cherkassova, Russia, 2006, Russian/Subtitles: English, documentary film, DVD-ROM Bittner Case, The / Ich Bin Doch Keine Morderin [FL 1127] "The Youth Welfare Office should've realised themselves that we needed help, and not asked us if we needed help. They should have been aware of it. (...) They should have acted on their own. Then things would have gone differently." When asked about his responsibility in his son's death, Falk Bittner remains silent, but when the role of the Youth Welfare Office comes up, he suddenly explodes. The Bittner Case analyses a family tragedy in the East-German city of Cottbus. Just before Christmas 2001, six-year-old Dennis, one of the 10 Bittner children, died of continued abuse, neglect and malnutrition. His mother Angelika hid his corpse in the freezer, where it was discovered in June 2004. Family, friends and neighbours all believed that Dennis had been staying in a Berlin children's hospital. Falk contends that he never doubted his wife's explanation, and that he was shocked when he became aware of his son's fate.The film consists of a series of probing interviews with the Bittners, alternated with excerpts from court proceedings and medical reports. While they wait for a verdict in the case, the Bittners reveal this baffling story bit by bit. Overcome with emotions, Angelika is the one who explains what happened. Falk just sits there and shakes his head. Caterina Woj, Germany, 2006, German/Subtitles: English, 86 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Forever / Forever [FL 1128] The Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris is one of the most famous ones in the world, not only because of the beautiful gravestones and the lovely street plan of this necropolis, but also because of its occupants. Famous artists like Georges Mélies, Oscar Wilde, Amedeo Modigliani, Edith Piaf, Maria Callas, Simone Signoret, Yves Montand and Jim Morrison are united in eternity here. The numerous visitors seek solace and reconciliation with mortality at the graveyard. Forever shows how the dead live on, like ghosts in the imagination of the living. Ultimately, a cemetery is above all a product of the human mind. "If we showed the graveyard in its true nature, it would be unbearable," someone says. "Someone left a pen, so he can keep on writing in the hereafter," an old woman observes as she cleans Marcel Proust's grave. A devotee of À la recherche du temps perdu states, "If your life is fulfilled by Balzac's novels, Musset's poems and Chopin's music, you will never be alone." The film also pays attention to forgotten talents who never made it to their prime. And to the more anonymous deceased, only cherished in their next of kin's memory. Heddy Honigmann, Netherlands, 2006, Dutch/Subtitles: English, French, 95 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Taimagura Grandma / Tamagura Baachan [FL 1129] For 15 years, director Sumikawa followed Masayo Mukaida, living with her husband outside the remote village of Taimagura, on the slopes of Mount Hayachine. Their life is demanding but rewarding. Since 1954 they have tilled the soil, following the seasons, listening to nature’s messages: blooming magnolias mean a good harvest, a cuckoo’s song heralds winter’s snows. She calls herself ‘Grandma Taimagura’ and, though her nearest neighbours are 10 km away, they call her Grandma too. Since they got electricity, her husband Kumezou enjoys watching parliamentary debates and sumo wrestling, while Masayo prefers the radio, which won’t distract her from her work. But when Kumezou dies, Masayo finds the hard work begins to seem pointless. Beautifully shot and skilfully edited, Sumikawa’s film celebrates a stillness threatened by modern life, but still quintessentially Japanese. Yoshihiko Sumikawa, Japan, 2005, Japanese/Subtitles: English, 110 min, documentary film, DVD-ROM Nomadak Tx / Nomadak Tx [FL 1130] Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once famously remarked, “Music is the universal language of mankind,” and perhaps nowhere is this sentiment felt more strongly than in this jubilant film about two musicians who journey to some of the most remote regions of the world, using the traditional Basque musical instrument, the txalaparta, as a medium for cross-cultural exchange and understanding. The txalaparta is a traditional Basque instrument (similar to a xylophone) that was originally a communication device between Basque tribes. In this spirit of communication, Igor Otxoa and Harkaitz Martínez have a dream to turn the txalaparta into a meetingplace—not only for people, but for different cultures as well. This wish leads them to make a trip in search of the world’s last remaining nomadic tribes. From the north of India to the Mongolian Steppes, from the Sahara desert to Lapland, the film captures an extraordinarily fluent and dynamic conversation across borders and languages, articulated through music. Through encounters with other musicians—a Mongol musician and a Hindu taxi driver, a Sami singer and an aging Saharan lady—the txalaparta becomes more than a musical instrument; it is a tool for communication in which everyone expresses their desires. Stunning photography and