Our Competition Programme has been announced! World Cinema Amsterdam will open with the courtroom drama Gett, the Divorce Trial of Viviane Amsalem and our closing film will be the Ethiopian production Difret. Read more about our official selection.
Competition Programme
As in previous years, nine films will be competing this summer for the World Cinema Amsterdam Jury Award. In addition to the prize the winner will receive an amount of € 5000, - that he / she can spend on his / her next film project. Nine films from nine different countries are nominated, including the opening and the closing films of the festival. Respectively, the impressive Israeli courtroom drama Gett, the Divorce Trial of Viviane Amsalem by brother and sister Ronit and Shlomi Elkabetz and Difret a shocking true story about the kidnap of a young Ethiopian girl, co-produced by Angelina Jolie. Both films will be released in The Netherlands later this year.
The other nominees are The Owners, also included in the Hello Kazakhstan! programme. The South Korean film A Girl At My Door (July Jung), Retrato de un comportamiento animal (Florencia Colucci & Gonzalo Lugo) from Uruguay, the Argentinian film The Third Side of the River (Celina Murga), Iglú (Diego Ruiz) from Chile, Las Búsquedas from Mexico and finally the Japanese coming-of-age drama Still the Water (Naomi Kawase). The audience will also choose a ´winner´, in this case it will be awarded the World Cinema Amsterdam Audience Award, which also grants an amount of € 5000 to the filmmaker. All the visitors that vote for our Audience Award will have the chance to win a travel voucher worth € 1000, - sponsored by Shoestring.
GETT, THE DIVORCE TRIAL OF VIVIANE AMSALEM
RONIT & SHLOMI ELKABETZ | ISRAEL, FRANCE, GERMANY | 2014 | 115' | HEBREW, FRENCH, ARABIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
A gripping and breath-taking courtroom/divorce drama from the brother-and-sister duo Shlomi and Ronit Elkabetz. Israeli Viviane Amsalem, played by Ronit Elkabetz herself, attempts to obtain a divorce but this turns out to be virtually impossible. According to the Jewish law the man has to agree with the divorce petition of the woman. Viviane´s husband refuses to comply and the judge must come into action. Distribution: 4 September 2014, Cinemien.
OPENING FILM
Rialto: THU 14 AUG – 20.30 | SUN 17 AUG – 19.00
De Balie: THU 21 AUG – 19.15
LAS BÚSQUEDAS
JOSÉ LUIS VALLE | MEXICO | 2013 | 77' | SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
Filmmaker José Luis Valle (WORKERS) completed the film in seven days with a very low budget and a lot of help from his friends. With a slow-paced tempo and beautifully framed images, Valle tells the story of lone water deliveryman Ulises and newly widowed Elvira, and how these two battered people meet one day.
Rialto: FRI 15 AUG – 19.15 | SAT 16 AUG – 21.45
De Balie: SAT 23 AUG – 17.15
A GIRL AT MY DOOR (DOHEE-YA)
JULY JUNG | SOUTH KOREA | 2014 | 119' | KOREAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
The once-promising policewoman Young-nam is transferred to a sleepy town on the coast after a series of incidents. On her first day there she meets 14-year-old Dohee, a lonely and strange little girl who is abused by her alcoholic stepfather. In order to protect her, Young-nam takes the girl home. At first it goes well.
Rialto: FRI 15 AUG – 21.45 | SAT 16 AUG – 19.00
De Balie: SAT 23 AUG – 21.30
IGLÚ
DIEGO RUIZ | CHILI | 2013 | 73' | SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
Non-chronologically story about grief and sexuality. The somewhat gloomy Daniel Hahn, illustrator at an advertising agency, begins a relationship with fellow co-worker Camila, even though he is gay. Years before, he had been in a relationship with a woman - Paula. Unprocessed emotions play a big role in Daniel's life.
Rialto: WED 20 AUG – 21.45 | FRI 22 AUG – 19.30
De Balie: SAT 23 AUG – 19.30
THE OWNERS
ADILKHAN YERZHANOV | KAZAKHSTAN | 2014 | 93' | KAZAKH AND RUSSIAN WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
Housing shortage is a major problem in Kazakhstan. This also marks the homeless 25-year-old John, his teenage brother Erbol and 12-year-old epileptic sister Aliya. Fortunately, their deceased mother left them a house in the country. When they arrive, the house appears to be occupied by a hot-tempered guy...
Rialto: FRI 15 AUG – 19.30 | SAT 16 AUG – 17.15
De Balie: SUN 24 AUG – 19.00
RETRATO DE UN COMPORTAMIENTO ANIMAL
FLORENCIA COLUCCI & GONZALO LUGO | URUGUAY | 2014 | 84' | SPANISH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
The behaviour of many animals is similar to that of humans. Or is it the other way around? Marine biologist Matto travels to Brazil because he wants to see dolphins. Along the way he picks up Martina, who is in Brazil with the purpose of discovering the world and herself. The two have very peculiar habits, and therefore comes an unavoidable comparison with the animal behaviour.
Rialto: WED 20 AUG – 19.30 | THU 21 AUG – 21.45
De Balie: FRI 22 AUG – 21.45
STILL THE WATER
NAOMI KAWASE | JAPAN | 2014 | 119' | JAPANESE WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
Coming-of-age drama that sensitively approaches the big questions about love, life and death. On the subtropical Japanese island of Amami-Oshima, traditional dances are performed during the August full-moon night. That same night, 16-year-old Kaito discovers a dead body. Together with his school friend Kyoko, he tries to solve they will try to solve the mystery. They will slowly fall in love. Distribution: 20 November 2014, Cinéart.
Rialto: TUE 19 AUG – 19.00 | WED 20 AUG – 19.00
De Balie: FRI 22 AUG – 19.00
THE THIRD SIDE OF THE RIVER
CELINA MURGA | ARGENTINA, GERMANY, NETHERLANDS | 2014 | 92' | SPANISH WITH DUTCH SUBTITLES
The quiet, sensitive teenager Nicolas lives with his mother and younger sister in a small house. On the other hand his father Jorge lives with his 'real' wife and children in a big ranch. Jorge expects Nicolas as his eldest son to follow in his footsteps. This is however not what Nicolas wants, which brings him to take a decision with far-reaching consequences. Distribution: 28 August 2014, Just Film.
Rialto: MON 18 AUG – 19.30 | TUE 19 AUG – 19.30
De Balie: SUN 24 AUG – 21.00
DIFRET
ZERESENAY BERHANE MEHARI | ETHIOPIA | 2013 | 99' | AMHARIC WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES
For generations, the 'telefa' or marriage by abduction has been an accepted tradition in rural Ethiopia. However women don't put up with it. When this happens to 14-year-Hirut, by defending herself she ends up shooting and killing her husband-to-be. Local law decrees that she be put to death for this. Meaza Ashefani, a female city lawyer, takes up her cause. Co-produced by Angelina Jolie. Distribution: 1 January 2014, Cineart.
CLOSING FILM
Rialto: SAT 23 AUG – 21.00 | SUN 24 AUG – 19.45
De Balie: SUN 24 AUG – 16.45
VU Campus: FRI 5 SEPT – 20.15