This year’s edition of the OFF Camera festival is reaching towards the yearning for free travel and takes us on an audiovisual journey around the globe. Hungry for distant destinations, we can choose from Asian, European and South American climates. A slightly different form of expedition is offered by European filmmakers, who take us on a tour around the Old Continent.
Asia
“The Farewell” is a moving story about the reunion of a family scattered in many corners of the world in the face of the diagnosed fatal illness of the elder of the family. Despite many disagreements, differences of opinion and world views, the three generations spend many days together united by a common goal - not to reveal the truth about the illness. Lulu Wang, the director depicts respect for family ties and respect for the elders characteristic of Far Eastern culture.
On the other hand, Sode Yukiko from the Land of the Cherry Blossom depicts the dual female perspective on male-female relations and female friendship, standing in opposition to culturally derived and patriarchal patterns with her "Aristocrats."
South America
The representative of South American cinema this year is “Madalena” directed by Madiano Marcheti. Brazil has recorded the highest murder rate of transgender people in the world. The filmmaker highlights the tragic reality and uses it as a backdrop to present the story of three characters whose stories are linked to the murder of the transgender title character, Madalena.
Europe
Italy is one of the most popular tourist destinations. “Made in Italy” is a quintessence of what we love Italy for. Breathtaking Tuscan landscapes, food that stimulates the taste buds despite being presented only in audiovisual form, and all this as the background to a love story between a father and son who rediscover themselves in the relationship between them.
France has many representatives this year. “Lovers” by Nicole Garcia presents a seemingly conventional melodrama that seamlessly reveals patterns and conventionalities about the genre. „Honey Cigar” (directed by Kamir Aïnouz) chimes in with breaking the conventionality of romance. He exposes the emerging sexual self-consciousness of a young woman against the background of cultural norms and imprinted patterns which she has to deal with. Looking for more unconventional romantic uplift, we encourage you to make friends with Suzanne Lindon
and her "Spring Blossom," in which love and a sense of intimacy with another person are put on the line along with a sense of loss of one's own time and experiences.
Dutch “Mitra” is a story of a mother’s love and longing for a lost child. It is shrouded in political themes and the manifested socio-economic situation of contemporary Netherlands and 1980s Iran. “Listen” by Anna Rocha is a story made in Portugal which shows a difficult and bitter in its realism everyday life of immigrants who are forced to struggle with harmful stereotypes and merciless bureaucracy. While in Portugal, it is worth checking on “Shadow” (directed by Bruno Gascon), a film based on true events illustrating the story which stirred the country in 1990s. The mother’s struggle with the system and media along with her desperate attempt to find her own son.
The UK
The characteristic British climate can be easily found in "Hope Gap" by William Nicholson. It depicts the perversity of fate, which is unpredictable, and often in the moments of greatest doubt and uncertainty brings great relief, understanding and acceptance. In his debut feature "After Love,” Aleem Khan through the events of his movie communicates an alternative and for many still incomprehensible way of dealing with loss after the death of a loved one, all against the backdrop of an attempt to solve a mystery from the past. Sean Durkin does not shy away from life's mundane topics either. In "The Nest" he presents the viewers with a spiral of responsibilities and growing benefits that can lead to a loss of self-esteem and leave scratches on the most pristine image.
Scandinavia
Nordic Horizons is a separate thematically rich section of OFF CAMERA. “Disco” (directed by Jorunn Myklebust Syversen) and “What Will People Say” (directed by Iram Haq) take the audience to the world of hermetic religious community whose conservative values become revealed as absurd in the context of social life reality. Maria Sødahl gives us “Hope” by presenting in a touching way a story of a mature relationship and personal priorities, which the spouses have to choose when faced with the prognosis of the imminent death of one of them. A strong ecological accent can be found in Benedikt Erlingsson's "Woman at War," in which the brave and charismatic heroine goes to war against a corporation whose actions threaten Iceland's natural environment.