Interviews – Page 28 – European Children's Film Association

Alena Rubinstein & Evgenia Jatskina about IT IS NOT FOREVER

“Families have become matriarchates”

IT IS NOT FOREVER (ECFA Award at the Spirit Of Fire Festival in Khanty-Mansiysk, Russia) combines several stories of children living in a Russian orphanage, all of them trying in their own way to achieve what they dream of most: finding a family. And all are waiting to prove they have love to share. But for some of them, the waiting has been too long. The Filem’on Festival offered a rare opportunity to meet with both directors Alena Rubinstein and Evgenia Jatskina. But how was it for them?

Julio Bárcenas S. about EMMA

“Funny, not dogmatic”

Ever since Emma was hit in the face by a ball on the day of her communion, she has been convinced she is to become a ‘saint’. Or maybe a football player. The nuns at school are surprised about Emma’s ambition, and at home she is facing even more misunderstanding. Maybe she needs indeed to adjust her dream, just a tiny little bit. The Schlingel Festival was the first occasion for Mexican director Julio Bárcenas S. to screen his film on the European continent.

Mischa Kamp & Tamara Bos about ROMY’S SALON

“Bakers and butchers are disappearing, but hair salons are still there”

Every day after school, 10 year old Romy reluctantly stays with her grandma, who works as a hairdresser and has her own salon. Grandma Stine, stiff and strict, has no time for her granddaughter. Until Romy realises that grandma often is messing things up. Gradually they grow closer while Romy is helping her with the new cash register. ROMY’S SALON is a heart-felt story about a grandchild standing strong when grandma is showing symptoms of dementia.

Judy Naidoo about KINGS OF MULBERRY STREET

“We only had one car to blow up”

Welcome to Mulberry Street in Durban, South-Africa. When Babu and his father are moving in, meeting Ticky – the boy next door – is unavoidable. Ticky is wild and cheeky, his role models are all Bollywood movie heroes, while Babu is introverted and well-educated. An odd duo, sharing a passion for crazy adventures. But the biggest adventure is yet to come, when the boys take on the fight against nasty neighbourhood gangster Raja. KINGS OF MULBERRY STREET, directed by Judy Naidoo, serves a cocktail of vibrant South-African street life, combined with the grand spectacle of Bollywood cinema.

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Regina Welker & Nina Wels about LATTE AND THE MAGIC WATERSTONE

“Eating worms and bugs is part of a hedgehog’s life”

Now the animals are suffering from a water shortage, young reckless hedgehog girl Latte clumsily spills the last drops of water. When all the animals gather in an emergency meeting, the raven tells them about Bantur, the Bear King, who stole the magic waterstone. Latte has no other option than believing the story and courageously embarks on a quest. On her journey through the forest, she is joined by her best friend Tjum. But being friends with a stubborn girl like Latte is not always easy. We meet both directors of the ambitious looking animated feature right after the film’s world premiere at the Schlingel Festival.

Guillaume Maidatchevsky about AÏLO – A LAPLAND ODDYSSEY

“This movie is my answer to a taxi driver”

AÏLO – A LAPLAND ODDYSSEY follows a young reindeer on his first steps into an icy world, above the Arctic Circle. It takes Aïlo only five minutes to get on his feet, in the next five minutes he learns to walk, and then later to swim and run through the snow. All this, we observe at close range, on a journey through a grandiose terrain, that Aïlo shares with other wild animals. Some of them are hilariously funny, and all of them are fascinating.

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Jonathan Elbers about THE CLUB OF UGLY CHILDREN

“All our lines are all stolen from leaders who are currently in power”

“Keep it clean!” President Isimo’s slogan does not only refer to the city streets but also to the people. Whoever doesn’t fit into his perfect picture will be deported. Like Paul and some of his “ugly looking” classmates. Paul escapes and goes underground. The rebel movement prepares a national uprising, but a bounty hunter is sent to hunt them down. Dystopian science fiction is not the most popular among children’s film genres. When watching THE CLUB OF UGLY CHILDREN you might wonder why not.

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Willem Bosch & Sanaa Giwa about AFTERLIFE

Do not pull that string

How many milkshakes did I drink during my life? How many people have ever been in love with me? Those are the kind of questions that 16-year-old (and just deceased) Sam asks the angel who welcomes her at heaven’s gate. But her most important question remains unanswered… Sam cannot decide: should she go to heaven and be reunited with her mother, or should she choose reincarnation? Sounds complicated… Dutch director Willem Bosch tells the story with great ease and a sense of surrealism.

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