Continental Cinema: European Union Film Festival 2012

The European Union Film Festival is back for its fifth year in Beijing with a collection of films from 28 countries. We’ve got the complete catalogue of films you can choose from in the month of November and the dates they are playing. (But do yourself a favor and call in advance to confirm, as the schedule may change at the last minute).

From fish and chips to secret detention centers, there’s plenty of thoughtful fare to choose from. If not, well, Twilight: Breaking Dawn, Part I is already in cinemas.

Fish ‘n Chips (Cyprus)
Andy, a Cypriot immigrant in London who has a fish and chip shop, decides to leave for his native Cyprus to give way to his mother’s wishes to die in her own country. He opens his own fish and chip shop in Cyprus, but his dream turns into a nightmare when he has to face unexpected challenges.
Nov 1: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 2: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

Orient Express (Romania)
1935. Prince Andrei Morudzi has spent 16 years living in total isolation in his old castle in Moruzeni town, after an agitated youth. Due to his strange attitude towards life and his exquisite manners, he is looked upon as a rare bird by the local people.
Nov 1: RMB 15. 7pm. UCCA (8459 9269)
Nov 25: Free. 7.30pm. Embassy of Poland (6532 1235 ext 281)

Lessons of a Dream (Germany; German with Chinese subtitles only)
1874. Oxford graduate Konrad Koch is hired as one of the very first English teachers at a strict German school for boys. In order to stir up some enthusiasm for the foreign language, Koch resorts to unusual means and introduces his students to a curious sport that comes from Britain: football.
Nov 2: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 3: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

Simon and the Oaks (Sweden)
Going against his father’s wishes, Simon strives for a good education. At school he meets Isaac, the son of a wealthy Jewish bookseller who fled persecution in Germany. The two boys and their families’ lives are woven together. Growing up, Thomas feels different from his family and he begins to question his identity.
Nov 2: RMB 15. 7pm. UCCA (8459 9269)
Nov 26: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise (Gongti) (6553 2678)

Letters to Father Jacob (Finland)
Leila, a prisoner serving a life sentence, has just been pardoned and released from prison. She works at Father Jacob’s house where she reads letters from people seeking help from the blind pastor. Jacob’s life is shaken when the letters stop coming and Leila must decide either to help or to leave him.
Nov 3: RMB 15. 2pm. UCCA (8459 9269)

The Bug Trainer (Lithuania)
A documentary about Ladislas Starewitch, a pioneer of puppet animation and visual effects, who wanted to capture the movement of stag beetles. Ladislas used dead beetles, posed for each frame, to recreate the motion. The documentary illustrates his life and accomplishments through interviews with film historians and fans.
Nov 3: RMB 15. 3pm. UCCA (8459 9269)
Nov 23: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise (Gongti) (6553 2678)

Tous Les Soleils (France)
Alessandro is a widower who has never recovered from the death of his wife. He lives with his teenage daughter Irina, and his brother Luigi, an anarchist painter who refuses to sell his paintings to capitalist speculators. Alessandro’s chaotic life takes a new turn when Florence enters his life.
Nov 3: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 4: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 29: Free. 7.30pm. Embassy of Poland (6532 1235 ext 281)

Pa Negre (Spain)
During Franco’s rule, Andreu, a 10-year-old kid, finds the corpses of a man and his son mysteriously murdered. The authorities accuse Andreu’s father of the killings. In order to survive after the revelation of an awful truth, Andreu leaves his family choosing a different path for his life.
Nov 4: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 5: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 23: Free. 7.30pm. Instituto Cervantes (5879 9666)

In a Better World (Denmark)
Anton is a doctor who commutes between Denmark and Africa. He and his wife are struggling with the possibility of divorce and their older son, Elias, is constantly bullied at school until Elias is defended by Christian. The two boys become friends until Christian involves Elias in a dangerous act of revenge with tragic consequences.
Nov 4: RMB 15. 7pm. UCCA (8459 9269)
Nov 13: Free. 7.30pm. Embassy of Poland (6532 1235 ext 281)
Nov 25: Free. 5pm. Instituto Cervantes (5879 9666)

Quartier Lontain (Luxembourg)
Thomas, in his fifties, returns to his hometown. Standing in front of his mother’s grave, he passes out and becomes again a 14-year-old boy. Thomas will discover the reason for the departure of his father. With the heart of an adult, Thomas will be unable to persuade him to stay and will understand the reason why he disappeared.
Nov 5: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 6: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

The Runway (Ireland)
Ernesto is a pilot from Colombia whose plane crashes in a remote Irish village. He befriends Paco, a 9-year-old boy who speaks some Spanish. Paco introduces Ernesto to the entire town as a hero, encouraging people to help rebuild his plane. In reality Paco keeps a secret about Ernesto’s real identity.
Nov 6: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 7: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

Essential Killing (Poland)
A man is captured in the desert by United States forces, and is tortured and brutalized in a secret detention center. He is transported to Poland where he manages to escape into the vast frozen woodland, struggling for survival.
Nov 7: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 8: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 30: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise (Gongti) (6553 2678)

Anonymous (UK)
Anonymous speculates on an issue that has for centuries intrigued the world: who was the author of the plays credited to William Shakespeare? Anonymous poses one possible answer, focusing on a time when political intrigue, illicit romances in the Royal Court, and the schemes of nobles hungry for power were exposed in the most unlikely of places: the London stage.
Nov 8: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 9: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

Michael (Austria)
Although to the outside world Michael seems to lead a perfectly normal life, he secretly keeps a 10-year-old boy, Wolfgang, locked in his soundproof basement. One day Wolfgang throws boiling water into Michael’s face, but he does not succeed in escaping. Severely injured, Michael drives off but dies in an accident. Will Wolfgang be rescued?
Nov 8: RMB 15. 7pm. UCCA (8459 9269)
Nov 19: Free. 7.30pm. Italian Embassy Cultural Office (6532 5015)

Sonny Boy (The Netherlands)
1920. Waldemar goes to study in the Netherlands from Suriname. He is discriminated against for his dark skin. Rika is the only one who accepts him. The two fall in love, but when World War II breaks out they are separated and the only witness of their love will be their young son.
Nov 9: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 10: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

Empties (Czech Republic)
Josef is a teacher in Prague who quits his job after bursting out in anger when his pupils misbehave in his poetry class. He stubbornly tries to look for a new job while getting into trouble with his wife because of his sexual dreams. In order to be forgiven, he has to come up with a romantic idea.
Nov 9: RMB 15. 7pm. UCCA (8459 9269)
Nov 20: Free. 7.30pm. Instituto Cervantes (5879 9666)

Turquaze (Belgium)
Three Turkish brothers, who return back to the Belgian city of Ghent after they bury their father in Istanbul, find themselves torn between two lands and cultures, with roots in neither. The trio slowly redefines family dynamics and their own identity and finds new happiness and love.
Nov 10: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)
Nov 11: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

EUFF Shorts
This dynamic program of short films from cutting-edge filmmakers is a chance to experience the diversity of European life and landscapes. From the frozen Arctic Circle to the sun-soaked Mediterranean coast, from forests and farmland to cities and skyscrapers, EUFF: Shorts will show you that far from being one landscape or climate or culture, Europe is many places, many people, and above all, many stories.
Nov 10: RMB 15. 7pm. UCCA (8459 9269)
Nov 11: RMB 15. 6.30pm, 8pm. UCCA (8459 9269)

The Graveyard Keeper’s Daughter (Estonia)
Lucia lives a joyful and naughty life in a small town in Estonia. Her father Kaido, a graveyard keeper, can hardly provide for the family, while her mother Maria is a drunk. The arrival of a new teacher concerned about Lucia’s welfare and an unexpected trip to Finland may change everything for the family.
Nov 11: RMB 40. 7pm. Sanlitun Megabox(6417 6118)
Nov 12: RMB 40. 2pm. Sanlitun Megabox (6417 6118)

Something More About Love (Bulgaria)
1945. The true story of Dr. Ivan Rumenov, a Bulgarian surgeon banished to a faraway seaside town where he meets Dikran, a pleasant young Armenian photographer. Gradually, Dr. Rumenov wins the hearts of his new fellow townsmen, and a number of alluring pleasures occur …
Nov 12: Free. 7.30pm. Italian Embassy Cultural Office (6532 5015)
Nov 20: Free. 7.30pm. Embassy of Poland (6532 1235 ext 281)

Nine and a Half Dates (Hungary)
David is a hot shot writer in Budapest. When his rich girlfriend dumps him and his publisher sues him for failing to deliver a new book, his glory days end. The publisher gives him an ultimatum: he has to write a book within 10 days to get his money and reputation back. The topic: Why are there so many lonely young women in Budapest?
Nov 14: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise (Gongti) (6553 2678)
Nov 22: Free. 7.30pm. Italian Embassy Cultural Office (6532 5015)

La Kryptonite (Italy)
1973. 10-year-old Peppino lives with his bizarre family. His best friend and cousin, Gennaro, believes he is Superman. Peppino deeply loves him and, when Gennaro suddenly dies in a car accident, Peppino keeps him alive in his imagination to keep him going through his daily challenges.
Nov 15: Free. 7.30pm. Italian Embassy Cultural Office (6532 5015)
Nov 21: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise(Gongti) (6553 2678)

Goodnight, Missy (Slovenia)
Hannah and Sam’s comfortable family routine cracks because of lies, lack of trust and jealousy. When Hannah realizes Sam is having an affair with a colleague, she packs a suitcase and returns to her mother. She meets Leo, who is even more prone to infidelity, so Hannah makes an interesting choice for her life.
Nov 16: Free. 7.30pm. Embassy of Poland (6532 1235 ext 281)
Nov 26: Free. 7.30pm. Instituto Cervantes (5879 9666)

The Phoenicians (Malta)
A documentary that portrays the Phoenicians, the sea-faring nation that established trading and commercial routes across the Mediterranean and that challenged the Roman Empire.
Nov 17: Free. 6pm. Instituto Cervantes (5879 9666)
Nov 24: Free. 6.30pm. Italian Embassy Cultural Office (6532 5015)

Love (Slovakia)
Mato lives a carefree life with no rules until he falls in love with Veronika. Mato wants to break free from his current way of living, so he and Tomáš agree to one last score, but because of an unfortunate accident, Mato gets involved in a murder.
Nov 17: Free. 7pm. Instituto Cervantes (5879 9666)
Nov 28: Free. 7.30pm. Italian Embassy Cultural Office (6532 5015)

Hard Goodbye, My Father (Greece)
1969. Elias is a boy with an interest in astronomy. On the eve of his departure for a business trip, Elias’ father promises to be back in time to watch the moon landing on TV with his son, but dies in an accident. Elias refuses to accept his father’s death and creates an imaginary world, in which his father is alive.
Nov 17: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise(Gongti) (6553 2678)
Nov 24: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise (Gongti) (6553 2678)

Alice (Portugal)
Mario’s daughter, Alice, has disappeared. Every day, Mario follows exactly the same route Alice took on the day she disappeared. Mario creates a video surveillance network on the places she might walk. Every day, he watches countless hours of surveillance tapes in fast-forward, expecting to get a glimpse of his child until one day, the search seems to be over.
Nov 18: Free. 7.30pm. Alliance Francaise (Gongti) (6553 2678)
Nov 24: Free. 7.30pm. Italian Embassy Cultural Office (6532 5015)

Films playing at: Sanlitun Megabox, UCCA, Instituto Cervantes, Italian Embassy Cultural Office, Alliance Francaise (Gongti), Embassy of Poland

Photos: Courtesy of the EUFF