2007 | Color | 78 min In Israel?s occupied territories, thousands of Palestinians work illegally as construction laborers. After an arduous and dangerous journey, loaded with blankets and bags, they cross the hills to the places where they can find employment. At night they sleep on the hillcrests in improvised huts and coffin-like sleeping cubicles, a stark contrast to the luxury apartment complexes they build by day. But they have made homes for themselves, complete with cozy pillows and even power generated by batteries they have scraped together. In 9 Star Hotel, the filmmakers follow Ahmed and Muhammad, one a merry collector of found objects, the other a philosophical criticaster of the Palestinian character (?We think backward. We never think forward.?). Together, they share food, belongings and stories, and live under the constant threat of getting arrested - police, soldiers, and the secret service are all tirelessly on the alert for illegal workers. Through raw images and handheld camera work, this disconcerting yet touching film documents friendship, nostalgia, and the urge to survive Country: Israel; Direction: Haar; Ido Production: Kowarsk; Elinor, Kowarsky; Edna Photography: Haa; Ido Sound: Toren; Gil Participation year at FICM: 2007
2007 | Color | 78 min In Israel?s occupied territories, thousands of Palestinians work illegally as construction laborers. After an arduous and dangerous journey, loaded with blankets and bags, they cross the hills to the places where they can find employment. At night they sleep on the hillcrests in improvised huts and coffin-like sleeping cubicles, a stark contrast to the luxury apartment complexes they build by day. But they have made homes for themselves, complete with cozy pillows and even power generated by batteries they have scraped together. In 9 Star Hotel, the filmmakers follow Ahmed and Muhammad, one a merry collector of found objects, the other a philosophical criticaster of the Palestinian character (?We think backward. We never think forward.?). Together, they share food, belongings and stories, and live under the constant threat of getting arrested - police, soldiers, and the secret service are all tirelessly on the alert for illegal workers. Through raw images and handheld camera work, this disconcerting yet touching film documents friendship, nostalgia, and the urge to survive Country: Israel; Direction: Haar; Ido Production: Kowarsk; Elinor, Kowarsky; Edna Photography: Haa; Ido Sound: Toren; Gil Participation year at FICM: 2007
Mexico will no longer exist! A frenetic view runs over a convulsed Mexico City, a colossal metropolis sustained by the myth of "mestizaje" and other colonial forms of violence. Past and present weave a flurry of images; fragmented memories of this land. Ancient deities are incarnated, while dreams overlap among intimacy, complicity and the tumult. This is an erratic film that invites us to reimagine the complex relationship we have with the constructed “mexicanidad.” See More
Ziuta travesías Ziuta, a Polish Jewish survivor of World War II, was an extraordinary woman who sparked special devotion for her political commitment and her support for clandestine struggle. As a teenager, Ziuta weathered exile with fortitude and determination, saving her mother and other relatives from perishing in their flight. Despite the horrors and scarcity she endured, she upheld a grateful outlook on life. See More
Zinzindurrunkarratz Oskar Alegría embarks on a journey to recover the past. With a Super-8 camera that once belonged to his father and has remained untouched for 41 years, he plans to retrace the path of the shepherd: the journey of transhumance that his grandfather undertook in his youth, following now-forgotten coordinates. The result is a film that delights in the search —as well as the many detours along the way. See More
Hernán Cortés: two atypical visions 04 · 10 · 25 MIL CAMINOS TIENE LA MUERTE: Arsenio Campos (1946-2025) 04 · 03 · 25 EL CAMINO DE LA VIDA: THE YOUNG AND THE DAMNED by Matilde Landeta 03 · 27 · 25 Juan Rulfo and the silver screen 03 · 20 · 25
