Delightful Docs

 OzogocheCuviví is the Ecuadorean indigenous name for the upland sandpiper, a wading bird that has special significance for the communities living around the Ozogoche lakes in the middle of the Andes. Each year, these birds migrate south from North America. Around September they pass the Ozogoche lakes, where large numbers then “commit suicide,” plunging from great heights into the ice-cold water. The dead birds wash up on the banks, where they are gathered and used to prepare a feast, accompanied by rituals.If the cuviví makes a sacrifice by migrating, the same can be said of the many indigenous inhabitants of the páramo who follow the route in the opposite direction. Work is scarce and there is less food due to climate change. Many young people therefore migrate to the United States, despite the dangers of the journey. With stunning photography, Ozogoche shows the everyday life of a girl who lives near the lake. Her uncle lives in the US, and she might be heading there herself. In the meantime, she awaits the arrival of the cuvivís, few of which have appeared in recent years. The lakes are drying up.JOE HOULBERG SILVA - DIRECTORJoe Houlberg Silva studied Film and Philosophy at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito and earned an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago SAIC. His professional experience includes directing, assistant directing, and producing film projects. He has produced and/orassisted films of three renowned Ecuadorian directors: "Tinta Sangre" (2012) directed by Mateo Herrera, "El Telón" (2013) directed by Victor Arreguí, and Ana Cristina Barragán ́s first films: "Alba" (2016) and “La Piel Pulpo” (2022), which premiered at Rotterdam and San Sebastianrespectively.In 2019, he founded the production company Botón Films, dedicated to producing independent Ecuadorian films that challenge the audiovisual language from an authentic and intimate perspective.Currently, Joe is involved in the development and production of several projects, including: "Ozogoche" (2023) his debut documentary, as director and producer, which will premiere at IDFA and received support from various organizations such as Buenos Aires LAB (BAL) at BAFICI, IFCI national fund for documentary production, Co-Production Meeting of the Guadalajara Film Festival (FICG), SANFIC industry in Chile, Nuevas Miradas of EICTV in Cuba, IDFA Bertha Fund Classic, IDFA Bertha Fund Europe Copro, IDFA Project Space, IDFA Forum Rough Cut and the Doha Film Institute fund for post production; "La Hiedra" (2024), as producer and directed by Ana Cristina Barragán, supported by the IFCI national fund for production, CNC Aide aux cinémas du monde, Ibermedia Production fund, Cinemart IFFR, Brlab in Brazil, Ikusmira Berriak residency from San Sebastian Film Festival, among others; “Amapola” (2025), also as producer and directed by Ana Cristina Barragán, selected to participate at the Locarno Open Doors HUB;the short film “Ave” (2023), that recently had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival TIFF.In addition to his filmmaking endeavors, Joe teaches film at USFQ and is an active member of the Association of Independent Directors and Screenwriters of Ecuador and the Academy of Audiovisual and Cinematographic Arts of Ecuador.

Echo Allister, an amateur radio enthusiast in Northern Ireland, has difficulty speaking due to damaged vocal cords. At first glance, his world seems small, consisting of hanging up laundry, vacuuming and dozing in a chair. But in the 13 minutes of this film, we see his horizons expand.Grainy, faded images of a motocross race, a factory, or a woman smiling and waving at the camera are like windows to the past. And from a room full of radios and cables, under a roof full of antennas, Allister makes contact with the outside world.Echo is a layered and moving portrait showing the intrinsic human need for connection, the need to feel part of a community—and the surprising forms such a community can take.Ross McCleanRoss McClean is a filmmaker from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He studied creative documentary in Canada, Hungary, Portugal & Belgium and graduated from the European documentary directing masters program DocNomads. On returning home, Ross lectured in Documentary and Film Production at Queens University whilst creating work about his homeland.His films have screened in over 50 local and international film festivals. Hydebank (2019) premiered at DokLeipzig, IDFA, Hot Docs and won Best Short Documentary at Galway, London Short, Spektrum, Docs Ireland and Leeds. His latest short film, Echo (2023), premiered at IDFA, True/False & Sheffield DocFest.  Ross is currently in production on his first feature length documentary supported by BFI DocSociety, Arte, Screen Ireland and IDFA Project Space, among others. 

Smoke Sauna SisterhoodFew places in the world are better suited for showing our vulnerabilities than the sauna. The women in this intimate documentary bare all, both literally and figuratively, in a remote spot in the freezing cold, somewhere in Estonia, where the smoke sauna tradition is on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.The camera seems to be part of the group as it respectfully and affectionately records the women sharing their experiences—some of these are beautiful, while others are traumatic. No subject is taboo as the women talk of the stillbirth of a child, sexual abuse, coming out, domestic violence, sickness and recovery.Touching close-ups in the sweltering sauna alternate with wide shots of the women running naked in the snow, kindling the fire, playing music and smoking pork. An elderly woman talks about the sexist traditions of her younger days, presenting a stark contrast with the intense sense of support and strength that the women feel in this safe, therapeutic sauna.Anna Hints Anna Hints has a background in contemporary art and experimental folk singing. She has studied Estonian and Comparative Literature and Folklore and has a degree both in Photography and Film Directing. Her student film ‘Free World’ brought her Kaljo Kiisa named Young Filmmaker Award and Best National Short Film award at Black Nights FilmFestival. Her debut short ‘Ice’ was selected to more than 90 film festivals and won 14 awards, including Best Short Film Award at Estonian Film and Television Awards in 2018. Her new short fiction in pre-production is set in India and combines environmental and women issues. Anna is part of female music trio Eeter that was nominated for The Best Composer Award at Estonian Film and Television Awards in 2019 for the original score for ‘Wind Sculptured Land'

This Blessed PlotIn This Blessed Plot, which takes its title from John of Gaunt’s deathbed speech singing the praises of England in Shakespeare’s Richard II, director Marc Isaacs examines the social and cultural fabric of the United Kingdom, the subject of all his films. This time he creates an eccentric mix of documentary and fiction in Essex.Lori, a Chinese filmmaker, visits the historic village of Thaxted, where Pier Paolo Pasolini filmed part of the Middle English epic The Canterbury Tales. Looking for a subject for a film, Lori hears stories of ghosts from the past, including one about the 20th-century socialist vicar Conrad Noel. She is curious about how his socialism differs from the Chinese version, and has conversations with his spirit in the afterlife.Lori meets some remarkable locals, who talk to her about love, parting, grief and loss. Gradually she becomes involved in a plot between villagers Keith, Sue, Maggie, Norman and ”Uncle,” which is at times farcical, and at others dramatic, and she is introduced to English folklore and spirituality.Marc Isaacs Since 2001, Marc Isaacs has made more than 18 creative documentaries for the likes of BBC, Channel 4 and Film Festivals. His films have won Grierson, Royal Television Society and BAFTA awards, as well as numerous international film festival prizes. In 2006, Marc had a retrospective at the prestigious Lussas Documentary Film Festival in France. 2008 Marc received an honorary doctorate from the University of East London for his documentary work. Marc has been a guest tutor at numerous universities and film schools in the UK and overseas, including the London Film School and the National Film and Television School. A complete box set of his films was released by Second Run DVD in 2018. His current film, The Filmmaker's House, has recently become a hit on the international festival circuit.

Life is Beautiful Young filmmaker Mohamed Jabaly is visiting a film festival in Tromsø in 2014, when the borders to his home Gaza close indefinitely and he is unable to return. Not only is he now considered stateless, but his application for an artist visa is rejected as it does not meet the qualification criteria, being a self-taught filmmaker. After several appeals, Mohamed decides to go to court and is backed by a growing group of supporters within the film industry and beyond. While waiting for the decision, Mohamed films himself and his friends and colleagues in the snow-covered serenity of the Nordic landscape as he tries to stay connected with his family in Gaza who have once again come under attack.Mohamed JabalyMohamed Jabaly is a Palestinian filmmaker, producer, and artist from Gaza City. He came to Norway in 2014 and has since made a name for himself in the international film industry. His first full-length documentary Ambulance, has been shown at several of the world's largest film festivals and has won several awards. These include the One World Media Award for Best Feature Documentary at BAFTA in 2017, the BBC Arabic Young Journalist Award, the SunBird Award at Days of Cinema in Palestine, the FIPA D'or Award, and the Jury Award for Best Documentary at FIPA in Biarritz, France in 2017. In addition to his work in filmmaking, Mohamed has conducted filmmaking workshops for young people and served on juries for several film festivals. Currently, he is pursuing his MA in Fine Art at the Oslo National Academy of Art. He holds a BA in Moving Images from Nordland Film & Art College in Northern Norway. In 2019, he joined Stray Dogs production as a director. His feature documentary Life is Beautiful - Al Haya Helwa is premiering at IDFA 2023 in its International Competition. 

World premiere: IDFA 2023 / Competition for Youth Documentary The 13-year-old Nastia is part of an elite gymnastics team in Kiev with four other girls. The girls are a tight knit group and they are best friends. Together they train hard for the upcoming Ukrainian championship. They win the championship but just one month later, war breaks out in Ukraine. Nastia has to flee with her grandmother to Germany, leaving her parents and teammates in Ukraine. In the German suburban industrial town of Gelsenkirchen Nastia has to try to create a new life. Nastia struggles to find her way since she has no idea if she will ever be able to return to Kiev, her parents and friends. But when she joins a German gymnastics team, things slowly start to brighten up. Alisa KovalenkoAlisa Kovalenko is a Ukrainian award-winning documentary director. She was born and raised in Zaporizhzhia, South-Eastern Ukraine and studied documentary cinema at the Karpenko-Kary National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television in Kyiv and at the Andrzej Wajda School in Warsaw. Her debut feature-length documentary Alisa in Warland, a personal diary through revolution and war in Ukraine, had its world premiere at IDFA 2015 First-appearance competition. Home Games, a social fairy-tale about the broken dreams of a young female football player, appeared at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2018 and was again at IDFA (Best of Fests 2018). In 2021 Home Games was the first Ukrainian creative documentary acquired by Netflix. In 2018, Alisa directed and coordinated Beautiful Game, a 10-parts documentary series commissioned by Current Time TV. Her latest documentary We Will Not Fade Away had its world premiere at Berlinale Generation 2023 and was nominated for the Berlinale Documentary AwardSimon Lereng WilmontSimon won numerous prizes among other Best First Appearance at IDFA with the feature documentary The Distant Barking of Dogs and his two previous films The Fencing Champion (2014) and Chikara – The Sumo Wrestler’s Son (2013) both premiered at IDFA, won the Jury Award for Medium length Documentary and Best Short Children Documentary Award at Al Jazeera Film Festival 2015. In 2022 Simon won the World Cinema Documentary Directing Award for A House Made of Splinters at Sundance Film Festival. The same film also got him an Academy nomination at the Oscars 2023. Simon Lereng Wilmont graduated as a Documentary Film Director from The National Danish Film School in 2009.

While the Green Grass Grows Parts 1 & 6 An audio-visual, trance-like, epic diary that looks at the miracles contained in everyday things and occurrences. Peter Mettler follows and weaves, with his own unique cinematic signature, the flow of rivers and lives that include the magnitude of the passing of his own parents and the questions of where do we all go from here – both on a personal and on a global scale.Peter MettlerFrom the very beginning of his career, Peter Mettler has created films deemed impossible to make, yet readily appreciated once they exist. A key figure in the critical wave of 80's Canadian filmmakers, Mettler produces works which elude categorization. Melding intuitive processes with drama, essay, experiment or documentation, his films hold a unique and influential position in creative expression not only in film but also in new art forms where cinema and other disciplines merge. Additional artistic activities include a wide range of ongoing engagements in music, dance and photography. Over the years Mettler has presented photographic gallery exhibitions in Europe and Canada. More recently he has been experimenting with live sound and image mixing performances with a diversity of musical artists in an extremity of locales ranging from radio theatres to dance clubs and wilderness locations. Based both in Switzerland and Canada, Mettler is a strong supporter of independent creativity, having collaborated with numerous filmmakers, artists and musicians. He is active in the development of community networks which foster and share the growth of innovative creative forms and new means of production and distribution which will allow the independent artist to reach his or her particular audience while lightening the financial and ideological pressures of the commercial market. Meditations on our world, rooted in personal experience, his works reflect the visions and wonder of their characters and audiences alike. Mettler’s films have garnered many prizes and been the focus of several retrospectives internationally.https://www.facebook.com/GrimthorpeFilmhttps://twitter.com/GrimthorpeFilmhttps://www.instagram.com/petermettlerfilm

On our Doorstep ON OUR DOORSTEP delves deep into an aspect of the ongoing refugee crisis that rarely reaches the press. With NGOs being blocked by red tape and with the absence of any positive action by French or British authorities, this film is a behind-the-scenes look at the extraordinary grassroots movement that rose to aid the Calais ‘Jungle', and the community that sprang up there, before it was forcefully demolished.​Originally arriving in the 'Jungle' as a volunteer carpenter, Thomas Laurance ended up embedding himself for a year, documenting what he saw up until the camp’s destruction. Upon returning to the UK, Thomas sourced footage from other filmmakers, activists, volunteers and refugees, weaving together a patchwork of intimate frontline experience that offers unique access to the communities of the 'Jungle'.​This is the story of what happens when young and inexperienced civilians are forced to devise systems and structures to support 10,000 refugees; and are left unguided to face the moral and emotional dilemmas, blurred lines and frequent grey areas of giving aid to vulnerable people. ON OUR DOORSTEP stands as a reminder of the continuing work ordinary civilians do to help those forced to seek safety away from home.Thomas Laurence Thomas Laurance is an award-winning, UK-based writer/director of documentary and fiction.After studying direction at the Northern Film School in Leeds and screenwriting at FAMU in Prague, his graduation short, THE BOTTLE, won Best Film at the 2013 Horizon Film Festival. He followed up with the deeply personal, vérité documentary, WILLIAM LAURANCE & SONS MARINE ENGINEERS, which featured at Sheffield Doc Fest 2015. In addition to writing and directing, Thomas has worked as a a set and scenery carpenter and a model and prop maker on films such as Tim Burton's DUMBO. This skillset proved very useful in the informal refugee camp known as the Calais 'Jungle' where Thomas volunteered in 2016.Initially planning to stay for just a week, Thomas ended up embedding himself in Calais for a year, compelled to continue helping the people he met there and to bear witness. ON OUR DOORSTEP is the product of that endeavour and a reminder of the continuing work ordinary civilians do to help those forced to seek safety away from home.Thomas is currently working on a screenplay that will be the basis for his return to directing fiction.

Prince of Muck The hilly island of Muck, just off the west coast of Scotland, has been owned by the MacEwen family for more than a century. After decades of devoting himself to caring for the island, Lawrence MacEwen has now passed it on to his son. Lawrence still takes a cold bath every day, and writes in his diary—though the pages are not as full as they once were.Days in the life of this formal but cheerful man unfold to the rhythm of the island in Dutch filmmaker Cindy Jansen’s calm, observational shots. Lawrence hugs the cows, drives cattle with his grandchildren, and reads out extracts from his diaries that span decades, applying the same methodical approach to his notations of wind directions and deaths.The younger generation is taking its own path, and Lawrence must accept that he is reaching the end of his own. In the growing awareness that the future belongs to others, he casts his gaze back in time, reciting the poetry and tide tables that he learned by heart as a child.Cindy Jansen CINDY JANSEN (Veghel, NL, 1976) Lives and works in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Jansen graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts in Arnhem (NL), Milan (I) and the International Script Development and Directors Program of the Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam (NL). Jansen showed her films at several national and international film festivals, among which Hamburg, Rotterdam and Edinburgh. Her videos and photo works were presented in multiple group- and solo-exhibitions, like Loop '05 Barcelona (ES), Noorderlicht Photo Festival Groningen (NL), and Gerhard Hofland Gallery, Amsterdam.After Jansen’s attendance of the Binger Filmlab (2007), she was selected for the Berlinale Talent Campus and started to build an international network that has resulted in a prize winning cooperation with Addie Reiss, the cinematographer on her short film Come Spring. In the years that followed, Jansen made controversial films such as Don’t hit me I love you and With Love. The documentary Auld Lang Syne premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) in 2015 and was nominated for a Golden Calf at the Netherlands Film Festival in the same year. In cooperation with production company De Productie and Faction North (UK). Jansen’s first full length feature documentary, Prince of Muck had a World Premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival in 2021 and an International Premiere at the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam. The film will was released in Dutch cinemas in January 2022, shown on BBC Scotland and BBC4 and can be seen worldwide via Amazon Prime Video. Together with production company Witfilm, Jansen is now developing the feature fiction film Clockwork Universe.Jansen's films and videos vary from non-linear narrations to more fragmented artworks that find their platform in both the art scene and film festivals. She is known for her cinematic framing, contemplative style and slow-burn reveal editing.