About Him or How He Did Not Fear the Bear
A film in search of the motives behind and the response to the nightly killer-spree by a Russian lone wolf, slaughtering an entire Armenian family.
112'
Armenia
IFFR 2019
This titillating, stylised film version of the Biblical story of John the Baptist and Salomé largely takes place in an army camp in the desert, against the background of a contemporary war. Salomé (Ingrid García-Jonsson) is the daughter of the corrupt commander and his adulterous wife; the prophet is locked up in a cave because of his subversive predictions. Just as in Oscar Wilde's interpretation, Salomé is obsessed by the prisoner (and all the men in the camp by her).
The film shows the universal absurdity of politics, violence and the whole gamut of human emotions behind them: lust, greed and pride. The beauty of the landscape and sensually filmed bodies contrast with the coarse cruelty of war and the shameless opportunism of the characters. The world has become a place where there’s no room for purity and truth. A stimulating mixture of mythology and modernity, dream and reality, humour and cynicism.
IFFR 2019
Programme IFFR 2019
Familiar faces from the world of film: new work from established filmmakers, auteurs and festival veterans.
Read more about this programmeA film in search of the motives behind and the response to the nightly killer-spree by a Russian lone wolf, slaughtering an entire Armenian family.
112'
Armenia
IFFR 2019
Essayist road movie on the relation between England's Manchester and philosopher Friedrich Engels, founder of communism. Are his ideas still alive?
67'
United Kingdom
IFFR 2019
Personal, moving account of Yervant Gianikian’s life and work with Angela Ricci Lucchi, until her recent death.
125'
Italy
IFFR 2019