Durban International Film Festival 2005

DURBAN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (15-26 June)
FEATURE FILMS: (subject to change)

3-IRON (BIN-JIP)
d. Kim Ki-duk, South Korea 2004
Kim’s follow-up to Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… Spring is a stunning masterpiece which won him the Best Director prize at Venice. A man breaks into homes, not to steal, but to merely stay for a while, usually repairing broken things before he leaves. He sneaks into a house where he encounters a beautiful model who is being abused by her husband. Together they try to find the comforts of home.
Korean with English subtitles, 35mm, 95min

5 x 2 (FIVE TIMES TWO/CINQ FOIS DEUX)
d. François Ozon, France 2004 PF
Ozon (8 Women, Swimming Pool) returns with a look at five moments in a relationship. Told in reverse the film starts at the bitter end with the divorce and culminates with the sweet excitement of new-found love. Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi and Stephane Freiss are superb as the lovers.
French with English subtitles, 35mm, 90min

9 SONGS
d. Michael Winterbottom, UK 2004 PF
Michael Winterbottom's (24 Hour Party People, In This World) extremely explicit and intimate film is a frank and beautiful portrait of a highly charged erotic relationship, from its beginnings to its end, and also features live footage from bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Primal Scream and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. 9 Songs has been the subject of some controversy for its depiction of actual sex. Not for sensitive viewers.
English, 35mm, 69min

34 SOUTH
d. Maganthrie Pillay, South Africa 2004 PF
The first feature film directed by a black South African woman, 34 South is a gentle, humorous film about a road trip that leaves all of its characters changed in ways they could not have been imagined at the trip’s outset. Ballroom dancing, sex, drugs, race and identity are the issues and activities that consume the young characters as they embark on their journey.
The director and producer will attend the festival
English, DVD, 106 min

2046
d. Wong Kar–Wai, Hong Kong 2004
Wong Kar-wai’s long-awaited 2046 is an extension, rather than a sequel to In The Mood For Love. The writer, Chow Mo-wan is writing a novel set in the future, the year 2046 to be precise, and while he does so he seduces the women who occupy the hotel room 2046 next to his. As beautiful and poetic as anything this master has made before.
Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 129min

AE FOND KISS
d. Ken Loach, Great Britain/Italy/Germany/Spain 2003
Few would expect Loach to make a film involving a cross-cultural romance but he brings to it his inimitable honesty and political sensibility. Casim is a Muslim DJ whose parents have great hopes for him to marry his Pakistani cousin. Roisin is a Catholic schoolteacher at his sister’s school. The two fall into a passionate affair, much to the consternation of Casim’s family, and Roisin’s superiors at the school.
English, 35mm, 103min

AKAME 48 WATERFALLS (AKAME SHIJYUYATAKI SHINJYUMISUI)
d. Genjirou Arato, Japan 2003 PF
Ikushima, a failed writer, takes up a menial job skewering meat for a restaurant. Living in a decrepit building filled with unsavoury types, he goes about his tedious work. One night Aya, the mistress of a notorious tattoo artist, sneaks into his apartment and the two start a passionate affair. When Ikushima learns that Aya has been sold to the yakuza by her debt-laden brother, he decides to follow her wherever she goes and they set off to the 48 waterfalls of Akame.
Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 159min

ALEXANDRIE… NEW YORK
d. Youssef Chahine, France/Egypt 2004 PF
The great Egyptian director, Youssef Chahine, reconsiders his past in this autobiographical film. A film director, Yehia, encountered his first love Ginger as he was being celebrated in New York and the American Dream proved most alluring. Yehia, the boy from Alexandria and Ginger the American gal, pledged to love each other for ever. 40 years on they are back together but the world has changed and the American Dream is no longer what it used to be. A boisterous epic in which heroes love, sing, dance, laugh and cry.
Arabic, 35mm, 128min

AMU
d. Shonali Bose, Delhi 2004
Amu is the story of Kaju, a twenty-one-year-old Indian American woman who returns to India to visit her family and discover the place where she was born. The film takes a dark turn as Kaju stumbles upon secrets and lies from her past. A horrifying genocide that took place 20 years ago turns out to hold the key to her mysterious origins. This remarkable debut marks the arrival of a daring new voice in Indian cinema.
The actor will attend the festival
English, Bengali, Hindi, Punjabi with English subtitles, 35mm, 102min

ANATOMY OF HELL (ANATOMIE DE L’ENFER)
d. Catherine Breillat, France 2004 PF
Catherine Breillat (Romance) has made what is arguably her most controversial film yet in Anatomy of Hell. A woman enters a gay club and slits her wrists. A man saves her but has little interest in her beyond that. She offers to pay him to look at her. For four nights, in an isolated house, they share an intimacy so brutal that they can barely stand it. Breillat has said that this is the furthest that she could go; only the bravest can follow her there.
French with English subtitles, 35mm, 87min

BAB EL WEB
d. Merzak Allouache, France/Algeria 2005 PF
In this charming comedy, Kamel and his brother Bouzid live in a working class neighbourhood of Algiers. Kamel is a disillusioned, brooding loner while Bouzid is an internet fanatic, who “chats” with girls from all over the world, inviting them to Algiers. One day Laurence, one of his French correspondents, accepts his invitation saying she will arrive in Algiers in a week. Desperate to receive Laurence in style, Bouzid finds an unwilling accomplice in Kamel.
French and Arabic with English subtitles, 35mm, 99min

THE BALLAD OF JACK AND ROSE
d. Rebbeca Miller, USA 2004
Daniel Day-Lewis is extraordinary in this engaging drama. In his first role since Gangs Of New York, he plays a terminally ill single father who lives with his teenage daughter on a secluded island. A former commune member, Jack is disillusioned with the changes that have come in the name of progress, remains true to his ideals, and secluded from society. When he invites his girlfriend (Catherine Keener) and her sons to live with them, Rose discovers her sexuality, leading to major conflicts.
English, 35mm, 111min

BATMAN BEGINS
d. Christopher Nolan, USA 2005 PF
The acclaimed director of Memento and Insomnia turns his attention to the origins of the Batman legend and the Dark Knight’s emergence as a force for good in Gotham. In the wake of his parents' murder, disillusioned industrial heir Bruce Wayne travels the world seeking the means to fight injustice and turn fear against those who prey on the fearful. Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman and Ken Watanabe.
English, 35mm, 140 min

THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
d. Hans Petter Moland, USA 2003 PF
The Beautiful Country follows the story of Binh, a shy Vietnamese man in his 20s who embarks on a personal journey with a young beautiful woman, Ling, aboard a refugee ship to America in search of a better life and Binh's estranged American father. Starring Damien Nguyen, Bai Ling, Nick Nolte and Tim Roth.
Norwegian with English subtitles, 35mm, 125min

BLOOD AND BONES
d. Sai Yoichi, Japan 2004
DIFF favourite Takeshi Kitano plays Kim Shun-pei, who in 1923 moves from Japan to Korea hoping to make a fortune. Instead he finds a life of discrimination and hard labour, in which he must be ruthless to survive. An unflinching portrait of a man deeply bound to his ego and obsessions and the web of turmoil his wife, mistress and children are drawn into as a result of his brutal, violent nature.
Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 144min

BOY CALLED TWIST
d. Tim Greene, South Africa 2004
Dickens’ classic novel is transplanted to the streets of Cape Town in this unique adaptation. Twist was abandoned at an orphanage but when he runs into trouble there, he escapes to the streets of Cape Town, where he is caught up in Fagin’s gang. The film follows the boy as he searches for some kind of family as he battles to survive the cold and cruel streets.
The director will attend the festival
English and Afrikaans with English subtitles, 35mm, 115 min

BULLET BOY
d. Saul Dibb, UK 2004
An uncompromising, intelligent deconstruction of British youth gun crime, Bullet Boy tells the story of two brothers growing up in one of East London’s most volatile neighbourhoods, where a minor street clash escalates into a cycle of violence that has tragic repercussions for one family in particular and for the community as a whole.
English, 35mm, 89min

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
d. Mark Bamford, USA/South Africa 2004 PF
This optimistic film beautifully interweaves a number of storylines and characters, all revolving around a Cape Town animal rescue shelter. The owner of the shelter is indesperate need of love, but seems to turn it down in favour of a meaningless relationship with a married brute. Her kindness is not reserved for animals; she also helps those around her like the refugee Jean Claude (Eriq Ebouaney of Lumumba fame) and her employee Sharifa.
The director, producer and cast members will attend the festival
English, 35mm, 107min

CHASED BY DREAMS (SWAPNER DIN)
d. Buddhadeb Dasgupta, India 2004 PF
The Bengali master (Uttara, A Tale Of A Naughty Girl, DIFF 2003) returns with a characteristically poetic masterpiece. Paresh travels across rural India projecting educational films, and dreaming of finding true love with an actress on the screen. His driver, Chapal, dreams of job prospects in Dubai. They offer a ride to the pregnant illegal immigrant Amina, who wants nothing more than to return to Bangladesh to deliver her child. When Paresh’s projector is stolen, their road trip becomes surreal.
The director will attend the festival
Bengali with English subtitles, 35mm, 89min

A CHILD’S LOVE STORY (UN AMOUR D'ENFANT)
d. Ben Diogaye Beye, Senegal 2004
This charming film, with excellent performances by the young actors, sets the first emotions of romantic love against the backdrop of broad social problems. Omar, Yacine, Layti, Ngone and Demba are around 10 years old and are the best of friends.They spend their time playing games, sharing secrets, and thinking that they are in love.This transition from innocent childhood is contrasted with the many problems their parents face in an under-developed country.
Wolof with English subtitles, 35mm, 94 min

COFFEE AND CIGARETTES
d. Jim Jarmusch, USA 2003 PF
Jim Jarmusch’s new film has ten sequences, each involving several characters just sitting around, drinking coffee, smoking cigarettes and discussing subjects as diverse as caffeine popsicles to the use of nicotine as an insecticide. Featuring a stellar cast including Roberto Benigni, Steve Buscemi, Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Cate Blanchett, The White Stripes, Steve Coogan and Bill Murray.
English, 35mm, 96min

CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE (CONSEGUENCE DELL’AMORE)
d. Paolo Sorrentino, Italy 2004
Everyone harbours a dark secret. But it’s obvious that Titta Di Girolamo has more than one. Why else would a fifty-year-old man from southern Italy choose to live for eight years in an anonymous hotel room in an anonymous town in Switzerland? A mafia film quite unlike any other, Consequences Of Love won several awards at Italy’s equivalent of the Oscars.
Italian with English subtitles , 35mm, 100min

CRASH TEST DUMMIES
d. Jorg Kalt, Austria 2005
This quirky, fast-paced comedy is about a young Romanian couple, Ana and Nicolae who, eager to make some fast money by delivering a hot car, take a bus from Bucharest to Vienna. When they arrive they find that the car is not ready. Ana wants to return, Nicolae wants to stay. Penniless, they are stuck, and soon fight, split up and encounter various locals. When they meet again their relationship is bathed in a new light.
German, Rumanian and English with English subtitles, 35mm, 93 min

DALLAS AMONG US (DALLAS PASHAMENDE)
d. Robert Adrian Pejo, Hungary/Germany/Austria 2005 CF
This beautifully-shot, humorous and startling film has Radu, a native Gypsy, return to the tin-shack community of his childhood which is situated on a massive garbage dump. The residents of this shanty town call it Dallas, after the 80s television series, and they even have their own equivalent of the villain JR, an exploitative trader in garbage. Despite his aversion to this outcast society, Radu soon finds himself feeling increasingly responsible for the forlorn people around him.
Hungarian with English subtitles, 35mm, 93 min

DAYBREAK (OM JAG VÄNDER MIG OM)
d. Björn Runge, Sweden 2003
An emotionally devastating film about three sets of people all beset with dishonesty, deception and paranoia. Agnes and Rickard invite their best friends to dinner. Anders, a bricklayer whose family life is in shreds, takes an illegal and bizarre job from an old couple. Anita hasn’t seen her ex-husband in the three years since he remarried and finds the ideal opportunity to confront him. For all of these people this will be the longest and most important night in their lives.
Swedish with English subtitles, 35mm, 108 min

DAYS OF SANTIAGO (DIAS DE SANTIAGO)
d. José Méndez, Peru 2004 CF
Santiago, a young soldier, returns to Lima emotionally battered after years of fighting in the jungle, only to finds his hometown an unwelcoming place. His fellow veterans have taken to robbing banks, he is unemployable and the bank refuses him credit. When his brother’s girlfriend seduces him, begging him to kill his brother, an unstable Santiago is thrown once again into a life of violence. The winner of several international awards.
Spanish with English subtitles, 35mm, 83min

DOLLARS AND WHITE PIPES
d. Donovan Marsh, South Africa 2005
Dollars And White Pipes is a hip, high-octane debut feature based on the true life story of Bernard Baaitjies who grew up in the gangland culture of the ghettoes of Cape Town. This rags to riches story follows Bernard’s journey from the drug and gang culture to emotional and moral independence as he overcomes issues of race, education, addiction and racketeering. Clint Brink is superb as Baaitjies.
The director will attend the festival
English and Afrikaans with English subtitles, Video, 90 min

DOT THE I
d. Matthew Parkhill, UK/Spain/USA 2003 PF
Gael Garcia Bernal stars in this timely thriller that begins as a romantic love story. Days before a beautiful woman is to marry a wealthy Englishman, she meets and kisses a man at her bachelorette party. There is an electric connection between the two but she decides to go ahead with the marriage. But days into her marriage a complex web of deceit emerges and a murder is not far to follow.
English, 35mm, 92min

DRUM
d. Zola Maseko, South Africa 2004
Winner of the Golden Stallion award at FESPACO, Drum tells the story of Henry Nxumalo (Taye Diggs), a leading investigative reporter who exposes the apartheid regime's darkest secrets in the pages of Drum, the first magazine aimed at a black readership. For the government, the racial and cultural melting pot of Sophiatown became a real threat and could not be allowed to stand. Drum beautifully captures the magic, the music and the pain of this remarkable era.
The director will attend the festival
English, 35mm, 96 min

EASHWAR MIME CO.
d. Shyamanand Jalan, India 2004
A struggling writer is invited by an enigmatic showman, Eashwar, to join his mime company as a scenario writer. The writer’s educated and refined sensibilities are repelled and fascinated by the primal world that appears before him. Eashwar’s sexual, verbal and physical abuse of the mime artists results in an act of rebellion that makes for a transcendent climax.
Hindi with English subtitles, 35mm, 105 min

THE EDUKATORS
d. Hans Weingartner, Germany/Austria 2004
Three young leftists, dismayed by the insatiable greed of modern society, go about the struggle rather uniquely: they break into the houses of the obscenely wealthy, rearrange the furniture in a bizarre manner and leave messages saying that the “days of plenty are numbered”. When a love triangle develops and a simple break-in turns into a kidnapping, the three are confronted with far more than they imagined. With an excellent performance by Daniel Bruhl (Goodbye Lenin).
German with English subtitles, 35mm, 126 min

EULOGY
d. Michael Clancy, USA 2004 PF
In this dark ensemble comedy, members of a dysfunctional family thrash out their differences at the funeral of the clan's patriarch. They all return to their rural homestead for the funeral of a man that nobody really liked and who has arranged for a final surprise to be inflicted on his family. Bitterly funny, the film features Hank Azaria, Kelly Preston, Famke Janssen and Debra Winger.
English, 35mm, 85 min

EVERY 26 SECONDS
d. Hilary Blecher, Sarah Blecher and Berry Berk, South Africa 2004
In South Africa a woman is raped every 26 seconds. The Zero Tolerance unit is called to duty by member of the team, Hannalie de Kock, a crack IT specialist. When her girlfriend is raped, the task for Hannalie becomes not only work but also personal. Her professionalism is put to the test as she struggles with her desire for revenge and her duty to uphold the law.
The director will attend the festival English, Video, 72 min

EVIL
d. Mikael Hafstrom, Sweden/Denmark 2003
Cruelly abused by his stepfather, 16-year-old Erik has himself resorted to violence as a way to solve all problems. Expelled from public school, his last chance at a decent education is at a prestigious private school. But at the school, Erik finds that another kind of terror reigns. The senior students humiliate and abuse the younger students. Erik is faced witha dilemma: confront the bullies and face expulsion or ignore them and suffer humiliation. This huge Swedish box-office hit is a fascinating exploration of violence.
Swedish with English subtitles, 35mm, 114 min

FAITHS CORNER
d. Darrell James Roodt, South Africa 2005
The Oscar-nominated team of Roodt and Leleti Khumalo reunite in this stylistically daring and imaginative film. Faith and her two young sons Siyabonga and Lucky live on the streets of Johannesburg. Faith works a busy street junction begging from passing motorists and with the little money she makes, tries to support her children though they often go to sleep hungry and scared. Faith must not only combat the apathy of the wealthy elite that pass her everyday but also the distrust and anger of the locals. World premiere.
The director, producer and cast members will attend the festival
No dialogue, 35mm, 90 min

FALLEN
d. Fred Kelemen, Germany/Lativa 2005
Matiss notices a woman teetering on the edge of a bridge. He passes by without intervening and hears the inevitable splash. In the days to come, he cannot forget her,and roams the streets looking for traces of her existence. In doing so he is forced to confront his own loneliness and finds that his belated intervention may wreak more havoc then he could imagine. Shot in stunning black and white.
Russian with English subtitles, 35mm, 90min

THE FLYER
d. Revel Fox, South Africa 2005
Revel Fox’s film is the uplifting coming-of-age tale about a young criminal, Kier, who is taken off the mean streets of Cape Town by an old trapeze great who gives him an opportunity at a better life. The boy, a useful thief because of his agility, puts his skills to great use on the flybar. But when his brother is released from prison, Kier is forced tochoose between his new life and his old.
The producers will attend the festival
English, 35mm, 90 min

THE GOLDEN BLAZE
d. Bryan E Carson, USA 2004
This wonderful animation is the story of two African American boys, Jason and Leon, whose schoolyard rivalry spirals out of control when, in a freak accident, their fathers develop superpowers and become puppets in their sons’ war. Filled with plenty of lively action and loads of laughs, The Golden Blaze, will delight and thrill children and adults alike.
English, DVD, 87 min

GRIMM
d. Alex Van Warmerdam, Netherlands 2003 PF
A raunchy contemporary take on The Brothers Grimm. One winter's day Jacob and his sister Marie are left behind in the woods by their unemployed father. Jacob finds a note from his mother urging them to go to their uncle in Spain. But their uncle has died and Marie meets Diego, a rich surgeon, falls in love with him and marries him. Jacob keeps jealously trying to tear his sister away from Diego. His efforts are in vain and as Jacob starts to provoke Diego, it soon becomes clear that Jacob's defiance won't go unpunished...
Dutch and Spanish with English subtitles, 35mm, 102min

THE HAMBURG CELL
d. Antonia Bird, UK 2004 PF
Bird (Priest), has created a daring psychological drama that explores the lives and minds of the leading figures in the September 11 plot. Based on extensive original research, the film sensitively explores the social, religious and ideological forces that shaped the group in their journey from students in Germany to the perpetrators of the most notorious attack in recent history.
English, Video, 100 min

HARI OM
d. Bharatbala, India 2004
A charming cross-cultural romance that meanders through gorgeous Rajasthan. Hari Om gives space to the talents of Vijay Raaz (Monsoon Wedding) who plays the eponymous hero, a rickshaw driver on the run from some dangerous hoods. He drives a beautiful young French woman, Isa, as she tries to reunite with her French boyfriend who is travelling on the luxurious Palace On Wheels. But Hari and Isa are soon looking at each other with more than just bemusement. With music by Nitin Sawhney.
English, French and Hindi with English subtitles, 35mm, 106 min

THE HERO (O HERÓ)
d. Zeze Gamboa, Angola/Portugal/France 2004
Winner of the Best Film in the World Cinema Competition at Sundance 2005, Gamboa’s astonishing debut visits an Angola desperately trying to rebuild itself after a long civil war. A war hero, Vitorio, returns from the war having lost a limb. In Luanda, there are children searching for their parents, parents for their lost children. Gamboa skilfully weaves these many stories into a powerful, moving and inspiring film. Unmissable.

THE HIDDEN BLADE (KAKUSHI KEN-ONI NO TSUME)
d. Yoji Yamada, Japan 2004
From the Oscar-nominated director of Twilight Samurai, comes this fascinating samurai epic, his 78th film. Swordplay and romance intermingle as Munezo, a warrior finds himself entangled in a dispute that leads him to assassinate his former friend. At the same time, he falls in love with Kie, a farm girl, with a gentle and deep affection that transcends the barriers of social class.
Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 132min

A HOLE IN MY HEART (ETT HAL I MITT HJARTA )
d. Lukas Moodysson, Sweden 2004
Moodysson, whose Together and Lilya 4-Ever appeared at DIFF in recent years, has made a film that leaves you battered and bruised but has love at its core. A man lives with his son in a small apartment. While the emotionally distant boy plays with his earthworms and films a video diary, his father, a friend and a young woman make porn films in the living room. Daring and disturbing, this is definitely not for the sensitive.
Swedish with English subtitles, 35mm, 98min

THE HOLY GIRL (LA NIÑA SANTA)
d. Lucrecia Martel, Argentina/Spain/Italy 2004
Widely recognised as one of the brightest talents in world cinema, Martel’s intense drama about sexual awakening and religious guilt is quite magnificent. Amalia is 16 and alongside discussions about faith and religious devotion, she discusses kissing with her friends. When a visiting doctor presses himself against her, Amalia decides that it is up to her to save his soul but is also strangely drawn to him. Her obsession will set of a chain reaction of social catastrophe.
Spanish with English subtitles, 35mm, 106min

HOMECOMING
d. Norman Maake, South Africa 2005 PF
On the eve of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the distinction between the perpetrators and victims of apartheid’s atrocities is blurring as astonishing evidence comes into light. Homecoming showcases realities of post-apartheid South Africa through the lives of three boyhood friends who are returned ANC exiles. The film is a story of betrayal and the price of freedom.
English, Sotho and Zulu with English subtitles, Video, 144 min

HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE (HAURU NO UGOKU SHIRO)
d. Hayao Miyazaki, Japan 2004
Anime legend Hayao Miyazaki’s follow-up to his masterful Oscar-winner, Spirited Away (Best Film – DIFF 2003) is just as fantastical and moving. Sophie is 18, and works tirelessly every day making hats. One day she encounters the wizard Howl as well as the Witch of the Waste, who casts a spell on Sophie, transforming her into a withered ninety-year-old woman. Sophie takes refuge in Howl’s moving castle (a truly wondrous Miyazaki creation), but will she ever regain the key to her youth?
Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 119min

I _ HUCKABEES
d. David O. Russell, USA 2004
The fourth film from David O. Russell (Three Kings, Flirting With Disaster, Spanking The Monkey) is an intelligent absurdist comedy with an unbelievable cast. Eco-activist Albert (Jason Schwartzman), convinced that a series of coincidences hold the answer to life’s mysteries, hires two existential detectives (Dustin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin) to help him examine his life. They look into his relationships, and his battle with a ruthless executive (Jude Law), but at the same time are involved in a battle of their own with a sexy French philosopher (Isabelle Huppert). Also starring Mark Wahlberg and Naomi Watts.
English, 35mm, 106min

IMAGINARY HEROES
d. Dan Harris, USA 2004 PF
Superbly acted by Sigourney Weaver, Emile Hirsch and Jeff Daniels, Imaginary Heroes is the story of the Travises – a seemingly perfect family that falls apart when they are struck by tragedy. The mother takes to smoking pot, the father becomes even more emotionally distant and the son, Tim, is the most affected of all. They struggle to keep it together, and there are more unpleasant surprises in store. A knowing and sensitive film by first time director, 24-year-old Harris.
English, 35mm, 117min

IN MY COUNTRY
d. John Boorman, South Africa 2004/UK PF
Set against the backdrop of South Africa’s TRC hearings, Boorman’s eagerly-anticipated film has an American journalist, Langston Whitfield (Samuel L. Jackson) meet Anna Malan (Juliette Binoche) an Afrikaans poet also covering the hearings. His horror at the revelations at the commission leads to some animosity between the two, but as he becomes increasingly drawn by her passion for the country of her birth, he softens his stance and, against his will, falls in love with the white African. Based on Antjie Krog’s Country Of My Skull.
English and Afrikaans with English subtitles, 35mm, 139 min

KEKEXILI: MOUNTAIN PATROL
d. Lu Chuan, China/Hong Kong 2004
Kekexili is the largest animal reserve in China and home to the endangered Tibetan antelope, prized for its hair which is used to make shatoosh scarves. A journalist travels from Beijing to the camp of the Kekezili Mountain Patrol, a group of Tibetans who are trying to stop the illegal poaching. There he finds that that the hunters are also the hunted. Exquisitely filmed in the harsh high mountain environment, this powerful movie depicts a people and a culture who face incredibly tough challenges in life.
Mandarin with English subtitles, 35mm, 95 min

KEPT AND DREAMLESS (LAS MANTENIDAS SIN SUEÑOS)
d. Vera Fogwill and Martin Desalvo, Argentina 2005
Kept And Dreamless immerses us in the intimacies of the feminine world. In this unusual mother-daughter film, it is the 9-year-old Eugenia who has to take care of her young mother, Florencia, who is constantly drunk and high. A colourful group of supporting characters complete this moving and often quite funny film. Writer and co-director Vera Fogwill also does a superb job in playing the mother.
Spanish with English subtitles, 35mm, 94min

KINI & ADAMS
d. Idrissa Ouedraogo, Burkina Faso 1997 PF
As part of its focus on the cinema of Burkina Faso, DIFF honours one of the great directors of African cinema, Idrissa Ouedraogo, with a special screening of his masterful Kini & Adams. Kini and Adams are the best of friends who dream of one day being rich. Together they begin to build a car which could well provide the solution these subsistence farmers require. But slowly, jealousy and rivalry begin to erode their friendship, and with it their dreams. Starring Vusi Kunene, John Kani, David Mohloki, Nthati Moshesh
The director will attend the festival
English, Video, 93 min

KUNG FU HUSTLE
d. Stephen Chow, China (Hong Kong) 2004 PF
Asian star Chow wrote, directed and stars in this dizzying, high-octane, whirlwind of a film. This action comedy is set in pre-revolutionary China, where small time thief, Sing, aspires to be one of the ruthless Axe Gang which effectively rules the city. Sing’s comical attempts at intimidation inadvertently attract the Axe Gang into the fray, setting off a chain of events that brings the two disparate worlds face-to-face.
Cantonese with English subtitles, 35mm, 95min

LAND OF PLENTY
d. Wim Wenders, USA/Germany 2004 PF
A young woman arrives in Los Angeles to search for her last remaining relative who turns out to be a paranoid obsessive, determined to identify those who are dangerous to the state. When they witness the apparently random shooting of a man, their worlds collide in more ways than one. Wenders, as only he can, takes us on a journey of discovery in contemporary America; a place where paranoia and fear are rampant and nothing is what it seems.
English, 35mm, 119 min

LIFE IS A MIRACLE
d. Emir Kusturica, France/Serbia/Montenegro 2004
Set in Bosnia in 1992, this masterpiece from the director of Black Cat, White Cat and Underground, is about Luka, a Serbian engineer. Utterly engrossed in his work and naively optimistic, Luka remains deaf to the rumblings of war. When the conflict explodes, Luka’s wife disappears and his son is taken prisoner. The Serbian army appoints Luka guardian of Sabaha, a Muslim hostage, whom he falls in love with. But the young woman is destined to be handed over in exchange for a Serbian captive: Luka’s son Milos.
Serbian with English subtitles, 35mm, 154 min

THE MAN IN A BROWN SUIT
d. Sara Blecher, South Africa 2004
Terror grows in the city of Johannesburg where an unknown sniper claims an innocent black man’s life every 48 hours. It is the duty of the team from Zero Tolerance to uncover the murderer. With only hours left before the sniper strikes again, the team must act fast. The story unfolds links to the Boer uprising in Lichtenburg and the prophesies of the South African prophet Siener Van Rensburg.
The director will attend the festival English, Video, 80 min

MASAI: THE RAIN WARRIORS
d. Pascal Plisson, France/Kenya 2004 PF
In the tradition of Eric Valli's Himalaya, Masai is a magical African story of adventure and initiation, a thrilling tale of bravery and friendship, rivalry, loyalty and the passage from boyhood to manhood. Following the death of their chief, a Masai village is stricken by drought, some say because they have been cursed by the powerful Red God. A sacrifice must be offered up: the mane of Vitchoua, King of the Lions. A group of boys is despatched on this dangerous quest. Armed with rough spears the boys embark on the search for the legendary beast they must vanquish to save their tribe from destruction.
Masai with English subtitles, DVD, 94min

MAX AND MONA
d. Teddy Mattera, South Africa 2004 PF
Max, the golden boy of his village, goes to the big city to study medicine. There he finds a world far removed from his own, and he is soon parted from is tuition money. A gangster named Razor is threatening the life of Max’s shady uncle Norman. Max, armed only with the sacrificial goat, Mona, and a unique ability to cry on demand, has to save his uncle’s life and find the money to enrol in university. This hilarious slapstick comedy won the Best First Film prize at FESPACO.
Tswana, Afrikaans, Zulu and English with English subtitles, 35mm, 98min

MELINDA AND MELINDA
d. Woody Allen, USA 2004 PF
Melinda and Melinda combines romantic comedy and drama in a way that Woody Allen, unique among filmmakers, likes to contrast. It chronicles a pair of crises that give great reign to the funny and serious talents of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Will Ferrell, Jonny Lee Miller, Radha Mitchell, Amanda Peet, and Chloe Sevigny. As a character in the movie puts it, "He's despondent, he's desperate, he's suicidal. All the comic elements are in place". Allen is back to his best.
English, 35mm, 100min

MOOLAADÉ (PROTECTION)
d. Sembene Ousmane, Senegal/France 2004
The great master of African cinema, Ousmane Sembene, has made an impassioned masterpiece in Moolade. Colle Ardo, herself a circumcised woman, has managed to help her only daughter escape from the ritual purification organised every seven years. This year, four young girls have fled from the village to escape from excision and are seeking sanctuary with Colle. The village is on the boil as different value systems come directly into conflict.
Bambara and French with English subtitles, 35mm, 124min

THE MURMURING COAST
d. Margarida Cardoso, Portugal 2004
This astonishingly assured feature film debut by renowned documentary filmmaker Cardoso is set in Mozambique, in the last days of a long and disastrous colonial war. A beautiful young woman arrives in Africa to marry a soldier, only to find that he has been contaminated by the pervasive violence. Unable to tolerate the status quo, she rebels, politically and sexually. The repercussions of her rebellion are dire.
Portuguese with English subtitles, 35mm, 120 min

MYSTERIOUS SKIN
d. Gregg Araki, USA 2004 PF
From acclaimed director Gregg Araki comes this haunting tale of two young men who
share an unexplained connection. Brian, having lived through a traumatic childhood,
now believes that he was abducted by aliens. Neil, a beautiful outsider, sells his body
and refuses to let anyone get close to him. Together they come to realise that the events
that shaped them most were not what they seemed to be.
English, 35mm, 99min

THE NIGHT OF TRUTH (LA NUIT DE LA VERITE)
d. Fanta Regina Nacro, Burkina Faso/France 2004
In an imaginary African country, a brutal ethnic war is coming to an end with the signing of a peace treaty by the president and the rebel leader. The rebel leader organises a feast of reconciliation to celebrate and the president and his wife attend. But the evening is characterised by a deep tension… in a single moment the entire peace process could be shattered. An outstanding, insightful feature debut by a talent to watch.
French, Moore and Dioula with English subtitles, 35mm, 100 min

NIGHT WATCH (NOCHNOJ DOZOR)
d. Timur Bekmambetov, Russia 2004
A dazzling mix of state-of-the-art visual effects, amazing action sequences, and nail-biting horror, Night Watch has shattered all box office records in Russia. The film revolves around the conflict and balance maintained between the forces of light and darkness – the result of a medieval truce between the opposing sides. But behind the truce, there remains mistrust and hatred and the fear that an ancient prophecy will come true: a prophecy that speaks of the coming of “The Great Other,” who will hold the balance in his grasp. That time is now… in Moscow.
Russian with English subtitles, 35mm, 120 min

NOBODY KNOWS (DAREMO SHIRANAI)
d. Kore-eda Hirokazu, Japan 2004
A prize-winner at Cannes and at several major festivals, Hirokazu’s film shows a young master working at the height of his powers. Four siblings live happily with their mother in a small apartment in Tokyo. The children all have different fathers and have never been to school. One day, the mother leaves behind some money and a note, charging the oldest boy to look after the others. And so begins the children's odyssey, a journey nobody knows.
Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 141min

OFF BEAT (KAMMERFLIMMERN)
d. Hendrik Hölzemann, Germany/France 2004
Smart, sexy and original, Off Beat marks the arrival of a major new talent. Crash, orphaned as a child, grew up physically and emotionally scarred. A melancholy loner, in his dreams he finds a young woman who appears just before he wakes. When he meets the woman, Crash can finally sense happiness. And when fate seems about to repeat itself, it is up to him to choose between leaving everything behind or grabbing his new life with both hands.
German with English subtitles, 35mm, 100 min

OLD BOY
d. Park Chanwook, South Korea, 2003
An ultra-violent, shocking thriller from Park, winner of the DIFF 2001 Best Film prize with Joint Security Area. A man is kidnapped and is held in a private prison for years without ever knowing why. 15 years pass, and the man is released with a wallet full of cash and a cell phone. Vengeance is on the man’s mind and he sets out to find the truth of his captivity, but there are some things best left unknown. Old Boy won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes.
Korean with English subtitles, 35mm, 120min

OUAGA SAGA
d. Dani Kouyate, Burkina Faso 2004
Kouyate (Sia, The Myth Of The Python) has made a charming film about ten young friends who are struggling to survive on the streets on Ouagadougou. They each have their dream but there are few opportunities to realise them. When one presents itself,in the shape of a scooter carelessly left unlocked, the boys steal it and sell it to make some quick money. The money soon causes problems and a rift. A freak piece of luck, however, could just solve all their problems forever.
The director will attend the festival
French with English subtitles, Video, 90 min

PALINDROMES
d. Todd Solondz, USA, 2004 PF
Todd Solondz (Happiness, Welcome To The Dollhouse) has made a daring and compelling film with idiosyncratic twists and turns. 13-year-old Aviva is desperate to get pregnant, much to her mother’s dismay. When she eventually succeeds, Aviva – played by 8 different actors of varying ages, genders, and races – embarks on a trip that is horrific and humorous in turn. With excellent performances by Ellen Barkin and Jennifer Jason Leigh.
English, 35mm, 100min

PARADISE NOW
d. Hany Abu-Assad, Palestine/Netherlands/Germany/France 2005
Shot under extremely trying circumstances in Nablus, Paradise Now is the fascinating and moving story of two suicide bombers in the 24 hours leading up to a suicide attack. Friends since childhood, young Palestinians Khaled and Said are recruited to carry out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv. Things do not go as planned and they have to face their destiny and their convictions. This insightful film raises more questions than answers.
Arabic with English subtitles, 35mm, 90 min

PEACOCK (KONG QUE)
d. Gu Changwei, China 200
Top cinematographer Gu won the Grand Jury Prize at Berlin for this his life-affirming directorial debut. Set in China in the late 70s and early 80s, Peacock is about the working class Gao family. The daughter Weihong is not satisfied with the job her parents have secured for her, her brother Weiguo is known for his mental deficiency, and younger brother, Weiqiang is traumatised by the humiliation he endures because of his brother’s condition. Gu patiently and insightfully paints a beautiful portrait of a family.
Mandarin with English subtitles, 35mm, 142 min

THE PRESENT
d. Patrick McGee, South Africa 2005 PF
Sex and drugs are the temptations that prove irresistible in The Present, a fast-paced, homegrown Durban feature film. Edward is a handsome, wealthy yet violently manipulative businessman. His beautiful trophy wife, Barbie, is addicted to drugs and this makes her the perfect toy for Edward, who has mastered the art of human control. Unfortunately for Edward, his days are numbered. The only question is: who is going to beat him at his own game?
English, Video, ?? min

THE PRINCE (LE PRINCE)
d. Mohamed Zran, Tunisia/France/Morocco 2004
The charming and romantic tale of Adel, a florist who works in Tunis struggling along on a small income. Everyday Adel watches the people who pass by the flower stall, and when he sees a beautiful bank manager walk past the stall, he falls in love immediately. Each day he delivers to the bank a beautiful bouquet, carefully created for her, and with the help of his diverse bunch of friends, he sets about winning her heart.
Arabic with English subtitles, 35mm, 108min

RED COLOURED GREY TRUCK
d. Srdjan Koljevic, Yugoslavia/Germany/SL 2004
This hilarious road movie is about a colour-blind Bosnian truck thief who picks up and falls for a pregnant Belgrade girl as they struggle through road blocks and absurd ethnic confrontations. It is the story of the last day of peace in the former Yugoslavia, as two heroes make their way through the chaos to hopefully find love at the end of the road.
Serbian with English subtitles, 35mm, 95 min

RED DUST
d. Tom Hooper, South Africa/UK 2004
With outstanding performances by Chiwetel Ejiofor and Hilary Swank, this intense, intelligent thriller contemplates the effectiveness of the Truth And Reconciliation Commission. Alex Mpondo is a star MP who is forced to confront the torture he endured at the hands of the apartheid police. Sarah Barcant, a New York-based lawyer, returns to South Africa to represent him at the hearings. Together they have to uncover the circumstances leading to disappearance of one Alex’s comrades.
English, Video, 110 min

SABAH (COLD WATER)
d. Ruba Nadda, Canada 2005
Sabah is a smart, beautiful Canadian Muslim woman. Just turning 40, her natural independence and passion have been dulled by 20 years of devotion to her loving but insular family. Then she has a crazy idea: as treat to herself, she buys a clandestine bathing suit, goes swimming and then meets Stephen, who is tall, handsome, sympathetic and definitely not Muslim. Their mutual attraction flowers and Sabah finds herself sneaking around like a teenager. Eventually, she will have to confront her relatives … can she rely on their love?
The director will attend the festival
English, 35mm, 90min

SCHIZO (SCHIZA)
d. Guka Omarova, Kazakhstan/Russia/France/Germany 2004
15-year-old Mustafa has the nickname Schizo. He is hired by this mother’s boyfriend to find fighters for illegal fistfights. His life is changed forever when a young man, on the verge of death after a fight, asks Schizo to deliver his prize money to his girlfriend and young son. Schizo delivers the money and falls in love with the woman. Now he knows for whom he has to make money, no matter what the cost.
Russian with English subtitles, 35mm, 86min

SEASON OF THE HORSE (JI FENG ZHONG DE MA)
d. Ning Cai, China 2004 CF
Against the encroachment of desert sands, modern civilisation and government restrictions on herding, a Mongolian herdsman Wurgen (played by director Ning Cai) fights to keep his only remaining horse. Unwilling to leave the grasslands for a new life in the city, Wurgen finds himself in conflict with his friends, the local authorities, and his wife. Not merely about one man’s battle for survival, this extraordinary, touching film is a requiem for a rapidly disappearing way of life, a cultural identity and a proud
nomadic tradition now threatened with extinction.
The director will attend the festival
Mongolian with English subtitles, 35mm, 105 min

SHIN SUNG-IL IS LOST (SHIN SUNG-IL-EUI HANGBANG-BULMYUNG)
d. Shin Jane, Korea, 2004 PF
In a cruel attempt to save money, the director of an orphanage tries to prevent the children in her care from eating by brainwashing the children into believing that God will frown on them whenever they eat. With great difficulty, the children suppress their appetites, but Sung-il is plump unlike the other children, and they suspect he is a glutton. When the other children instigate an uprising, Sung-il still trusts the director, but he will eventually find a damning piece of evidence.
Korean with English subtitles, Video, 103min

SOMERSAULT
d. Cate Shortland, Australia 2004
Growing up with her drifting single mother, 16-year-old Heidi has learned to use sex as a survival tool. After a nasty incident at home, Heidi flees to a ski resort where she finds work at a petrol station and forms a lustful relationship with a rich farmer. Heidi’s happiness is short-lived and her past invades her new world, damaging every relationship she has formed. This visually striking, haunting debut feature is a fascinating study of solitude and alienation.
English, 35mm, 106 min

SOMETIMES IN APRIL
d. Raoul Peck, Rwanda/USA 2004
Following his masterful Lumumba, Peck returns with another powerful film about a tragic episode in Africa’s recent history. The first major film depicting the tragic one hundred days of the 1994 Rwandan genocide to be shot on location in Rwanda, the film paints a moving portrait of a people’s strength and resilience amid the most horrifying circumstances. At the same time the film clearly depicts the indifference of the US and the rest of the world as nearly a million people are murdered.
English, 35mm, 139min

SORRY FOR KUNG FU (OPROSTI ZA KUNG FU)
d. Ogjen Svilic, Croatia 2004
Hilarious and moving in turn, and with a challenge to social norms, this Croatian comedy has a pregnant woman return to her village following the end of the war. Her conservative family, unaware that she is carrying a child whose father is Asian, try desperately to find a husband for her. The birth of the baby brings scandal, panic and more than a few laughs.
Croatian with English subtitle, 35mm, 71min

STARLIGHT HIGH NOON (MAHIRU NO HOSHIZORA)
d. Yosuke Nakagawa, Japan 2005 This unique, patient gangster film is about a Taiwanese hitman, Lian Song, who does his work in Taipei and then hides out in Japan. At his regular laundromat, he sees Yukiko whom he falls in love with even though they have never met. The two start a tentative romance, but at the same time Lian Song’s bosses, in a complex negotiation, are giving him up to a rival gang who will surely kill him.
Japanese, 35mm, 92min

STEAMBOY
d. Katsuhiro Otomo, Japan 2004 PF
One of the most anticipated animated films of the recent year, Steamboy by Otomo (the director of the classic Akira), is a retro science-fiction epic set in Victorian England. An inventor named Ray Steam receives a mysterious metal ball containing a new form of energy capable of powering an entire nation. This young boy must use it to fight evil,redeem his family, and save London from destruction.
Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 110min

SUMMER STORM (SOMMERSTURM)
d. Marco Kreuzpaintner, Germany 2004 PF
A breezy, delicate and very funny coming-out comedy. Tobi and Achim have been best friends for years and are stars of their rowing team which is just about to compete at a big regatta. When Achim finds himself a girlfriend, Tobi begins to realise that his feelings for Achim run deeper than he’s willing to admit. And when one of the rowing teams competing against them turns out to be a team of athletic, cliché-defying young gay men, there is confrontation and liberation.
German with English subtitles, 35mm, 98 min

TENJA
d. Hassan Legzouli, France/Morocco 2004 PF
Nordine is 30, a second generation Moroccan living in the North of France. His father, unlike other country men, never returned home. When the father dies, Nordine discovers that his last wish is to be buried in his homeland. Nordine, with a coffin in his boot, journeys back to his father’s village, high in the Atlas mountains. Here he will discover a different culture, but first he meets a beautiful woman.
French and Arabic with English subtitles, 35mm, 80min

THREE… EXTREMES
d. Takashi Miike, Fruit Chan & Park Chan-Wook, Japan/China/Korea 2004 PF
Three accomplished and fiercely talented Asian directors combine forces in this chilling trilogy of terror. Three. . .Extremes exhumes the inherent evil lurking beneath the surface of civilisation, the twisted human psyche, and the lengths we will tread to cling to our impossible hope of immortality.
Japanese, Chinese and Korean with English subtitles, 35mm, 125min

TONY TAKITANI
d. Jun Ichikawa, Japan 2004 PF
Based on Haruki Murakami’s short novel of the same name, Tony Takitani’s eponymous hero has a solitary childhood. He finds his vocation as a technical illustrator and becomes fascinated with Eiko whom he marries. Eiko is a compulsive shopper with an obsession with designer clothes. When Tony asks her to stop overspending, the consequences are tragic. Alone, again, he places an ad in the paper searching for a woman who fits her measurements perfectly.
Japanese with English subtitles, 35mm, 75min

TROPICAL MALADY (SUD PRALAD)
d. Apichatpong Weerasethakul, France/Thailand/Italy/Germany 2004 PF
Something magical is in the air. Times are happy and love is uncomplicated for soldier Keng and country boy Tong. Then Tong disappears while at the same time, cows of the region are being slaughtered at night by some kind of wild beast. Local legends say a human can be transformed into a tiger, and the soldier goes alone into the heart of the jungle, where he tracks by day, but becomes the prey at night. This groundbreaking film from Thailand’s Apichatpong Weersaethakul won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes.
Thai with English subtitles, 35mm, 118min

U-CARMEN EKHAYELITSHA
d. Mark Dornford-May, South Africa 2004
Winner of the prestigious Golden Bear at Berlin, U-Carmen eKhayelitsha transplants Bizet’s opera to contemporary Khayelitsha. Pauline Malefane is wonderful in the title role, playing an independent, strong-willed and sensuous cigarette-seller who inspires nothing less than obsession. While the film remains true to Bizet’s original it also depicts an authentic township life replete with shebeens and sangomas.
Xhosa with English subtitles, 35mm, 120 min

UNDEREXPOSURE
d. Oday Rasheed, Iraq 2004
The first feature film shot on location in Baghdad, Iraq, after the war, Underexposure blends reality and fiction to create a lyrical, textured work that attempts to capture the dizzying atmosphere of life during war and fiercely illuminates a part of the world long left in dim light. A filmmaker equipped with an outdated camera, and constantly at risk, sets about filming the aftermath of war.
Arabic with English subtitles, 35mm, 64 min

UNDER THE MOONLIGHT (SOUS LE CLARTE DE LA LUNE)
d. Appoline Traore, Burkina Faso 2004
Patrick, a young European, returns to Africa to repair the waterpump he installed nine years previously. He brings with him his daughter Martine. Kaya is the traumatised village girl who has lost the ability to speak. Kaya takes Martine and they disappear into the bush and into danger of an unexpected nature. Mysteries are unravelled and love alone may not be enough to save the day. A superb debut feature from the talented Traore
The director will attend the festival
French and Djoula with English subtitles, Video SP, 90 min

WAVES
d. Francesco Fei, Italy 2004 PF
Dreams, memories and reality mingle in Fei’s outstanding debut about two handicapped people who find a fragile love. Francesca has an unsightly red mark that covers much of her face, and causes her much angst. She meets Luca, a blind musician, and the two tentatively begin a romance. But each brings with them their insecurities; love will be no easy matter in this case.
Italian with English subtitles, 35mm, 90 min

WARRIORS OF HEAVEN AND EARTH
d. He Ping, China/Hong Kong 2004
In the tradition of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, He Ping’s Eastern Western weaves
a thread of battle, comradeship and honour. Set in the ferocious Gobi Desert, the story
follows two first-class warriors and master swordsmen, one an ally of the emperor, the
other a renegade soldier. But the two must first face the cruelty of the desert, the
region's barbaric bandits and the brutality of the villain's men before they can finally
face one another.
Chinese with English subtitles, 35mm, ??? min

ZULU LOVE LETTER
d. Ramadan Suleman, South Africa, 2004
For his second feature, after the excellent, prize-winning Fools, Ramadan Suleman’s uncompromising film is set in a democratic South Africa where some wounds are left unhealed. Thandeka, a mother and a journalist, cannot shake her personal demons and both her work and her family life suffer as a consequence. When she is approached by Me'Tau, the aged mother of a murdered student activist Thandeka once wrote about, Thandeka is forced to face up to her haunting past.
The director and members of the cast will attend the festival
English, Zulu and Sign Language, 35mm, 105min