Global Arab Network | After over 10 years, European Film Festival returns to Damascus

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After over 10 years, European Film Festival returns to Damascus

Global Arab Network - - Hannan Taha

Wednesday, 06 May 2009 18:17

After over 10 years, Syrian film fans will once again enjoy European films during 12 days of showings in one of Damascus' oldest cinemas. In partnership with the Syrian National Film Organisation of the Ministry of Culture, the European Commission Delegation to Syria and 18 European embassies and cultural centres are re-launching the European Film Festival. 24 films, ranging from light romantic comedies to documentary films, will run every day (except Friday) from 9 to 21 May at 18 and 20:30 (Saturday additional showing at 15:30). Entrance is for free on a first come basis. All are welcome to attend!

All media is invited to the opening press conference, which will be held by the Director of the National Organisation of Film Festivals, Mr. Mohamad Al Ahmad, Head of European Commission Delegation, Vassilis Bontosoglou, Greek Ambassador Konstantina Zagorianou-Prifti, and Czech Ambassador Tomas Ulicny.
9 May at 19:30
Al Kindi Theatre, Damascus

Search for happiness is the theme of the first and last movies: In Empties (Czech Republic) a retired teacher solves the root of his unhappiness when he takes a simple job at the local supermarket and in Happy-Go-Lucky (United Kingdom), Poppy, the flamboyant elementary school teacher, urges us to laugh out loud, even during many of life's terribly unfunny moments.

The films bring us to different times and places: 1943 in war-torn Finland (Mother of Mine - Finland); Patagonia, 1978, during the almost war between Chile and Argentina (My best enemy – Spain); 1989 following Ceausescu's departure in Romania (The Paper will be Blue – Romania); Antwerp, Belgium on a hot and smoky June Friday (Any Way the Wind Blows – Netherlands); and even fictional lands such as Absurdistan (Germany).

The characters range from 13-year-old Fritz who takes on the authorities when his headmaster crosses the line when punishing him (We Shall Overcome - Denmark) to Mr. Sawick, respected citizen and bank clerk who becomes obsessed with a camel (The Big Animal – Poland). There are also four Italian teenagers preparing for their final high school exams (Night before the Exams-Italy) or the "character" of bread, presented in all its manifestations and cultural significance (Cypriot Bread – Cyprus).

Family relations are a prevalent topic. 40 year old astrophysics professor Fanis journeys back to his childhood home and beloved grandfather in A Touch of Spice (Greece). In Hungary's Fresh Air beautiful Viola's daughter Angela is ashamed of her mother. A young father meets his handicapped son for the first time in The Keys to the House (Italy). Lea has to choose between two worlds 12 years after her brother has disappeared and clues begin showing up (Bar - Cyprus). Mirush (Norway) leaves Kosovo to find his father in Norway, and discovers something he is not prepared to accept.

Social struggles and revolts feature in Spanish Machuca, in which a poor boy of tribal descent goes to an upper class private school, and French Human Resources, where an intern organises a strike when he hears of the company plan to lay off among many others his father. In the festival's single documentary, Working Man's death (Austria), we are shown five portraits of heavy manual labour – in the Ukraine, Nigeria, Pakistan, Indonesia and China.

Many of the films relate intercultural struggles. Halim wants to stop his father from forgetting his Arabic roots in One Eye Red (Sweden). In Kicks (Netherlands), public opinion is divided about what triggered a white policeman's shooting of Redouan, a supermarket employee and rapper of Moroccan origin. An unexpected friendship between British runaway Tomo and Polish immigrant Marek inspires wonderful adventures in Somers Town (United Kingdom). Finally, the challenges of intercultural love are evident in Beyond Gibraltar (Belgium) and Polleke (Netherlands).

Global Arab Network

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