FESTIVAL PROGRAM FOR 18 APRIL

"A Medal" is a heartfelt story that aims to present the life and spiritual journey of a veteran through the language of film. The film focuses on the emotional depth and development of the characters, truly experiencing and conveying the protagonist's inner emotions to show the characters' true feelings in the process of war, frustration and recognition.

In a world crushed by pollution, conflicts, eco anxiety, alienation of the individual and fear of the future, a human being is lying down, hopeless and surrounded by shadow. Yet, anger and refusal of the disaster to come will ignite in him/her - and in us all - a flame of life, carrying the hope of a better tomorrow.

Desperate to repay his loan, a dishonest man runs a scam on an orphan girl who escaped to find Santa Claus but soon questions his own action.

The meeting between two Russian women and German soldiers in Ukraine during the Second World War in 1941.

The documentary "Woiwode: Of Pain and Hope – The Memories of a Survivor" recounts the war years 1941-1945 from Gerhard Woiwode's perspective - a citizen from Weimar. Gerhard Woiwode, a man from a simple background, always remained true to his principles. The film sheds light on his experiences, which are marked by encounters with famous names such as Stauffenberg, the racing driver Manfred von Brauchitsch or the horrors of Auschwitz. These experiences add up to a moving story of hope for peace.

One situation is particularly noteworthy: when Gerhard Woiwode saved the life of a wounded American soldier. This happened in France in 1944, when he kept the soldier from imprisonment and impending death. A significant act of humanity in the midst of
the war.

Displaced by the Second World War, a troop of Polish soldiers find an inseparable bond through an orphaned bear they name Wojtek.
A BEAR NAMED WOJTEK tells the fantastic journey of an orphaned Syrian brown bear who was adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II, becoming a beacon of hope and an emblem of their fate.

Hadyia a pregnant eleven years old orphan escapes from her village after having been forced to marriage. She takes the road to freedom alone with her goat whose milk she will use to survive. Sometimes when she drinks the milk she feels her mum is talking to her.
Director’s Quote: In war and in poverty the first to be sacrificed are young girls. Sold as wives, as prostitutes, young girls are the first to be taken out of school and the last to be taken to a hospital.
"The Goat" is a captivating and thought-provoking film that we believe would be a valuable addition to your esteemed festival. Directed by the talented Ilaria Borelli, the film explores complex themes of human nature, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of the human soul. We are confident that its unique narrative and exceptional cinematography will resonate with both the festival's audience and the distinguished jury.

A world without war is another utopia that we cannot wait any longer
Un mondo senza guerra è un’altra utopia che non possiamo attendere
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A young boy leaves his home to sign up to serve his King & country in 1914. This short film tells of his journey through the First World War.

Friendship, love, loss and returning home.

Qiu Sanling, a master of traditional paper-cutting, has spent his entire life cutting out tigers, yet he has never seen a real one. Relying on his paper-cutting skills, he single-handedly raises his intellectually disabled son, leading a life of modest means in the secluded mountains. Hoping to improve their living conditions, he is invited to Beijing with his scissors in hand. Unbeknownst to him, he becomes ensnared in a web of bureaucratic power struggles and conspiracies. After encountering a real tiger in a zoo, the abstract tiger image in his mind is completely shattered, rendering him unable to cut out a tiger ever again. He doesn't receive the payment promised by the bureaucrats, his work is plagiarized, and he loses his means of livelihood. Alone and lost in the vast, indifferent city, he desperately seeks his way home. The scissors he carries, once a symbol of his artistry, are now perceived as a weapon, becoming an obstacle to his legitimate presence in the city...