European Film Festival - Syria 2011 Schedule

Director Michael Haneke

Year 2009 Subtitles Arabic, English

Country of Production Austria, Germany Length 144 min.

Language German Genre Drama

A small protestant village in Northern Germany at the advent of World War I: the pastor, the doctor and the baron rule over a society that is structured by conservative and hypocritical beliefs. The pastor has the children wear white ribbons as a reminder of their innocence and punishes them for trivial offenses. The doctor and the baron also play their role in exploiting and humiliating the villagers. When mysterious things happen, the teenagers of the village appear to be at the heart of something that seems like a ritual punishment.

With this film, Michael Haneke explores the origins of terrorism, be it of political or religious nature.

Awards

Cannes Film Festival (France) 2009: Palme d,Or

European Film Award 2009: Best European Film, Best Director and Best Screenwriter

Golden Globes (USA) 2010: Best Foreign Language Film

Oscars (USA) 2010: nominated for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Achievement in Cinematography

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Tuesday 19/7, 8:30 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Wednesday 20/7, 8:30 pm.)

The White Ribbon Austria

Director Marion Hänsel

Year 2006 Subtitles English

Country of Production Belgium, France Length 95 min.

Language French Genre Fiction, Drama

On one hand, there is the desert eating the land. On the other there is war. The village well has run dry. Trusting their instinct, most of the villagers leave and head South. Rahne, the only literate one, is heading East with his three children and Mouna, his wife. A few sheep, some goats and a dromedary, are their only riches. They are traveling through hostile lands, under a lethal sun. A tale of exodus, hope and fatality, but also of determination and eternity, as it takes us in the footsteps of Shasha, a nomad child full of the joys of life, whose tenacity and strength will conquer her father’s love.

Awards

Ecocinemas International Film Festival (Greece) 2008: Grand Prize

Female Eye Film Festival (Canada) 2008: Grand Prize

Emden Film Festival (Germany) 2006: Bernhard-Wicki-Award and DGB Award

San Sebastian Film Festival (Spain) 2006: nomination for the Golden Seashell

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Sunday 17/7, 8:30 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Monday 18/7, 8:30 pm.)

Sounds of Sand Belgium

Director Rumle Hammerich


Country of Production Denmark Length 107 min.

Language Danish Genre Thriller

A thriller set in the upper echelons of the business world. Martin Vinge, a former hardcore reporter, now a successful headhunter with a complicated personal life, lands a confidential assignment to locate a new heir to Denmark

,s biggest shipping and oil empire. As Martin starts searching for

potential candidates, he soon realizes that he is becoming entangled in a far-reaching, impenetrable power game for the corporation

,s future, a brutal ploy that brings excruciating pressure to bear on

Martin and the people he loves.

Awards

Robert Festival (Denmark) 2010: Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Wednesday 20/7, 6 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Thursday 21/7, 6 pm.)Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema in Dummar (Monday 25/7, 4 pm.)

Headhunter Denmark

Director Dome Karukoski


Country of Production Finland Length 103 min.

Language Finnish Genre Drama

Mary, a young woman from the countryside, who was brought up in an apostolic Lutheran family, decides to leave for the city in summer. She is followed by her friend Rachel, who has to take her back. Both girls experience adventures and temptations the city has to offer. Finally, Mary goes back and marries, while Rachel has to face a more difficult decision…

Awards

Festroia International Film Festival (Portugal) 2009: Gold Dolphin Director, Silver Dolphin Best Actress

Jussi Awards (Finland) 2010: Best Supporting Actress

Pune International Film Festival (India) 2010: Special Mention of the Jury

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Monday 18/7, 6 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Tuesday 19/7, 6 pm.)

Forbidden Fruit Finland

Director François Ozon

Year 2010 Subtitles Arabic

Country of Production France Length 103 min.

Language French Genre Comedy

In 1977, in the North of France, in Saint Gudule, Suzanne Pujol is the obedient wife of a rich entrepreneur, Robert Pujol. He manages his factory of umbrellas with an iron hand and turns out to be as unpleasant and despotic with his workmen as he is with his children and his wife, whom he considers as a figurehead.

After a strike and the holding of her husband by his employees, Suzanne ends up as the manager of the factory and proves to be, to everyone

,s surprise, a level-headed and capable woman.

But when Robert comes back on top form from his rest therapy, everything gets complicated...

Awards

Cinemania (Canada) 2010: Mel Hoppenheim-Prix du Public

Cesar Awards (France) 2011: nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a

Supporting Role, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Wednesday 20/7, 8:30 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Thursday 21/7, 8:30 pm.)

Potiche France

Director Dietrich Brüggemann

Year 2009 / 2010 Subtitles Arabic, English

Country of Production Germany Length 112 min.

Language German Genre Comedy

The story of three young people: Ben, who has to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair, who is happy, funny and intelligent, but at the same time also desperate: for a disabled person like him, love has become an impossibility, he believes. Christian, a social worker, who takes care of him, takes life easy. Annika is studying cello and is always stressed. When they meet, a complicated emotional triangle takes shape: both young men fall in love with Annika, while she feels equally attracted to both…

Awards

The film is very new and not shown at festivals yet

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Wednesday 20/7, 6 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Thursday 21/7, 6 pm.)Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema in Dummar (Monday 25/7, 2 pm.)

Run if You Can Germany

Director Tony Lykouressis


Country of Production Greece Length 129 min.

Language Greek Genre Drama

Corfu, at the turn of the 20th century. The dramatic fall of the aristocratic Ofiomachos family and the parallel rise of the new urban class in the Greek state unfolds through the intensity of the love affairs and passions that they provoke.

The love of two young people, the romantic intellectual Alkis Sozomenos and the beautiful young aristocrat Evlalia Ofiomachou, is sacrificed at the altar of a crass financial transaction.

In dire straits, the Ofiomachos clan sets aside both principles and feelings and gives their daughter as a bride to the wealthy physician and Member of Parliament Aristides Steriotis in order to save themselves. But nothing can avert the moral decline and financial ruin that will crush their family.

Awards

Cairo International Film Festival 2009: nominated for the Golden Pyramid Award

Thessaloniki Film Festival (Greece) 2009: second place for Best Film

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Friday 22/7, 8:30 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Friday 22/7, 8:30pm.)

Slaves in their Bonds Greece

Director Luca Minieri


Country of Production Italy Length 104 min.

Language Italian Genre Comedy

The plot is a remake of the French comedy Bienvenue chez les Ch,tis, only adapted to Italian culture

and its stereotypes. The plot and even the dialogues follow closely the French original. Alberto, who is working in a post office in Brianza, is seeking a promotion, as he wants to move to Milan. Also pushed by his wife, he is willing to do anything: so he pretends to be disabled in order to get preferential treatment. But his authorities do not allow themselves to be deceived. Instead of sending him to Milan, he has to go to the far South, which is home of the Camorra, the local mafia, and piles of rubbish. Surprisingly, Alberto finds himself to like his new environment and to get along with his new colleagues…

Awards

Salerno Film Festival (Italy) 2010: Golden Medal of the province of Salerno, Golden Ticket for coming

second in the overall ranking of the most popular films in Italy

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Tuesday 19/7, 6 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Wednesday 20/7, 6 pm.)

Welcome to the South Italy

Director Jean van de Velde


Country of Production The Netherlands Length 114 min.

Language Dutch Genre Drama

After the sudden death of his wife, Eduard Zuiderwijk has to take care of his ten-year old son Thomas alone. They live in East Africa, where Eduard owns a restaurant. Thomas is best friends with Abu, whose mother Mattilu is also working in the restaurant. One night, their village is raided by insurgents, who take Abu and other children with them. Thomas is inconsolable and asks his father to search for his best friend. Eduard sets out to find the boy. Searching for more information, he meets the social worker Valerie in a refugee camp, who puts him on track of a child soldier training camp, exploiting children like Abu. Eduard heads for the training camp, despite of Valerie

,s warnings…

In depicting the dark schemes of an insurgent leader, who makes use of child soldiers, the film shows also the powerlessness of the people. At the same time it explores critically the role of Western powers, who provide arms in exchange for diamonds and gold.

Awards

Golden and Platin Film (the Netherlands) 2008: Golden Film

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Monday 18/7, 8:30 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Tuesday 19/7, 8:30 pm.)

The Silent Army The Netherlands

Director Andrzej Wajda


Country of Production Poland Length 85 min.

Language Polish Genre Drama

Set in Poland after World War II, the film tells the story of the friendship between an elder woman and a young man. Marta (Krystyna Janda), who suffers a fatal illness without knowing it, and who is married to an always busy countryside doctor, searches for happiness in the arms of the much younger man. They go swimming in the river, it is summer, and the air is full of the smell of sweet rush, which is also the smell of death, reiterating the leitmotiv of the film.

Their innocent relationship is just about to develop, when the young man, Boguś, drowns, entangled in the roots of sweet rush, which he wanted to pick for Marta.

The film is dedicated to the cinematographer Eduard Klosiński, late husband of Krystyna Janda, who died during the filming. His wife wrote a very personal monologue, which now constitutes the framework story of the film, further exploring the experience of death and the emotions connected with it.

Awards

European Film Awards 2009: FIPRESCI Award

Berlinale (Germany) 2009: Alfred Bauer Award

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Sunday 17/7, 6 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Monday 18/7, 6 pm.)

Tatarak Poland

Director Daniel Monzón


Country of Production Spain Length 110 min.

Language Spanish Genre Drama

On his first day of work as a prison officer, Juan Oliver is knocked unconscious by accident and is left in cell number 211. While he is still lying there unconscious, a riot of high security tract inmates unfolds. Aware of the danger, all other prison staff flees from the building, leaving Juan behind. When he awakens, he immediately grasps the situation and comes to the conclusion: he will only survive if he pretends to be a prisoner himself. The situation becomes increasingly politically charged, when Basque prisoners are used as a means of bargain, leading to riots in prisons all over Spain and to demonstrations in the Basque country.

In the meantime Juan's pregnant wife learns about his situation and heads for the jail. There she is brutally beaten up by the police officer Utrilla. Juan sees her in a video and wants to call her, which is refused by the police. Furious about the lack of cooperation from the official side, the prisoners threaten to kill one of the Basque men, which is prevented by Juan. Subsequently Juan watches another video and learns what really happened to Elena. This unleashes Juan's own violence…

Awards

Goya Awards (Spain) 2010: Best Actor, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film, Best New Actor, Best

Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound, Best Supporting Actress

Cinema Writers Circle Awards (Spain) 2010: Best Actor, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Film

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Saturday 16/7, 8:30 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Sunday 17/7, 8:30 pm.)Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema in Dummar (Monday 30/5, 8 pm.)

Cell 211 Spain

Director Jan Troell


Country of Production Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany Length 131 min.

Language Swedish Genre Drama

Based on a true story, the film is relating the life of Maria Larsson, a working class woman living in the Sweden of 1900, who wins a camera in a lottery and decides to keep it. This decision alters her whole life: the camera enables Maria to see the world through new eyes, while it becomes a threat to her womanizer of a husband, as it brings the charming photographer Piff Paff Puff into her life.

Agneta Ulfsäter-Troell, wife of Jan Troell, started her research on Maria Larsson already in 1986, when she was interviewing Maja Larrson, the daughter of Maria. During this research old photographs were discovered, which were used as inspiration for the pictures seen in the film.

Awards

Golden Globes (USA) 2009: nominated for Best Foreign Language Film

Guldbagge Awards (Sweden) 2009: Best Achievement, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Film, Best

Supporting Actor

Valladolid International Film Festival (Spain) 2008: Best Actress, Best Director of Photography

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Thursday 21/7, 8:30 pm.)

Everlasting Moments Sweden

Director Duncan Jones


Country of Production United Kingdom Length 96 min.

Language English Genre Science Fiction

Sam Bell, an employee of the lunar industries, is assigned to work at the lunar base ,,Sarang

,, (

,,love

,,

in Korean) for three years. His only companion there is the robot GERTY. They have to oversee the automated harvest of helium-3, which will be sent to the earth, where it is used to generate clean fusion energy. Only occasionally he can communicate with his wife Tess, who was pregnant, when he left.

Two weeks before he is supposed to return, Sam starts hallucinating. After an accident, GERTY tries to keep him inside the base. When Sam finally manages to go out again, he discovers a body in the damaged harvester: it is himself. He brings the second Sam back to the station, where he slowly recovers. Both Sams feel uneasy about each other, both believing the other one to be a clone. In the end they realize that they are both clones and that Sam

,s DNA was used to create many clones,

which are in the lower base of the station, waiting to be awakened when the previous Sam dies.

Awards

British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTA) 2010: prize for outstanding debut by a

British writer, director or producer

British Independent Film Awards 2009: Best British Independent Film

Edinburgh International Film Festival (UK) 2009: Best New British Feature Film

Damascus: Al Kindi Cinema (Friday 22/7, 6 pm.) Aleppo: Goethe Institute, Sheibani School (Saturday 23/7, 8:30 pm.)

Moon United Kingdom

Closing Films Marathon

Damascus: Monday 25 July 2011, Al Kindi Cinema in Dummar

11 am. Guards of Silence Syria

2 pm. Run if You Can Germany

2 pm. Headhunter Denmark

6 pm. Once Again Syria

8 pm. Audience Award Winning Film

10 pm. Cell 211 Spain

European Film Festival - Syria 2011 Schedule

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