INTERFILM 39 International Short Film Festival Berlin
14 - 19 November 2023

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IC INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

IC 07 Pulling Away the Curtain

In "Pulling Away the Curtain" we get a glimpse behind the facade. Irma, who'd like to have a kid, just wants to relax, finally, in "The Miracle Hotel". There's just one problem: she's surrounded by pregnant women. In Iran, little Helia fights to be allowed to keep her bicycle – in a symbolic struggle for emancipation. An Armenian woman cannot prevent her own deportation. And in good old Greece, there's trouble brewing in a seafood restaurant – until an ancient myth sends the action veering in a new direction.

15.11.23, 20:30h, Zeiss-Großplanetarium Kino

16.11.23, 18:00h, Rollberg Kino

19.11.23, 17:00h, Pfefferberg Theater

Pulling Away the Curtain
7 films
Nothing Holier Than a Dolphin

Nothing Holier Than a Dolphin

Isabella Margara // Greece // 2022 // 17:02 min

Live Action

Trouble in a seafood restaurant: the catch has been poor, and everyone is praying for a miracle. When the whole team puts together a performance of a fisherman's yarn, fate smiles and a dolphin finds its way into their net!

각질

각질

Persona

Sujin MOON // South Korea // 2022 // 06:45 min

Animation, Live Action

In selfies with her BFFs, the young woman grins into the camera, fingers in a V. Once home, the mask comes off – literally. An animated film from South Korea that exposes superficial facades. [CW: body shaming]

Sizdah Saleghi

Sizdah Saleghi

The Thirteenth Year

Samad Alizadeh // Iran // 2023 // 10:00 min

Live Action

Iranian protagonist Helia has turned 13 – for her parents, that means she is not allowed to ride a bike anymore. When her father plans to sell her cycle to the neighbour boy, the girl rebels against rigid gender roles.

Y

Y

Matea Kovač // Croatia // 2023 // 06:33 min

Animation

The International Competition program takes an explicit turn with this entry: Matea Kovač's animations draw from her memories – of sex with an ex-girlfriend.

Crossing the Blue

Crossing the Blue

Victoria Aleksanyan // Netherlands, Armenia, United States // 2022 // 12:09 min

Animation

Anoush fled Armenia and her violent husband years ago – now, facing deportation, she has to return. A compelling film about the inhumanity of forced repatriation. [CW: physical and psychological violence]

The Miracle

The Miracle

Nienke Deutz // Belgium, France, Netherlands // 2023 // 14:54 min

Animation

Irma, whose desire to have a kid has gone unfulfilled, would love to finally relax at this 5-star hotel. Alas, she's surrounded by pregnant women. Is her plan for regeneration ruined? A sensitive animation with depth.

Hematome

Hematome

Hematoma

Babetida Sadjo // Belgium, Guinea-Bissau // 2022 // 18:10 min

Live Action

A young woman learns that her father, who raped both her and her sister, has received a shockingly mild sentence for his crimes. She goes to him, seeking confrontation. An impressive, intense film that rouses anger. [CW: physical, psychological, and sexual violence, death]