

Cinema has always been a bridge – connecting people, cultures, and ideas beyond geography and language. As the curator of this year’s European Union Film Festival, I am honoured to bring to India a selection of films that reflect the diversity, creativity, and emotional depth of contemporary Europe.
This year’s programme is more than a showcase of award-winning cinema. It is a journey through stories that explore who we are, how we change, and how art helps us understand one another. From the frozen landscapes of Scandinavia to the sun-drenched streets of Southern Europe, each film carries its own rhythm, humour, and soul – but together they reveal something profoundly universal about the human experience: the power of hope and resilience.
For Indian audiences, this festival is a chance to see Europe not as a single continent, but as a mosaic of voices – each distinct, yet connected by shared values of empathy, curiosity, and resilience. You will meet characters who challenge conventions, artists who dare to question the world, and storytellers who use cinema as an act of hope.
We’ve chosen films that invite dialogue – between generations, between traditions and modernity, and between cultures that seem different yet feel deeply familiar. They speak of love and loss, identity and belonging, courage and transformation. These are stories that don’t just entertain – they inspire reflection and conversation long after the lights come back on.
My hope is that the festival becomes a space for discovery: where Indian audiences find not only Europe on screen but also themselves—their emotions, their questions, their dreams. Because in the end, great cinema doesn’t belong to one nation. It belongs to everyone willing to feel, to think, and to see the world through someone else’s eyes.
Welcome to this cinematic journey of hope and resilience across Europe. May it open hearts, spark ideas, and remind us all of the shared humanity that connects us beyond borders.


The European Union Film Festival (EUFF) is an annual showcase of European cinema, celebrating the rich Indo-European partnership and our shared love for art, culture, and storytelling. Hop on a cinematic journey across Europe, with each film offering a fresh perspective and a window into diverse European culture. Check out our festival schedule and plan your days to have a great experience. See you at the movies!



Happy
2024, directed by Sandeep Kumar
110 Mins.
PG 13+
Synopsis: Happy follows the story of an undocumented Indian immigrant in Austria, desperately striving to secure a better future for his young daughter while facing the imminent threat of deportation. As the narrative unfolds, the film reminds us that the pursuit of happiness is universal—touching not only those who have little, but also those who seem to have it all.
Austria
Drama

Julie Keeps Quiet
2024, directed by Leonardo van Dijl
100 Mins.
PG 16+
Synopsis: Julie is a star player at an elite tennis academy. When her coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended, all of the club's players are encouraged to speak up. But Julie decides to keep quiet. Set against tennis, the film exposes systemic failures in safeguarding the young, with the protagonist’s silence emerging as a defiant act of resistance.
Belgium
Drama

The Trap (КЛОПКА)
2023, directed by Nadejda Koseva
95 Mins.
A
Synopsis: A man living in solitude on the banks of the Danube until a wild boar gets trapped near his house and foreign investors want to dump nuclear waste in the local village.
Bulgaria
Drama

Pelican (Pelikan)
2022, directed by Filip Heraković
87 Mins.
PG 16+
Synopsis: Josip, a footballer recovering from a career-threatening knee injury at a health spa, finds himself adrift between a self-absorbed physiotherapist, an ex-girlfriend, and a former best friend. When he is mistaken for someone else at a sales conference, he slips into a new identity—discovering fresh perspectives, blurred boundaries, and a chance to rediscover who he truly is.
Croatia
Drama Comedy

Smaragda – I Got Thick Skin and I Can't Jump
2024, directed by Emilios Avraam
99 Mins.
A
Smaragda, 46, amid failed relationships and a stagnant career,
ponders her legacy. She becomes a kids entertainer at a tourist
resort and embraces social media, facing both fame and backlash, as
she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
The film earned the Best Cypriot Film Award at the 2025 Cyprus Film
Days International Festival, with Niovi Charalambous winning Best
Performance for her nuanced portrayal of the title character.
Cyprus
Drama

The Waves (Vlny)
2024, directed by Jirí Mádl
131 Mins.
PG 16+
Synopsis: Prague, 1968. In the International Editorial Office of Czechoslovak Radio, celebrated journalists risk everything to tell the truth. Young Tomáš works among them—not for glory, but to protect his younger brother, whose dream job he now holds. When a recording surfaces that could alter the course of history, the newsroom comes under the Secret Service’s watchful eye. Tomáš must choose: stand with the journalists and risk it all, or safeguard the only family he has left.
Czech Republic
Historical Thriller

Matters of the Heart (Fuld af kærlighed)
2024, directed by Christina Rosendahl
110 Mins.
A
Synopsis: The film follows a middle-class family who, on the surface, have a happy and perfect life. But behind the facade, the family is on the verge of disintegration due to the father’s escalating alcohol consumption. When a grown-up daughter finally confronts the pain she endured as a child, deep emotional wounds surface—and healing becomes both necessary and painful.
Denmark
Drama

Lioness (Emalõvi)
2024, directed by Liina Triškina-Vanhatalo
104 Mins.
A
Synopsis: Helena is a paramedic, a professional caretaker who paradoxically doesn’t know how to care for her teenage daughter, Stefi, when she gets on a dangerous and self-destructive path. As a woman of action rather than talk, Helena prepares an extreme plan to secretly kidnap and lock the girl up, far away from all the bad world. But things don’t work out as planned. An unexpected chain of events throws Helena into a state of shock and forces her to find an entirely new meaning for her motherly love. The film won Best Film and Best Screenplay at the 2025 Estonian Film and Television Awards and received the Special Jury Award at the 2024 Warsaw Film Festival.
Estonia
Thriller Drama

The Missile (Ohjus)
2024, directed by Miia Tervo
110 Mins.
A
Synopsis: The empowering story of a single mother working at a small-town newspaper who gets drawn into the investigation surrounding the missile crash, which upends life in a small village.
Finland
Comedy Drama

Holy Cow (Vingt-Dieux)
2025, directed by Louise Courvoisier
90 Mins.
PG 16+
Synopsis: 1899. On a storm-lashed night, Aimée, a young Republican schoolteacher, arrives in a remote Alpine hamlet buried in snow. Met with suspicion and resistance, she is determined to challenge the villagers’ dark superstitions. But shortly after her arrival, an avalanche swallows up its first highlander.
France
Drama

Dying (Sterben)
2024, directed by Matthias Glasner
181 Mins.
A
Synopsis: Mother Lissy, father Gerd, son Tom and daughter Ellen: the members of the Lunies family are estranged. But confronted with death, they finally meet each other again.
Germany
Drama

Behind the Haystacks (Piso apo tis thimonies)
2023, directed by Asimina Proedrou
118 Mins.
A
Synopsis: A middle-aged fisherman drowning in debt; a housewife who is seeking the truth in God's Word; a daughter who tries to define her own life within an oppressive environment. Until a tragic incident strikes the family, pushing the three heroes to face their own personal impasses, whilst having to deeply consider the price to pay for their actions.
Greece
Drama

Three Thousand Numbered Pieces (Háromezer számozott darab)
2023, directed by Ádám Császi
96 Mins.
A
A white Hungarian theatre director begins rehearsals for a play with five young Roma actors. The play is meant to tell their real-life stories - of abuse, drug addiction, crime - but as it unfolds, the actors feel their suffering is being exploited rather than faithfully represented. They decide to walk away from the project, only to discover that their director has already sold the show to a major theatre in Berlin. What follows is a surreal, self-reflective journey that blurs the boundary between reality and performance, forcing everyone involved to question who gets to tell a story, on what terms, and at what cost.
Hungary
Drama

That They May Face the Rising Sun
2023, directed by Pat Collins
111 Mins.
PG 16+
Based on internationally acclaimed Irish author John McGahern's award-winning novel of the same name, That They May Face the Rising Sun is a vivid evocation of nature, humanity and life itself, set in a 1980's rural community in Ireland.
Ireland
Period Drama

Familia
2024, directed by Francesco Costabile
120 Mins.
A
Italy’s official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards, Familia is a deeply human story about belonging, fragility, and the invisible threads that tie people together.
Italy
Drama

Soviet Milk (Mātes piens)
2023, directed by Ināra Kolmane
110 Mins.
A
Young and promising doctor loses everything due to her conflict with the totalitarian Soviet regime – career, love for life and even mother’s instinct denying breast milk to her baby. However, the grown-up daughter becomes her only supporter who tries to help ease mother’s depression and learn to live in the depressive Soviet regime herself. The lifelines of mother and daughter flow in the occupied Soviet Latvia from 1945 to 1989 when the Soviet Union collapses. “I didn’t want to live and I didn’t want her to drink milk from a mother who doesn’t want to live.” The story is based on the bestseller Soviet Milk by the renown Latvian writer and more than 20 book author Nora Ikstena. Soviet Milk has been translated and published in more than 20 countries.
Latvia
Drama

TASTY (Gardutė)
2024, directed by Eglė Vertelytė
104 Mins.
PG 16+
Two canteen cooks take part in a cooking competition on TV and dream of the main prize: a Michelin-starred restaurant. As the competition tests their culinary skills, it also puts their friendship—and the whirlwind of unexpected fame—to the ultimate test.
Lithuania
Comedy

Breathing Underwater
2024, directed by Eric Lamhène
101 Mins.
A
Breathing Underwater is an emotional, character-driven drama set in the secretive world of a women's shelter. It tells the story of Emma (Carla Juri) who is whisked away in the dead of night, covered in bruises and unexpectedly pregnant. As she grapples with her pregnancy and her emotional shackles to her husband Marc, Emma rediscovers lost facets of herself through her unlikely camaraderie and strife with the women and children of the shelter. Individual traumas intertwine and despite their differences, a delicate sisterhood emerges as they push one another to fight for their self-worth and independence.
Luxembourg
Drama

Castillo
2024, directed by Abigail Mallia
100 Mins.
A
In the gritty underworld of Malta, Castillo tells the story of a man who finds himself ensnared in a dangerous web of crime, corruption, and betrayal. Haunted by a past he cannot escape, his journey forces him to confront brutal moral choices—where the lines between justice and lawlessness blur. As loyalties fracture and hidden alliances emerge, Castillo must navigate turf wars, power struggles, and the seductive pull of illicit influence. His family becomes collateral in a system rigged against him, unveiling painful truths of identity, survival, and the price one pays for redemption. With every decision, Castillo inches closer to a precipice—can he reclaim what’s broken without becoming the monster others fear? In a world ruled by brutality and compromise, one man’s struggle may expose the dark heart of a society built on silent complicity.
Malta
Drama Crime

Memory Lane (De terugreis)
2024, directed by Jelle de Jonge
98 Mins.
PG 13+
A bitter-aged man reluctantly drives to Spain to pay a last visit to a dying friend, along with his wife who's suffering from dementia. But as their journey unfolds, he slowly starts to soften up and rediscovers the meaning of love.
Netherlands
Comedy Drama

It’s Not My Film (To nie mój film)
2025, directed by Maria Zbąska
100 Mins.
PG 16+
Wanda and Janek’s love story unfolds after the 'happily ever after’ ends. To revive their long-term relationship and overcome a constant crisis they decide to embark on a winter journey along the Polish Baltic coast. This make it-or-break it adventure will test their limits of love in a story filled with humor, touching moments, and unexpected twists.
Poland
Drama

Three Kilometres to the End of the World
2024, directed by Emanuel Parvu
105 Mins.
A
Set in a conservative Danube Delta community, a gay teenager’s journey of self-discovery clashes with the traditional values upheld by his parents and neighbors.
Romania
Drama

The Hungarian Dressmaker (Ema a smrtihlav)
2024, directed by Iveta Grófová
129 Mins.
A
Marika, a Hungarian widow dressmaker shelters a Jewish boy in her home on the Slovak-Hungarian border during the turbulent years of WW2 and the Wartime Slovak State.
Slovakia
Drama

Family Therapy
2024, directed by Sonja Prosenc
122 Mins.
A
Young stranger disrupts seemingly perfect family's life, exposing their internal issues, fears, and dysfunctional relationships as external chaos invades their once idyllic existence.
Slovenia
Comedy Drama

EL 47
2024, directed by Marcel Barrena
110 Mins.
PG 16+
Inspired on the true story of Manolo Vital, a bus driver who helped create the modern Barcelona during the 1970s city’s boom.
Spain
Drama

The Swedish Torpedo (Den svenska torpeden)
2024, directed by Frida Kempff
120 Mins.
Parental Guidance
Summer of 1939. The outbreak of war in Europe is drawing ever closer, but Sally Bauer cannot tear herself away from the sea and her longing to cross the English Channel.
Sweden
Drama Romance

Oxygen Station
2023, directed by Ivan Tymchenko
106 Mins.
A
Human rights activist and political prisoner Mustafa, famed for his 303-day hunger strike, is exiled to a remote Soviet labor camp. Facing relentless oppression, he finds strength in his fight for justice and the resilience of the Crimean Tatar community, whose stories of resistance echo his own struggle. Based on a true story, the film unveils the cost of defiance against a totalitarian regime.
Ukraine
Drama Biography
Austria
Happy
2024
Sandeep Kumar
Rating:India
110 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 13+
Themes :
Immigrant Experience
Fatherhood
Family
Resilience
Marginalization
Parental Love
Languages :
German
Hindi
Synopsis
Happy follows the story of an undocumented Indian immigrant in Austria, desperately striving to secure a better future for his young daughter while facing the imminent threat of deportation. As the narrative unfolds, the film reminds us that the pursuit of happiness is universal—touching not only those who have little, but also those who seem to have it all.
Festivals & Awards
International Film Festival of Goa
São Paulo International Film Festival
Belgium
Julie Keeps Quiet
2024
Leonardo van Dijl
Rating:India
100 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 16+
Themes :
Defiance
Power
Inner Conflict
Abuse
Societal Pressure
Languages :
Dutch
French
English
Synopsis
Julie is a star player at an elite tennis academy. When her coach falls under investigation and is suddenly suspended, all of the club's players are encouraged to speak up. But Julie decides to keep quiet. Set against tennis, the film exposes systemic failures in safeguarding the young, with the protagonist’s silence emerging as a defiant act of resistance.
Festivals & Awards
Cannes Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
International Film Festival Rotterdam
São Paulo International Film Festival
Bulgaria
The Trap (КЛОПКА)
2023
Nadejda Koseva
Rating:India
95 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Resilience
Societal Pressure
Morality
Languages :
Bulgarian
Synopsis
A man living in solitude on the banks of the Danube until a wild boar gets trapped near his house and foreign investors want to dump nuclear waste in the local village.
Festivals & Awards
São Paulo International Film Festival
Sofia International Film Festival
Cottbus Festival of East European Cinema
Croatia
Pelican (Pelikan)
2022
Filip Heraković
Rating:India
87 Mins.
Rating:India
TBC
Themes :
Identity
Exploration
Synopsis
Josip, a footballer recovering from a career-threatening knee injury at a health spa, finds himself adrift between a self-absorbed physiotherapist, an ex-girlfriend, and a former best friend. When he is mistaken for someone else at a sales conference, he slips into a new identity—discovering fresh perspectives, blurred boundaries, and a chance to rediscover who he truly is.
Festivals & Awards
PÖFF – Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival – First Feature Competition – Special Jury Prize
Pula Film Festival 2023
Ukraine
Oxygen Station
2023
Ivan Tymchenko
Rating:India
106 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Political Persecution
Human Rights
Crimean Tatars
Oppression
Resistance
Based on a True Story
Languages :
Ukrainian
Russian
Synopsis
Human rights activist and political prisoner Mustafa, famed for his 303-day hunger strike, is exiled to a remote Soviet labor camp. Facing relentless oppression, he finds strength in his fight for justice and the resilience of the Crimean Tatar community, whose stories of resistance echo his own struggle. Based on a true story, the film unveils the cost of defiance against a totalitarian regime.
Festivals & Awards
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival - 2023 | Official Selection
Sweden
The Swedish Torpedo (Den svenska torpeden)
2024
Frida Kempff
Rating:India
120 Mins.
Rating:India
Parental Guidance
Themes :
Sports
Determination
Female Empowerment
Passion
Resilience
Freedom
Based on a True Story
Languages :
Swedish
English
Synopsis
Summer of 1939. The outbreak of war in Europe is drawing ever closer, but Sally Bauer cannot tear herself away from the sea and her longing to cross the English Channel.
Spain
EL 47
2024
Marcel Barrena
Rating:India
110 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 16+
Themes :
True Story
Social Change
Resilience
Urban Development
Community
Languages :
Spanish
Catalan
Synopsis
Inspired on the true story of Manolo Vital, a bus driver who helped create the modern Barcelona during the 1970s city’s boom.
Slovenia
Family Therapy
2024
Sonja Prosenc
Rating:India
122 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Family
Dysfunction
Secrets
Disruption
Identity
Social Satire
Languages :
Slovene
Synopsis
Young stranger disrupts seemingly perfect family's life, exposing their internal issues, fears, and dysfunctional relationships as external chaos invades their once idyllic existence.
Festivals & Awards
Seven Vesna Awards – Slovenian Film Festival 2024
Official Submission – Slovenia, Best International Feature, 2024 Oscars
Tribeca Film Festival 2024
Slovakia
The Hungarian Dressmaker (Ema a smrtihlav)
2024
Iveta Grófová
Rating:India
129 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
WW2
Holocaust
Resistance
Survival
Identity
Moral Courage
Oppression
Cross-Cultural Solidarity
Languages :
Slovak
Hungarian
Synopsis
Marika, a Hungarian widow dressmaker shelters a Jewish boy in her home on the Slovak-Hungarian border during the turbulent years of WW2 and the Wartime Slovak State.
Festivals & Awards
Best International Feature Film
Romania
Three Kilometres to the End of the World
2024
Emanuel Parvu
Rating:India
105 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
LGBTQ+
Identity
Family Conflict
Tradition vs. Modernity
Violence
Homophobia
Coming of Age
Small Community Pressure
Languages :
Romanian
Synopsis
Set in a conservative Danube Delta community, a gay teenager’s journey of self-discovery clashes with the traditional values upheld by his parents and neighbors.
Poland
It’s Not My Film (To nie mój film)
2025
Maria Zbąska
Rating:India
100 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 16+
Themes :
Artistic Integrity
Identity
Gender Dynamics
Power and Control
Self-Discovery
Languages :
Polish
Synopsis
Wanda and Janek’s love story unfolds after the 'happily ever after’ ends. To revive their long-term relationship and overcome a constant crisis they decide to embark on a winter journey along the Polish Baltic coast. This make it-or-break it adventure will test their limits of love in a story filled with humor, touching moments, and unexpected twists.
Festivals & Awards
Thessaloniki International Film Festival 2024 – International Competition
Netherlands
Memory Lane (De terugreis)
2024
Jelle de Jonge
Rating:India
98 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 13+
Themes :
Aging
Dementia
Marriage
Love
Journey
Reconciliation
Mortality
Languages :
Dutch
Synopsis
A bitter-aged man reluctantly drives to Spain to pay a last visit to a dying friend, along with his wife who's suffering from dementia. But as their journey unfolds, he slowly starts to soften up and rediscovers the meaning of love.
Festivals & Awards
Seoul International Senior Film Festival
Malta
Castillo
2024
Abigail Mallia
Rating:India
100 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Crime and Morality
Violence and Consequences
Justice vs. Corruption
Family and Betrayal
Power Struggles
Identity and Survival
Languages :
Maltese
English
Synopsis
In the gritty underworld of Malta, Castillo tells the story of a man who finds himself ensnared in a dangerous web of crime, corruption, and betrayal. Haunted by a past he cannot escape, his journey forces him to confront brutal moral choices—where the lines between justice and lawlessness blur. As loyalties fracture and hidden alliances emerge, Castillo must navigate turf wars, power struggles, and the seductive pull of illicit influence. His family becomes collateral in a system rigged against him, unveiling painful truths of identity, survival, and the price one pays for redemption. With every decision, Castillo inches closer to a precipice—can he reclaim what’s broken without becoming the monster others fear? In a world ruled by brutality and compromise, one man’s struggle may expose the dark heart of a society built on silent complicity.
Luxembourg
Breathing Underwater
2024
Eric Lamhène
Rating:India
101 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Violence
Joy
Hope
Languages :
Luxembourgish
German
French
Synopsis
Breathing Underwater is an emotional, character-driven drama set in the secretive world of a women's shelter. It tells the story of Emma (Carla Juri) who is whisked away in the dead of night, covered in bruises and unexpectedly pregnant. As she grapples with her pregnancy and her emotional shackles to her husband Marc, Emma rediscovers lost facets of herself through her unlikely camaraderie and strife with the women and children of the shelter. Individual traumas intertwine and despite their differences, a delicate sisterhood emerges as they push one another to fight for their self-worth and independence.
Festivals & Awards
Warsaw Film Festival
Mostra de Cinema Francofonia - Cine Brasília
Lithuania
TASTY (Gardutė)
2024
Eglė Vertelytė
Rating:India
104 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 16+
Themes :
Sisterhood
Friendship
Authentic Values
Languages :
Lithuanian
Synopsis
Two canteen cooks take part in a cooking competition on TV and dream of the main prize: a Michelin-starred restaurant. As the competition tests their culinary skills, it also puts their friendship—and the whirlwind of unexpected fame—to the ultimate test.
Festivals & Awards
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2024 – Official Selection
Odesa International Film Festival
Latvia
Soviet Milk (Mātes piens)
2023
Ināra Kolmane
Rating:India
110 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Synopsis
Young and promising doctor loses everything due to her conflict with the totalitarian Soviet regime – career, love for life and even mother’s instinct denying breast milk to her baby. However, the grown-up daughter becomes her only supporter who tries to help ease mother’s depression and learn to live in the depressive Soviet regime herself. The lifelines of mother and daughter flow in the occupied Soviet Latvia from 1945 to 1989 when the Soviet Union collapses. “I didn’t want to live and I didn’t want her to drink milk from a mother who doesn’t want to live.” The story is based on the bestseller Soviet Milk by the renown Latvian writer and more than 20 book author Nora Ikstena. Soviet Milk has been translated and published in more than 20 countries.
Ireland
That They May Face the Rising Sun
2023
Pat Collins
Rating:India
111 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 16+
Themes :
Identity
Joy
Slice of Life
Synopsis
Based on internationally acclaimed Irish author John McGahern's award-winning novel of the same name, That They May Face the Rising Sun is a vivid evocation of nature, humanity and life itself, set in a 1980's rural community in Ireland.
Festivals & Awards
Best Film - Irish Film and Television Awards
Best Actor - Dinard British Film Festival
Best Feature Film - Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema
Hungary
Three Thousand Numbered Pieces (Háromezer számozott darab)
2023
Ádám Császi
Rating:India
96 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Racism and Ethnic Stereotypes
Power Dynamics
Identity
Trauma
Marginalization
Languages :
Hungarian
Synopsis
A white Hungarian theatre director begins rehearsals for a play with five young Roma actors. The play is meant to tell their real-life stories - of abuse, drug addiction, crime - but as it unfolds, the actors feel their suffering is being exploited rather than faithfully represented. They decide to walk away from the project, only to discover that their director has already sold the show to a major theatre in Berlin. What follows is a surreal, self-reflective journey that blurs the boundary between reality and performance, forcing everyone involved to question who gets to tell a story, on what terms, and at what cost.
Festivals & Awards
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2022
Greece
Behind the Haystacks (Piso apo tis thimonies)
2023
Asimina Proedrou
Rating:India
118 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Family
Oppression
Faith and Religion
Debt
Moral Dilemmas
Generational Conflict
Languages :
Greek
Macedonian
Synopsis
A middle-aged fisherman drowning in debt; a housewife who is seeking the truth in God's Word; a daughter who tries to define her own life within an oppressive environment. Until a tragic incident strikes the family, pushing the three heroes to face their own personal impasses, whilst having to deeply consider the price to pay for their actions.
Festivals & Awards
IFFI Goa
IFFI Best Debut Director Award
Germany
Dying (Sterben)
2024
Matthias Glasner
Rating:India
181 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Family Estrangement
Illness
Death and Mortality
Dementia
Trauma
Languages :
German
Synopsis
DYING follows the very individual members of the Lunies family, who haven’t been a family for a long time. Lissy is quietly happy about her demented husband Gerd slowly wasting away in a home. But her new freedom is short-lived: diabetes, cancer and kidney failure mean that she doesn’t have much time left either. Son Tom, a conductor in his early 40s, is working on a composition called ‘Dying’, while at the same time being made the surrogate father of his ex-girlfriend’s child. And Tom’s sister Ellen starts an affair with the married Sebastian, with whom she shares a love for alcohol. As death finally turns up on the doorstep, the estranged family members meet again.
Festivals & Awards
German Film Award (Lola) for Best Film
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay – Berlin International Film Festival 2024
Guild Film Prize
Best Actress in a Leading Role (Corinna Harfouch) – German Film Awards
Best Actor (Lars Eidinger) – Bambi Awards
Best Director – Gijón International Film Festival
Best Film – Sydney Film Festival
Best Director at the Gijón International Film Festival
Best Director at the Gijón International Film
France
Holy Cow (Vingt-Dieux)
2025
Louise Courvoisier
Rating:India
90 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 16+
Themes :
Isolation
Nature’s Power
Community
Female Independence
Fear
Survival
Historical Setting
Languages :
French
Synopsis
1899. On a storm-lashed night, Aimée, a young Republican schoolteacher, arrives in a remote Alpine hamlet buried in snow. Met with suspicion and resistance, she is determined to challenge the villagers’ dark superstitions. But shortly after her arrival, an avalanche swallows up its first highlander.
Festivals & Awards
Cannes Directors' Fortnight
Finland
The Missile (Ohjus)
2024
Miia Tervo
Rating:India
110 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Identity
Abuse
Nationality
Languages :
Finnish
Synopsis
The empowering story of a single mother working at a small-town newspaper who gets drawn into the investigation surrounding the missile crash, which upends life in a small village.
Estonia
Lioness (Emalõvi)
2024
Liina Triškina-Vanhatalo
Rating:India
104 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Parent-Child Relationship
Modern Day Anxiety
Moral Ambiguity
Trauma
Synopsis
Helena is a paramedic, a professional caretaker who paradoxically doesn’t know how to care for her teenage daughter, Stefi, when she gets on a dangerous and self-destructive path. As a woman of action rather than talk, Helena prepares an extreme plan to secretly kidnap and lock the girl up, far away from all the bad world. But things don’t work out as planned. An unexpected chain of events throws Helena into a state of shock and forces her to find an entirely new meaning for her motherly love. The film won Best Film and Best Screenplay at the 2025 Estonian Film and Television Awards and received the Special Jury Award at the 2024 Warsaw Film Festival.
Festivals & Awards
Warsaw Film Festival 2024 – Special Jury Award
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
London Baltic Film Festival
Denmark
Matters of the Heart (Fuld af kærlighed)
2024
Christina Rosendahl
Rating:India
110 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Family Dynamics
Redemption
Trauma
Love
Addiction
Healing
Languages :
Danish
Synopsis
The film follows a middle-class family who, on the surface, have a happy and perfect life. But behind the facade, the family is on the verge of disintegration due to the father’s escalating alcohol consumption. When a grown-up daughter finally confronts the pain she endured as a child, deep emotional wounds surface—and healing becomes both necessary and painful.
Festivals & Awards
Odesa International Film Festival
Czech Republic
The Waves (Vlny)
2024
Jiří Mádl
Rating:India
131 Mins.
Rating:India
PG 16+
Themes :
Defiance
Free Speech
Moral Dilemma
Hope
Languages :
Czech
Synopsis
Prague, 1968. In the International Editorial Office of Czechoslovak Radio, celebrated journalists risk everything to tell the truth. Young Tomáš works among them—not for glory, but to protect his younger brother, whose dream job he now holds. When a recording surfaces that could alter the course of history, the newsroom comes under the Secret Service’s watchful eye. Tomáš must choose: stand with the journalists and risk it all, or safeguard the only family he has left.
Festivals & Awards
Seattle International Film Festival
Transilvania International Film Festival
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2024 – Audience Award
São Paulo International Film Festival
Italy
Familia
2024
Francesco Costabile
Rating:India
120 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Family Bonds
Reconciliation
Identity
Generational Conflict
Emotional Healing
Languages :
Italian
Synopsis
Italy’s official submission for the 2025 Academy Awards, Familia is a deeply human story about belonging, fragility, and the invisible threads that tie people together. After years of estrangement, a father and his two adult sons reunite in a remote mountain village following the death of their mother. What begins as a tense family gathering slowly turns into an emotional reckoning — an exploration of guilt, forgiveness, and the enduring need for connection in a world that seems to be falling apart. Through tender performances and lyrical cinematography, director Fabio Mollo captures the contradictions of modern Italy — tradition versus freedom, roots versus self-invention — crafting a universal portrait of family as both wound and cure.
Festivals & Awards
Venice International Film Festival 2024
Audience Award
Official Selection Rome Film Festival 2024
Cyprus
Smaragda – I Got Thick Skin and I Can't Jump
2024
Emilios Avraam
Rating:India
99 Mins.
Rating:India
A
Themes :
Coming of Age
Self-Discovery
Identity
Trauma
Modern Day Angst
Climate Change
Languages :
Greek
English
Synopsis
Smaragda, 46, amid failed relationships and a stagnant career, ponders her legacy. She becomes a kids entertainer at a tourist resort and embraces social media, facing both fame and backlash, as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Festivals & Awards
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival

What a Feeling
2024, directed by Kat Rohrer
110 Mins.
A
Synopsis: Marie Theres, 52, seems to have it all: a 20-year marriage to her husband Alexander, a teenage daughter, Anna, and a successful career as a doctor. But in a single moment, everything unravels. Her husband walks out, her daughter rebels, she is suspended from the hospital after a near-fatal mistake, and even her friends turn their backs on her. Enter Fa, a bold, free-spirited Iranian woman who runs a carpentry business with her siblings while caring for their elderly mother. Though the two women are complete opposites, they are irresistibly drawn to each other. Both must confront and break free from the self-imposed limitations of their lives if they truly want to find happiness.
Austria
Romantic Comedy

Employee of the Month (L’employée Du Mois)
2022, by Véronique Jadin
78 Mins.
UA 13+
Synopsis: What does employer loyalty really mean? And what does a lifetime of service actually get you? That’s exactly what Inès wants to find out. Inès (45) may behave like a model employee at her job selling cleaning products, but she isn’t recognized or paid properly. Under the blasé gaze of Mélody, the young trainee, she decides to ask Patrick, her boss, for her first raise. But the situation gets out of hand, Mélody tries to intercede and Patrick ends up with a broken skull. The accident looks like a crime. What can be done? What Ines knows how to do best: clean up.
Belgium
Comedy

Because I Love Bad Weather (Защото обичам лошото време)
2024, directed by Yana Lekarska
100 mins
UA 13+
Synopsis: When Irina can no longer bear living in a world of lies, she escapes to the one place that still feels safe—where she is truly happy. On a rainy spring day, Irina returns to the seaside town where she spent her childhood summers. There, she unexpectedly reunites with Boris, a man she hasn’t seen in 20 years. Together, they embark on a journey to rediscover their past that may change their future. Or would it?
Bulgaria
Drama/Romance

EMBRYO LARVA BUTTERFLY
2023,directed by Kyros Papavassiliou
91 mins
A
Synopsis: In a world where time shifts arbitrarily, a couple’s relationship faces constant challenges as their memories of the past, present, and future endlessly change. Penelope and Isidoros live in a reality where today they are lovers, but tomorrow they may be strangers. Here, time doesn’t follow a linear path—days appear randomly from different points in time, blurring the boundaries between past, present, and future, if those ideas even hold meaning. Their relationship exists in a state of perpetual uncertainty, defined by a mutual search for understanding and reassurance. Just beyond their world lies another, where time flows in a straight line. It is possible to cross from this unpredictable realm into the world of linear time, but the conditions for such a journey are unclear, and the cost is steep. This imaginative film explores the paradoxes of time and the complexities of romantic and human relationships.
Cyprus
Drama
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Restore Point (Bod Obnovy)
2023,directed by Robert Hloz
115 mins
UA 16+
Synopsis: In 2041, Central Europe stands on the edge of crisis as deep social and economic inequality threaten the fabric of society. A scientific breakthrough now enables humanity to revive victims of violent crimes by backing up their brains every two days. This innovative technology presents a unique opportunity for a driven young detective to delve into the murder of a couple as a restoration team works to bring one of the victims back to life.
Czech Republic
Thriller/Sci-Fi

Sons (Vogter)
2024,directed by Gustav Möller
100 mins
A
The question arises: what takes precedence—the profound personal grief or the duty to one’s job? The idealistic prison guard Eva (Sidse Babett Knudsen) confronts the most challenging dilemma of her life when a young man connected to her past is transferred to the prison where she works. Without disclosing her secret, she requests a transfer to his block, thus unfolding a tense psychological thriller where Eva’s commitment to justice threatens to unravel her morality and jeopardise her future.
Denmark
Drama/Thriller
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Stairway To Heaven (Taevatrepp)
2023,directed by Mart Kivastik
107 mins
UA
With his friend’s dying breath, Uu is entrusted with a secret—a way to travel back in time. As an engineer, Uu doesn't believe in miracles, but to his surprise, the method works. In the past, everything is idyllic: an endless summer filled with long hair, girls, and the taste of Jenkki chewing gum. In contrast, his present reality is steeped in autumn—his friends are bitter, the girls are married, and his father is severely ill. Now, Uu must make a life-altering decision: will he live in the nostalgic summer of the past or face the harsh autumn of the present?
Estonia
Drama / Comedy

Death is a Problem for the Living (PELURI – KUOLEMA ON ELÄVIEN ONGELMA)
2023,directed by Teemu Nikki
93 mins
UA 16+
Risto and Arto, the two least-expensive hearse drivers on the market, are watching their lives collapse around them. Risto is addicted to gambling and his marriage is in crisis. Arto recently discovered that he was born with 85% less brain than the average person, and as a result has been abandoned by everyone. Risto and Arto, end up risking everything to win back what they have lost.
Finland
Drama / Comedy

Jim's Story (Le roman de Jim)
2024,directed by Jean-Marie Larrieu & Arnaud Larrieu
101 mins
UA
Synopsis: One evening in Saint-Claude, Haut-Jura, Aymeric unexpectedly encounters Florence, a former coworker who is now six months pregnant and single. When she gives birth to Jim, Aymeric steps in to support her, and they share joyful years together as a makeshift family. However, everything changes when Christophe, Jim's biological father, suddenly reappears. What begins as a potential melodrama unfolds into an odyssey of fatherhood, and what it means to be one.
France
Drama / Comedy

Afire (Roter Himmel)
2023,directed by Christian Petzold
102 mins
A
Synopsis: While vacationing by the Baltic Sea, writer Leon and photographer Felix are intrigued by Nadja, a mysterious young woman staying at Felix’s family holiday home. Nadja quickly captivates Leon, not only with her passionate affair with lifeguard Devid but also through her brutally honest insights, which force him to confront his artistic shortcomings. As Leon and Nadja grow closer, an encroaching forest fire threatens their group, challenging Leon to explore whether he can genuinely care for anyone beyond himself.
Germany
Comedy/Romance/Drama

Animal
2023,directed by Sofia Exarchou
116 mins
A
Synopsis: Under the scorching Greek sun, animators at an all-inclusive island resort gear up for the bustling tourist season. Kalia, the group leader, oversees the creation of paper decorations, vibrant costumes, and captivating dance shows. As summer progresses and the pressure mounts, the nights grow tumultuous, exposing Kalia’s inner turmoil amid the chaos. Yet, when the spotlight shines once more, the show must go on, forcing Kalia to navigate the delicate balance between performance and personal struggle.
Greece
Drama

Without Air (Elfogy a levego)
2023,directed by Katalin Moldovai
105 mins
A
Synopsis: An innocent movie recommendation by a literature high-school teacher, Ana Bauch, ends up in an accusation put forth by a parent to the school’s principal. This sets off a series of events that cause Ana to slip away from the ground she thought was solid.
Hungary
Drama

An Irish Goodbye
2022,directed by Tom Berkeley & Ross White
23 mins
UA
Synopsis: On a farm in rural Northern Ireland, estranged brothers Turlough and Lorcan are compelled to reunite after the unexpected death of their mother. However, when they stumble upon an unfulfilled bucket list left behind by her, their fraught reunion takes an unexpected turn. As they set out to complete the list, the journey forces them to confront their past, and re-investigate their fractured relationship.
Ireland
Drama / Comedy

La Chimera
2023, directed by Alice Rohrwacher
130 Mins.
A
SYNOPSIS: Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods and archaeological wonders, the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur, the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina (Yile Yara Vianello). To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, and goes inside the earth—in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak. In an adventurous journey between the living and the dead, between forests and cities, between celebrations and solitudes, the intertwined destinies of these characters unfold, all in search of the Chimera..
Italy
Drama/Comedy

Black Velvet (Melnais samts)
2024, directed by Liene Linde
92 Mins.
UA 16+
Synopsis: Marta is now in her 30s and has long abandoned her cinematic dreams. Stuck in a routine job, she spends her days caring for her chronically ill cat, dealing with her stoner boyfriend, and telling her friends that she'll soon start writing her new script. Secretly battling functional depression, Marta continues to dream of making films, drawn to the therapeutic power of storytelling, yet paralysed by her own fear. When her friend Kaspars returns to town, Marta is thrust into a series of increasingly chaotic events. In this dark comedy, Marta is forced to confront the inevitable question every filmmaker faces: if you want to direct films, can you first direct yourself out of your own depression? The film explores the life of a millennial woman navigating the complexities of adulthood while chasing her long-held dream.
Latvia
Drama

Five And A Half Love Stories In An Apartment In Vilnius, Lithuania (Penkios su puse meilės istorijos, nutikusios viename Vilniaus bute)
2023, directed by Tomas Vengris
112 Mins.
A
Synopsis: An empty flat in Vilnius becomes a temporary home for guests from Israel, Hungary, Poland, and Ireland. With each online booking, new stories of love, hate, hope, and guilt unfold within the aging walls of the building. Through a series of vignettes, the film explores the intricate dynamics of desire and love, as seen through the brief but intense experiences of five Airbnb guests—each in the midst of their own romantic entanglements and personal crises. As these fleeting encounters intertwine, the apartment becomes a silent witness to the complexities of human connection.
Lithuania
Drama/Romance

The Last Ashes (Läif a Séil)
2023, directed by Loïc Tanson
120 Mins.
A
Synopsis: For centuries, Luxembourg has endured successive authoritarian and foreign regimes, leaving its population ravaged by waves of famine and disease. In the desolate northern region, the GRAFF family, led by a strict patriarch, governs an isolated village that has survived endless hardships. The family's iron rule, founded on piety and oppression, ensures the villagers' survival, but at a steep cost. Twelve-year-old Helene, unwilling to accept these suffocating laws, plans her escape with the help of Jon, the youngest Graff son, who shares a deep bond with her. As they seek freedom, the questions loom: Can Helene truly escape this isolated, patriarchal stronghold? What will become of her family? And what is it like to live in a dystopian world where survival demands the sacrifice of freedom and individuality?
Luxembourg
Drama/History

Blood on the Crown
2021, directed by Davide Ferrario
102 Mins.
UA
Synopsis: Set in the turbulent aftermath of World War I in 1919, the film explores the Maltese people's uprising for independence from British rule. As tensions boil over, the citizens of Malta rise against their colonial oppressors, demanding self-determination. The British Army is deployed to crush the riots, leading to a violent and bloody clash that the British government attempts to conceal. Over 100 Maltese citizens are accused of inciting the violence and imprisoned, becoming symbols of resistance in the fight for freedom. The film examines the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who dared to challenge power, setting the stage for Malta’s eventual path to independence.
Malta
Drama

Como el Viento
2023, directed by Jacqueline van Vugt
108 Mins.
UA 13+
During the ferry crossing from Morocco to Spain, three storylines intertwine, linked to the characters' fear of loss and love for one another. The Moroccan, Spanish, and Dutch characters strive to connect to their loved ones, however, their helplessness leaves room for the inevitable. Fear of loss shapes their destinies. As the boat docks in Spain, the drama unfolds as the characters come face to face with the consequences of their actions.
Netherlands
Drama

Dangerous Men ( Niebezpieczni dżentelmeni)
2022, directed by Maciej Kawalski
107 Mins.
UA 13+
Synopsis: Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński, Witkacy, Joseph Conrad, and Bronisław Malinowski—four prominent figures of the Zakopane bohemians—awaken after a night of heavy drinking. Their splitting hangovers cloud their memories, leaving them clueless about the night's events. The
Poland
Drama/Comedy

BAAN
2023, directed by Leonor Teles
100 Mins.
UA 13+
Synopsis: When Home stops feeling like one, wandering becomes routine. Time, space and emotions implode, blurring Lisbon with Bangkok. Past, present or perhaps future intertwine in a story that begins when EL meets K.
Portugal
Drama

Horia
2023, directed by Ana Maria Comanescu
108 Mins.
UA 13+
Synopsis: After a heated argument with his father, Horia, a teenager from a small Romanian village, makes a bold, impulsive decision: to leave home and travel across the country on his father's old Mobra moped in pursuit of the girl he loves. Along the way, his journey takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with Stela, a clever and mischievous young girl. Forced by circumstances to travel together, the two navigate a series of challenges and obstacles, turning what began as a solo road trip into an adventure of unexpected companionship and self-discovery. Through heartbreak, humour, and the open road, what do Horia and Stela discover? Do they remain the same people after this journey?
Romania
Adventure/Drama

The Man Without Guilt (L'uomo senza colpa)
2023, directed by Ivan Gergolet
112 Mins.
UA 16+
Synopsis: Angela, a compassionate and dedicated carer, has spent years tending to others while carrying the weight of her own grief. A widow, she lost her husband to an asbestos-related illness—a fate shared by many workers in the community. The man responsible for the deadly conditions, now elderly and crippled, is admitted to the hospital. When his son approaches Angela with a job offer to care for his father, she accepts. Fuelled by a quiet rage and the hope of revenge, Angela steps into the role. What happens next? Does she remain a carer or uses that as an opportunity to take revenge?
Slovenia
Drama/Thriller

The Teacher Who Promised The Sea (El maestro que prometió el mar)
2023, directed by Patricia Font
105 Mins.
UA 13+
Synopsis: Ariadna (Laia Costa) discovers that her grandfather has been searching for the remains of his father, who disappeared in the Civil War, for a long time. Determined to help him, she travels to Burgos, where they are exhuming a mass grave in which he could be buried. During her stay there, she will learn the story of Antoni Benaiges (Enric Auquer), a young teacher from Tarragona who before the war was her grandfather's teacher. Through an innovative pedagogical method Antoni inspired his students and made them a promise: to take them to see the sea.
Spain
Drama/Biography

UFO Sweden
2022, directed by Victor Danell
115 Mins.
UA 13+
Synopsis: A rebellious teenager, placed in foster care, is determined to uncover the truth about her father's mysterious disappearance. Convinced that he has not died but has been abducted by aliens, she seeks out a group of ufology enthusiasts who share her obsession with the unknown. Together, they embark on an extraordinary journey filled with tension, drama, and unexpected adventures as they navigate the fringes of belief and scepticism.
Sweden
Sci-Fi

HOW IS KATIA? (Yak Tam Katia?)
2022, directed by Christina Tynkevych
102 Mins.
A
Synopsis: Anna is a 35-year-old single mother, working hard to provide a better future for her daughter Katia. A sudden turn of events makes Anna question her moral compass in a society where everyone has lost their own.
Ukraine
Drama
Ukraine
HOW IS KATIA? (Yak Tam Katia?)
2022
Christina Tynkevych
Rating:India
102 Min.
Rating:India
A 18+
Drama
Societal Control
Loss
Revenge
Synopsis
Anna is a 35-year-old single mother, working hard to provide a better future for her daughter Katia. A sudden turn of events makes Anna question her moral compass in a society where everyone has lost their own.
Festivals & Awards
Locarno Film Festival Concorso Cineasti del presente
Special Jury Prize (Filmmakers of the Present), Best Actress (Anastasiya Karpenko) – Locarno IFF 2022

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Austria
What a Feeling
2024
Kat Rohrer
Rating:India
110 Min.
Rating:India
A
Romantic Comedy
LGBTQIA+
Self-Discovery
Sisterhood
Female Empowerment
Synopsis
Marie Theres, 52, seems to have it all: a 20-year marriage to her husband Alexander, a teenage daughter, Anna, and a successful career as a doctor. But in a single moment, everything unravels. Her husband walks out, her daughter rebels, she is suspended from the hospital after a near-fatal mistake, and even her friends turn their backs on her. Enter Fa, a bold, free-spirited Iranian woman who runs a carpentry business with her siblings while caring for their elderly mother. Though the two women are complete opposites, they are irresistibly drawn to each other. Both must confront and break free from the self-imposed limitations of their lives if they truly want to find happiness.
Festivals & Awards
BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival
DIAGONALE – Festival des Österreichischen Films
OUTSHINE LGBTQ+ Film Festival
Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
OUT FILM CT - Connecticut LGBTQ Film Festival
FRAMELINE International LGBTQ+ Film Festival

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Belgium
Employee of the Month (L’employée Du Mois)
2022
Véronique Jadin
Rating:India
78 Mins
Rating:India
UA 13+
Comedy
Capitalism
Gender Inequality
Sisterhood
Synopsis
What does employer loyalty really mean? And what does a lifetime of service actually get you? That’s exactly what Inès wants to find out. Inès (45) may behave like a model employee at her job selling cleaning products, but she isn’t recognized or paid properly. Under the blasé gaze of Mélody, the young trainee, she decides to ask Patrick, her boss, for her first raise. But the situation gets out of hand, Mélody tries to intercede and Patrick ends up with a broken skull. The accident looks like a crime. What can be done? What Ines knows how to do best: clean up

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Bulgaria
Because I Love Bad Weather (Защото обичам лошото време)
2024
Yana Lekarska
Rating:India
100 mins
Rating:India
UA 13+
Drama/Romance
Friendship
Self-Discovery
Modern Day Anxiety
Synopsis
When Irina can no longer bear living in a world of lies, she escapes to the one place that still feels safe—where she is truly happy. On a rainy spring day, Irina returns to the seaside town where she spent her childhood summers. There, she unexpectedly reunites with Boris, a man she hasn’t seen in 20 years. Together, they embark on a journey to rediscover their past that may change their future. Or would it?
Festivals & Awards
28th Sofia International Film Festival - International Competition, Audience Award
20th CineFest Miskolci International Film Festival - East Europe competition section
26th Seoul International Women's Film Festival - Discovery competition section

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Cyprus
EMBRYO LARVA BUTTERFLY
2023
Kyros Papavassiliou
Rating:India
91 Mins
Rating:India
A
Drama
Sci-fi
Dystopic
Human Relationships
Collision of Realities
Time Travel
Synopsis
In a world where time shifts arbitrarily, a couple’s relationship faces constant challenges as their memories of the past, present, and future endlessly change. Penelope and Isidoros live in a reality where today they are lovers, but tomorrow they may be strangers. Here, time doesn’t follow a linear path—days appear randomly from different points in time, blurring the boundaries between past, present, and future, if those ideas even hold meaning. Their relationship exists in a state of perpetual uncertainty, defined by a mutual search for understanding and reassurance. Just beyond their world lies another, where time flows in a straight line. It is possible to cross from this unpredictable realm into the world of linear time, but the conditions for such a journey are unclear, and the cost is steep. This imaginative film explores the paradoxes of time and the complexities of romantic and human relationships.
Sweden
UFO Sweden
2022
Victor Danell
Rating:India
115 Min.
Rating:India
UA 13+
Sci-Fi
Adventure
Complex Relationships
Loss
Synopsis
A rebellious teenager, placed in foster care, is determined to uncover the truth about her father's mysterious disappearance. Convinced that he has not died but has been abducted by aliens, she seeks out a group of ufology enthusiasts who share her obsession with the unknown. Together, they embark on an extraordinary journey filled with tension, drama, and unexpected adventures as they navigate the fringes of belief and scepticism.
Festivals & Awards
Taiwan Golden Horse Fantastic Film Festival
Trieste Science - Fiction Fest Méliès compétition
Sci-Fi London Film Festival
Spain
The Teacher Who Promised The Sea (El maestro que prometió el mar)
2023
Patricia Font
Rating:India
105 Min.
Rating:India
UA 13+
Drama/Biography
History
Complex Relationships
Loss
Synopsis
Ariadna (Laia Costa) discovers that her grandfather has been searching for the remains of his father, who disappeared in the Civil War, for a long time. Determined to help him, she travels to Burgos, where they are exhuming a mass grave in which he could be buried. During her stay there, she will learn the story of Antoni Benaiges (Enric Auquer), a young teacher from Tarragona who before the war was her grandfather's teacher. Through an innovative pedagogical method Antoni inspired his students and made them a promise: to take them to see the sea.
Festivals & Awards
WINNER – 2024 GAUDI AWARDS – Audience Prize
OFFICIAL SELECTION - 2024 SPANISH FILM FESTIVAL
NOMINEE - 2024 SPANISH ACADEMY (GOYA) AWARDS - incl. Best Actor, Supporting Actress & Adapted Screenplay

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Slovenia
The Man Without Guilt (L'uomo senza colpa)
2023
Ivan Gergolet
Rating:India
112 Min.
Rating:India
UA 16+
Drama/Thriller
Revenge
Complex Relationships
Loss
Redemption
Synopsis
Angela, a compassionate and dedicated carer, has spent years tending to others while carrying the weight of her own grief. A widow, she lost her husband to an asbestos-related illness—a fate shared by many workers in the community. The man responsible for the deadly conditions, now elderly and crippled, is admitted to the hospital. When his son approaches Angela with a job offer to care for his father, she accepts. Fuelled by a quiet rage and the hope of revenge, Angela steps into the role. What happens next? Does she remain a carer or uses that as an opportunity to take revenge?
Festivals & Awards
Ettore Scola Award for best directing Bifest 2023
Vesna for Best Director Festival of Slovenian Film 2023
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2022
Beijing International Film Festival 2023
Sofia International Film Festival 2023

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Romania
Horia
2023
Ana Maria Comanescu
Rating:India
108 Min.
Rating:India
UA 13+
Adventure/Drama
Self-Discovery
Complex Relationships
Teenage Angst
Synopsis
After a heated argument with his father, Horia, a teenager from a small Romanian village, makes a bold, impulsive decision: to leave home and travel across the country on his father's old Mobra moped in pursuit of the girl he loves. Along the way, his journey takes an unexpected turn when he crosses paths with Stela, a clever and mischievous young girl. Forced by circumstances to travel together, the two navigate a series of challenges and obstacles, turning what began as a solo road trip into an adventure of unexpected companionship and self-discovery. Through heartbreak, humour, and the open road, what do Horia and Stela discover? Do they remain the same people after this journey?

View Review

Portugal
BAAN
2023
Leonor Teles
Rating:India
100 Min.
Rating:India
UA 13+
Drama
Human Connection
Relationships
City Landscapes
Synopsis
When Home stops feeling like one, wandering becomes routine. Time, space and emotions implode, blurring Lisbon with Bangkok. Past, present or perhaps future intertwine in a story that begins when EL meets K.
Festivals & Awards
Locarno Film Festival - International Competition
Sarajevo Film Festival
Doclisboa - Festival Internacional de Cinema
Janela Internacional de Cinema do Recife
PÖFF Tallinn Film Festival

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Poland
Dangerous Men ( Niebezpieczni dżentelmeni)
2022
Maciej Kawalski
Rating:India
107 Min.
Rating:India
UA 13+
Drama & Comedy
Crime
Synopsis
: Tadeusz Boy-Żeleński, Witkacy, Joseph Conrad, and Bronisław Malinowski—four prominent figures of the Zakopane bohemians—awaken after a night of heavy drinking. Their splitting hangovers cloud their memories, leaving them clueless about the night's events. The discovery of a dead stranger lying on the floor only adds to their confusion and dread. What happens next? Do they find closure?

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Netherlands
Como el Viento
2023
Jacqueline van Vugt
Rating:India
108 Min.
Rating:India
UA 13+
Drama
Complex Relationships
Love
Loss
Synopsis
During the ferry crossing from Morocco to Spain, three storylines intertwine, linked to the characters' fear of loss and love for one another. The Moroccan, Spanish, and Dutch characters strive to connect to their loved ones, however, their helplessness leaves room for the inevitable. Fear of loss shapes their destinies. As the boat docks in Spain, the drama unfolds as the characters come face to face with the consequences of their actions.
Festivals & Awards
2023 - Nederlands FF (World/National Premiere)
2023 - Seville European Film Festival (Spanish Premiere)
2023 - Warsaw IFF - In Competition (International Premiere)

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Malta
Blood on the Crown
2021
Davide Ferrario
Rating:India
102 Min.
Rating:India
UA
Drama
Freedom
Human Resilience
Courage
Synopsis
Set in the turbulent aftermath of World War I in 1919, the film explores the Maltese people's uprising for independence from British rule. As tensions boil over, the citizens of Malta rise against their colonial oppressors, demanding self-determination. The British Army is deployed to crush the riots, leading to a violent and bloody clash that the British government attempts to conceal. Over 100 Maltese citizens are accused of inciting the violence and imprisoned, becoming symbols of resistance in the fight for freedom. The film examines the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of those who dared to challenge power, setting the stage for Malta’s eventual path to independence.
Festivals & Awards
Davide Ferrario Best Director at Malta Film Award
Luxembourg
The Last Ashes (Läif a Séil)
2023
Loïc Tanson
Rating:India
120 Min.
Rating:India
A
Drama/History
Societal Control
Revenge
Female Empowerment
Synopsis
For centuries, Luxembourg has endured successive authoritarian and foreign regimes, leaving its population ravaged by waves of famine and disease. In the desolate northern region, the GRAFF family, led by a strict patriarch, governs an isolated village that has survived endless hardships. The family's iron rule, founded on piety and oppression, ensures the villagers' survival, but at a steep cost. Twelve-year-old Helene, unwilling to accept these suffocating laws, plans her escape with the help of Jon, the youngest Graff son, who shares a deep bond with her. As they seek freedom, the questions loom: Can Helene truly escape this isolated, patriarchal stronghold? What will become of her family? And what is it like to live in a dystopian world where survival demands the sacrifice of freedom and individuality?

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Lithuania
Five And A Half Love Stories In An Apartment In Vilnius, Lithuania (Penkios su puse meilės istorijos, nutikusios viename Vilniaus bute)
2023
Tomas Vengris
Rating:India
112 Min.
Rating:India
A
Drama/ Romance
Love
Desire
Complex Relationships
Synopsis
An empty flat in Vilnius becomes a temporary home for guests from Israel, Hungary, Poland, and Ireland. With each online booking, new stories of love, hate, hope, and guilt unfold within the aging walls of the building. Through a series of vignettes, the film explores the intricate dynamics of desire and love, as seen through the brief but intense experiences of five Airbnb guests—each in the midst of their own romantic entanglements and personal crises. As these fleeting encounters intertwine, the apartment becomes a silent witness to the complexities of human connection.
Festivals & Awards
Black Nights 2023 - Rebels with a Cause - Best Film
Irish Premiere at the 68th Cork International Film Festival

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Latvia
Black Velvet (Melnais samts)
2024
Liene Linde
Rating:India
92 Min.
Rating:India
UA 16+
Drama
Adulthood
Modern Day
Anxiety
Self Discover
Synopsis
Marta is now in her 30s and has long abandoned her cinematic dreams. Stuck in a routine job, she spends her days caring for her chronically ill cat, dealing with her stoner boyfriend, and telling her friends that she'll soon start writing her new script. Secretly battling functional depression, Marta continues to dream of making films, drawn to the therapeutic power of storytelling, yet paralysed by her own fear. When her friend Kaspars returns to town, Marta is thrust into a series of increasingly chaotic events. In this dark comedy, Marta is forced to confront the inevitable question every filmmaker faces: if you want to direct films, can you first direct yourself out of your own depression? The film explores the life of a millennial woman navigating the complexities of adulthood while chasing her long-held dream.
Italy
La Chimera
2023
Alice Rohrwacher
Rating:India
130 Min.
Rating:India
A
Drama/ Comedy
Love
Loss
Relationships
Materialism
Synopsis
Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods and archaeological wonders, the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur, the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina (Yile Yara Vianello). To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, and goes inside the earth—in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak. In an adventurous journey between the living and the dead, between forests and cities, between celebrations and solitudes, the intertwined destinies of these characters unfold, all in search of the Chimera.
Festivals & Awards
Festival De Cannes 2023
Toronto International Film Festival
Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Telluride Film Festival

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Ireland
An Irish Goodbye
2022
Tom Berkeley & Ross White
Rating:India
23 Min.
Rating:India
UA
Drama/ Comedy
Family
Complex Relationships
Coming of Age
Synopsis
On a farm in rural Northern Ireland, estranged brothers Turlough and Lorcan are compelled to reunite after the unexpected death of their mother. However, when they stumble upon an unfulfilled bucket list left behind by her, their fraught reunion takes an unexpected turn. As they set out to complete the list, the journey forces them to confront their past, and re-investigate their fractured relationship.
Festivals & Awards
Best Live Action Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards® 2023.
Best British Short Film at the 76th EE BAFTA Awards 2023.
Best Live Action Short Film at the 20th Irish Film and Television Awards 2023.
Hungary
Without Air (Elfogy a levego)
2023
Katalin Moldovai
Rating:India
105 Min.
Rating:India
A
Drama
Social Control
Education System
LGBTQIA+
Synopsis
An innocent movie recommendation by a literature high-school teacher, Ana Bauch, ends up in an accusation put forth by a parent to the school’s principal. This sets off a series of events that cause Ana to slip away from the ground she thought was solid.
Festivals & Awards
Official Selection, 2023 Toronto International Film Festival

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Greece
Animal
2023
Sofia Exarchou
Rating:India
116 Min.
Rating:India
A
Drama
Capitalism
Inner Struggle
Anxiety
Synopsis
Under the scorching Greek sun, animators at an all-inclusive island resort gear up for the bustling tourist season. Kalia, the group leader, oversees the creation of paper decorations, vibrant costumes, and captivating dance shows. As summer progresses and the pressure mounts, the nights grow tumultuous, exposing Kalia’s inner turmoil amid the chaos. Yet, when the spotlight shines once more, the show must go on, forcing Kalia to navigate the delicate balance between performance and personal struggle.
Festivals & Awards
Locarno 2023 Competition - Leopard for Best Performance (Dimitra Vlagopoulou)
Sarajevo 2023 Competition
Raindance Film Festival

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Germany
Afire (Roter Himmel)
2023
Christian Petzold
Rating:India
102 Min.
Rating:India
A
Comedy/Romance/Drama
Climate Change
Mortality
Consumerism
Human Relationships
Synopsis
While vacationing by the Baltic Sea, writer Leon and photographer Felix are intrigued by Nadja, a mysterious young woman staying at Felix’s family holiday home. Nadja quickly captivates Leon, not only with her passionate affair with lifeguard Devid but also through her brutally honest insights, which force him to confront his artistic shortcomings. As Leon and Nadja grow closer, an encroaching forest fire threatens their group, challenging Leon to explore whether he can genuinely care for anyone beyond himself.
Festivals & Awards
Berlin International Film Festival - Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize
European Film Awards
Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023
Sofia International Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
Hong Kong International Film Festival

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France
Jim's Story (Le roman de Jim)
2024
Jean-Marie Larrieu & Arnaud Larrieu
Rating:India
101 Min.
Rating:India
UA
Comedy/Drama
Fatherhood
Family
Human Relationships
Synopsis
One evening in Saint-Claude, Haut-Jura, Aymeric unexpectedly encounters Florence, a former coworker who is now six months pregnant and single. When she gives birth to Jim, Aymeric steps in to support her, and they share joyful years together as a makeshift family. However, everything changes when Christophe, Jim's biological father, suddenly reappears. What begins as a potential melodrama unfolds into an odyssey of fatherhood, and what it means to be one.
Festivals & Awards
Festival de Cannes 2024, Sélection officielle, Cannes Première
Festival de La Baule 2024, Grand prix du meilleur film

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Finland
Death is a Problem for the Living (PELURI – KUOLEMA ON ELÄVIEN ONGELMA)
2023
Teemu Nikki
Rating:India
93 Min.
Rating:India
UA 16+
Comedy/Drama
Friendship
Forgiveness
Love
Synopsis
Risto and Arto, the two least-expensive hearse drivers on the market, are watching their lives collapse around them. Risto is addicted to gambling and his marriage is in crisis. Arto recently discovered that he was born with 85% less brain than the average person, and as a result has been abandoned by everyone. Risto and Arto, end up risking everything to win back what they have lost.
Festivals & Awards
FinlandK-16 Helsinki International Film Festival
Rome Film Festival
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
Beijing International Film Festival
South Korea15 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival

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Estonia
Stairway To Heaven (Taevatrepp)
2023
Mart Kivastik
Rating:India
107 Min.
Rating:India
UA
Comedy/Drama
Human Relationships
Collision of Realities
Time Travel
Synopsis
With his friend’s dying breath, Uu is entrusted with a secret—a way to travel back in time. As an engineer, Uu doesn't believe in miracles, but to his surprise, the method works. In the past, everything is idyllic: an endless summer filled with long hair, girls, and the taste of Jenkki chewing gum. In contrast, his present reality is steeped in autumn—his friends are bitter, the girls are married, and his father is severely ill. Now, Uu must make a life-altering decision: will he live in the nostalgic summer of the past or face the harsh autumn of the present?
Festivals & Awards
Black Nights 2023 Baltic Film Competition
Denmark
Sons (Vogter)
2024
Gustav Möller
Rating:India
100 Min.
Rating:India
A
Drama/Thriller
Grief
Moral Dilemma
Justice
Forgiveness
Psychological Thriller
Synopsis
The question arises: what takes precedence—the profound personal grief or the duty to one’s job? The idealistic prison guard Eva (Sidse Babett Knudsen) confronts the most challenging dilemma of her life when a young man connected to her past is transferred to the prison where she works. Without disclosing her secret, she requests a transfer to his block, thus unfolding a tense psychological thriller where Eva’s commitment to justice threatens to unravel her morality and jeopardise her future.
Festivals & Awards
Berlin International Film Festival
Hong Kong International Film Festival
Poland New Horizons International Film Festival
Indonesia Jakarta World Cinema

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Czech Republic
Restore Point (Bod Obnovy)
2023
Robert Hloz
Rating:India
115 Min.
Rating:India
UA 16+
Thriller/Sci-Fi
Straddling
Two Worlds
Social Control
Synopsis
In 2041, Central Europe stands on the edge of crisis as deep social and economic inequality threaten the fabric of society. A scientific breakthrough now enables humanity to revive victims of violent crimes by backing up their brains every two days. This innovative technology presents a unique opportunity for a driven young detective to delve into the murder of a couple as a restoration team works to bring one of the victims back to life.
Festivals & Awards
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
Hong Kong International Film Festival

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Title of the Masterclass 2
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Conversations

Film screening of Five And A Half Love Stories In An Apartment In Vilnius, Lithuania
Panel Discussion – “Longing and desire: On screen”
Drawing from the themes in Tomas Vengris’ and Yile Yara Vianello’s films, this panel explores the nuanced ways in which filmmakers develop narratives around relationships, love, and the often complex tension between personal desires and societal expectations. The panel will be moderated by Padmapriya Janakiraman, founder of Padma’s Lit Club, bringing her unique perspective to guide the conversation on how these filmmakers portray intimate, relatable human experiences that resonate with audiences across cultures.
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6:30 PM: Film screening of Five And A Half Love Stories In An Apartment In Vilnius, Lithuania
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM : Workshop: Immersive, day-long session
As part of EUFF 2024, join us for an immersive workshop with Lithuanian-American filmmaker Tomas Vengris and Indian novelist-screenwriter Alina Gufran. Discover what makes characters memorable, learn to shape dynamic arcs, and bring worlds to life on screen. Whether you’re a writer, filmmaker, or storyteller, this session will sharpen your craft and inspire new dimensions in your creative process.

Film screening of Blood on the Crown, Malta
Panel Discussion
Discussion : Revisiting history through a filmmaker’s lens
Moderated by : Aaradhana Kohli, Padmapriya Janakiraman in association with Padma’s Lit Club ,discussant Pedja Miletic
Exploring how filmmakers integrate historical events into cinematic storytelling with a focus on depicting nationally significant moments while skilfully intertwining personal and fictional narratives.

Blood on the Crown, directed by Davide Ferrario (Malta)
Panel Discussion: From Books to Films Moderated by Padmapriya Janakiraman, discussants Patricia Fonts, Pierric Bailly, and Vikas Swarup in association with Padma’s Lit Club
A hybrid panel focused on the exchange of ideas and business discussions that enable the cinematic adaptation of literary works—both fiction and non-fiction—from various languages.

6:30 PM: Film screening of Five And A Half Love Stories In An Apartment In Vilnius, Lithuania
8:10 PM: Panel Discussion - “Longing and desire: On screen”
Drawing from the themes in Tomas Vengris’ and Yile Yara Vianello’s films, this panel explores the nuanced ways in which filmmakers develop narratives around relationships, love, and the often complex tension between personal desires and societal expectations. The panel will be moderated by Padmapriya Janakiraman, founder of Padma’s Lit Club, bringing her unique perspective to guide the conversation on how these filmmakers portray intimate, relatable human experiences that resonate with audiences across cultures.
About Penalists
Yile Yara Vianello
Yile Yara Vianello is an Italian actress. Born in Bahia (Brazil) in 1999, she soon moved to Italy, where she spent her early years growing up in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines. It was there that she first met Alice Rohrwacher and made her debut in auteur cinema at the age of 12, playing the lead role in Corpo Celeste (Cannes Film Festival 2011). After the high school’s years, she returned to the screen as the protagonist in Danilo Caputo’s Semina il Vento (Berlinale 2020). Shortly afterward, she appeared in Laura Bispuri’s Il Paradiso del Pavone (Venice Film Festival, Orizzonti section, 2021). Her recent projects include Il Vento Soffia Dove Vuole by Marco Righi (Karlovy Vary Film Festival 2023), La Chimera by Alice Rohrwacher (Cannes Film Festival 2023), La Bella Estate by Laura Luchetti (Locarno Film Festival 2023), and L’anno dell’Uovo by Claudio Casale (Venice Film Festival 2023). In 2024, she received the Italian Rising Star award at the David di Donatello Awards. Discovered at the age of twelve by Alice Rohrwacher in her stunning debut film Corpo Celeste, Yile Yara Vianello embodies the mystery in the cinema of the multi-award-winning Italian director, nurturing her acting career and her films characters through an experiential journey rooted in the school of life.
Tomas Vengris
Tomas Vengris is a Lithuanian/American filmmaker. He received his BA from Columbia University and completed his M.F.A. in directing at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, CA. His directorial debut Motherland, a Lithuanian, Latvian, German and Greek co-production, won the European Audience Award in the ArteKino Film Festival, BEST FILM in the Baltic Competition at the PÖFF Black Nights Film Festival and was selected in the Narrative Category for the 2020 European Film Awards. His AFI Thesis film, Kalifornija was a national finalist in the Student Academy Awards. His short film, Squirrel, premiered in the Berlin International Film Festival followed by a US premiere at SXSW. Tomas has worked as an editor under several internationally acclaimed directors, including Terrence Malick, Kelly Reichardt, Macon Blair, and Lena Dunham.
Padmapriya Janakiraman (moderator)
Padmapriya is a dancer and actor working for the past 15 years in the Indian film industry with main lead credits in more than 60 films across 6 languages. She has won the President of India’s medal for acting and her films have travelled to international festivals like Venice and Toronto. Trained in business administration in India and public policy at New York University with work experience spanning the arts, private and not for profit sectors, she founded Collective Crew or CC in late 2022. The for-profit venture is a new age media and entertainment start-up focused on promoting and producing books to screen women-centered content sourced primarily from Indian literature. CC is driven by the belief that ‘diversity’ is key to good entertainment as it promotes both relatability and novelty. As part of Collective Crew mission, Padmapriya has initiated a not-for-profit effort, Padma’s Lit Club, to build a thriving economy for female authors and publishing houses while changing gender perceptions through the power of diverse, women-centered stories. She is the founding member of the Women in Cinema Collective that works towards creating equal space and opportunities for women in cinema.

Day 1 6:30 PM: Film screening of Five And A Half Love Stories In An Apartment In Vilnius, Lithuania
Day 2 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM : Workshop: Immersive, day-long session
As part of EUFF 2024, join us for an immersive workshop with Lithuanian-American filmmaker Tomas Vengris and Indian novelist-screenwriter Alina Gufran. Discover what makes characters memorable, learn to shape dynamic arcs, and bring worlds to life on screen. Whether you’re a writer, filmmaker, or storyteller, this session will sharpen your craft and inspire new dimensions in your creative process.
About the Facilitators
Tomas Vengris
A Lithuanian-American filmmaker with an MFA from the American Film Institute. His acclaimed directorial debut, Motherland, received the European Audience Award at the ArteKino Film Festival and Best Film in the Baltic Competition at PÖFF Black Nights Film Festival. His second feature, Five & a Half Love Stories in an Apartment in Vilnius, won Best Film at the Rebels With a Cause Competition at Black Nights Film Festival.
Alina Gufran
Alina Gufran, is a Delhi based novelist and filmmaker. Alina’s debut novel, No Place To Call My Own, is set to release in January 2025. Her film Leela premiered at the International Film Festival of Rotterdam in 2024 and has screened at several international festivals, including San Sebastian and Riga International Film Festival. She also curated an Anthology of Climate Fiction from South Asia, exploring eco-anxiety, indigenous knowledge, and human ties to climate change.

4:00 PM: Blood on the Crown directed by Davide Ferrario (Malta)
5:45 PM:
Panel Discussion
Discussion : Revisiting history through a filmmaker’s lens
Moderated By: Aaradhana Kohli, discussant Pedja Miletic
Exploring how filmmakers integrate historical events into cinematic storytelling with a focus on depicting nationally significant moments while skilfully intertwining personal and fictional narratives.
About Penalists
Pedja Miletic
Pedja Miletic is a passionate and dynamic film producer whose love for
storytelling goes beyond the screen. He actively pursues narratives
that celebrate the diversity of human experiences, with a strong focus
on amplifying underrepresented voices. Born in Belgrade and having
lived in Cape Town, Pedja has called Malta home for over two
decades.
Known for his versatility, Pedja has successfully navigated various
genres, from gripping historical dramas to dark comedies. His
collaborative approach and talent for assembling skilled teams has
earned him great respect within the industry. He takes a hands-on role
in each project, working closely with directors, writers, and
post-production teams to ensure the full realization of every creative
vision.
One of Pedja's standout achievements is his work on the award-winning
film Blood on the Crown, featuring Harvey Keitel and Malcolm McDowell.
The success of this project paved the way for new collaborations with
both seasoned and emerging talents. Pedja’s relentless pursuit of
excellence makes him a true catalyst in the ever-evolving world of
cinema.
With over 600 TV commercials, 14 documentaries, and 5 feature films
under his belt, Pedja’s work is available on platforms like Netflix,
Amazon, and Hulu. Notably, Blood on the Crown is available in the
U.S., Canada, Greece, Portugal, and the Middle East, and this will
mark the film’s first official screening in India.
Aaradhana Kohli Kapur
Aaradhana Kohli Kapur is an alumna of The School of International
Relations, Jawahar Lal Nehru University and Mass Communication
Research Centre , Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi. She is essentially a
documentary film maker and has made films on contemporary history,
environment and gender. She also curates and organizes film festivals,
skilling workshops and conversations around Climate Change,
sustainability, gender and media.
She founded Enable India Foundation a communication praxis` and works
largely with urban poor women and children in outreach programmes. Her
ikigai is Digitally Yours -an initiative to reboot education for
digitally deprived, children with little or no access to devices and
"Climate Change...I'm living it" designed as a series of skilling
workshops for women and girls from urban poor and tribal communities
to make films on mobile phones on how Climate Change is impacting
their lives and livelihoods. She also curates Kirtaniye -The Invisible
Divine a festival of women's voices in Gurbani Sangeet.
Aaradhana has been closely associated with IAWRT Chapter India's Asian
Women's Film Festival held annually at India International Centre, New
Delhi since its inception and recently handed over charge as the
Managing Trustee of the India Chapter of the International Association
of Women in Radio &Television (IAWRT), a not-for-profit professional
organization of women working in electronic and allied media. It is in
consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social
Council (ECOSOC).

4:00 pm: Blood on the Crown directed by Davide Ferrario (Malta)
5:45 pm: Panel Discussion - From Books to films moderated by Padmapriya Janakiraman, discussants Patricia Fonts (Spain- join virtually), Pierric Bailly (France- join virtually), Vikas Swarup (India) in association with Padma’s Lit Club
A hybrid panel focused on the exchange of ideas and business discussions that enable the cinematic adaptation of literary works—both fiction and non-fiction—from various languages.
About the Facilitators
Patricia Font
Patricia Font, director and screenwriter from Barcelona. In 2015 received the Goya Award for Best Short Film for Café para llevar (Coffee to Go). She’s directed series such as Pulseras Rojas (Red Band Society), Citas (Dates), Les de l’Hoquei (Hockey Girls), La templanza (The temperance) and Moebius. Her feature films are Gente que viene y bah (In family I trust), Pared con Pared (Love divided) and El maestro que prometió el mar (The teacher who promised the sea).
Pierric Bailly
Pierric Bailly, grew up in a small village lost in the middle of the forest. After briefly studying cinema in Montpellier, he began working in a factory, while writing. He is the author of seven books, all published by P.O.L, including L’homme des bois in 2017, Les enfants des autres in 2020 (currently being adapted for the cinema), Le roman de Jim in 2021 (adapted by Arnaud and Jean-Marie Larrieu in 2024) and La foudre in 2023. He now lives between Lyon and the Jura, in the locations of his novels.
Vikas Swarup
Vikas Swarup (born 22 June 1961) is a retired Indian diplomat and acclaimed writer, best known as the author of Q & A, which was adapted into the Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire. He retired in 2021 as Secretary (West) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, having also served as India’s High Commissioner to Canada and as the Ministry's spokesperson. Swarup joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1986 and held various posts across Turkey, the U.S., Ethiopia, the U.K., South Africa, and Japan. His other novels, Six Suspects and The Accidental Apprentice, have been widely translated, with Six Suspects adapted into a popular web series. Swarup is a frequent speaker at literary festivals and institutions worldwide. His most recently published book is titled The Girl with Seven Lives.
Padmapriya Janakiraman (moderator)
Padmapriya is a dancer and actor working for the past 15 years in the Indian film industry with main lead credits in more than 60 films across 6 languages. She has won the President of India’s medal for acting and her films have travelled to international festivals like Venice and Toronto. Trained in business administration in India and public policy at New York University with work experience spanning the arts, private and not for profit sectors, she founded Collective Crew or CC in late 2022. The for-profit venture is a new age media and entertainment start-up focused on promoting and producing books to screen women-centered content sourced primarily from Indian literature. CC is driven by the belief that ‘diversity’ is key to good entertainment as it promotes both relatability and novelty. As part of Collective Crew mission, Padmapriya has initiated a not-for-profit effort, Padma’s Lit Club, to build a thriving economy for female authors and publishing houses while changing gender perceptions through the power of diverse, women-centered stories. She is the founding member of the Women in Cinema Collective that works towards creating equal space and opportunities for women in cinema.