2017 Festival Cinema Invisible

Proctor's GE Theatre, Schenectady (NY)

April 22— April 232017

The 6th annual Festival Cinema Invisible (FCI) International Film Festival will be held at Proctor’s GE Theater in Schenectady, NY on Saturday, April 22nd and Sunday, April 23, 2017.

The 6th edition brings 58 world, US and regional film premiers from Persian-speaking communities and the greater Middle East region to the capital region.

The 2017 program highlights animation, documentaries and dramas from the Middle East.

Featured directors Anne Paq, Ala Qandil, Daby-Zainab Faidhi come to Schenectady to present their films “Gaza: A Gaping Wound” and “The Black Land”.

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Program

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Saturday April 22, 2017
Session 1 // 10:00 am - 11:45 am
Women In The Arts

This screening features a satirical short about an actor in a casting session and a documentary on four female dancers in the primarily Muslim country of Tajikistan.
- Zugzwang
  2015, Lebanon, Perla Joe Maalouli
  7 minutes, Short
- After the Curtain
  2015, Tajikistan, USA, Emelie Mahdavian
  70 minutes, Documentary
Show schedule details
Session 2 // 12:00 am - 1:45 pm
Fighting The Patriarchy

This screening features two films a short about a young woman attempting to start her own business and a documentary on a woman who survived an acid attack in Iran.
- Zaina's Cake
  2015, Saudi Arabia, Nada AlMojadedi
  18 minutes, Short
- Masoumeh
  2015, Iran, Sona Moghadam
  69 minutes, Documentary
Show schedule details
Session 3 // 2:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Twists And Turns

This screening features a series of short dramatic films with a common theme of things not being what they seem.
- Parasol
  2016, Tunisia, Youssef Ksentini
  6 minutes, Short
- Tomorrow After Yesterday
  2014, Iran, Behzad Molud
  13 minutes, Short
- Civil War
  2016, Iran, Masih Salehi
  1 minute, Short
- Building No. 13
  2016, Iran, Amir Gholami
  11 minutes, Short
- A Bottle of Milk
  2016, Iran, Amirreza Amjadi
  25 minutes, Short
- Caravan
  2016, Qatar, Suzannah Mirghani
  8 minutes, Short
- Lunar
  2016, Egypt, Alaa din Assem
  5 minutes, Short
- About Arif
  2016, Turkey, Hasan Kalender
  12 minutes, Short
- Mask
  2016, Turkey, Özgür Can Uzunyaşa
  14 minutes, Short
- The Bone
  2016, Turkey, Volkan Güney Eker
  5 minutes, Short
- It's only three nails!! Saturn Devouring His Son
  2015, Syria, Ahmad Al Hajj
  7 minutes, Short
- Syria
  2016, Belgium, Halla Nejm
  4 minutes, Short
- Benjamin's brother - Story about a broken heart
  2015, Israel, TSFM Noam Sharon/Tal Rosenthal
  3 minutes, Short
Show schedule details
Break // 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Session 4 // 5:00 pm - 6:45 pm
Rural Tales

This screening features two dramatic films where the protagonist faces intriguing challenges in a small town.
- The Bridge
  2016, Iran, Reza Jamali
  11 minutes, Short
- Fairy Wellspring
  2016, Iran, Jalal Nasiry Hanis
  74 minutes, Feature
Show schedule details
Session 5 // 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Traditions and Transitions (Documenting The Arts)

This screening features several documentaries on multiple artistic disciplines.
- The Apprentice
  2014, Turkey, Tayfun Belet
  22 minutes, Documentary
- Meels and Felts
  2015, Iran, Leila Khalilzadeh
  21 minutes, Documentary
- Kayeh
  2015, Iran, Keivan Mohseni
  15 minutes, Documentary
- A Whistle Comes From Far Away
  2016, Turkey, Burak Dogan
  16 minutes, Documentary
- Skipper Soleyman
  2016, Iran, Sa’adat ali Saeed Pour
  25 minutes, Documentary
Show schedule details
Sunday April 23, 2017
Session 1 // 10:00 am - 11:45 am
Visions and Voices

This screening features a documentary on a woman working outside the established lines in Egypt and a documentary on two women in Jordan who are redefining journalistic norms there.
- Zainab
  2016, Egypt, Morad El-Sayed
  19 minutes, Documentary
- Voice of the Valley
  2015, Jordan, Leila Jarman
  51 minutes, Documentary
Show schedule details
Session 2 // 12:00 am - 1:45 pm
War Stories

This screening features short documentaries and dramas with a common theme of war.
- Siege
  2016, Turkey, Thaer Al Shamali (Mahmoud Al Jabaly)
  2 minutes, Documentary, Short
- Eyes In Qaah
  2015, Syria, Tamim Kalash
  26 minutes, Documentary, Short
- Dar al-Harb
  2016, Germany, Rene Colling - Jan Fabi
  6 minutes, Documentary, Short
- Gaza: A Gaping Wound
  2016, Palestine, Poland, Anne Paq
  14 minutes, Documentary, Short
- NGO
  2016, Iraq, UK, Dr. Sam Christie
  6 minutes, Documentary, Short
- Dyab
  2016, Iraq, Mazin M Sherabayani
  20 minutes, Documentary, Short
- Good Morning
  2016, Syria, Alhasan Yousef
  12 minutes, Documentary, Short
- Hope
  2016, Afghanistan, Canada, Salar Pashtoonyar
  1 minute, Documentary, Short
Show schedule details
Session 3 // 2:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Actions and Decisions

This screening features a series of short dramatic films with a common theme of actions and decisions leading to unexpected endings.
- Temptation
  2016, Iran, Armin Mahmoudi
  4 minutes, Short
- South Pole
  2016, Turkey, Emin Akpinar
  5 minutes, Short
- Unidentified
  2016, Turkey, Vedat Oyan
  9 minutes, Short
- Six O'Clock
  2016, Iran, Keivan Mohseni
  9 minutes, Short
- The Fountain Pen
  2016, Iran, Armin Keshvaripour
  10 minutes, Short
- Let's Rock
  2016, Morocco, Younes Yousfi
  5 minutes, Short
- Stains
  2016, Iran, Sara Koozehchian
  31 minutes, Short
- All The Things Father Had
  2016, Iran, Vahid Alimardani
  6 minutes, Short
- Kite
  2016, Iran, Eiraj Afkar
  1 minute, Short
Show schedule details
Break // 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Session 4 // 5:00 pm - 6:45 pm
Animation

This screening features a series of some of the best new short animated films from the Middle East.
- Genesis
  2016, Turkey, Onur Senturk
  2 minutes, Animation, Short
- Little Thing
  2016, Israel, Or Kantor
  5 minutes, Animation, Short
- The Empty Page
  2016, Iran, Siavash Khodaei
  13 minutes, Animation, Short
- The Suit
  2016, Iran, USA, Moreno Nour
  3 minutes, Animation, Short
- Fastaqim
  2016, Syria, Turkey, Abdullah Al Dasuki
  3 minutes, Animation, Short
- Light Sight
  2016, Iran, Seyed M. Tabatabaei
  8 minutes, Animation, Short
- The Switchman
  2016, Iran, Mehdi Khoramian
  10 minutes, Animation, Short
- The Black Land
  2015, Iraq, Daby-Zainab Faidhi
  5 minutes, Animation, Short
- Arkhe
  2016, Turkey, Batuhan Köksal
  11 minutes, Animation, Short
- Junk Girl
  2015, Iran, Mohammad Zare
  16 minutes, Animation, Short
- So What
  2010, Iraq, Jasim Mohammed
  3 minutes, Animation, Short
- For Freedom
  2016, Iran, Ahmad Khoshniat
  4 minutes, Animation, Short
- Man Idol Cat
  2013, Iran, Mahnaz Yazdani
  2 minutes, Animation, Short
- In Other Words
  2015, Israel, Tal Kantor
  6 minutes, Animation, Short
- Mouse and Cat
  2016, Iran, Ahura Shahbazi
  5 minutes, Animation, Short
Show schedule details
Closing Statements // 6:45 pm - 6:55 pm

Films

Directors

TSFM Noam Sharon/Tal Rosenthal

Sa’adat ali Saeed Pour

Morad El-Sayed

Leila Jarman

Thaer Al Shamali (Mahmoud Al Jabaly)

Interviews

In Conversation with Sona Moghadam

(“Masoumeh”, 2015. Iran, Sona Moghadam) What inspired you to make this film? Violence and crime of the modern age and their destructive effects, especially on women. What do you want American audiences to know about this film or about the […] Read more

In Conversation with Behzad Moloud

(“Tomorrow After Yesterday”, 2014. Iran, Behzad Moloud) What inspired you to make this film? I like making independent films, and I have been always looking for new and different ideas. ‘Tomorrow After Yesterday’ reflects all my experience in... Read more

In Conversation with Hasan Kalender

(“About Arif“, 2016. Turkey, Hasan Kalender) What inspired you to make this film? When I was a kid, among my friends, I used to feel most close to a kid with Down Syndrome. People with Down Syndrome are not cunning; […] Read more

In Conversation with Halla Nejm

(“Syria”, 2016, Belgium, Halla Nejm) What inspired you to make this film? Violence and crime of the modern age and their destructive effects, especially on women. What do you want American audiences to know about this film or about the […] Read more

In Conversation with Leila Jarman

(“Voice of Valley”, 2015. Jordan, Leila Jarman) What inspired you to make this film? I was taking a sort of broad strokes Middle Eastern history class in my senior year of college and wanted to find a more direct and […] Read more

In Conversation with Thaer Al Shamali

(“Siege”, 2016, Syria, Thaer Al Shamali) How did you learn about FCI film festival? From Film free Way website It was a beautiful opportunity to learn about your festival It is impressive that you have been able to put so […] Read more

In Conversation with Tamim Kalash

(“Eyes in Qaah”, 2015, Syria, Tamim Kalash) What inspired you to make this film? The songs of Katia and Fatima (The film’s main characters) embody the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom and a decent life, as well as […] Read more

In Conversation with Anne Peq

(“Gaza: A Gaping Wound”, 2015, Poland/Palestine, Anne Peq) What inspired you to make this film? During the 2014 Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip, 142 Palestinian families lost three or more members. While covering the events, photographer Anne Paq... Read more

In Conversation with Dr. Sam Christie

(“NGO“,2016. Iraq/UK, Dr Sam Christie) What inspired you to make this film? I have just returned from a three month stay in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, indeed, I’m officially a resident at the moment and am trying to go […] Read more

In Conversation with Keivan Mohseni

(“Six O’clock” 2016, Iran, Keivan Mohseni) What inspired you to make this film? Iranian professional cinema has worked very weakly in this genre. Our aim was to make an action film with a low budget in order to show that […] Read more

In Conversation with Mehdi Khoramian

(“The Switchman”, 2016, Iran, Mehdi Khoramian) How did you learn about FCI film festival? I got to know the FCI festival through the platform film free way. Do you currently live and work in Iran? I live in Iran. I […] Read more

Press page

Program

Saturday April 22, 2017

Women In The Arts

Fighting The Patriarchy

Twists And Turns

Rural Tales

Traditions and Transitions (Documenting The Arts)

Sunday April 23, 2017

Visions and Voices

War Stories

Actions and Decisions

Animation

Films

Directors

Interviews