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Human Rights Watch Film Festival · 2014

Human Rights Watch Film Festival 2014

London Full Schedule

In addition to the feature titles, there will also be a screening of Abounaddara Collective Shorts from Syria plus Panel Discussion on 'Emergency Cinema'.

Programme

18 films · 9 reviews

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An Episode In The Life Of An Iron Picker (Epizoda U Zivotu Beraca Zeljeza)

Review preview for An Episode In The Life Of An Iron Picker

Drawing from real life events, Tanic's docudrama gains its power from the emotionally stirring scenario and all-round naturalistic performances, which feel infused with greater honesty given that a version of this nightmare has been played out in real lif

Owen Van Spall · 3 out of 5
Life becomes desperate for a scrap merchant when his pregnant wife needs medical help they can't afford.

(Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Slovenia, Italy; Year: 2013; Director: Danis Tanovic; Writer: Danis Tanovic; Stars: Nazif Mujic, Senada Alimanovic, Semsa Mujic)

Full review

The Beekeeper

The story of Ibrahim Gezer, a Kurdish beekeeper from south-east Turkey, and his unusual experience of integration into the seemingly conservative heart of today's Switzerland.

(Country: Switzerland; Year: 2013; Director: Mano Khalil)

Before Snowfall (Før snøen faller)

Review preview for Before Snowfall

Zaman is not looking to rush to judgement of his characters but to explore what makes them tick and give a feel for how traditions get passed down the generations.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
A youngster from Kurdistan tracks his sister across Europe after she flees before her wedding.

(Country: Norway, Germany, Iraq; Year: 2013; Director: Hisham Zaman; Writer: Kjell Ola Dahl, Hisham Zaman; Stars: Billey Demirtas, Eva Medusa Gühne, Suzan Ilir, Nazmi Kirik, Jin Musa, Bahar Ozen, Volga Sorgu, Abdullah Taher, Mohammed Tejir, Birol Ünel)

Full review

Big Men

For her latest industrial exposé, Rachel Boynton (Our Brand Is Crisis) gained unprecedented access to Africa's oil companies. The result is a gripping account of the costly personal tolls levied when American corporate interests pursue oil in places like Ghana and the Niger River Delta.

(Country: US; Year: 2013; Director: Rachel Boynton)

Born This Way

A visit to a support centre for LGBT people in Cameroon, and the judge who is fighting for their rights.

(Country: US; Year: 2013; Director: Shaun Kadlec, Deb Tullmann; Stars: Alice Nkom)

UK premiere

Dangerous Acts Starring The Unstable Elements Of Belarus

Review preview for Dangerous Acts Starring The Unstable Elements Of Belarus

Depicting the intellectual fire and fierce determination essential to revolution, Dangerous Acts pits the pen against the sword in an old story made fresh by the fact it's so immediate to those involved.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Behind the scenes with the Belarus Free Theatre, an acclaimed troupe of imaginative and subversive performers who, in a country choked by censorship and repression, defy Europe's last remaining dictatorship.

(Country: US, UK, Belarus; Year: 2013; Director: Madeleine Sackler; Writer: Madeleine Sackler; Stars: Pavel Gorodnitski, Nikolai Khalezin, Natalia Koliada, Tatyana Mikhailovna Kaliada, Andrei Andreevich Kaliada, Andrei Sannikov, Oleg Sidorchik, Vladimir Shcherban, Yana Rusakevich, Maryna Yurevich, Lavr Berzhanin, Vika Biran, Irina Bogdanova, Oskar Eustis, Sergei Kvachonok)

Full review

UK premiere

E-TEAM

E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field.

(Country: US; Year: 2014; Director: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman)

Evaporating Borders

The lives of asylum seekers and political refugees in Cyprus.

(Country: US, Cyprus; Year: 2014; Director: Iva Radivojevic; Writer: Iva Radivojevic)

First To Fall

Review preview for First To Fall

The filmmakers succeed in showing the piecemeal nature of the revolution in Libya and its impact on the landscape.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Documentary showing how Hamid and Tarek leave their lives as students in Canada and travel to Libya, their homeland, to join the fight to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi.

(Country: UK, US, Libya, Canada; Year: 2013; Director: Rachel Beth Anderson, Tim Grucza; Writer: Rachel Beth Anderson, Christina Burchard, Timothy Grucza)

Full review

For Those Who Can Tell No Tales

Review preview for For Those Who Can Tell No Tales

While there is no doubting the admirable intentions of Vercoe's idea, the end result feels far too focused on her response to what happened than on the more universal impact of the events themselves.

Amber Wilkinson · 2.5 out of 5
An Australian tourist finds a trip to Bosnia changes her life forever.

(Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina; Year: 2013; Director: Jasmila Žbanić; Writer: Zoran Solomun, Kym Vercoe, Jasmila Zbanic; Stars: Kym Vercoe, Branko Cvejic, Jasna Djuricic, Boris Isakovic, Damir Kustura, Leon Lucev, Simon McBurney, Sasa Orucevic, Pamela Rabe)

Full review

UK premiere

The Mulberry House (Bayt al toot)

Review preview for The Mulberry House

Ishaq's exploration of what the situation means for women in general is a strength and much more fleshed out than in similar documentaries.

Amber Wilkinson · 3 out of 5
After 10 years in Scotland, Sara Ishaq travels back to her childhood home of Yemen and takes her camera along.

(Country: Egypt, Syria, UK, Yemen, United Arab Emirates; Year: 2013; Director: Sara Ishaq; Writer: Sara Ishaq)

Full review

UK premiere

My Child

What happens when your child comes out to you? My Child answers this question as it introduces a courageous and inspiring group of mothers and fathers in Turkey, who are parents of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender children.

(Country: Turkey; Year: 2013; Director: Can Candan)

Nelson Mandela: The Myth And Me (Nelson Mandela: The Myth & Me)

Personal odyssey sees the director question the meaning of freedom, reconciliation and forgiveness—and challenges Mandela's legacy in today's world of conflict and inequality.

(Country: South Africa, Germany; Year: 2013; Director: Khalo Matabane; Writer: Khalo Matabane)

UK premiere

Return To Homs

Review preview for Return To Homs

The film has been impressively edited by Anne Fabini, so that despite the inevitable rough and ready nature of some of the footage captured under fire, the end result feels taut and cohesive.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Documentary about rebel fighters in the besieged Syrian city.

(Country: Syria, Germany; Year: 2013; Director: Talal Derki; Writer: Talal Derki)

Full review

UK premiere

Scheherazade's Diary

Documentary follows women inmates through a 10-month drama therapy/theatre project set up in 2012 by director Zeina Daccache at the Baabda Prison in Lebanon.

(Country: Lebanon; Year: 2013; Director: Zeina Daccache; Writer: Zeina Daccache)

UK premiere

Sepideh - Reaching For The Stars

Sepideh wants to become an astronaut. As a young Iranian woman, she knows it’s dangerous to challenge traditions and expectations. Still, Sepideh holds on to her dream. She knows a tough battle is ahead, a battle that only seems possible to win once she seeks help from an unexpected someone.

(Country: Denmark; Year: 2013; Director: Berit Madsen; Stars: Anousheh Ansari, Hadi Hooshyar, Mohammad Hooshyar, Sedigheh Hooshyar, Sepideh Hooshyar, Asghar Kabiri, Javad Nasseri)

The Square (Al Midan)

Review preview for The Square

As a reflection of the mood and struggles of those seeking democratic change it is immersive and visceral even if its up close and personal approach means that the political sphere is rendered in broad brushstroke terms.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Examination of the revolution in Egypt, from the perspective of a group of activists.

(Country: Egypt, US; Year: 2013; Director: Jehane Noujaim)

Full review

UK premiere

Watchers Of The Sky

Review preview for Watchers Of The Sky

There is quite a lot of onscreen reading to be done as well as watching but the passages of Lemkin that Belzberg chooses are always well-illustrated either by the animation or archival footage.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
An exploration of genocide and attempts to criminalise it internationally.

(Country: US, Netherlands, France, Chad, Rwanda; Year: 2013; Director: Edet Belzberg)

Full review See: First Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in conversation

European premiere