Comes a Bright Day
"With another twelve world premieres and three international premieres, Generation’s feature-length film program is now complete," the Berlinale's announced today. "A total of 58 short and full-length films from 32 countries have been selected for the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus competitions." Straight from the release, then, with descriptions from the festival:
Generation 14plus
Comes a Bright Day (Great Britain, by Simon Aboud) – Against the backdrop of an armed robbery at a London jewellers, much more is at stake than money. Where diamonds are involved, love is not far. Cast: Craig Roberts, Imogen Poots, Kevin McKidd, Timothy Spall and others. World Premiere. Site.
Lal Gece (Night of Silence, Turkey, by Reis Çelik) – When the groom lifts the bride’s veil, he is looking into the face of a 14-year-old girl. As tradition has it, a night in the bridal chamber seals the marriage. Cast: Ilyas Salman, Dilan Aksüt and others. World Premiere.
Maori Boy Genius (New Zealand, by Pietra Brettkelly, documentary) – A young Maori, Ngaa Rauuira, is the chosen one. He fights with all his heart for the cultural concerns of his people. And they see Aotearoa’s (New Zealand’s) next Premiere Minister in him. World Premiere.
Nosilatiaj. La Belleza (Beauty, Argentina, by Daniela Seggiaro) – Yolanda is a housemaid for a “Criolla” family. In the Wichi culture from which the girl comes, beautiful long hair has great meaning. The film tells about a painfully cutting experience. World Premiere.
Snackbar (Netherlands, by Meral Uslu) – Ali’s snack bar is a refuge for a gang of local youth of Moroccan descent. They quarrel, laugh and fight there every day. When it gets out of hand, Ali intervenes. World Premiere.
Two Little Boys (New Zealand, by Robert Sarkies) – Friends since early childhood, nothing can separate Deano and Nige, not even death. Until the tragic accident with a Norwegian football star. Cast: Bret McKenzie, Hamish Blake and others. World Premiere.
Una Noche (One Night, USA/Cuba/Great Britain, by Lucy Mulloy) – Florida is their last hope. Only 90 miles separate life in Havana from the freedom they long for. Elio and Raul build a raft, but then Lila joins them. That was not the plan. World Premiere.
As announced in the first press release, the program also includes the following films (WP = World Premiere, IP = International Premiere, EP = European Premiere, GP = German Premiere.):
Electrick Children (USA, by Rebecca Thomas) - WP
Joven & Alocada (Young & Wild, Chile, by Marialy Rivas) - EP
Kronjuvelerna (The Crown Jewels, Sweden, by Ella Lemhagen) - IP
Magi I Luften (Love Is in the Air, Denmark/Sweden, by Simon Staho) - IP
Mustafa’s Sweet Dreams (Greece/Great Britain, by Angelos Abazoglou) - WP
ORCHIM LeREGA (Off White Lies, Israel/France, by Maya Kenig) - EP
Un Mundo Secreto (A Secret World, Mexico, by Gabriel Mariño) - WP
Wandeukyi (Punch, Republic of Korea, by Han Lee) - EP
Arcadia
Generation Kplus
Arcadia (USA, by Olivia Silver) – In Arcadia, California, everything is going to be fine, Tom promises his children. He loads them into the car and travels across the entire country. More than anything else, 12-year-old Greta hopes to see her mother again. Cast: Ryan Simpkins, John Hawkes and others. World Premiere.
GATTU (India, by Rajan Khosa) – The sky is full of kites and none flies as high or fast as Kali. In order to beat the black kite, Gattu has to reach for the sky. International Premiere.
Isdraken (The Ice Dragon, Sweden, by Martin Högdahl) – Whales cry when they lose their herds. Banished by the youth welfare office to northern Sweden, Mike knows the feeling. It’s only when he meets the very cool Pi that the ice begins to melt. World Premiere.
Kikoeteru, furi wo sita dake (Just Pretended to Hear, Japan, by Kaori Imaizumi) – Her spirit will protect you! After her mother’s death, Sachi’s only hope is spiritual comfort. But what if there’s no such thing as ghosts? International Premiere.
Pacha (Bolivia/Mexico, by Hector Ferreiro) – A shoeshine boy gets caught up in the turmoil of the Bolivian “gas war”. In the streets the Indigenous population is protesting for their rights, while in his dreams the boy is walking the paths of his culture. World Premiere.
Zarafa (France/Begium, by Rémi Bezançon and Jean-Christophe Lie, animation) – Maki has only just made friends with Zarafa, when the orphaned baby giraffe is given to the King of France as a gift. A richly illustrated adventure, from Africa to Paris. International Premiere.
As announced in the first press release, the program also includes the following films:
Kauwboy (Netherlands, by Boudewijn Koole) - WP
Die Kinder vom Napf (The Children from the Napf, Switzerland, by Alice Schmid) - IP
Lotte ja kuukivi saladus (Lotte and the Moonstone Secret, Estonia/Latvia, by Janno Põldma and Heiki Ernits) - IP
The Mirror Never Lies (Indonesia, by Kamila Andini) - EP
Nono (Philippines, by Rommel Tolentino) - EP
Patatje Oorlog (Taking Chances, Netherlands, by Nicole van Kilsdonk) - IP
Out of Competition
Vierzehn (Fourteen, Germany, by Cornelia Grünberg, documentary) – Soon their lives revolve around diapers, not parties. Four 14-year-old girls and their babies. An exciting new phase is beginning before they have had time to live out the last one. World Premiere.
The Monkey King - Uproar in Heaven 3D (People’s Republic of China, by Da Su) – 130,000 hand-painted water colors and voices from the Peking Opera are brought back to life in the elaborately restoration of this famous classic. A wonderfully entertaining animation film: now in 3D. World Premiere. A report from Chinese Films.
Short Films Generation 14plus
663114 (Japan, by Isamu Hirabayashi, Berlinale Shorts 2010: Aramaki) - GP
Banga Inte (Unruly, Sweden, by Fanni Metelius) – IP
Berlin Recyclers (Germany, by Nikki Schuster) - WP
Broer (Brother, Netherlands, by Sacha Polak) - IP
CRAZY DENNIS TIGER (Germany, by Jan Soldat, Berlinale Shorts 2010: Geliebt) – WP
Hiljainen Viikko (All Hallow's Week, Finland, by Jussi Hiltunen) - GP
Jeunesses Françaises (French Kids, France, by Stephan Castang) – IP
Kiss (Australia, by Alex Murawski) - GP
Lambs (New Zealand, by Sam Kelly) – WP
Levis hest (Levi's Horse, Norway, by Torfinn Iversen) – IP
Meathead (New Zealand, by Sam Holst) - GP
Nani (USA, by Justin Tipping) – IP
Supermarket Girl (Great Britain, by Matt Greenhalgh) - WP
The Wilding (Australia, by Grant Scicluna) - WP
Short Films Generation Kplus
Bara lite (Just a Little, Sweden, by Alicja Björk Jaworski) - WP
Bardo (Macedonia, by Marija Apchevska) - WP
Being Bradford Dillman (Great Britain, by Emma Burch) – IP
B I N O (Australia, by Billie Pleffer) - WP
Caochang (Playground, People’s Republic of China, by Qi Wang) – IP
Chinti (Russian Federation, by Natalia Mirzoyan) - WP
Corrida (Latvia, by Janis Cimermanis) – WP
Der kleine Vogel und das Blatt (The Little Bird and the Leaf, Switzerland, by Lena von Döhren) - WP
Hazenpad (The Path of a Hare, Netherlands, by Lotte van Elsacker) – IP
Hjältar (Heroes, Sweden, by Carolina Hellsgård) – WP
Julian (Australia, by Matthew Moore) – WP
L (Brazil, by Thais Fujinaga) – EP
Layla Bahir (Bright Night, Israel, by Li At Glik) - WP
Papa's Tango (Netherlands, by Michiel van Jaarsveld) – IP
The Quiet One (Sweden, by Emelie Wallgren, Ina Holmqvist, documentary) - GP
Rising Hope (Germany, by Milen Vitanov) – WP
Snow in Paradise (New Zealand, by Justine Simei-Barton, Nikki Si'ulepa) – WP
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