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FESTIVALS Norway

Jafar Panahi’s niece to visit Oslo’s Films from the South

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- Pablo Larraín and Abderrahmane Sissako are also among the guests at the 25th edition of the festival, unspooling from 8-18 October

Jafar Panahi’s niece to visit Oslo’s Films from the South

Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s Taxi will open the 25th Films from the South Festival in Oslo, which runs between 8 and 18 October, and Iranian actress Hana Saeidi – Panahi’s niece, who stars in the film and received the Golden Bear on her uncle’s behalf at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival – will be among the guests.

The programme of 84 films from 34 countries also includes French director Jacques Audiard’s Dheepan [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Jacques Audiard
film profile
]
, which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes; scripted by Audiard, the depiction of a Sri Lankan Tamil warrior who flees to France and now works as a caretaker outside Paris will unspool in competition.

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Chilean director Pablo Larraín and Mauritanian director Abderrahmane Sissako are also among the guests from four continents who will visit the festival, which from a small students’ event has expanded to become a leading gathering in Northern Europe for films from (or about) developing countries.

At the anniversary edition of Oslo’s largest film festival, the organisers have concluded that it has, over its 25 years, programmed more than 2,000 films, 50 of which have been purchased for Norwegian cinema and TV distribution. Local interest has also increased: in 2014, 70 screenings were sell-outs, and all screenings were at least 70% full. 

Saeidi will introduce Taxi for Panahi (who has not been permitted to write or make films since 2009), while Sissako will show three of his films, including his latest – and Oscar-nominated – Timbuktu [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(2014); Larraín also has three features on show, including his new The Club, which received a Silver Bear at Berlin. 

The Dok:Sør documentary selection comprises Dutch director Morgan Knibbe’s Those Who Feel the Fire Burning, about refugees stuck at the edge of Europe; US directors Jim Goldblum and Adam M Weber’s Tomorrow We Disappear, about an Indian colony of artists about to be cleared for development; and US director Ben Patterson’s Sweet Micky for President, about the controversial musician’s presidential campaign. 

Films from the South will also offer previews of ten films that will reach Norwegian cinemas in 2015-2016, such as Norwegian-Kurdish director Halkawt Mustafa’s road movie El Clásico [+see also:
trailer
interview: Halkawt Mustafa
film profile
]
, which will have its world premiere at the festival. Mustafa, who made his debut with the Norwegian-Kurdish title Red Heart [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(2011), follows two Kurdish brothers’ voyage from Iran to Madrid to fulfil their dreams – to meet their football hero, Cristiano Ronaldo.

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