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Opening Night Film: "Hell & Back Again"
This year's festival will officially be opened by the film "Hell and Back Aganin"/"Piekło powraca", an outstanding documentary, acclaimed a contemporary masterpiece of war film and the best and most award-winning documentary in the world in 2011.
By giving a testimony and throwing light on pain and suffering of others, I am trying to awaken our humanity and force it to act.
Danfung Denis – the director and cameraman of "Hell and Back Again" / "Piekło powraca"
"Hell and Back Again" is a recording of the war in Afghanistan. It stays in mind long after watching it because it was realised by a war photographer, Danfung Denis. It is one of the most realistically filmed image of war and its consequences for people entangled in it. A dramatic and mind-blowing human history that shows the hidden agenda of being a warrior of the unconquerable army of the United States. This image joins the power of photography and the message of a documentary. Perhaps, this is the first feature length documentrary entirely made by means of a camera – Canon EOS 5D Mark II. This time Danfung Denis, the world famous photographer, decided to take us to the world of his photographies and as he says to join the power of a motionless picture and an advanced technology in order to change the language of a photo reportage and film. Instead of opening the window to understand a different world, I want to take a spectator straight into it. I believe that common feelings will eventually lead to the construction of a widespred humanity.
The film had its premiere in 2011 at the Sundance Film Festival and won the World Cinema Jury Award as well as The World Cinema Cinematography Award. The film has also won the first prize for the best documentary at the 33rd Moscow International Film Festival.
The film will be screened for the first time at our Festival. After the show, we invite you at the meeting with Mike Lerner, the film producer, who was in Afghanistan many times in order to produce not ony "Hell and Back again" but also many other famous and award-winning documentaries such as "Afghan Star" and "Vote Afganistan".
Full description of the film
