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FILMS IN COMPETITION
in the presence of their directors
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 BONKERS (KNETTER)
by Martin Koolhoven
Holland / fiction / 2004 / 84' / with Carice van Housten, Daan Schuurmans, Jesse Rinsma, Tom van Kessel
Nine-year old Bonnie lives with her mother Lis and her grandmother. They are all three crazy about elephants. Lis is a sweet but unusual mother. Sometimes she is very lively and cheerful, but she can be very gloomy too. Luckily grandma is always around to look after things. But when grandma has a traffic accident, everything changes.
A crazy and colourful comedy, with a sprinkling of imagination, Bonkers is a sweet film, moving even, as it deals with subjects that are close to us all friendship and family. Wavering between emotion and light-heartedness, Bonkers tells a captivating tale. Baptiste.
Production/contact Lemming film
recommended from age 6/7 - Friday 3rd at 4pm
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MY YEARS AS LOUIS ARMSTRONG
(CHANTZ LENFANT JAZZ)
by Mohamed Kounda
France / documentary / 2004 / 85' / with the participation of Chantz and Glinda Powell, Billy Higgins, Chris Penn, Liz Mac Comb, Poo Poo Man, Paco Séry, Al Copley
Chantz has been playing the trumpet since he was 5 and has an exceptional gift the voice of his legendary master, Louis Armstrong. Hailing from the Old South of the Mississipi in the United States, Chantzs and his mothers lives revolve around New Orleans Blues and Jazz.
But how can you get a break on the jazz circuit when you have only your mother for a manager, the street for a stage and passers by for an audience? A moving portrait of a mother/son duo united by the desire for success and recognition.
More than just a documentary on the outstanding career path of a child, this film is the amazing tale of a devoted mother and a child prodigy. A journey into the world of Jazz. Christopher.
Production/contact Grenade productions
recommended from age 10 - Friday 3rd at 6pm / Tuesday 7th at 2pm
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FIMFARUM II
by Jan Balej, Aurel Klimt, Vlasta Pospisilova, Bretislav Pojar
Czech republic / animation / 2005 / 90
Four new fairy tales for clever children and clever adults from the much beloved book by Jan Werich.
Under Bretislav Pojars leadership Tom Thumb, a picturesque story full of reversals and adventure. Three similar brothers come to life in Hunchbacks from Damascus, a work which evokes the atmosphere of the Near East and an oriental narrative style Aurel Klimt presents. Vlasta Pospilovas Three Sisters and a Ring employs a rustic instruction manual a la The Decameron: how to fool a husband out of a ring. And Jan Balej allows brothers Marek and Kouba to explain a natural phenomenon, and to relive the age-old fairy tale about envy and devils in Why, Uncle, is the Sea Salty?
If you enjoyed your first journey into the puppet-animated world of Fimfarum, you will not be disappointed by this second film, which holds just as many surprises in store. These short tales make us think about twice ourselves. Elza.
Production/contact Maur film
recommended from age 5/6 - Saturday 4th at 4pm / Thursday 9th at 9am
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THE COLOR OF MILK (IKKE NAKEN)
by Torun Lian
Norway / fiction / 2004 / 90' / with Julia Krohn, Bernhard Naglestad, Reidar Sørensen, Andrine Sæther
The Color of Milk is a romantic comedy with Selma, 12, as the main character. This is a film about the troubles of first love. About how difficult it may be to fall in love, and how difficult it may be to try NOT to fall in love. Through Selma we gather an insight into the entangled relations of the rest of the family, and - at all levels - into the relationship between man and woman.
The Colour of Milk is a surprising film that highlights the workings of love between men and women. Young Selma observes the love conflicts between her sister-in-law and her sister-in-laws boyfriend, and feels torn between the desire for, and the refusal of, a relationship with one of her friends. Only love will triumph from these two stories. With its sound track, which perfectly matches the narration, this film is a moment of pleasure, which is rich in emotions. Yannick.
Production Painswick Film AS
Contact Norvegian Film Institute
recommended from age 8 - Saturday 4th at 6pm
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CHILDREN OF NOMA (ENFANTS DU NOMA)
by Christian Lajoumard
France / documentary / 2005 / 53'
A sensible approach of this misrecognized disease called Noma. This disease often deadly affects about 100 000 children by year in Africa, South America and South Asia. Shot in Niger, this documentary follows some of these children during the work of Sentinelles, an ONG based in Switzerland, which struggles against Nomas development in collaboration with local teams. Example of the North/Souths gap for the access to sustenance and medication cares, but also message of hope for the future generations.
I really liked this documentary, firstly because I did not know about the illness, but also because there is only a small amount of commentary from time to time and no music, just images. Pierre.
Production/contact Acrobates films
recommended from age 12 upwards - Sunday 5th at 9pm
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TOUGH ENOUGH (KNALLHART)
by Detlev Buck
Germany / fiction / 2006 / 95' / with David Kross, Jenny Elvers-Elbertzhagen, Erhan Emre
Fifteen-year-old Michael Polischka is thrown into the gritty urban world of a rough ethnic neighborhood, far from the posh suburbs hes used to. Beatings and extortion by a gang of violent bullies makes public high school miserable for Michael. Life at home isnt much better since he has to put up with the guys his pretty young mom entertains in her desperate search for a new man. Michaels life turns around when urbane crime lord Hamal takes him under his wing. Michaels honest face makes him the perfect guy for drug deliveries to local dealers. The teenager handles the tension of these dangerous missions like a pro. Michael proves hes tough enough, but eventually finds out hes actually in way over his head.
Set in a fragile and unstable world, that of adolescence, this film recounts the tragic destiny of Michael, wrenched from his peaceful world and thrown headlong into a world of drugs and dealers. First attacked, and then manipulated and exploited, Michael moves effortlessly from victim to bad guy, and from angel to demon with no qualms, leaving the viewer with a sense of powerlessness. A bitter and poignant observation, set at an energetic pace. (Julien).
Production Boje Buck Produktions GmbH
Contact The match factory Gmbh
Recommended from age 12 Monday 7th at 9pm
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SHORT FILMS IN COMPETITION
in the presence of their directors
Friday 3rd at 9pm |
FREE VIEWS (REGARDS LIBRES)
by Romain Delange
France / documentary / 2005 / 11'20
Children observe, comment on, and criticise a painting. The viewer imagines.
A documentary of enlightening simplicity, without flourishes, that breathes sensitivity, thanks largely to the real spontaneity of these children who give us their point of view and their references. We end up identifying with them. Christopher.
Production/contact Les Films du cygne |
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CARLOS BIRTHDAY
(EL CUMPLE ANOS DE CARLOS)
by José Javier Rodriguez Melcon
Spain / fiction / 2001 / 22' / with Bentor Bello, José luis Rubio, Alberto J. Pérez, Lot Lopez
Carlos is a street child living in Central America. The street is also for him, as for many others, his playground. Violence is part of daily life as is the need to survive. Things take a turn for the worse when Publio, his big brother of the street, gives him a mission on the day of his birthday to kill a man.
In this film, we follow, with suspense, emotion and sadness, the tragic destiny of a child on his birthday. Through his eyes, a certain poetry emanates, despite the seriousness of the subject. Julien.
Production El medano producciones
Contact Karma films |
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PRISON
by Hélène Defromont
France / animation / 2006 / 4'27
A film that asks questions about prisons. The images, a mixture of drawings and photos, evoke imprisonment, suffering and freedom.
This film successfully combines content and form. It is rare these days to find a director who understands that one does not need a profusion of techniques to be efficient. Here, the efficiency is due to the fact that the form as simple as it may seem serves as content. Both are linked. It was a risk, but it has paid off. And we like that. Kvin.
Production/contact Hélène Defromont |
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LIGHTNING BOLTS AND MAN HANDS
by Markus Wambsganss
Germany / fiction / 2004 / 6'30 / with Young-Shin Kim, Jeff Burrell, Simon Jang
Humans have disappeared. A cat wanders around and suddenly enters a house. Inside everyone is dead. Then time gets rewound just to reveal what happened. The earth is quiet.
This film starts off mysteriously, then little by little, you understand it. Thanks to a cat and excellent editing, we discover that the very silent town has undergone the effects of an atomic bomb. A very successful film, thanks to its sad and poetic take on the stopping of daily life in a very moving flashback. (Tho).
Production/contact Kaliber16 |
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YA BASTA
by Catherine Lasbouygues
France / animation / 2005 / 3'27
Fish, tortoises, dollars and other chance encounters during a stroll in a trade-dominated world.
Ya Basta is fine technical directing that we do not often see. The film deals briefly and efficiently with the World Trade Organisation. And we are transported into it. (Elodie).
Production/contact Cellofan' |
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KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE
(KENNIS VOOR HET LEVEN)
de Sander Francken
Holland / fiction / 2005 / 29' / with Afel Bocoum, Kolado Bocoum, Abba Bilancoro, Fatoumata Camara
What is the largest part of all knowledge? In order to ask that question, a young pupil of a Koran school sets out on a seven day journey of discovery through Djenn, a West-African city of ancient beauty.
I was captivated by this film because of its African story style and especially because of its music which carries us along throughout the young boys search. Alice.
Production/contact SFFilm |
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