Bridges, East of the West FIlm Fest

From 17 to 21 January BOZAR is organising Bridges, East of the West Film Fest, dedicated to cinema from the countries on Europe’s eastern fringes:  Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Belarus.  These countries, newly liberated from Soviet aesthetics and ideology, draw their cultural heritage from both Russian and European history, and for a number of years now have been producing films as varied as they are prolific.

Festivals such as Locarno, Karlovy Vary, and Rotterdam regularly programme films from these regions but they rarely make it to our screens, making this five-day festival, with the filmmakers present, a rare opportunity for the public to discover a little-known cinema that draws on a long and rich tradition.

Following on from Ukraine on Film (organised in 2015 and 2016), Bridges is the new annual rendez-vous proposed by BOZAR.

The Festival will open with Wild Horses of Fire (also known as Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors) by Paradjanov, produced and shot in Ukraine – an emblematic choice, as this director of Armenian nationality was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, and has filmed in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine.  

Ukraine and Georgia feature prominently in the programming. With its militant cinema, Ukraine has been at the centre of exciting artistic expression since 2010, and especially since 2014 and the Euromaidan Revolution.

Georgian cinema is one of social observation and introspection, looking at the family, landscapes and traditions threatened by the opening up of borders. A special place will be reserved for women filmmakers who have played such an important role in this new cinema, often portraying heroines seeking to free themselves from the weight of tradition. BOZAR will be welcoming members of this young generation of women filmmakers.

Finally, the more modest cinema production of Azerbaijan and Armenia will come under the spotlight, offering yet more intriguing films to discover and enjoy.

Good to know:

• Full programme click here
• Pass: 15€
• Opening: 8€
• Film: 6€
• Coproduction : BOZAR CINEMA / Art House Trafik / Georgian National Film Centre.
• Partners: Embassy of Georgia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldavia and Withe-Russia.