Courting Condi

Director: Sebastian Doggart

Year: 2010

This is a hard-hitting documentary about Condoleezza Rice, an extraordinary but little understood woman who rose from segregated Alabama to become the most powerful woman in the world. Incisive and shocking, this is the first retrospective film on the Bush Administration. It overturns the popular misconception of Rice as a yes-woman to President Bush to reveal her as his most enduring confidante, and thus responsible for much of the Bush legacy. This political, biographical documentary tells a Faustian story of a woman whose hubris tempted her into a pursuit of power that destroyed her core values, and hurtled America into a perilous new direction.   Dr Rice leads her own defense, through a series of candid interviews. We have exclusive interviews with her three most authoritative biographers: Marcus Mabry (Twice As Good); Glenn Kessler (The Confidante); and Antonia Felix (Condi).   The film's most disturbing revelations center on Rice's role as Chair of the group of 'Principals', whose role was to select and authorize torture techniques, which included water-boarding, fingernail extraction, and sleep deprivation. Condi signed off on the orders to the CIA with the words, 'This is your Baby, go do it!'.

Director: Henry Worsley

Year: 2027

Italy, 1866. Michele Di Gè, a young shepherd, leads a monotonous life, but dreams of the bandit-filled mountains on the horizon. When he helps his friend flee conscription, Michele sees an opportunity to leave home and prove himself as a man, joining a band of brutal outlaws. But this is not the adventure Michele bargained for – and behind every myth, there hides a stranger and more terrible truth. Shot by an international crew of young independent filmmakers, this film transports you to Italy's own Wild West -- a world never seen before on screen.

Director: Nataša Cordeaux

Year: 2026

Bill, a timid and overworked Brit, impulsively books a beach escape in the hope of unwinding. On arrival, he's greeted by a mysterious Balkan baba and follows her into the flat of her daughter, Sunny - an eccentric former travel agent. “Welcome to paradise, my darling,” Sunny beams, rebranding their small home into a VIP holiday experience. Out of his depth, Bill is soon commandeered by Sunny’s persuasive upselling and is roped into a unique beach excursion - pay per hour. Each day brings another increasingly absurd encounter: a coffee-cup fortune becomes a massage sales pitch, while an innocent nap takes a strange turn. Yet amidst the oddness, Sunny and Baka’s boundless hospitality and growing fondness for having a man around the house begin to make Bill feel at home. On his final morning, Bill discovers that his bed is actually Baka's bed. Sitting together on the balcony, he confesses his deep dark secret: he’s never been on holiday before and worries he’s doing it wrong. “What a silly thing to worry about,” Sunny says. Bill decides it’s a great day for the beach. Business is back on as Sunny and Baka bicker about how many sandwiches they can sell.