Germany will be presenting 11 movies at this year’s edition of Fajr, with the biggest number of titles after France.
Germany is in the main programs of the prestigious film festival: One feature-length movie in Eastern Vista, four in Special Screenings, one in Docs in Focus, and five in Festival of Festivals.
Three movies will also be showing at the Environmental Films section, namely Voyage of Time, Spoor, and Greetings from Fukushima. Some of the movies are German co-productions.
Here are all the titles screening:
Apprentice (2016) – Eastern Vista
1h 36min | Drama
Director: Junfeng Boo
Cast: Rahman Fir, Su Wan Hanafi, Ahmad Mastura, Boon Pin Koh, Nickson Cheng, Crispian Chan
Country: Singapore, Germany, France, Hong Kong SAR China
Language: Thai
Synopsis: Aiman, a 28-year-old correctional officer, is transferred to the territory’s top prison. He strikes up friendship with Rahim, who is the chief executioner of the prison, and one of the world’s most prolific. Can Aiman overcome his conscience and a past that haunts him to become the executioner’s apprentice.
Voyage of Time: Life’s Journey (2016) – Special Screenings (Masters of Cinema) – Environmental Films
1h 30min | Documentary, Drama
Director: Terrence Malick
Main Cast: Cate Blanchett, Jamal Cavil, Maisha Diatta, Yagazie Emezi, Daryl James HarrisII
Country: France | Germany | USA
Language: English
Synopsis: Filmmaker Terrence Malick examines the origins of the universe, the birth of stars and galaxies, the beginning of life on Earth, and the evolution of diverse species.
I, Daniel Blake (2016) – Special Screenings (Masters of Cinema)
1h 40min | Drama
Director: Ken Loach
Main Cast: Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Sharon Percy
Country: UK | France | Belgium
Language: English
Synopsis: Daniel Blake (Dave Johns) is a 59-year-old widowed carpenter who must rely on welfare after a recent heart attack leaves him unable to work. Despite his doctor’s diagnosis, British authorities deny Blake’s benefits and tell him to return to his job. As Daniel navigates his way through an agonizing appeal process, he begins to develop a strong bond with a destitute, single mother (Hayley Squires) who’s struggling to take care of her two children.
Salt and Fire (2016) – Special Screenings (Masters of Cinema)
1h 38min | Thriller
Director: Werner Herzog
Main Cast: Michael Shannon, Gael García Bernal, Anita Briem
Country: France | Bolivia | USA | Germany | Mexico
Language: English | German | Quechua | Spanish
Synopsis: Two ecologists are sent to South America as part of a U.N. investigation into an ecological disaster. They are quickly kidnapped by the villainous CEO of a large company held responsible for the ecological disaster. But when a supervolcano nearby begins to show signs of erupting, they must unite to avoid a disaster.
Spoor (2017) – Special Screenings (Masters of Cinema)
2h 8min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Directors: Agnieszka Holland, Kasia Adamik
Main Cast: Agnieszka Mandat-Grabka, Wiktor Zborowski, Jakub Gierszal
Country: Poland | Germany | Czech Republic | Sweden | Slovakia
Language: Polish
Synopsis: Set in a remote mountainous region of the Ktodzko Valley in south-western Poland, where an elderly woman, Janina Duszejko, turns witness to a violent and mysterious death of several hunters. She is convinced she knows who the murderer is, but nobody believes her story. The film plot is based on a novel by the Polish writer, Olga Tokarczuk.
In Exile (2016) – Docs in Focus
1h 12min | Documentary
Director: Tin Win Naing
Country: Germany | Myanmar
Language: Burmese
Synopsis: The plight of migrants who have fled the civil war in Myanmar for refuge in Thailand, and now toil as plantation workers in conditions tantamount to slave labor.
In the Last Days of the City (2016) – Festival of Festivals (Cup of Divination)
1h 58min | Drama
Director: Tamer El Said
Cast: Khalid Abdalla, Laila Samy, Hanan Youssef
Country: Egypt | Germany | UK | United Arab Emirates
For all festivalgoers who are already planning their visit, check screening time and other information at Fajriff.com or email the Secretariat at Film@Fajriff.com.
Presided over by Reza Mirkarimi, the 35th edition of Fajr International Film Festival will take place from 21 to 28 April in Tehran.
