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Africa

A SEASON IN FRANCE [UNE SAISON EN FRANCE – FRANCE], THU 3 OCTOBER, 8PM

By archive, Season 21 films

The pride, pain and desperation of an educated African refugee family in France is portrayed with compassion and a sharp edge.  For the college professor at the heart of this searching film, his loss of dignity is the most bitter pill.

Abbas, a college professor and father of two, seeks political asylum in France after fleeing the civil war that has raged in the Central African Republic since 2013. Widowed when his wife died in attempting to escape the country with him, he has since met Carole, who consoles him in his anguish at the French immigration system.

Two years of waiting finally elicit a response from the authorities. Everything he holds dear, including his hopes for both his future and those of his children, lie in their decision. Compelling performances from both lead actors, while director Haroun masterfully contrasts the intimacy of human relationships with the cold bureaucracy of a vast, impersonal system.

A deeply felt, compassionate film about refugees who find that one of their bitterest abasements is the loss of dignity and status.The Guardian ★★★

A jolting drama with the most shocking scene of the year.The Irish Times ★★★

The film builds toward an explicit condemnation of Europe’s handling of the refugee crisis, encouraging the viewer’s fury at the family’s forced circumstances. – The New York Times

Warm and subtly heartbreaking, offering a moving vision of life for those stuck in legal and emotional limbo. – The Hollywood Reporter

France, 2017 | Language: France | 100 minutes | Cert: 12A

Director: Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

Cast: Eriq Ebouaney, Sandrine Bonnaire, Aalayna Lys, Bibi Tanga, Ibrahim Burama Darboe

I AM NOT A WITCH [ZAMBIA], THU 15 MARCH, 8PM

By archive, Season 18 films

A knockout and captivatingly beautiful debut film.

Zambian-born, Welsh-reared director Rungano Nyoni is set to make her mark on British cinema with her ground-breaking first feature. Sharply satirical and boldly provocative, the film garnered incredible praise from audiences and critics alike at the Cannes 2017 Directors’ Fortnight.

When eight-year-old Shula turns up alone and unannounced in a rural Zambian village, the locals are suspicious. A minor incident escalates to a full-blown witch trial, where she is found guilty and sentenced to life on a state-run witch camp. There, she is tethered to a long white ribbon and told that if she ever tries to run away, she will be transformed into a goat. As the days pass, Shula begins to settle into her new community, but a threat looms on the horizon. Soon she is forced to make a difficult decision – whether to resign herself to life on the camp, or take a risk for freedom. At times moving, often funny and occasionally surreal, I Am Not a Witch offers spellbinding storytelling with flashes of anarchic humour. Audacious and unforgettable, it showcases Rungano Nyoni as a fresh and fearless new voice in British film.

Watch Mark Kermode’s video review.

Click here for official website.

a knockout debut ★★★★ The Irish Times

UK, France, Zambia, 2017 | Language: French, English, Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga | 93 minutes |Cert: 12A

Director:  Rungano Nyoni

Cast:  Margaret Mulubwa, Henry Phiri, Nancy Mulilo, John Tembo

A short animated Irish film, Deposits, will be shown before the feature.