CINEPHILIA FILMMAKERS TO WATCH SCREENING SERIES
Launched in 2013, Cinephilia Filmmakers to Watch series is an annual program that highlights the work of unique and remarkable voices from the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. Cinephilia curates 5 narrative short films to screen at art house independent cinemas, art galleries, film festivals and cultural spaces.
CINEPHILIA
FILMMAKERS TO WATCH SERIES 2016
FILMS
. L'ÉCHAPPÉE by Hamid Saïdji & Jonathan Mason,Algeria
. MARIAM by Faiza Ambah, Saudi Arabia/France
. NEW EYES by Hiwot Admasu, Ethiopia
. SOUTH POLE/GÜNEY KUTBU by Emin Akpinar, Turkey
. THE RIFLE, THE JACKAL, THE WOLF, AND THE BOY by Oualid Mouaness, Lebanon
L’ÉCHAPPÉE
Co-Directed by Hamid Saïdji & Jonathan Mason
Produced by Claire Mazeau-Karoum & Tewfik Rays
Cast: Saïd Aït Ali Saïd, Mouni Boullam, Anis Bosli, Moussa Chikh, Samir Saidani
Synopsis
A kaleidoscopic journey through the streets of Algiers in Hocine Filali’s ramshackle taxi. With dreams of setting sail for a better life in Italy, Hocine will first have to escape the grip of this magical city and its colorful cast of characters
NEW EYES
Written & Directed by Hiwot Admasu
Cast: Selam Fidaku, Berite Eshetu, Surafel Tsegaye, Feven Teshome
Produced by Les Films de L’après-Midi, François d’Artemare
Synopsis
A young girl on the threshold of puberty is facing an event that will trouble her for the first time. As the day unfolds, her unconscious mingles with her agitation, in the semi-urban environment that surrounds her.
THE RIFLE, THE JACKAL, THE WOLF, AND THE BOY
Written & Directed by Oualid Mouaness
Cast: Jad Badran, Fidel Badran, Ali Mneimneh, Layal Ghanem
Produced by Jinane Chaaya & Oualid Mouaness
Synopsis
Two brothers cross the line when they use a household rifle without their father’s consent to unexpected consequences.
MARIAM
Written & Directed by Faiza Ambah
Cast: Oulaya Amamra, Lou Lévy, Ahmed Hafiene
Produced by Silvio Saade & Jérome Bleitrach
Synopsis
French Muslim teenager, Mariam, must choose between her hijab & school when France passes a law in 2004 banning religious symbols from public schools. A rare portrait of the coming-of-age of a Muslim teen, the themes of Islamophobia, the diversity of the Muslim experience, the choice of some Muslim women to wear the hijab, and the assimilation and acceptance of Muslims in the West.
SOUTH POLE/GÜNEY KUTBU
Written, Produced & Directed by Emin Akpinar
Cast: Ayberk Attila, Tülay Bekret, Özkan Ayalp
Synopsis
Muhsin, a retired and simple man, lives in an old house with his wife. One day, while watching the news on television, he sees his own mug shot. The reporter claims that Muhsin is the head of a terrorist group, and he is going to be killed during the protests that day.
CINEPHILIA
FILMMAKERS TO WATCH
SERIES 2015
FILMS:
CHRISTINE by Mounia Akl, Lebanon
ORMAN by Onur Saylak & Dogu Yasar Akal, Turkey
SAHAR by Alexander Farah, Afghanistan/Canada
TORNISTAN by Ayce Kartal, Turkey
THE AFTERMATH OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE PUBLIC TOILET AT KILOMETER 375 by Omar Al Zohairy, Egypt
SAHAR
written & directed by Alexander Farah
produced by Alireza Taale
cast: Behtash Fazlali, Panthea Vatandoost, Mohammad Sarwari, Soheila Vatandoost
Synopsis
Nadim's parents struggle to understand the carefree and westernized lifestyle of their daughter Sahar. With tension high and tolerance low, the household remains at a standstill, waiting for her to come home.
ORMAN
directed by Onur Saylak & Doğu Yaşar Akal
written by Hakan Günday, Doğu Yaşar Aka & Onur Saylak
Cast: Selim Bayraktar, Muhammet Uzuner, Tuba Büyüküstün,
Mustafa Uğurlu, Mavi Mercan
produced by Ziya Cemre Kutluay - b.i.t arts
Synopsis
In the heart of Istanbul, the forest of nothingness and a mega city, Omar and his daughter struggle for their lives after fleeing the war in Syria.
THE AFTERMATH OF THE INAUGURATION OF THE PUBLIC TOILET AT KILOMETER 375
directed & produced by Omar El Zohairy
written by Sherif Naguib
cast: Samy Sayed
Synopsis
Fear is an instinct lying under the skin. But what if it mutates?
CHRISTINE
written & directed by Mounia Akl
cast: Wafaa' Halawi, Christine Choueiry
producers: Cyril Aris & Leia Hasrouty
Synopsis
In an isolated Lebanese convent, Sister Christine struggles to keep her beloved disciple, Lilya, from a permanent departure, only to discover that her feelings are beyond maternal.
TORNISTAN
written & directed by Aycal Kartal
produced by Les Valseurs
Synopsis
June 2013. Demonstrators occupy Istanbul’s Taksim Gezi park. While the tension and police brutality rise in the streets, the turkish TV broadcasts documentaries about penguins. Tornistan is a self-censored film criticizing this press censorship.
FILMS:
BUZKASHI BOYS by Sam French, Afghanistan
SIHAM by Cyrll Aris, Lebanon
MOD by Deniz Tarsus, Turkey
PARANOIA by Sandeepan Chanda, India
WITH TIME by Malak Quota, United Arab Emirates
CINEPHILIA
FILMMAKERS TO WATCH
SERIES 2014
BUZKASHI BOYS
Afghan Film Project in Association with Dirty Robber
Directed by Sam French
Produced by Ariel Nasr
Written by Sam French & Martin Roe
Cast: Fawad Mohammadi, Jawanmard Paiz, Wali Talash
Set against the dramatic backdrop of Buzkashi - a brutal game of horse polo played with a dead goat - and filmed entirely on location in Afghanistan, “Buzkashi Boys” is a ground-breaking narrative film about two best friends who struggle to reconcile dreams with duty and strive to forge their own future in one of the most war-torn countries on Earth.
MOD
Written & Directed by Deniz Tarsus
Produced by: Ali İhsan Tarsus & Neval Tarsus
Cast: Ali Düşenkalkar, Övez Muradov, Gökşin Kes, Özlem Kocahaliloğulları, Hakan Küçükyılmaz.
Equilibria is upside down, humanity is exhausted, that’s all mentioned. Time correspond to now or seventy three years later. Humanity is ready to sacrifice everything for a dream machine to which they are hooked on even though this machine leads to death. It's a dream machine which shows them their future in happiness.
SIHAM
Directed by Cyril Aris
Written by Cyril Aris & Kai Gero Lenke
Produced by Mounia Akl, Kai Gero Lenke
Cast: Nasri Sayegh, Mounia Akl, Elie Chelala
A couple, in their early thirties, childishly and innocently in love, receive devastating news about the condition of their future child. The wife resorts to her religion, finding the strength to accept whatever God sends her, while the husband pushes her to get an (illegal) abortion.
PARANOIA
Directed by Sandeepan Chanda
Written by Sunil Yadav, Nitesh Mishra
Animation by Sandeepan Chanda, Amrita Mukhopadhyay, Nitesh Mishra
A guy is traveling in a late night Mumbai local train. The bogie is empty except for a few sleepy passengers. A man with a briefcase boards the train at a station and decides to sit directly in front of him...
WITH TIME
Written & Directed by Malak Quota
Produced by Richard Lackey, Laura Quirk & Mohamad Abdul Hak
Cast: Hager Said, Horiyah Ahmad, Feria Arbl, Amira Obeid, Sara Rida
Inspired by true events, two young sister, are abandoned by their parents and locked up in a room by their half brother. They live out their days struggling with their reality, repeating memories and indulging in fantasies.
CINEPHILIA
FILMMAKERS TO WATCH
SERIES 2013
FILMS:
EVA by Mounia Akl, Lebanon
FAREWELL by Cyrll Aris, Lebanon
COUNTRY OF BODIES by Puneet Rakheja, India
ASH by Yasmina Hatem, Lebanon
EVA by Mounia Akl
(8 minutes, 2013, Lebanon)
On the final night of her seminal installation, Eva, an experimental performance artist stands for eight hours amongst seven women wrapped in cellophane. When a deviant gallery patron attempts to violate her and her work, she fights to stay in character and maintain the integrity of her art.
COUNTRY OF BODIES by Puneet Rakheja
(9 minutes, 2013, India)
Set against the urban landscapes of Bombay, ‘Country of Bodies’ is a dance film that narrates the personal and intimate relationship of the city and its inhabitants.
FAREWELL by Cyril Aris
(8 minutes, 2013, Lebanon-USA)
An elderly couple, still madly in love after 50 years of marriage, has their relationship shattered when the wife has a stroke and dies. Her husband too shocked to accept it, enters a psychological denial. He keeps on living with the dead body of his wife, hoping she would one day wake up.
ASH by Yasmina Hatem
(15 minutes, 2013, Lebanon-USA)
Twelve year old Said wants to help his ailing mother pay for her medication. He asks his older brother Jamal to find him a job. But delivering shisha turns out to be a lot more than he bargained for.