PÖFF Tuesday reveals the lust and anger burning beneath the skin
Today's film selection stripped naked truth around societal values and mechanisms of action to see more clearly the frameworks that shape our self-esteem and sense of belonging. The human body with its strength, fragility and mysterious fields of perception is at the center of these sharp themes and soul-invigorating stories.
With the film "Perfect Days", director Wim Wenders once again presents his brilliant talent for capturing the beauty and dignity of even the most seemingly trivial life stories with cinematography. He fills cinema halls with brightness, telling the story of Hirayama, whose job is to clean public toilets in Tokyo. At the same time Director Claudia Rorarius' controversial film "Touched" offers a truly powerful film experience, dissecting the boundaries of taboo and love with raw honesty.
The programme also includes several sharply acute documentaries. "Life Is Not a Competition, But I’m Winning" examines the uncomfortable questions in sports about the rights and justice that comes with defining gender. In "Queendom" Gena risks her life on the streets of Russia for her art and freedom and refuses to submit to the ruling political system. Through personal stories of the victims, "Another Body" reveals the evil side of an all-powerful artificial intelligence that increasingly serves the porn industry.
Perfect Days
Director: Wim Wenders, Countries: Japan and Germany
7. nov, Tuesday at 18.30; Apollo Kino Solaris
Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. A deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. Wim Wenders' “Perfect Days” participated in the competition programme at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, where it won many awards. Japan nominated the film for the Best International Film Oscar.
Life Is Not a Competition, But I'm Winning
Director: Julia Fuhr Mann, Country: Germany
7. nov, Tuesday at 19.30, Kino Artis
Q&A filmmakers at the screening
If the victors write history, where does that leave those who were never allowed to be part of the game? A collective of queer athletes enters the Olympic Stadium in Athens and sets out to honour those who were excluded from standing on the winners’ podium. Together they create a radical poetic utopia far from the rigid gender rules found in competitive sports.
Touched
Director: Claudia Rorarius, Country: Germany
7. nov, Tuesday at 20.45; Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Maria, a caregiver, undergoes a transformative journey when she encounters Alex, a paraplegic resident. They embark on a forbidden relationship, fueled by their sexual discovery and deep connection. As their bond deepens, Alex's demands and humiliation push Maria to her limits. The film premiered at this year's Locarno Film Festival's Cineasti del presente competition. “Touched” features scenes that could shock the sensitivity of some viewers.
Queendom
Director: Agniia Galdanova, Countries: USA, France
7. nov, Tuesday at 21.15; Kino Artis
Gena is a queer artist from a small town in Russia. Born and raised on the harsh streets of Magadan, a frigid outpost of the Soviet gulag, Gena is only 21. She stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism. By doing that, she wants to change people’s perception of beauty and queerness and bring attention to the harassment of the LGBTQ+ community. The performances - often dark, strange, evocative, and queer at their core - are a manifestation of Gena’s subconscious. But they come at a price.
Working Class Goes to Hell
Director: Mladen Djordjevic, Countries: Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Croatia, Romania
7. nov, Tuesday at 20.15; Kino Sõprus
Serbian director Mladen Djordjevic bares almost everything rotten in his homeland: corrupt politicians, sinful Orthodox Church, rampant prostitution, and uncontrollably raging criminality. An amusing mixture of social drama, thrilling mystery, black comedy, and light horror strikes with violence, weirdness, and an ensemble of local talents and Balkan superstars like Leon Lučev. One of the least-expected delights of Balkan cinema premiered in the Midnight Madness programme in Toronto.
Another Body
Director: Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn; Country: USA
7. nov, Tuesday at 17.45; Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
This self-referential documentary describes the pushback against pornographic deepfakes and their consequences. Ninety percent of deepfakes are pornographic content created without the consent of the women portrayed. In this film, a student named Taylor discovers that such videos of her are circulating on the Internet. As she can hardly expect the police to come to her aid, she and similar victims decide to track down the perpetrator. Together they uncover a disturbing parallel society in which misogyny is rampant.
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Director: Pedro Almodóvar, Country: Spain
7. nov, Tuesday at 18.15; Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Melding melodrama with screwball farce, this Oscar-nominated black comedy was Pedro Almodóvar’s international breakthrough. “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” tells the story of Pepa, who decides to kill herself with sleeping pill-laced gazpacho after her lover leaves her. Almodóvar channelled Hollywood inspiration into his unique vision, arriving at the irreverent humour and vibrant visual sense that define his work today.
See full festival schedule HERE