IDFA presents in collaboration with de Balie an extensive program of films and discussions with filmmakers.
Foragers
November 11 - 20:30 -22:10
Israel has banned harvesting za’atar and akoub, two plants essential to Palestinian cuisine. Officially, it’s to preserve nature, but Palestinian wild pickers see it differently. A subtle but powerful film on how politics can reach into the kitchen.
The dinner and screening are followed by a conversation, where the practices mentioned serve as an introduction to a broader topic of commodification - how capitalism seeks to cultivate everything from wild plants to our leisure time.
IDFA On Stage: Non-Aligned Newsreels
November 14 - 15:00 - 17:05
During the Cold War it seemed as if there was no other choice than taking the side of the capitalist West or the Soviet bloc. Yet Yugoslav President Tito sought allies in non-Western countries for an alternative political vision. In 1961, during a founding conference in Belgrade which gathered leaders of 25 countries and 17 liberation movements, the Non-Aligned Movement was officially created. Marking the era in raising its voice for decolonization, disarmament and opposition to racism, this movement is notably absent from Western history books.
Yugoslav-born documentary maker Mila Turajlić uncovered footage of this movement that was collecting dust in a vault in Belgrade. These images were digitized for Turajlić’s new documentary diptych Scenes from the Labudović Reels (screening at IDFA) which pieces together the story of their creation and role in the creation of the vision of a Third World project.
In De Balie, Turajlić brings this history to life together with a group of Dutch people with roots in various non-aligned countries. During this one-off performance they spontaneously engage with the archival footage providing new perspectives and personal insights into its political potential. What does the term “non-aligned” mean to them? And how did this history form their view of today's world?
With contributions by e.a. feminist Francisca Pattipilohy (96, Indonesia), theater maker Hakim Traïdia (66, Algeria), filmmaker Lidija Zelovic (52, Yugoslavia) and historian Yulia Pattopang (40, Indonesia).
Invoked
November 15 - 20:30 - 22:09
A hyperdynamically edited film about the first free elections in Serbia in 1990, which were won by Slobodan Milošević. Five presidential candidates of the time look back, and TV clips show the almost-surreal, circus-like election atmosphere.
After the film, we will engage in conversation with the directors, reflecting on the elaborate way this film was constructed and make connections to today's world in which populism and nationalism seem to be gaining the upper hand.
The Eclipse
November 16 - 20:45 - 23:10
Framed by the solar eclipses of 1961 and 1999, this essayistic documentary examines how a Serbian family—and taking a wider perspective, an entire country—relates to a turbulent history.
The film crew, among which are some of the most talented Serbian authors and composer Billy Gould, who gained fame with his band Faith No More, joins us on-stage for an in-depth conversation about the morality of choosing to "act normal" in abnormal times.
Exiles
November 17 - 20:30 - 22:41
In 1989, Christine Choy interviewed three Chinese men who had fled to the US after the Tiananmen Square student protest was violently crushed. Thirty years later, their optimism has turned to disillusionment.
After the film, we talk with the filmmakers about the bygone dream of a democratic China and the pitfall of prioritizing trade over ethics, resulting in uncontrollable geopolitical events.
Israel has banned harvesting za’atar and akoub, two plants essential to Palestinian cuisine. Officially, it’s to preserve nature, but Palestinian wild pickers see it differently. A subtle but powerful film on how politics can reach into the kitchen.
More info
A live event in which six performers respond to rediscovered footage of a conference held in 1961 at which a new political dream for the Third World was formulated.
More info
A hyperdynamically edited film about the first free elections in Serbia in 1990, which were won by Slobodan Milošević. Five presidential candidates of the time look back, and TV clips show the almost-surreal, circus-like election atmosphere.
More info
Framed by the solar eclipses of 1961 and 1999, this essayistic documentary examines how a Serbian family—and taking a wider perspective, an entire country—relates to a turbulent history.
More info
In 1989, Christine Choy interviewed three Chinese men who had fled to the US after the Tiananmen Square student protest was violently crushed. Thirty years later, their optimism has turned to disillusionment.
More info