Rebels With a Cause is probably the most radical program at PÖFF. What should the audience be prepared for when coming to watch these films?
It's a candy for the audience. For those who see themselves as a conscious audience and who want to discover a different, engaging and a surprising way to immerse themselves in the joy of cinema. Most of the time we don’t select focusing on the films, we curate the program thinking of the spectator who dares to challenge themselves, allowing themselves to discover different ways of storytelling to discover personal and universal tales, which unveil ideas and feelings, whispering life on the silver screen.
Sometimes they will find themselves amused, other times confused, rather surprised. Moreover, all the elements that define “Rebels with a Cause” such as the screening room, the introduction, the presence (and sometimes performances) of the talent, altogether will generate a special atmosphere, way beyond that just seeing a film. We aim to share (and enjoy) with our audience a whole cinematic experience.
What are we rebelling against this year, and what are we fighting for? What are the themes of this year's films? Will we see more rebellion on an individual level and internal conflicts, or will the films reflect the political and social tensions characteristic of today's turbulent world?
The filmmakers who come to our Rebel area don't fight for anything, they have already won. They present their crisp ideas, concerns and proposals in a very authentic, attractive and personal way, making them universal by daring to challenge the current norms of standard, industrial cinema. And it will certainly envelop our audiences in a self-conscious lullaby, take them on lysergic journeys or disturb them with hilarious stranded laughter.
Of course, there are themes such as gender roles and their contemporary evolution, the labyrinths of the creative process, or the daily struggle to survive in a post-pandemic society. But it's a selection that goes beyond themes and current notions of genre, showing a wide range of references and bets. There are crazy comedies, angry music films, a playful beyond-the-line doc-sex self-portrait or even a reinterpretation of a Western cultural myth.
Which countries' films are represented in the competition program? Has a new country been added to the map?
We offer a broad continental representation from Japan to Argentina, from the USA to China, and of course the Baltic States and our focus country, Germany. All come with fresh perspectives, mesmerising visuals and powerful storytelling. Some come from seasoned masters of experimental forms, others are explosions of youthful imagination. All will leave a lasting impression.
Rebels With a Cause has always presented exciting formal explorations in the film language. Is there anything surprising in this regard this year?
As said, in the Rebel Zone we don't challenge the audience, but we are dedicated to the audience that dares to challenge itself finding an exciting reward. There are as many styles as filmmakers want to try and practice. And we push those boundaries, delivering a dazzling display of cinematic rebellion.
Have a peak on our line-up. You will find the most touching and enchanting film about dementia through mesmerising 16mm expired while decomposing footage films ("The Memory Boom") or a humanistic and sweet multi-personal global-tour, exquisitely filmed, reflection on the post-pandemic world ("Everything that will happen..."). Then jumping from that high quality cinematography candy to a movie made for TikTok, flirting with the format, but unveiled on a screen as a crazy engaging (romantic)comedy ("Carole&Grey"), passing by a do-it-yourself fantasy documentary that could be episodes on IG or any other net ("I Can't Have Sex").
Characters trying to find their ways to deal with their own demons, either from the creative process ("A Sip of Hell") or dealing with the world, becoming a gangster film type of approach ("Okamoto") that become a torrent of surrealistic ideas and flushing creativity, arriving at a primal, atavistic explosion of feelings generated by the relationship of images and music.
Also, a double bill of controversial "toxic gender" films, an unintentional diptych that updates the eternal war of the sexes with (over-the-top) humour and unexpected twists ("Alien 2" & "The Protected Men"). What else?
Well, we even offer a famous contemporary artist (Albert Oehlen) who, in "Yellow", makes a controversial approach to an even more famous artist (Van Gogh), or an emerging Chinese talent who proposes a playful game ("Contact Lens") to imagine women's emancipation, a reflection triggered by a seminal film by a referential filmmaker whom we can't quote at this moment.