Writing Hawa - 15:00 2024 / France, Netherlands, Qatar, Afghanistan / 84′ / Color / Persian; with Turkish and English Subtitles Director: Najiba Noori Co-director: Rasul Noori Cinematographers: Najiba Noori, Rasul Noori Editing: Afsaneh Salari Music: Afshin Azizi Production: Christian Popp (YAMI 2) Co-production: Hasse van Nunen (Een van de jongens) Sales Agent: Esther van Messel (First Hand Films) Festival Section: IDFA 2024 – International Competition Premiere: World Premiere – IDFA 2024 Award: FIPRESCI Award Writing Hawa is a compelling and moving documentary about the lives of three generations of Hazara women in Afghanistan. Director Najiba Noori powerfully brings to the screen her mother Hawa’s journey of learning to read and write at the age of 52, and her lifelong struggle against patriarchal oppression. With her daughter’s support, Hawa starts a textile business in the capital, Kabul, blending traditional Hazara embroidery with modern designs. At the same time, she rescues her granddaughter Zahra from the home where she was being abused. But when the Taliban seize power in 2021, the family’s hopes suffer a devastating blow: Zahra is forced to return to her village, while Najiba has to seek refuge in France, from where she continues to support her family. Exploring the themes of female solidarity, resistance to patriarchal society and exile in depth, the film stands out for its powerful storytelling, recognized with the FIPRESCI Award. Having had its world premiere in the International Competition at IDFA 2024, Writing Hawa offers a personal yet universal look at the turbulent realities of present-day Afghanistan.

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The Jacket - 18:00 2024 / Belgium, Netherlands, France, Lebanon / 71′ / Color / Arabic; with Turkish and English Subtitles Director: Mathijs Poppe Cinematographer: Quinten Wyns Editing: Lawrence Paul Foley, Mathijs Poppe Production: Mirage – Elisa Heene Co-production: Fulgurance Films (France), Family Affair Films (Netherlands), Placeless Films (Lebanon) Sales Agent: Pluto Film – Daniel Vadocky Festival Selection: IDFA 2024 – Luminous Premiere: International Premiere – IDFA 2024 Focusing on the story of Palestinian refugee Jamal Hindawi, The Jacket is a poetic documentary that strikingly portrays how art is intertwined with identity, belonging and resistance. Jamal lives with his family in the Shatila Refugee Camp in Lebanon. Together with young people who make political theater, he tries to recreate on stage the void left by a lost sense of belonging. One day, however, an important costume, a symbolic part of this theater, goes missing. Jamal’s search for the jacket forces him to confront not only the streets, but also his past, his identity and the devastating transformations the region has undergone. The film skillfully weaves a personal story around the themes of social collapse, memory and resistance in the Middle East. Standing out for its visual language and its storytelling built on silence, The Jacket is a striking work that blurs the boundaries between political documentary and personal narrative. Having had its international premiere at IDFA 2024 in the Luminous section, the film offers a compelling experience for viewers interested in human rights, displacement and creative resistance. Click here to register.  

All Is Well - 15:00 2024 / Netherlands / 116′ / Color / Ukrainian, Dutch, English; with Turkish and English Subtitles Directors: Petra Lataster-Czisch, Peter Lataster Cinematographer: Peter Lataster Editing: Mario Steenbergen Sound: Mark Wessner Sound Design: Alex Booy Music: Harry de Wit Producer: Peter Lataster (Lataster&Films) Production Company: Lataster&Films Broadcaster: HUMAN Distribution in the Netherlands: Mokum Filmdistributie World Premiere: IDFA 2024 Awards: Best Dutch Documentary, IDFA 2024 Directed by Petra Lataster-Czisch and Peter Lataster, All Is Well (2024) is an observational and moving documentary focusing on the daily lives of Ukrainian refugees staying at a shelter in the Dutch town of Weesp. The film follows women such as Natasha, Svitlana and Zoia, who have fled the devastation of war, as they strive to adapt to a new life and come to terms with the past. Scenes set in the kitchen, the heart of the shelter, show how cooking and sharing food become a source of comfort and solidarity for these women. Zoia’s daily video calls with her husband at the front, as she mourns the son she lost in the war, deepen the documentary’s emotional resonance. Awarded “Best Dutch Documentary” at IDFA 2024, where it had its world premiere, All Is Well strikingly reveals how war leaves its mark not only on the front lines but also on the lives of those left behind.

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Writing Hawa - 18:00 2024 / France, Netherlands, Qatar, Afghanistan / 84′ / Color / Persian; with Turkish and English Subtitles Director: Najiba Noori Co-director: Rasul Noori Cinematographers: Najiba Noori, Rasul Noori Editing: Afsaneh Salari Music: Afshin Azizi Production: Christian Popp (YAMI 2) Co-production: Hasse van Nunen (Een van de jongens) Sales Agent: Esther van Messel (First Hand Films) Festival Section: IDFA 2024 – International Competition Premiere: World Premiere – IDFA 2024 Award: FIPRESCI Award Writing Hawa is a compelling and moving documentary about the lives of three generations of Hazara women in Afghanistan. Director Najiba Noori powerfully brings to the screen her mother Hawa’s journey of learning to read and write at the age of 52, and her lifelong struggle against patriarchal oppression. With her daughter’s support, Hawa starts a textile business in the capital, Kabul, blending traditional Hazara embroidery with modern designs. At the same time, she rescues her granddaughter Zahra from the home where she was being abused. But when the Taliban seize power in 2021, the family’s hopes suffer a devastating blow: Zahra is forced to return to her village, while Najiba has to seek refuge in France, from where she continues to support her family. Exploring the themes of female solidarity, resistance to patriarchal society and exile in depth, the film stands out for its powerful storytelling, recognized with the FIPRESCI Award. Having had its world premiere in the International Competition at IDFA 2024, Writing Hawa offers a personal yet universal look at the turbulent realities of present-day Afghanistan. Click here to register.