Children Of The Soil

A documentary exploring sexism and patriarchy in Kosova.

In a small mining community in Northern Sweden, a group of youngsters about to take the leap in the adult age fight with themselves and the world around, while the ground literally trembles under their feet.

Three hours outside of Addis Ababa, a bright 14-year-old girl is on her way home from school when men on horses swoop in and kidnap her. The brave Hirut grabs a rifle and tries to escape, but ends up shooting her would-be husband. In her village the practice of abduction into marriage is common and one of Ethiopia’s oldest traditions. Meaza Ashenafi, an empowered and tenacious young lawyer, arrives from the city to represent Hirut and argue that she acted in self defense. Meaza boldly embarks on a collision course between enforcing civil authority and abiding by customary law, risking the ongoing work of her women’s legal aid practice to save Hirut’s life.

In a small commercial harbour in the south of France, two Moroccan sailors are watching over ferries that were abandoned by ship-owners. Young Syrians make a stopover to load their cattle, African traders prepare a convoy of second-hand vehicles. Men, machines, and animals transit through this space open onto the sea.

Tjipto Setiyono, 85, is a rickshaw painter. Despite being past his prime, he lives alone in a 3-by-3 meter square boarding room, in which Tjipto’s brush strokes give birth to his paintings.

Indonesia, 1965: hundreds and even thousands of people are arrested without warrant. Some did come back, the others lost without trace. Svet, one of the survivors of the Indonesian dark history recounts the memory she had of her father, whom she believes to be responsible for the 1965 tragedy.

A poor North Korean fisherman finds himself an accidental defector, and is groomed to be a spy by an ambitious South Korean military officer.

Community First! Village is designed to lift the chronically homeless off the streets of the Austin, TX, offering them a place to call home, helping them to heal from the ravages of life on the streets, and allowing them to rediscover a purpose in their lives. This documentary explores the events that cause homelessness and the heartwarming stories of being welcomed into a nurturing environment where dignity and self-worth are restored.

Irama Betawi is the name of an ondel-ondel group that still actively busks in Jakarta. Sometimes they busk on the streets. Other times, they are invited to play on special occasions. Through their journey taking public transportation to move from one corner of the city to another crowded corner, we get to know the day-to-day life of a dynamic group of people who are eager to make a living.

Tells a story about a blurry photo of a woman who works in the media industry in Indonesia. This movie has several perspectives. One point of view is of a woman who works in a media and the other is about the sexual minority, people who aren’t allowed to appear on television due to their sexuality.

Vena, a Catholic, lives in the Muslim-majority region Aceh. Vena wears veil in her daily life and befriends many Muslim friends. Nevertheless, how can she be herself and adapt as a minority at the same time? Family plays an important role in her life.