Fascinating Guests


 

With Hana Makhmalbaf our film festival welcomes the youngest member of the famous Iranian family of film-makers. Her docufiction „Green Days“ was shot before and during the riots accompanying the recent elections in Iran. She had to flee from her country afterwards. The film was shown as a surprise in Venice in September 2009 and awarded the “Bravery Prize”.

From Africa, Leymah Gbowee will arrive to attent Women’s Worlds. She is the courageous heroine of the documentary “Pray the Devil Back to Hell” about women who forced the end of civil war in Liberia, totally disregarded by the world media! The University of Harvard and the White House Project have honored her for her extraordinary commitment.

Leymah Gbowee and Hana Makhmalbaf will receive the "Honor Award for Courageous Commitment for Human Rights of Women" by the filmfestival Women's Worlds.

 


Focus Matriarchy - today?

The main thematic focus this year: “Matriarchy”. Ethnological films from America, Asia and Africa provide the opportunity to gain a deep insight into the topic, and are accompanied by filmmakers and experts who have had the opportunity to witness these fascinating cultures first-hand.
Yet our questions go further: what is it that we can learn from these balanced societies regarding the challenges of today's world; and what can women especially contribute to possible solutions? Solutions for issues like war and peace, violence against women, the gap between the poor and the rich, destruction of the environment and the financial crisis? These questions also pervade the feature films this year.

 


Awarded Feature Films

The most recent award winners from big film festivals all over the world are again to be found among the 27 films from 20 countries at this year's Women's Worlds. “Storm” by Hans-Christian Schmid received three prizes at the Berlinale 2009 and the Bernhard Wicki-prize at the Munich Film Festival 2009. In the movie Hannah, a prosecutor for the International UN-Court for former Yugoslavia in The Hague, is forced to understand that it takes an enormous amount of courage for her witness to testify against the war criminals. “Mar Nero” treats the adventurous relationship between a brusque old Italian widow and her sensitive domestic worker who has to earn money for her family in Romania by working in Italy. The film won the Silver Leopard at the film festival in Locarno. “Laskar Pelangi” from Indonesia shows a young teacher who tries to maintain a school of creative education for mine workers’ children at all costs. It was the audience’s favorite at this year's Berlinale and was awarded at the film festival in Hong Kong.

“Mammoth” by Swedish star director Lukas Moodysson was nominated for the Golden Bear 2009. It tells the story of a Filipino single mother and a well-off New Yorker couple who struggle with the difficulties in the parallel worlds of globalization. Moodysson sensitively observed and portrayed the gap between rich and poor. Parallel worlds can be found in Germany as well: in “Schutzlos” a young cleaning lady from Honduras has to take her children into a shadow world of illegality because they are not safe in their country. Lead actress Carolina Vera will be able to give the Tuebinger audience a deeper account of this true story. “Pandora’s Box” tells the tale of three siblings in Istanbul who have to cope with their headstrong mother who has the Alzheimer’s disease. The film won two prizes in San Sebastian in 2008: best direction and best lead actress.

“La Nana”, awarded several times at the Sundance Film Festival 2009, is about a maid in Chile who ingeniously scares her rivals away – until she meets Lucy who is not intimidated by her actions. “Rusalka” tells the fairy-tale of “The Little Mermaid” in modern Moscow in a unique way and gained five awards, a.o. in Berlin and Sundance. Pang Ho-Cheung portrays a very different world and set of problems in the film “Exodus”: Is police officer Tsim really pursuing a world conspiracy of women who plan to exterminate men? The satirical black comedy was awarded in San Sebastian with the Jury’s prize. But the most “delicious” comedy is “Tandoori Love”, the opening movie for Women’s Worlds 2009. It is set in the Swiss countryside, where Sonja’s life with fiancé Markus is well ordered until Rajah, chef for a Bollywood film crew, shows up. He romances Sonja with the art of Indian cooking and dancing, and her life with innkeeper Markus is torn apart.


Thrilling Documentaries

The documentary-repertoire demonstrates a selection of TERRE DES FEMMES subjects: the problems of stalking and domestic violence in “Nach Trennung Mord”, the fight against genital mutilation in “Hibos Lied”, women in male-dominated jobs in “Some Real Heat” or “Weiberleut”. “Mein Herz sieht die Welt Schwarz - eine Liebe in Kabul” about a young couple in Kabul who tries to be together against all conventions, by the mistress of documentary filmmaking, Helga Reidemeister, was a big audience success at the Berlinale

Irene Jung, Film Festival Director



  In cooperation with:
Cinemas Arsenal, Museum, Waldhorn and the University City of Tübingen
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