Eastern Neighbours Filmfestival
Eastern Neighbours Filmfestival
6- 9 November 2008
LouisHartlooper Complex aan de Tolsteegbrug 1 te Utrecht.
Het LouisHartlooper Complex breng brengt 4 dagen lang Oost- en Zuidoost Europese film en cultuur met muziek, debat, workshops en een expositie.
Vanaf 18:00 uur is er gelegenheid om onder het genot van drankjes en Oost-Europese hapjes de fotoexpositie van Amir Grabus en enkele filmtrailers te bekijken en een verassing speciaal gemaakt voor Eastern Neighbours Film Festival in Das Kabinett van LHC. Tevens vindt dan de officiële opening van het festival plaats met aansluitend de openingsfilm Das Fräulein, in aanwezigheid van hoofdrolspeelster Mirjana Karanovic.
Das Fräulein
In haar speelfilmdebuut focust de Zwitserse Staka op drie vrouwelijke immigranten uit het voormalige Joegoslavië, die ieder op eigen wijze een nieuw leven proberen op te bouwen in Zürich. De strenge cafébaas Ruza dompelt zich onder in haar werk, terwijl de oudere serveerster Mila in stilte droomt van een terugkeer naar Kroatië. De komst van de jonge, vrijgevochten Ana zorgt voor opschudding in hun geroutineerde levens. Het tempo ligt niet hoog, maar de complicaties van het immigrantenbestaan zijn subtiel en smaakvol vastgelegd. Winnaar van de hoofdprijs op het filmfestival van Locarno.
What do we know about our neighbours, those who are knocking at the door of the European Union? How much do we know about ordinary people in Romania or Albania? Does our knowledge exceed common prejudices and notions? That's why we present the Dutch audience with films from Eastern European countries, those which already are or soon will be part of the EU family. Another reason for showing Eastern European films, music and culture to the Netherlands is to broaden the knowledge and views regarding different religious groups and their culture. Balkan countries such as Bosnia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Albania and Kosovo have a quite large European Muslim population. This Islamic presence is noticeable even in countries with a Christian majority, such as Serbia and Macedonia. Do we understand our Muslim neighbours? Do we fear them? Why? Films and music are impregnated with notions from the local culture, history and spirit. Why not watch and enjoy them to gain a better understanding of each other?
We bring you the most recent feature fiction productions, from 14 countries, from Russia, White Russia and Moldavia, to Albania and Turkey.
DUTCH PREMIERES
Half of our program contains Dutch premieres, winning films from various international festivals. You can see new feature fiction films, provocative yet artistic and personal documentaries, intriguing and visually superb shorts.
FORBIDDEN FILMS
Lazar Stojanovic was sentenced with 3 years of prison only for making PLASTIC JESUS, an intriguing and provocative feature film which was forbidden in former Yugoslavia for 20 years.
SPECIAL FOCUS- MACEDONIAN CINEMA
The country is progressing and changing fast yet deeply cherishes its ancient culture and traditions. Macedonian cinema reflects these stories in its new, vibrant and intriguing productions. Four feature films and two shorts of the upcoming and dynamic cinema of directors whose talents are showing the promise of a bright future.
THE BIGGEST HIT
Come and see the Russian film MOSCOW DOESN'T BELIEVE IN TEARS, a huge block buster of the 1980-ties from Eastern Europe.
SPECIAL GUESTS – Meet our special guest, a charismatic actress from Serbia, one of the brightest film stars of former YU cinema, Mirjana Karanovic. She will be present at the opening with the film DAS FRAULEIN
