Window on the World

Booking Ref

Booking Ref

Premieres, Previews & New Releases of World Cinema

Sat 14 Aug 18:00 (Studio)

Tue 17 Aug 14:30 (Auditorium)

Colombia

Whisper of Silence

El Suspiro del Silencio

Set in the coffee fields of Latin America, the movie unfolds through the eyes of Josefina Moreno, an 18-year-old coffee picker, with a rare and amazing sense of smell. She begins to learn all about the craft with the help of her godmother (Mercy Flores) and the owner of the coffee plantation (Boris Barraza), where she was newly hired. In the meantime, her younger brother, Alfredo Moreno (William Castillo), goes out of control and ends up in jail. Alfredo, looking for revenge for the brutal rape of his sister, manages to convince two hoodlums to rob and kill Don Gilberto (Fernando Gaviria), the perpetrator – however, their plans go horribly wrong. The owner of the plantation tries to help Josefina get her brother out of this desperate situation. Now, with hope on the horizon, Josefina leads the way to the top coffee tasting competitions in the country. However, destiny has other plans for Josefina’s hopes and dreams. (Subtitles) El Salvador/Canada/Colombia 2020 Alfonso Quijada 93m

Our thanks to Phoenix Films for this film.

Israel

Here We Are

Hine Anachnu – New Release Aaron has devoted his life to caring for his autistic son, Uri. Together they’ve settled into a comfortable routine, but Uri is beginning to reach adulthood with the authorities questioning whether Aaron is capable of handling Uri’s growing needs. Despite Aaron’s protests, Uri is to be moved into a specialized home facility for young adults. Knowing that Uri isn’t ready to be separated from him, Aaron decides to run away with his son. Together, they embark on an adventure of self-discovery and Aaron begins to learn that it was perhaps he who is not ready to be separated from Uri. Noam Imber is thoroughly convincing in the role of Uri and his performance is so genuine that it often feels like a documentary while Avivi handles the role of his father with grace and sensitivity. Though it may not sound uplifting, in Bergman’s skilful hands, its sadness is balanced with humour and buoyed by the strength and dignity of its characters. (Subtitles) Israel 2020 Nir Bergman 94m

Booking Ref

Sun 22 Aug 21:00 (Auditorium)

Booking Ref

Fri 20 Aug 21:00 (Auditorium)

Tunisia

The Man Who Sold His Skin

L’Homme Qui a Vendu Sa Peau – Preview ‘The Man Who Sold His Skin’ uses the tension between art and commerce as powerful fuel for a sobering story about freedom and human dignity. A Syrian refugee turns his body into an artwork, but at what cost? Sam Ali, a Syrian young man, took refuge in Lebanon to flee the Syrian civil war. There, he meets Jeffrey Godefroi, a famous tattoo artist, who makes Mr Ali’s back his canvas for a piece of work. Soon, Sam becomes a living work of art, worth an astronomical sum on the art market. Paradoxically, it becomes easier for him to travel to Europe as an artwork than as a refugee. But what he thought of as freedom turns out to be anything but. Female writer-director Kaouther Ben Hania offers a provocative contemporary take on the Faustian bargain. Both a satire of the elitist and manipulative art circles, as well as a critique of the world’s dehumanizing apathy towards the international refugee crisis. (Subtitles) Tunisia / France / Belgium/ Germany / Sweden / Turkey 2021 Kaouther Ben Hania 104m

Mexico

New Order

Nuevo Orden

A near-future dystopia that presents a fractured society hours away from collapse, Michel Franco’s ‘New Order’ is a relentless and blood-soaked study of social injustice, gripping to watch despite its graphic and escalating brutality. On the day of Marianne’s (Naian Gonzaléz Norvind) wedding, a former employee of her family comes to Marianne’s family to ask for help, only to be rebuffed. Marianne wants to do more, but her altruism is interrupted by city-wide protests that force her to hide. The government, looking to foment more hatred between the haves and have-nots, kidnap some members of the rich, Marianne included. Nihilistic in its critique of military force, ‘New Order’ portrays both sides as both innocent victims and heartless aggressors, with the rich turning to armed forces for a semblance of order and the poor protestors executing members of the ruling class with equal violence. In Franco’s bleak vision of the future, no one gets justice or peace. This is dynamic cinema that takes no prisoners. No punches are pulled, no grand statements offered – just a sharp, swift, vibrant vision of an unequal society tilting wildly. (Subtitles) Mexico 2020 Michel Franco 86m

Booking Ref

Wed 25 Aug 17:45 (Auditorium)

Booking Ref

Wed 25 Aug 20:30 (Auditorium) Thu 26 Aug 13:30 (Auditorium) Egypt

Souad

Preview Souad, a 19-year-old young Egyptian woman, leads a double life. While remaining conservative and veiled among her family and society, she is obsessed with her image on social media. Razor-sharp and non-judgemental. In a small city on the Nile Delta, 19-year-old Souad (Bassant Ahmed) leads a double life. Online she obsesses over her appearance and embarks on secret virtual romances. A film that gently casts a sharp eye on the challenges faced by women in a strongly patriarchal society. Indeed, tradition and modernity collide in uneasy ways here, Souad and her friends discuss boys, sex and more just like any other women their age, though they must be more discreet lest their elders take punitive action. Featuring astonishing performances from a cast of non-professionals, the film – co-produced by Wim Wenders – acutely examines the contradictions of teenage life in contemporary Egypt and the challenges of combining traditional values with social media. ‘Souad’ is a moving testament to human compassion and resilience. A favourite at the Festival de Cannes 2020. (With hard of hearing subtitles) Egypt/Tunisia/Germany 2020 Ayten Amin 96m

Our thanks to the BFI for this film.

Australia

Never Too Late

Preview Starring stalwarts like James Cromwell, Jackie Weaver and Jack Thompson, this enjoyable Aussie comedy follows a group of seniors as they plan to break out of their retirement home. Four former prisoners of war who famously broke out of their camp during the Vietnam War are all now residents of the same retirement home for returned veterans. The four men devise a plan to break out of the retirement home in an attempt to fulfil their individual dreams. Angus (screen veteran Jack Thompson) is “forgetting” things and the Brit, Caine (Dennis Waterman), has even more serious health concerns. The slapstick and escape planning set-up suggests a comedic ‘Great Escape’, but the film is also at pains to explore some serious aspects of ageing. The movie evokes ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ as much as it does ‘Grumpy Old Men’. It is impossible not to be charmed by these sweet, grumpy and funny old men. Australia 2021 Mark Lamprell 95m

Our thanks to Studio Soho for this film.

Booking Ref

Booking Ref Tue 17 Aug 20:15 (Studio) Fri 20 Aug 12:00 (Studio)

Mon 16 Aug 13:30 (Studio)

Iran

The Badger

Goorkan – UK Premiere An Iranian abduction thriller, ‘The Badger’ follows mother Soodeh Sharifzadegan as she tirelessly gathers a ransom for her kidnapped son Matiar. Soodeh (Vishka Asayesh) is in the midst of her planning for her second marriage and dealing with her termite-infested rental home. She applies to the US visa lottery and hires a termite extermination company that uses badgers to seek out the core of the infestation. Soodeh must confront both her estranged father and ex-husband for help to pay the ransom. In the end, ‘The Badger’ is not what it seems, and the true kidnapper is not who you would expect. Mollaie’s film is brilliantly paced, and he layers his story with foreboding images. A helmeted man on a motorcycle who seems to be following Soodah, the increasing cracks on the wall of her house, the camera constantly circling Soodah as her own cracks begin to show. A smart and incisive thriller and a fascinating look at modern Iran. (Subtitles) Iran 2020 Kazem Mollaie 93m

Afghanistan Sisters

UK Premiere In a country where it is forbidden for women and girls to play music, a group of young women risk their lives every day to pursue their passion, both for music and gender equality in Afghanistan. ‘Sisters’ follows UK musician, Dan Blackwell to Kabul to meet Afghanistan’s first-ever female orchestra, ‘Zohra’. How and why do these young women risk their lives to play classical music? Are these brave women paving the way for the future of equality in Afghanistan? What threats do they face? ‘Sisters’ looks into the lives of the Zohra members and their two young leaders – Negin Khpalwak and Zarifa Adiba. Negin sticks with and leads Zohra as the country’s first female conductor despite multiple death threats and family disputes. Zarifa is nowhere to be seen until Dan tracks her down. Discovering her precarious situation, Dan stays with her as she prepares to flee Afghanistan leaving close friends and family behind. UK/Afghanistan 2021 Dan Blackwell 80m

We hope to welcome the producer Tony Klinger to introduce his film. Our thanks to Tony Klinger and Phoenix Films for this film.

Canada

Pieces of a Woman

When a young mother’s home birth ends in unfathomable tragedy, she begins a year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones. A deeply personal story of a woman learning to live alongside her loss, Kornél Mundruczó’s film is an emotional rollercoaster with Vanessa Kirby’s sensational performance at the heart of it. The first act is a sequence that will stay with you long after the credits roll. Canada 2020 Kornél Mundruczó 126m

Mon 23 Aug 13:00

Toprak

Turkey (UK Premiere) A simple, but not simplistic, study of a family in rural Turkey dealing with poverty, family tradition and religious heritage. Full details are available on pg35. Sun 15 Aug 10:30

In My Dream

Turkey (UK Premiere) Eight-year-old Tarik has survived a car accident in which his father died. His mother lies in hospital, in a coma. Full details are available on pg36. Tue 17 Aug 10:00

Sleeping in Ruins

Iraq (UK Premiere) In 2017, as the last elements of ISIS were being cleansed from Mosul, a documentary team was at work. Full details are available on pg47. Sat 14 Aug 10:30

Sadan Hanim

Turkey (UK Premiere) A positive exploration of dementia using an actual case study while constructing a life through home movies, and dramatized reconstruction of family memories. Full details are available on pg51. Fri 13 Aug 18:30