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"Kisna" (The Warrior Poet) | India | 2005 | 170 Min | Hindi-English

Cast: Vivek Oberoi, Antonia Bernath, Isha Sharvani, Polly Adams, Michael Maloney, Caroline Langrishe, Amrish Puri, Om Puri, Yashpal Sharma, Rajat Kapoor
Cinematography: Ashok Mehta
Art Direction: Samir Chanda
Music: A. R. Rahman, Ismail Darbar
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Screenplay: Subhash Ghai, Farookh Dhondy, Sachin Bhowmick, Margaret Glover
Directed & Produced by: Subhash Ghai

Synopsis
Katherine Beckett is the daughter of a ruthless British collector in 1930, who has mistreated the Indians living on his land in Deoprayag, at the foot of the Himalayas. Katherine, oblivious to differences in class and colour, befriends a native boy named Kisna. Friendship blossoms into a deeper relationship. But all things change. Kisna is soon to be married to his fiancée, Luxmi. Meanwhile, abhorred by the local Indian community for his many atrocities, Mr. Beckett now faces the wrath of the locals. In the ensuing carnage, Kisna decides to go against his people and his fiancée to save Katherine.

About the Filmmaker
Born in 1943, Subhash Ghai is one of India's leading directors and producers of mainstream cinema and is the CEO of content provider Mukta Arts. He is responsible for launching stars such as Madhuri Dixit, Meenakshi, Jackie Shroff, Mahima Chaudhry and Manisha Koirala. Beginning with "Kalicharan" (1976), he has directed a number of blockbusters, including "Hero", "Karz", "Ram Lakhan", "Saudagar" and "Taal."

“Le Chien, Le General Et Les Oiseaux” (The Dog, The General and the Birds)
| France-Italy | 2003 | 75 Min | French

Narrator: Philippe Noiret
Editing: Alice Boitard
Music: Andrea Guerra
Screenplay: Tonino Guerra
Producers: Raphael Berdugo, Stéphane Tchalgadjieff
Directed by: Francis Nielsen

Synopsis
A young Russian General uses birds to set fire to Moscow and save his country which has been taken over by Napoleon. He becomes a national hero, but years later, the memory of the flaming birds haunts him. So along with his exceptional dog Bonaparte, the old man sets out to release all the caged birds of Saint Petersburg.

About the Filmmaker
“The Dog, the General And The Birds” was Francis Nielsen’s feature directorial debut. During the last 20 years, he has produced and/or animated many programs for television including “Zoolympics”, “It Was Once”, “Dodo the Return”, “Father Christmas and His Twin”, “Inspector Mouse” and “The Gods of Olympe.” In 1997, Nielsen made his first full-length film for the small screen, “The Perfume of the Invisible”, based on the comic strip by Milo Manara. He has also produced and animated many musical publicity campaigns and videos.

“Les Egares” (Strayed) | France-UK | 2003 | 95 Min | French

Cast: Emmanuelle Beart, Gaspard Ulliel, Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet, Clémence Meyer, Samuel Labarthe
Cinematography: Agnés Godard
Editing: Martine Giordano
Art Direction: Zé Branco
Music: Philippe Sarde
Screenplay: Gilles Taurand, André Téchiné (from the novel Le Garçon Aux Yeux Gris by Gilles Perrault)
Producer: Jean-Pierre Ramsay Levi
Directed by: André Téchiné

Synopsis
The recently widowed Odile is a young, beautiful mother fleeing Paris with her two children, 13-year-old Philippe and 7-year-old Cathy, in tow. The year is 1940, the beginning of France’s occupation by Germany. When German planes bomb the road filled with refugees, Odile’s car is destroyed and she flees into the woods with her children. They encounter Yvan, a 17 year-old illiterate delinquent whose survival skills and charm soon prove indispensable. Odile, at once suspicious of and attracted to the mysterious stranger, soon finds herself at the center of a personal dilemma.

About the Filmmaker
One of the most respected French directors of the last two decades, André Téchiné has directed several acclaimed films such as “Les Rouseaux Sauvages” (Wild Reeds) – winner of the 1995 Best Foreign Language Film award from the NY, National and LA Film Critics Circles – “Les Voleurs” (Thieves), and “J’embrasse pas” (I Don’t Kiss). Téchiné began his film career as a critic for the influential Cahiers du Cinéma and has been honoured with a retrospective at the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

“Les Triplettes De Belleville” (The Triplets of Belleville) | France-Canada-Belgium-UK | 2003 | 78 Min | French-Portugese

Voices of: Béatrice Bonifassi, Lina Boudreault, Michèle Caucheteux, Jean-Claude Donda
Editing: Dominique Brune, Chantal Colibert Brunner, Dominique Lefever
Music: Benoît Charest, Mathieu Chedid
Producers: Didier Brunne, Viviane Vanfleteren
Written & Directed by: Sylvain Chomet

Synopsis
When little Champion is kidnapped by two mysterious men in black during the Tour de France, his grandmother Madame Souza and her faithful dog Bruno set out to rescue him. Their quest takes them across the ocean to a megalopolis called Belleville where they encounter the renowned ‘Triplets of Belleville’, three eccentric female music-hall stars from the ‘30s who decide to take Madame Souza and Bruno under their wing. Thanks to Bruno's brilliant sense of smell, the brave duo are soon on Champion's trail. But will they succeed in beating the devilish plans of the evil French mafia?

About the Filmmaker
Sylvain Chomet studied at the Angouleme Art School, where he drew comics. His first comic book, Secrets of the Dragonfly, was published in 1986 by Futuropolis. His first animated film, “The Old Lady and the Pigeons” (1996) won several awards, festival acclaim, and an Oscar nomination. “The Triplets of Belleville” earned two Academy Award nominations in 2004 and won several other awards.

Luna Papa | Austria-Germany-Russia-Switzerland-France-Tajikistan | 1999 | 117 Min | Russian-Persian

Cast: Chulpan Khamatova, Moritz Bleibtreu, Merab Ninidze, Ato Mukhamedzhanov, Nikolai Fomenko
Cinematographers: Martin Gschlacht, Dusan Joksimovic, Rostislav Pirumov, Rali Ralchev, Daniar Abdurakhmanov
Editing: Evi Romen, Kirk vor Heflin
Music: Daler Nazarov
Screenplay: Irakli Kwirikadze, Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov
Producers: Karl Baumgartner, Heinz Stussak, Igor Tolstounov, Thomas Koerfer
Directed by: Bakhtiar Khudojnazarov

Synopsis
Mamlakat loves Shakespeare, loves the theatre and wants to be an actress, but she lives in a small village isolated in an arid region next to a large sea. So, why shouldn't this 17-year-old girl believe that the mysterious, handsome stranger is a friend of Tom Cruise? He wouldn't lie about such a thing. The next thing she knows, she is pregnant, desperate and on a quest to restore the family honor by finding the cowardly inseminator who seduced her. Father, daughter and Mamlakat's decidely "different" brother set out on a wild and fantastic trip through the landscapes of Central Asia in which tradition and superstition clash with the chaos of the post-modern world.

About the Filmmaker
Bakhtier Khudoinazarov was born in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, in 1965. After graduating from the film directing section of the State Institute for Filmmaking (VGIK) in 1989 (Igor' Talankin's Master Workshop), he worked for several years as an assistant director at Tajikfilm Studios and as a radio announcer. He currently divides his time between Moscow and Berlin.

“Mein Ne Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara” (I Did Not Kill Gandhi) | India | 2005 | 85 Min | Hindi

Cast: Anupam Kher, Urmila Matondkar, Waheeda Rehman, Prem Chopra, Boman Irani
Cinematography: Raaj Chakravarti
Editing: Deepa Bhatia
Art Direction: Nitish Roy
Music: Bappi Lahiri
Screenplay: Sanjay Chauhan
Producer: Anupam Kher
Directed by: Jahnu Barua

Synopsis
Professor Uttam Chaudhary is a retired Hindi teacher who lives with his daughter and young son in the city of Mumbai. He is suffering from brief periods of forgetfulness, blanks in memory. Little does anyone realize that the problems are much deeper, and that this is just the beginning of a journey that will end in a man becoming a prisoner of his mind. As his memories start to fade, a childhood trauma surfaces – a memory of being accused of murdering Gandhi. The more his life is whitewashed, the stronger this one memory remains.

About the Filmmaker
Jahnu Barua was born in 1952 in Gauhati in Assam, India and is considered the face of Assamese cinema. A graduate from Guwahati University and the FTII, he made his first feature film, “Aparoopa” in 1982. His films are known for their social themes, which address the contemporary culture and politics of Assam. Most of his films have won acclaim nationally and internationally. He has also been awarded the Padma Shree by the Government of India.

“Mio Cognato” (My Brother-in-Law) | Italy | 2003 | 90 Min | Italian

Cast: Luigi Lo Cascio, Sergio Rubini, Mariangela Arcieri, Alessandra Sarno, Carolina Felline, Antonio Iandolo, Luca Cirasola
Cinematography: Gian Enrico Bianchi
Editing: Thomas Woschitz
Music: Ivan Iusco
Screenplay: Alessandro Piva, Andrea Piva, Salvatore De Mola
Producer: Giovanni Veronesi
Directed by: Alessandro Piva

Synopsis
While in the coastal town of Bari from the suburbs to attend a christening, Vito gets his new car stolen. His wife Anna suggests that her gangster brother Toni help him find it. As they scour the city in search of the vehicle, Vito comes to realize that Toni has made tense relations with some local gangsters. Although Vito can't understand the Bari dialect, he's sure that Toni has done something to upset crime boss Nicola.

About the Filmmaker
Alessandro Piva was born in Salerno, Sicily, but soon moved to Bari. He took a diploma in film editing at the National School of Cinema in Rome and began his career directing short films and documentaries. With a screenplay entitled L’aria è amara, written together with Salvatore De Mola from Bari, Piva won the Solinas Award. Later, the story would become the matrix for “Mio Cognato.” His first feature, “LaCapaGira” (2000), was a runaway success. He is currently working on some footage of the postwar rural Apulia region.

“Non è Giusto” (It Is Not Just) | Italy | 2001 | 102 Min | Italian

Cast: Maddalena Polistina, Daniel Prodomo, Lucia Ragni,
Valerio Binasco
Cinematography: Cesare Accetta
Editing: Giogiò Franchini
Art Direction: Giancarlo Muselli
Music: Antonio Fresa
Screenplay: Mattia Betti, Antonietta De Lillo
Directed by: Antonietta De Lillo

Synopsis
Sofia and Valerio, 11- and 12- years-old respectively, and both children of separated parents, meet by chance and make friends during a suffocating summer in Naples. Their friendship is an “alliance” through which they try to overcome family difficulties, the sudden changes of mood of their frantic and yet generous 44-year-old fathers, and the occasional aggressive attitude on the phone of their distant or absent mothers. Shot in digital, the film is sometimes reminiscent of François Truffaut.

About the Filmmaker
Antonietta De Lillo was born in Naples in 1960. She graduated in entertainment journalism from DAMS in Bologna, worked with various newspapers as a freelance photographer and journalist, and subsequently as a camera assistant and documentary filmmaker. Her feature directorial debut was with “Una Casa in Bilico” (Tottering in the Dark, 1987), in collaboration with Giorgio Magliulo, a look at the world of the elderly. “Non è Giusto” was nominated for a Golden Leopard at the 54th Locarno Film Festival.

“Pardes” (Overseas) | India | 1997 | 179 Min | Hindi

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Amrish Puri, Mahima Chaudhary, Apurva Agnihotri
Cinematographer: Kabir Lal
Editing: Renu Saluja
Art Direction: R. Verman
Music : Nadeem-Shravan
Lyrics : Anand Bakshi
Screenplay: Subhash Ghai, Neeraj Pathak, Javed Siddiqui
Directed & Produced by: Subhash Ghai

Synopsis
Kishorilal, a billionaire non-resident Indian established in the US, deputes his nephew Arjun to get an Indian bride for his American Indian son Rajiv. Both of them visit a family in Agra to approve of Ganga as a bride, the daughter of Kishorilal’s old friend. Ganga becomes engaged to Rajiv but upon visiting the US, realises the cultural differences between her and Rajiv and refuses to change her Indian values to fulfill his wishes. Arjun, the catalyst, joins her struggle and helps her return to India only to discover that they were made for each other.

About the Filmmaker
Born in 1943, Subhash Ghai is one of India’s leading directors and producers of mainstream cinema and is the CEO of content provider Mukta Arts. He is responsible for launching stars such as Madhuri Dixit, Meenakshi, Jackie Shroff, Mahima Chaudhry and Manisha Koirala. Beginning with “Kalicharan” (1976), he has directed a number of blockbusters, including “Hero”, “Karz”, “Ram Lakhan”, “Saudagar” and “ Taal.”

“Pehla Pehla Pyar” (First Love) | Pakistan | 2005 | 149 Min | Urdu

Cast: Ali Tabish, Resham, Zara Sheikh, Nadeem Baig, Sajid Hasan
Cinematography: Ameer Lal Syed
Editing: Arif Sheikh
Music: Yusuf Khan
Story: Irfan Ahmad Urfi
Screenplay: Ali Sufyan Afaqi
Directed & Produced by: Mubasher Lucman

Synopsis
"Pehla Pehla Pyar" is the story of an aspiring young male singer who is in love with a girl in his college. However, the girl's brother tricks her into getting married to a wealthy man who is much older than her. The young lovers won't give up without a fight and, after many intricate twists and turns, are eventually reunited. In exploring the marital abuse of young girls who are forced into marriages by their families, the film melds the seemingly incongruous styles of social love story and the musical.

About the Filmmaker
Mubasher Lucman is well known in the entertainment industry and is responsible for a number of blockbuster serials, game shows, talk shows and live current affairs programmes on television. He is also the recipient of the British Wedgwood and a German television award for his television drama "Fur Coat." "Pehla Pehla Pyar" is his feature directorial debut.

Pride and Prejudice | UK | 2005 | 127 Min | English

Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Rosamund Pike, Tom Hollander, Judi Dench
Cinematography: Roman Osin
Editing: Paul Tothill
Music: Dario Marianelli
Screenplay: Deborah Moggach (Adapted from the novel by Jane Austen)
Executive Producers: Debra Hayward, Liza Chasin
Producers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Paul Webster
Directed by: Joe Wright

Synopsis
Based on Jane Austen's beloved novel, the classic tale of love and values unfolds in class-conscious England of the late 18th century. The five Bennet sisters – including strong-willed Elizabeth and young Lydia – have all been raised by their mother with one purpose in life: finding a husband. When a wealthy bachelor takes up residence in a nearby mansion, the Bennets are abuzz. Amongst the man’s sophisticated circle of friends, surely there will be no shortage of suitors for the Bennet sisters. But when Elizabeth meets up with the handsome and – it would seem – snobbish Mr. Darcy, the battle of the sexes is joined.

About the Filmmaker
Joe Wright studied fine art, film and video at St Martin’s. He won a BAFTA Award for the miniseries “Charles II: The Power and the Passion”, his most recent directorial project. His prior credits as a director include another highly acclaimed miniseries, “Nature Boy”, the miniseries “Bodily Harm”, and the telefilm “Bob and Rose”, which has won several international awards.

“Samt El Qusur” (The Silences of the Palace) | France-Tunisia | 1994
| 127 Min | Arabic-French

Cast: Amel Hedhili, Najia Ouerghi, Hend Sabri, Fatima Ben Saidane, Zahira Ben Ammar
Cinematography: Youssef Ben Youssef
Editing: Camille Cotte, Karim Hammouda, Moufida Tlatli
Sound: Gerard Rousseau, Faouzi Thabet
Music: Anouar Brahem
Screenplay: Nouri Bouzid, Moufida Tlatli
Producers: Ahmed Baha, Attia, Richard Magnien
Directed by: Moufida Tlatli

Synopsis
The talented but unsuccessful singer Aliya is invited to the palace where she spent her childhood as a servant’s daughter. She never really got to know who her father was but her being invited back to the palace after the head of the royal household has died is no accident. Back in the palace all her childhood memories come back to her. She remembers her mother being the concubine of the deceased. Aliya becomes sure that she is his daughter. She remembers also how her love for music helped her to gain prestige in the palace. Considered by some to be the best Arab film ever made.

About the Filmmaker
Born in Tunisia in 1947, Moufida Tlatli studied at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinematographiques in Paris. Returning to Tunisia in 1972, she worked as a film editor on some of the most important Arab films of the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. Her first film, “The Silences of the Palace”, won prizes in Toronto, Carthage, Chicago, Istanbul and Johannesburg. Her second film, “The Season of Men” won the Institut du Monde Arabe Grand Prix in Paris as well as other festival prizes.

Serenity | USA | 2005 | 119 Min | English-Mandarin

Cast: Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite, Summer Glau, Sean Maher, Ron Glass, David Krumholtz
Cinematography: Jack N. Green
Editing: Lisa Lassek
Music: Mark Brooks, Peter Gilstrap, David Newman
Producer: Barry Mendel
Written & Directed by: Joss Whedon

Synopsis
Captain Malcolm Reynolds is a hardened veteran (on the losing side) of a galactic civil war, who now ekes out a living pulling off small crimes and transport-for-hire aboard his ship, Serenity. He leads a small, eclectic crew who are the closest thing he has left to family – squabbling, insubordinate and undyingly loyal. When Mal takes on two new passengers – a young doctor and his unstable, telepathic sister – he gets much more than he bargained for. The pair are fugitives from the Universal Alliance dominating the universe, which will stop at nothing to reclaim the girl.

About the Filmmaker
A graduate of Wesleyan University in film studies, Joss Whedon received an Oscar nomination as co-writer of the record-breaking animated hit “Toy Story.” He is also the Emmy-nominated creator of the television sensations “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel”, as well as “Firefly”, on which his feature film directorial debut, “Serenity”, is based.

Shooting Dogs | UK-Germany | 2004 | 115 Min | English

Cast: John Hurt, Hugh Dancy, Dominique Horwitz, Clare-Hope Ashitey
Cinematography: Ivan Strasburg
Editing: Christian Lonk
Art Direction: Astrid Sieben
Music: Dario Marianelli
Story: Richard Alwyn, David Belton
Screenplay: David Wolstencroft
Producers: David Belton, Pippa Cross, Jens Meurer
Directed by: Michael Caton-Jones

Synopsis
Father Christopher is a missionary who forges a friendship with Joe, a young idealistic English teacher, as civil war breaks out in Rwanda. Together they have to confront the limits of their courage as they decide whether to stay or leave in the face of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The film explores the powerful dilemma of peacekeepers caught up in a dangerous world, where they feel powerless to act effectively. The film is co-written and produced by David Belton, who was a photographer with the BBC assigned to Rwanda when the fighting broke out.

About the Filmmaker
Born in 1958 in Scotland, Michael Caton-Jones attended the National Film School in London where his talents caught the eye of the BBC. He went on to direct two dramas for the channel. He emigrated to Hollywood after his critically praised directorial debut, “Scandal” (1989), which dealt with the famed Profumo spy scandal. His films include “Memphis Belle” (1990), “Doc Hollywood” (1991), “This Boy’s Life” (1993), “Rob Roy” (1995) and “The Jackal” (1997).

“Taal” (Beat) | India | 1999 | 179 Min | Hindi-Tamil

Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Akshaye Khanna
Cinematography: Kabir Lal
Editing: Subhash Ghai
Art Direction: Sharmishta Roy
Music: A.R. Rahman
Lyrics: Anand Bakshi
Screenplay: Subhash Ghai, Sachin Bhowmick
Produced & Directed by: Subhash Ghai

Synopsis
On a sight-seeing trip to India, Manav, the son of a UK-based billionaire, finds himself totally bewitched by the beautiful Mansi, a gifted folk singer and dancer. Manav and Mansi fall in love and commit themselves to each other, but when Mansi and her highly respected folk-singer father, Tarababu, visit Manav’s family in Mumbai, they are insulted and humiliated. Disillusioned, Mansi takes a vow that she will make something of herself in Manav’s world of ruthless materialism. Mansi teams up with Vikrant, a music composer and head of an entertainment company. But even as Vikrant proposes to her, Manav continues to pursue her.

About the Filmmaker
Born in 1943, Subhash Ghai is one of India’s leading directors and producers of mainstream cinema and is the CEO of content provider Mukta Arts. He is responsible for launching stars such as Madhuri Dixit, Meenakshi, Jackie Shroff, Mahima Chaudhry and Manisha Koirala. Beginning with “Kalicharan” (1976), he has directed a number of blockbusters, including “Hero”, “Karz”, “Ram Lakhan”, “Saudagar” and “Pardes.”

Tickets | UK-Italy-Iran | 2005| 109 Min | English-Albanian-Italian

Cast: Carlo Delle Piane, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Silvana De Santis, Filippo Trojano, Martin Compston, William Ruane
Cinematography: Fabio Olmi, Mahmud Kalari, Chris Menges
Editing: Giovanni Ziberna, Babak Karimi, Jonathan Morris
Music: George Fenton
Art Direction: Alessandro Vannucci
Screenplay: Ermanno Olmi, Abbas Kiarostami, Paul Laverty
Producers: Carlo Cresto-Dina, Babak Karimi, Rebecca O'Brien, Domenico Procacci
Directed by: Ermanno Olmi, Abbas Kiarostani, Ken Loach

Synopsis
Three highly acclaimed directors join together to direct three interwoven stories that take place during a single train journey from Eastern Europe to Rome. An older businessman finds solace and a new insight into life when he is forced to wait at the train station due to bad weather. A young man is reminded of life's obligations but is also introduced to love. And three Scottish youths on their way to the football match of their dreams are forced to open their eyes and see the bigger picture.

About the Filmmaker
Born in 1937, Ken Loach is Britain's most renowned director of socially conscious television drama. He is also an internationally acclaimed maker of feature films. Ermanno Olmi was born in Italy in 1931 and ranks as one of his country's finest filmmakers. He is known for making realistic films about the lives of average people that are infused with an almost austere subtlety. Abbas Kiarostani was born in 1940 in Tehran and is one of Iran’s foremost auteurs. He prefers to work with non-actors in natural surroundings and his work is marked by a keen Chekhovian sense of humour, tinged with poetry.

Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were Rabbit | UK | 2005 | 85 Min | English

Voices of: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Nicolas Smith, Peter Kay, Liz Smith
Cinematography: Tristan Oliver, Dave Alex Riddett
Art Direction: Sarah Hauldren
Editing: David McCormick, Gregory Perler
Music: Julian Nott
Screenplay: Steve Box, Nick Park, Bob Baker, Mark Burton
Producers: Claire Jennings, Peter Lord, Nick Park, Carla Shelley, David Sproxton
Animated & Directed by: Steve Box, Nick Park

Synopsis
Wallace and Gromit, the wide-smiling English inventor and his ever-resourceful dog, whose eyebrows express more than any talking canine ever could, are here in their first feature film. It’s ‘vege-mania’ in Wallace and Gromit’s neighbourhood, and our two enterprising chums are cashing in with their humane pest-control outfit, Anti-Pesto. With only days to go before the annual Giant Vegetable Competition, a huge, mysterious, veg-ravaging ‘beast’ begins attacking the town’s sacred vegetable plots at night, and the competition hostess, Lady Tottington, commissions Anti-Pesto to catch it and save the day. The duo must contend, however, with Lady Tottington's snobby suitor, Victor Quartermaine, who'd rather shoot the beast and secure the position of local hero.

About the Filmmaker
Born in 1958 in Lancashire, England, Nick Park’s painstaking and brilliant claymations have won him three Academy Awards for the shorts “Creature Comforts”, “The Wrong Trousers” and “A Close Shave.” He is also the director of the critically acclaimed blockbuster “Chicken Run.” Steve Box is an animator who has frequently collaborated with Nick Park. This is his feature directorial debut.

Ward No. 7 | Pakistan| 2004 | 123 Min | Urdu

Cast: Adnan Tipu Shah, Shamoon Abbasi, Mohib Mirza, Shahid Najami, Parvaiz Siddiqui, Noshean Agha, Mahwish, Annie Sikandar
Cinematography: Ilyas
Editing: Najam Khan
Music: Shamoon, Atif Aslam
Executive Producers: Nadeem Baig, Usman Zuberi for Aaj Television
Producer: Adnan Saeed
Directed by: Shamoon Abbasi

Synopsis
Set in a psychiatric ward, the film comprises three stories about three men who end up in the ward for treatment after suffering through, among other things, corruption, police brutality, sexual harassment and human rights violations. Zahid lost his mental balance after being made to witness the rape of his fiancée. Akbar landed up in the psychiatric ward after seeing his younger brother, arrested on a cooked up charge, tortured by the police. Saleem, who is constantly harassed and made fun of by his peers for effeminacy, pretends to be mentally disturbed to escape the charge of murder that he is saddled with.

About the Filmmaker
Based in Karachi, Shamoon Abbasi began his television career in 1997 directing action films. He has directed numerous dramas for television, including thrillers and mysteries as well as reality shows and corporate campaigns.

West Beyrouth | France-Lebanon-Belgium-Norway | 1998 | 100 Min | Arabic-French

Cast: Rami Doueiri, Mohamad Chamas, Rola Al Amin, Carmen Lebbos, Joseph Bou Nasser
Cinematography: Richard Jacques Gale
Editing: Dominique Marcombe
Art Direction: Hamzé Nasrallah
Music: Stewart Copeland
Producers: Rachid Bouchareb, Jean Bréhat
Written & Directed by: Ziad Doueiri

Synopsis
Beirut , Lebanon , 1975. As fighting breaks out between the Lebanese Muslims and the Christian militias, the city is split in two: East Beirut is Christian-controlled and West Beirut is Muslim. The social and political upheaval has a dramatic effect on the life of Tarek, a teenager at school, and his parents. His mother wants to leave Beirut but his father is determined to stay. While his parents are tearing their hair out in grief and fear, Tarek and his friends run amok, relishing the anarchy which war brings.

About the Filmmaker
Doueiri got his break working on Quentin Tarantino's “Reservoir Dogs”, and served as assistant cameraman on “Pulp Fiction” and “Jackie Brown.” His debut as director, “ West Beyrouth”, was a real breakthrough: an Arab film with wit, style and energy to burn. Steeped in cinema from the French New Wave to Francis Ford Coppola, Doueiri is one of Arab film's brightest hopes, now coming into his own, along with talents like Tunisia's Moufida Tlatli.

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