We Love Brussels
  • Urban Life
    • Urban Jungle
    • Photo Stories
    • But Why?
    • Smart City
    • City Branding
    • Seniors
    • Real Estate
  • Culture & Creativity
    • New Economy
    • Local Makers & Shakers
    • Illustrations
    • Fashion City
  • Discover & Meet
    • Travel & Tourism news
    • Foodie guide
  • Event Diary
  • Europolitan Trends
Brussels Inspiration Bureau
Social Links
Instagram 63K Followers
Facebook 62K Followers
Twitter 10K Followers
  • Our Story
  • Partnerships & Collaborations
  • Contact
63K
62K
10K
We Love Brussels
We Love Brussels
  • Urban Life
    • Urban Jungle
    • Photo Stories
    • But Why?
    • Smart City
    • City Branding
    • Seniors
    • Real Estate
  • Culture & Creativity
    • New Economy
    • Local Makers & Shakers
    • Illustrations
    • Fashion City
  • Discover & Meet
    • Travel & Tourism news
    • Foodie guide
  • Event Diary
  • Europolitan Trends
  • Community news
  • Building the platform
  • Community of city admirers
  • Partnerships & Collaborations
  • Get in Touch
Become our contributor. Join the team!

Sign up for our newsletter

Get our periodical updates. Zero spam.

  • Events diary

Regained Freedom International Film Festival

  • Editorial Team
  • November 11, 2019
  • 5 minute read

Regained Freedom International Film Festival takes place between 20 to 30 November in Brussels and marks 30 years of freedom in Eastern Europe, the Baltics and the Balkans.

The programme proposes a deep reflection on the past: the selection focuses on the historical moment of 89, presenting the circumstances that led to, the way of life during and the events that triggered the changes from the totalitarian regimes. All this from distinct perspectives, with movies from eight different countries partnering in the project: Hungary, Poland, Estonia, Georgia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Romania and Croatia.
Look into the history of the region and discover through nine cinematic masterpieces how the former regime shaped the life of the people. The festival will show the past in a different light.

FESTIVAL OPENING:

Registration for the opening ceremony: HERE!

20 November, 7PM

Opening of the exhibition Pan-European Picnic / 20/11 – 30/11 

Registration for the opening ceremony: HERE!

20 November, 7PM

Opening of the exhibition Pan-European Picnic / 20/11 – 30/11 

It was not tanks or bulldozers that took down the Iron Curtain, but a picnic. In 1989 a group of Hungarians organized a peaceful demonstration on the border between Hungary and Austria which concluded in thousands of people showing up and hundreds of East Germans taking the opportunity to cross through the border while guards stood idly by.  

The first domino of a series of events leading to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

– Diary for my children / Napló gyermekeimnek 

Biography, Drama, HU, Márta Mészáros, 106’, 1984, OVstEN 

Winner of the Grand Prix Spécial du Jury in 1984 at Cannes, the film is a semi-autobiographical story from Márta Mészáros of how history and the individual impact each other. A teenage girl awakens to her political consciousness in the 1940s Hungary and rebels against her Stalinist aunt. Their relationship captures the circumstances that led to the failed 1956 uprising against the Soviets. 

PROGRAMMES:

Registration for the screenings: HERE!

22 November, 7PM 
– Solidarity according to woman / Solidarnosc wedlug kobiet 

Documentary, PL, Piotr Śliwowski, Marta Dzido, 113’, 2014, OVstEN 

Solidarity according to women is a story about some of the brave Polish women whose wisdom and determination helped bring about a change of the political reality in Poland. The link between two aspects of the film is Marta Dzido. Born in 1981, symbolic daughter of the Solidarity movement, she makes an attempt at locating and reinstating women who were written out of recent Polish history 

Q&A with prof. Ireneusz Krzemiński, Polish sociologist 

23 November, 6PM 
– Disco and Atomic War / Disko ja tuumasõda 

Documentary, EE, Jaak Kilmi, 80’, 2009, OVstEN 

The story of a generation growing up in Estonia, in the Soviet Union, under the thumb of Moscow, where the authorities controlled all aspects of life. Jaak Kilmi presents life behind the Iron Curtain, and the key role of Western pop culture played in the breakup of the Soviet Union. A funny, a personal story of coming of age of how youngsters of Estonia had their lives altered by illegally intercepted broadcasts of Dallas and disco dance shows of a Finnish TV channel.
Q&A via Skype with Kiur Aarma, producer and co-screenwriter.

24 November, 5PM 
– Repentance / მონანიება / Monanieba 

Drama, GE, Tengiz Abuladze, 153’, 1986, OVstEN 

Banned from release in the Soviet Union in 1984 for its critique of Stalinism, it premiered at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival, winning several awards, including the Cannes Film Festival Special Jury Prize. For the director ‘the essence of this film is that this might happen at any time and in any country’ as it is an emotional denunciation of official evil. The corpse of the mayor of a small town keeps returning after burial, as a local woman continues digging up the body to prevent the dead man’s deeds from being forgotten.

Q&A with Nana Janelidze, assistant to the director, scriptwriter and music designer.

26 November, 7PM 
– Kolya 

Drama, CZ, Jan Sverák, 105’, 1996, OVstEN 

Winner of both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe as Best Foreign Language Film of 1997, Kolya depicts how the Velvet Revolution, fall of the regime and opening up the borders could also lead to personal dramas. The gifted concert cellist of the State Symphony Orchestra, Louka is banished from official music making. In need of money, he agrees to an arranged wedding with a Russian woman, who shortly after the opening of the frontiers leaves for West Germany. Louka finds himself in custody of six-year-old Kolya. 

27 November, 7PM 
– Gundermann 

Drama, Romance, DE, Andreas Dresen, 128’, 2018, OVstEN 

Based on a true story, the film depicts the life of Gerhard Gundermann, a coal miner who became a songwriter and musician, and an informant for the state (STASI) before the fall of the Berlin Wall. He wants to be a good worker, a great husband, a caring father, an artist, a clown, a politician – he is everything at the same time. Gerhard Gundermann is hero and anti-hero, a constant contradiction, a glittering figure typical of the former East Germany – and again not. People like him are everywhere. And they offend everywhere.

28 November, 7PM 
– Red Earth / Vörös föld

Docu-drama, HU, László Vitézy, 100′, 1982, OVstEN 

An unveiling drama on the regime and communist reality in Hungary.

A miner finds bauxite near his village, close to the surface. He thinks he has found his fortune, but thanks to the Communist bureaucracy, he actually found nothing but trouble. A story about the fight against the machinery of the regime, about the absurd albeit frustrating and biting reality of the 80’s on the East side of the Iron Curtain. The director is one of the founders of the so-called Budapest School of extreme realism creating features based on true stories with amateur actors. 

29 November, 7PM 
– Octav 

Drama, RO, Serge Ioan Celebidachi, 102’, 2017, OVstEN  

Octav is a drama exploring universal themes such as time, nostalgia and love in its purest form through the friendship of an 80-year-old man and a 10-year-old girl. When an elderly man returns to his family home after decades of absence, the apparition of his childhood sweetheart triggers a rewind to the life-changing events from his youth. 

30 November, 5PM 
– Long dark night / Duga mračna noć 

Drama, War, HR, Antun Vrdoljak, 200’, 2004 

While Long dark night is a film about the Second World War, it also deals with the aftermath, it shows the crimes of both the German Nazis and the Communist-led Partisans, depicting the atrocities of two totalitarian regimes. The film follows the life of Iva Kollar, a fictional partisan fighting in the war, presents his participation in the post-war government of Croatia and his inevitable downfall.

More info about the festival – Balassi Institute website.

Total
0
Shares
Like 0
Tweet 0
Share 0
Share 0
Like 0
Share 0
Editorial Team

WeLoveBrussels is a digital platform focusing on the city life, culture, creativity, events, amazing places, lifestyle, urban development trends and simple beauty around us.

You May Also Like
View Post
  • Events diary

Festive season 2023: Our favourites at Winter Wonders!

  • Editorial Team
  • November 24, 2023
View Post
  • Events diary

Brussels By Lights: Discover the city with Eikosis, geocaching adventure!

  • Editorial Team
  • November 23, 2023
View Post
  • Events diary

Agenda: Voices of Christmas, Brussels ING Arena on 26 December

  • Editorial Team
  • November 20, 2023
Brussels Inspiration Bureau

Exploring the best of Brussels since 2014. Get our free monthly newsletter!

Discover more!
Our columnists & bloggers:
Aleksandra Rowicka
Addicted to cultural life of Brussels, fashion photography and dark…
Aris Setya
Indonesian living in Brussels. Passionate about photography. Love…
Boro Milovic
Boro is the founder and editor-in-chief of WeLoveBrussels. His interests…
Dorka Demeter
Dorka is a Hungarian expat living in Brussels for 10 years. Admirer of…
John McFly
John is a creator of aesthetic and inspiring content. He focuses on…
Karolina
Karolina is a blogger sharing stories on European cities, local…
Laurence-Anne Doetsch
Brussels-born and bred, a few years living in Toronto only convinced her…
Laurent Glorieux
Laurent is a Belgian who lives in our capital for the past 5 years. He…
Meredith @ellesbxl
Meredith Geldof is a Flemish girl who moved to Brussels and enjoys…
Priyanka Roy Banerjee
Blogger, writer and editor at Writersmelon. Blogs: One and a Half…
Salvatore Costantino
Salvatore is an archeologist who has crossed over into contemporary…
Tireless_Traveler
Nath is born and raised in Brussels but with a serious case of…
Download our free guide!
Incentives & events in Brussels:
Incentives & events in Brussels:

Views & opinions expressed across this website are solely that of the authors and contributors themselves and may not reflect the position of WeLoveBrussels. The editorial or publisher of WeLoveBrussels cannot be held responsible for expressed opinions or unintended errors and oversights if any.

Get our periodical updates. Zero spam.

Instagram 63K Followers
Facebook 62K Followers
Twitter 10K Followers
WeLoveBrussels
  • Our story & more
  • Get in Touch
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal notice
Brussels Inspiration Bureau. Your guide to city life, culture, business, travel, Brussels events agenda & cultural diplomacy.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT