Thursday, June 11, takes audiences on a journey through stories of resilience, memory and transformation. From the experience of fleeing Syria and the difficult process of confronting trauma, to the shadows of the 1973 Chilean coup d’état, through the rise of a young Hungarian rap star and a reflection on the still underrepresented subject of menopause, today’s programme brings together very different experiences united by a shared desire to explore contemporary realities through personal stories. A selection that once again reflects Biografilm’s international outlook and its commitment to narratives that connect history, society and individual lives.
Among the day’s highlights is Little Sinner (6:00 pm, Cinema Lumière – Sala Scorsese), a documentary by Daro Hansen and Thomas Papapetros that follows the inner journey of a Syrian woman forced to confront the trauma of fleeing Damascus and the enduring wounds left by war. Drawing on twenty years of personal archives, the film offers an intimate and powerful exploration of memory, exile and the possibility of healing. The screening will be attended by the directors and will also serve as the concluding event of the educational project ZaLab Nuovo Cinema Coraggioso.
At 9:00 pm at the Biografilm Hera Theatre | Pop Up Cinema Arlecchino, audiences can discover Hangar Rojo, an intense political thriller directed by Juan Pablo Sallato. Set in the aftermath of the Chilean military coup of September 11, 1973, the film explores the moral dilemmas faced by those trapped within the machinery of power as history demands decisive choices. Through the story of Captain Jorge Silva, the film captures the tension and human drama of a crucial moment in contemporary history. The director and producers will be present for a post-screening discussion with the audience.
Also at 9:30 pm, at Cinema Lumière, Meant to Be by Olivér Márk Tóth takes viewers into the world of young Hungarian rapper Pogány Induló. This generational portrait follows the rise of one of the most promising new voices in European music, exploring the contradictions of success, media pressure, personal vulnerability and the search for self-determination. The documentary offers a close-up look at a teenager who has become a symbol of a generation seeking new ways to express its anxieties, ambitions and hopes.
Closing the day is Menopause Mystery (9:30 pm, Cloister of the Santa Cristina “della Fondazza” Complex), a documentary by Louise Unmack Kjeldsen that approaches a topic still rarely discussed in public debate with both sensitivity and rigour. Starting from her own personal experience, the filmmaker investigates the surprising gaps in scientific research on menopause and reflects on the relationship between knowledge, health and the representation of women. The result is a thought-provoking work that encourages audiences to reconsider a phenomenon affecting millions of people that too often remains absent from collective narratives.
A programme that connects intimate experiences with major historical events, following individuals as they navigate the weight of the past, the challenges of the present and the need to imagine new futures. Through stories of migration, political choices, personal ambition and social awareness, today’s films offer a multifaceted perspective on the contemporary world, demonstrating once again how cinema can give voice to stories that inspire dialogue, empathy and new ways of understanding one another.
