Sunday 13 October
Sun. 13 October: 4 PM - 6 PM
BRFF International Short Film Showcase
Our International showcase of short films returns once again.
This year we look at the trauma that follows the murder of a family member in Peru that remains shrouded in mystery and the rise to political activism after the killing of the sister of the protagonist by the LA police.
We have a strong focus on Iran with two short fiction films focusing on the conditions of women in Iran and a re-imagining of the history of revolutionary Iran (the film includes brief images of animal cruelty).
Poetry plays an important role in exploring illegal migration in the USA, in rebuilding memories of the Spanish Civil War and in a poetic look at the beautiful and famous Portuguese Cobblestones whose maintenance clashes with the neoliberal city.
We also explore the history of the Keffiyeh and the limits of personal space and consent in public spaces (the right to take photographs of passers-by) and around consent in digital spaces, more specifically around unsoliciated nude images.
Viento Apacible / Gentle Wind
(Marta Arjona and Maite Blasco, Spain) 8m
A young student becomes frustrated by realizing that she knows the names of many battles and fronts of the Spanish Civil War but knows little about the feelings and emotions of those who lived through the conflict. This leads her to continue researching and discovering the "War Ballads" that will take her on a personal journey that she will want to share with the world.
Ojalá Pudiera Decir la Verdad /
I Wish I Could Tell the Truth
(Víctor Augusto Mendívil, Peru) 12m37s
In January 1983 in Uchuraccay (Peru) eight reporters – seven from Lima – were stoned to death and their bodies mutilated in a bizarre killing that sent shock-waves through Peruvian society. They had gone to investigate the killing of members of Sendero Luminoso (Shinning Path), a terrorist organisation operating in the area. The Army suggested the killings had been done by indigenous communities that “had turned against the terrorists”. The journalists, suspicious of the official version decided to travel to the area.
The official version is that they were murdered by indigenous communities that mistook them from terrorists. An inquiry into the killings, headed by Nobel Prize for Literature winner, Mario Vargas Llosa. His conclusions supported the official line but many others are convinced the killings had the hallmark of the Sinchis, an anti-terrorist police unit that had been in the area at around that time. To this day, the identity of the murderers remains a mystery.
After collecting multiple records related to a painful family tragedy, Victor delves into the archive in search of answers about what really happened on January 26, 1983.
Not Just Black and White
(Sarah Salahi, UK) 5m14s
A look at the history of the Keffiyeh and its significance as a symbol of resistance and its place as a cultural headdress in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
Seeing it at the forefront of Palestinian demonstrations, we wanted to shed light on its meaning aiming to reprogram the way people think of it!
The Keffiyeh is a form of communal identity. Especially relevant today for people in the Middle East due to the wars in Gaza.
We did this through the eye of Sarah, a displaced Syrian who’s grown up with the Keffiyeh.
Slaughter / Besmel
(Sahand Sarhaddi, Iran) 7m20s
SLAUGHTER/BESNEL is a short film that delves into the archival and historical footage of the Iranian Revolution in 1979, depicting a symbolic narrative surrounding the ritualistic act of animal sacrifice, known as "Besmel." It serves as an allegorical representation of a nation's sacrifice amidst the backdrop of political transformations.
Sarhaddi: “I am investigating the contrast between two notions, official and unofficial history; what the dominant authority recognizes as the narrative of past and history in contrast with the suppressed and censored narratives of unofficial”.
Please note: the film includes brief images of animal cruelty you may find disturbing.
In the Beginning of a Cold Season
(Alireza Shakeri, Iran) 12m30s
A couple named Ahmad and Forugh are going to a family party in the countryside. They suddenly face a challenge on the way. A couple of muggers attack them, steal their stuff, and insult them both. Meanwhile Ahmad acts on his instinct and runs away, leaving his wife alone with those criminals. After the inscident, Forugh doubts about the fact that if her husband loves her for real. Ahmad denies his escape and pretends that he fought the muggers, defending his wife. His denial makes Forugh more sensitive to make a bigger decision.
In societies where the periods of time have not been crossed, simple crises cause complex problems. Sometimes people are humiliated in choosing to make decisions.
Silver
(Hamid Saberi, Iran) 16m38s
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Silver film is a story of Mrs. Tavakoli, the inspector of a charity organization, who enters a house to check the condition of one of the applicants, the existence of a crisis makes it difficult for her to make a decision...
The Nudes
(Benjamin Turner, UK) 9m20s
A young woman is alone in her room when her boyfriend asks permission to send her nude. As he sends them, each one appears, coming to life in front of her. But just when things are getting exciting, she starts being harassed when unwanted nudes from other men start to arrive.
THE NUDES explores young people navigating online social media and sex/relationships, specifically around consent in digital spaces. In the UK, the sending of non-consensual/unrequested nudes was made a criminal offence this year (2024).
The concept - nudes received coming to life in a young woman's room - I felt best reflected the intimacy of the message and the fact that once it is sent, you lose control of it. The film combines comedy and horror - nudes can be fun and silly, but I also wanted to make the nudes sent somewhat pathetic to counterbalance the intimidation that the young woman feels.
Brussels Close-Up
(Ilja Sirčenko, Belgium) 17m42s
BRUSSELS CLOSE-UP follows a street photographer in Brussels who uses unexpected flash photography to capture the essence of strangers in public spaces. Through an upcoming exhibition, he aims to challenge the notion of art and explore the boundary between candid documentation and artistic expression.
Ilja SIRČENKO is a Belgian videographer, photographer, and musician, originally from the Soviet Union. He resided, studied, and worked in Latvia until 2009. In 2018, he started studying in the School of Photography and Videography by Agnes Varda in Brussels, immersing himself in street photography. He graduated from the school in December 2023 and released a short documentary, "Brussels Close-Up", focusing on street photography in the city.
Migrations
(Pamela Falkenberg and Jack Cochran, USA) 3m46s
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Our experimental poetry video is based on Robin Davidson's poem, "Migrations," which reframes the issue of "illegal immigration" by comparing the seasonal migration of monarch butterflies across the Mexico/Texas border with the desperate humans attempting to make their on foot across the Rio Grande.
The "border problem" is complex, but we should remember that, except for the original indigenous peoples who were there before everyone else, all of us here in the U.S. are migrants or the descendants of migrants.
For almost nine years, Jack Cochran and Pamela Falkenberg hope their work will prove worthy of the name: avoiding the usual patterns and approaching their subject matter from the margins. Jack and Pam co-direct the films they make together, and they collaborate fully, even when they divide up the credits. Their poetry films usually start with a poem (often, but not always, one of Jack’s poems), which they think of as analogous to a script.
Mely Forever
Hadley Hendon, USA) 16m39s
The heart of this documentary lies in the resilient spirit of Albert Corado, a community organizer and leader whose life took an unexpected turn after the tragic loss of his sister, Mely Corado, at the hands of the LAPD. The film captures the emotional depth of this loss and shows how it became a catalyst for Albert's unwavering commitment to address issues such as homelessness, climate change, and police brutality.
MELY FOREVER is a short documentary that delves into the poignant and inspirational journey of Albert Corado as he steps into the realm of electoral politics to challenge the incumbent Mitch O’Farrell for the Los Angeles City Council seat in District 13. In a district that encapsulates the diverse and pressing issues that plague Los Angeles, Corado's story is a powerful exploration of personal tragedy transformed into a driving force for meaningful change.
Missing Footsteps
(Daniel Sousa, Portugal) 9m50s
Portuguese Cobblestone is one of the biggest symbols of Portugal culture: is an icon of engineering, pride and a stone in the shoe of urban mobility.
Daniel Sousa born and growth in Madeira Island and live in mainland Portugal since 2008.
In 2011, he gets a degree in Cinema and in 2013, he gets a master in the same study field, with a final project called: “Bons Rebeldes”, both graduations from University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal.
From 2013, until now, he have been working as digital content creator in Portugal and United States of America.