Program Series: Relations

Filmmaker Andrea Arnold is back with a new masterpiece, filled with gritty social realism and heartwarming humanism. Twelve-year-old Bailey lives in poverty with her half-brother Hunter and irresponsible father, Bug. One day, she meets a mysterious man who calls himself Bird. He seems to be a free-spirited and eccentric soul searching for his roots. It doesn’t take long before Bailey and Bird form a strong bond—one that becomes crucial for both of them as they navigate their harsh surroundings.

In the summer of 1942, Hilde falls in love with Hans. Despite the war, they have a wonderful time together, and she becomes pregnant. At the same time, Hilde and Hans are central figures in the German resistance movement, and she is imprisoned. The film further portrays how Hilde tries to come to terms with her fate as a new mother and as a support for other women in prison

Pansy has a volatile temper. Even the smallest provocation can trigger an outburst of rage, affecting everyone around her—whether close family members or strangers at the store. She lives with her husband, Curtley, and their adult son, Moses, both of whom meet Pansy’s anger with quiet resignation. She finds comfort in her close bond with her sister, Chantelle, who in many ways is her complete opposite.

In Hjem kære hjem (Home Sweet Home), we meet Sofie, a 32-year-old single mother seeking a fresh start in life. Together with her 10-year-old daughter, Clara, she moves to a small community in Southern Jutland and begins working as a home care assistant. Sofie finds meaning in the relationships she builds with the elderly she helps and in a job that gives her a sense of making a difference. Unfortunately, the job is not without challenges. When an unfounded complaint from a relative turns her world upside down, Sofie must balance caring for others with her responsibility to her daughter.

The French teenager Totone wastes his summer days on drinking and partying with his friends, and like many other teenagers, he is on the lookout for love. When his life is turned upside down and he suddenly has to raise his 7-year-old sister alone, the need to make money arises. Totone sees no other way out than to follow in his father's footsteps and try the only thing he knows: cheese-making. With his friends and little sister on his team, Totone attempts to make the world's best Comté cheese.

Audrey Benac is a young academic who, through a family connection, decides to delve into the music and history of Canadian violinist Kathleen Parlow. Parlow left behind only fragments of her successful career but was once known as "The Lady of the Golden Bow".

Paying for It is an honest and humorous film about love, identity, and sex work. It follows cartoonist Chester, who, after a breakup with his girlfriend Soon-Yin, begins exploring new forms of intimacy through encounters with sex workers. With a sober yet empathetic approach, the film portrays loneliness, desire, and self-understanding.

Samia, a young girl from Mogadishu, Somalia, has a passion: she loves to run! From childhood, she runs through the streets of Mogadishu, despite the fact that the fundamentalist regime in the country forbids women from running.

Her talent is noticed, and in the 2008 Olympics, she competes in the 200-meter race for her country wearing borrowed shoes. This brings her international attention, making her a symbol of women's struggle for the freedom to control their own lives and dreams.

In 1944, deserter Pietro arrives in the small, secluded Italian Alpine village of Vermiglio. He falls in love with Lucia, the eldest daughter of the respected village teacher, Cesare. Their love story provokes strong reactions among the villagers, as Vermiglio is a place with deep-rooted traditions where time seems to have stood still for decades.

In this Taiwanese drama, we meet Ai-Lee and Yen, a mother and daughter whose lives are turned upside down by a tragic event. What remains of their family makes daily life—and each other—challenging to navigate.