Films & Schedules - Sunday, February 17, 2013

Following up on his provocative The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema, confrontational Slovenian philosopher and film theoretician Slavoj Žižek continues his riveting search for the hidden languages of cinema, exploring the idea of films as collective fantasies that shape our beliefs, practices, and society. Žižek’s high-concept take on what psychoanalysis reveals about ideology is a treat for cineastes seeking profound yet accessible analysis of the classics and is guaranteed to provide fresh perspective. Fiennes captures Žižek (amusingly inserted into scenes from the films he talks about) as he examines a wide range of works (also music, history, and current events) including...

Following up on his provocative The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema, confrontational Slovenian philosopher and film theoretician Slavoj Žižek continues his riveting search for the hidden languages of cinema, exploring the idea of films as collective fantasies that shape our beliefs, practices, and society. Žižek’s high-concept take on what psychoanalysis reveals about ideology is a treat for cineastes seeking profound yet accessible analysis of the classics and is guaranteed to provide fresh perspective. Fiennes captures Žižek (amusingly inserted into scenes from the films he talks about) as he examines a wide range of works (also music, history, and current events) including Robert Wise’s classic epic The Sound of Music, John Carpenter’s alien invasion B-movie They Live, Stanley Kubrick’s Full Metal Jacket, Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, and dozens more. Little did you know! (134 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Hoover Street Revival (02), The Pervert’s Guide To Cinema (06), Over Your Cities Grass Will Grow (10)

 

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Documentary.

The Japanese tsunami and earthquake from the perspective of a 66-year-old cicada. (8 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

The Japanese tsunami and earthquake from the perspective of a 66-year-old cicada. (8 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Interests: Short Cuts.

Eating chicken takes on new meaning for four-year-old Zoe as she observes her first slaughter. (4 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Eating chicken takes on new meaning for four-year-old Zoe as she observes her first slaughter. (4 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Interests: Short Cuts.

An absurdist journey through time in which the worlds of three hapless heroes living in different centuries collide unexpectedly in present-day Amsterdam. (9 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

An absurdist journey through time in which the worlds of three hapless heroes living in different centuries collide unexpectedly in present-day Amsterdam. (9 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Interests: Short Cuts.

After burying his last remaining companion, a fearless explorer has to find his way to the North Pole alone, fighting snow blindness and physical strain. An unexpected encounter forces him to decide between honor and fame or keeping the moral high ground. (15 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

After burying his last remaining companion, a fearless explorer has to find his way to the North Pole alone, fighting snow blindness and physical strain. An unexpected encounter forces him to decide between honor and fame or keeping the moral high ground. (15 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Interests: Short Cuts.

A mother and her imprisoned son carefully prepare for her crucial visit to the penitentiary in honor of a very special occasion. (15 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

A mother and her imprisoned son carefully prepare for her crucial visit to the penitentiary in honor of a very special occasion. (15 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Interests: Short Cuts.

Renato Zucchelli lives in the beautiful mountain farmlands just outside Milan. He is the last traveling shepherd in the region, the last man tending sheep in Lombardy, an area ever consumed by urbanization. Renato has a dream: to lead his flock into the heart of Milan to meet children who have never seen someone like him, showing them that dreams and freedom will always exist as long as there is still room to believe in a last shepherd. At once funny, touching, and serious, The Last Shepherd is ultimately a warm and endearing portrait of a man, his dog, his...

Renato Zucchelli lives in the beautiful mountain farmlands just outside Milan. He is the last traveling shepherd in the region, the last man tending sheep in Lombardy, an area ever consumed by urbanization. Renato has a dream: to lead his flock into the heart of Milan to meet children who have never seen someone like him, showing them that dreams and freedom will always exist as long as there is still room to believe in a last shepherd. At once funny, touching, and serious, The Last Shepherd is ultimately a warm and endearing portrait of a man, his dog, his family, and his sheep, who conquer a city with nothing more than the power of imagination. (76 mins.)

First Feature.

Sponsored by the Italian Cultural Institute, San Francisco and the Italian Film Commission, Los Angeles.

Interests: New Directors, Family Fare, Documentary.

A young Israeli boy, the last to be picked for soccer teams but the one who owns the ball, finds an unusual friendship with someone on the Palestinian side of the West Bank separation wall. But can a wordless, gaze-free relationship survive with only a ball between them? (22 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

A young Israeli boy, the last to be picked for soccer teams but the one who owns the ball, finds an unusual friendship with someone on the Palestinian side of the West Bank separation wall. But can a wordless, gaze-free relationship survive with only a ball between them? (22 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Interests: Short Cuts.

Sponsored by Red Giant.

86 Minutes    

Interests: Short Cuts.

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THE FACTORY

DIRECTOR: Aly Muritiba - (Brazil)

A mother and her imprisoned son carefully prepare for her crucial visit to the penitentiary in honor of a very special occasion. (15 mins.)

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THE OTHER SIDE

DIRECTOR: Khen Shalem - (Israel)

A young Israeli boy, the last to be picked for soccer teams but the one who owns the ball, finds an unusual friendship with someone on the Palestinian side of the West Bank separation wall. But can a wordless, gaze-free relationship survive with only a ball between them? (22 mins.)

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CHICKEN AND ZOE

DIRECTOR: Yael Bridge - (United States)

Eating chicken takes on new meaning for four-year-old Zoe as she observes her first slaughter. (4 mins.)

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DIRECTOR: Isamu Hirabayashi - (Japan)

The Japanese tsunami and earthquake from the perspective of a 66-year-old cicada. (8 mins.)

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A CURIOUS CONJUNCTION OF COINCIDENCES

DIRECTOR: Joost Reijmers - (Netherlands)

An absurdist journey through time in which the worlds of three hapless heroes living in different centuries collide unexpectedly in present-day Amsterdam. (9 mins.)

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THE DEVIL’S BALLROOM

DIRECTOR: Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken - (Norway/Greenland)

After burying his last remaining companion, a fearless explorer has to find his way to the North Pole alone, fighting snow blindness and physical strain. An unexpected encounter forces him to decide between honor and fame or keeping the moral high ground. (15 mins.)

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WILD

DIRECTOR: Edward Bishop - (Great Britain)

The unsettling effects of rumor on a teenage girl. (13 mins.)

The unsettling effects of rumor on a teenage girl. (13 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

The unsettling effects of rumor on a teenage girl. (13 mins.)

See SHORT CUTS I: INTERNATIONAL TIES to purchase tickets.

Interests: Short Cuts.

Adapted from Paco Roca’s comic book, winner of the Spanish National Comic Prize, this beautifully crafted animated feature focuses on the friendship of Emilio and Miguel, two senior citizens living in a care facility. Suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s, Emilio is apprehensive about moving into a nursing home. Helping him make the transition is his roommate Miguel, a rascally Argentinean. Both sensitively told and refreshingly acerbic, Wrinkles smoothes its challenging subject into an inspiring story full of charm, wit, and universal appeal. (89 mins.)

Adapted from Paco Roca’s comic book, winner of the Spanish National Comic Prize, this beautifully crafted animated feature focuses on the friendship of Emilio and Miguel, two senior citizens living in a care facility. Suffering from the early stages of Alzheimer’s, Emilio is apprehensive about moving into a nursing home. Helping him make the transition is his roommate Miguel, a rascally Argentinean. Both sensitively told and refreshingly acerbic, Wrinkles smoothes its challenging subject into an inspiring story full of charm, wit, and universal appeal. (89 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Tokyo Onlypic 2008 (08)

Winner of the Best Animated Film and Best Adapted Screenplay Awards at the 2012 Goya Awards.

Sponsored by LAIKA.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, Animation, Spanish Language.

Following a car accident, Roberto is left grieving the death of his wife and raising his emotionally distant yet self-sacrificing daughter Alejandra alone. The broken family uproots their lives in Puerto Vallarta and moves to Mexico City in hopes of starting anew. After Lucia focuses on Alejandra as she simultaneously attempts to deal with both her mother’s death and a drunken, teenage mistake that makes her the target of cruel harassment and abuse from her classmates. Ashamed and unable to tell her distressed father or anyone else about the escalating bullying at school, Alejandra’s silence ultimately takes a dreadful toll....

Following a car accident, Roberto is left grieving the death of his wife and raising his emotionally distant yet self-sacrificing daughter Alejandra alone. The broken family uproots their lives in Puerto Vallarta and moves to Mexico City in hopes of starting anew. After Lucia focuses on Alejandra as she simultaneously attempts to deal with both her mother’s death and a drunken, teenage mistake that makes her the target of cruel harassment and abuse from her classmates. Ashamed and unable to tell her distressed father or anyone else about the escalating bullying at school, Alejandra’s silence ultimately takes a dreadful toll. This exquisitely told tale of the heartbreaking pain of insensitive bullying won the main prize in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival and is this year’s Mexican submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. (93 mins.)

First Feature.

Sponsored by the Consulate of Mexico in Portland and Chipotle.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: New Directors, Narrative Feature, Spanish Language.

A deadbeat Israeli inventor and his estranged teenage daughter try to reconcile their differences in this delicate blend of poignant coming-of-age drama and offbeat comedy. After years living in California with her mother and stepfather, sharp-witted but introverted 13-year-old Libi returns to Israel to spend time with her unemployed and homeless father Shaul. With the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, Shaul devises a scheme to put a roof over their heads by posing as war refugees until they are taken in by a well-off family in Jerusalem. As the masquerade wears thin, the bemusing circumstances give way to a...

A deadbeat Israeli inventor and his estranged teenage daughter try to reconcile their differences in this delicate blend of poignant coming-of-age drama and offbeat comedy. After years living in California with her mother and stepfather, sharp-witted but introverted 13-year-old Libi returns to Israel to spend time with her unemployed and homeless father Shaul. With the outbreak of the Second Lebanon War, Shaul devises a scheme to put a roof over their heads by posing as war refugees until they are taken in by a well-off family in Jerusalem. As the masquerade wears thin, the bemusing circumstances give way to a bourgeoning father-daughter bond forged by a shared talent for telling “off-white lies.” (86 mins.)

First Feature.

Winner of the Best Actor Award and nominated for six other Israeli Ophirs including Best Film, Director, and Screenplay.

Sponsored by the Consulate of Israel and San Francisco.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, Middle Eastern, Comedy.

Filled with breathtaking shots of the Himalayan countryside, Tibetan filmmaker Tseden offers an emotional allegory about urbanization and generational conflict. On a visit to a frontier town, middle-aged Gonpo decides to sell his faithful Tibetan mastiff to a Chinese trader who specializes in procuring dogs for wealthy landowners as status symbols. Gonpo’s father, Akhu, disturbed by his son’s lack of regard for their dog, purchases the animal back, initiating the simple storyline revolving around the dog’s destiny and the ensuing familial dynamics. Rich with commentary on the evolving conflict within Tibetan culture and a way of life that is quickly...

Filled with breathtaking shots of the Himalayan countryside, Tibetan filmmaker Tseden offers an emotional allegory about urbanization and generational conflict. On a visit to a frontier town, middle-aged Gonpo decides to sell his faithful Tibetan mastiff to a Chinese trader who specializes in procuring dogs for wealthy landowners as status symbols. Gonpo’s father, Akhu, disturbed by his son’s lack of regard for their dog, purchases the animal back, initiating the simple storyline revolving around the dog’s destiny and the ensuing familial dynamics. Rich with commentary on the evolving conflict within Tibetan culture and a way of life that is quickly giving way to outside forces, Old Dog poetically surfaces the conflicted views of a culture’s future. (88 mins.)

Filmography: The Silent Holy Stones (05), The Search (09)

Sponsored by Chipotle.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, Family Fare, Asian.

Five years into the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, American Winter presents a telling snapshot of the state of our society as it exists for millions of American families across the country. Shot over the course of the winter months of 2011–2012, the film follows eight Portland families—found through their calls to 211info, a referral service that steers thousands of families in crisis to available social services—as they were battling to keep their heads above water while facing overwhelming financial challenges and a shrinking social safety net. The devastating effects of the mortgage lending crisis, soaring unemployment, a broken...

Five years into the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, American Winter presents a telling snapshot of the state of our society as it exists for millions of American families across the country. Shot over the course of the winter months of 2011–2012, the film follows eight Portland families—found through their calls to 211info, a referral service that steers thousands of families in crisis to available social services—as they were battling to keep their heads above water while facing overwhelming financial challenges and a shrinking social safety net. The devastating effects of the mortgage lending crisis, soaring unemployment, a broken healthcare system, and the budget cuts to the social services are presented through the eyes of these families, all falling into poverty for the first time and struggling to keep their kids fed, clothed, and with a roof over their heads. (90 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Couples Arguing (88), Sex with Strangers (02), Taxicab Confessions (10), The Defenders (11)

Sponsored by OPB.

Interests: Documentary.

The best way to escape from your pursuers without leaving any traces behind you is to walk backwards over your own footprints. This is what French artist and author François Augiéras (1925–1971) believed as he painted every inch of the walls of a military bunker in the desert and let it sink into the sand so that no one would find it until the 21st century. But who is Augiéras? A legionary, painter, writer, gunman, saint, thief, devil, or a mix of all this? Catalan filmmaker Lacuesta and one of Spain’s foremost living artists, Miquel Barceló, guide us through the...

The best way to escape from your pursuers without leaving any traces behind you is to walk backwards over your own footprints. This is what French artist and author François Augiéras (1925–1971) believed as he painted every inch of the walls of a military bunker in the desert and let it sink into the sand so that no one would find it until the 21st century. But who is Augiéras? A legionary, painter, writer, gunman, saint, thief, devil, or a mix of all this? Catalan filmmaker Lacuesta and one of Spain’s foremost living artists, Miquel Barceló, guide us through the Mali desert in search of a fresco painted by Augiéras in this gorgeous film that won the Golden Shell at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. (86 mins.)

Selected Filmography: The Legend of Time (06), The Condemned (09)

In French and Bombarian with English subtitles.

Co-sponsored and organized by PRAGDA with support from the Embassy of Spain, Washington; American Airlines; and the Secretary of State for Culture-Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, French Language, History.

Çamburnu is a small village in northeastern Turkey where people have lived for generations off tea cultivation and fishing. But the idyllic landscape has been compromised by the decision 10 years ago to build a garbage landfill directly above the village. Despite protests by the mayor and the villagers, the site has continued to pollute the air and ground water, while rains flush the waste down the slopes, and flocks of birds and stray dogs besiege the village. In 2006, Akin went to Çamburnu, his grandparents’ home village, and over five years returned many times to chronicle the village’s struggle...

Çamburnu is a small village in northeastern Turkey where people have lived for generations off tea cultivation and fishing. But the idyllic landscape has been compromised by the decision 10 years ago to build a garbage landfill directly above the village. Despite protests by the mayor and the villagers, the site has continued to pollute the air and ground water, while rains flush the waste down the slopes, and flocks of birds and stray dogs besiege the village. In 2006, Akin went to Çamburnu, his grandparents’ home village, and over five years returned many times to chronicle the village’s struggle against the government and document the disasters that threaten this former paradise. Polluting Paradise provides a remarkable portrait of a small community fighting for its life and an inspirational story of activist courage. (85 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Head-On (04), Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul (05), The Edge of Heaven (07), Soul Kitchen (09)

Sponsored by Chipotle.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: German Language, Documentary.

“I don’t want to be unfair,” says hangdog Athens police interrogation specialist Sotiris (Antonis Kafetzopoulos). But in his line of work, and in debt-crisis-gripped Greece, there is little incentive for fairness. After a payment to an informant backfires into a blackmail threat, Sotiris experiences a “disobedient” trigger finger, settling that score ... but the money goes missing. Surely cleaning lady Dora (Theodora Tzimou) must have seen it? Tsitos’s deadpan, absurdly comic crime story won the Best Director and Best Actor Prizes at the San Sebastian Film Festival and is this year’s Greek submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar....

“I don’t want to be unfair,” says hangdog Athens police interrogation specialist Sotiris (Antonis Kafetzopoulos). But in his line of work, and in debt-crisis-gripped Greece, there is little incentive for fairness. After a payment to an informant backfires into a blackmail threat, Sotiris experiences a “disobedient” trigger finger, settling that score ... but the money goes missing. Surely cleaning lady Dora (Theodora Tzimou) must have seen it? Tsitos’s deadpan, absurdly comic crime story won the Best Director and Best Actor Prizes at the San Sebastian Film Festival and is this year’s Greek submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. (118 mins.)

Filmography: My Sweet Home (01), Plato’s Academy (09)

Sponsored by the World Affairs Council of Oregon.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Oscar Submissions, Narrative Feature.

The Last Sentence is a biographical drama chronicling the career of celebrated Swedish journalist Torgny Segerstedt, who conducted his own crusading campaign against the Nazis while navigating a fraught personal life. Officially neutral, Sweden’s leaders did their best to silence Segerstedt, fearing German reprisal, especially as the journalist began inciting the ire of top Nazi officials. Troell adds an element of the supernatural as Segerstedt is visited by the ghosts of his lovers, something that, rather than haunting him, gives him bleak pleasure in a chaotic world. Reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman’s Wild Strawberries, The Last Sentence tells a melancholic tale...

The Last Sentence is a biographical drama chronicling the career of celebrated Swedish journalist Torgny Segerstedt, who conducted his own crusading campaign against the Nazis while navigating a fraught personal life. Officially neutral, Sweden’s leaders did their best to silence Segerstedt, fearing German reprisal, especially as the journalist began inciting the ire of top Nazi officials. Troell adds an element of the supernatural as Segerstedt is visited by the ghosts of his lovers, something that, rather than haunting him, gives him bleak pleasure in a chaotic world. Reminiscent of Ingmar Bergman’s Wild Strawberries, The Last Sentence tells a melancholic tale about aging, told through the story of a man of great importance to Swedish journalism and politics. (126 mins.)

Selected Filmography: The Emigrants (71), Flight of the Eagle (82), Hamsun (96), As White as in Snow (01), Everlasting Moments (08)

Winner of the New Director Award at the Montreal Film Festival.

Sponsored by New Sweden and the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, History.

Exploring the moral and spiritual costs of the rule of Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, No follows the exploits of René Saavedra (Gael García Bernal), a clever advertising executive appointed by the opposing coalition to spearhead the “no” campaign in the 1988 referendum. Intent on revealing Pinochet’s human rights atrocities, Saavedra insists that the way to overcome voter fear is with glitzy, jingle-filled spots that promise that “no” is simply a vote for “happiness.” Liberally peppered with black comedy, the film reveals not only the hypocrisy of the regime but that of the left-leaning opposition and the cynical advertising world...

Exploring the moral and spiritual costs of the rule of Chilean military dictator Augusto Pinochet, No follows the exploits of René Saavedra (Gael García Bernal), a clever advertising executive appointed by the opposing coalition to spearhead the “no” campaign in the 1988 referendum. Intent on revealing Pinochet’s human rights atrocities, Saavedra insists that the way to overcome voter fear is with glitzy, jingle-filled spots that promise that “no” is simply a vote for “happiness.” Liberally peppered with black comedy, the film reveals not only the hypocrisy of the regime but that of the left-leaning opposition and the cynical advertising world manipulations as well. Shooting on video cameras used during the era allows Larraín to seamlessly blend archival footage and to visually riff on the aesthetics of the microwave and soft drink commercials appropriated for the campaign. (118 mins.)

Filmography: Fuga (06), Tony Manero (08), Post Mortem (10)

This year’s Chilean submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

Sponsored by Alaska Airlines.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Oscar Submissions, Spanish Language, History.

Ferreira’s elegant triptych of coming-of-age tales follows three teenage friends and their individual struggles to define themselves amidst hard family conditions and a seemingly indifferent society: Graffiti artist Alex, ignored by his parents and faced with the mounting living expenses for an art grant he wins; kickboxer Gabi, who lives in fear of his domineering gym-owner father; and wealthy Oky, who lives comfortably but without affection from her parents. “The sins of parents and teachers are visited on their progeny and students in this largely subtle, compassionate, and perceptive take on bad education affecting a trio of Catalan teens. ......

Ferreira’s elegant triptych of coming-of-age tales follows three teenage friends and their individual struggles to define themselves amidst hard family conditions and a seemingly indifferent society: Graffiti artist Alex, ignored by his parents and faced with the mounting living expenses for an art grant he wins; kickboxer Gabi, who lives in fear of his domineering gym-owner father; and wealthy Oky, who lives comfortably but without affection from her parents. “The sins of parents and teachers are visited on their progeny and students in this largely subtle, compassionate, and perceptive take on bad education affecting a trio of Catalan teens. ... An engrossing drama as well as an urgent cry for social change.”—Variety (100 mins.)

Selected Filmography: I Know Who You Are (00), The Impatient Alchemist (02), Broken Hearts (05)

Winner of the Best Film and Best Screenplay Prizes at the Malaga Spanish Film Festival and of the Grand Prize at the Montreal Film Festival.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, Spanish Language.

“How exactly do six million people maintain control over several million stateless neighbors for 45 years? That’s how long the Israeli occupation of the West Bank has lasted. Some of the occupation’s instruments are obvious—border crossings, military checkpoints, soldiers on patrol. But the most vital and lethal lurk beneath the surface: the vast and ubiquitous intelligence network of the Shin Bet, Israel’s feared internal security organization. Using intelligence operatives and informants, interrogators and assassins, the directors of the Shin Bet enable Israel to fight any who take up arms—or suicide bombs—against it. Dror Moreh’s path-breaking documentary interviews six former directors...

“How exactly do six million people maintain control over several million stateless neighbors for 45 years? That’s how long the Israeli occupation of the West Bank has lasted. Some of the occupation’s instruments are obvious—border crossings, military checkpoints, soldiers on patrol. But the most vital and lethal lurk beneath the surface: the vast and ubiquitous intelligence network of the Shin Bet, Israel’s feared internal security organization. Using intelligence operatives and informants, interrogators and assassins, the directors of the Shin Bet enable Israel to fight any who take up arms—or suicide bombs—against it. Dror Moreh’s path-breaking documentary interviews six former directors who describe in chilling detail how they did this and how their bosses, Israel’s elected leaders, led the Jewish state into a deadly quagmire of unending occupation and perpetual conflict.”—Telluride Film Festival (95 mins.)

Filmography: Sharon (08)

Sponsored by the Institute for Judaic Studies.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Middle Eastern, Documentary.

This remarkable documentary explores the untold story behind “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century. Anonymously published in 1932 in the New York Herald Tribune, the photograph of immigrant workmen taking their lunch perched on a girder high above New York City on the 69th floor of Rockefeller Center symbolized an era. After exhaustive research, including interviews with archivists, photographers, and historians, Cualáín eventually uncovers compelling evidence that a few of the photo’s subjects may have roots in the small village of ... Part homage, part investigation, this is the beautiful tale of...

This remarkable documentary explores the untold story behind “Lunch Atop a Skyscraper,” one of the most iconic images of the twentieth century. Anonymously published in 1932 in the New York Herald Tribune, the photograph of immigrant workmen taking their lunch perched on a girder high above New York City on the 69th floor of Rockefeller Center symbolized an era. After exhaustive research, including interviews with archivists, photographers, and historians, Cualáín eventually uncovers compelling evidence that a few of the photo’s subjects may have roots in the small village of ... Part homage, part investigation, this is the beautiful tale of an American icon, an unprecedented race to the sky, and the immigrant workers who built New York City. (80 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Maírtín Ó Cadhain: King of Words (06)

Sponsored by Pro Photo Supply.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: History, Documentary.

Inside the magical world of a painting, figures divide themselves into three castes: the realistically rendered, highly polished Alldunns, who hold court in a castle; the Halfies, who for want of a brushstroke are denied the privileges of the Alldunns; and the Sketchies, rough and ragged outlines treated as untouchables by the others. A forbidden romance between the Halfie Claire and the Alldunn Ramo leads the two, along with Claire’s friend Lola, to run away—all the way to the edge of their painting, where they hop out of the frame and into the studio of the man who created them....

Inside the magical world of a painting, figures divide themselves into three castes: the realistically rendered, highly polished Alldunns, who hold court in a castle; the Halfies, who for want of a brushstroke are denied the privileges of the Alldunns; and the Sketchies, rough and ragged outlines treated as untouchables by the others. A forbidden romance between the Halfie Claire and the Alldunn Ramo leads the two, along with Claire’s friend Lola, to run away—all the way to the edge of their painting, where they hop out of the frame and into the studio of the man who created them. An inventive, animated fable about art and life, appearance and perception. “Enchanting! ... This consistently enjoyable, inventive, and beautifully crafted tale is a color riot suitable for all ages. ... A constant feast for the eyes.”—Variety (76 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Gwen, The Book of Sand (85), A Monkey’s Tale (99), Black Mor’s Island (04)

Sponsored by French American International School, TV5Monde, LAIKA, and Chipotle.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, Animation, Family Fare, French Language, Art.

Shashi (Sridevi) is a beautiful, dedicated Pune homemaker, devoted wife, and mother. Yet because of her poor English, she is made to feel insecure by her husband and teenage daughter and by society at large. When she is called to New York to help prepare her niece’s wedding, Shashi overcomes her fears of traveling alone but is nevertheless overwhelmed. Humiliated for not being able to order a cup of coffee properly, she secretly enrolls in an accelerated English class and quickly becomes a dedicated student. With the other multi-ethnic students acting as a support system and boosted by the admiration...

Shashi (Sridevi) is a beautiful, dedicated Pune homemaker, devoted wife, and mother. Yet because of her poor English, she is made to feel insecure by her husband and teenage daughter and by society at large. When she is called to New York to help prepare her niece’s wedding, Shashi overcomes her fears of traveling alone but is nevertheless overwhelmed. Humiliated for not being able to order a cup of coffee properly, she secretly enrolls in an accelerated English class and quickly becomes a dedicated student. With the other multi-ethnic students acting as a support system and boosted by the admiration of French classmate Laurent in particular, she rediscovers her own worth. “Breezy and charming but with much to say about the delicate balance between tradition and modernity, English Vinglish marks the return to the big screen—after a 15-year hiatus—of beloved Indian mega-star Sridevi.”—Toronto International Film Festival (133 mins.)

First Feature.

Sponsored by Delta Airlines.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: New Directors, Narrative Feature, Family Fare, Asian, Comedy.

Thor Heyerdahl’s intrepid 1947 journey across the Pacific on a primitive raft, made famous by his own book and documentary, comes alive in this spirited, visually dazzling epic. Ethnographer Heyerdahl (who couldn’t swim and had never sailed!), along with a motley crew, constructs a hemp and balsa wood raft inspired by the pre-Columbian Incas as a means of proving his theory that the Polynesian Islands were settled by South Americans crossing the 4,000-mile Pacific. What follows is the Peru-to-Polynesia excursion, which co-directors Rønning and Sandberg—employing a crew of hundreds and technological magic—fill with high-seas adventure and nail-biting suspense, set against...

Thor Heyerdahl’s intrepid 1947 journey across the Pacific on a primitive raft, made famous by his own book and documentary, comes alive in this spirited, visually dazzling epic. Ethnographer Heyerdahl (who couldn’t swim and had never sailed!), along with a motley crew, constructs a hemp and balsa wood raft inspired by the pre-Columbian Incas as a means of proving his theory that the Polynesian Islands were settled by South Americans crossing the 4,000-mile Pacific. What follows is the Peru-to-Polynesia excursion, which co-directors Rønning and Sandberg—employing a crew of hundreds and technological magic—fill with high-seas adventure and nail-biting suspense, set against majestic cinematography and the vastness of the ocean. (118 mins.)

Selected Filmography: Bandidas (06), Max Manus: Man of War (08)

This year’s Norwegian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar.

Sponsored by the Norwegian Consulate General, San Francisco.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Oscar Submissions, Narrative Feature, History, Literature.

Every day, dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States and migrate through Mexico to Guatemala where they are repaired, repainted, and reborn as the brightly colored camionetas that bring most Guatemalans to work. Kendall’s lyrical film follows the migration of one Pennsylvania bus as well as the personal stories of five individuals whose lives become intertwined with its transformation. Like the bus that unites their stories, the choice between obsolescence and innovation defines their decisions, propelling them toward an increasingly uncertain future in a country where civil institutions and authorities are powerless to protect citizens from organized crime....

Every day, dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States and migrate through Mexico to Guatemala where they are repaired, repainted, and reborn as the brightly colored camionetas that bring most Guatemalans to work. Kendall’s lyrical film follows the migration of one Pennsylvania bus as well as the personal stories of five individuals whose lives become intertwined with its transformation. Like the bus that unites their stories, the choice between obsolescence and innovation defines their decisions, propelling them toward an increasingly uncertain future in a country where civil institutions and authorities are powerless to protect citizens from organized crime. What slowly emerges is a vivid and rich meditation on the universal quest for mobility—and survival. (71 mins.)

First Feature.

In Spanish with English subtitles.

Sponsored by KBOO.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: New Directors, Documentary.

Despite his family’s pleas, 19-year-old Mwas leaves his small village for the promise of life in the capital and the dream of becoming an actor. Naïve and filled with hope, he quickly learns why the city is nicknamed “Nairobbery.” A few rookie mistakes land him in jail, which eventually leads him to fall in with a gang and survival on the streets via theft and violence. But underneath it all beats the heart of a dream. Working under the mentorship of German director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run), first-time director Gitonga has fashioned Kenya’s second-ever Best Foreign Language Film Oscar...

Despite his family’s pleas, 19-year-old Mwas leaves his small village for the promise of life in the capital and the dream of becoming an actor. Naïve and filled with hope, he quickly learns why the city is nicknamed “Nairobbery.” A few rookie mistakes land him in jail, which eventually leads him to fall in with a gang and survival on the streets via theft and violence. But underneath it all beats the heart of a dream. Working under the mentorship of German director Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run), first-time director Gitonga has fashioned Kenya’s second-ever Best Foreign Language Film Oscar submission. “Fundamentally honest and vividly realistic.”—Hollywood Reporter (97 mins.)

First Feature.

In Swahili and Kikuyu with English subtitles.

Sponsored by OregonLive.com.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: New Directors, Narrative Feature.

Based on the true, headline-news story of Genevieve Lhermitte, Our Children unfolds the riveting story of Murielle (Émilie Dequenne, winner of the Best Actress Award in the 2012 Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section), a Belgian schoolteacher caught in a claustrophobic domestic nightmare. Struggling financially, she and her Moroccan immigrant husband Mounir are forced to move in with his adoptive father, Dr. Pinget. When the couple begin to have children, the house starts to feel small and suffocating, and the pressure to please both men—each domineering in his own way—gradually overwhelms Murielle, leading to a shocking act of liberation....

Based on the true, headline-news story of Genevieve Lhermitte, Our Children unfolds the riveting story of Murielle (Émilie Dequenne, winner of the Best Actress Award in the 2012 Cannes Film Festival’s Un Certain Regard section), a Belgian schoolteacher caught in a claustrophobic domestic nightmare. Struggling financially, she and her Moroccan immigrant husband Mounir are forced to move in with his adoptive father, Dr. Pinget. When the couple begin to have children, the house starts to feel small and suffocating, and the pressure to please both men—each domineering in his own way—gradually overwhelms Murielle, leading to a shocking act of liberation. This year’s Belgian submission for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, Lafosse’s direction of this perverse narrative of patriarchal power and female oppression is like steel wrapped in silk. (111 mins.)

Filmography: Private Madness (04), Private Property (06), Private Lessons (08)

Sponsored by Stella Artois.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Oscar Submissions, Narrative Feature.

Toiling silently amongst the residents of an everyday Barcelona apartment building, doorman César harbors a dark secret: his sole desire in life is to make others unhappy. When he sets his sights on Clara, one of his building’s cheeriest residents, his need blossoms into a full-fledged obsession. Embarking on a series of harassments, César becomes determined to ruin her life by any means necessary. Soon his thirst for others’ sadness becomes manically unquenchable. Balagueró delves into the perverse fantasies of a man on the brink and delivers an unnerving tale of obsession and torment that delivers nonstop thrills right up...

Toiling silently amongst the residents of an everyday Barcelona apartment building, doorman César harbors a dark secret: his sole desire in life is to make others unhappy. When he sets his sights on Clara, one of his building’s cheeriest residents, his need blossoms into a full-fledged obsession. Embarking on a series of harassments, César becomes determined to ruin her life by any means necessary. Soon his thirst for others’ sadness becomes manically unquenchable. Balagueró delves into the perverse fantasies of a man on the brink and delivers an unnerving tale of obsession and torment that delivers nonstop thrills right up to its shocking conclusion. (102 mins.)

Selected Filmography: The Nameless (99), Fragile (05), [Rec] (07), [Rec 2] (09)

Winner of the Gaudi Awards for Best Director and Best Screenplay.

Co-sponsored and organized by PRAGDA with support from the Embassy of Spain, Washington; American Airlines; and the Secretary of State for Culture-Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: Narrative Feature, Spanish Language.

Two Years At Sea is a nearly wordless portrait of Jake, who lives a solitary existence in a Scottish forest in Aberdeenshire. Surviving frugally, he passes his time with strange projects and living the radical dream he had as a younger man, which he spent two years working at sea to realize. Rivers has made 20 shorts over the past decade, free of narrative, drama, and character development, inspired by literature and fine art, and exploring worlds at the far fringe of civilization—places of ragged, strange beauty where inventors, seers, and eccentric philosophers live in zealous communion with nature. “Too...

Two Years At Sea is a nearly wordless portrait of Jake, who lives a solitary existence in a Scottish forest in Aberdeenshire. Surviving frugally, he passes his time with strange projects and living the radical dream he had as a younger man, which he spent two years working at sea to realize. Rivers has made 20 shorts over the past decade, free of narrative, drama, and character development, inspired by literature and fine art, and exploring worlds at the far fringe of civilization—places of ragged, strange beauty where inventors, seers, and eccentric philosophers live in zealous communion with nature. “Too much exposition is the kind of thing that makes me bored with Hollywood movies,” Rivers says. “I like films that leave a lot to the audience.” (88 mins.)

First Feature.

Winner of the FIPRESCI Critics’ Prize at the Venice Film Festival.

Co-presented with Cinema Project.

FILM REVIEW

Interests: New Directors, Documentary.