PARK

Greece, 2016 // 100′

Director: Sofia Exarchou
Cast: Dimitris Kitsos, Dimitra Valgkopoulou, Enuki Gvenatadze

Park takes us into the ultimate symbol of Greek culture: the Olympic village, built for the 2004 edition of the games. The ruins of what’s left of the Olympic village are the setting of this story of wild youth and acceptance, reflecting how a nation’s culture has been left in tatters after years of imposed austerity. As the protagonist, the 17 year old Dimitris, is trying to run away from this reality, we take a deep look into the struggle of a generation growing up without a future.

Text by Fest Portugal

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THE INVISIBLE HAND

(LA MANO INVISIBLE)

Spain, 2016 // 83′

Director: David Macián
Cast: Josean Bengoetxea, Bárbara Santa-Cruz, Edu Ferrés

Eleven people are in a industrial warehouse to work in their jobs in front of a public that they can’t see. They don’t know where they are and neither who is the invisible hand that is manipulating them. Adaptation from Isaac Rosa novel.

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CAINA

Italy, 2016 // 87′

Director: Stefano Amatucci
Cast: Luisa Amatucci, Helmi Dridi, Isa Danieli

The film adaptation from Davide Morgante’s book by the same name “Caina”, is a dark, visionary tale guaranteed to move audiences and generate controversy. The eponymous protagonist of the film is a former, xenophobic and violent assassin. Her job during the summer is to guard the beach and pick up the corpses of illegal immigrants who have drowned off-shore in their desperate attempt to reach the coast. A theatrical mise-en-scene and a high-contrast, sharp cinematography paint a cynic picture, bolstered by Luisa Amatucci’s fiery performance in a role that will surely generate not only loathing, but also critical thinking.

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HOUSE OF OTHERS

Georgia/Russia/Spain/Croatia, 2016 // 103′

Director: Rusudan Glurjidze
Cast: Zurab Magalashvili, Olga Dykhovichnaya, Ia Sukhitashvili

At the beginning of the 90’s, Georgia is in a Civil War. Tens of thousands of Georgians were forced to leave this blessed land, leaving their past life behind. A young family moves into a large house in the village, and it seems that everything necessary for a happy life is united in this place. But there is no sign of the satisfaction they expected in their new home.

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AT YOUR DOORSTEP

(CERCA DE TU CASA)

Spain, 2016 // 93′

Director: Eduard Cortés
Cast: Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Oriol Vila, Lluís Homar

In 2007, in Spain the first evictions are performed after the explosion of the property bubble, the ill-omened real estate bead that put in knee the country. Through the musical and the great interpretation of the famous singer of flamenco Silvia Perez Cruz, the film tells the history of Sonia and her battle to defend her own rights and her own dignity.

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ZOOLOGY

(ZOOLOGIYA)

Germany/France/Russia, 2016 // 87’

Director: Ivan I. Tverdovsky

Cast: Natalia Pavlenkova, Dmitry Groshev, Irina Chipizhenko

Natasha (55) works in a south russian city. One day after having felt a strong pain to the low part of the back, she discovers that is grown her a tail… Being “different” it means both extraneous, but also and especially, fascinating. Natasha’s dominant and extremely religious mother vehemently tries to protect herself from the threatening evil force. At first glance, the story with fictional elements appears to be a tragedy with an unhappy protagonist, who supports the universal status of outcasts.

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THE CITIZEN

(AZ ÁLLAMPOLGÁR)

Hungary, 2016 // 110’

Director: Roland Vranik

Cast: Daniel Kadlec, Jenovéfa Boková, Eliška Křenková

The prestigious director Roland Vranik signs a human and sensitive film on the run of an African citizen, Wilson Ugabe, who ran away from the war and from the Guinea-Bissau after the death of his wife and the disappearance of his two daughters. He would be told that “the process of naturalization can last up to ten years, above all for an African.” And so we follow his run among hope, frustration and love.

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GODLESS

(BEZBOG)

Bulgaria, Denmark, France, 2016 // 99’

Director: Ralitza Petrova

Cast: Irena Ivanova, Ivan Nalbantov, Ventzislav Konstantinov

In a remote Bulgarian town, Gana looks after the elderly with dementia, while trafficking their ID cards on the black market of identity theft. At home, she provides for her jobless mother, with whom she hardly speaks.Nothing seems to have consequences on the nurse’s conscience, not even the incidental murder of a patient, who threatens to expose her fraudulent dealings. Taking us through a post-industrial landscape of abandoned souls and ruined lives, Petrova’s film gradually evolves from art-house drama to spiritual journey, shining a divine light on our shadowy human condition.

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THE LAST FAMILY

(OSTATNIA RODZINA)

Poland, 2016 // 123’

Director: Jan P. Matuszyński

Cast: Andrzej Seweryn, Dawid Ogrodnik, Aleksandra Konieczna

Beksiński is a gentle man with arachnophobia, despite his hardcore sexual fantasies and his fondness for painting disturbing dystopian works. He also is a family man who wants only the best for his loving wife Zofia, neurotic son Tomasz and the couple’s ageing mothers. Their troubled son Tomasz proves to be a handful of his violent outbursts and suicidal threats, so their concerned parents must be on constant watch to prevent their son from hurting himself. Based on the bizarre true story of the cult Polish painter Zdzisław Beksiński it’s a first narrative feature from the director of the award-winning documentary “Deep Love”.

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FAMILY FILM

(RODINNÝ FILM)

Germany/France/Russia/Slovakia/Slovenia, 2015 // 95’

Director: Olmo Omerzu

Cast: Daniel Kadlec, Jenovéfa Boková, Eliška Křenková

Igor and Irena embark on a long sailing trip, far from home. They leave behind their nearly grown-up children, Erik and his sister Anna. Soon after departing, the children’s newfound freedom starts to have its drawbacks. The situation becomes dangerously serious when their parents’ ship sinks offshore during a storm. Impressive images and an accomplished story make up the greatest strengths of this production which becomes an adventure film of a different kind.

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