Film list

[broken-gods--Film-image]
Broken Gods 2019 42'
    Werbner Award Directed by Dakxinkumar Bajrange (Chhara) Alice Tilche .
Set among the Rathava and Bhil Adivasi communities of western India, Broken Gods documents the social impact of Hindu religious evangelism among India’s Indigenous groups. As Indigenous people join
[chasing-shadows--Film-image]
Chasing Shadows 2019 70'
    Werbner Award Directed by Roger Canals .
This film is an intimate portrait of the Kyangyang prophetic movement in Guinea-Bissau. The members of the movement communicate with their ancestors, who transmit messages from the high God through
[from-there-to-here--Film-image]
From There to Here 2019 30'
  Directed by Qi Yu Teo .
In 1949, the author’s young grandfather migrated from An Xi, China, to Singapore. Spending almost 70 years in Singapore, he has only been back home four times. As an immigrant from China,
Central Asia and Far East Migration Intergenerational relations Life Story / Life History
[guli-armugon--Film-image]
Guli Armug'on 2019 23'
  Directed by Iqbol Meliqo’ziev .
Uzbek and Tajik women in eastern Uzbekistan celebrate the arrival of spring by gathering at the grave of an Islamic saint. The Afghan redbud trees growing on the site are in full bloom. The magical
Central Asia and Far East Religion / Belief / Faith Ritual
[the-healer-and-the-psychiatrist--Film-image]
The Healer and the Psychiatrist 2019 74'
    Werbner Award Directed by Mike Poltorak .
This film explores the tensions, contradictions, and resonances between traditional and psychiatric treatment in the South Pacific Island group of Vava’u. We meet two main characters: the
[in-search-of-bidesia--Film-image]
In Search of Bidesia 2019 65'
    Music Docs Directed by Simit Bhagat .
In the Indian language of Bhojpuri the name ‘Bidesia’ refers to a person who has migrated to a foreign land. However, Bidesia is also the name of a genre of Bhojpuri folk music, which reflects
[intranquillites--Film-image]
IntranQu’îllités 2019 20'
  Directed by Edward Owles .
Lyrically narrated by award-winning Haitian poet James Noël, the short film interweaves the work of several Haitian artists who want to redefine how their nation is perceived. The film explores the
Caribbean Islands Art/ Artists/ Artisans Nationalism Social Organisation
[lives-and-deaths-between-ebbs-and-flows--Film-image]
Lives and Deaths between Ebbs and Flows 2019 14'
  Directed by Futuru C.L. Tsai .
Futuru Tsai explores the relationship between Amis people and the sea in this playful portrait of maritime culture in coastal Taiwan. The film focuses on various social and practical activities in
Central Asia and Far East Animals Indigenous peoples / First Nation peoples
[a-new-era--Film-image]
A New Era 2019 71'
    Werbner Award Directed by Boris Svartzman .
In 2008, local authorities evicted 2,000 villagers from Guanzhou, a river island in Southern China, to make way for new urban planning projects. In spite of the demolition of their houses and police
Central Asia and Far East Urban Development projects Infrastructure\transport Land rights Resettlement
[okinami--Film-image]
Okinami 2019 24'
  Directed by Can Tamura (aka John Wells) .
This film features a Japanese seaside ritual performed in honour of a marine deity, who is considered to hold the power to determine a safe and successful year of local fishing. This two-day event
Central Asia and Far East Festivals/ Carnival Urban Folklore Myths/ Fairy tales
[one-day-in-the-life-of-noah-piugattuk--Film-image]
One Day in the Life of Noah Piugattuk 2019 113'
    Main Competition Directed by Zacharias Kunuk .
In April 1961, John Kennedy is America’s new President, the Cold War heats up in Berlin and nuclear bombers are deployed from bases in arctic Canada. In Kapuivik, north Baffin Island, Noah
[oyate--Film-image]
Oyate 2019 72'
    Main Competition Directed by Dan Girmus .
This carefully observed film is composed of a series of moments, feelings, gestures, and events that took place on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota during the summer of 2015. The narrative,
[palimpsest-of-the-africa-museum--Film-image]
Palimpsest of the Africa Museum 2019 69'
  Directed by Matthias De Groof .
In 2013, the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Brussels (Belgium) closed for renovation. It is not only the building and the museum cabinets that are in need of renewal: the spirit of the museum has
Western Europe Archival material / Museum displays Colonialism / Postcolonialism Race / Racism / Antiracism Education / Knowledge Transmission History of Anthropology
[palimpsest-of-the-africa-museum-2021--Film-image]
Palimpsest of the Africa Museum 2019 69'
    Decolonising the Archive Directed by Matthias De Groof .
In 2013, the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Brussels (Belgium) closed for renovation. It is not only the building and the museum cabinets that are in need of renewal: the spirit of the museum has
Western Europe Archival materials / Museum displays Archaeology Education / Knowledge transmission History of Anthropology Colonialism / Postcolonialism Race / Racism / Antiracism
[the-people-next-to-coal-power-plant--Film-image]
The People Next to Coal Power Plant 2019 22'
  Directed by Hyewon Choi .
Vegetable crops are contaminated, fish have disappeared, illness is rife. Life in the shadow of a Korean coal power plant is difficult, but the locals have no choice but to struggle on nonetheless.
Central Asia and Far East Infrastructure/transport Environment Disasters
[persistence--Film-image]
Persistence 2019 54'
    Main Competition Directed by Anne Huffschmid Jan-Holger Hennies .
Human bodies don’t simply disappear. They were kidnapped, buried, broken into pieces. But they are also searched for, recovered and if forensic experts achieve the unlikely, reconstructed as
Central America Forensic Memory
[spirit--Film-image]
Spirit 2019 19'
  Directed by Jane Dyson Ross Harrison .
Saraswati is a new arrival in an Indian Himalayan village. She wonders how she will ever feel at home in the new setting. “Spirit” by Jane Dyson and Ross Harrison is a story of longing and
Central Asia and Far East Gender Role and identity Agriculture/ Farming Everyday Life Family/ Kinship
[suspension--Film-image]
Suspension 2019 73'
    Werbner Award Directed by Simón Uribe .
This film documents the building of a modern road through the imposing geography of southern Colombia. It brilliantly captures some of the absurdities and contradictions of a construction project
South America Development projects Infrastructure / Transport Material Culture Rural
[totegrandfather--Film-image]
TOTE_Grandfather 2019 80'
    Main Competition Directed by María Sojob .
This film portrays an unexpected encounter between an old Tzotzil man, who is going blind, and his granddaughter, who does not remember her childhood well. The granddaughter, having grown up in the
Central America Indigenous Filmmaking Gender Role and Identity Family / Kinship Indigenous peoples / First Nations peoples Elderly people Love Intergenerational relations Linguistics / Language Memory
[the-two-lives-of-li-ermao--Film-image]
The Two Lives of Li Ermao 2019 87'
    Main Competition Directed by Jia Yuchuan .
Filmed over 17 years across Southern China, this remarkable film is an intimate and heart-wrenching portrait of Li Ermao, a transgender migrant worker, who performs in clubs looking for love and
[who-says-the-lepchas-are-vanishing-bang-the-drum--Film-image]
Who says the lepchas are vanishing (Bang the Drum) 2019 42'
    Music Docs Directed by Abhyuday Khaitan .
A tribute to Sonam Tshering Lepcha, cultural leader and creator of songs, literature, dances and a museum of the Lepcha people of north-west Bengal and Sikkim (India). His life has been devoted to