FOCUS: THEME PT. 2

Focus: Theme is a competition in which we pay special attention to the content of the film and the way in which the authors talk about the problems they present in their films. Short films very quickly respond to current trends and phenomena, and often pave new paths for full-lengths. In this competition can be found many themes that trigger both local and global discussions. We hope that the films we have selected will help us understand different points of view on a complicated reality.

Ward’s Henna Party, dir. Morad Mostafa (Egypt) 2020, 23’, 16+

Halima, a Sudanese henna painter, goes to Basma’s, a young Egyptian bride, to prepare her for her wedding. The encounter between the two women grows from courtesy to suddenly unveiled tensions. Film presented at Clermont-Ferrand ISFF.

Rheum, dir. Kateřina Hroníková (Slovakia) 2021, 28’, 15+

Libuše and Jaromír have been together a long time. She is fastidious about the housework and collecting wigs, while he is more attentive to his garden gnomes. It would be difficult to say who lost interest in the other first. Will the motivational package from an agency called The Sun help them to rebond? Film presented at Karlovy Vary IFF.

Sër Bi, dir. Moly Kane (France) 2020, 20’, 18+

Tomorrow is Zuzana’s marriage. From now until then, every minute counts to erase her past. Film presented at IFF Toronto. Polish premiere.

White Eye, dir. Tomer Shushan (Israel) 2019, 20’, 15+

A man finds his stolen bicycle and it now belongs to a stranger. In his attempts to retrieve the bicycle, he struggles to remain human. Oscar nominee.