Heart of Fire

Description

Accolades
Official Selection Berlin International Film Festival

Synopsis

After spending the first ten years of her life in a Catholic orphanage, the young and fiery Awet excitedly learns that she is soon to be reunited with her family. But her hopes for a normal life are dashed when her father, a fanatical supporter of the Eritrean Liberation Front, places Awet directly into the military forces’ hands. At first willing to join the fight, she soon realizes that their enemies are just as human as she, and Awet makes a solemn vow never to kill… Labeled a traitor by the group’s commander, the young Awet nevertheless courageously stands by her convictions and fights the violence in the disarming way that only a child could.

Director

Luigi Falorni introduced himself to a broad public with his graduation film “The Story of the Weeping Camel”, which he brought to the screen with a co-director Byambasuren Davaa. It revealed a highly talented storyteller with a profound understanding of strange worlds and universal themes. What began as a graduation film for the Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film in Munich ultimately won Falorni an Oscar nomination for Best Documentary Film as well as the Bavarian Film Award for Best Documentary Film of 2003 and the audience award of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2004. Born in Florence in 1971, Luigi Falorni attended the film directing class of Florence’s Cooperativa Schermobianco in 1991/92. He then transferred to the renowned Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film in Munich, where he pursued his studies and made several award-winning shorts and documentary films as director and cameraman. Heart of Fire is Luigi Falorni’s German feature film debut.