Babai
The Babai is the night-time bogeyman for children: traumas determine who you are, according to this claustrophobic portrait of two Russian brothers.
65'
Russia
IFFR 2020
Somi is pregnant with her second child. A girl, she hopes. Together with her husband she prepares for this new phase of their parenthood. It means that their son has to go to school, but as an ex-Naxalite that is tough to achieve in contemporary India, where people like them are third-rate citizens. They lack the certificates and an opaque bureaucratic process doesn't help.
Directors Isabella Rinaldi, Cristina Hanes and Arya Rothe of the NoCut Film Collective concentrate on Somi's close family ties, painting an intimate portrait of ex-Naxalites in India. Once, Somi and her husband were communist rebels fighting for the rights of Indian tribes. However, to safeguard their family's welfare, they surrendered to the government in exchange for marginal compensation and simple accommodation. A Rifle and a Bag is an impressive documentary about people forced to give up their ideals to be able to work on their future.
Special Mention Bright Future Competition 2020.
Isabella Rinaldi, Cristina Hanes, Arya Rothe
IFFR 2020
Programme IFFR 2020
A selection of fifteen feature-length debut films, presented at IFFR in world or international premiere.
Read more about this programmeThe Babai is the night-time bogeyman for children: traumas determine who you are, according to this claustrophobic portrait of two Russian brothers.
65'
Russia
IFFR 2020
1934. Bolivia is at war with Paraguay. Led by a mercenary German general, native soldiers push ever deeper into the hostile Chaco region.
77'
Bolivia
IFFR 2020
By day, Koki is a nice tourist guide in Guatemala City, but at night he lures men to a hotel – where they are relieved of their property.
75'
Guatemala
IFFR 2020