Dreamers
By Stéphanie Barbey & Luc Peter
2023, 84 min

​​Carlos was a child when he arrived from Mexico with his parents and brothers, immigrating to Chicago in 1993. 30 years later, Carlos has yet to return to the country from which he comes. He cannot leave the United States – or even Illinois – with the certainty that he would be allowed to return. Every time he leaves his home, he fears an encounter with the police, who could deport him. Carlos is one of the 2 million “Dreamers”, illegal immigrants who lived a normal American childhood before being deprived of all their rights when they turned 18. “Even though I see myself as an American, and see America as my home, I can be deported at any time. My country doesn’t see me as one of its citizens.” Carlos’ almost whispered voice-over is sober and discreet. Director duo Luc Peter and Stéphanie Barbey film Carlos in his cautiously restrained daily life, the black and white picture underscoring his existence in the shadows, accompanied by the ever-present, intimate but never invasive camera, giving substance to his ambiguous existence.

Vera
By Tizza Covi & Rainer Frimmel
2022, 115 min

For Vera Gemma, beauty is a highly serious matter. Daughter of the spaghetti western icon Giuliano Gemma, she feels crushed by the weight of her parentage and her inherited fame. With her timeless face and her assertive – to put it mildly – fashion sense, this charismatic woman wanders around Rome in search of experiences, emotions and encounters. A road accident that injures a child offers her the chance to turn a corner, befriending the boy’s family to fill the void in her life. Drawing on the real-life character of Vera Gemma, directors Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel have made a quirky and profound film that thrives on the nebulous border between fiction and reality. Through the depiction of monotonous daily wandering, Vera tackles head-on the question of privilege, the society of the spectacle, the transactional nature of our relationships, and how our identities are constructed. Filled with contradictions, the heroine’s personality fascinates: unique and caricatural, offbeat and touching, egocentric and altruistic all at once. Vera Gemma’s first role is an incredible performance, winning her the best actress award at the Venice Film Festival.

She Chef
By Melanie Liebheit & Gereon Wetzel
2022, 105 min

She Chef chronicles the life of Agnes Karrasch, an aspiring chef from Austria, who embarks on a series of internships at three renowned two-Michelin-star restaurants: the Vendôme, on the outskirts of Cologne; Disfrutar, in central Barcelona; and, Koks, lost in the wilderness of the Faroe Islands. All three experiences will partake in sharpening her skills as a cook, yet maybe more importantly, they will help her to figure out what kind of cook she wishes to be, and in what type of work environment she wishes to evolve. The film, co-directed by Melanie Liebheit and Gereon Wetzel, intelligently tackles crucial questions that resonate with the world of cuisine and beyond: the structural imbalance of gender representation, in the favour of men, at the top of so many professions; the fine balance to be found between passion and exhaustion when one loves one’s job, particularly when that job is as mythologised as that of head chef. Indeed, She Chef chronicles the essence of what constitutes an outstanding dish, but, above all else, it unravels all the human commitment that goes into creating one.

Orlando, ma biographie politique
By Paul B. Preciado
2023, 98 min

In 1928, Virginia Woolf published Orlando, a visionary tale following the life of an androgynous, defiantly anti-patriarcal character who mysteriously changes gender. In his first film, philosopher Paul B. Preciado (Testo Junkie, Un appartement sur Uranus), decides to write the author a letter, establishing a fruitful dialogue with this legendary work of literature. Orlando, ma biographie politique draws on the premonitory power of Virginia Woolf’s text whilst proposing a modern interpretation of her story: who are the Orlandos of the 21st century? A parade of Orlandos ensues, embodied by a flamboyant cast of young trans actors – alongside Pierre & Gilles and Virgine Despentes in supporting roles – emancipated in their subversive and joyful state of impermanence. Paul B. Preciado shows us a world in perpetual mutation, and predicts a revolution that will lead to the disappearance of all gendered identities. In this film, of course, he continues his philosophical and militant work, compensating for the invisibilisation of trans people and their struggles, thanks to the power of images and direction. This radical, anti-conformist and resolutely punk film is, quite simply, unforgettable.

The event may be photographed and/or video recorded for archival, educational, and related promotional purposes. By attending this event, you are giving your consent to be photographed and/or video recorded.