14/10/2013 - Wadjda, Nairobi Half Life and Broken Circle Breakdown set to inspire audiences during IFF Bratislava

Right after the Viennale, Slovakia´s capital city will be hosting the 15^th edition of the International Film Festival Bratislava (November 6-12). The programmers have already revealed that this year’s edition will be dedicated to brave human stories.

“Heroes in these stories have to overcome obstacles. They do not capitulate and keep going on. They do not want to surrender,” explains programmer of the section Radovan Holub. The strong stories will be embodied by international crowdpleaser Wadjda [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (photo) made by Saudi Arabia’s first female director Haifaa Al-Mansour. The struggle of the young heroine to get her first bike notwithstanding her country’s strict rules illustrates endeavour to break free from obsolete traditions. The gang culture inspired Kenyan Oscar contender Nairobi Half Life [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and the most successful theatrical release for a local film. A young man tries to pursue his dream of becoming an actor despite being sucked into a world of crime. The film is a coproduction between Tom Tykwer´s One Fine Day Films and Nairobi´s Ginger Ink. Also, the Belgian candidate for best foreign language films for the Oscar 2014 and Lux Prize finalist Broken Circle Breakdown [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Felix van Groeningen
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
interview: Felix Van Groeningen
film profile], a poetical drama about a romantic atheist and a religious realist and their ill daughter. The story of a girl and her bitter quest for love made by the talented Slovak director Juraj Lehotský, The Miracle, awarded at Karlovy Vary will be also featured in The Stories programming.

Programmers have also prepared traditional sections such as a Competition of first and second features, a peak into world cinema with Panorama, a Cutting Edge section gathering independent films standing out with new or experimental ways of storytelling and Made in Slovakia presenting domestic productions. The Tribute section will be dedicated to Scandinavian filmmaker Bille August whose works include Twist and Shout (1984), Pelle the Conqueror (1987), Marie Kroyer [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (2012) and his latest film Night Train to Lisbon [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
film profile],which will be introduced by the director himself.