La defensa del dragón (The Dragon Defense) (2018 Feature Film)
Three Columbian friends discover that even when you’re middle-aged, you are never too old or wise to fail in this feature-film debut with its own style. Everyday reality’s unpredictability ensures that they have to make choices well outside their comfort zone.
Deaf Child (Doof Kind) (2018 Feature Film)
SCENES OF SENSES_Alex de Ronde wanted to shoot an uplifting story about deafness, not a pathetic one. In this intimate debut larded with dry humor he portrays his 29-year old son Tobias. In De Ronde’s opinion, Tobias’s late mother’s remark best sums up the film: “Well, hearing’s never going to work, but being deaf can be fun too.”
El chata (The Sparring Partner) (2018 Feature Film) Nominee
When his criminal past continues to tug at his sleeve and it proves difficult to build something new, Samuel has to choose. Can the talented boxer use his strength and ambition to make a new start? Impressive acting in this debut film from Puerto Rico.
Caribbean Shorts (2018 Feature Film)
All shorts in competition for the Caribbean Shorts Award 2018 are screened in one session and vary in length from 5 to 20 minutes.
Café com Canela (2018 Feature Film)
Violeta lives in a Brazilian Bahia village full of striking characters. Everyone struggles with daily life, scarred by loss and mourning, yet all find comfort in the sense of community and spirituality. Only Margarida suffers in solitude and silence. A transforming film about transformation.
Bruk Out! A Dancehall Queen Documentary (2018 Feature Film)
MUSIC CALLS_This raw, energetic documentary follows six women, all of whom want to become the best Dancehall Queen in the world. It’s not just pop divas such as Beyoncé and Miley who imitate the provocative Jamaican dance style – anonymous women from Spain, America, Poland and Japan are also making this their emancipatory life goal.
Black Mother (2018 Feature Film) Nominee
Life’s key elements come together in the colorful Jamaica portrayed by Khalik Allah. In this polyphonic film symphony, every inhabitant views their island paradise differently, be they prostitutes, graybeards, rappers, Rastafarians or pregnant women.
Beast (2018 Feature Film)
Against the backdrop of a series of unsolved murders on the island of Jersey, a relationship blossoms between Moll and Pascal. For her respectable family, he is the ultimate bad choice – and that seals their love. When the police suspect him, her support for him starts to adopt extreme forms.
Balekempa (The Bangle Seller) (2018 Feature Film)
A village bangle seller and his wife cannot conceive a child. The villagers gossip. In this close-knit patriarchal community in South India, hidden desires and relationships find a way to exist. Will the husband’s secret ever come out? An intriguing narrative in an elegantly directed debut with exceptional camera work.
Anna’s War (2018 Feature Film)
The horrific true story of Jewish Anna, a girl who somehow survived World War II in Ukraine, is of great beauty. The six-year old hid in a building commandeered by the Nazis. Fear of discovery by the guard dog keeps her imprisoned. Ode to the ingenuity and resilience of a child.