The Crystal Globe Competition today presents a portrait of a man and a place alongside a family drama about migration and dialogue

Pipes is an elegant dual portrait of a man entering old age and the place that has been part of his entire long life, while Hijamat is a family drama about migration and dialogue between different religions as well as within communities.These are the penultimate Crystal Globe Competition titles, both screening in their world premieres at the Grand Hall today, at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. 

Although Hassan has retired from his job at the water authority, his neighbors are used to him always helping them out. So when the village’s pipes disappear, leaving the entire community without water, Hassan is called back to work. What he really needs, however, is time to grieve for his friend, who recently died under mysterious circumstances. 

“Pipes takes on many different forms and themes, but the film focuses on loneliness, mourning and longing. The main character received lots of interest from my previous film Moondove, where he was a third of the story, so I decided to bring him to the forefront and explore him entirely. Learning more about his past and delving into his state of mind as a water worker allowed me to see how the story could be potentially connected by pipes. The pipes are not only symbolic, but essential to bring the rest of the villagers together,” says Lebanese director Karim Kassem, describing his new film.

While Pipes explores relationships within a village, Hijamat focuses on a family.

When Kerem’s secret relationship with a man is exposed, shockwaves ripple through his deeply religious Muslim family, igniting a conflict between faith, identity, and love. As his brother struggles to protect him, long-buried secrets emerge, threatening to tear the family apart.

“In today’s world, no single culture can meet human needs on its own. The solution lies in taking a positive approach to different cultures, embracing their humanistic qualities, rejecting their inhumane aspects, and allowing them to enrich one another. Each culture can contribute to a richer life, provided that both sides understand and accept the current situation and cultural context of each other,” explains director Nader Saeivar, describing the central theme of his film.

The Iranian-born filmmaker, now based in Berlin, whose films have premiered at the Berlinale, Busan and Venice, is also known for his collaboration with Jafar Panahi. Together they co-wrote the Cannes winner It Was Just an Accident and 3 Faces, which won the Best Screenplay Award at Cannes. Panahi is credited as both producer and editor on Hijamat.