A BODY CALLED LIFE

A self-isolated young human known as "James" delves into the hidden world of microscopic organisms, forging a tender connection with these nearly invisible creatures and developing a massive online following, as he seeks to understand his own place in the cosmos and accept the scars of his past. It is a film made in collaboration with James himself, with a screenplay adapted from his Instagram posts. It is an experiment in storytelling, about a life spent observing other little lives, with a charming score by Dan Deacon.

Director: Spencer MacDonald
Cinematographer: Fabian Kimoto
Produced by: Avocados & Coconuts, Tasty Pictures
Country and year: USA, Poland, Switzerland, 2023

DON BENJAMÍN

For him, the jungle has always been God, life, food, health, beauty and tradition. Now, the world in which he built a home for his family turns to smoke and ashes. Don Benjamín is a journey both raw and poetic through a magical region in danger, the Bolivian Amazon.

Director: Iván Zahínos
Cinematographer: Adro Molina
Produced by: En Los Confines Producciones, Medicusmundi Mediterrània
Country and year: Spain, 2024

DUST

Konrad Dąbrowski, a 19-year-old motorcyclist, is debuting in one of the most important and dangerous rallies in the world – the Dakar Rally. He is also the youngest participant in this desert marathon. Although Marek Dąbrowski, his father and trainer, has himself won the world championship title three times, he is terrified at the thought that an accident could happen to his son. Dust is not only a moving coming-of-age story, but most of all a tale of the tender relationship between father and son, in the context of a 14-day struggle against the endless desert, superhuman physical effort and one’s own weaknesses. The film shows the deep family ties that turn a shared passion into a catalyst for really getting to know one another.

Original title: Pył
Director: Paweł Chorzępa
Cinematographer: Paweł Chorzępa
Produced by: Bees Film House
Country and year: Poland, Saudi Arabia, 2024

ETERNAL FATHER

Nasar is 26 years older than his wife and has started a family late in life. Afraid that he won’t be around to see his children grow up, he decides to be cryonically frozen upon death in the hope of coming back to life one day. As his family grapples with what it means for their lives, and whether they should follow suit, Nasar is forced to reassess what truly matters in life.

Director: Ömer Sami
Cinematographer: Roxana Reiss
Produced by: National Film School of Denmark, The New Yorker
Country and year: Denmark, 2023

READY TO DIE

Trumpets sound every morning and the troops stand in geometric rows. Two thousand young Italian citizens are training to become marshals of the Carabinieri at the "Felice Maritano" military barracks and school in Florence. They move in groups, stand in rank and file and are part of a corps that works according to strict principles and ancient tenets. As part of a group, the individuals motivate each other to improve day by day, to not lose sight of the goal and to stick together until they officially become part of the corps on the final and decisive day when the oath is taken. What happens to an individual during the process of integration into a military apparatus? What sacrifices will this oath demand in the course of their lives or, in other words, how does one prepare oneself to die?

Director: Basilio Maritano Sailer
Cinematographer: Christoph Bockisch
Produced by: Matteo Maglietti, Basilio Maritano Sailer
Country and year: Italy, 2024

SHOTPLAYER

A notorious NYC pickpocket returns to the subway system, the scene of his crimes, and in a feverish dream of memories is forced to dissect his relationship to the criminal act that has ruled his life for over forty years.

Director: Sam Shainberg
Cinematographer: J. Daniel Zúñiga
Produced by: Gummy Films
Country and year: USA, 2024

TROPA

Every year, at the beginning of summer, a local community living on the edge of a protected wetland in the South of Spain prepares for a four-day journey on horseback gathering the remaining horses living in the wild. Alejandro stems from this village and will join the elders on this sacred journey. As they head out into the marshland he prays to the Virgin for protection as life in and around the marshes is threatened by the drought and forest fires that rage stronger every year.

Director: Niels Devlieghere
Cinematographer: Pauwel Billiau
Produced by: While We're Here
Country and year: Belgium, 2024

WE BEG TO DIFFER

In the underground world of diffing, a community finds solace in their passion, as they navigate personal struggles and challenges both on and off the road.

Director: Ruairi Bradley
Cinematographer: Daniel Sedgwick
Produced by: Thomas Purdy
Country and year: Ireland, UK, 2024