ActionAid Shorts + directors' Q&A

A selection of the most diverse and extraordinary talent by women from developing countries – ranging from sensitive and hard-hitting innovative animation about rape in South Africa to slick and engaging Thai drama...

Mon Beau Sourire

Where do Senegalese women get their beautiful smiles? Mon Beau Sourire observes the ritual of gum tattooing, punctuated by the tap of the djembe.

Dir Angèle Diabang Brener, Senegal 2005, 5 mins

Printed Rainbow

A big city. A tiny apartment. There, in solitude, an old woman and her cat rummage through their collection of match-boxes.

Dir Gitanjali Rao, India, 15 mins

And There in the Dust...

UK Premiere

This profound film conveys the complexities of a small sweltering town burdened by an unspeakable act of violence. Shamed by the travesty, the storyteller lures the audience into Baby Tshepang's world.

Dir Lara Foot Newton and Gerhard Marx, South Africa, 2004, 7 mins

Mare Capoeira

Sport, dance or martial art? This graceful Brasilian film tells the history of Capoeira through the eyes of 10-year-old Jaõ, last in a long line of Capoeira masters.

Dir Paola Barreto, Brasil, 15 mins

Graceland

One night in Bangkok, Jon meets a mysterious woman. Together, they embark on a journey to a foreign land – the human heart.

Dir Anocha Suwichakornpong, Thailand 2006, 17 mins

Total running time: 90 minutes