LOWLAND KIDS

WORLD PREMIERE Shedding light on the familial burden of the migrant crisis, A Place of Absence charts the physical and emotional journey of Central American mothers on a bus caravan as they desperately search for their disappeared children, clinging to hope against overwhelming odds. Interwoven with the filmmaker’s story of her beloved uncle’s disappearance, this film offers a poignant look at migration, loss, and the enduring bonds of family. - Karen McMullen

The first and second screenings will be followed by a Q&A with director/producer Marialuisa Ernst, co-producer Brenda Avila, and film participant Anita Zelaya.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE A groundbreaking comedy troupe takes the stage in Palestine, where laughter embodies survival and defiance. Following six comedians from Jenin, Hebron, Ramallah, the Golan Heights, and beyond, the film captures intimate family moments, raw rehearsals, and daring performances amid the suffocating grip of occupation and escalating violence. Especially amid unprecedented attempts to erase Palestinian culture, comedy is not just art, but an act of political resistance and a way to insist on Palestinian humanity. - Ruth Somalo

The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with comedian and film participant Alaa Shehada, executive producer Carri Twigg, and editor Libby Knowles.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Haunted by his father’s unresolved death during the 1983 Matabeleland massacres, a Zimbabwean immigrant in Botswana believes his family is cursed. Burdened by generational trauma and historical violence, the man struggles to build a future, despite having love in his life. While trying to properly bury his father, he must confront his long-avoided pain. This powerful exploration of grief and memory is an intimate portrait of one man’s journey toward healing and spiritual reconciliation. - Murtada Elfadl

The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Nyasha Kadandara.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE In the aftermath of Mosul’s destruction by ISIS, Bashar Salih and his family sift through the ruins of their ancestral home, salvaging fragments of life, culture, and memory. As they dig through debris, confront looters, and debate selling architectural relics to a passionate collector, the film meditates on the tension between rebuilding and accepting irretrievable loss. A quietly powerful portrait of resilience, it explores the personal and societal cost of war, memory, and cultural survival. - Ruth Somalo

The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Thorvald Nilsen.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.

US PREMIERE A poignant and powerful story following Afghanistan’s female ambassador to Austria as she faces a life-altering decision in the wake of the Taliban’s return to power. Refusing to represent an oppressive regime, she bravely confronts the very forces that tore her country apart. Through her defiance, Manizha Bakhtari becomes a voice for Afghanistan’s women whose rights have been taken away. The Last Ambassador is a stirring and emotionally charged story of resistance. - Murtada Elfadl

The first screening will be followed by a Q&A with producer Peter Drössler and editor Birgit Foerster.

All in-person screening venues provide sound amplification headphones upon request with venue management. IFC Center can also provide a T-Coil loop for compatible devices.