Nominees for Best Student 2020
Eurydice
Director: Nina Moiseeva
Country: Russian Federation
Duration: 12:05
Synopsis: Single mother has a child with a serious illness. Their life is an endless line of doctors, medications and worries that almost end in a breakdown. The woman believes that she can magically save her daughter with control and strict discipline, while the girl fights desperately for her freedom and youth.
Happy Ending
Director: Ramzi el Khoury
Country: Lebanon
Duration: 14:12
Synopsis: Scrolling blankly through his phone, Chadi notices something written on one of his Whatsapp groups: “You are the only one left in the group”. He realizes that the group of his old university friends is now dissolved and he is the only one left. The idea starts to affect his mood and slowly builds up into an inner monologue reflecting about his loneliness, frustration and lack of human connection.
No Heroes
Director: Kamil Loutfi
Country: Sweden
Duration: 18:30
Synopsis: Taxi driver Daniel picks up his last fare for the night, a boy and his father in a hurry to get to the airport. When the boy starts acting strangely, Daniel begins to suspect that the father isn’t who he claims to be. No Heroes is a film about finding the courage to act, knowing who to trust in a world of conflicting truths and our responsibility towards strangers.
Things we don`t talk about
Director: Dan Johan Filip Svensson
Country: Norway
Duration: 18:11
Synopsis: After surviving a car accident, thirteen-year-old Edvin isolates himself from friends and family. When his father forces him to go to rehabilitation, he can no longer avoid dealing with his trauma.
Water Off a Duck’s Back
Director: Thomas Morelli
Country: United Kingdom
Duration: 09:45
Synopsis: A slaughterhouse delivery man gets stuck with a duck forgot on his vehicle.
HIGHLAND
Director: Sif Lina Lambæk
Country: Denmark
Duration: 22:31
Synopsis: Only women with sons live in Higland. The grey concrete world is being ruled by a dictator, the Allmother. In the Highland there is one special rule: When boys turn fifteen, they must spend the rest of their lives in a work camp and serve the Highlands forever. Lea is the mother of fifteen-year-old Eddie and all his life they have been trying to get enough school points, so he could become a night man – the only profession in the camp that allows the boys to come in to the Highlands to work. In that way, the mothers can still be able to catch a glimpse of their sons, even though it’s from distance. One day a mysterious stranger offers Lea to help Eddie out of the eternal life in the camp, Lea is put in a dilemma: Should she keep him in the Highland or should she defy the system and let go of her son forever?
Persephone
Director: Dora Šustić
Country: Czech Republic
Duration: 05:06
Synopsis: On a Sunday morning, young Marie is preparing for the Holy Communion ceremony, dressing with the help of her mother. While having breakfast and waiting for her tea, Marie is pulled into a mysterious world of her fantasy, triggered by the vibrant red colour of the tea. In her dreamworld, she is playful in the company of her friends, with whom she shares the purity, innocence and childishness of her age. However, something is haunting Marie, calling her to explore the depths and darkness of a scary rocky forest. She is left alone upon her discovery of a lake where a mysterious voluptuous woman resides, offering her the Fruit of Fertility. The secret Marie keeps within becomes evident in her fantasy, and she passes it on to her mother, when waking up form a dream.
The Harakiri
Director: Roman Blatman
Country: Russian Federation
Duration: 18:00
Synopsis: A young frustrated poet moves into an old communal apartment in Saint Petersburg. Incompetence leads him to the constant contemplation of a suicide and anticipation of a post-mortem fame. However, apartment he’s settled in is not suitable for meeting one’s end because of the lack of hot water. Disconnected long time ago, absence of hot water doesn’t bother the apartament tenants since they’re too afraid of a mysthical ‘Babay’ (Boogeyman) allegedly killing everyone who dares to fix it. Our protagonist refuses to accept these terms and challenges Babay (Boogeyman) confonting him in his own room. The young poet could’ve given up if not for a beautiful neighbor he falls in love with. Because of her he now has to become a warrior and fight a real war against an illusory enemy.
Meatgrinder
Director: Vladislav Bakhanovich
Country: Russian Federation
Duration: 20:00
Synopsis: Eighth-grader Dima starts a new life. A beautiful girlfriend, grown-up friends, night parties – everything he dreamed about is already starting to come true. It only remains for him to win the fight without rules in the tournament “Meat Grinder” and for this he will have to make a truly adult choice.
Twinless
Director: Sapir Danan, Ronalee Israel
Country: Israel
Duration: 06:20
Synopsis: This is Millie’s story, the story of a young woman dealing with the pain and loss that have tormented her since the prenatal death of her twin sister. On her birthday, Millie is drawn through her birthday cake into the depths of her memory. This journey exposes her maturation process in the shadow of the lost twin, her feeling towards this lost opportunity brought about by fate, and her contemplations of what could have been.
A fair deal
Director: Garry Savenkov
Country: Germany
Duration: 08:07
Synopsis: After shopping in an antique shop, Jan finds a flyer that offers him an irresistible offer: ” Time machine for only € 350″. Although Jan knows that it can only be a joke, his curiosity forces him to stop by. Jan does not trust the seller, who nevertheless assures him that the machine works perfectly and can transport it at any time.
WORK SAMPLE
Director: Garry Savenkov
Country: Germany
Duration: 09:20
Synopsis: Middle Ages:Hans comes to an job interview for executioners. After a short conversation, he has to prove himself and demonstrate a sample of work!