“History” Launching 33rd Margaret Mead Fest

The Living (Zhyvi), directed by Sergiy Bukovsky. When Stalin implemented his plan to industrialize and de-privatize the USSR, the resulting Holodomor—the forced starvation of the Ukraine resistant rural population—was witnessed by few outsiders. Holodomor survivors share their testimony about this horrific chapter in Soviet history, which cost the lives of over 4 million Ukrainians.

Perestroika: Reconstruction of a Flat (Perestroika: Umbau einer Wohnung), directed by Christiane Büchner. In a St. Petersberg flat, four rooms are inhabited by different families, all of whom share the bathroom and kitchen. When one owner decides to put her room on the market, she must also convince the others to sell. The film is a ride through Russia’s new economy, which is pitted against its Byzantine past.

The Unforbidden City (De Onverboden Stad), directed by Floris-Jan van Luyn. The film follows the lives of villagers from Beijing’s 14th century neighborhood known as Source Street. Just beyond the tightly packed warren stands the National Grand Theater and modern high-rises that represent the future of this expanding city. Residents prepare for the day when Beijing’s historic heart has no more room for them.

Where the Sun Doesn’t Rush (Tam Gozie Stonce Sig Nie Spieszy), directed by Matej Bobrik. A small village in Slovakia is almost entirely made up of the elderly. A portrait of the slow death of a village, where the old times are already gone and the new ones have not yet arrived.

The Wondrous World of Laundry, directed by Hans-Christian Schmid. The film tours the Polish border town where Fliegel Textile provides 24-hour turnaround service to its Berlin hotel clients. The story exposes how the global marketplace is affecting small-town Eastern Europe, where labor is cheaper and life is harder.

Beyond the Game, directed by Jos de Putter. This behind-the-scenes look at the tight-knit and competitive community of cybergamers follows the top players of Warcraft III, the most popular game globally, on their way to the professional world championships in Korea.

I Wanna Be Boss, directed by Marije Meerman. Following four students as they compete for the coveted spots at Beijing’s two top universities, the pressure from teachers who earn bonuses based on test scores and guilt from parents who sacrificed to send their children to school add to the tension in the final weeks before the exams.

Mamachas of the Ring (Mamachas del Ring), directed by Betty M. Park. Carmen Rosa La Campeona is torn between her family and lucha libre, the sport she loves. The documentary shows Carmen Rosa taking charge of her own life while also becoming increasingly isolated. As family responsibilities take time away from training and travel, she must make a decision between her family and her sport.
—more films can be found on page two—