Festival Programme

Films by Strand

Widescreen

Narrative and documentary films offering vivid snapshots from diverse realities from across the globe.

2000 Meters to Andriivka

2000 metriv do Andriyivky

Mstyslav Chernov

Oscar-winning war chronicler Mstyslav Chernov embeds with a Ukrainian unit in their last-ditch effort to reclaim a village, in a nerve-shredding reckoning with the Russian invasion’s relentless toll.

Fiume o morte!

Igor Bezinović

Igor Bezinović casts locals from his Croatian hometown to re-envision the reign of Italian poet and self-styled dictator Gabriele D’Annunzio, in a communal antidote to an era of personality cults.

Happy Holidays

Yanead ealiku

Scandar Copti

This incisive drama, from Academy Award nominee Scandar Copti, envelops us into the chaotically intertwined lives of a family navigating the unique challenge of being Palestinians living in Israel.

Home Sweet Home

Hjem kære hjem

Frelle Peterson

A young single mother takes on a challenging role as a carer for the elderly in this poignant exploration of in-home care. Eager to make a difference in her patients’ lives, Sofie’s compassion is inspiring.

Homebound

Neeraj Ghaywan

Class, religion, and gender intersect in Neeraj Ghaywan’s personal approach to life in Northern India. A life-long friendship is put to the test when a shared dream leads two best friends in different directions.

Hysteria

Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay

A film shoot sparks fear and anger when a holy book is desecrated in the name of art in this intense German thriller, fanning the flames of contemporary conflict into a taut and tangly blaze.

Late Shift

Heldin

Petra Volpe

Plunging through the corridors of a surgical ward, this frantic Swiss drama charts the pulse-racing worklife of an overstretched, underappreciated nursing professional.

A Little Something Extra

Un p'tit truc n plus

Artus

This wacky and heartfelt comedy, from popular French standup Artus, follows two criminals on the lam who lay low at a summer camp for young adults with disabilities. A runaway hit at the French box office last year.

Maya, Give Me a Title

Maya, donne-moi un autre titre

Michel Gondry

Master of whimsy, Michel Gondry and his daughter Maya harness storytelling while he works overseas, with Maya directing her Papa to create wild and whimsical stop motion animations suitable for all ages.

The New Year That Never Came

Anul nou care n-a fost

Bogdan Mureşanu

Masterfully directed with pitch-perfect tension, this award-winning Romanian film orchestrates a captivating portrait of the last days of Ceausescu’s regime, as seen through the eyes of six interconnected characters.

Predators

David Osit

This gripping Sundance documentary re-examines the rise and fall of mid-00s hidden camera show To Catch a Predator in a damning investigation into the murky ethics of true crime entertainment.

Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk

Sepideh Farsi

As a Gaza native, photojournalist Fatma Hassona documents aspects of the war in Palestine that foreign journalists cannot access. Her tenacious Palestinian voice will not be silenced in this poignant documentary.

Splitsville

Michael Angelo Covino

A madcap comedy about the perils of open relationships from creative duo Michael Angelo Covino and Kyle Marvin that had audiences at Cannes roaring at every twist and refusal to take itself at all seriously.

The Teacher Who Promised the Sea

El maestro que prometió el mar

Patricia Font

A progressive teacher brings new methods to a village in Burgos on the eve of the Spanish Civil War, whilst in present day Catalonia a woman searches for answers as to the whereabouts of her great-grandfather’s remains.

Twinless

James Sweeney

A grieving brother finds an unlikely connection at a support group for siblings who have lost a twin, but his burgeoning bromance threatens to turn into something darker in this uncomfortably sharp-witted comedy.