Counter Shot: Departure of the Filmmakers

Tatort Ostsee - Wer sprengte die Nord Stream-Pipelines?(de)

Thorin, le dernier Néandertalien(fr)

The Mandrin Cave in the Rhône Valley is a fascinating excavation site. Archaeologist Ludovic Slimak discovered fossils and flints here, proving that Neanderthals inhabited the cave for over 80,000 years. The first Neanderthal in France for half a century was also unearthed in the cave: He was given the name Thorin.

Fakir(pt)

The feature-length documentary Fakir portrays the success of fakirism in Brazil, Latin America and France. This circus art origin show is presented and analyzed through archives that reveals the success of these presentations with their pain resistance championships and the great public presence, including politicians and government officials. Fakir spans current footage from contemporary artists who keep this art alive in performances and shows.

Night and Fog(fr)

Filmmaker Alain Resnais documents the atrocities behind the walls of Hitler's concentration camps.

The Unpredictable Factor(de)

In today's climate debate, there is only one factor that cannot be calculated in climate models - humans. How can we nevertheless understand our role in the climate system and manage the crisis? Climate change is a complex global problem. Increasingly extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and more difficult living conditions - including for us humans - are already the order of the day. Global society has never faced such a complex challenge. For young people in particular, the frightening climate scenarios will be a reality in the future. For the global south, it is already today. To overcome this crisis, different perspectives are needed. "THE UNPREDICTABLE FACTOR" goes back to the origins of the German environmental movement, accompanies today's activists in the Rhineland in their fight against the coal industry and gives a voice to scientists from climate research, ethnology and psychology.

Coco Chanel Unbuttoned(en)

The story of original influencer Coco Chanel, whose designs still represent the zenith of female sexuality, style and power.

Straight to VHS(es)

Act of Violence Upon a Young Journalist is a film shot in 1988 and released on VHS in 1989; a mysterious cult work of Uruguayan cinema surrounded by strange theories about Manuel Lamas, its unknown creator. Until now.

The Ringleader: The Case of the Bling Ring(en)

In a candid, first-time interview with Rachel Lee, the so-called teenage mastermind behind a string of high-profile celebrity robberies in 2008 and 2009, the film examines the motivations of Lee and a group of her friends who broke into celebrity homes in Hollywood to ransack and steal, exploring the possible reasons behind her actions including mental health issues and addictions, as well as the climate of celebrity excess that fueled the teens, recontextualizing the events behind the sensational headlines.

Aznavour by Charles(fr)

In 1948, French singer Charles Aznavour (1924-2018) receives a Paillard Bolex, his first camera. Until 1982, he will shoot hours of footage, his filmed diary. Wherever he goes, he carries his camera with him. He films his life and lives as he films: places, moments, friends, loves, misfortunes.

Wirklich alles?!(en)

Hitler's Hollywood(de)

Film journalist and critic Rüdiger Suchsland examines German cinema from 1933, when the Nazis came into power, until 1945, when the Third Reich collapsed. (A sequel to From Caligari to Hitler, 2015.)

After Porn Ends 2(en)

After Porn Ends 2 picks up where its predecessor left off and not only turns back the clock to meet the oldest living stars in adult film's history, but goes in depth with some of Its most current retirees and juxtaposes their experiences in a life after porn. Delving deeper into society's ongoing stigmas of race, misogyny, and the reality of decreasing opportunities for these former VHS box cover stars. For some, their careers in adult entertainment is accepted proudly and without regret. In fact, it seems to have proven to be the pathway to their current happiness and inner peace. For others, however, a career in porn has proven to be a conduit to certain despair as they struggle to find a way to bury their past and emerge with a new career or calling.

Orchestrator of Storms: The Fantastique World of Jean Rollin(en)

The story of French filmmaker Jean Rollin (1938-2010), one of the most singular voices of European cult cinema, deeply misunderstood and widely misrepresented.

The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat(fr)

A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

Yakuza Eiga, une histoire du cinéma yakuza(fr)

The history of the Yakuza Eiga at the TOEI studio is roughly outlined. Real Yakuza and also their connections to the movie business are discussed, and many important actors and directors of the genres are interviewed. Former real yakuza boss turned actor Noboru Ando, Takashi Miike, Sonny Chiba and many more get a chance to speak.

Enter the Anime(en)

What is anime? Through deep-dives with notable masterminds of this electrifying genre, this fast-paced documentary seeks to find the answers.

A.B.(en)

A documentary-style capturing of the life of Ab, a young struggling artist trying to find her way, all while dealing with unwanted company.

Babenco: Tell Me When I Die(pt)

Besieged by cancer and nearing the end, the genius Argentine-Brazilian filmmaker Héctor Babenco (1946-2016) asks Bárbara Paz, his wife, for one last wish: to be the protagonist of his own death.

Andrey Tarkovsky. A Cinema Prayer(ru)

An account of the life and work of Russian filmmaker Andrey Tarkovsky (1932-86) in his own words: his memories, his vision of art and his reflections on the fate of the artist and the meaning of human existence; through extremely rare audio recordings that allow a complete understanding of his inner life and the mysterious world existing behind his complex cinematic imagery.

Fulci Talks(it)

Rome, Italy, June 1993. Antonietta De Lillo and Marcello Garofalo interview legendary Italian film director Lucio Fulci (1927-96).

Art History(en)

Tension mounts between a director and his lead actress on the set of a sexually explicit low-budget film. As the actress and her co-star develop real feelings for each other, the director's jealousy erupts and he begins sabotaging his own production.

The Muppets on Puppets(en)

Jim Henson and Rowlf the Dog explain the art and history of puppetry, and let the viewer in on some of the secrets in performing his own act, the Muppets.

Meurtres au Mont-Saint-Michel(fr)

A seemingly mystical murder takes Captain Sophie Maliquot back to the Mont-Saint-Michel region where she spent part of her childhood and where her father, who died years earlier, is buried.

Domestic Bees(fr)

Usually it’s not a good sign when a film opens with death walking in the door; however, in this wry short, the appearance of the Grim Reaper (who exits again as quickly as he arrived) is just one of several intersecting stories that unfold within the hive-like confines of the film’s tranquil universe. Deftly playing with narrative structure – while challenging the viewer to keep up – “Les Abeilles domestiques” is a masterful exercise in “deconstruction” that’s both extremely clever and highly entertaining.

Gunpowder(ru)

At the end of September 1941, Soviet artillery troops in besieged Leningrad realize that pretty soon they will fire their last shot, and after that the defense of the city will be doomed. The film is based on a true event: a small group of fearless soldiers transported a large supply of gunpowder through enemy lines to Leningrad.

OVERLOAD(de)

Overwhelmed student Shido is looking for a way out of his impending burnout. By chance, he meets Roy, who is offering a tutoring session. Although Shido is the only one who signed up, Roy's unconventional approach helps him progress, while Roy's story catches up with him.

Change(en)

I was somewhere between the beggining and the end of life. After winter became spring, and summer became fall, and fall winter again. I always knew change would be constant.

Thermopylae(en)

A distraught man in coat and tie grips the guardrail at a remote cliff overlooking the Pacific. At a boys' high school in toney Rancho Palos Verdes, Mr. Radford teaches classics. His best student is the earnest Andrew. Late one evening, Andrew stops by Mr. Radford's office; Andrew's been the only student to do well on a recent exam. They chat, and something happens that brings a sleepless night to Mr. Radford. The next day, Andrew misses Mr. Radford's class, and after, Mr. Radford is aghast to see Andrew and Andrew's father waiting outside the principal's office. What's the teacher's fear, and what will he do about it?

Cassandra(es)

Are words, photographs and speeches sufficient means for describing and communicating a complex, harsh, unmanageable reality? These unsolved questions pursue Cassandra during her trip through the impenetrable Chaco as chronicler of a means of communication, her first job after graduating from literature school. The unknown reality of native peoples who live in the Chaco communities, their beautiful and uncomprehensive languages and their dilemmas facing an economy which excludes them, are part of a trip in which Cassandra finds an inhabitable world within her status as foreigner. Her visions start merging with the cosmovision of ancient inhabitants until she becomes part of the enigma herself.

Crime Traveler: The Adventures of Dave Slade(en)

Dave Slade (Nicholas M. Garofolo) faces a myriad of internal and external struggles in trying to figure out what is real or surreal. He encounters the threatening presence of Terranova (Dakota Wollmer), a woman who claims she is from the future. Then Slade has to navigate his way with a new friend or foe, Krasota, (Karoline Fischer). His Landlord, Mary Lee (Rosie Xu), is a positive presence but she disappears as a result of Krasota who states it is futurist villain Riccoine, (Brett Wise) and his finger weapon. Then futuristic vampires come to Coney Island to cause havoc for Dave Slade, including one attractive blonde, Alvara, (Arina Ozerova) with alternative motives. Slade must navigate through the dark night on Coney Island as the vampires come out to feed including Alvara and her unwanted controlling Silas (Warren Chao). Slade and his ex-CIA cohort, Old Man, (Dave Sweeney) must figure out the way out of these challenges to make things right for themselves and the world at hand.

Egypt floating pyramid(fr)

The Lost Chick(en)

A chicken has hatched seven chicks. She locates six of them, but the other, Eggbert, is missing.

Ernesto Sábato, mi padre(es)

The life of the remarkable Argentine writer Ernesto Sábato, seen and narrated by the filmmaker who knows him best: his son. Featuring unpublished or rarely seen material, fragments of family recordings shot in 8mm, photographs, videos, and films made by Mario Sábato from 1962 to 2008, this journey explores the intimate paths of one of the most renowned Argentinians worldwide.

My Beloved Goat(en)

An animation film Meri Pyari Bakri is done by Swati Agarwal, IDC IIT Bombay. The film is based on a message given by Mahatma Gandhi, 'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

Victory of the Chinese People(ru)

Film about the victory of the Chinese people under the leadership of Mao Tse Tung in the war with the puppet regime of Chiang Kai-shek and the establishment in 1949, the People's Republic of China.

Shajiabang(en)

The story of this model work unfolds during the Anti-Japanese War and takes place in the market town of Shajiabang (沙家浜), by Lake Yangcheng in Jiangsu Province. Shajiabang has become a center of guerrilla warfare against the Japanese after its liberation by the New Fourth Army. The company political instructor Guo Jianguang and seventeen other sick and wounded soldiers are recuperating in the town from their wounds. The Japanese troops, however, are bent on exterminating all New Fourth Army personnel from the area. Guo and his men have taken refuge in the nearby marshes.

A Wall for Cecilia(en)

Cecilia is searching a new means of artistic expression. She does not want to have children, they would hamper her development.

Appeal(ru)

At a meeting of the bureau, under pressure from the first secretary of the district committee of the party, the agronomist of the collective farm Boris Kholmovoy was dismissed and expelled from the party for allegedly arbitrary actions. Disagreeing with the decision of the district committee, Kholmovoy files an appeal. The secretary of the regional party committee Plotnikov, wanting to understand this complicated matter, goes to the collective farm.

Seinäjoen Arabikevät(fi)

Arab asylum seekers changes the lives of many people in Seinäjoki.