Ophir tells the story of an extraordinary indigenous revolution for life, land and culture, opening up the path for the creation of the world’s newest nation in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. A poetic yet dramatic ode to the indelible thirst for freedom, culture and sovereignty; the film sheds light on the biggest conflict of the Pacific since WWII, revealing the visible and invisible chains of colonisation and its enduring cycles of physical and psychological warfare.
This is not just one more film about the monuments of Angkor, their history or their architecture. This film is about the people who live there. An inside view, in the shadow of the temples and the great kapok trees, an inhabited shadow that the world’s tourists pass through unawares, wrapped up in contemplating the treasures of Khmer art. In the cold light of the early morning, monks meditate and pray on the stones of the temple, which though dismantled is still inhabited by the gods.
In the village of Vourbira, in the Lobi country, Burkina Faso, people celebrate the second funerals of Bindute Da. Outstanding cultural and historical event, the ceremony is, beside the unchanging rituals, the scene of a collective improvisation, final meeting between past and present. In order to welcome the deceased, each of his nineteen wives prepares sorghobeer in large jars because Bindute Da will be present, along with all his deceased folks. A soothsayer tells us Bindute Da’s last will and we are going to attend to his life, mimen by his own children. Evocation of a great farmer, gallant elephant hunter, strict but considerate father, recollection of a young man’s departure, enlisted in the French army, recollection of a great chief…
In Malagasy, “Mahaleo” means free, independent.
Mahaleo’s voices and music have accompanied the people of Madagascar ever since the collapse of the colonial regime. Yet, even after 30 years of success, the group’s seven musicians still keep their distance from the world of show-business, and remain deeply committed to helping their country’s development; their professions range from surgeon to farmer, physician to sociologist and member of parliament. Accompanied by the group’s rhythmic melodies, the film follows the singers through their daily lives, giving us a glimpse of the far-reaching social and economic problems of the Malagasy people. The combined talents of the Brazilian, Cesar Paes, and the Malagasy, Raymond Rajaonarivelo, have produced a work that is both ethereal and concrete, poetic and political.
In Jerusalem, three religions meet. They harmoniously coexist. While the guides lead us through the streets of Jerusalem, we can see people from different backgrounds and culture live in the same neighbourhood. The guides are the meessagers of time. They deliver the message that only time can solve all the disputes and trouble.
The guides even tell us three stories, or ,you could say, rather the same story of three different versions. That is, we get to see things in Jew,Arab, Christian’s points of view.Pierre Henry Salfati , director let us discover Jerusalem in the way we have never seen it before.