Still: Coo-rage - Alina Milkina

First in line of the Dutch short selection at BFI is Alina Milkina's Coo-rage*(prod. Spotted Bird), in which unwanted pigeons demand their right to housing. The debut short animation is included in the Family Program and will celebrate its international premiere in London, after it recently world premiered at the Netherlands Film Festival. Her graduation film Morning Grass screened at many festivals, among them are Annecy, Cinanima Espinho and Animist Talinn. Festival distribution is handled by Kaboom Distribution. 

For migrant communities joy is political, and in London's underground Asian rave scene there's a new generation of rhythmic resistance unfolding in Midnight Rising by Aileen Ye. It is part of the Shorts program. Earlier festival selections include Aesthetica Short Film Festival, Ann Arbor Film Festival and Dublin International Film Festival where it was awarded the prize for Best International Short Documentary. 

At the Verge of the Worldlessness by Alaa Abu Asad will have its UK festival premiere in the Experimenta program at BFI. The short film screened before at the Images Festival in Toronto and the Instant Modernism exhibition at the Qattan Foundation. Relying on the sound edits and its effects, this stop motion video tries to delve deeper into understanding the photograph, exceeding its specific time and place, and exposing what lies beyond what is seen in each image.

A range of (minority) co-productions have also been selected for BFI. They are taking part in different program sections: 

Special Screening
All We Imagine as Light* by Payal Kapadia
NL Co-producer: BALDR Film
Sales: Luxbox

First Feature Competition
To a Land Unknown by Mahdi Fleifel
NL Co-producer Studio Ruba

Love in all its glory
When the Light Breaks**  by Rúnar Rúnarsson
NL Co-producer: Revolver 
Sales: The Party Fim Sales

Debate
The Invasion by Sergei Loznitsa
NL Prod: Atoms & Void

Youth (Homecoming) by Wang Bing
NL Co-producer: Volya Films
Sales: Pyramide Films

Dare
The Nights Still Smells of Gunpowder by Inadelso Cossa
NL Co-producer: BALDR Film

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat* by Johan Grimonprez
NL Co-producer: BALDR Film
Sales: Mediawan

Viet and Nam* by Truong Minh Quý
NL Co-producer: An Original Picture
Sales: Pyramide Films

Expanded
VR: Soul Paint by Niki Smit & Sarah Ticho
NL producer: Monobanda

For more information on BFI London Film Festival 2024, click here.

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*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
**Film is supported by the Production Incentive