top of page

Faces of Fear - 2024

“Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears.” –Rudyard Kipling

FACES OF FEAR seeks to explore the unique ways in which each of us cope with, face, and learn from all our different sets of worries. Fear appears rarely at random, at least outside the realm of nightmare or horror fiction. It becomes us, shapes a central part of our everyday lives, and of our calendars, as an anxiousness in anticipation for the rest of our lives starting and stemming from our earliest memories. How does fear affect us, and how do we continue rising from our beds to face it down each morning? Can we exist without fear, and how can we overcome the fears that block us from our deepest aspirations? Through the perspective of these incredibly talented filmmakers on display with us, the CMU IFF hopes to be a platform by which all of you may glean some answers to these questions, in best pursuit of eternal human courage.

Explore our program!

Four Daughters

Two actors take the role of Ghofrane and Rahma as Olfa Hamrouni retells her family history and the story of their disappearance. Tunisia's official selection to the 2024 Academy Awards. 

The Peasants

Nobel Prize winning author WÅ‚adysÅ‚aw Reymont’s and the Young Poland painter movement are brought to life in this animated film featuring over 40,000 oil paintings placed in sequence. From the creators of Loving Vincent.

Totem

The hardest goodbyes to say are the ones yet to come, and the hardest wounds to heal are the ones that are hidden. Through the eyes of the protagonist Sol, Totem leads us to the fear of secrets that the adults hide.

Green Border

Lured by the promise of an easy passage by Belarus, a Syrian family and an Afghan teacher attempt to escape civil war only to be caught in a geopolitical crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Agnieska Holland. 

Colette et Justin

Filmmaker Alain Kassanda interviews his grandparents to capture the lens of a Congolese politician once completely under the thumb of Belgian tyranny and a wife forced to grapple between raising children in a fearsome home or a strange land.

image8.png

Kinra

Kinra follows the story of Atoqcha, an Andes peasant who moves to Cusco to find work and training. With a sensitive, authentic touch at depicting the lives of the Peruvian people, the film weaves a powerful, touching story through its mise en scene and complex characters.

Agra

Call center worker Guru seeks to marry his love Mala and redefine family dynamics. In the process, he confronts and overcomes deep-seated taboos and family tensions."

The Vourdalak

All is not well inside the lush forests of Eastern Europe in this reimagining of Aleksey Konstantinovich Tolstoy’s classic novella The Family of the Vourdalak.

Youth (Spring)

Filmed over the course of 5 years and 2600 hours of observational documentary in Zhili, Wang Bing explores the everyday agony and ecstasy of a group of young migrant textile workers. 

Anatomy of a Fall

Sandra and Samuel's troubled marriage takes center stage after a tragic incident, leading to a haunting exploration of their complex relationship and ensuring legal turmoil. 

Lost Soulz

Rising rap artist Sol sets out on a transformative road trip, chasing fame and escaping his past amidst the vast landscapes of America."

Sometimes I Think About Dying

Amidst mundane routines, Fran grapples with thoughts of death, seeking solace in nature and fleeting moments of connection."

20,000 Species of Bees

Amidst the Basque countryside, she and her mother navigate the complexities of identity and acceptance within their buzzing apiary community.

Previous Programming.

HL screen_edited.jpg

Hidden Letters

Kung Fu Panda 4

kung fu panda_edited.jpg
bottom of page