“Every Line Becomes A Circle” by Lynnette Luis, Christopher Leete, Ottilie Maters | Germany | 50’ | doc | 2024 | National Premiere
Synopsis:
The documentary film “Every Line Becomes A Circle” is an intimate portrait about the extraordinary life of post-war German artist Inge Besgen, (Ingelheim am Rhein, Pfalz, RP (DE) in 1931). Together with Inge, the makers reflect on her life using the art she made as a reference in time.
Lyneette Luis, Christopher Leete & Ottilie Maters:
Lynnette Luis is a director/producer from California, now based in Berlin. She entered the film industry in 1994 with an internship at Paramount and has worked in editing and production for Disney and German TV. She trained at the Koelner Filmhaus and has extensive experience as an assistant director and script supervisor.
Christopher Leete is a Berlin-based director from Denmark with roots in the UK. Influenced by skate culture and editing, he creates visually striking documentaries focused on freedom and inclusivity, collaborating with brands like Oakley and Adobe.
Ottilie Maters is an Amsterdam-based director and photographer. A self-taught creative, their work blends strong visual, textual, and musical elements.
“Desert Island” by Greet Verhaert, Davy Bosschem | Belgium | 21’ | fic | 2025 | National Premiere
Synopsis:
Katrien (48), an employee at Innotector, has an appointment with crisis manager Ronald (52) for her 15 minute dismissal interview. The conversation goes differently than expected. Will Ronald fire her or not?
Greet Verhaert:
Greet Verhaert (34, Antwerp) studied art sciences and journalism. She worked for about 10 years as an editor and reporter on a wide range of reports, documentaries, and television programs. With a deep love for stories and imagination, she is now taking her first steps into fiction. Thanks to production support from the VAF and in collaboration with the production company BOSS’EM, the script for her first short film Desert Island was brought to life.
“ELVIRA NOTARI: BEYOND SILENCE” by Valerio Ciriaci | Italy, USA | 89’ | doc | 2025 | National Premiere
Synopsis:
Only three features, two short documentaries, and a few surviving fragments remain of the work of Elvira Notari, Italy’s first woman film director. Though her life remains partly shrouded in mystery, her legacy is now coming back to light, 150 years later.
Elvira returns to center stage thanks to scholars and artists who are reviving and reinterpreting her legacy through new creations. Weaving together historical memory and contemporary rediscovery, Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence paints a vivid portrait of a film pioneer whose vision continues to resonate in the present.
Valerio Ciriaci:
Originally from Rome, Valerio moved to New York in 2011 to attend New York Film Academy. In 2013 he co-founded Awen Films, a production company specializing in independent documentaries with a focus on transnational and historical topics. As director, his filmography highlights include If Only I Were That Warrior (Globo d’Oro 2016), Mister Wonderland (‘Il Cinemino’ prize at Festival dei Popoli), and Stonebreakers (Honorable Mention, Audience Award, and the ‘Imperdibili’ prize at Festival dei Popoli). Elvira Notari: Beyond Silence, premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival in the Classics section.
“The Unloved” by Charlie García Villalba | Spain | 15’ | fic | 2025 | National Premiere
Synopsis:
Carlota and María are two friends who share a flat and a theater company. After a lifetime of performing together, their relationship is shaken when María decides to quit acting.
Charlie García Villalba:
Gonzalo Ruiz Esteban (1993, Málaga) began his career as a fiction director with his first short film El Truco (2020) which won second prize at the Málaga Crea competition in 2021. Las Desqueridas (2025) is his second fiction short film, co-directed with Charlie García Villalba. It has won several awards, including one at the 22nd Seville European Film Festival and another at the 29th Festival de Málaga.
Charlie García Villalba, a director from Seville, holds a degree in Audiovisual Communication from the University of Seville and has further training with a Master’s in Directing and another in Cinematography from ESCAC. After directing Uncoloured Girl (2017) for ESCAC Films, he worked as an assistant director and editor in various companies. He currently combines his work in the Digital Department of Real Betis Balompié with directing short films.
This short film serves as a prelude to the series “Las Desqueridas,” which is currently in development.
“Lembra de Mim” by Bárbara Barreto, Caroline Soares, João Cadima | Portugal | 4’ | ani | 2024 | Regional Premiere
Synopsis:
Malu and Clara are two children who, in a sudden encounter, form a genuine friendship full of creativity and energy—until it's time to leave.
Bárbara Barreto, Caroline Soares & João Cadima:
Barbara Barreto (2002, Albufeira) studied Visual Arts and enrolled in Digital Animation in 2021. She was co‑director, concept artist and animator of the award‑winning documentary short A Minha Gaivota Espanhola (2022).
Caroline Soares (Brasil) began her artistic path in Lisbon studying Graphic Design. She studies Digital Animation at Lusófona University and co‑directed Warmth, selected at several Portuguese festivals.
João Cadima (Coimbra, 2003) studied Visual Arts and enrolled in Digital Animation at Lusófona in 2021. He specializes in 2D animation and character design and co‑directed his first film Branco no Preto.
“KICKOFF” by Roser Corella, Stefano Obino | Germany, Spain | 77’ | doc | 2025 | Regional Premiere
Synopsis:
In a small Kyrgyz village, where conservative traditions confine women to domestic roles, Gazi defies the status quo by organizing a women's football tournament. As she works to empower the women and break societal taboos, she faces cultural resistance, unveiling a powerful story of resilience and social change in this unique setting.
Roser Corella & Stefano Obino:
Roser Corella & Stefano Obino are independent filmmakers based in Berlin, each with a distinct approach to documentary storytelling. Together, they are committed to uncovering powerful narratives that inspire change and provoke thought.
Roser Corella began her career as a video journalist before transitioning to self-produced documentaries. She is renowned for her visually compelling narratives centered on women, customary laws, labor, and migration. Some of her award-winning films: Machine Man, Prisoners of Kanun, Grab and Run, and Room Without a View.
Stefano Obino is a screenwriter and filmmaker recognized for his work in independent films and docu-series. Some of his films include The Gospel According to Precario, Nel paese dei Coppoloni (finalist at the David di Donatello Awards) and War Is Over (awarded at the Nastri d’Argento 2022).
“Submarine” by Julien Hardy-Cardinal | Canada | 30’ | fic | 2024 | National Premiere
Synopsis:
Charlotte is an alcoholic trying to complete her first year of sobriety. One evening, when the urge to drink is so strong that she fears a relapse, Charlotte goes to see her sponsor, Jeanne, an alcoholic who has been sober for over five years. However, when Charlotte arrives at Jeanne's, she finds her sponsor in a state of drunkenness. With the roles of helper and cared-for now reversed, Charlotte decides to step in.
Julien Hardy-Cardinal:
Julien Hardy-Cardinal (Montreal, 1998). In 2021, he graduated from the film production program at the University of Quebec in Montreal, where he studied screenwriting and film directing. Julien’s end of studies film, Our Footprints (2021), went on to be part of two important Montreal film festivals. Fresh out of university, Julien instantly felt the need to make another short film, so he wrote and directed ''Her Home'' (2022) which went on to be selected in more than 15 national and international film festivals. Later, Julien started developing "Submarine" (2024), inspired by his own struggle with alcohol. As a filmmaker, Julien’s desire is to explore the complexities of human relationships and struggles through character driven films.
