the programme – 2017

official selection

Second edition of the Dissident Film Festival will be held in Maun, Botswana.
35 films from around the world will be shown in two days (1 – 2 december).
Over the past few months we have lived an amazing experience watching 2222 films from over 70 countries all over the world.
With a proud and a pleasure, we present films from this year’s official selection:

 

L’invention de la cinématographie / The invention of cinematography
Stefano Virgilio Cipressi – Italy, 2017.

From the presentation of the cinematograph at the Salon Indien in 1895, to the life on a disappeared city, on an unknown planet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

C.O.D.
Onur Doğan – Turkey, 2017.

The film confronts Foucault in the ongoing routine of Foucault’s “Normal Human Fiction”, which is one of the smallest wheels of the trapped system trapped in the capital system he has lived and has become a product of the system by living with a barcode. Devastation is inevitable for our hero who realizes that he does not belong in his “colorful dreams” promised to work and consume himself.

 

 

 

The New Mad Hatter Story
Ghada Ali – Egypt, 2016.

What if the famous Mad Hatter, from Alice in Wonderland, suddenly found himself in a house of a local area in Egypt, involved with a man called Hossam Al Omda, who will use him badly under his authority in his house that will turn to be like a prison. The Mad Hatter will try to escape it and keep searching for Alice even though he doesn’t know what will happen to him next.

 

 

 

Echo Space
Yujie Xu – China, 2017.

This animation is based on the Director’s feelings in her daily life. She wants to use this film as an expression of her inner world. It’s about an astronaut who spends a long time in the universe begin to bear the loneliness of being alone. And she wants to follow a fantasy planet that she believes it can help her to get out of the loneliness.

 

 

 

 

Denya / Life
Haythem Ameur – Algeria, 2016.

Denya is an Arabic word meaning life. A loop, an eternal repetition of events and obstacles. Even if you stumble when falling very low, you will always get up harder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IIOII
Rakel Jónsdóttir – Iceland, 2016.

A mesmerizing voyage into the realm of the psyche. Silently flowing movements due to alternating attractive and repulsive forces, generated by a periodic magnetic field originated from within. Resonating between two extremes.

 

 

 

 

 

Mission
Brian Mandela – Kenya, 2016.

Sara, an orphan, is suffering from cancer. With her situation getting worse and her conscience opting for a bow, it sets her against her young sister’s inspiration. Though the pain is unbearable, betrayal an option, the surge is on.

 

 

 

 

 

Girls Like Me : a self/love story
Aisha Raison – United States, 2017.

A woman’s poetic video diary journey speaks of trauma, abuse…then enlightenment.
For so many African American woman who aren’t glammed up in front of the world, we search for ourselves through characters and movies that have our voice, our realness. For some, domestic violence happens to be that reality. Rape is also that sad reality. In some instances, the abuse is always emphasized within film, with its harsh realities that can be triggering. But as a filmmaker and activist, I wanted to give my sisters that moment that says “it’s not about the abuse. It’s not about abuser.” It’s about what makes you you – good, bad, indifferent, quirky, silly, goddesses.

 

Kaali
Nathanial Antony J C – India, 2017.

This movie is of Heist – Noir genre where plot is set in 1980’s backdrop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mobocracy
Tebogo Chologi – South Africa, 2016.

A story about 28 years old construction worker, who fails to cope with capitalism. Constant struggle, he suffers blows from all sides, facing with a battle for pure survival.

 

 

 

The Lone
Dmitri Frolov – Russia, 2016.

Human loneliness in the face of nature. Loneliness in the urban environment. Loneliness as a lifestyle. Loneliness within yourself… Film dedicated to artists “Fin de Siecle”.

 

 

Reach
Stephen Broekhuizen – Ireland, 2016.

A man makes a visit to a home, but not all is what it seems.

 

 

 

Typical.?
Aren Devlin – United Kingdom, 2017.

Typical mid-morning. Typical tea break.

Patsy is being ignored, Constance is on the warpath and Marguerite is hiding something.
Typical.?

 

 

Captive
Sajedur Rahman – Bangladesh, 2016.

Encore civilisation delineates the abstract luxury of happiness. In conscience or otherwise we pick up the luscious language of love from the avid age of advertising. From here belches a lament of a fledgling spirit in pursuit of a diseased demiurge. The story of a desolate fugitive soul on a surreal trip is ‘Captive’.

 

 

Mahr / Bride Price
Roger Matelja Mugabirwe – Uganda, 2017.

Is Bride Price a prerequisite for Marriage? Ahmed must race against time to find enough Money for Bride Price, but one question he must ask himself is, Is time his ally?

 

 

God Distortion
Karrar Mousa – Iraq, 2017.

A seven-year-old girl from a Christian family is forced to wear the muffler by her father, fearing that she will be raped by IsIs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reconocimiento / ID
Celina Font – Argentina, 2017.

A Man and a Woman await. In that awaits a painful past and the imminence of an uncertain future unravels.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ángel
Juan Ferrer Spain, 2016.

Angel wakes up from a beautiful dream to face the harsh reality that he lives since he was left with nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mosquito: The Bite of Passage
Brian Vincent Rhodes – United States, 2016.

A mosquito on her first hunting trip with her mother tries to confess that she doesn’t like blood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Galletas de todos los Santos / Cookies from every Saints
Henry Ticona Huaquisto – Peru, 2017.

Two women prepare cookies; the smell attracts Simona, the deceased owner of the house.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corral / Barnyard
Anselmo Portillo – Venezuela, 2016.

Inside a mountain a father forces his son to kill his first hen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Curious Affair
Walter Mzengi – Tanzania, 2017.

 Tapedza Dlamini, is brought in for questioning concerning the suspicious circumstances of her husband’s death. A dangerous verbal cat and mouse game ensues between her and Detective Mzalendo, with both parties concealing the full extent of what they know, searching for the lies in each other’s words, as the truth is lost amidst the chaos.

 

 

 

I cannot
Alif Buterinote – Democratic Republic of the Congo, 2016.

Children from Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo are not interested into be being apart of destroying peace in their country so they ask protection to the National Government and to the International Community.

 

The Dance of the living stones
Angelo De Grande – Italy, 2017

An independent group of young Italian artists; a Sicilian indie-rock band; one of the greatest land-art works in the world and a small, fierce town always fighting to keep its memory alive.
Combining land-art, dance and music is the ultimate goal of “The Dance of the Living Stones”, a project born to illustrate the image of Sicily and a piece of Italian history in a creative way.

 

A Paragem / The Bus Stop

Maria João Almeida – Portugal, 2016.

Filmed in one shot, this is a simple story which depicts a moment of everyday life. How many times we await at a bus stop and in the (in)voluntary interaction with strangers, we end up having a different day than we expected. In an almost comical but realistic tone, “The bus stop” shows the (not) empathetic development between two strangers.

 

Teret / Load
Stefan Teofilovic – Serbia, 2017.

21st century. The era of neoliberalism, consumerism and virtual reality – blank stares, absent minds and dead souls. Far from this world communities that haven’t said farewell to the old-fashioned values can still be found. In one of those districts lives a truck driver who just wants to put an end to a long and tiring day.
Inspired by the Italian neo-realists, shot in natural surroundings, with equipment far behind today’s standards, this project is an attempt to pave the way for a different kind of film in a society burdened with expensive technology.

 

Homini Lupus
Hedi Bouadloun – France, 2016.

A raw reality in the suburd of Marseille that looks like a dream soon to become nightmare.At the back of a van, arguing about which kanye West album is the best,two young men are about to do the irreparable.Marvin is having a dreamy night.

 

 

 

 

Sarah
Elias Djemil – Canada, 2016.

Sarah wants to dance . Like any artist, wants to create. This movie tells the story of the creative transition from darkness to light.

 

 

 

 

 

Firewood Kitchen
Daro Umaigba – Nigeria, 2016.

The film is set in a typical African Kitchen. The mesmerising process of cooking with firewood has an endless array of metaphoric references. It is an experimental film loosely based on the saying, “if you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen”.It is a metaphor for the stages and phases of life.

 

 

 

Downfall
Majid Seyedinkhorasani – Iran, 2017.

A fat man, holding a weapon in his hand, threats a thin man holding a piece of rope. They passed through the ruins of a war field. Under a tree the fat man forced the thin man to make a collar, but…

 

 

 

 

Ziv Zero
Attila Peter Miklosy – Australia, 2016.

Ziv, a middle-aged man finds it difficult to understand and to cope with the today’s society. The film illustrates his wild views and concerns, as his imagination flashes through various times in history.

 

 

 

 

Adogás
Henrique Neumann – Brazil, 2017.

Movie about the chaotic future of Florianópolis for the song “Adogás” from the Skrotes album Nessum Dorma (2014).

 

 

 

 

 

L’anguille, la fouine et le vautour / The eel, the weasel and the vulture
Suki – France, 2017.

Near an oak and a dried-up river, an eel, a weasel and a vulture meet. They talk to one another, but do not get along.
Fable allows the spectator to conclude freely by himself instead of leaving him with a moral. However we do suggest, away from In the manner of the poet La Fontaine who «relied on animals to educate men», this fable poses the thorny question: «How to understand oneself when no one get along?». In a dark humor, the text, the sound and the image unite then, for better thinking. Because the real object of this fable allows the spectator to conclude freely by himself instead of leaving him with a moral. However we do suggest, away from that constant flow of words and noise, to stop in silence and take time to think things over. A luxury, it seems, these days.

 

Riven
Sjoerd de Bont – Netherlands, 2016.

Do you ever get that feeling, that when you stare into a mirror something else stares back?
In ‘Riven’ a young barmaid discovers a peculiar mirror on the attic of a derelict bar. Curious, she wipes off the dirt and slowly realizes this mirror reveals far more than just her reflection.

 

 

 

Dreams On Sale
Vlad Buzaianu – Romania, 2017.

In a world where people are able to record, buy and sell dreams, many are starting to lose the ability of dreaming. Dreams have become a new form of art and a commodity for the rich class.

 

 

 

 

We want to thank all of you for your participation to our contest. We have put our greatest effort selecting your movies with passion and accuracy. At last, we reached decisions picking those movies that we feel are keener to the goal and spirit of our Festival.
No matter whether you have been selected or not, we want to express our deepest gratitude.
Keep on doing cinema. Keep on telling your stories!
Thank you from the entire Dissident Film Festival’s staff.

Best regards,
Mokgweetsi Montsho

welcome