The refugee crisis in Ugandas Kyangwali Refugee Settlement isnt new. For the people of this camp, being a refugee is a protracted circumstance endured for decades. SAUTI (Voice in Swahili) follows the efforts of five young women who were brought to the Settlement as children and who, as they approach adulthood; strive to pursue their dreams for a future beyond the constraints of a protracted refugee situation in an underdeveloped host country. Though safer than they were before, little else has changed since fleeing war and persecution years ago in their home countries of Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. Transcending the label refugee has been especially challenging for the women of Kyangwali.
2017
Special Jury Award
Documentary Feature
United States
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
13 minutes
Director:
Gayle Nosal, Beret E. Strong
REIFF 2017
Special Jury Award
Documentary Feature
Mexico
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
36 minutes
Director:
Julio Carlos
REIFF 2017
THE GUY FROM OKLAHOMA narrates the story of Anado McLauchlin, a visual artist born in Oklahoma but whose chaotic life took him to San Francisco, New York and India before finally settling down in Mexico, where he has built an impressive art gallery in the middle of a desert village, on the outskirts of San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.
Special Jury Award
Narrative Feature
United States
Runtime:
1 hour(s)
23 minutes
Director:
Dean Peterson
REIFF 2017
A comedy about two estranged sisters who are thrust back into each other's lives by the impending death of their grandmother and forced to try to repair their feral relationship.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
8 minutes
Director:
Fredric Lehne
REIFF 2017
Two strangers (2016 Tony winner Reed Birney and newcomer Blake DeLong) bring the laughs as they confront and resolve one of the most insidious scourges afflicting mankind - while standing at public urinals with their willies out. SHY GUYS is the first film by ubiquitous character actor Fredric Lehne.
Documentary Short
Ukraine
Runtime:
57 minutes
Director:
Stanislaw Gurenko
REIFF 2017
DUSTARDS is the first Ukrainian feature documentary film about a cross-country motorcycle journey through one of Europe's biggest countries. The film tells the story of four friends and follows them on their journey. The film also gives unique look in to the personal lives of the riders. The soundtrack is from the Ukrainian indie-folk musician Sasha Boole and narration of a local Carpathian Hutsul. During the five-day journey, they travel 1,800 kilometers, face breaking down, mechanical problems, two days of heavy rain, and much more.
Narrative Short
Spain, United States
Runtime:
15 minutes
Director:
Alvaro Ron
REIFF 2017
In the drought-stricken town of Agua Dulce, in the California High Desert, a ten-year-old girl challenges her grandfather, a cranky retired firefighter, to follow a crazy plan and bring the water back to the dry river.
Animation
Iran
Runtime:
Director:
Seyed M. Tabatabaei
REIFF 2017
M.E., the imprisoned character in a room is attracted to a hanging light and tries to catch it. But the room itself becomes an obstacle on his way.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
11 minutes
Director:
Jeff Gentner
REIFF 2017
Two bullshit artists are out of their luck selling their mediocre art at a yard sale.
Narrative Short
United States
Runtime:
14 minutes
Director:
Jeff Gentner
REIFF 2017
Doug scores a $350 month 3 bedroom house on Craigslist only to discover some unique house guest and that this deal might have been to good to be true.
Narrative Short
Iran
Runtime:
15 minutes
Director:
Alireza Ghasemi
REIFF 2017
A 16-year-old girl deals with the responsibility and harsh bureaucracy of having to identify the body of her mother.