Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (aka PÖFF) announces 13 titles from its two international competition programmes. The remaining films from each lineup will be announced in October. 
The festival has renamed the Main Competition the Official Selection, retaining most of its previous awards and regulations. The eight films announced are set to compete for the festival’s Grand Prix, alongside with the rest of the programme, that will be announced on the 17th of October.
The titles include the world premiere of an Estonian feature film The Manslayer. The Virgin. The Shadow and the international premiere of the Finnish-Estonian-Swedish co-production The Eternal Road that received a favourable response from the Finnish critics and box office after the film launched in domestic cinemas last week. Among the four Asian films is the South-Korean Excavator, written and produced by Kim Ki-duk and directed by Lee Ju-Hyoung.
The First Feature Competition selection includes entries from South-Korea, Costa Rica, Kosovo and Belgium. Flanders is the focus region of the festival this year. The full lineup of the First Feature Competition will be made public on the 24th of October.

The Manslayer. The Virgin. The Shadow
The Estonian auteur Sulev Keedus returns with a three-part tale of love and the shift of women’s societal positions across three different time periods and contexts of Estonia’s history: 19th century farm life, the working class of the postwar Stalinist era and the present day. 
The film was presented at the Baltic Event Works In Progress in 2016. 
The director’s previous films have won or been nominated for numerous prizes, including the Prix Europa Special Prize for Georgica (1998); the best director award at Cottbus Film Festival and the Rotterdam IFF VPRO Tiger Awards Competition nomination for Somnambulance (2004).

The Eternal Road
Set during the Great Depression years of the 1930’s and based on a true story, this adaptation of Antti Tuuri’s novel of the same name follows a Finnish emigrant who unwillingly enters the Soviet Union and is forced to join a Finnish-American colony of settlers who have followed Stalin’s call to come and build up the socialist state, only to realise that it will soon turn against them during the years of Red Terror.
The film was directed by AJ Annila (Sauna, Jade Warrior), produced by Ilkka Mattila (9th Company, 1944, Pioneer) and co-produced by Estonia’s Kristian Taska (Purge, 1944) and received support funding from Finland 100 – the Finnish Republic’s centenary celebration, Estonia’s cash rebate and the  Ida-Viru Film Fund. The film participated at the Baltic Event co-production market in 2014 and at the Works In Progress showcase in 2016.

Excavator
The second film by director Lee Ju-Hyoung, written and produced by Kim Ki-duk opens a painful chapter in Korean history studying the post-traumatic stress of soldiers involved in the Gwangju student uprising in 1980. One of the low-ranking soldiers seeks out his former comrades and supervisors to try and make peace with the painful memories.
The director Lee Ju-Hyoung won the Audience Award at the Tokyo Film Festival for his previous film Red Family (2013), he was also nominated for the Grand Prix at the same festival.

Little Tito
The second feature film of director Paola Randi is a playful and heartfelt study of an introverted astronomer forced to raise the son and daughter of his deceased brother, while trying to prove that it is possible to contact with deceased loved ones through space. The visually lush art direction blends with sci fi elements offering a ‘dramedy’ that evokes the feel of 80’s family films.
Her previous film Into Paradiso (2010) was nominated for several awards, including the Controcampo Italiano Prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Asphyxia
Presenting a rare case in the blooming Iranian cinema, this ‘love noir’ by veteran director Fereydoun Jeyrani tells a story of a mental hospital nurse who is drawn into a potential murder plan. She is forced to choose sides between a wealthy woman pretending madness and her husband who she claims is planning to murder her for the inheritance.
Film director and screenwriter Fereydoun Jeyrani was nominated for the Best Film award at the Cairo IFF for The Last Supper (2001).

A Thought of Ecstasy
Inspired by the writings of Georges Bataille and Jean Baudrillard, this art house title is a haunting study of a man’s journey to find a lost love in the US in the year 2019. Director RP Kahl obscures the viewer with a chronologically broken timeline and blends memories, sexual desires and fears with a distorted sense of ‘reality’ to present a story of a person psychologically succumbing to illusions and self destruction.
The film was nominated for the Best Production and Screenwriting awards at the Munich Film Festival.

Bangzi Melody
Depicting the tumultuous years of post-Mao China with witty allegory, Zheng Dasheng’s latest feature is set in Northern China in 1982, right after the Cultural Revolution has ended and brought about the mass privatisation of land in China. To celebrate the reform, the Party secretary asks the villagers to prepare a classic Bangzi Opera -  a move that is generally met with enthusiasm, except for Mad Kui, a guard of the communal piece of land who refuses to give up his position, becoming a nuisance to the community and the new system.
Film and theater director Zheng Dasheng A Tao (2000) and Death of Wang Bo has won awards at several Chinese festivals and his film Useless Man (2012) was in the Official Selection of Montreal WFF.

Granny
After her granddaughter gets raped by a local politician’s son, Granny sets out on a dark odyssey of retribution, coming across corrupt law enforcement and public servants in the process. For his second feature film director-scriptwriter Devashish Makhija has created a haunting and claustrophobic depiction of India’s systemic social injustice with memorable visual imagery.

A Thought of Ecstasy - dir RP Kahl, Germany-USA-Switzerland, 2017 - International premiere
Asphyxia (Khafegi), dir Fereydoun Jeyrani, Iran, 2017 - International premiere
Bangzi Melody (Cun xi), dir Dasheng Zheng, China, 2017 - International premiere
Granny (Ajji), dir Devashish Makhija, India, 2017  - European premiere
Little Tito (Tito il Piccolo), dir Paola Randi, Italy, 2017 - International premiere
The Eternal Road (Ikitie), dir AJ Annila, Finland-Estonia-Sweden, 2017 - International premiere
The Manslayer. The Virgin. The Shadow (Mehetapja. Süütu. Vari), dir Sulev Keedus, Estonia, 2017 -
World premiere
Excavator (Poclain), dir Lee Ju-Hyoung, South-Korea, 2017 - International premiere

The full lineup of the Official Selection will be announced on the 17th of October.

Buddha.mov
Kabir Mehta’s experimental documentary follows a flamboyant Goan cricket player in his daily activities, exposing explicitly even the most intimate details of his private life, including screenshots into his social media feed and intimate encounters with women, thus depriving the subject of any privacy and expanding the boundaries of the portrait documentary. 
The project (previously called Buddhagram) was awarded with the Facebook Award at last year’s Film Bazaar.
The director has won awards at the European Media Art Festival and Ann Arbor FF for his previous project.

Home
Director Kim Jong-woo’s drama sets a rather unique premise: a man’s current and former wife get into a car accident and are both left in a coma. The man finds it easy to accept the daughter he had with the ex-wife, but a more problematic issue is the boy - the protagonist of the film - whom the ex-wife had from a previous marriage. What follows is a moving study on the meaning of family, acceptance and having a safe place - a home.

Resurrection
Representing the focus region of the festival this year - Flanders, Belgium - Resurrection follows a young man who has just murdered his companion and is united with a reclusive man who offers him a hideout. Director Kristof Hoornaert’s presents a quiet, touching tale of the repercussions of violence and of overcoming one’s past demons.
The director’s short films have been screened at numerous festivals, including Berlinale, Tallinn Black Nights, Montreal, Busan and BFI London.

The Heat after the Rain
Cristóbal Serrá Jorquera’s first feature film follows 30-year-old Julia trying to restore her mental balance after a miscarriage and the ensuing breakup from her companion. It is a rare case of a male director studying a female subject with subtle delicacy, offering a film that serves both as a meditative journey and a moving character piece.
The director has previously been awarded at the Valdivia IFF for his short film Todos los lugares y yo.

The Marriage
Kosovan director Blerta Zeqiri’s fascinating character study centers on two friends who were separated after the Kosovo War and are reunited on the eve of the marriage of one of them. After a successful first encounter with the friend and his bride to be, the events and revelations take an unexpected turn that threatens to alter the triangle’s current state of affairs. 
The director’s short films have won awards at international festivals such as Sundance, Sarajevo and Tirana.    

Buddha.mov, dir Kabir Mehta, India, 2017 - World premiere
Home, dir Kim Jong-woo, South Korea, 2017 - International premiere
Resurrection, dir Kristof Hoornaert, Belgium, 2017 - International premiere
The Heat After The Rain (El calor después de la lluvia), Dir Cristóbal Serrá Jorquera, Costa Rica, 2017 - International premiere
The Marriage (Martesa), dir Blerta Zeqiri, 2017 -  World premiere

The full lineup of the First Feature Competition will be announced on the 24th of October.

PHOTOS

Official Selection: click here 
First Feature Competition: click here

TRAILERS

Bangzi Melody - https://youtu.be/ERUPfXP68Aw
Granny - https://youtu.be/O9OZI1SQFJc
Home - https://youtu.be/8AbwdgbKlmo
Resurrection - https://youtu.be/DA3gdSkpvws
The Eternal Road - https://youtu.be/zUu0uriegvQ
The Manslayer. The Virgin. The Shadow - https://youtu.be/MenRHOShysQ

INFORMATION

Website: www.poff.ee
Black Nights Film Festival's press contact:
Hannes Aava, head of press and communication
phone: +37255529211
email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

For the 6th consecutive year, the French city of Toulouse hosted the 28th edition of Cartoon Forum, the co-production platform for European animation series that has fast-tracked European animation to the front row.
Following 27 editions now, 711 projects have been funded for a total amount of 2.5 billion euros. Since the beginning, 37% of the projects were financed and 42% the last 10 editions. During this edition, professionals were more present in the rooms than last years.

 A year of excellence

According to broadcasters and investors, this edition was the best in terms of projects’ quality with a great diversity of genres, content, graphics and audience. The overall level of quality is increasing continuously.
82 projects from 23 countries have been presented to participants from 40 countries which included 950 producers, investors, broadcasters, buyers, SVoD/VoD platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Hopster TV, MoMedia TV, SK Broadband and WildBrain International.
 
France was once again very present in the top 10 presentations that have aroused keen interest: "Stinky Dog" (Dandelooo), "The School of Magic" (TeamTO), "Shooom’s Odyssey" (Picolo Pictures), "MOKA" (Xilam Animation), "PaperToyz" (Samka Productions), "When I Was Your Age" (Monello Productions), "King of Space" (Cyber Group Studios), "Galactic Agency" (Studio 100 Animation), "Kate & Sushi" (Monkey Eggs), "The Baker Street Four" (Folivari).
 
Other highlights were the English "Elle & Everest" (Lawrence Hadley Buck), the Belgians "Ollie" (Lunanime) and "The Agriculture Fair" (PANIQUE!), the Irish "The Slimfoots" (JAM Media), the English "Thorgar" (Collingwood & Co), the Icelandic "Tulipop Animated Series" (Tulipop); the Dutch "Doopie" (Submarine), the Luxembourgish and German "Millie" (Fabrique d’Images), the Finnish "Royale Sisters" (Pikkukala), the Irish "The Lost Letter" (Dream Logic Animation Studio) and "Hare and the Prisoner" (Ink and Light), the Spanish "DinoGames" (Dream Team Concept) and the Italian "Leo Da Vinci" (Gruppo Alcuni).

As part of the Cartoon Connection Awards, three Korean projects ("Animal Rescue" by Hong Dang Moo, "Botos Family" by Comma Studio, "The curious world of Linda" by TakToon") were presented at Cartoon Forum 2017 in order to expand collaborations initiated at Cartoon Connection Asia.
 

Shaking up more classic programmes, young adult projects carved out a nice audience for themselves, with "Brazen" (Agat Films & cie); "The Survival of the Species" (Xbo Films); "Chicken of the Dead" (anoki), "Autocafet" (Kawanimation), "Romanticism" (Silex Films). The success of these projects demonstrates that there is an audience. Linear broadcasters who do not provide slots for this audience yet should observe this change and reorganize their time schedule to attract the new generation of adults.
 
The three projects from the Region ("AVNI, Unidentified Friendly Oddity" by Milan, "Chicken of Dead" by anoki and "The Survival of the Species" by Xbo films) had a real success during their presentation, broadcasters and investors gave positives feedbacks, suggesting optimistic future results.
 
As every year, leading studios were present and successful: Dandelooo, TeamTO, Millimages, Folimage, JAM Media, Cyber Group Studios, Kavaleer, Xilam Animation, … amongst others.
 
And of course, all the major buyers attended the Cartoon Forum - including France Télévisions, CNC, The Walt Disney Company, DreamWorks Animation Television, Amazon Studios, MoMedia TV, CANAL+, Super RTL, RAI, Netflix, BBC Children, TF1, Lagardère Active, NRK, M6, TVC, ZDF, Nickelodeon, SVT, …

 Cartoon Tributes

 The Winners 2017 are:

• BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR: France Télévisions (France)
• INVESTOR/DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR: Beta Film (Germany)
• PRODUCER OF THE YEAR: Dandelooo (France)

And this year, a Tribute of Honour for a special personality has been given to Patrick Eveno, General Director of Citia and of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

Spotlight on Poland!

 The Coaching Programme

 A public event "Les Toons débarquent!"

 About CARTOON FORUM

 The next edition of Cartoon Forum will take place from 10 to 13 September 2018.
 
About CARTOON

Cartoon Forum Director:
Annick Maes - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Tel: (+32) (0)2 242 93 43

International press:
Gerardo Michelin - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Tel: (+34) (630) 57 22 68

French press: 
Nathalie Collin - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - Tel : (+33) (0)6 50 91 93 37

The third edition of Cartoon Springboard will take place in Halle, Germany, from 14 to 16 November 2017. It will be an excellent opportunity for the young talents of European animation schools (final year students or those who graduated within the last 5 years) to improve their animation project by pitching it in front of a panel of experts from the audiovisual world.
The toolbox, the programme of the event and the list of experts are on the Cartoon website.

Present your new project to experts who will help you to improve it
The submission of projects is now fully running with a deadline coming soon: 18 September 2017. If you need more information, please contact Mélanie Benor by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
The projects which can be submitted are: TV series, TV specials, feature films, cross-media projects.

Special offer for participants from Eastern Europe
If you are a citizen of one of the following countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Republic of Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia & Ukraine), you should apply for a scholarship !
> There is no registration fee, and accommodation (3 nights) & travel expenses (up to 200€) are offered to the successful applicants. Should your project be accepted by the Springboard Selection committee (end of September), your scholarship will automatically be validated.

Applicants will have to:
>  Submit their project by 18 September at the latest specifying their country of origin through our online form (My Cartoon > My Projects > Cartoon Springboard > Submit a new project).
> Fill in and send us the scholarship form by 6 October at the latest.

No project or not eligible but interested in attending ?
Cartoon Springboard is also open to all professionals who want to improve their knowledge about how to pitch a project. This is also a great opportunity to meet other professionals (producers, broadcasters, games...) from all over Europe.
> Fill in and send us the scholarship form (with a motivation letter and a CV) by 6 October at the latest. Should you be selected, you will benefit from the special discount for New Media countries (see hereabove).

New films by Wim Wenders, Tony Gatlif, Yorgos Lanthimos and many more will be shown at the 33rd Warsaw Film Festival.

Djam, dir. Tony Gatlif, France, Greece, Turkey 2017, 97’

Djam, a young Greek woman, goes to Istanbul. In the city she meets a young French female, broke and lost, who came to Istanbul to work as a humanitarian volunteer. They set off together from Istanbul to Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos. It will be a journey made of music, freedom and hope.

Submergence, dir. Wim Wenders, USA, France, Spain 2017, 112’

James is an engineer, Danielle is a deep-sea researcher. They meet by accident at a hotel on France's northern coast, where both are getting ready for dangerous missions that lie ahead. Based on the novel by former war correspondent J.M. Ledgard, this is a love story about young people striving to be together although separated by oceans, continents, and civil war.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer, dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, United Kingdom, Ireland 2017, 109’

Steven has formed a friendship with Martin, a fatherless 16-year-old boy whom he has taken under his wings. One day Steven introduces the boy to his family. Things take a sinister turn, gradually throwing their perfect world into turmoil and forcing Steven to make a shocking sacrifice or run the risk of losing everything.

Yves Saint Laurent’s Sketches (Les dessins d'Yves Saint Laurent), dir. Loïc Prigent, France 2017, 61’

One of the world’s greatest fashion houses – Yves Saint Laurent – is famous for designs that for years have ruled people’s imaginations. The outfits made there are the result of creative genius, talent and hard work, but the drawings of YSL himself have always been fundamental to them. Now, thousands of sketches have been extracted from the vast archive of the foundation of Pierre Bergé for an in-depth analysis. 

Newness, dir. Drake Doremus, USA 2017, 116’

All the relationships, as time passes they become mundane. With so many opportunities available, can two people sustain a fulfilling relationship, or will they flounder in a sea of too many options? Millennials navigating a social media-driven hook-up culture begin a relationship that pushes both emotional and physical boundaries.

The Summit (La Cordillera), dir. Santiago Mitre, Argentina, France, Spain 2017, 114’

A major summit of Latin American presidents is taking place in Chile amidst the snowy grandeur of the Andes. The new president of Argentina will have to face up to serious challenges that could change his political future forever. Will he take part in a political revolt against the region’s uncrowned king, the Brazilian leader?

Outrage Coda (Autoreiji Saishusho), dir. Takeshi Kitano, Japan 2017, 100’

The third film in the “Outrage” series begins five years after the all-out war between the Sanno and Hanabishi yakuza families. The defeated Sanno soldiers have been absorbed by a new organization. The Hanabishi clan want to form a single, centralized, efficient crime state.

Nico, 1988, dir.. Susanna Nicchiarelli, Italy, Belgium 2017, 93’

Nico, a German model of legendary beauty, actress, singer, Andy Warhol’s muse, she sang with the cult band Velvet Underground in the 1960s. Her manager persuades her to do a European tour. It isherlast opportunity to settle accounts with her muddled life and a chance to rebuild a relationship with the son she hasn’t seen in a long time.

The Way Station (Đảo Của Dân Ngụ Cư), dir. Thi Hong Anh Pham, Vietnam 2017, 93’

Phuoc’sattentionisdrawn to his boss’s beautiful daughter, Chu but it turns out that the girl also shows affection to Mien, another restaurant employee. Jealousy and violence between Mien and Phuoc take place in their little love triangle. The story of a difficult path to find happiness and meaning against the background of Vietnam’s multicultural and multiethnic society.

Don't Come Back from the Moon, dir. Bruce Thierry Cheung, USA 2017, 82’

A small town in Southern California is populated by many women and just a few men. Theories about their whereabouts abound, but the kids, still waiting for their return, say their fathers have gone to the moon. One dayitalsohappens to 15-year-old Michael.

Gentle Ceature (Krotkaya), dir. Sergei Loznitsa, France,Germany, Netherlands, Lithuania2017, 143’

One day a woman receives a parcel she sent to her incarcerated husband, marked "return to sender". Shocked and confused, the woman has no choice but to travel to the prison in search of an explanation.

A Sort of Family (Unaespecie de familia), dir. Diego Lerman, Argentina, Brazil, France, Poland, Germany, Denmark 2017,143’

Malena receives a call that will change her life: the baby she adopted is about to be born. Malena sets out from Buenos Aires to provincial Argentina to be present at the birth.

The Whiskey Bandit (A Viszkis), dir. Nimród Antal, Hungary 2017, 129'

Attila Ambrus was a legendary Hungarian bank robber in the nineties. A Transylvanian, Ambrus grew up in Ceausescu’s Romania and the hopeless situation there made him later flee over the border in search of a better future. But even as an adult, many of his childhood problems continued – only now in Hungary.

Aurora Borealis (Aurora Borealis - Északifény), dir. Márta Mészáros, Hungary 2014, 104’

When Olga’s mother, who lives in Hungary, unexpectedly falls into a coma, Olga returns to her native country. She finds out about secrets and lies buried in her family’s past. Olga finds a mysterious photograph taken many years before, which drives her to go on a journey into the past…

Shelter (Mistor) dir. Eran Riklis, Israel, Germany, France 2017, 93’

Mona, a Lebanese well connected woman, gave secret information. Now she is wanted and the Mossad helps by financing plastic surgery for her new identity and hiding her in a Mossad safehouse in Hamburg. Until then, she is protected by Naomi, a troubled agent.

Sea Sorrow, dir. Vanessa Redgrave, United Kingdom 2017, 74’

Footage of refugees in sinking boats, and of a tiny child lying dead on a beach, impelled the 80-year-old actress to step behind the camera for the first time. Redgrave starts from the post-WWII era, when the world adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A very personal documentary on the current global refugee crisis.

The Farthest, dir. Emer Reynolds, Ireland 2017, 121’

In the autumn of 1977 NASA launched the twin Voyager probes into space. Theyarestill out there, beyond the solar system. The documentary reminds us about one of the greatest projects in human history, presenting the people whose unlimited imagination led to the development of the Voyager programme.

Attraction (Prityazhenie), dir. Fedor Bondarchuk, Russia, 2017, 132’

Breaking news… According to a report that has just come in, the unidentified flying object shot down over Moscow is allegedly of extra-terrestrial origin. Stunning special effects, plenty of humour, a riveting plot and the fate of humanity in the hands of teenage Yulya, the daughter of the colonel in command of the defence operation.

Winnie, dir. Pascale Lamche, France, Netherlands, South Africa 2017, 98’

Winnie Mandela is one of the most misunderstood and intriguingly powerful contemporary female political figures. When her husband Nelson Mandela was sentenced, she joined in the struggle against apartheid, taking uncompromising steps. And while Nelson was remembered as a hero, Winnie was demonized in the global media.

City of Ghosts, dir. Matthew Heineman, USA 2017, 90’

When in 2014 the Islamic State took over the Syrian city of Raqqa as their capital, anonymous Syrians decided to fight against the terrorists with cameras and telephones. They also take part in a media war with the Islamic State's professionally prepared propaganda materials, believing that the truth shown to the world is the most effective weapon.

Nobody’s Watching, dir. Julia Solomonoff, Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, USA 2017, 102’

Nico, a well-known actor from  Argentina, decides to go to New York and find success on his own. Once he getsthere, it turns out he's too blond to play a Latino while his accent is too strong to play anything else. He needs to juggle bartending and babysitting to keep himself afloat… 

Darling, dir. Brigitte Stærmose, Denmark, Sweden 2017, 103’

Darling is a world-famous Danish balerina and she will dance the title role in the classical ballet "Giselle" with Frans as choreographer. One dayduringrehearsal, Darling collapses in pain. But Darling refuses to let go and she starts working with a young ballerina, Polly, who is to replace her.

 Directions (Posoki) , dir. Stefan Komandarev, Bulgaria, Germany, Macedonia 2017, 103’

Present-day Bulgaria remains optimistic, mainly because all the realists and pessimists have left. We drivethrough the streets of Sofia and look through the eyes of drivers and clients. We hear their stories that have happened in the span of 24 hours.

Let the Sunshine In (Un beau solei interieur), dir. Claire Denis, France, 2017, 94’

Isabelle lives in Paris. She is a divorced single mother, she wants to find the one and only true love, love forever, although she doesn’t really seem to believe in it. She meets a new man and goes through an array of emotional states: from joy and hope to confusion and sadness

 Eye on Juliet, dir. Kim Nguyen, Canada 2017, 96’

A love story seen through the eye of a spider drone traversing a Middle Eastern desert. Gordon works for a companythatmonitors a pipeline in the desert. One day the spider drone encounters a girl and Gordon makes contact with her.

West of the Jordan River (A l'ouest du Jourdain), dir. Amos Gitai, France, Israel 2017, 84’

In 1982 Amos Gitai made the controversial documentary “Field Diary”, a chronicle of negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis. Today he returns to the territories occupied for the past 50 years to describe the efforts of citizens, Israelis and Palestinians, who are trying to overcome the consequences.

Demons in Paradise, dir. Jude Ratnam, France 2017, 94’

Sri Lanka 1983, Jude Ratnam is five years old. On a red train, he flees the massacre of the Tamils instigated by the pro-Sinhalese majoritarian government. Now Jude Ratnam is a filmmaker and takes the same train from South to North. For the first time, a Tamil documentary filmmaker living in Sri Lanka is seeing the civil war from the inside.

BRATISLAVA: The crime thriller The Line / Čiara by Peter Bebjak has been chosen as the official candidate from Slovakia for an Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences nomination in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

Ten projects selected from a record number of submissions will be in competition at connecting cottbus on November 9 and 10