Block 6. In a New Place


Set of films
dir. Tushar Prakash, Anna Hints ("Estonian Man"); Otto Lazić-Reuschel ("Do You Get Me?"); Håvard Bustnes ("Behind the Mask"); Daryna Mamaisur ("Smoke of the Fire") / Estonia/2024 ("Estonian Man"); Italy/2023 ("Do You Get Me?"); Norway/2023 ("Behind the Mask"); Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary/2023 ("Smoke of the Fire") / 108 min
Sometimes, you have to find your way in a new place, whether you ended up there because of the war or having followed your heart. Learning new customs and languages is a long and tiring process, but it also offers a fresh perspective. That is what the protagonists of the films in this block have found out.
Estonian Man
duration: 25 min
country/year: Estonia/2024
director: Tushar Prakash, Anna Hints
cinematography: Ants Tammik
editor: Tushar Prakash, Anna Hints
production: Tushar Prakash, Anna Hints / KAE NOH
selected festivals and awards: 2024 – Millennium Docs Against Gravity: Polish Premiere
Tushar came from India to Estonia to live with his beloved one. Now, he embarks on a journey to his partner's relatives, to learn what it means to be a true Estonian.

Tushar came from India to Estonia to live with his beloved one. He gave up the warmth and sunshine of his country, choosing the cool part of Europe for his new home. Now, he embarks on a journey to his partner's relatives living in the province of Võrumaa, to learn what it means to be a true Estonian. In humorous tales of acquiring new customs, there is also room for serious reflection on identity and longing for one's homeland. The directorial duo of this personal story is Anna Hints, well-known to festival audiences for the film "Smoke Sauna Sisterhood,” and her partner – Tushar Prakash.

Do You Get Me?
duration: 31 min
country/year: Italy/2023
director: Otto Lazić-Reuschel
cinematography: Julia Inderst
editor: Angela Disanto
production: Heidi Gronauer, Lorenzo Paccagnella / ZeLIG – School for documentary
selected festivals and awards: 2023 – Visions du Réel Nyon
As a child, Moha travelled from Morocco to Europe. As an ”illegal” citizen, he lives every day with uncertainty.

As a child, Moha travelled from Morocco to Europe. Today, eight years later, he lives in a small Spanish city thanks to the help of his friends and the support of social services. Trapped between his childhood dreams and his disillusionment as a young adult, he clings to what he can. As an ”illegal” citizen, he lives every day with uncertainty.

Behind the Mask
duration: 30 min
country/year: Norway/2023
director: Håvard Bustnes
cinematography: Lukasz Zamaro
editor: Anders Teigen
production: Håvard Bustnes / UpNorth Film
selected festivals and awards: 2023 – DOC NYC
After enduring torture at an internment camp for Uyghurs in China, Abduweli and his family seek refuge in Bergen, Norway.

After enduring torture at an internment camp for Uyghurs in China, Abduweli and his family seek refuge in Bergen, Norway. This documentary follows Abduweli’s journey to Germany, where he intends to confront a former internment camp prison guard. However, just before his departure, his daughter experiences a panic attack. Now faced with a profound dilemma, Abduweli must decide whether its best for his family to continue his mission of shedding light on the Uyghur genocide or to leave the past behind to avoid bringing up traumatic memories for himself and his family.

Smoke of the Fire
duration: 22 min
country/year: Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary/2023
director: Daryna Mamaisur
cinematography: Shaheen Ahmed, Daryna Mamaisur, Svitlana Vostrikova
editor: Daryna Mamaisur
production: Daryna Mamaisur / DocNomads
selected festivals and awards: 2023 – FIDMarseille IFF
There is Portugal, there is the Portuguese language and there is a Ukrainian filmmaker who learns the language and approaches the role of the potential migrant.

There is Portugal, there is the Portuguese language and there is a Ukrainian filmmaker who learns the language and approaches the role of the potential migrant. There is also a play of words: zangar and o zangāo. How is it possible to express such an empowering emotion as anger in the fragile attempts of a beginner? The video essay is woven from the filmmaker’s narration, language classes, personal videos and archival images from Kyiv – revealing the split reality of anyone who is finding a safe place abroad while longing for home, which is under the constant danger of war.

Estonian Man
Estonian Man
dir. Tushar Prakash, Anna Hints, Estonia 2024, 25 min
Do You Get Me?
Do You Get Me?
dir. Otto Lazić-Reuschel, Italy 2023, 31 min
Behind the Mask
Behind the Mask
dir. Håvard Bustnes, Norway 2023, 30 min
Smoke of the Fire
Smoke of the Fire
dir. Daryna Mamaisur, Portugal, Ukraine, Belgium, Hungary 2023, 22 min

Other films from this section Short films

Other movies with this tag war

Other films in the competition Best Short Film Award