T.D., MINISTER FOR CULTURE, HERITAGE AND THE GAELTACHT
JOSEPHA MADIGAN For centuries, the Silk Road provided routes for voyage, discovery and dialogue between cultures. The reciprocal flow of ideas and values along those silk routes has shaped languages and cultures, building relations and strengthening ties. Its impact has been a lasting cultural, artistic and intellectual legacy. Now in its 8th year, The Silk Road International Film Festival (SRIFF) continues to support the artistic legacy of the Silk Road as it brings together cultures, traditions and identities and displays a diversity of features, documentaries, shorts & student films from around the world. It will also help to create dialogue and increase multicultural awareness through the wonderful medium of film. The screen industry has been an area of particular focus for my Department and the Government of Ireland has committed very significant resources to the development of that industry including the important tax incentive Section 481 which has been augmented this year by the introduction of the regional film development uplift which offers an additional incentive to productions in the regions. Initiatives delivered under the Audiovisual Action Plan, which is an industry-wide, long-term plan, under the Creative Ireland Programme, continues to support the Government’s ambition to enable Ireland to become a global hub for the production of Film, TV drama and animation. This sector is of enormous value to Irish culture and the Irish economy, creating jobs, supporting services and above all, offering the opportunity to tell our stories so that we can share our identity, our cultural heritage and our landscape. I am delighted to note that as well as screening international films, SRIFF will also share a special selection of films from the historical network of the Silk Road ancient trade routes. The selection – “Belt & Road” includes Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, African, Mediterranean and European cinema and will certainly help on delivering the mission of the film festival to celebrate excellence in screen-based storytelling and promotion of cinema. I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone involved in this year’s Silk Road International Film Festival every success for the future.
JOSEPHA MADIGAN
.
Welcome to Silk Road International Film Festival 2020 The Silk Road International Film Festival (SRIFF) is held annually in Dublin, Ireland. This year it will take place around the Chinese Lunar New Year. The festival will screen over 90 films from 40 international countries between the 21st to 25th January across the city of Dublin. Founded in 2012, the SRIFF is fast becoming an international acclaimed film festival. Past guests have included world renowned filmmakers such as Director Béla Tarr, Vittorio Storaro and Mahmoud Kalari. This years Honorary guest Director Abel Ferrara will attend the 8th edition to receive the Silk Road International Film Festival Honorary Award at the Lord Mayor of Dublin’s Mansion House during the official opening ceremony. Abel Ferrara’s film Tommaso starring Willem Dafoe, will screen at the Irish Film Institute. SRIFF will hold a masterclass with Abel Ferrara in Trinity College Dublin on Thursday 23rd January introduced by Michael Lee of Film Ireland, supported by Screen Skills Ireland. SRIFF screens an exclusive array of world cinema showcasing a rich diversity of features, documentaries, animation, shorts & student films. As well as screening international films there is a special selection of films from the “Silk Road”, countries part of the historical network of the Silk Road ancient trade routes. The selection called “Belt & Road” includes Asian, Arab, Middle Eastern, African, Mediterranean and European cinema. We’re excited to be screening a number of Chinese films through our partners of the Belt & Road International Film Festival Alliance and Shanghai International Film Festival. Main sponsors of SRIFF include Dublin City Council, Trinity College Dublin, ODEON cinema, O’Hara’s Irish Craft Beer, NolaClan, the Silk Road Cafe and The Merrion as the official hotel partner. SRIFF’s mission is to celebrate excellence in screen based storytelling. Promote cinema of the world and Belt & Road. Facilitate international contacts between filmmakers. Narrow distances between people & cultures, break boundaries & foster cross-cultural collaboration & social change. The festival, founded by filmmakers Carla Mooney, Steinar Oli Jonsson & Delwyn Mooney hope that followers of the Silk Road International Film Festival will be be inspired & learn from other countries cinema and culture. We wish you a fantastic #SRIFF20 Very Special Thanks to Provost Patrick Prendergast & Dr. Sarah Alyn Stacey of Trinity College Dublin & the Lord Mayor of Dublin Paul McAuliffe. And thank you to all the SRIFF Team, Programmers & Jury Members of SRIFF20 Carla Mooney, Steinar Óli Bjarkar & Delwyn Mooney
Feature Films
TOMMASO
Wednesday 22 Jan 2020 8.20 pm IFI, Temple Bar
Tommaso (Willem Dafoe), an American artist living in Rome, and Nikki’s (Cristina Chiriac) marriage is in turmoil and he must come to terms with his wife’s desire to change the rules of their relationship. This change between them is set against Tommaso’s simple day-to-day life in Rome; as a student taking Italian classes, as a teacher working with young acting students, and most importantly his relationship and the pure love he feels for his three-year-old daughter and she for him. Director: Abel Ferrara Cast: Willem Dafoe, Cristina Chiriac, Anna Ferrara Italy // 115mins // 2019 Irish Premiere Q&A hosted by Chris O'Neill with Director Abel Ferrara
Feature Films
CITY OF ROMANCE
Wednesday 22 Jan 2020 7:00 pm Brooks Hotel
In a small seaside town in northeast China writer Yuan Ye is frustrated, and he can’t get over his ex-girlfriend Yang Yang. Many years later, they meet again in their hometown. Yuan Ye regrets breaking up with Yang Yang and is trying to win her back before it’s too late! Director: Zhang Yaoyuan Cast: Abe Tsuyoshi China // 86mins // 2019
THE FALLEN Years after running away from her drug kingpin father and her family, a woman returns home. However, what appears to be the return of the prodigal daughter is actually just the beginning of her plan to settle a score from two decades ago. After making an explosive debut last year with G Affairs, director Lee Cheuk-pan quickly returns to the director’s chair with this gritty and stylish revenge thriller reminiscent of classic Hong Kong crime thrillers.In her first film role in three years, veteran actress Irene Wan is captivating as the puppet master of the sinister revenge scheme. Director Lee Cheuk Pan Cast: Irene Wan, Kenny Kwan, Hanna Chan, Eddie Chan, Alice Chan Hong Kong, China // 96mins // 2019
Thursday 23 Jan 2020 4:45 pm ODEON Point Square Admission: €10
Feature Films
NO.3 AZAR SHAHR.STREET
Sat 25 Jan 2020 1:00 pm ODEON Point Square Admission: €10
Roja, a migrant woman, who has lost her husband in Germany returns to his home country (Iran) to manage his inheritance, only to realize he had a child from another marriage which complicates the situation Director: Kambiz Safari Cast: Arusha Beigi, Behnaz Jafari, Sadaf Asgari, Khosro Pesiani, Atila Pesiani Iran // 78mins // 2019 World Premiere
Extraordinary events and experiences Proud supporters of the Silk Road International Film Festival • • • • •
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Feature Films
THE SWING MAKER
Wednesday 22 Jan 2020 7 pm ODEON, Point Square Admission: €10
LIU, an old oil worker, has worked in a remote oil field station for more than thirty years. He builds a swing especially for his young colleagues to relax in the midst of boring work. When he retires, he is diagnosed with cancer. Therefore, he decides to return home to spend the rest of his life with his family. However, his return is met by his wife’s coldness and his daughter’s estrangement. He finds that her daughter is pregnant without marriage, so he asks her to marry as soon as possible. LIU hides his illness from his family and becomes a mototaxi driver. He often suffers losses due to his kindness. One day, his former colleague FAN tells his daughter the truth about LIU’s sickness… Director: Yu Daxiong Cast: Jiang Shouzhi, Song Yili, Wang Yan, Song Xichen, Liang Ji, Ji Lulu, Yu Min, Zhou Yugang China // 88mins // 2019
The Lane Legacy
21 January - 19 April 2020 Hugh Lane Gallery, Charlemont House, Parnell Square North
Feature Films
BEAUTIFUL VOYAGE
Thursday 23 Jan 2020 7:00 pm ODEON, Point Square Admission: €10
The 20-something Amy grows up in a single parent family and lives abroad. Upon discovering the clues about her biological father in her late mother’s diary, she decides to follow the Yangtze River to find out where her father is. A wandering singer named Tao offers help to her and treats her with great care and kindness. Through a series of investigation, Amy finds that her father, who used to be a captain, has devoted his life to save the passengers, trying to avoid hitting an oncoming liner. However, Amy senses a huge secret behind this accident. With the help of Tao, Amy comes closer and closer to the truth. Director: Zhang Jiarui Cast: Yao Di, Song Ningfeng, Xia Zitong, Peng Ziyang, Tao Ran China // 103mins // 2019
Feature Films
LONG TIME AGO
Tuesday 21 Jan 2020 7:00 pm Brooks Hotel
Ahmet is married to Sevgi who runs a hair salon in town and their marriage has not been on track for some time. Ahmet suspects his wife has been cheating on him. Ahmet’s insecure and anxious state reaches its peak when he notices a foreigner in town. Director: Cihan Sağlam Cast: Onur Dikmen, Serdar Orçin, Nihan Okutucu Dengiz, Reha Özcan Turkey // 119mins // 2019
A RUGBY STORY Tuesday, 21 Jan 2020 11:00 am Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin Filmed over the course of one year, a group of rugby players in Benghazi, Libya cope with the realities of a civil war, as they come together to form Libya’s first national rugby team. Director: Rashid Kadura Libya // Doc // 94mins
DOCU MENTARIES
Free Admission
MURGHAB A generation ago, Murghab was well taken care of. As the highest town of the former Soviet Union at 3600 metres above sea level and close to the sensitive borders with Afghanistan and China, the town enjoyed ample provisions from Moscow brought in via the Pamir Highway. It had electricity around the clock, an airport, a movie theatre, and a hospital with central heating. Since then, Murghab and its people have weathered several storms and the Soviet hallmarks are crumbling away. Yet, live goes on and, with wit and improvisational skills, the ruins of Socialism afford a plethora of new but precarious ways to make do. The film provides a window into contemporary life in Murghab. It follows a group of men harvesting shrubs on the windswept high-altitude plateau, a nurse keeping regional health statistics, a passionate teacher inspiring a sense of history and purpose in her class, and a welder building stoves from the scraps of Soviet modernity. A winter film of hardship, work and hope. Directors: Martin Saxer, Marlen Elders, Daler Kaziev Germany & Tajikistan // Doc // 81mins
Tuesday, 21 Jan 2020 1:00 pm Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin Free Admission
I AM THE AUTHOR OF MY NAME MIA COUTO Tuesday, 21 Jan 2020 2:30 pm Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin A documentary overview on the life and work of the writer Mia Couto. Director: Solveig Nordlund Mozambique & Portugal Doc // 52mins
Free Admission
DIGITAL KARMA
IN MY GARDEN
In a remote village nestled in the foggy hills of northern Bangladesh, a young girl named Rupa struggles against her inescapable fate. With a bike, a camera and her knowledge only, she defies the traditions and makes her way to empowerment. But when a misfortune strikes her family, Rupa’s freedom is threatened. Will she be able to maintain the fragile balance between her loved ones’ expectations and her own aspirations?
A man is inside a store where the shutter door is half closed. There are no customers at this store, and although the sign says “Boseong Tile Interiors,”the space is filled with canvas, art tools and unfinished paintings. The man stays here every day from morning until sunset and spends his day painting on canvas or resting on the rocking chair. His repetitive routine forms a part that holds his life together and yet, it also disconnects him from the world outside the shutter door. Unlike the seasons of the world that flow from summer to autumn, from winter to spring, his time floats around in unknown places. From a corner in this small space, the film carefully observes his time crisscrossed with doubt and resolution.
Director: Mark Olexa, Francesca Scalisi Bangladesh & Switzerland // Doc // 78mins
Director: Taewoong Won Republic of Korea Doc // 72mins
Thursday, 23 Jan 2020 11:00 am Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin
Wednesday, 22 Jan 2020 2:30 pm Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin
Free Admission
Free Admission
CAMP ON THE WIND´S ROAD
Thursday, 23 Jan 2020 6:00 pm Synge Theatre, Trinity College Dublin Following the death of her father, Belekmaa (25) lodges herself in his sheepherdsman’s encampment. She hopes to see her father at least in her dreams, up to the day when, according to the Tuvan tradition, the spirit of the deceased would be fed and given ultimate send-off. Director: Nataliya Kharlamova Russia // Doc // 70mins
Free Admission
STAND UP DOLL
WHO MADE YOU?
The Stand Up Doll marks the 100th year in the life of Risa Igelfeld. Documenting the last ten years from 85- 100; Risa makes peace with her early years as Jewish Refuge, and escaping the Nazi invasion, losing her children and then the love of her life at 98. How does Risa keep getting back up with joy after so many blows? How did she find the love of her life at 85? How does she look happy and young at 100? Attitude. Risa shows us her secrets to choosing joy instead of suffering. A meditation on life, time and love.
A film which shows the humanistic perspective to the current feature of our era: rapid development of the technology and the transformation followed by it. The film will approach artificial intelligence and technology with sheer curiosity and wondering, giving the voice to the researchers who are working on the field. Displaying the visions of the experts and encounters between people and robots, the film captures a glimpse of our near future. The film will introduce us a cyborg, a developer for artificial intelligence of sex robots, an android developer, a coder who transforms thoughts into images, and robots of various kinds. Director: Iiris Härmä Finland // Doc // 80mins
Director: Evelyne Tollman Werzowa USA & Austria // Doc // 76mins
Thursday, 23 Jan 2020 12:30 pm Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin
Thursday, 23 Jan 2020 7:15 pm Synge Theatre, Trinity College Dublin
Free Admission
Free Admission
TOMMY EMMANUEL: THE ENDLESS ROAD
Sat 25 Jan 2020 2:00 pm MacNeill Theatre, Trinity College Dublin
From the Australian outback to Music City USA, a child guitar prodigy dedicates his life to become the world’s greatest acoustic guitarist, even as revelations of dark family secrets send him into a battle with addiction that threatens to destroy his career, his family and his life. Director: Jeremy Dylan Potts Australia // Doc // 80mins
Free Admission
THE GOLDEN HARVEST A 6,000-year old love story in which the filmmaker tries to understand the profound, often troubled, relationship between olive trees and the people of Mediterranean, including her own father. It is a complicated romance, sometimes funny, sometimes tragic, that is constantly evolving in a region that includes some of the poorest and most conflicted areas of Europe and the Middle East.
BEIJING INTO SONGS Fifteen people from different origins who live in the city of Beijing, China, sign a song and tell the history of how this song influenced their lives. Inspired by the dispositif of the film “As Canções”, directed by Eduardo Coutinho, and the imitation concept from Chinese Art this documentary searches the singularity of Beijing people passing through the historical transformations of Chinese society from the sixties until nowadays. Director: Milena de Moura Barba China // Doc // 82mins
Director: Alia Yunis USA // Doc // 85mins
Saturday, 25 Jan 2020 12 pm MacNeill Theatre, Trinity College Dublin
Saturday 25 Jan 2020 3:00 pm ODEON Point Square
Free Admission
Admission: €10
DAY 1.
Tue 21 Jan 2020
6:00 pm Synge Theatre, Trinity College Dublin Free Admission
We are the Bulls
Shooting Crows
The story of five boys who became outlaws in the
A park in the fog. Crows flap and caw in the sky. A home-
neighbourhood with a BB gun.
less man sleeps between the trees. Now and then a crow
Director: SeWoong Bae Republic of Korea // Live Action // 30mins
Director: Christine HĂźrzeler Switzerland // Doc // 20mins
is shot: as a deterrent. The crows rally after every shot. A woman disappears. The police gather evidence. What is really going on? Are reality and imagination slowly blurring?
The Stop
Glamorous City
Jakub takes his last bus to school in the nearby town to
Due to the rising cost of living, the illegal construction of
get the results of the secondary school leaving exam. His
the house is facing the problem of demolition. The North
ultimate visit to school marks the end of one stage in his
drift girl Smile is not knowing where to go in Beijing. Be-
life and the beginning of another.
cause her and her colleagues and friends, the Beijing boy
Director: Bartosz Reetz Poland // Live Action // 14mins
Director: Ji Yuan China // Live Action // 12mins
Jingbaiwang got along, let the smile make up her mind for her new life, and decided to draw a memorable end to her life in Beijing. Before leaving, Smile and Jingbaiwang spent the most common night in Beijing, it was the most romantic night.
More Than I Can Say Director: Wang Liyuan China // Live Action // 15mins
Grey
Director: Jack Li Canada & China // Live Action // 20mins
The rhythm of life of Qinghua and his wife in the north
A white-collar male wakes up from a nightmare where
have been disturbed by the arrival of his mother-in-law
a masked man murders his boss with a slingshot. On
from the south. At this moment, due to the cultural
the same day, he finds his boss missing from work. The
differences between northern and southern people,
masked murderer greets him back home. He takes off the
the communication differences between parents and
mask and reveals a dark secret‌
children have made their lives under the same roof looks calm, but actually it’s very conflicted.
La Mer
The Rat
A father and a son live in a cottage by the sea. The son checks his father’s breathing every morning, as he wakes up. The son knows that his father, who was a fishman, wants to end his last days of life at home by the sea rather than in a nursing home. The father, feeling sorry for his son, is completely helpless but there is no way out. They don’t know how far this life will go on. They don’t talk anymore. They just get tired of each other. Can they make a beautiful end?
Fahad spends the last day of his life with the fear of his father looming over his head. The fear that grew up with him in the form of an old man closely resembling his late father, shadowing his every moment. Like a rat on a wheel, Fahad scurries through infinite cycles of fear characterized by different aspects of his father; fear of paranoia, of those who wield power over his life, of being different, and of tradition and myth. With those fears controlling his life, Fahad tries to break free only to die with his fears.
Director: Chang-Won Lee Republic of Korea // Live Action // 18mins
Director: Faisal AlAmer Saudi Arabia // Live Action // 10mins
Wed 22 Jan 2020 6:00 pm Brooks Hotel Free Admission
Shangri La
Director: Carlo Christian Spano China // Doc // 38mins This film is based on a true story about a white-collar Chinese worker that lives in Beijing. After he reads the fantasy novel “Lost horizon”, he begins an extraordinary journey with a backpack to find his “Shangri-La”. His quest to find it was so intense that he crossed 6 provinces and 12 cities, passing by the Shangri-La and the Tibet region.
DAY 2.
Wed 22 Jan 2020 3:30 pm Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin Free Admission
The Tiger Who Came to Tea Director: Robin Shaw UK // Animation // 23mins
A mysterious tiger turns up unannounced and invites himself in for afternoon tea. Young Sophie and her mummy watch in fascination as the tiger proceeds to eat not only their tea, but the entire contents of the fridge and everything else in the house!
M Like Mobius
The Sixth Term of Time
Lili a waitress, struggles with loneliness and is obsessed
Ms.Izadi tries to choose a way to pass her life, a way that
with sound.
has hurt her alot before.
Director: Faranak Moradi Iran // Live Action // 8mins
Director: Elham Mortazavi Iran // Doc // 29mins
DAY 3.
Fri 24 Jan 2020 6:00 pm Never Give Up Synge Theatre, Trinity College Dublin Director: Jonathan Schörnig Malta // Doc // 15mins Free Admission In 2014 Mekon had to flee Nigeria after his parents were murdered.
The Man of the House
Man, Hole
One morning, Gregorio finds a squatter inside the house
Daejun’s hobby is to lie in the sewers and watch people
of his deceased parents.
secretly. As usual, he lies in the sewers. Then, he was hit
Director: Jesús López Melgares Spain // Live Action // 11mins
Director: Hyunwoong Heo Republic of Korea // Live Action // 27mins
by a piece of metal that fell from the building. After a long time, he wakes up with loud sirens and a police line. The murder has occurred near Daejun.
Cheek to Cheek
Copyrette
Just imagine: you’re in the middle of a hall in an old-age home. You are surrounded by cheerful dancing people of all age groups, but especially the elderly. Nellie (94) has turned her mobility walker into her new dance partner. Carel (91), musician in heart and soul, forgets the silence at home when he starts playing along to Dutch classics on his keyboard. The super-fit Suze (92) zooms past anybody half her age, whether she’s on her bike or on the dance floor. Rene’s (85) memory is not what it used to be, but as soon as he hears James Brown’s music, everything suddenly comes back to him. The film tells a story of the fragility and the power of ageing.
The nude body of a young woman lies motionless on a
Fly High
Heatstroke
Director: Bo van der Meer, Malou Wagenmaker Netherlands // Doc // 23mins
Director: Fatma Racha Shehadeh Lebanon // Live Action // 6mins
Director: Marc de Leeuw Netherlands // Live Action // 9mins kitchen floor. In a nearby forest a man calls out for his dog.
Marital Rape exists- Yes consensual sex does exists
Director: Edgar Morais Portugal & USA // Live Action // 9 mins ***Graphic Scenes of Nudity – 18 rating
between a husband and a wife. Exchange of rings, vows
On a hot and febrile day, teenage Claire ditches school
and garlands does not permit anyone to seize the right of saying No. Enforcing something in the name of religious ritual or patriarchy isn’t justified by any standards.
to meet some friends in the woods where her memories, traumas and desires merge into tears, sweat, and sperm in a reflection on this generation’s sexual and existential disorientation.
Scent
Ruwatan
Ever since a fatal accident, Sunghoon’s life has never
Accompanying her blind mother undergo alternative
been the same. Driven by an uncanny ability he spends
therapies is one of Sri’s weekly routines. Today might be
his days in a room piecing together memories from the
their last visit.
Director: Young-wook Paik Republic of Korea // Live Action // 18mins
Director: Ernest Lesmana Indonesia // Live Action // 15mins
past. But to him they’re not just memories. They’re clues that could possibly hold the key to saving a life once lost.
DAY 4.
Sat 25 Jan 2020 12:30 pm Hugh Lane gallery, Dublin Free Admission
Captain 22
Director: Arman Qolipour Dashtaki Iran // Doc // 11mins The life story of “Ali Khosh Elham”. A young boy who loves football but he starts to try drugs…
Xiao Xian
Far From Past
Xiao Xian is in charge of finishing a dress. Her mother has
“I’m not in the picture!” The grandmother is sure the
decided that she is going to take care of it that night, and
filmmaker has positioned the camera wrong. The old
she obeys, as usual. Sheng Xia, her best friend, shows
lady vigorously defends her image of herself against her
up at her house to convince her to go partying. Xiao
granddaughter, who wants to learn more about her flight
Xian accepts, but she cannot imagine what will end up
from Hungary to Austria. In a dialogue characterized by
happening that night.
friction and intimacy, they reveal the way families pass
Director: Jiajie Yu China & Spain // Live Action // 17mins
Director: Nicole Foelsterl Switzerland // Doc // 15mins
on their history from one generation to the next, and how it works its way into the core of relationships.
Not A Pet
Malakout
Hundreds of cheetah cubs are being stolen from the wild,
Music was his passion…
decimating the wild population in Africa.
Love was his masterpiece…
Director: Andrea Walji UK // Doc // 5 mins
For every 5 cubs that are taken, only 1 survives. They are being smuggled illegally into the Middle East to be sold as pets. Not A Pet looks at the illegal wildlife pet trade, and the role social media plays in the parading and trading of exotic animals online.
Director: Farnoosh Abedi Iran // Animation // 11mins
Leave The Road Behind You
The Skid
A young man from the Donegal Gaeltacht struggles with
A family crisis triggers doubts, pain, changes. Images
long-repressed emotions as he prepares to emigrate.
of the present that talk about the past. Images from
Director: Daniel Butler Ireland // Live Action // 15mins
Director: Francisco Noronha Portugal // Doc // 18mins
the past that talk about the present. Between one and another, stories repeat themselves in a journey through present and past life(s), intimacy and cinephilia.
Family Hour
Umbrella
Sunny August day, almost midday. It’s time for family
While visiting a home for children, a little girl meets
visits on the summer camp near Kyiv.
Joseph, a boy whose only dream is to have a yellow
Director: Mariia Ponomarova Ukraine // Live Action // 11mins
Director: Helena Hilario, Mario Pece Brazil // Animation // 8mins
umbrella. This unexpected encounter awakens his memDanya (17) is hoping for his estranged father to show up and get together after the long separation. Father arrives at the camp gate earlier than expected and the meeting is pushed outside the camp gate. While bearing father’s unfunny jokes, Danya has to grasp the real meaning of their family bonds.
ories of the past.
Yijob’s Birthday Party
Contact
Yijob is a young man who came from Eritrea, now living in
A sniper, living alone on a country’s border, shoots
Korea. His birthday is something different comparing to
refugees attempting to cross and collects their items for
other’s. His factory colleagues, Changcheong and Samir,
survival. One day, he finds a tape of his victim’s war diary
are planning to have a birthday party for him at midnight
and begins to listen to it.
Director: Chaeyoon BAE Republic of Korea // Live Action // 24mins
Director: Samir Syriani Lebanon // Live Action // 21mins
in December 31.
Big Wok Chef
Magic Dream
Chef Aaron’s clay pot rice is excellent, but is never popu-
“Magic Dream” is a painted stop-motion full animation
lar. He is very depressed. He drowns his sorrows in booze
film that tells the story of a magician on stage trying to
every day, which eventually leads to the loss of his sense
perform his show. As his magic goes wrong, he loses
of taste. He then only continues to cook heartlessly.
control and gets weak. The wizard timidly reintegrates
Director: Hoi Wong Hong Kong // Live Action // 17mins
Director: Tomás Welss Chile // Animation // 11mins
to the set and tries to extract a rabbit from his hat. The rabbit rejects the magician and his environment. As he keeps crumbling down, the rabbit offers him help, to deal with the misleading and confusing magic and to confront his life.
The Way To Snow
When Planets Mate
An orphan called Run Lin in the village is taking charge of the orange garden left by his mother. He is full of yearning for the outside world at eighteen or nineteen years of age, while the villagers do not have much requirement for life, feeling nothing uncomfortable with repeating their quotidian life. However, Run Lin wants to go and see the snow.
Explore the origins of life and humanity’s quest for
A Family
Segregated By Design
A tense, late-night fight in a suburban home takes a
Richard Rothstein, author of ‘The Color of Law’, narrates
turn for the worse but as we observe the aftermath and
a fast-paced motion design film that illustrates the forgot-
attempts to reconcile, we realize something far more
ten history of how all of the nation’s metropolitan areas
sinister is occurring.
became segregated by “de jure” segregation, racially
Director: Fong WIn China // Live Action // 15mins
Director: Ryan Weldon Ireland // Live Action // 10mins
Director: Riley Thompson USA // Animation // 11mins
transcendental knowledge while voyaging through a psychonautic world melded from biology and Hindu myth.
Director: Mark Lopez USA // Animation // 17mins
explicit policy on the part of the federal, state and local governments. ‘Segregated By Design’ explores different subjects pertaining to residential segregation like many New Deal policies, racial zoning techniques like Redlining, the creation of slums, blockbusting, slum clearance, state-sponsored violence, the immense wealth gap between white families and African-American families, the effects of segregation and the constitutional remedy for the unconstitutional segregation.
STUDENT FILMS DAY 1.
Wed 22 Jan 2020 6:00 pm Jonathan Swift Theatre, Trinity College Dublin Free Admission
Incubation Director – Bo Zhang, Yunxi Guo USA & China // Live Action // 5 mins A lonely girl runs away from home, and she is trapped in a time loop when she touches the magic egg. Her soul wakes up again in the room and she finally sees herself dead in the boat.
Paper Boats
Memory Foam
Midair
Director: Gonzalo Guajardo-Fajardo Ethiopia & USA // Live Action // 15mins
Director: Martyna Dubicka Ireland // Experimental // 6 mins
Director: Zhaoxin Liu China & USA // Live Action // 10 mins
Why can’t Rahel bring herself to sign
This short video art piece provides a
A young boy follows a black balloon
her artwork? The visit of her high school
glimpse of contemporary bed culture,
around his neighbourhood on the day his
academic triggers memories of why she
and reveals how our hidden emotional
father passes away.
is haunted by her surname, yet would not
experiences, attachments, memories
consider changing it.
and nostalgia find their place among the physical components of a bed.
Archie’s Bat
Prey
The Beekeeper
Director: Shannon Egan Ireland // Animation // 2mins
Director: Sun, Jing China // Animation // 5mins
Director: Robyn Conroy Ireland // Animation // 6 mins
Archie’s Bat is a story about a lonely young
As an ancient eastern proverb described:
Deep in the heart of a bamboo forest, a
boy who is surprisingly given the chance at
“a mantis hunting the cicada unknowingly
paternal bear watches over Mae, a
friendship when his path crosses with an
falls prey to the eyes of an oriole.”— the
spirited young girl that he is raising.
injured bat.
most vivid view of natural cycle in human
Sustained by the collection of beehives
societies is best seen through lens of karma
that the bear tends to, the two live
on a microscopic scale.
together in peaceful harmony.
Jill and Giles
Reprise
Dante vs. Mohammed Ali
Director: Alison Byrne Ireland // Doc // 13mins
Director: Stanley Xu Ruiyang Singapore // Live Action // 14mins
Director: Marc Wagenaar Netherlands // Live Action // 25mins
A short human interest portrait
On a film set, the two main leads who were
When Wolf refuses to fight his best friend
documentary based on an English couple
once lovers are about to act out a scene
Alexander during a weekly boxing match,
who have spent 20 years living and
which reminds them of their past. Through-
the whole village turns against him. He
working on a boat with half of that time
out the filming process, the boundary
tries to convince Alexander to join him
being spent on the River Shannon in
between fiction and reality begins to blur.
leaving the village, but his overly
Ireland.
Secret Lives of Asians at Night Director: KEFF USA // Live Action // 18mins What does the model minority do after dark?
romantic message runs into a wall.
Mum
The Balloonatic
Director: Mariam Al Awadhi UAE // Doc // 9mins
Director: Eoin McLoughlin UK // Animation // 3mins
After 15 years of averting the source of
A clown tries to earn some money on
her anxiety, Mariam at last walks the
the street by doing balloon tricks. But
journey of voicing her avoided emotions
no matter what he tries, the audience
regarding her non Emirati mother, and
doesn’t seem to notice him.
the uneasiness she felt about her mixed background in the Emirati society.
STUDENT FILMS
DAY 2. Thu 23 Jan 2020 6:00 pm Trinity College Dublin Free Admission
Two Women Can Tango
The Chef
Life Between the Exit Signs
Director: Maria Abdel Karim UK // Live Action // 18mins
Director: Hao Zheng USA // Live Action // 19mins
Director: Nicolas Pindeus Austria // Live Action // 18mins
Reem, a Palestinian young woman living in London on a sponsored visa, has only a couple of months before her visa expires when she meets Alma, a Jewish -British Tango instructor who sweeps her off her feet the moment they have their first Tango dance together.
In the near future, when all labor works are
A young man is standing in a hospital room inhabited by his mentally ill mother. She is asleep and instead of waking her, he leaves the room. In search for distraction he drifts through day and night. He embarks on a series of events that bring light into his fears, identity conflicts and his desire for a sense of belonging in this world.
Japanese Orphan
Knock, Knock, Knock
Home
Director: Xiangda Ding China // Live Action // 18mins
Director: Arom Choi Republic of Korea // Live Action // 15mins
Director: Adam M. Jammal Lebanon // Live Action // 18mins
Old man Shengli Liu found himself suf-
Hana, the protagonist, lives in a small
After the death of her daughter, Lama
fering from Alzheimer’s disease. On his
box-like room and interacts with the
decides to move out of her family home.
deathbed, he always saw his biological
world only by listening through the
However, a presence in the house keeps
mother, Keiko. Liu Shengli was a Japa-
thin walls that separate her from her
her from completing the act.
nese orphan, his mother, Keiko, intended
neighbours.
to let the young Shengli Liu be adopted by the Chinese people. He knew that he had not many days. On the wasteland, a tombstone was erected for honer his biological mother Keiko.
replaced by humanoids, a Chinese chef, Pu is ordered to pass on his cooking skill to a humanoid robot William and to teach him Chinese cooking.
Be Happy To Be You
Maria
Eeny Meeny
Director: Ebony Corcoran Ireland // Doc // 5mins
Director: Charline Fernandez France // Doc // 28mins
Director: Raphaela Schmid Austria // Live Action // 17mins
Irina, aged 11 has lived in Ireland for 5
A documentary following the filmmaker’s
It all starts with an accident. Little Paula
years. She is confronted with questions
grandmother as she revisits sites of her
pushes her sister Annas hamster out of
about identity as a Romanian living in
traumatic childhood. Born in Andalusia in
the window while trying to feed it. She
Ireland.
Spain, at the age of eight she was forced
desperately wants to bring it back to life
to flee the country during the civil war of
with spells and magic. Meanwhile her
1936-39.
mother, Isabella, is constantly trying to reconstruct Anna’s birthday cake from last year.
www.cardelentertainment.com
STUDENT FILMS Fri 24 Jan 2020 1:30 pm Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin Free Admission
DAY 3.
Mati 23/7 Director – Antigoni Kapaka Greece // Doc // 21mins The diary of a young woman, a poetic short documentary, witnessing the collapse of environmental, social, political and economic standards and failure of moral values.
Seven Days with Grandma Cage Match
Therese
Director: Zhenyuan He (Rex Ho) China // Live Action // 17mins
Director Bryan Lee USA // Animation // 9mins
Director: Fabiana Serpa Switzerland // Live Action // 29mins
A Taishanese family come back to home-
A businessman enters the elevator for
It is 1888 and Therese, a bavarian botanist,
town from America and Brazil because of
another day at work…
undertakes a four month long expedition
a funeral. When it’s over, the granddaugh-
to Brazil. Trouble starts unfolding because
ter Wan Ping is told to take care of her
of the cultural clash between her and a
grandma, who has been living in Taishan
Brazilian local guide as he refuses to take
throughout her life.
orders from a woman, without knowing her real identity, he is in for a surprise.
At Midnight Plays A Dance-Tune Director: Roy Seerden Netherlands // Doc // 30mins When the Dutch filmmaker Roy Seerden’s mother dies, there’s no holding him back. Sex, drugs, roaming through the night: his life transforms into a bundle of energy, grief and detachment. At the same time, he can’t help thinking of Antoine, the strange neighbour from his youth.
Unspoken Director: Andrew Ascough Ireland // Live Action // 15mins The story follows Kyle as he tries to quietly earn money to pay for his father’s lung treatment by participating in underground fights.
Nigel
Anansi
Director: Natasza Cetner UK // Animation // 9mins
Director: Elliot Gibson Australia // Animation // 4mins
A short film telling a story of a bird called Nigel that fell in love with a concrete statue. It is about how extreme idealisation and delusion shows how similar us and animals really are. The film is based on a true story of Nigel the Gannet that happened on Mana Island in New Zealand in the past few years.
Potion master, Anansi, is a man of
Guy proposes to his girlfriend on a mountain Director: Bernhard Wenger Austira // Live Action // 13mins Captured with a mobile phone, we see a group of three friends gathering at a ski lodge. Daniel is about to propose to his girlfriend and his friend films the whole thing to remember the best day of their lives.
many faces. Which face will he show an innocent boy in search of a potion for his sick father?
Porfotto Director: Edson da Conceicao Netherlands // Live Action // 29mins Em, Moreno and Kyon have raided a local money laundering practice in Rotterdam. They feel like kings and go home with a good feeling. In one night they find out that money is not enough to solve their problems.
Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance (BRFFA)
Image courtesy of Shanghai International Film Festival
Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance (BRFFA) SRIFF became a partner of the “Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance” (BRFFA), established at the 21st Shanghai International Film Festival 2018 now comprising of 38 film festivals & Institutions from 33 countries. BRFFA facilitates the bilateral panorama of films; encourage the mutual recommendation of film festival judges & event guests; strengthen the exchanges & cooperation in film production and distribution; and establish and implement the film information sharing mechanism among contracted parties. Under the “Belt and Road Film Festival Alliance” BRFFA an Irish feature will have an opportunity to screen as part of the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) Film Panorama. The BRFFA is a platform to show films, to communicate & to create opportunities for further cooperation among our film industries and other related fields.
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
School of Languages, Literatures & Cultural Studies French Germanic Studies Hispanic Studies Irish & Celtic Languages Italian Near & Middle Eastern Studies Russian & Slavonic Studies
SPONSORS SILK
ROAD
INTERNATIONAL
FESTIVAL
2020
OFFICIAL HOTEL SPONSOR
FILM
SRIFF 2020
VENUES ODEON - POINT SQAURE E Wall Rd, North Dock, Dublin odeoncinemas.ie
TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN College Green, Dublin 2 Tel. +353 1 686 9460 tcd.ie
IRISH FILM INSTITUTE 6 Eustace St, Temple Bar, Dublin, D02 PD85 ifi.ie
HUGH LANE GALLERY Charlemont House, Parnell Square N, Rotunda, Dublin, D01 F2X9 hughlane.ie
BROOKS HOTEL 62 Drury St, Dublin, D02 TV06 brookshotel.ie
*Tickets available online www.silkroadfilmfestival.com (*All screenings at Brooks Cinema, Trinity College Dublin, Hugh Lane Gallery are FREE, tickets available online and at door subject to availability) #SRIFF20 #SRIFF
///NOTES
SILK ROAD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
///NOTES
SILK ROAD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2, Ireland Telephone: +353 1 603 0600 Facsimile: +353 1 603 0700 Email: info@merrionhotel.com Web: www.merrionhotel.com
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