La Zhe Lao Mu Zou Tain Ya (Travels By Tricycle)
CHINA / 2005 / 42 MIN / CHINESE

Cinematography: Wang Dongdong, Qu Di
Editing: Wang Dondong, Qu Di, Gai Wei
Sound: Chang Yu
Script: Wang Dongdong, Chang Yu
Producers: Wang Dongdong, Chang Yu
Directed by: Wang Dongdong

SYNOPSIS
74-year-old Wang Yimin lives in Tahe County in the Great Xing’an Mountain region of Northern Heilongjiang Province. He worries about his 98-year-old mother who shares her quarters with his younger brother in Harbin. Despite poverty, Wang decides to leave his own family in Tahe and travel with his mama, riding a tricycle he built himself. “Travels By Tricycle” is a love story of two old people, a mother and a son, who set themselves on a long and tiring journey throughout their beloved motherland. It is a story of human will, of past traditions and bondage, of search and discovery, of future expectations and determination, and the strength of respect and honour. It is China’s story.

THE FILMMAKER
Wang Dongdong was born in Harbin, China, in 1971. He produces and directs documentaries for Heilongjiang Television Station and is a member of the Heilongjiang Writers’ Association. Several of his documentaries, including “Travels By Tricycle”, “Xue Xia’s Three Days”, “Maliyasuo’s Winter” and “The Happy Life of Miao Qing’s Family”, have received national acclaim. Dongdong is currently preparing for his doctoral degree at the Harbin Institute of Technology.

Mauris del Titicaca (Mauris from Titicaca)
SPAIN-PERU / 2006 / 11 MIN / SPANISH

Cinematography: Jens Hilgendag
Editing: Juan Leguizamon
Sound: Diego Martinez
Directed by: Marcelo Bukin

SYNOPSIS
By the edge of Lake Titicaca, a family of six friendly brothers and sisters make ends meet by fishing in the remote lake. Surrounded by danger and disease, these children have learned to keep smiling as they attempt to survive.

THE FILMMAKER
Marcelo Bukin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and graduated in film direction from the Centre d’Estudis Cinematografics de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Marcelo has travelled, explored and filmed the everyday lives of people of many cultures in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. In 2005-2006 he directed the documentaries “Bread”, “Angel’s Fire”, “Lima’s Streets” and other short films about children working in inhuman conditions in Latin America. Marcelo is currently developing a documentary feature film about the socio-economic crisis of his home country, Argentina, while he continues directing, producing and acting in TV commercials and independent projects.

Mukhtar Mai: The Struggle For Justice
PAKISTAN / 2006 / 10 MIN / URDU

Narration: Sania Saeed
Cinematography: Riz Anwar
Editing: Wasim Mirza
Sound: Jibran Zuberi
Music: Reshma
Scripted, Produced
and Directed by: Beena Sarwar

SYNOPSIS
When news about the gang-rape of Mukhtar Mai in 2002 generated public outrage, the government championed her cause and sent her compensation money. She used the money to establish the first girls’ school in her village. International attention generated donations that she used to expand the school (it now has 350 students), set up a women’s crisis centre and a dairy farm to generate income for these projects. In doing so, she challenged social attitudes about ‘honour,’ which along with laws that work against a rape survivor, usually ensure the woman’s silence – or suicide. Based on interviews with Mukhtar Mai, her lawyers and human rights activists, this film puts the case in socio-political perspective and brings the issue of gender violence into context as part of an overall system in which justice is the exception rather than the norm.

THE FILMMAKER
Beena Sarwar is a journalist and documentary filmmaker based in Karachi. She has a double major in studio art and English literature from Brown University, USA, and a masters degree in television documentary from Goldsmiths College, University of London. She has extensive experience with the print and electronic media in Pakistan and South Asia, and a special interest in human rights, media, gender and peace issues. Beena is currently on a 10-month research fellowship on human rights policy at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.

Mysterious Kalash
PAKISTAN / 2005-2006 / 22 MIN / ENGLISH

Narration: Reema Shoaib
Cinematography: Furqan Haider Bhatti, Rizwan Ahmed
Editing: Nisar Ahmed, Kashif Kamal
Sound: Black Box Sound
Script: Reema Shoaib
Producer: Kashif Kamal
Directed by: Furqan Haider Bhatti

SYNOPSIS
“Mysterious Kalash” is about an indigenous minority tribe living in Chitral, Northern Pakistan. Known as the ‘Kalash,’ these people are said to be the descendants of Alexander the Great. They are unique, with their own language, dresses and customs. This film is about their culture, religion, way of life and the problems they are facing in today’s world.

THE FILMMAKER
Furqan Haider Bhatti has worked on several documentaries and television series in different capacities, moving from assistant director to director. He has worked at Serendip Productions, Cinedrome Studios and Montage Films from 1998 to 2004.

During his stay at Serendip, he travelled all over the country and abroad as a member of teams producing documentaries, entertainment films and training videos. The subjects were diverse in nature, covering entertainment and human and social development. At present, Furqan works at Keychain Films in the capacity of Director Programs, and directs most of the mainstream documentaries for the company.

One Show Less
INDIA / 2005 / 20 MIN / HINDI

Cinematography: Ruchi Pugalia
Editing: Nayantara Kotian
Sound: Akhila Krishnan
Producer: National Institute of Design, India
Scripted and
Directed by: Nayantara Kotian

SYNOPSIS
“One Show Less” concerns itself with the increasing number of single screen cinemas that are shutting down all over India. The film focuses on one theatre, Usha Talkies, whose spirited employees and raucous, seat-breaking public makes it one of a kind. As the ticket seller puts it, this cinema is meant for the masses, and if it were to shut down, won’t the masses be deprived of the incomparable experience of watching cinema on the big screen? Through a series of evocative arguments put forth by the employees of Usha Talkies, a vivid portrait is painted of a unique way of life, which might soon become extinct.

THE FILMMAKER
Nayantara Kotian is a final year student of film and video communication at the National Institute of Design, India. She has directed a 15-minute fictional short “Crossed Destinies”, and her documentary “One Show Less” was the winner of the first prize at Jeevika 2006. It also received a special jury mention at the 16th edition of the International Student Short Film Festival of Cergy-Pontoise.

Pan (Bread)
SPAIN-GUATEMALA / 2005 / 5 MIN / SPANISH

Cinematography: Jens Hilgendag
Editing: Juan Leguizamon
Sound: Diego Martinez
Directed by: Marcelo Bukin

SYNOPSIS
Edwin and Edson are 9 and 11 years old, working at crushing rocks with their father in a mine. However, remarkably, their intense working conditions have not altered their love for life.

THE FILMMAKER
Marcelo Bukin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and graduated in film direction from the Centre d’Estudis Cinematografics de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain. Marcelo has travelled, explored and filmed the everyday lives of people of many cultures in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Latin America. In 2005-2006 he directed the documentaries “Bread”, “Angel’s Fire”, “Lima’s Streets” and other short films about children working in inhuman conditions in Latin America. Marcelo is currently developing a documentary feature film about the socio-economic crisis of his home country, Argentina, while he continues directing, producing and acting in TV commercials and independent projects.

Radiophobia
SPAIN / 2005 / 54 MIN / ENGLISH-RUSSIAN

Narration: Edward Leon
Cinematography: Alexander Stikich
Editing: Julio Soto
Sound: Full House Productions NY
Music: Pepe Egea
Script: Alex Mendibil
Producers: Juan Dakas, Julio Soto, Yuliya Bogdanenko
Directed by: Julio Soto

SYNOPSIS
Twenty years ago, on April 26, 1986, a security test at Chernobyl’s nuclear plant in the former Soviet Union triggered the greatest civilian nuclear catastrophe in history. Unable to cope with this political, environmental and human disaster, the Soviets built a wall of silence around the event. The term ‘Radiophobia’ came to define the symptoms of the people suffering from the fallout of the radiation, some kind of social stigma. “Radiophobia” has been shot entirely in Chernobyl’s ‘Forbidden Zone.’

THE FILMMAKER
Julio Soto is a film producer and director who works and lives between New York and Madrid. His films have received international recognition and awards at the 2005 Toronto Latin Film Festival, the 2005 Rio de Janeiro VideoArt Festival, the 2002 Brooklyn International Film Festival, the NAP Video Biennial in Pasadena and the 2003 Media Arts Festival in Japan. His talent and vision also play a key role in advertising, music videos and documentary projects for agencies such as McCann Erikson, Propaganda Films, Ogilvy, Bates USA, Grey Advertising and FCB.
“Radiophobia” won awards this year at the DocumentaMadrid International Film Festival in Spain, Green Film Festival in Seoul, ECU European Independent Film Festival in Paris, and the Brooklyn Film Festival.

Realities Kosova/o - Voci Di Minoranze Dimenticate (Realties Kosova/o - Voices of Forgotten Minorities)
ITALY / 2005 / 58 MIN /SERBIAN-BOSNIAN-CROATIAN-ALBANIAN-TURKISH-ROMANI-ENGLISH-ITALIAN

Editing and Sound: Gianandrea Sasso
Music: Zuf de Zur, Kosovni Odpadki, Kapsamun, Dragan Dautovski Quartet
Producer: Noemi Lakovic
Scripted and Directed by: Eva Ciuk

SYNOPSIS
The war doesn’t end when peace is established. Roma, Askalis, Egyptians, Gorani, Bosnians, Croatians, Turks: these are the names of the ethnic minorities who before, during and after the 1999 conflict in Kosovo, have lived in the shadow of the social and political disputes between the Albanian majority and the Serb minority. “Realities Kosova/o - Voices of Forgotten Minorities” is about the stories of these people, and the unfair forgetfulness of the tragedies that took place in their land.

THE FILMMAKER
Eva Ciuk was born in a city on the border with Slovenia, in Gorizia, in 1975. She has specialised in international information and the South at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid, graduating in 2002, and works as a journalist for the Slovenian desk of the Italian State TV RAI. Eva also writes for several Italian magazines on political and social themes with reference to the South, and has been a part of conferences on Balkan Issues in several Italian cities. She also collaborates voluntarily with several NGOs, particularly with the regional committee of the UNICEF in Trieste, in the field of communication and education for development.

Sattyer Gahiney (Truth and Beyond)
BANGLADESH / 2006 / 49 MIN / BENGALI

Narration: Ahmed Muztaba Zamal
Cinematography: T. W. Sainik
Editing: Fawzia Khan
Script: Saymon Zakaria
Producer: Faridur Reza Sagor
Directed by: Ahmed Muztaba Zamal

SYNOPSIS
The mystics who came out of a background in textual Islam made a communion between the orthodox Islam and less ritualistic bindings. This significant simplification won the hearts of the common people of Bangladesh, who might not have otherwise been influenced by a formal religion shackled in edicts. In the process, a new Islam, or a “popular Islam” was born. It comprises people who are dedicated Muslims, but don’t accept religion as dogmatic or fundamental. Rather, they use religion as a bridge of love between man and his Creator.

THE FILMMAKER
Ahmed Muztaba Zamal is a noted film society activist in Bangladesh. He is currently the Secretary General of the Rainbow Film Society. He is also the founder and festival director of the Dhaka International Film Festival. In 1994, Ahmed founded the Bangladesh Chapter of FIPRESCI, and was elected Secretary General of the International Film Critics Association of Bangladesh.

Shame
PAKISTAN / 2005 / 33 MIN / ENGLISH

Narration: Khalid Ahmad
Cinematography: Sharjil Baloch, Jahanzeb Khan,
Zahid, Ibrar Hyder
Editing: Sharjil Baloch, Baqir Rafiq Rind
Sound: Zahid, Ibrar Hyder, Jahanzeb Khan
Script: Iftikhar Ahmad
Producers: Khalid Ahmed, British Council Pakistan
Directed by: Sharjil Baloch and Iftikhar Ahmad

SYNOPSIS
“Shame” is part of the honour killing awareness-raising campaign in rural Sindh and southern Punjab. The directors take to the road, documenting shocking interviews that uncover a deep-rooted gender bias in rural Pakistan as well as the first ever footage of a karion jo qabristan, an unmarked graveyard where victims of honour killing are buried without any ritual. An important and timely film.

THE FILMMAKER
Sharjil Baloch has been working as a freelance director since 2001. He has directed a number of documentaries and many plays. He also acts and writes. His first documentary “Ki Jana Main Kaun” was screened at the 4th KaraFilm Festival and “Das Rupay”, a short film, was shown at the 5th KaraFilm Festival. Sharjil works for the Dastak Society for Communication as a film director.
Iftikhar Ahmad is a social scientist and holds a PhD. This film is his first project with Sharjil Baloch.

The Baloch Battlefield
PAKISTAN-INDIA / 2006 / 32 MIN / URDU-ENGLISH

Narration: Munizae Jahangir
Editing and Sound: Rahat Ilyas Cheema
Music: Nahid Siddique
Script: Munizae Jahangir, Shivraj Prashad
Produced and
Directed by: Munizae Jahangir

SYNOPSIS
A rare and exclusive insight into the current conflict in Balochistan and how it is affecting the rest of the region. The filmmaker travels to areas worst hit by the violence, and captures the conflict between Baloch militants and security forces. With the magnificent Baloch landscape as a backdrop, the film brings out on screen, for the first time ever, voices from Balochistan that are seldom heard.

THE FILMMAKER
Munizae Jahangir completed her BA in political science from McGill University in Montreal, and her MA in media studies from the New School University in New York. She has produced and directed the documentary “Search For Freedom” (3rd KaraFilm Festival), which has aired on ABC TV (Australia) and has been shown at many national and international film festivals. She also produced and directed “Across the LOC: Kashmir”, a documentary on Indian-administered Kashmir. She has worked at Pakistan Television as an anchor reporter and at Geo TV as a producer and a supervising producer. She is currently New Delhi Television’s correspondent for Pakistan. Munizae also freelances for BBC Urdu Online as an anchor reporter and contributes articles to The Friday Times.

The Intimacy Of Strangers
UK / 2005 / 20 MIN / ENGLISH
Cinematography: Catherine Derry, Per Tingleff
Editing: Emiliano Battista
Sound: Dan Johnson
Music: David Schweitzer
Producer: Samantha Zarzosa
Directed by: Eva Weber

SYNOPSIS
A story of life, love, loss and hope – constructed entirely out of real, overheard cell phone conversations of random strangers. Exploring the conflict between the private and public, between being intimate yet distant, the documentary weaves these seemingly random exchanges into a modern-day love story that is both absurd and tender.

THE FILMMAKER
Originally from Germany, Eva Weber is currently working as a freelance director in the United Kingdom. Working in documentary and fiction, her films have screened at many international film festivals, and have won numerous awards worldwide. Eva has also directed countless promotions and commercials for the BBC and advertising companies such as Karmarama and M&C Saatchi’s. She is currently developing a number of new drama and documentary projects, including a feature-length, dramatised version of “The Intimacy of Strangers.”

The Miseducation of Pakistan
PAKISTAN / 2005 / 30 MIN / ENGLISH
Narration: Naziha Syed Ali
Cinematography: Syed Ali Nasir, Adnan Zaidi
Editing: Syed Ali Nasir
Music: Athar Saeed
Written and
Produced by: Naziha Syed Ali, Newsline Films
Directed by: Syed Ali Nasir

SYNOPSIS
Schools with no teachers, overflowing with garbage, under the open sky, without drinking water or electricity – this is what most students of public schools in Pakistan can look forward to. Little wonder that a vast majority of primary school graduates can’t even be considered literate by international standards. All the while, a corrupt hierarchy of officials and school staff line their pockets with funds meant for educating this nation’s children – and no one is held accountable. No less reprehensible are powerful feudals who, while sending their own offspring to the best schools in the country and abroad, deny the children of their peasants the right to even a basic education. This is the story of a generation lost, and of a country where education remains a distant dream for millions.

THE FILMMAKER
Syed Ali Nasir grew up in Karachi and spent his college years in Boston before heading back to Pakistan to take up his true passion: filmmaking. In the four years since, he has travelled all over the region, directing documentaries and news reports for a diverse group of clients, including Channel 4 and Mercy Corps. His short film “Lust” won him the Best Emerging National Talent award at the 4th KaraFilm Festival in Karachi. After working with Newsline Films, he now directs documentaries under the banner of Periscope.

The Whistle Blowers
INDIA / 2005 / 44 MIN / ENGLISH

Narration: Roshan Seth
Cinematography: Jalaj K, Nazeer Ahmad, Manoj Joshi
Editing: Naveen Samhotra
Script: Sabiha Farhat
Producers: Rajiv Mehrotra,
Public Service Broadcasting Trust
Directed by: Umesh Aggarwal

SYNOPSIS
“The Whistle Blowers” is an investigation into the issue of pesticides in bottled water and soft drinks manufactured by reputed MNCs such as Coca Cola and Pepsi in India, recently revealed in a report by the Centre for Science and Environment. Packaged water and soft drinks in India tested positive for deadly insecticides such as Lindane, DDT and Chloripyriphos. Farmers in India claim that spraying Coca Cola and Pepsi in their fields has proven to be quite effective in getting rid of pests.

THE FILMMAKER
Umesh Aggarwal has produced and directed more than a thousand hours of television programming in a career that spans 20 years. His current assignments include a film for the National Geographic Channel and a daily show, “Kiran – A Ray of Hope”, for the national broadcaster, Doordarshan. The show won Indian Television Academy Awards in 2002 and 2005, and has also been adapted into a book, published by Penguin Publishers.