Category: Selection 2024

Synopsis: Japanese society is home to people with roots in many different parts of the world and cultures. Among them, the lives and activities of immigrants from Africa are not widely known. Nearly 200 Ethiopian immigrants live in the Katsushika and Sumida wards of Tokyo. They are connected through meetings of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church and interact with local residents through music and food. This film shows Ethiopian neighbours who have put down roots in Japanese society while maintaining their own culture, rather than being ‘foreign human resources’ to be exploited to solve problems such as a declining birth rate, an ageing population and labour shortages. The aim of this film is to provide an opportunity to think about Japan as a nation that embraces cultural diversity.

Director: Itsushi Kawase

Producer: Itsushi Kawase

Key Cast: Abebe Abebe Sahlesilassie

Country of Origin: Japan

Country of Filming: Japan

Language: Japanese

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 00:49:28

Project Website: https://www.itsushikawase.com/index.html

https://trajectoria.minpaku.ac.jp/

https://www.itsushikawase.com/anthro-film_lab/

Itsushi Kawase

Synopsis: Namarali is a 50min documentary charting artist Donny (Yorna) Woolagoodja’s quest to rekindle deep connections with his traditional ancestral culture. Yorna’s spiritual beliefs revolve around the wandjina – creator beings whose images adorn the caves and rock ledges throughout the Kimberley in Western Australia. Refreshed with new ochre each year by his ancestors the wandjinas are now fading away with the absence of Yorna’s people. But the community’s decision to allow one of Yorna’s designs to appear at the 2000 Sydney Olympics opening ceremony empowers a progressive new perspective. Yorna is compelled to visit the big-boss wandjina NAMARALI in his cave. His mission; to repaint the imposing 4m wandjina image with fresh ochre and restore NAMARALI back to his full glory. On a distant, inaccessible section of the West Kimberley coast, the film is witness to the radical action of a man and his community determined to bring their deity ‘back to life’. NAMARALI was created over 20 years by Tim Mummery and senior knowledge keeper Yorna Woolagoodja (2021 Red Ochre lifetime achievement award). 

Submitter Statement:  Over the 20 years of this film’s completion my friendship with Yorna has afforded me innumerable ‘ah ha’ moments around his perspective on the world. The key one, I think, centres on how hard it is for Aboriginal people to balance the requirements of non-indigenous culture with their own community needs. At its heart, NAMARALI explores how these tensions play out for Yorna as a community leader. In 2000 he faced a dilemma; bring a sacred culture to the world or let it sit undisturbed in the caves where it could easily fade into obscurity. Following Yorna as he is compelled to visit Namarali’s cave, the film takes us to a world that is very rarely seen. Part lament for things lost and part road map for future cultural rebirth, NAMARALI is a film powered by a radical gesture of cultural reclamation. 

Director: Tim Mummery

Writer: Tim Mummery

Producer: Tim Mummery, Yorna (Donny) Woolagoodja

Key Cast: Yorna (Donny) Woolagoodja, Alison Burgu

Country of Origin: Australia

Country of Filming: Australia

Language: English

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 00:52:11

Tim Mummery

Synopsis: In Pujiao Village, Jinping County, on the Sino-Vietnamese border in Yunnan Province, there is a primary school in a mountain village. The school has a police station on one side and a border defense company on the other. The village committee is below the school, and the surrounding villages are villages. The People’s Liberation Army, the police, villagers, teachers from other provinces, and representatives of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China meet here. Units or individuals who are usually close to each other but parallel to each other work together to help the students. The school seems to be a big stage. And the ethereal feeling, and the students are the audience and the protagonists, either passive or active. The joys and sorrows of children are still there, and the joys and sorrows of adults are also there. It seems that they have changed. We are all children. In this film, the People’s Liberation Army has funded three times, the police gave a campus bullying lecture, the party representatives of the 19th National Congress came to visit once, and there were two new crown vaccinations inside and outside the school. The military camp, parents and children participated in their own singing parties. The children wrote two poems to deduce their inner emotions and express their views on the surroundings. Teachers inside and outside the province also spent every moment with their children in joys, sorrows and sorrows. Going forward, we all need to quietly wait for the kids to adjust, because we were all kids once.

Submitter Statement:  I hope that more forces will pay attention to the children on the border between China and Vietnam. They are marginalized and disadvantaged groups. To pay attention to them is to pay attention to the future.

Director: Hu Xiao

Writer: Hu Xiao

Producer: Hu Xiao

Key Cast: fu Cheng Luo, an Zhi Deng, xiang Chun Deng

Country of Origin: China

Country of Filming: China

Language: Chinese

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 00:52:46

Project Website: https://space.bilibili.com/285902042

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100059385849132

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xiaohu19901208/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hNpezGkIVBAJl5M

Hu Xiao

Synopsis: An Israeli Anthropologist traveling throughout Amazonia to meet the descendants of the Moroccan Jews who immigrated to this region since 1810. Together they are sharing their unique story of resilience and persistence in this special part of the world, as well as their daily lives and their deep feelings towards their Jewish origins, which sometimes still exist only in their hearts. So now, 210 years after the beginning of the immigration of Jews from Morocco to the Amazon region, where are they today and what happened to their descendants during all these years? I traveled far away to the amazing Amazon region, first in 2010 and the second time in 2021, hoping to find answers to these questions. Now, 13 years after my first journey, this film is completed. Fortunato Chocron, Samuel Pereira, Meri Chamani, Cloude Chamani, Maria Botbol, Maria Sarrafi, Ronyo De Mercede Gama, Julia Cohen Niva Danieli Leite Fima, Tzafira Ohana and Anne Benchimol, together with many others whom I encountered in my journeys are sharing the different histories and stories of these communities and individuals. Their Jewish story is embedded in the unique scenery of the Amazon River and forests, intertwined with the local cultures that exist in this area while keeping their specific identity and traditions. Our dialogues and encounters were amazing experiences and lessons that I experienced and that I wish to share with the rest of the world. The soundtrack of the film is made up of 6 songs of the wonderful Israeli-Moroccan-Brazilian singer Lala Tamar, mainly in Hakitia (the special Jewish language that was spoken in Spanish Morocco and still kept in Amazonia) bringing Morocco’s original Judaism sounds to the story, which is flowing along the rivers and forests. The film is also a site to remember those who are no longer with us and to honor their memory and their contribution to the Jewish life in Amazonia, which they generously shared throughout this film. 

Submitter Statement:   SINCE THE 18TH CENTUARY, JEWS IMMIGRATED TO AMAZONIA TO SEEK FOR BRIGHTER FUTURE IN WHAT THAN CONSIDERED THE NEW “ELDORADO”, 1000 FAMILES ARRIVED FROM MORROCO AND SETTELED THROUGH OUT PARA AND AMAZONAS STATES AND ESTABLISHED THEIR NEW HOMELAND. THEY HAVE KEPT JEWISH COMMUNITY LIVES THROUGH SYNAGOUES, CEMETARIES’ AND TRADITIONS THEY BROUGH FROM MORROCO, AND BECAME THE MORROCAN JEWS OF AMAZONIA.. BUT NOT ALL WENT ON THE SAME PATH, AND MANY WERE NOT ABALE TO CONTINUE BEING PRACTICING JEWS..SLOWLY BUT SURLEY THEY HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM JEWISH IDENTITY AND EVERYDAY LIFE AS SUCH. ALL THEY KEPT IS DEEP IN THEIR MEMORIES, THEIR FAMILY NAMES, AND FEW OLD PICTURES OR DRAWINGS OF THEIR GRANDPARENTS AND THEIR FORFATHERS AND MOTHERS.. TODAY, THERE ARE TWO ACTIVIE COMMUNITIES IN BELEM AND MANAUS, AND MANY MORE DESECNDENTS THROUGH OUT AMAZONIA INCLUDING THE ARCHIPELEG OF MARAJO. I first heard about Jews in Amazonia when I celebrated my 50th birthday through the film “ERETZ AMAZONIA” BY DAVID SALGADO, then with no hesitation and his great help I took my first journey in summer 2010 to meet the people who are still living in Belem- Santarem, Obidos and Manaus. I met many people who shared their memories and life stories of their Jewish life. I made many interviews and collected evidence of this unique communities. In the last days of my journey, I met Benchimol family, when I received from Jaime Benchimol, the book Eretz Amazonia, written by Prof. Samuel Benchimol. After returning home, during two years I, together with David Salgado translated the book to Hebrew. When it was ready we celebrated the 10th anniversary for the death of Samuel Benchimol with 200 participants from Amazonia in Israel. Since that event, I gave numerous presentations throughout Israel to various audiences, including the annual meeting of the Ladino speaking community in Israel. Following my presentations, many people are still approaching me asking help to find any footsteps of their lost family and relatives, even in a cemetery. I kept my close communication with several people, especially Anne Benchimol ever since. 11 years past…all this time, I kept my footage and photos with me, but was not yet ready to work on a film… Recently, on November 2021 I returned to Belem to participate in the Ethnographic film festival…and I got an invitation from Iriai Chokron from Breves to come and visit the archipelago of Marajo and see by myself what has been left from the Jewish presence there.. Samuel Benchimol in his book claim for about 300000 descendants of Jews throughout Amazonia, so I really wanted to understand what does it mean, how does it look like and what were the dynamics of their life from being Moroccan Jews originally to Catholics or Evangelists today who are still remembering and are relating in minimum way to their original identity. I flew to Breves…And in 45 amazing moments I was there to start my inquiry… I met several families, visited the abandoned cemetery with Jewish graves, traveled inside Jacarazinho River to meet and interview more families. And got some clear answers to what I was looking for. Upon my return to Israel this time, I understood that the time came to use all I have collected in 2010 and on this recent journey and to make my own film about my encounter with Moroccan Jews and their descendants in Amazonia. Following my visit with the Jewish museum in Sao Paulo and their intentions to take a more serious and deep time and space to present this story I offered immediately to make my film in collaboration with the museum and make a film that will be part of their exhebition and presentation on this topic.. 

Director: Malka Shabtay

Writer: Malka Shabtay

Producer: Malka Shabtay

Country of Origin: Israel

Country of Filming: Brazil

Language: English, Hebrew, Portuguese

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 01:01:15

Project Website: https://pro.imdb.com/name/nm15590888/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malka.shabtay

Malka Shabtay

Synopsis: Urban Symphonies – A symphonic documentary in three movements – is a documentary set in three Roman suburbs: Corviale, Idroscalo and Prenestino-Quarticciolo. The project rewrites the stereotypical narrative of the suburbs as places of crime and decay through the voices of those who live them everyday, defending them at all cost to improve and transform these underrepresented areas into the city of tomorrow.

Director: Lorenzo Giovenga, Giuliano Giacomelli

Writer: Flavia Enchelli, Valentina Signorelli

Producer: Lorenzo Lazzarini, Lorenzo Giovenga, Giuliano Giacomelli, Giuliano Giacomelli

Country of Origin: Italy

Country of Filming: Italy

Language: Italian

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 01:02:00

Project Website: http://www.daitona.it

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Daitona.it/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daitona.it/?hl=it

Lorenzo Giovenga, Giuliano Giacomelli

Synopsis: ”In the desert of Morocco… the characters of this film chose to live in isolation from the city and its society; Harmonious to difficult environmental conditions, they find pleasure in conversing with the Creator away from creation in limitless spaces…” 

Director: Salem Bilal

Country of Origin: Morocco

Country of Filming: Morocco

Language: Arabic

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 01:03:00

Project Website: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100068210044709&mibextid=JRoKGi

Salem Bilal

Synopsis: The blind teenage boy feels the nature and the environment with all his being without using his eyes, and removes the destructive factors of the environment and gives peace and tranquility to the nature.

Director: Hamidreza Kord sichani 

Writer: Hamidreza Kord sichani

Producer: Hamidreza Kord sichani

Key Cast: Abolfazl Keshavarz

Country of Origin: Islamic Republic of Iran

Country of Filming: Islamic Republic of Iran

Language: English

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 00:09:38

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_parvaz.art

Hamidreza Kord sichani 

Synopsis: We are in the atlantic pyrenees, at the bottom of the Ossau valley. The inhabitants of the hamlet of Aas communicate by whistling. They invented the whistling language. This language, whose origin has always remained a mystery, has almost disappeared. Today it’s reborn thanks to the enthusiasm of some passionate whistlers

Director: Richard Martin-Jordan

Writer: Richard Martin-Jordan

Producer: Mara Films – Serge Houot, ÒC Tele – Stephane Valentin

Country of Origin: France

Country of Filming: France

Language: French

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 00:52:00

Project Website: http://marafilms.fr/production/nouveaux-siffleurs-daas/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lesnouveuxsiffleursdAasFilm/

Richard Martin-Jordan

Synopsis: “My way of fighting is by learning Mapudungun, the language of my ancestors”. How far do our roots go, what keeps our identity together? A scientific expedition from the University of Zurich travels to southern Chile to return to the indigenous communities the results of a genetic study, between astonishment and wonders.

Director: Renato Giugliano

Producer: Chiara Barbieri

Country of Origin: Switzerland

Country of Filming: Chile

Language: English, Spanish

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 01:05:20

Renato Giugliano

Synopsis: Echoes of an ancestral chant resonate deep in the jungle of Misiones, Argentina. They are the voices of the Mbya Guaraní people who preserve their musical legacy through the songs of their children. 

Submitter Statement:  My first link with this project was from the music of TONOLEC; that particular fusion between the electronic and the native ancestral songs that transported us from the present to other times. But behind that, I noticed something that was also interesting to me: The story of two contemporary musicians who, to inspire themselves, looked where nobody else was looking. In a time when there is a lot of cultural material and foreign influences, the work of TONOLEC reminds us of the true essence of the word “original”, which in its deepest etymology means: “return to the origin”. For years, we grew up with an education that ignored the original native peoples, putting them in the past, as if they were no longer part of our reality. This project tries to break with that look, breaking the prejudices that portray them as “poor” and “backward” peoples, constantly pointing out “what they lack”. In our case, we are interested in showing that these cultures are alive; and promote (from our place of musicians and filmmakers) what they have and what they are. In a simple story that offers the audience a journey through a wonderful universal language: music. 

Director: Mana García

Producer: Paula Asprella

Key Cast: Charo Bogarin, Diego Pérez

Country of Origin: Argentina

Country of Filming: Argentina, Brazil

Language: Spanish

Subtitles: 

Runtime: 01:10:00

Facebook: https://facebook.com/elcantodeltiempo

Mana García