Films by Benjamin Simon

Germany 2022, 93 min
by Marc Wiese

THIS STOLEN COUNTRY OF MINE takes us to Latin America, to a country with immense natural resources, pristine nature and a corrupt leadership: Ecuador.The film follows Paul Jarrin, leader of the indigenous resistance against their homeland's exploitation. Meanwhile, China uses the Ecuadorian government to turn the country into one of its new colonies. When journalist Fernando Villavicencio exposes these plots and gets access to the contracts between China and Ecuador, the government wants him silenced too. Both men are fighting for freedom in this battle against a superpower."...Alva Noto's music subtly lends intense power to the struggle of a mountain village, delicately and precisely accentuating the film's disturbing subject matter – and often bringing us closer than we'd like." [Jury German Documentary Film Music Award]

Germany 2022, 87 min
by Volker Schlöndorff

THE FOREST MAKER is the portrait of a remarkable man whose life's work was honored with the so- called alternative Nobel, the Right Livelihood Award in 2018. Tony Rinaudo has found a way to grow trees in the most barren areas by activating the tree stumps and roots still alive as an “underground forest” for decades and thereby secures the livelihood of thousands of farmers in Africa. His method “Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration” (FMNR) restores not only soil but dignity and hope. The Chief of all Farmers, as he is affectionately known today in many villages, has had to fight an uphill battle to gain acceptance for his ideas. Having worked in the Sahel region for 30 years he witnessed despair and famine but also resilience, determination and change. In THE FOREST MAKER Volker Schlöndorff follows Tony Rinaudo to different African countries to witness the effect FMNR has had on fighting desertification and repeatedly encounters issues - migration, climate change, gender justice. To complement his view, he invited African filmmakers to collaborate with him and share their experience of rural life and local challenges.With integrated shorts by Idriss Diabaté, Alassane Diago, Nadia Beddiaf Tamisier and Laurene Manja Abdallah. Volker Schlöndorff´s hopeful documentary debut.

Switzerland, Germany 2021, 110 min
by Heidi Specogna

Nardos, an Azmari singer from Addis Ababa, dreams of telling stories about the lives of ordinary people through her music. In her search of stories for her songs, she meets Gennet, a poet who lives on the streets with her children. As Nardos puts the lives of Ethiopian women, their visions and power at the centre of her creation, we dive deeper and deeper into a rapidly changing country.

Germany 2016, 87 min
by Susan Gluth

Urmila’s dream is to end child slavery in Nepal. The human rights activist was sold by her parentswhen she was 6 years old. 12 years later she became free. The film portraits her quest for justice andher personal fight against the inner demons of her own past. First she must break through the controlof those around her to begin to make her own life choices."In Nepal, Kamalari is a custom of selling girls, who are forced to slave labor and do not have access to education. One of them was Urmila, who, having regained her freedom after 12 years, decided to devote herself to saving other children. The film allows you to get to know Urmila very closely. The director, with a great sense of intuition and consistency, introduces us into the world of Urmila’s inner struggles, helps us to understand her extraordinary determination, but also the loneliness of a person who has been deprived of childhood." (The Prize of the Mayor of Zakopane/Poland for the film which best pictures human, cultural and artistic aspects of mountain population)"We have chosen Urmila – My Memory is My Power as this year’s Main Competition First Prize because of its brilliantly executed and clearly structured documentary journey through the eyes of one young woman’s personal, brave and tireless fight for justice.For what is a very poignant, very real and distressing subject matter about an extremely remarkable young woman and her tireless efforts to save young female children from the fate that she suffered herself in Nepal society, the documentary is executed clearly in its facts through rhythmic editing and pacing but what makes it unique is not just for being beautifully shot, but also for the original, and at times almost lyrical way that it avoids being drawn into sentimentality and judgement so therefore consistently remaining impartial to the problems thereby letting the audience draw their own interpretations and conclusions from what they see and hear“ (First Prize at KIMFF / Kathmandu / Nepal)