Leonard Retel Helmrich

A documentary by renowned filmmaker Leonard Retel Helmrich about life in Majdal Anjar, a Syrian camp in Lebanon. The film takes us inside and shows what daily life is like for those whose lives are postponed and waiting to return to Raqqa.

The film tells a story of a Tarling Dangdut songwriter who loves being promiscuous but trying to serve an order to write religious Tarling dangdut song.

Every year millions of people look forward to the first preparation of Hollandse Nieuwe, the popular snack of raw herring from the North Sea’s spring catch. But how do you find glory in the grueling pursuit of a once-iconic fish that even the queen no longer accepts as definitively Dutch? Raw Herring celebrates the cultural legacy maintained by Holland’s last great herring fishers even as new trends and foreign competition threaten their way of life.

Every year millions of people look forward to the first preparation of Hollandse Nieuwe, the popular snack of raw herring from the North Sea’s spring catch. But how do you find glory in the grueling pursuit of a once-iconic fish that even the queen no longer accepts as definitively Dutch? Raw Herring celebrates the cultural legacy maintained by Holland’s last great herring fishers even as new trends and foreign competition threaten their way of life.

Through the eyes of grandmother Rumidjah, a poor old Christian woman living in the slums of Jakarta, we see the economical changing society of Indonesia and the influence of globalization reflected in the life of her juvenile granddaughter Tari and her sons Bakti and Dwi.

Through the eyes of grandmother Rumidjah, a poor old Christian woman living in the slums of Jakarta, we see the economical changing society of Indonesia and the influence of globalization reflected in the life of her juvenile granddaughter Tari and her sons Bakti and Dwi.

Three young girls on their way to adulthood. Xiao-Bu fights over a cigarette with her friend Angel. Ah-Mi sleeps with Xiao-Bu’s boyfriend. He is very popular and lets Angel steal a kiss. Can it get any worse? Life with a depressive, alcoholic father, who can only stare out of the window, for example. Or is it actually worse when dove excrements ruin the new dress that was supposed to be worn on the date with a handsome guy? When you are 17, a coin can still be thrown in order to make decisions. Should the friendship with Angel remain? Is everything that happened a coincidence? Adolescence without emotional chaos is like a life without reason. Is it really of importance who loves who the most, or is it just a game?

Three generations of one family weather the challenges of living in modern-day Indonesia, the largest Muslim community on the globe.

Three generations of one family weather the challenges of living in modern-day Indonesia, the largest Muslim community on the globe.

“Moving objects” are the subject of this film, a portrait of six Dutch theater groups that make performances with puppets and other objects. Manipulation and creating illusions is their profession. For them, the visual aspect of theater making is of great importance. These theater makers all have a special relationship with fine arts, they often use theater as a complement to express themselves. This form of theater has a great variety: from traditional to contemporary visual art events and everything in between. However, the starting point is always the same: bringing objects to life. By following theater makers with the camera - before, during and after the performance - we get to see things that otherwise we would never get to see: improvisations, dilemmas, the carpentry and construction. The film confronts the audience with the ingenuity of the performers and explores the genre through observation and dialogue.

A hooker is stranded at a bustop, and a man crashes his car next to a phonebooth there. The hooker is attacked by punks, but fends them off; the man is attacked by the phone, and doesn't fare as well.

Using performance to inspire critical reflection, Promised Paradise delivers fascinating and revealing insight into the social and religious undercurrents dominating Indonesian society today and the Muslim world at large.