BLACK MOVIE FESTIVAL 2019 – 6 FILMS NOT TO MISS
by Chené Koscielny
WHAT IS THE BLACK MOVIE FESTIVAL?
Had enough of mainstream movies? The Black Movie Festival is an international, independent 10-day film festival in Geneva which aims to ‘swim against the tide’ of conventional movie fare, celebrating emerging talents and established filmmakers, whose work has not yet been screened in Switzerland.
WHAT IS ON THE MENU?
A selection of 106 films from 56 countries.
There is also a Black Movie for Kids section with animated children’s movies and workshops.
WHY THE TWO BIG CROSSES?
Wondering about the two big red crosses on festival poster? It indicates that it’s the festival’s 20th anniversary, so you can expect an exciting programme!
WHEN IS THE FESTIVAL?
JANUARY 18 – 27
WHAT ARE THE CATEGORIES
The films are presented in categories, including:
The Cherchez la Femme category explores female identity in various guises with seven films.
The Nomads 21st category will feature six films looking at the unusual and courageous roads followed by people in search of better living conditions.
Les Dessous de L’Histoire category – looks at the complex links between history and cinema and fiction and fact.
To Be Followed – is a section proposing filmmakers worth following.
To celebrate the festival’s 20th anniversary – they’ve asked nine well-known filmmakers to each submit a film that for them best represents the history of world cinema in the Carte Blanche To Be Followed category.
6 MUST SEE FILMS
GRASS (Category: To be followed)
South Korean filmmaker Hong Sansoo
Dramatic Comedy – 2018
French and English subtitles
Seated in a café, a young woman eavesdrops on conversations around her while taking notes on her computer. These conversations return to haunt the woman. Sansoo mixes the real with the imaginary.
WHERE AND WHEN
Spoutnik
20 January at 20
Cinelux
25 January at 17
CENTRAL AIRPORT THF (Category: Nomads XXIst)
Karim Ainouz
Documentary on exile – 2018
Germany, Brazil, France
French and English subtitles
In a disaffected airport, now a place of transit for migrants, we follow Ibrahim through the stages that will eventually lead him to obtain political refugee status in Germany.
WHERE AND WHEN
Grütli Langlois
25 January at 21.45
26 January at 15.15
27 January at 17.15
OF FATHERS AND SONS (Category: On the Power’s side)
Talal Derki – 2017
Syria, Lebanon
French and English subtitles
In North Syria in a province controllled by a local branch of Al-Quaeda, Abu Osama brings his eight sons up to become jihadists. Pretending to be a sympathiser, the film director participates in their daily lives offering a rare glimpse of a very masculine family under the rule of the Islamic calipahate.
WHERE AND WHEN
Grûtli Simon
18 January at 19.30
Grütli Langlois
19 January at 21:45
Cinelux
20 January at 13.
LIFE AND NOTHING MORE (Category: Family Spirit)
Antonio Mendez Esparza
Cinema Verite – 2017
Mexico
English and French subtitles
Regina is beginning to have problems with her teenage son and when she brings a new lover home, the situation becomes explosive.
Poignant tale between documentary and fiction on the modest daily life of an fro-American family just before Donald Trump’s election
WHEN AND WHERE
Grütli Langlois
19 January at 19h15
Cinélux
20 January at 21h00
Grütli Langlois
21 January at 19.15
THE RIVER (Category: To be followed)
By Emir Baigazin
Pastoral tale
2018
Kazakhstan
French and English Subtitles
On an isolated farm, the day to day life of five brothers, whose favourite pastime apart from working in the fields is swimming in a nearby might river is upset by the arrival of their cousin and his web-connected tablet.
WHEN AND WHERE
Arditi
24 January 16, 19 18:30
El VIAJE DE KETA (Category: Cherchez la femme)
Julio Behor, Fernando Sama
Mexico – 2018
French and English subtitles
Keta is a young woman with pink hair who sells drugs to an interesting and varied clientele. An original and playful look at the use of drugs for recreational use.
WHEN AND WHERE
CInelux
25 January at 21.00
Grütli Langlois
26 January at 21.45
Cinelux
27 January at 21.00.
WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?
Round tables, two conferences and a master class to examine a range of topics addressed in some of the films.
3 EXHIBITIONS
An exhibition of all the Black Movie Festival posters throughout the years.
A selection of marionettes from Black Movie for Kids films.
An exhibition of film-makers’ portraits by official festival photographer Mehdi Benkler, in the public space near the Hans Wilsdorf Bridge.
ALL NIGHT PARTIES
All Night parties for 10 consecutive evenings at the Cercle de Bains, the Festival’s central venue.
Featuring DJs, Live music and Karaoké!
FREE ENTRY
BLACK MOVIE FOR KIDS
Nearly 40 handpicked films from 30 different countries covering important topics such as disability, difference and ecology. For children aged 3 and older.
WHERE IS THE FESTIVAL TAKING PLACE?
Headquarters of the festival this year will be Cercle de Bains in the Quartiers des Bains. See our other article on this trendy quartier for places to hang out and eat while you’re in the area.
The films will be screened in the
Cinémas du Grütli,
Spoutnik
Auditorium Arditi Wilsdorf
Cinélux
And, for the first time, in a virtual cinema inaugurated by artist Cetusss on the
Second Life network.
MORE INFO
To find more information and buy tickets visit the Black Movie Festival website here.
