Amsterdam Lift-Off Film Festival 2025
Network Round Features

Monday, 27th September - Sunday, 2nd November

1. The Well
Director: Tereza Kopacova
Writers: Miro Sifra, Kristina Majova
Producers: Michal Prokes, Michal Reitler, Martin Ruzicka, Jindrich Motyl
Country of Origin: Czech Republic

Synopsis: Generations of Czechoslovaks know this case. But this isn’t just history. It could happen anywhere. To anyone. Maybe even to someone you know. In 1968, an ordinary family in the quiet village of Vonoklasy became part of a tragedy that still raises unsettling questions. Could it have been prevented? Was it fate, genetics, or something much harder to define? How do mental health, inherited trauma, and silent struggles shape the choices people make? The Jelínek family’s story spans five decades. In 1932, at a village dance, a soldier named Standa wins over the young and beautiful Marie. He is charming, funny, and devoted to making her happy. They build a home on the edge of the village, dreaming of love, family, and a future filled with happiness. They believe they can face anything together. But some tragedies don’t happen overnight. Some grow quietly, passed down through generations, until one day, they can no longer be stopped.

2. Reflections of Courage
Director/Producer: Janet Shay
Producers: Eddy Boas, Karl Jenner
Country of Origin: Australia

Synopsis: Reflections of Courage is a poignant 50-minute documentary chronicling the extraordinary journey of Eddy Boas and his family through the harrowing experiences of the Holocaust, their post-war struggles and their hopeful new beginnings in Australia. The film delves into their pre-war life in Holland, survival in Nazi concentration camps and the small acts of kindness that sustained them. It explores themes of resilience, identity and belonging, celebrating the human spirit's capacity for renewal and the essence of being Australian—a nation of hope, diversity and new beginnings. This documentary is a powerful reminder of history's impact and the enduring significance of compassion and humanity.

3. Before They Arrive
Director/Writer/Producer: Ashraf Mtaweh
Producers: Jamal Awar,Mahmoud Korek
Country of Origin: Lebanon

Synopsis:  The absurdity of normalizing the political, social, and economical catastrophes that have been governing the Lebanese daily life, comes to a boil when Samer and Rana try to get comfortable in preparation for some romance. All their advances are abruptly halted with all that is happening out of their control.

4. Mexico Day Zero
Director/Writer: Pablo Siciliano
Producers: Tyler Gildred, Gisela Magadan
Country of Origin: Argentina, Mexico, United States

Synopsis: Are you aware that Mexico is the world's number one consumer of bottled water?
This film brings awareness to the water crisis in Mexico and the ways to solve it, interweaving visual poetry and the reasons for the problem.

5. Santy: Sound of Ink
Director/Writer/Producer: Ivans Borscevskis
Country of Origin: United Kingdom

Synopsis:  Through the story of Santy, a Siberian tattoo artist carving out a new life in London, this one-hour documentary explores the emotional, cultural, and artistic depth of modern tattooing. Featuring two full tattoo sessions, personal moments, and a dive into black-and-grey style history, the film captures a powerful intersection of tradition, identity, and creative evolution.

6. Loving Lovis
Director/Writer/Producer: Wei Tan
Writers: Dawid Tysowski, Michel Hans Emmermacher, Wiktoria Bergiel
Country of Origin: Germany

Synopsis: Young writer Nate moves to Berlin and meets Wena, a mysterious girl who brings him flowers every day. They soon fall in love, but there’s one thing in the way — Lovis, Wena’s troubled childhood friend, returning from his stay at the psychiatric ward. The three form an unlikely bond, but as Nate and Wena’s romance fades, they discover that — loving Lovis — is the only thing they still have in common.