BLACK MOVIE
Film Festival from Other Worlds
18 – 27 February 2005

To , Black Movie celebrates its 15th anniversary with a cinématographic voyage through 27 countries, with close to 50 films never before shown in Switzerland.

On this occasion, the 3 Continents Section, entitled ‘15’ pays tribute to the citizens of tomorrow and takes a closer look into the anxieties of adolescence. An age of paradox with all its restraints and many trials, it is also an age where, believing themselves to be invincible, adolescents confront – with noble innocence - authorities, parents, religion, etc. (films from Asia, Africa and Latin America).

The ‘Black Screen’ echoes ‘’15’’ with themes related to children’s rights via 5 recent fictions conveying strong messages destined for adults.

For the first time in Geneva, a true cinématographic tour of the country ‘du matin calme’ analyzes South-Korean production by means of three distinct sections : original social documentaries - all directed by women ; a retrospective of the renowned film-maker Hong Sang-soo, as well as a sample group of recent thrillers to complete the panorama of the expanding Korean film industry.

A selection of original films from Argentina, incongruous because of their artistic freedom, are also programmed. Their preferred areas - the economic crisis, ‘la débrouille’ and unemployment - reflect perfectly the situation of the country and make these films a social instrument and outlet for an entire generation of emerging film-makers.

A retrospective of Abbas Kiarostami, in cooperation with CAC-Voltaire, presents short and medium length films never shown in Switzerland, as well as the latest fictional works of this great figure of contemporary filmmaking. His movies distinguish themselves because of their strict mechanism and complicated, allegorical and ironic stories, as well as their oblique but piercing way of questioning Iranian society, the conditions of women and more generally the bonds between tradition and modernity.

The ‘apartés’ (asides) complement and enhance this intense voyage around the world, with séances for children, debates, meetings and concerts. Note, for example, the concert of Geoffrey Oryema at the Moulin à Danses on Feburary 19th and an ‘electro’ evening with ‘special Mexican DJ’s’ at the ZOO de l’Usine.