25/10/2013 - Seven Norwegian documentaries in a special programme at DocsDF in Mexico City – and two Norwegian contenders for the New Horizons’ Black Pearl in the United Arabic Emirates

Opening last night (October 24), one of the largest documentary film festivals in Latin America – DocsDF in Mexico City – will this year focus on Norway in a special programme of seven films, having previously had Poland, Brazil, France, Spain and Chile in the spotlight.

The Norwegian festival package includes Solveig Melkeraaen’sThe Bank Bus, Dheeraj Akolkar’s Liv & Ingmar [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Inge Wegge-Jørn Nyseth Ranum’sNorth of the Sun, Kari Pettersen’s Morning Always Comes, Even Benestad-August B Hanssen’s Pushwagner, Fridtjof Kjæreng’s The Snow Cave Man and Karen Winther’s The Betrayal.

Organised annually since 2006 to promote and disseminate the documentary sector, train new filmmakers and encourage the creation and development of documentary projects in Mexico and Latin America, the festival will also screen Norwegian director Kajsa Næss’ It’s Up to You in the Documentary Short section, and Maida Hals’ Kisses in Zocalo will enter the Documentary Challenge project. Festival ends on November 3.

Two Norwegian feature debuts, Hisham Zaman’s  Before Snowfall [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (photo) and Hanne Myhren’s Love Me have been selected for the New Horizons-Afaq Jadida Competition at the 7^th Abu Dhabi International Film Festival, which also opened yesterday (24 October) and runs through November 2. They are both among the 15 entries of the

programme of “a director’s first or second film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world,” where the winner will receive the Black Pearl Award. Zaman has already collected one - his Bawke was voted Best Short at the inaugural festival in 2007.