02/01/2012

During this year’s Göteborg International Film Festival, when the Egyptian Revolution was proceeding full throttle in Tahrir Square, Cairo, Artistic Director Marit Kapla and new Festival Director Mikael Fellenius were discussing a cinematic focus on the Arabic-speaking region for their next outing.

”We suddenly realised that people living in other corners of the Earth want, need, and are entitled to the same human rights as we are. Although the awareness has been with us before, it created a golden opportunity, right now, for greater understanding between people around the world. Film can play a key role,” said Kapla.

Depicting the background to the political events in the countries, the selection reflects people’s everyday lives, especially the situation of women. So far, eight films have been included, such as Moroccan directors Leila Kilani’s On the Edge, Mohamed Asli’s Rough Hands, and US director Susan Youssef’s Habibi – Darling, Something Is Wrong With Your Head, the first production from Gaza, which have also been on show in Cannes, Toronto and Venice.

With the next edition unspooling between January 27-February 6, the Göteborg International Film Festival is the largest showcase in Scandinavia, screening more than 450 films from 70 countries to audiences of around 200,000. While finishing the line-up, the festival has named the top jurors for two sections – Greek director Giorgos Lanthimos for the Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award (he also brings his latest, Alpheis), and Austrian director Jessica Hausner (Lourdes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile]), for the Dragon Award-Best Nordic Film.

Also the most extensive platform for local Swedish films – more than 400 have been submitted for the 2012 programme – Göteborg has selected eight new titles for the Startslatten competition, where the winner leaves with €103,000 cash and services:

Astrid by Fijona Jonuzi – about an 11-year-girl rebelling against her mother
Baggy by Anders Hazelius – about Baggy at a New Year's party, which gets out of control
Dinner with Family by Stefan Constantinescu – about a woman who has everything except ...
Tremor by Jonas Eskilsson – about a man who is both repelled and attracted by his new role as father
Next Door Letters by Sascha Fülscher – about a cruel joke that becomes an important turning point
The Wheel Is Spinning, but the Hamster Is Dead by Maciej Kalymon – about a young, lonely girl who simply longs to be loved
Dance Music Now by Johan Jonason – about a neurotic studio production that releases cascades of emotions
The Photographer by Vanja Sandell Billström – about the meeting of a man and a camera that captures a state rather than a story.