Filmhighlights and Guests
In „God exists, her Name is Petrunya“, jobless Petrunya challenges her patriarchal orthodox-catholic community in northern Macedonia; the 16 times awarded feature film by director Teona Strugar Mitevska was nominated for the Golden Bear at Berlinale 2019 and is based on a true story.
Another film inspired by true events is “Nur eine Frau – Only a Woman”; the feature film about the “honor” killing of a young German-Turkish woman named Hatun Aynur Sürücü will be accompanied at the festival by producer Sandra Maischberger.
In the moving thriller “Stitches” – Šavovi", Ana uncovers the true scandal of abduction of children on a massive scale in Serbia; producer Milena Garfield will introduce in Tuebingen the ten-times award winning film which premiered at Berlinale 2019.
Fresh from Venice comes “The Perfect Candidate” from Haifaa al Mansour (“Wadjda”), nominated for the Golden Lion and Saudi Arabia’s nominee for the Oscars 2020, about Saudi women’s fight for equality.
In Morocco’s candidate for the 2020 Academy Awards “Adam”, two women living on the fringes of society learn to live in solidarity with each other: the widow Abla and unmarried and pregnant Samia, who is seen as a moral disgrace by her religiously charged environment.
The Austrian comedy “What Have We Done to Deserve This?” takes a satirical-critical look at Islamic and right-wing fundamentalism, without sparing multicultural, liberal and feminist society. Director Eva Spreitzhofer will join us for various conversations with the audience.
Focus “Religious Fundamentalisms”
Apart from the film highlights presented – God exists, her Name is Petrunya; Only a Woman; The Perfect Candidate; Adam; What Have We Done to Deserve This?, – other moving films will shed light on this key topic.
In the award-winning drama „For a Happy Life“ two young people in love from different family backgrounds – he is of Pakistani, she of Algerian descent – try to fight for their love in defiance of the forced marriage to a different partner arranged by the family.
And in the breathtaking documentary „Let it be law“ nominated for an award at the Cannes film festival, we experience the passionate battlecry of the Argentinian women against the catholic and fundamentalist evangelical patriarchy and its steadfast opposition of legal, safe abortion – despite the catastrophic results with often deadly consequences for women.
Focus “Exit from Prostitution - Now!”
This key topic will be highlighted particularly in our special
events. With respect to the issue of prostitution, it is extreme
to what extend myths are circulating in the minds and also the
media, which disregard the severe forms of violence experienced
by women forced into prostitution. So it seems urgent to confront
these myths with different reality checks by the ones who are
grappling with exactly these structures and relations of power
and violence on a daily basis. In panel conversations experimented
participants will examine the complex connections between the
prostitution market, gender relations in general and exit options
For many years, TERRE DES FEMMES brought the issue of forced prostitution
and prostitution due to poverty into the public eye. This year,
in celebration of the “International Day for the Elimination
of Violence Against Women”, TERRE DES FEMMES raises her flag under the motto #sex
is priceless. For a world without prostitution. A closer look will be taken at the so-called „Loverboy-method“,
which is often used to lure school girls in Germany into prostitution.
Experts will join our panel on „Stop buying Sex – Now!“: Sandra Norak, who survived the „Loverboy-method” and is now at the end of her law studies; Commissioner Simon Häggström, who has for more than 10 years enforced the legal ban of buying sex in Sweden, as well as his colleague Helmut Sporer from Augsburg, who has been an expert in the hearings of the European parliament on this issue together with Simon Häggström. We will also be joined by Inge Bell who is an activist and journalist fighting against prostitution; she is also member of TERRE DES FEMMES’ and SOLWODI’s executive board.
Other conversations will feature representatives from „Sisters
e.V. – for an exit from prostitution“, an organisation
that helps prostituted women to exit prostitution and tries to
evoke a change of mind in our society. Moreover, the campaign “#ichbinkeinfreier – #Iamnotapunter” will
be presented by their activists, who try to provoke debate within
society and promote positive images of emancipated masculinity.
