IMAGINE INDIA

INTERMEDIAE – From the 22^nd-24^th of May. Free Entry   Imagineindia International Film Festival, held at Intermediae for its 12^th edition, presents the films Janadesh (The Town’s Verdict), which is about the struggle, in India, for a fairer redistribution of land; Eldra, the story of Gypsy children from Wales and Achal (The Statue), that tells us about the aspirations of a group of friends who barely get by on Calcutta’s mean streets.   In addition to these screenings, Imagineindia also offers the festival’s competitive selection in other venues, such as Filmoteca Española, Centro Ruso and the Cineteca at Matadero. This includes a Walter Heynowski and Gerhard Scheumann retrospective, a Marlen Khutsiyev retrospective and films about Australian Aboriginal art.   After twelve years of uninterrupted Imagineindia it has become one of the largest film festivals in Madrid, as well as going on to tour in other Spanish cities with part of its program in cities, such as Barcelona, Bilbao, and Zaragoza.   Perhaps it’s something in the word imagine that is responsible for this? Anyway come and see for yourself. Imagine.   Wednesday, 22^nd of May 19–21h   JANADESH (The Town’s Verdict) Documentaries Section Enric Alvarz, Oriol Ampuero. 58 min. 2012. Spain.   Janadesh is the most important non-violent campaign and struggle that has occurred since the Gandhi era. For thirty days, 25,000 women and men from the most deprived areas of India go on foot along the 350km of motorway that separate the city of Gwalior from the Parliamentary building in Dehli. The goal: to start a mass hunger strike and to demand a fair redistribution of land.   These unarmed fighters think that sacrifice, discipline and personal suffering are better tools than guns to instigate social change. They know that exposing themselves to the violence of their opponent without fighting back involves great danger, but they also know that action is worth more than tonnes of preaching.   Confronted with the courage shown by the walkers, the Indian government, more concerned about showing itself off, as a powerful emerging economy and the global epicentre of mysticism, will be forced to respond.     ELDRA Gypsy Cinema Section Timothy Lyn. 69mins. 2003. Starring: Iona Wyn Jones, Rhys Richards, Leisa Mereid. Great Britain.   Eldra is a gypsy girl in Wales, who spends most of her time following a wild fox around. Robat, a smart boy from a higher social class, is crazy about Eldra. Taid, Tobat’s older brother makes every effort to push his relentless negativity on to everyone he comes across, particularly when it comes to Eldra and her family. In the summer holidays, Robat tries to get it on with Eldra, while she concentrates on improving the life of the fox.   ACHAL (THE STATUE) Competition Section Bikramjit Gupta. 70min. 2011.   Cast: Krishna Bairagi, Taranga Sarkar, Subir Banerjee, Bindia Ghosh. India.   Achal is the story of different characters, who are barely getting by on the mean streets of Calcutta. Krishna makes a living as a living statue while Rasu sells masks. The film recants the aspirations of Krishna, Rasu and their friends.   CINETECA – 25^th to the 27^th of May. Sala Azcona, 3,5 €.   Saturday 25^th of May. 20h   Program 1   ART & SOUL 1 Warwick Thornton / 55 / 2010 / Australia   A journey through the Australian Aboriginal art world of the Torres Strait. The charismatic curator Hetti Perkins takes us on a trip into the ideas and imaginings that reveal the diversity of Australian Aboriginal life. Their memories, stories, and paintings that reflect a past that is far more than complicated. To survive or disappear. Through art.   DAAK NOUKA Rohitaswa / 26/ 2012 / India   Daak Nouka is the name of a fishing boat. A long time ago, a father ventured far into the sea and came across a shipwreck. The people with him didn’t return. Now time passes very slowly. Some still ask if the men have returned.   Sunday the 26^th of May. 18h   Program 2   ROUYIDAN DAN BAD /GROWING IN THE WIND Rahbar Ghanbari / 82 / 2012 / Iran   A good student at the winter camp, Aslan, misses his chance to take his final exams due to problems with his father. Now he has to study while watching over the flock, and study almost on the go. At the same time he feels an obligation to learn about the life of a shepherd, who is older than him, and who has fallen for his sister. Aslan will tell him how to be a “man” worthy of his sister’s affections.   PAHADA / THE WAIT Niranjan Kumar Kujur / 11 / 2012 / India   Set upon the background of the Naxalite terrorist attacks and the army’s response to them and in a remote village in Jharkhand, India, a child waits for his father.   20h   Program 3   ART & SOULD 2 Warwick Thornton / 55 / 201 / Australia   A journey through the Australian Aboriginal art world of the Torres Strait. The charismatic curator Hetti Perkins takes us on a trip into the ideas and imaginings that reveal the diversity of Australian Aboriginal life. Their memories, stories, and paintings that reflect a past that is far more than complicated. To survive or disappear. Through art.   BETWEEN THE RAINS Samimitra Das / 27 / 2012 / India   In the maelstrom city of Calcutta, a woman is abandoned at a train station. A taxi driver has to drive his boss to see his wife, who is a workaholic. The paths of all four of them will cross, but not as expected.   Monday the 27^th of May 20h   Program 4   CEUTA , DOUCE PRISON Johnathan Millet and Loic H. Rechi / 90 / 2012 / France   The film tells the story of the paths chosen by 5 immigrants that arrive to Ceuta. They have left everything behind them to try their luck in Europe. However, they end up incarcerated in an open-air prison with the sea in the background, at the gates of Europe. Fears and desires sometimes come to an abrupt ending.   DUALITY Abhilash Vijayan / 12 / 2012 / India   In a remote corner of India the army is in the process of clearing out the terrorists hiding in the forest. The town has its own opinion about this process. The barber is a silent character, who one day has the military’s leader as his client.