1:00 – 2:45 PM | Cinema #8 | Stories of Life, Memory and Identity | 🟡 13+
« PROGRAM 1: REALITIES & VISIONS | » PROGRAM 3: SHADOWS & SECRETS
The Most Beautiful Among Mothers
Mahmoud Abu Jazi (Palestine)
North America Premiere
The film centers on a mother whose life has been reduced to a single, anxious ritual: sitting by the window each day, waiting for her only son to return. Living within the 48 Palestinian community, where violence has sharply increased, her stillness is not peace but tension. Though she does nothing but wait, fear steadily consumes her—an ever-present dread that at any moment someone may arrive with devastating news.
15:26
Whispers of Home
Sahar Ghorishi (USA)
California Premiere
A mother and daughter struggle to live in harmony as they both want different things and have different definitions of freedom. This story addresses the migration and displacement of Iranian
women.
16:56
Hysteria
Miriam Carlsen (Denmark)
Houda (27) has suffered for years from severe abdominal pain, repeatedly dismissed as “just menstrual” despite its intensity. As her condition worsens, it begins to strain both her work and her relationship with her boyfriend, Teo. Only after she is found unconscious is she finally taken seriously—and ultimately diagnosed with endometriosis.
19:08
Nan
Lily Ellora Newton (USA)
It’s 1964. Nan’s husband skips town, she’s left with three daughters, no car, and no income. Determined to hold her family together and maintain the appearance of a perfect mother, she steps into the workforce for the first time—and she begins to find her voice.
16:20
Azul
Santos Arrué (USA)
After the sudden death of her sister Yahritza, 17-year-old Azul becomes isolated from her family, holding onto small memories as she struggles with grief. Drawn to a group of lady lowriders, she follows them and meets Estella, who invites her in. After a turbulent funeral, Azul turns to the club, finding connection, healing, and a new path forward on the streets of LA.
15:15
Outrage!
Ivette Ivanova (Bulgaria)
North America Premiere
A school teacher ignites an online controversy, and the digital world immediately rushes to share opinions, often before fully understanding the causes being championed or dismissed. A huge scandal is born. But in the tumultuous times we inhabit, diverting attention away from controversy may be just as easy—if not easier—than causing it in the first place.
18:09
Total runtime: 1h 42m
« PROGRAM 1: REALITIES & VISIONS | » PROGRAM 3: SHADOWS & SECRETS
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