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LIGHT FALLS VERTICAL, DE, IT, NL, ES 2022, Efthymia Zymvragaki How deep can you look into a perpetrator’s soul? We meet Ernesto, a man who wants to face up to the violence that he inflicted on his family. The filmmaker not only examines the personality of this desperate man, she also draws on his memories, in order to find the key to her own painful ones. Two people: a perpetrator and a victim. Biography Efthymia ZymvragakiAfter graduating in Psychology, Efthymia Zymvragaki studied photography and completed a Masters in Production and Artistic Research at the University of Barcelona. She co-founded the production company Gris Medio with Angelo Orlando.

FR 2023, Delphine und Muriel Coulin  A self-portrait, the chronicle of a life, the suffering of an entire generation. Charlotte Salomon depicted her life story in more than 1300 pictures - from her childhood in 1930s Berlin, through the rise of National Socialism to her escape to France. The Coulin sisters draw a moving portrait of an artist, her tragically short life and her avant-garde work.  Biography Delphine and Muriel CoulinThe sisters have been working as a directing duo for over 20 years. Muriel Coulin works as a cinematographer, her sister Delphine also works as a novelist. They became known for their feature film 17 GIRLS. CHARLOTTE SALOMON is their third feature film.

WIR UND DAS TIER – EIN SCHLACHTHAUSMELODRAM, DE 2023, David Spaeth Many people have become completely disconnected with the process of killing in which meat production originates. What does it mean for the people whose job it is to slaughter? And what impact does it have on us to face up to it? There are no ready-made answers. That is what we learn from this intelligent film that observes processes, listens and makes the meat-eating viewers step out of their comfort zone.  Biography David Spaeth first studied humanities at the Ruhr University in Bochum and then directing at the Baden-Württemberg Film Academy. The documentary director teaches at the Filmakademie and at the HFF Munich. His film BETRUG was awarded the Grimme Prize 2019.

SEVEN WINTERS IN TEHRAN, FR, DE 2023, Steffi Niederzoll “I wish for the day when no girl is raped anymore. I wish for the day when the rights of the weak are not violated anymore.” Reyhaneh Jabbari killed in self-defence, stood up for her rights and was sentenced to death. She was 26 years old. The protagonist’s courage and absolute determination leave a deep impression. Against the background of the current women’s rights movement in Iran, this is an explosive and depressing film. Helga-Mari Steininger Biography Steffi NiederzollStudied audiovisual media art in Cologne and in Cuba. Her short films have been screened at numerous international film festivals such as the Berlinale. She took part in various directing master classes and was a scholarship holder at the Cultural Academy Tarabya, Turkey. Together with Shole Pakravan, she wrote the book "How to Become a Butterfly", which will be published in 2023. SEVEN WINTERS IN TEHERAN is her first feature-length documentary film.

UMBERTO ECO – A LIBRARY OF THE WORLD, IT 2022, Davide Ferrario “Without a memory it’s impossible to build a future.” The writer and philosopher Umberto Eco opens the doors to his private library – a memory bank. With interviews and tracking shots through libraries, the film approaches the fascination for the collection and collation of knowledge. The portrait shows Eco as an intelligent and self-deprecating man whose encyclopaedic hunger is infectious. Michael Kohl  Biography At a young age, Davide Ferrario worked as a film critic and wrote his first screenplay in 1986. He then began directing himself, alternating between documentaries and feature films. He received a David di Donatello for the film DOPO MEZZANOTTE.

MOTHERLAND, NO, SE, UA 2023 , Hanna Badziaka, Alexander Mihalkovich National service in Belarus lasts 18 months. Nikita gets called up and has one last party with his friends before he dons his uniform and starts his duties. Svetlana’s son Sascha returned from his barracks in a coffin covered with bruises and with strangulation marks on his neck. After the rigged elections in 2020, the militarised violence is unleashed on protestors. Silvia Bauer Biography Hanna Bedziaka has an MA in Philology and worked as an independent video and TV journalist in Minsk.Belarusian-Ukrainian filmmaker Alexander Mihalkovich has a PhD in library science and subsequently studied directing.

LÁZARO AND THE SHARK. CUBA UNDER THE SURFACE, CU, US 2022, William Sabourin O'Reilly Once a year, the inhabitants of Santiago de Cuba pour into the streets for carnival. It is both the expression of joie de vivre and of subtle criticism – arrests are quite likely. Dance and rhythm unite Cuban identity. Without huge financial resources but instead great inventiveness, the people craft their costumes and floats themselves. A celebration of perseverance in Cuba!  Biography Born in Havana, Cuban director William Sabourin O'Reilly moved to the USA to study at the College of Fine Arts in New Orleans. There he worked on the Emmy award-winning film Witness Katrina and as a cinematographer for various shows on HBO, PBS and Telemundo.

GRETAS GEBURT, DE 2023, Katja Baumgarten Greta, a little girl, is stillborn. Four years later, her midwife is on trial for manslaughter. The charge is unusually severe. The court works meticulously. Perceptions and interpretations arise in the reconstruction of Greta’s birth, because social issues are also discussed at the same time as the case. A documentary narrative spanning ten years.  Biography Katja Baumgarten1981 Midwifery examination. Studied fine arts at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hanover, then film studies at the University of Fine Arts Braunschweig. Founding member of the Filmwerkstatt Dokumentarisch Arbeiten e.V. in Hamburg. Freelance filmmaker since 2000.

AFRICA, I WILL FLEECE YOU, CM 1992, Jean-Marie Teno Filmmaker Jean-Marie Teno wanders the streets of Yaoundé with his companion Marie in search of Cameroonian culture. With snarky humour, Teno guides us through the complexities of colonialism and its consequences. Archive material, fictional elements and interviews combine to create a piece of film art that represents a new decolonialised aesthetic and a cinema of resistance.  Biography Jean-Marie Teno studied audiovisual communication at the University of Valenciennes. He worked as chief editor for the French television channel France 3 from 1985 to 1997. He has lived in France since 1978 and travels annually to Cameroon.

THE DECREE, TR 2023, Nejla Demirci  When a wave of dismissals follows the attempted coup in Turkey, Yasemin, a doctor, and Engin, a teacher, are among those who suddenly find themselves on the streets. They try in vain to get their jobs back or just to find out the reason they were fired. For President Erdoğan however it is clear: those affected are not real Turks but “terrorists.” Then the film project also draws the attention of the authorities… Biography Nejla DemirciAfter completing her sociology studies, Demirci worked in various service sectors. In 2010, she made her first documentary film SUNFLOWER. Like her follow-up film CONFRONTATION, it won numerous awards.

COWBOY POETS, UK, US 2022, Mike Day Cowboys and poetry? Every year in Nevada, these two seemingly incongruous things come together. The poets recount their unique way of life, their connection to nature and their identity. In their everyday lives they grapple with environmental threats and you can sense a political rift. Songs and poems glide over impressive images. A documentary western about a lyrical cowboy lifestyle.  Biography Mike DayScottish director and cinematographer Mike Day began his professional career as a lawyer. In 2009 he founded the company Intrepid Cinema. His films, supported by the Sundance Institute among others, have screened at international festivals and earned him prestigious nominations and awards.

FREE MONEY, KE, US 2022, Lauren DeFilippo, Sam Soko “Nothing is for free. How can you give us money without wanting anything in return?” the inhabitants of a village in Kenya ask. The American NGO GiveDirectly will pay every villager 22 US dollars per month for 12 years. The universal basic income is funded by the likes of Google. An experiment on people that aims to combat poverty but also raises moral questions.  Biographies Sam Soko is a Kenyan director, producer and editor. He screened the world premiere of his debut film SOFTIE at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. He is the co-founder of LBx Africa, a Kenyan production company that brings African perspectives to international audiences. Lauren DeFilippo works as a director and producer for Insignia, a New York-based production company. In 2021, she was named to DOC NYC and HBO's annual list of "40 Under 40" documentarians to keep an eye on.

IRON BUTTERFLIES, DE, UA 2023 – Director: Roman Liubyi Iron Butterflies, butterfly-shaped projectiles disintegrated and brought down the passenger plane MH17 over eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014. All 298 people on board were killed. While the mills of the law took years to convict the perpetrators, a rock-solid web of lies had been erected around the downing of the plane in Russia soon after. The film is a meticulous and artful approach to what remains when truth collides with grotesque falsification. With archival footage from international and Russian media, voices of eyewitnesses and perpetrators, the film examines how a world has been created in Russia in which violence can only be defended by lies and lies can only be maintained by violence.  Biography Roman Liubyi is a Ukrainian filmmaker and editor working in cinematography, theatre and music. His documentary debut WAR NOTE is a surreal cinematic journey to the frontline of the war between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, edited together from found footage of Ukrainian soldiers from 2014. Since 2013, Liubyi has been part of the film collective Babylon'13: Cinema of Civil Society.

EREN, DE 2023, Maria Binder Lawyer and activist Eren Keskin has advocated for the rights of women, minorities and LGBTIQ in Turkey for over 30 years – not allowing herself to be deterred by the constant risk of being jailed. The director has followed Keskin over many years. Her film draws a portrait of a fearless women and her battle against oppression and violence.  Biography Maria Binder is a German documentary filmmaker and human rights activist. She develops content for the educational and cultural sector. Her documentary work focuses on human rights, gender and (anti-)racism.

VAI CAVALO, BR, FR 2022, Harold Grenouilleau, Vincent Rimbaux The idyllic greenery of their surroundings is deceptive: Dirlinho and his cousin’s childhood is marked by deprivation and violence. They try to escape by working as jockeys. While the punters – mostly older men – bet on them, they gamble with their lives for a better future by riding doped horses. Always on the protagonists’ eye level, the film captures their balancing act between hope and hopelessness. Sara Gómez Schüller Writer: Harold Grenouilleau. Camera: Vincent Rimbaux. Sound: Harold Grenouilleau. Editing: Fabian Remy. Music: Vitor Cozilos. Production: Babel Doc. Producer: Stéphanie Lebrun. Length: 66 min. Biography Harold Grenouilleau has worked as editor-in-chief and later as artistic director for France Télévisions, Canal+ and Europa Corp. VAI CAVALO is his first film as writer/director. Vincent Rimbaux is chief cinematographer, editor and director. He is primarily active as a cinematographer.

MARGOT, PT 2022, Catarina Alves Costa A perspective on a perspective that seeks to document what has seemingly disappeared. On several occasions between 1958 and 1961, the anthropologist Margot Dias visited the Makonde in Mozambique to record their art and culture. The director rediscovers these recordings and travels to their place of origin. In Mozambique she shows the material to the descendants of the Makonde and symbolically returns it to them. Sara Gómez Schüller Biography Catarina Alves CostaThe assistant professor works at the NOVA University of Lisbon in the field of visual anthropology and film and has long been active as an international filmmaker and lecturer for various universities. She has received numerous awards for her films.

SCAB VENDOR, BR 2022, Mariana Thome, Lucas De Barros Jonathan Shaw’s life could have been written by Charles Bukowski. Between Brasil, New York and L.A., drug addiction and art, surrounded by stars and his famous clients and friends – Johnny Depp, Jim Jarmusch and Iggy Pop – the tattoo artist is constantly finding new ways to manifest himself: he is an illustrator, dropout and author – and at the same time remains an outlaw at heart.  Biography Mariana Thome grew up on the island of Florianopolis in southern Brazil and studied at the New York Film Academy. Today she lives and works in Los Angeles. As Creative Director of the artist collective MARACA from Venice Beach, she has produced several internationally successful short films.

PIANOFORTE, DE, PL 2023, Jakub Piątek Steinway or Kawai? The choice of grand piano is just one of many critical decisions that those taking part in the international Chopin competition must make. Every five years, the most promising upcoming pianists compete here. Talent alone is not enough. We closely follow six competitors who have to demonstrate their self-discipline and ability to handle stress on a daily basis. Which of them will end up winning the race? Anja Klauck Biography Jakub PiątekGraduated from Łódź Film School, teaching feature film directing there since 2021. Worked as a journalist and cultural manager before graduating.

FLOATING ISLANDS, DE, CH 2023, Simone Fürbringer, Nicolas Humbert “We are what we see and what we don’t see.” How did we get to where we are now? What is lurking in this cinematic dragnet of film fragments and somnambulistic snippets of the present day? “The images help us to accept reality like a spoon helps us to eat,” this extravagant stream of consciousness tells us. Curtain up: open ending guaranteed.   Biographies Simone FürbringerBorn in Basel in 1957, Simone Fürbringer is a filmmaker and editor who has worked as a cinematographer, journalist, photographer and acrobat and studied at the HFF Munich (graduating in 1994). Nicolas HumbertBorn in 1958, the director and producer was a co-founder of the filmmakers' cooperative "Der Andere Blick" and studied at the HFF Munich (graduated in 1987). The pair has worked together successfully since 1993.

The 21st century is marked by wars, the climate crisis and political extremes. If we understood what went wrong in the past, could we learn from our mistakes? The director poses this question to herself and to Hans Blix, the former UN weapons inspector and an important player in the political crises of recent decades. A fascinating look at 60 years of world history.  Biography Greta Stocklassa comes from a Czech-Swedish family. She has been studying documentary film at FAMU in Prague since 2013. Her films straddle the line between documentary, fiction and experiment and tell of the darker side of affluent Western society.