PIPFF

The section is packed with films that inspire you to never give up despite the hardships you face. Where Is Anne Frank? — an animation feature by Ari Folman of the Waltz with Bashir fame — , A Radiant Girl — which portrays how a bubbly young girl’s life is destroyed under the Nazi regime — , and Back in Berlin – which follows two friends’ journey into the old capital of Nazi Germany — all look at the present through the lens of the past. Then there are movies that shed light on the shadows of society today through the eyes of vulnerable children and young adults. Balaban is a teen queer romance set it Kazakhstan; La Traviata, My Brothers and I depicts an encounter between an Opera-loving boy and his singing teacher; Bantú Mama is a stylish film noir about the fate of a Bantú woman; The Wonder of a Summer Day revolves around a girl trying to come to terms with her parents’ divorce; Scarborough unfolds in a low-income neighborhood school; and finally, The Apple Day is reminiscent of the early works of Abbas Kiarostami. Other films make a point of delivering the narratives of women, whose voices have long been dismissed or neglected. Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power draws attention to the history of sexualized images of women in the film industry; La Civil depicts a mother’s lonely fight against a corrupt authority, and With This Breathe I Fly presents Afghan women fighting against supposed “moral crimes” to regain freedom. Audiences will appreciate the colorful lineup of short films too. Goodbye Jérôme! is filled with surreal, fantasy-like images; Freedom Swimmer accounts the escape of an old man from China toward Hong Kong, and Flowing Home tells the story of two sisters separated during the Vietnam War. These uniquely stylized animations are sure to delight your eyes.