FILMS T​HAT MAKE US CARE​
FILMS T​HAT MAKE US CARE​
GCFF 2025 | May 16-18 | 2025 | WEST NEWTON CINEMA
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
Global Cinema Film Festival of Boston (GCFF) is committed to spotlighting films that make us care. Our annual programs proudly showcase unconventional styles that speak to the evolution of the documentary form. Moreover, through the visual language of film, we invite audiences to embark on a journey, exploring sensitive stories captured by unflinching lenses held by filmmakers with the audacity to inform, inspire and visually transport audiences to places near and far. Our 10th annual edition includes award-winning independent films from around the globe. We are proud to partner with the WEST NEWTON CINEMA FOUNDATION to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. Come and discover extraordinary films that make us care!
SCROLL DOWN TO DISCOVER THE FILMS!
SCROLL DOWN TO DISCOVER THE FILMS!
Global Cinema Film Festival is exited to announce our 10th annual program!
2025 OFFICIAL SELECTION & Program Schedule
2025 | Mexico, Philippines, United Kingdom | 84 MIN |
DIRECTOR: Giacomo Gex
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
OPENING NIGHT FEATURE PRESENTATION
Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Friday, May 16, 2025 | 6:00 PM |
The Treasure Hunter
Yamashita’s Gold is known today as a legendary war loot allegedly buried by the Japanese Imperial Army across the Philippine archipelago during World War II for future recovery. The story has lured treasure hunters from all around the world. Among them is
Jack and his father who have dedicated their lives and spent millions
of dollars to find it. This is the story of a son trying to earn
his father’s love, trust and respect. A dark path that leads to
obsession and unhealthy addiction threatening the livelihood of his wife, children and their entire family.
Beirut Forever
2024 | Lebanon & United States | 85 MIN
DIRECTOR: Patrick Hasso Kohl
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
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OPENING NIGHT FEATURE PRESENTATION ​
In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Friday, May 16,2025 | 8:00 PM |
The Congress
2024 | Indonesia | 11 MIN
DIRECTOR: Eko Krisna
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
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NORTH AMERICAN EAST COAST PREMIERE
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 12:00 PM |
Presented as part of Documentary Shorts Program.
Indonesian activist, Rukka Sombolinggi believes the key to confronting the climate crisis is to unite and mobilize the Indigenous communities who are often impacted the most. Now, as the first female general secretary of the world’s largest Indigenous Peoples organization, she has the power to do just that. But the challenge is monumental.
This is a story about the democratic process, defiance and dignity in the face of climate catastrophe.
Filmed over the course of four years, Beirut Forever documents the lives of four remarkable refugees navigating the complexities of life in Beirut, Lebanon.
The film follows their poignant journeys as they flee from their homes in search of safety and a brighter future while exploring themes of resilience, identity, and the human spirit's indomitable quest for hope. As the characters grapple with their realities, viewers witness the heart-wrenching struggles and inspiring triumphs of those caught in circumstances beyond their control.
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With the country serving both as a sanctuary and a prison, this documentary invites audiences on a transformative journey filled with empathy, compassion, and an urgent call for understanding.
Fierro
2024 | United States | 29 MIN
DIRECTOR: Edward Tyndall
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
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NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE ​
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 12:00 PM |
Presented as part of Documentary Shorts Program
Richard Fierro, the Army veteran credited with stopping the Club Q mass shooter, recounts the life experiences that led up to his heroic actions. Fierro’s bold insights on diversity, courage, and unity remind us what it takes to make America a beacon of hope for all.
The film examines the collision of violence and compassion in the human heart, and how different people choose to express that eternal struggle, especially those that have sacrificed so much in our name.
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Burning In Galena Manor
2024 | USA | 23 MIN
DIRECTOR: Christopher LaMark
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
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NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE ​
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 12:00 PM |
Presented as part of Documentary Shorts Program
Dissidents
2024 | China & USA | 76 MIN |
DIRECTOR: Yi Chen
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 2:15 PM |
An artist's sculpture is burnt down, a protester is charged with a criminal case, and a democracy movement is violently attacked. Not even exile is safe.
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In the United States, three Chinese dissidents fight for democracy against a superpower through art, petition, and grassroots organizing. Combining intimate observational footage, rich archival materials and investigative approach, the film uncovers transnational repression by an authoritarian state targeting dissidents who are keeping the democratic flame alive during the darkest hours.
Burning in Galena Manor documents the true story of Milton Alford who, in 1955 became the city of Houston's first African American fire fighter.
The film reminds us of individuals who had the courage to stand up and be the first to do something. Black or white, male or female, young or old; we all need these types of stories in our lives. Mr. Alford’s example of bravery is one that can be followed and passed down from generation to generation with impacts that will last a lifetime.
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A tragicomic story about a couple’s 24-year long relationship, which has grown into co-dependence and is maintained only out of necessity. They face the final relationship challenge when one of them falls ill and the other has to decide - to finally become free or remain faithful until death?
The film examines the struggles of individuals whose relationships have withered over time, yet who must endure living together due to economic constraints. At the heart of this story is Mara, a woman who has had several husbands. One tragically deceased, the other died otherwise. Her last companion, Ivars, whom she never officially married, became her partner for 24 years. Though their relationship had long lost its spark, they remained bound together by the need to survive.
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House With A Voice
2024 | Germnay, Albania, USA | 87 MIN |
DIRECTOR: Kristine Nrecaj & Birthe Templin
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NORTH AMERICAN EAST COAST PREMIERE
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 6:00 PM |
Faithful Unto Death
2024 | Latvia | 77 MIN |
DIRECTOR: Ivars Zviedris
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE ​
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 4:00 PM |
HOUSE WITH A VOICE tells the story of six Burrneshas who, for different reasons, have decided to take on the social role of men. They have done this to circumvent patriarchal structures, to avoid misogynistic attacks, to support the family economically, to avoid compelled marriage and to be free. Our characters communicate with us intimately as they talk about their lives and bring us closely into their personal journey. They speak about freedom and oppression, about the promise of sacrificing their lives for the sake of their families’ survival. But also about the breaking of gender barriers and the power of the human mind to decide who we want to be. The film turns stereotypes and projections of gender discussions upside down.
My Memory Is Full Of Ghosts
2024 | Syrian Arab Republi | 74MIN |
DIRECTOR: Anas Zawahri
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE ​
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 8:00 PM |
Presented with short film My Land Is Burned
A visual elegy depicting life amidst the destruction and disfigurement that befell the city of Homs during the Syrian war. It explores the intersection of reality between the past and the present, and contemplates the future. It thus portrays a self-portrait of the weary people and their relentless efforts to resume their regular lives. It also explores the city’s memories, documenting experiences with death, fear, anger, sadness, loss, and longing.
My Land Is Burned
2024 | Lebanon & Belgium | 30 MIN
DIRECTOR: Abdulrahman Alshowaiki
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Saturday, May 17. 2025 | 8:00 PM |
Presented with Feature Film My Memory Is Full Of Ghosts
In Arsal, Lebanon, ‘My Land is Burned’ unveils the myriad challenges facing Syrian refugee children and their families. Beyond the struggles, silent acts of hope by a compassionate teacher echo an ambitious desire for a brighter, happier generation.
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A deeply personal narrative—a story of resilience, hope, and shared humanity that transcends borders. His works stand as a testament to film’s ability to bridge cultures, fostering empathy and understanding in a world often divided.
The Pickers
2024 | Germany | 80 MIN
DIRECTOR: Elke Sasse
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Sunday, May 18. 2025 | 12:00 PM
A journey to European fields where our fruit and vegetables are grown. Blueberries in Portugal, olives in Greece, strawberries in Spain – 1 million migrants are harvesting in Europe. They are the mobile working force, that fill our baskets in the supermarkets, travelling from one area to the next.
Most do not have contracts or minimum wages; some are illegal or have high depths with agents. Exploitation in supply chains like chocolate or coffee is a well-known issue. The film adds another bitter taste to what we eat every day: Our daily fruit and veg is rooted in exploitation. Is there a way out of the system?
Rising Up At Night | Tongo Saa
2024 | Congo | 95 MIN
DIRECTOR: Nelson Makengo
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
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In-Person Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Sunday, May 18, 2025 | 2:00 PM
After an election that has shaken its already precarious political and economic stability, DR Congo is trying to revive its project to build Africa’s largest power plant on the Congo River. Kinshasa, the capital, remains in darkness while its population struggles for access to light. Rising Up at Night subtly portrays a population that is reinventing itself in spite of everything, in an environment plagued by the violence and beauty of Kinshasa’s nights and the uncertainty of the next day.
International Adoptions: A Global Scandal
2024 | Chile, France, Germany, Korea, Republic of, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland | 90MIN
DIRECTOR: Christine Tournadre & Sonia Gonzalez
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
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NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
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Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Sunday, May 18, 2025 | 4:00 PM
Over the past sixty years, over a million ‘orphans’ were adopted by Western families from around the world. Now many are discovering their past was a lie. From the children who were stolen from their mothers during the Pinochet dictatorship, to Africa’s fake orphans, international adoption is at the heart of an unprecedented scandal. We join investigative journalists, activists and researchers in South Korea, Sweden, France, Chile, Germany, Holland and Switzerland. How did this colossal,
lucrative market manage to prosper? And why does it live on today?
I'M Not Everything I Want To Be
2024 | Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Japan | 80 MIN
DIRECTOR: Klára Tasovská
CATEGORY: DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM
MASSACHUSETTS PREMIERE
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Cinema Screening w/English Subtitles
WEST NEWTON CINEMA,1296 Washington Street, West Newton,
MA 02465
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SHOWTIMES: Sunday, May 18, 2025 | 6:00 PM
After the Soviet invasion of Prague, a young female photographer strives to break free from the constraints of Czechoslovak normalization and embarks on a wild journey towards freedom, capturing her experiences on thousands of subjective photographs.
“This film is as much a tribute to the artistic process and curiosities of a photographer as it is a revealing portrait of her existence, forming an unconventional but deeply moving coming-of-age story.”​
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