February 2012


Last updated on February 14, 2012. Please check back later for additions.

Contents

  • The 20th DCFS Oscar Party: "And the Winner Is..."
  • Voting Results for the Best of 2011
  • The Cinema Lounge
  • Adam's Rib Takes on Some Strange Oscar Picks
  • Albert Nobbs: Q&A with Director Rodrigo García
  • In Darkness: Q&A with Director Agnieszka Holland
  • The Palm Springs International Film Festival
  • We Need to Hear From You
  • Calendar of Events

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    Nobody Does It Better

    The 20th Annual Oscar Night Party:
    "And the Winner Is..."

    Hooray for Hollywood! It’s time to experience the wonder, anticipation, and excitement that is Oscar Night! Don’t sit home alone, get off the couch, and join fellow film fans at the Washington, DC Film Society’s “And The Winner Is…” annual viewing party to watch the 84th Academy Awards broadcast LIVE ON THE BIG SCREEN. The fun begins when doors open at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, February 26, 2012 at the Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse (2903 Columbia Pike in Arlington, VA). The star-studded, fashion-filled, red carpet Pre-show starts at 7:00 p.m. and the Oscars ceremony gets underway at 8:00 p.m.

    This FUN-raiser supports Filmfest DC, the Film Society's parent organization. Come see for yourself what keeps attendees coming back for 20 years. There’s everything you love about our party. Get a little nostalgia and enjoy a few special edition surprises. What’s old is new and what’s new is old. Billy Crystal returns as Oscar uber host, while Bill Henry and Tim Gordon, DC’s own veteran local film critics, face off to be our guides throughout the night. Who will win? The Artist or The Help or The Descendants? Gorgeous George or Gorgeous Jean? Will The Iron Lady Meryl hammer Viola or Michelle? You’ve got questions? We’ve got answers! Join the spirited debate and lessen your political anxiety by taking a night out to ponder the real questions.

    Choose from our array of endless entertainment: games and activities like the “Predict the Winners” contest, random trivia contests, the silent auction (cash or check only please) where you can bid on many items, including gift certificates, movie promo items, and DVDs and movie posters signed by visiting filmmakers, and affordable food and drink (available for purchase).

    Tickets are $15 for DCFS members (FREE for Gold Members) and $20 for non-members and guests. Purchase tickets on-line beginning February 1, or at the door. For further information, visit the
    Oscar Party page or e-mail.



    Vote for The Best of 2011

    The Washington DC Film Society announces the results of the 11th annual vote for the Best of 2011:

    Best Film: The Artist
    Best Director: Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
    Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist
    Best Actress: Viola Davis, The Help
    Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners
    Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, The Help
    Best Foreign Language Film: A Separation



    The Cinema Lounge

    The next meeting of the Cinema Lounge will be on Monday, February 27 at 7:00pm. This month's topic is "Women in Film: Hollywood's Glass Ceiling."

    A
    recent study showed that film roles for men far outweigh those for women. Even more startling, women make up a small percentage of directors and screenwriters. What's behind this problem and is there any hope for progress?

    The Cinema Lounge, a film discussion group, meets the third Monday of every month at 7:00pm (Note that this month's meeting has been changed to February 27) at Barnes and Noble, 555 12th St., NW in Washington, DC (near the Metro Center Metro stop). You do not need to be a member of the Washington DC Film Society to attend. Cinema Lounge is moderated by Adam Spector, author of the DC Film Society's Adam's Rib column.



    Adam's Rib's Takes on Some Strange Oscar Picks

    What's the best word to describe the Oscar nominations? Strange? Bizarre? Weird? The Help was nominated for Best Picture and three acting awards, but nothing else. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close was nominated for Best Picture, one acting award and nothing else. If these truly were among the best films of the year, shouldn’t they have excelled in something besides acting? The gap between Best Picture and the other categories marks a very muddled group of nominees. Get all the details in my new Adam's Rib column.



    Albert Nobbs: Q&A with Director Rodrigo García

    By Ron Gordner, DC Film Society Member

    This Q&A took place at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 12, 2011.


    Director Rodrigo García at the Toronto Film Festival's premiere of Albert Nobbs. Photo from the Toronto International Film Festival website.

    Festival Moderator: How did you get involved in the film and with Glenn Close on this project?
    Rodrigo García: Glenn sent me a copy of the script to see if I wanted to be a part of the film. I was excited about it and realized that Glenn had a great passion for this story and had been working on the project for at least 10 years. I read the story and it spoke to me of these people who survived as best they could living with these assumed identities. Everyone was trying just to get by, but still dreaming of being something else or getting something better and finding a way to let their real "you" come out. Living in a closet as it were, not a "gay closet" but a closet so people don't see who you really are and just trying to survive. I found it very compelling to see the character of Nobbs who was very unusual.

    Audience Question: Is the film fiction or based on a real person?
    Rodrigo García: It is based on a short story "The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs" by George Moore, an Irish writer. Later a play was done and that is how Glenn discovered and played the character. It is not an historical character, but it was also not that uncommon in many places and cultures where women had no marriage or family or money. The character Helen herself says, "If I lose that money I'll be on the street," meaning either in the poor house or resort to prostitution which many women had to do. So girls who could pass as boys would work as waiters, miners, or even soldiers. So the film and story is not based on a particular case, but this was not as uncommon as people may think.

    Audience Question: If you think film is a prophecy of what happens in life, what do you think your film says about what may happen in the next 10-15 years?
    Rodrigo García: My favorite films always seem to capture that moment that we are caught in. It speaks to the role of identity and who we become to please others. I don't think it's still uncommon in modern society to see someone marry another individual because their parents love that person. Some people continue to please others and play the role they are expected to play, rather than who we truly are. I don't think this will really change in the next 15-20 years. Many women painters, artists, actresses, or directors want to just be themselves and express who they are. They don't want to be just the good wife, good mother, or good daughter or caretaker.

    Audience Question: Did the couple, Mr. Page and Cathleen live together as man and wife or as a lesbian couple?
    Rodrigo García: They were lesbian lovers, but to survive, one of them pretended to be a man. They were a couple and it was something that Albert never understood, he saw it just as companionship.

    Audience Question: Is this the first time you have directed a period piece and what were the challenges in working with a period film?
    Rodrigo García: It is the first feature film I have done that is a period piece. I did direct a film for HBO called "Carnivale" which was about the Great Depression. You want to show historical accuracy and do research looking at history and photographs and some films about that period of Irish history. Ultimately it is representation, to make a feeling of that time and any movie about the 1850's, 1950's or 1960's as examples, talks as much about that time period and the tone as the stories themselves. We had lots of fun with historical research on just how the hotel would be run, about who did what and who sat where. All the little protocols that a hotel or inn would have were studied.

    Festival Moderator: Did the script change much as you began shooting and made the film or did it stay pretty much as originally written?
    Rodrigo García: There are always changes, but we actually shaved the script and made it leaner. I find when you add too much to the script you are usually in trouble. If you think let's add another half page to explain something better you begin to get onto thin ice. So stuff really came out in rehearsal and in editing to tell the story as lean as possible without losing the tone and the real story to be told.

    Audience Question: Now that you have made the film, trimmed it and seen it, is there anything you would have added or put back in to the film to make the audience understand it better?
    Rodrigo García: You tell me. When you direct a film, you suddenly become an hysterical 12 year old girl. It's overwhelming to finish it and let it breathe and be accepted. I can't look at every scene now and wonder what if I had done this instead... I want to have a better day than that.

    Audience Question: Is this the first or second screening and is there Oscar buzz about Glenn's performance?
    Rodrigo García: This is the second screening at Toronto, other than a press screening. We also had a screening or pre-screening at the Telluride Film Festival. I don't know about Oscar buzz, it seems a little early, but I think the work is first-rate and stands on its own and also the rest of the cast, especially Janet McTeer. The contrast between Albert and Hubert is very important. The character Hubert is confident, flirtatious, and outgoing and Albert has completely squashed his/her personality into this shell that is Albert. So I thing the two characters and the two performances complement each other.

    Festival Moderator: Did you spend a lot of time in rehearsals?
    Rodrigo García: We spent some time on rehearsals, but there is never enough money or time for rehearsing. We did rehearse for a couple of weeks and spent time physically finding who they were. Both Albert and Hubert have partial prosthetic noses, the earlobes made larger and more masculine, and changes in the hairlines, but we still wanted real faces there, not some kind of creatures made of prosthetics. The shoes were also chosen and the actors spent time practicing the walking and sitting. You also can get too critical and start saying don't do that, it seems to politically correct or incorrect or too girly. You don't overly encourage the women to put their hands on their crotch, etc. because you are the director and the number one voyeur.

    Audience Question: Do you have a distributor yet? Will we see this movie in mainstream theaters?
    Rodrigo García: I would be lying here on oxygen if we didn't have a distributor yet. I have been to festivals with films without distributors and it is real misery. Yes, Roadside Attractions in the U.S. and WestEnd Films for international sales. It should be in theaters at the end of December in some cities.

    Audience Question: Can you tell us about filming the scene where the two dress as women and walk down the beach?
    Rodrigo García: Glenn rightly thought we needed a scene where Nobbs could act and dress like a girl, and I mean a "girl" not a woman, because she had not really been a girl since she was 14 or 15 years old. She needed to try herself or her body out as a girl or as a woman, and how it just didn't work out for either Albert or Hubert. The scene was very important for the complete story. There was a lot of discussion about how to dress them. It was Janet's idea to keep her own workman's shoes and that the dresses wouldn't quite fit. It was a lot of fun when those two women walked on the set for the beach scene. There is a great Canadian director, Patricia Rozema, who said to me yesterday, "It's great that you got two women to dress as women to be funny."

    Audience Question: Is the original writer still alive?
    Rodrigo García: No, George Moore was a contemporary of Joyce and the story was written around 1900 to 1905 and set in the period of about 1890 or so. He is no longer alive and his stories are in the public domain. I think he was a well known writer in his time, maybe not a best seller author, but he was certainly not an obscure writer for his time. The screenplay was written and adapted by Glenn Close, Gabriella Prekop, and John Banville based on Moore's short story.

    Audience Question: What can you tell us about the little boy who stared at the two women and seemed to express silently something that the adults didn't or wouldn't in his suspicions?
    Rodrigo García: We didn't really address that in the film, but the short story does provide more description and information. When he was little, George Moore frequented such hotels with his parents, so in many ways, that is little George Moore. We didn't want to dwell on that but we did want to show that with his innocent gaze, he clearly saw something that others didn't see. Also a butler was considered like a piece of furniture, most of the guests didn't look them directly in the eyes.

    Albert Nobbs opened in DC theaters on January 27, 2012.

    Glenn Close has been nominated for an Oscar for the Best Actress in a Leading Role for Albert Nobbs and Janet McTeer has also been nominated for the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Albert Nobbs.



    In Darkness: Q&A with Director Agnieszka Holland

    By Ron Gordner, DC Film Society Member

    This Q&A took place at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2011. Director Agnieszka Holland was present along with Screenwriter David Shamoon, actor Robert Wieckiewicz, and composer Antoni Komasi-Lazarkarkiewicz


    Director Agnieszka Holland at the Toronto International Film Festival. Photo from the TIFF website.

    Audience Question: How did you find out about this story and get interested in making a film about it?
    Agnieszka Holland: A friend David Shamoon, who is the screenwriter, told me he had this wonderful story for me. I was hesitant because I have made films about the Holocaust already, but I felt this was a new story and based on real facts.
    David Shamoon: I had read a story in the Toronto Star about a Polish man, Leopold Socha (played by Robert Wieckiewicz) who worked in the sewers but was also a thief, who had saved large group of Jews during World War II by hiding them and supporting them in the sewers of Lvov (then part of Poland, now in the Ukraine) and I was just intrigued by it. I found out there was a book about it and auctioned the rights to the screenplay. I found a group of producers who also led me to find Agnieska and that it how it evolved over 8 years.
    Agnieszka Holland: At first I said yes, then I said no, and then I said yes again. It was also difficult to find the money, so it became a labor of love to make the film.

    Audience Question: Will this film be shown in Poland or Germany?
    Agnieszka Holland: It opened this week in one theatre in Poland but it is planned to open wider in January and in February in Germany and the United States. The film is a Canadian/Germany/Poland co-production. It was also sold in a number of countries. I think the distributor thinks it is a kind of winter movie. Sony Picture Classics is the distributor in the U.S. and Mongrel Media in Canada. It is also the Polish submission for foreign language Academy Awards, which I see as a grateful honor.

    Audience Question: How has the experience of making this film impacted your lives?
    Agnieszka Holland:It made me think about the extremes that they endured. I was born after the war, but my father, who is a Polish Jew, lost all his family who lived in Polish ghettos. I feel this morally damaged the country with these five years of occupation and the Holocaust. It was a dangerous period and then it was a Communist regime until 1989. The Polish-Jewish issues are still being discussed. Not just the history was important to me, but the fact that these stories were always present, even though they were not spoken about. I also feel that this kind of hate and human behavior just sleeps and come back at any moment so we must be aware of it. This kind of feeling can become much stronger during the current period of economic despair and frustration in Europe and the world. During this horror of the Holocaust many crimes of human nature were committed and cannot be understood and questions may never be answered. So the film is not just an historical film, for me it is an exercise in who I am.
    David Shamoon: It had an enormous effect on me. I thought I knew about the Holocaust but in doing the background research which took me about 1 year to do, it was horrifying finding the level of depravity that was inflicted on these people. I still felt this was a story that needed to be told.

    Festival Moderator: Can you tell us a little about Krystyna [Chiger] coming on the set and being part of the process?
    Agnieszka Holland: Krystyna is the little girl in the story and the last survivor of this group and I didn't know she existed. She wrote the book [The Girl in the Green Sweater] and has an incredible memory and had thought of me if a film would be made. So I was very happy to meet her. One of the most nervous moments I and some of the Canadian producers had was when we decided she had to see the film before it was done. They took a film of the work in progress to her town in Europe wher she lives. I did not go to that screening.
    David Shamoon: I think Agnieszka was a coward. I was at the screening and sat next to Krystyna and was very terrified that she would not like the film because she leaned over several times and whispered something in Polish to her husband. I thought it would be a disaster, but when the lights came on she was in tears and said, "That's the way it was." To us that was the most important critique that we could have gotten.
    Agnieszka Holland: She and her family were here last night when it premiered at the Elgin Theatre and we wanted to introduce her as a special guest after the film since this was the first time she had seen the completed film. She cried and I myself was surprised at how emotional I became after the screening.

    Audience Question: How long did it take to make the film?
    Agnieszka Holland: We shot in 40 days, and my daughter who is also a director shot another 10 days on a secondary shoot. We also had to have language specialists, because the city then had many languages but the primary language was a Polish dialect called Lwów dialect, but we also had Polish, Yiddish, German, and Ukrainian languages. We had primarily Polish actors, but some German and Ukrainian actors also. Robert and the actress who played his wife learned to speak Lwów. Robert was not crazy about learning it but did a very good job.
    Robert Wieckiewicz: My English is just ok but learning a slang language like the Lwów dialect I thought would be difficult, but we had dialect coaches and it really worked and we wanted the movie to be the most realistic but my younger co-actor Krysztof Skoneiczyny was much better at the dialect than me.
    Agnieszka Holland: Yes this young guy, Krysztof, knew there was going to be a movie, so he read everything he could about the story, visited the sewers and got CDs to teach himself Lwów, and he was very good and after awhile could even improvise in this dialect. The dialect coach was an older man from Silesia, who may be one of the last people speaking Lwów. He said to Robert after some time, you know this younger man is better than you.

    Festival Moderator: I would like to ask the composer about the beautiful score he created and his process of scoring the film and working with the director.
    Antoni Komasi-Lazarkarkiewicz: It is not the first project we have done together. We both screened an unfinished portion of the film and were thinking it doesn't require any or much music at all. Where can orchestral music add to the movie? We found there were places music was needed but it needed to be subtle and almost hidden. The film already has a very creative soundscape. We had fantastic artists and did the mixing here in Toronto. We mixed the environmental sounds and music to create a vivid soundscape. We used some arias from operas at a few intense moments in the film also.

    Audience Question: Do you actually know how many groups of Jews were hidden in the sewers?
    Agnieszka Holland: I don't know the real numbers, only about this group. There were many Jews who escaped from the ghettos through the sewers, hundreds I think. But of individuals who stayed in the sewers for this long time I only know about our small group that actually stayed there over 14 months.

    Audience Question: As for the children who acted in the movie, do you think it will affect their own feelings and background?
    Agnieszka Holland: I don't know. I explained the film and the context and the history to them. They seemed to enjoy making the film. The girl was very pretentious, correcting our wording in the scripts sometimes. They can only work 3 hours a day and I did not have them present when we had sexual scenes.

    Audience Question: Where was the movie shot?
    Agnieszka Holland: Not in Lvov, the real city. We went there for research and to look at the sewers, but it was too complicated for many reasons including financially that we could not shoot there. We shot in Leipzig and Berlin in Germany and some towns in Poland. We shot in the sewers of three cities and the on stage in Leipzig recreating the chambers of the sewers. You also shoot where you get the money. France shoots in Prague, Prague shoots in Romania, Lithuania in Germany, the United States in Canada. That's the way it is, although your Canadian dollar is now strong so some shooting will be done elsewhere.

    In Darkness opens in February in the DC area and is among the final five nominees for Best Foreign Language Film for the 2012 Academy Awards. It will also have a screening on February 19 at 2:00pm at the National Geographic as part of their Global Glimpses series which screens the final five foreign language nominees.



    The 23rd Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival

    By Anita Glick, DC Film Society Member

    The
    Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in North America, welcoming 130,000 attendees each year for its lineup of new and celebrated international features and documentaries. From January 5 – 16, 2012, 188 films from 73 countries were screened, including 40 of the 63 foreign language entries for this year’s Academy Awards. More than 60 of the 188 films were by first-time filmmakers. Palm Springs’ increasingly popular Festival continues to expand its diverse programming of quality independent and foreign films, setting the stage for the year’s film festival circuit.


    Film fans at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Photo by Anita Glick

    The Festival is also known for its annual Black Tie Awards Gala, honoring the best achievements of the film year by a celebrated list of talents which included Jessica Chastain, George Clooney, Glenn Close, Stephen Daldry, Michel Hazanavicius, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Howard Shore, Octavia Spencer, Michelle Williams and the creative ensemble of Young Adult (Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody). The impressive list of presenters included Al Pacino, Tom Hanks, Thomas Horn, Adrian Brody, Kenneth Branagh, Jonah Hill, and Jeff Goldblum.

    The Gala was attended by 2,400 guests consisting of 1,900 dinner guests. Tickets were $350 to $3,500 at tables for 10. Proceeds raised $1.6 million. In memory of Jackie Lee Houston, 14,000 perfectly matched purple tulips, were grown on tulip farms in Holland decorated the purple draped tables.

    The Best of the Fest screenings took place on Monday, January 16. See the complete list of screenings.


    AWARDS

    Starbuck received Mercedes-Benz Audience Award Best Narrative Feature; The Girls in the Band and Wish Me Away tied for Audience Award Best Doc Feature; The Turin Horse received  FIPRESCI Award; The House received  New Voices/New Visions Award;  The Tiniest Place received first-time documentary filmmaker John Schlesinger Award; Matthias Schoenaerts received FIPRESCI Award for Best Actor for his role in Bullhead; Ensemble female cast from A Separation received the FIPRESCI Award for Best Actress; Terraferma received the HP Bridging the Borders Award.

    For the first time since the creation of the Shortlist, all nine Academy Award submissions on the short list for Best Foreign Language Oscar nominations played the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Bold type indicates the final five.

  • Belgium, Bullhead, Michael R. Roskam, director
  • Canada, Monsieur Lazhar, Philippe Falardeau, director
  • Israel, Footnote, Joseph Cedar, director
  • Iran, A Separation, Asghar Farhadi, director
  • Poland, In Darkness, Agnieszka Holland, director
  • Denmark, Superclásico, Ole Christian Madsen, director
  • Germany, Pina, Wim Wenders, director
  • Morocco, Omar Killed Me, Roschdy Zem, director
  • Taiwan, Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale, Wei Te-sheng, director.


    TALKING PICTURES PROGRAMS:

  • George Clooney: Politics and Passion (Tickets SOLD OUT (on line) in 20 minutes).
    A renaissance man if ever there was one, George Clooney caps what has been a brilliant career with perhaps his most successful year yet, as Director, co-writer, producer and star of this year’s The Ides of March and the lead role in The Descendants. Clooney in conversation live on stage, preceded by a screening The Ides of March.

  • Gary Oldman: Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
    In one of his most riveting roles yet, Oldman tackles one of literature’s most famous spies, George Smiley, in the Cold War-era espionage thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy written by John le Carré in the 1970s. A screening of the film, was followed by an in-depth discussion with Gary Oldman live on stage.


    MUST SEE FILMS

  • Come As You Are. (US Premiere). Belgium. Director Geoffrey Enthoven, Producer Mariano Vanhoof, Screenwriter Pierre De Clercq and Actor Tom Audernaert (Jozef) attended. Three handicapped guys in their early twenties embark on a journey to Spain, hoping to have their first sexual experiences. Nothing will stop them. Not even their disabilities - one is blind, one is confined to a wheelchair and one is completely paralyzed.

  • Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story. USA. Co-Directors Jonathan Gruber and Ari Daniel Pinchot attended. This moving and ripping documentary places the daring Operation Entebbe hostage-rescue mission by Israeli Defense forces against the fascinating backdrop of the largely untold story of its commander, the older brother of the current Israeli Prime Minister.

  • Guilty (US Premiere). France. Director Vincent Garenq. Both a man and his wife are arrested as part of a child sex ring. His claim of innocence count for nothing. This gripping true story show how his life is torn apart in a scandalous miscarriage of justice. The true story of how justice was not carried out as “innocent until proven guilty” and false evidence remains supported and uncovers one of the most scandalous court cases in recent French law.

  • In Darkness. Poland. Director Agnieszka Holland. A true story of a Polish sewer worker who saved many Jewish lives. Excellent character development of the survivors and the changing attitude of their rescuer, and his family. The film addresses many moral issues and the good and evil that is within all of us but keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the movie.

  • Monsieur Lazhar. Canada. Director Philippe Falardeau attended. An Algerian immigrant replaces a Montreal elementary teacher who committed suicide in the classroom. Some of the children are traumatized by the experience. Excellent acting from the adults and children and character development of how adults and children deal with death and grieving.

  • Pina. Germany/France. Director Wim Wenders. Pina is a stunning tribute to the late great Pina Bausch, the most innovative choreographer in modern dance. It is in 3D which is a transforming dimension creating the sensation that you are on the stage. A wonderful combination of archival footage and recently shot dance performances. The film is mostly dance, but it is dance like you never saw before.

  • A Separation. Iran. Director Asghar Farhadi. A recipient of numerous awards, this stunning tale is about a husband and wife who separate when their needs take separate paths. It explores the nature of truth, responsibility and honor in contemporary Iran. Simply riveting cinema.

  • Starbuck. Canada. Director Ken Scott and Producer Andre Rouleau attended. The past comes back with a vengeance in this Canadian comedy about a class action suit against prolific sperm donor, a like-able middle-aged loser, aka Starbuck. A warm and humorous story. The lead is pitch perfect.


    VERY GOOD FILMS

  • Breathing. Austria. Director Karl Markovis. A surly teenager about to be released from a penal institution takes a work-release job as the first step toward his freedom. He takes a job in a mortuary, moving dead bodies. Seeing a dead woman with his same last name he wonders if it can be the mother who abandoned him at birth. This leads him to explore his past.

  • Bullhead. Belgium/Netherlands. Director, Michaël R Roskam. This debut drama about a steroid addicted Belgian cattle farmer who gets tangled up in the illegal trade in growth-hormone-laced beef. It is part thriller and part character study about gangsters and farmers. It is a film about cows, and police informers, bulls and head-butts.

  • Cousinhood Spain. Director Daniel Sánchez Arévalo and Actor Quim Gutiereez attended. A raucous romantic comedy in which, a handsome but immature Spaniard, gets dumped by his fiancée a few days before his wedding. His best friends take him on an alternately sweet and hilarious road trip to reconnect with his first love.

  • Declaration of War. France. Director, Co-Screenwriter and Actor, Valérie Donzelli. This film, a semi-autographical sophomore feature, is an exhilarating French musical dramedy about a loving young couple who give birth to a child with a brain tumor. It is an unexpected mix of humor, pathos and above all, triumphant humanity. Director and Co-Screenwriter star. Delightful and moving gem.

  • Dolphin Boy. Israel. Director Dani Mernkin and Yonatan Nir attended. Morad, an Arab teenager is suffering from a severe post-traumatic shock, disconnecting himself from the world around him. When told by doctors that dolphin-assisted therapy is the last treatment option, Morad's father leaves his job and family to move to Dolphin Reef on the Red Sea, vowing not to return unless the boy achieves full recovery.

  • Elena. Russia. Director, Andrey Zvyagintsev. A portrait of Russia’s post-communist consumer society entirely lacking in morality. Elena, a nurse to the rich, older Vladimir, is now his wife. A very quiet film, scored with Philip Glass' music, it slowly builds as Elena carries out her daily duties as wife and mother.

  • First Position, A Ballet Documentary. USA. Director Bess Kargman attended. Filled with drama, tension and suspense, this documentary follows six gifted ballet students from disparate social, regional, economic and ethnic backgrounds as they prepare for the Youth America Grand Prix, a prestigious competition where the world’s top dance companies and schools prospect for new talent.

  • Footnote. Israel. Director Joseph Cedar. Footnote features a more internal conflict — two professors of Talmud, a father and son, dueling for academic prestige and a coveted national prize.

  • Gypsy. Slovakia. Director, Martin Sulik. In a poor village, out of necessity, after her husband’s death, Adam’s mother marries his brother. His uncle is a shady businessman and forces Adam into service. His father’s ghost visits Adam. This poignant humanistic drama takes on shades of Hamlet.

  • Happy, Happy. Norway. Director, Anne Sewitsky. In a small snowy town in northern Norway, new neighbors change the life of happy Kaja. An offbeat comedy of infidelity, moose meat, church choirs, board games and embarrassing showdowns.

  • Kid With a Bike. Belgium. Directors Jean-Pierre Dardenne Luc Dardenne. An 11 year old boy abandoned by his father still believes his father will be back. A hairdresser enters his life. The boy’s intensity drives the film, but the woman’s tenderness and compassion give rare moments of grace in this heartbreaking tale of abandonment. An excellent moral tale.

  • Last Winter. Belgium/France. Director, John Shank attended. Johann, the head of a farming co-op in central France, runs the cattle farm he inherited from his father with great care. But economic realities increase pressure on him to sell. This feature debut is suffused with quiet longing for a simpler time.

  • Le Havre. Finland. Director, Aki Kauurismäki attended. A tale of uncommon compassion for a stranger, Le Havre is a low key charmer that echoes long beyond its run time. An elderly Sicilian fisherman who rescues a boatload of African immigrants, must decide whether to do what the law demands or what he knows to be right.

  • The Loving Story. USA. Director Nancy Buirski. In 1958, an interracial couple is convicted of breaking Virginia Law and forced to leave the state. The case was taken by two ACLU attorneys. Archival footage and interviews bring the court case to life. Watch for this film on Valentine’s Day on HBO.

  • Omar Killed Me. Morocco. Director Roschdy Zen. An Arab worker becomes the scapegoat for a brutal murder in this gripping thriller based on one of the most shocking miscarriages of French justice in the last 20 years. This film shines a revealing light on racism, class problems and prejudice.

  • Simon & the Oaks. Sweden. Director Lisa Ohlin. An epic drama spanning the years 1939-1955. Working class Simon befriends Isak Oaks, the son of a wealthy Jewish bookseller who has fled Nazi persecution. The families connect in unexpected ways as war wages across Europe.

  • A Simple Life. Hong Kong. Director Ann Hui attended. A very moving portrait of Andy Lau caring for his godmother and former nanny when she has a stroke. It provides a real portrait of abandoned elders and nursing homes in Hong Kong or anywhere.

  • Sonny Boy. Netherlands. Director Maria Peters attended. Offering a sweeping epic encompassing the years 1911-1925, is the screen version of the bestselling novel by Annejet van der Zijl tells the real-life love story of a mixed race couple and their struggle in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands

  • The Turin Horse. Hungary. Director Béla Tarr. The Turin Horse is a film that works off the story of one of Nietzsche’s final encounters where he supposedly wrapped his arms around a horse crying. End-of-days parable largely confined to a shack shared by an old man and his daughter as a terrible blight takes hold outside. This film was photographed in black and white. Melancholy!

  • Wunderkinder. Germany. Director Marcus O. Rosenmüller and Writer Stephen Glantz attended. A moving tribute to innocence, focused on three gifted child musicians – two are Jewish and one is German. In the Ukraine, 1941, their friendship is torn apart when the Nazis invade the Soviet Union.


    GOOD FILMS

  • Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel. USA. Director Lisa Immordino Vreeland attended. Diana Vreeland was the editor of Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar for decades and was both the inventor and embodiment of the term “pizzazz.” This tribute (co-directed by her granddaughter-in-law is a combination of archival material and interviews.

  • Edwin Boyd. Canada. Director Nathan Morlando. Canada’s very own ‘public enemy number one’ robber was a WWII unemployed veteran who turned to robbery when all else failed. Once he got over his nerves, the handsome Boyd was a natural for the part.

  • The Flowers of War. China. Director Zhang Yimou. Based on Geling Yan’s novel 13 Flowers of Nanjing, this is a mixture of action and melodrama. The film's narrative hinges on the internal conflicts and conscience of lead actor, Christian Bale. A human drama that stays with you.

  • Haywire. USA. Director Steven Sodenbergh. Steven Sodenbergh tries his hand at an action thriller. His inspiration is Gina Carano, former mixed martial arts champion, who plays an operative working in all the dangerous corners of the world. She does all her own stunts. Amazing! An incredible cast supports this new screen talent.

  • If I Were You. Canada/UK. Director Joan Carr – Wiggin and Actor, Marsha Gay Harden attended. When Madelyn discovers her husband is having an affair, her attempts to stalk his young mistress takes a surprising turn and the two wind up forming a rather unconventional pact. A charming and funny look at the unexpected places life can take us.

  • Michael. Austria. Director Markus Schleinzer. This film illustrates the banality of evil in an impressively controlled and sometimes darkly humorous fashion. Michael follows a thirtyish pedophile who keeps a 10-year-old boy locked in his basement. Creepy, suspenseful and provocative.

  • My Australia. Israel. Director Ami Drozd. In the mid-1960s, two young Polish brothers involved in an anti-Semitic crime receive a rude awakening when they learn that they are Jewish. Their mother is moving them to Israel (or Australia), as she tells the younger brother.

  • My Best Enemy. Austria. Director Wolfgang Murnberger. A dramatic comedy set in Nazi-occupied Austria. When the Nazis confiscate a Michelangelo sketch, the family is set on a twist-filled World War II odyssey. The film is from the producers of the 2008 Academy Award winner, The Counterfeiters.

  • Nuit #1. Canada. Director Anne Émond and Producer Nancy Grant attended. A one-night stand veers from casual sex to something far more intimate and revealing in this bold debut feature film. It is a candid two-hander with stellar performances. Winner: Best Canadian Feature, Vancouver International Film Festival.

  • Pig. USA. Director Henry Barrial and Producer Mark Stolaroff attended. A man wakes up in the desert with a hood over his head, with no memory and a piece of paper in his pocket bearing the name of Manny Elder. This tantalizing sci-fi thriller, is a brain teaser in the Memento mold.

  • Postcard. Japan. Director Kaneto Shindo attended. The film is directly inspired by the filmmaker’s own experience. Dark humor, soaring melodrama, and rich thematrics pay tribute to the lives lost during WWII.

  • Sacrifice. China. Director Chen Kaige. A sumptuous Yua Dynasty tale of mistaken identity, court intrigue, murder and revenge. Baby is saved by his family doctor and raised by him to exact revenge on the general who murdered his clan.

  • Shakespeare High. USA. Director Alex Rotaru and Actor Tosh Hall attended. The competitive juices flow as teens from throughout Southern California gather for the annual Drama Teachers Association of Southern California Shakespeare Competition. The film illustrates how the arts can save young people’s lives and inspire.

  • Tilt. Bulgaria. Viktor Chouchkov attended. A Romeo and Juliet style love story that takes a critical look at Bulgaria’s post-revolution changes.

  • War of the Buttons. France. Director Christophe Barratier attended. An adaptation of the 1912 novel by Louis Perguad, revolving around opposing gangs of children from two different country villages who engage in mock battles with each other. This adventure sets the story in 1944, drawing resonant parallels between the children’s mock battles and the larger battles of WWII.


    NOT SO GOOD

  • Sal. USA. Director and Screenwriter James Franco & Actor Val Lauren attended. Hollywood heartthrob James Franco directs this micro budget portrait of the last hours of Sal Mineo, the talented gay actor who co-starred with James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause but then fell on hard times and was killed by a robber in 1976.


    Q&A’s I ATTENDED

    Come As You Are (Q&A)

    Audience: Where did you come up with the idea for this film?
    Filmmaker: It was the producer, he was in our office and he said he saw a documentary that was really full of heart but also very funny. And I said to him “Do you realize that is a movie?” Then, it started from there. It is based on the British documentary For One Night Only.

    Audience: Have you ever written comedy before?
    Filmmaker: Yes Belgium is a tiny country. To travel across the ocean and see people laugh and even crying is wonderful.

    Audience: Has this film been shown to disabled groups?
    Filmmaker: Yes, absolutely. We thought the film was for everybody. It went really well with the disabled groups in France, Holland and Belgium. We received quality awards and certificates, because they really think it is a movie that talks about them. This movie about ‘myself’ too.

    Audience: Can you talk about the casting process?
    Filmmaker: For a year and one half we wanted to do casting with real disabled people. We thought there should be enough talent with disabled people - but it was more difficult than we thought. After one year and a half, we could only find one person. So we had to find the other two. We started to do auditions. In the end we cast actors that knew each other and had worked together.

    Audience: Is there really a place like that in southern Spain?
    Filmmaker: It’s full of places like that so we chose the most beautiful and we chose the girls ourselves.

    Audience: Did Lars die naturally or did he take the pills?
    Filmmaker: It is open, you can decide. You can choose what his own way of going was.

    Audience: What was the budget?
    Filmmaker: $2.5 million.

    Audience: How much rehearsal time did you have for the film?
    Filmmaker: The actors did it independently.

    Audience: How many cameras did you use for the shoot?
    Filmmaker: Just one, but with different lenses, of course.

    Audience: How many days did you shoot for?
    Filmmaker: It was between 36 and 38 ½ days.

    Audience: Can you talk about the distribution of the film?
    Filmmaker: We do not have a distributor yet.


    * * * * *

    Cousinhood (Q&A)

    Arévalo: The film is based on things that happened to me. As a result of my ex-girlfriend leaving me, I decided to write a movie about it. For me it was a way to heal. All that negative energy - so I decided to write it, about someone being ‘stood-up’.

    Moderator: Everything was so fluid and natural. How did you work with these actors?
    Arévalo: I wrote the script thinking about Quim, of course. The first monologue, I thought nobody can do it better than Quim. I really enjoyed working with the actors and I hope to do it again. I asked them to join me in the creative process. In rehearsals, I asked them to rewrite the script. This was in plenty of time to make changes. I don’t know anymore which lines are theirs and which are mine.

    Audience: What about the casting process?
    Arévalo: I like to do the casting myself so I saw a lot of actors. I picked five and spent time with them to see if I really connected with them. Not only did they have to be really good actors but I had to relate to them. Often we end up being really good friends.

    Audience: How close are you to the lead actor?
    Arévalo: Pretty close! I am tempted to start crying now. I’m kind of an intense guy sometimes. To convey the comedy you need to feel the drama.

    Audience: Have you gotten a distributor yet?
    Arévalo: We’re working on it. I don’t think so yet. My previous films were released in New York, LA, San Francisco and Chicago. There is a very small market in the States for films that are not in English.

    Audience: Is your film Dark Blue Almost Black (2006) available on DVD?
    Arévalo: Yes, it is. My second film is called Fat People (2003) and it is a dark comedy. I really enjoy watching you guys laugh. Looking at your faces, that’s what really keeps me going. It gives me energy to tell stories. That’s my main goal. We put a lot of ourselves in this film, it is a very personal experience.


    * * * * *

    Follow Me: The Yoni Netanyahu Story (Q&A)

    Audience: What is it that drew you to this particular story?
    Filmmakers: This process started about 16 years ago. I read the book. There is a book of Yoni's published letters. After Yoni’s death the family had a shiva (the mourning period in Judaism) and friends and relatives and people who knew Yoni came to the shiva and delivered letters they had kept because, as you saw in the film, he wrote remarkable letters and they kept them and they delivered them to the shiva house. The family decided to publish them in a book. We had read the book, quite some time ago and people like Yoni do not exist very often. People that are so remarkable in so many different facets of their lives, but yet so honest and so introspective in their feelings and their emotions. So we read the book and thought, this is somebody who needs a film made about them. We were very passionate about it and wanted to make the film.

    Audience: What is the background on the ex-wife and girlfriend and could you give us a little insight on the younger brothers?
    Filmmakers: Tutti’s second husband died shortly after Yoni died. She remarried and when we did the interview with her she was married again. What is really remarkable about Tutti is that she had not shared much of what we were privileged to hear. Bruriah married and had three children. Iddo is the black sheep of the family; he is a radiologist, a playwrite and a novelist. He wrote a detailed book on Entebbe; he and the rest of the family were very supportive of this project and provided us with much of the material for the film.

    Audience: Will this film be distributed in the USA? Is it available on DVD?
    Filmmakers: Our distribution strategy is to play at festivals like this one and to conduct sub-specialty screenings for organizations that ask for it and to try to build word-of-mouth until the end of April, when we plan to release the movie initially, probably in four cities, New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC and some place in southern Florida. If there is commercial appeal we will go to more cities. After that we will cut a deal with Netflix for the DVD.

    Audience: What is the age difference between Bibi and Yoni?
    Filmmakers: Bibi (Benjamin) is three years younger than Yoni and then Iddo is three years younger.

    Audience: Did someone impersonate Idi Amin?
    Filmmakers: I don’t think they impersonated Idi Amin, but I think the Mercedes was the way they were able to trick the guards.

    Audience: Were there lights on the airstrip?
    Filmmakers: I believe there were lights on the airstrip. One of the reasons we made the film without details about Entebbe is that so many books and theatrical films have been made about Entebbe. We felt giving it more ‘broad strokes’ would be best.

    Audience: Has the film been shown is Israel?
    Filmmakers: The film will be shown in Israel for the first time in March. Hopefully, it will open in theatres afterwards. The film was made for American audiences.

    Audience: Is it true that the Israelis had special information about the airport, since they had a part in constructing it?
    Filmmakers: That is true, they also trained with Ugandans. Kenya really helped, they let the Israelis go through their air space. The planes took off from Entebbe and refueled in Kenya. Once Idi Amin found out about Kenya’s help, he slaughtered hundreds of Kenyans in Uganda in response to the raid. There are many books about Yoni’s life and the raid: "Yoni’s Last Battle, The Rescue at Entebbe 1976," later re-released as "Entebbe: A Defining Moment On The War On Terrorism - The Jonathan Netanyahu Story" and "Self Portrait of a Hero." We used only a small snippet of the letters. There have been many documentaries made about the raid.

    Audience: Was the family supportive?
    Filmmakers: The family was very supportive. We were given access to home movies and interviews. The backbone of film was the interviews. Letters were edited down but were from his own words. The film showing the interior of the plane was the actual planes in mission from an air field in Israel: actual planes in mission.

    Audience: Is it true that Yoni was not liked?
    Filmmakers: Yoni was respected. He was a perfectionist and some people did not respond well to that but to most people in his life he was beloved. It was a mixed bag.


    * * * * *

    Last Winter (Q&A)

    Moderator: What is your connection to the landscape? Tell us about the boy.
    Shank: I’m not sure what it is exactly, I made 3 short films before this one and they all took place in the countryside. I guess what I am interested in is the position of a man in this world. I need a big natural space to tell stories like that. The lead actor is an incredible young French actor who has basically never been on a farm before. The first time I went with him and we walked on the fields, the actor turned to me and said, “There are only bulls in the field. They all have horns, it is just bulls.” He did not know that cows also have horns. So we spent a lot of time together. We prepared for the film, by working on farms together with farmers for three weeks. What do I know of farming? I was born in Indiana, surrounded by corn fields. I spent my summers, between ages 12 and 17, living on a farm in Belgium. I liked to spend time with the older men there.

    Moderator: That was also a beautiful element of the film, the old farmers. The compassion between the men was really beautiful. Were they professional actors?
    Shank: The lead character is a professional actor. We also had people from the area we were shooting in. The movie was co-produced by France, Belgium does not have enough money to produce a movie. I knew there were places in France, so I went location scouting for a long time. The script changed a lot when I discovered this area. It’s an area in the center of France.

    Audience: What was the intention of the loosening of the barbed wire?
    Shank: You would never loosen barbed wire in winter. It is too cold. I needed and wanted to see him (the main character) work again, doing manual labor. That’s all!

    Audience: Why did he leave the horse?
    Shank: Because he has to go alone. I wanted him to go alone. I thought it was fitting. He is not going to take the horse into the cold. He does not tie the horse up, so the horse is free to go.


    * * * * *

    Sal (Q&A)

    Audience: What interested you in this story?
    Franco: I had been aware of Sal’s work for a long time. Along with being a great actor I realized his story was also a tragic one, not only because he was murdered but for various reasons he fell out of favor and he couldn’t act in the same capacity that he had early in his career. To me that was a tragedy so I was interested in his story because I identify with his struggles as a performer. On top of that I knew I had the performer for that. I have known Val Lauren for fifteen years.
    Lauren: I was sitting on the rooftop of my building, when I got a text. I have it here: “You’re going to play Sal. Cool!!!” About 45 minutes later I grasped that I was going to be playing Sal Mineo. That’s how is started. When I spoke to James he said “We are going to make an unconventional movie about an unconventional man.

    Audience: It seemed like it was unscripted and the way it was shot was very unusual.
    Franco: That was kind of on purpose. I wanted it to feel like you were spying on the guy. I knew I didn’t want to do a conventional bio-pic. I heard he was rehearsing a play, playing the role of a bisexual burglar on the last day of his life and there were all these odd parallels to his life. That influenced the way we shot it. The close-ups were a way to get close to him.
    Lauren: We shot this very, very fast. We did a tremendous amount of research. I only knew him from movies. He was the first actor to say “Don’t label me, but I like men. I like men and I like women, but do not label me.” I thought. “How am I going to let the audience get to know him?” I wanted to present ‘organically’ so you guys could see who he was. I got to sit with his lover, Courtney Burr, and listen to stories about him and his life.

    Audience: What do you prefer acting or directing?
    Franco: I won’t give up acting. Directing lets me control how a story is told. It’s nice to have both.

    Audience: What can you tell us about the music in the car? Franco: It was actually one of Sal’s favorite songs, introducing a haunting feelings.


    * * * * *

    Sonny Boy (Q&A)

    Peters: I read the novel and found the story interesting, about a couple, black and white and how they connected.

    Audience: Have you had any contact with character in the film?
    Peters: The little boy is now a man in his eighties He was very touched by the novel and the film. The book gave back his parents to him. The film gave back his family. The first screening of the film was actually a family reunion.

    Audience: At the end of the film, the lead actor was shot by two German boys. Was that literary license or did it really happen?
    Peters: That is how the story went. At the end of the book the author explains it. I did not include that part because it takes too much long.

    Audience: Are the actors famous in Holland?
    Peters: The female led is well known, but this was her biggest part. The male lead had never been in a film before. I picked him out at an acting school. It was his first year there. I fell in love with his eyes. Eyes are very important on the screen.

    Audience: Where was the principle filming done?
    Peters: Mostly in was filmed in the Hague because we got some money for that. Mostly it was filmed in Belgium and Brussels. We can show those beautiful buildings since it is a period piece.

    Audience: Have you gotten a distributor yet?
    Peters: Yes, we just did.


    * * * * *

    Diane Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (Q&A)

    Moderator: Could you tell us how you approached the film?
    Filmmaker: I really researched a lot. I really got to know her through my research. I looked at all of her shows at the costume institute, every issue for nine years of Vogue and of course interviewing everybody. Diana came from an upper middle class family, so she had a very fortunate life. She had a very difficult relationship with her mother. In her diaries from age 15 to 20, she talked about how she wanted to become an original and stand out. I think that she was born with dream-like fantasy in her head. The film is about how she gave to us the texture of her life. I think it is a feel good movie. You can dream, you can go out and try new things.

    Audience: What happened to her apartment?
    Filmmaker: It was sold fairly quickly. We have some objects but a lot of her things were sold by her sons. The famous red couch — we actually have that in the country. It is no longer red. It is a fantastic couch; actually Diane Von Furstenberg has the same couch. It is so deep. It is an unusual couch.

    Audience: Did she buy her clothes?
    Filmmaker: She wore pretty much of a uniform; these little cashmere sweaters; I happen to have some of them. She wore pants, a little cashmere sweater and a jacket. Her jewelry was sold off while she was still alive. Kenny J. Lane arranged the sale.

    Audience: How tall was she? She seems very tall.
    Filmmaker: No, not at all. She was like 5’5” or 5’6”. She had beautiful long hands and you can see that in the footage. I tried to pick images that are not familiar.

    Audience: What motivated you to want to do this?
    Filmmaker: I had never done a movie. My husband always tells me I am really good at doing things I have never done before. I knew I was going to do the research and hire a great art director and I was able to do it. There were only four of us that worked on the film. I really only got to know her when I did the research. She said “It’s not about the dress you wear; it’s about the life you lead in the dress.”

    Audience: Does the film have a distributor?
    Filmmaker: Yes it does, Samuel Goldwyn Films acquired all North American rights. It is scheduled to open sometime in 2012.


    * * * * *

    Monsieur Lazhar (Q&A)

    Moderator: I am proud to introduce Philippe Falardeau, Director and Screenwriter of Monsieur Lazhar, Canada’s entry for Oscar race. He is also on Variety’s 10 best directors to watch.
    Filmmaker: Thank you so much. About this Oscar thing--in September it was very flattering; it’s very nerve wracking. A few weeks ago I went to a special screening in LA for members of the Foreign Press and members of the academy. I tried to sleep in the plane but I had nightmares. I dreamt the sound was good, but all the characters were speaking in English, disqualifying the film. I was running down the aisle yelling, “I swear my film is in French.” So barring a catastrophe you will be seeing the film and the sub-titles will be there. This film was inspired and adapted from a play I saw four years ago in Montreal. It is a solo play about an Algerian immigrant who becomes a replacement teacher at a school when the teacher dies dramatically. I was touched by his dignity and his fragility. It is also my second feature with children. I think it is a privilege; they are professional. When I watched the play, I had to imagine people he was talking to and his dead wife that he also spoke to. I did my own film watching the play, but it took two years of script writing. A lot of the stuff was not in the play. For instance, Simone was not in the play. I needed her character for the continuity of the film.

    Moderator: One of the situations that exist in our culture and I think it is handled very well here is immigration. Was that your way into the story?
    Filmmaker: I was looking for a film around immigration. I thought this would be a film about immigration but NOT about immigration. In the play he does not get his visa and is sent back to Algeria. For me, the film is about this character, it goes beyond his immigration status.

    Moderator: Can you tell us a little bit about last shot of the film?
    Filmmaker: That was not the original ending. I felt the movie started in the schoolyard and should end there also.

    Audience: What can you tell us about the casting?
    Filmmaker: I strolled around school yards with candies. [audience laughs]. We had professional agents and I saw about 150 kids. It was important for me to take a lot of time in the audition process. The first thing you want to know — does the kid want to make films or is it his parents? It was almost an hour with each kid. You have to see if they can modify their behavior. There is no particular system, you just take time. Sometimes when I direct I close my eyes, I do not watch them, I listen.

    Audience: What can you tell us about the casting of Monsieur Lazhar.
    Filmmaker: He is originally from Algeria; he had to leave the country in 1992, when the civil war started there. He now lives in France. He is a stand-up comedian. He is very different from what you see on screen. I found him in Youtube. I went to France to do auditions because there are a lot of Algerians in France. I met him and we became instant friends.

    Audience: How hard is it to get a movie like this made?
    Filmmaker: There is a great deal of commercial film made Canada. We do not get the same budgets, of course. There are about 50 films submitted and only 4 or 5 get financed. I have been very lucky. All my films have made it to the screen. My concentration with this film was show that people do go on.


    * * * * *

    A Simple Life (Q&A)

    Moderator: Can you tell us a little bit about the inspiration? Filmmaker: These last few years, I have been thinking a lot about old age, because I am actually in that category. My producer came to me with this story written down in notes. I said this would make a good movie. We started working on the scripting and the funding. It was all very smooth.

    Audience: Chinese culture is to take care of the old people. I was surprised to see the old people just left in the home.
    Filmmakers: All the old people in the home are based on Roger’s own experience. In the modern world it is increasingly difficult to live with parents. Now there is no stigma sending your parents to a home. The attitude is changing. People who did that had better relationships with their parents or grandparents.

    Audience: While interviewing for new domestic help when Roger was describing the duties — they all said “NO WAY”.
    Filmmaker: These characters were based on a conglomerate of the actual women who interviewed. Now these women come from Philippines or Indonesia.

    Audience: Would you comment on the actress in the film?
    Filmmaker: Deannie Yip is a very famous actress in Hong Kong. She has received many awards. She retired about 12 years ago. When I asked Roger “Who do you think should play this part?” He said it should be someone like Deannie. So I asked a good friend of mine to ask her. She agreed to play the part. She is very difficult to work with. She has her own mind.

    Audience: Were the people in the home actors?
    Filmmaker: Yes, in fact all of them have gotten awards for their acting. The main characters were guest actors. We had eight amateurs from a local theater group for the aged. The other people live in home.


    The following films screened in Palm Springs will open in Washington DC in 2012:

    February: Declaration of War; In Darkness

    March: Footnote; Salmon Fishing in the Yemen; Jiro Dreams of Sushi; The Kid with a Bike

    April: The Salt of Life

    May: Headhunters; Once Upon a Time in Anatolia



    We Need to Hear From YOU

    We are always looking for film-related material for the Storyboard. Our enthusiastic and well-traveled members have written about their trips to the Cannes Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, London Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Reykjavik Film Festival, the Munich Film Festival, and the Locarno Film Festival. We also heard about what it's like being an extra in the movies. Have you gone to an interesting film festival? Have a favorite place to see movies that we aren't covering in the Calendar of Events? Seen a movie that blew you away? Read a film-related book? Gone to a film seminar? Interviewed a director? Taken notes at a Q&A? Read an article about something that didn't make our local news media? Send your contributions to Storyboard and share your stories with the membership. And we sincerely thank all our contributors for this issue of Storyboard.



    Calendar of Events

    FILMS

    American Film Institute Silver Theater
    "Screen Valentines: Great Movie Romances" runs from February 3-March 5 and includes classic and new films such as The Awful Truth (1937), The African Queen, The Lady Eve, Two for the Road, Last Tango in Paris and Dirty Dancing.

    In honor of the Charles Dickens (1812-1870) bicentennial, AFI presents "Dickens in the Cinema: A Bicentennial Retrospective." Films include A Tale of Two Cities (1935), David Copperfield (1935), Great Expectations (1946), and Oliver Twist (1948) with more to come in March and April.

    "Bigger Than Life: The Films of Nicholas Ray" starts February 3 and ends April 12. Films include They Life By Night, Knock on Any Door, In a Lonely Place, Born to Be Bad, The Lusty Men, On Dangerous Ground, Johnny Guitar, Run for Cover; the series continues in March and April.

    Gene Kelly, born in 1912, gets a well-deserved retrospective in his centenary year. "Gene Kelly Centennial Retrospective" includes films such as Cover Girl, Anchors Away, Singin' in the Rain, The Pirate, Take Me Out to the Ball Game, On the Town and more in March and April.

    "Things to Come: The City Imagined on Film" is presented in cooperation with the National Building Museum's exhibit "Unbuilt Washington." The films present futuristic views of city life and urban design and include Just Imagine, Transatlantic Tunnel, Things to Come, Metropolis, Brazil with more in March.

    "Soviet Shakespeare" is a short series of two Russian adaptations of William Shakespeare's plays, both by Grigori Kozintsev: Hamlet (1964) and King Lear (1971).

    Special events in February include The Best Man (1964), a documentary New Orleans Rising (John Patrick King, 2010), a new 35mm print of The Black Pirate (Albert Parker, 1926) with live accompaniment by the Alloy Orchestra, and The Private Files of J. Edgar Hoover (Larry Cohen, 1977) with Broderick Crawford as Hoover.

    Two opera on film events for February: On February 1 at 7:30pm is "Three Superstars in Berlin" with Anna Netrebko, Erwin Schrott and Jonas Kaufmann singing arias and duets. On February 20 at 11:45am is Puccini's "Il Trittico" performed by the Royal Opera House in London.

    Freer Gallery of Art
    The Iranian film festival concludes in February. On February 3 at 7:00pm and February 5 at 2:00pm is Goodbye (Mohammad Rasoulof, 2011); on February 10 at 7:00pm and February 12 at 2:00pm is Mourning (Morteza Farshbaf, 2011); on February 17 at 7:00pm and February 19 at 2:00pm is Here Without Me (Bahram Tavakoli, 2011), an adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play "Glass Menagerie."

    "Noodles and a Movie" is a special event for Chinese Lunar New Year, combining Taiwan celebrity chef Hou Chun-sheng's cooking and a screening of the film Eat Drink Man Woman (Ang Lee) on February 15 at 6:00pm.

    National Gallery of Art
    The ongoing film series "American Originals Now" features independent filmmakers and the opportunity to discuss their work. For February, Amie Siegel's work will be shown. On February 11 at 2:30pm is DDR/DDR (2008) about the re-unified Germany and on February 18 at 2:30pm is a program of short films with Amie Siegel in person.

    "PhotoFilm!" is a series exploring the use of still photographs in motion pictures. On February 25 at 2:30pm is "How Much Movement Does the Image Need?" -- a program of short films with the three film program curators present for discussion. On February 26 at 4:30pm is "Recall and Memory," another program of short films with the curators present. One more in March and others at the Goethe Institute.

    Other art films and special events in February include Nathan the Wise (Manfred Noa, 1922) on February 4 at 2:30pm with Dennis James accompanying on theater organ; A Place in Berlin (Jurgen Bottcher, 2001), an experimental documentary about Berlin on February 5 at 4:30pm; Le Mystere Picasso (Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1956) on February 8 at 2:30pm and February 9 and 10 at 12:30pm. A new film about influential designers Charles and Ray Eames Eames: The Architect and the Painter (Jason Cohn, 2011) is on February 12 at 4:30pm. A selection of new short films from France "Les Lutins du Court-Metrage," is shown on February 19 at 5:00pm.

    National Museum of African Art
    The African Art House Film Festival takes place on Thursdays in February. On February 2 at 6:30pm is Man On Ground (Akin Omotoso, 2011) from South Africa with director Akin Omotoso and actor Hakeem Kae Kazim participating in a Q&A after the film. On February 9 at 6:30pm is Touki Bouki (Djibril Diop Mambety, 1973) from Senegal. On February 16 at 6:30pm is Aristotle's Plot (Jean-Pierre Bekolo, 1996) from Zimbabwe. On February 23 at 6:30pm is The Nine Muses (John Akomfrah, 2011), a documentary mixing archive material with original scenes with director John Akomfrah taking part in Q&A. All films are shown at Landmark's E Street Cinema.

    Museum of American History
    The new Warner Brothers Theater opens this month at the Smithsonian Museum of American History. On February 4 at 2:00pm is The Maltese Falcon (John Huston, 1941), preceded by a lecture at 1:00pm in which NPR film commentator Murray Horwitz leads a discussion on the film's history. On February 4 at 7:00pm is Treasure of the Sierra Madre (John Huston, 1948) with a pre-screening discussion at 6:00pm. On February 5 at 2:00pm is The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946) with a pre-screening discussion at 1:00pm.

    On February 15 at 7:00pm is a one-hour preview of segments from Clinton, an American Experience Film documentary. The screening is followed by a panel discussion.

    Renwick Gallery
    On February 29 at 12:00 noon is A Not So Still Life (Karen Stanton, 2010) about the artist Ginny Ruffner, who will participate in a discussion of the film.

    National Portrait Gallery
    On February 4 at 3:30pm is Good Hair (2009), a documentary in which Chris Rock reviews black hairstyles and attitudes. On February 18 at 1:00pm is The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Goran Olsson, 2011), a documentary about the Black Power movement and at 3:00pm is Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994).

    Smithsonian American Art Museum
    On February 9 at 7:00pm is Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times (1936), shown in the Kogod Courtyard. Annie Hall (Woody Allen) is on February 29 at 6:30pm.

    Washington Jewish Community Center
    The WJCC is one of six venues for the "Reel Abilities" disabilities film festival. On February 2 at 7:30pm is Ben X (Nic Balthazar) from Belgium. On February 3 at 1:00pm is Henry O! (Ziad H. Hamzeh), a documentary about a blind sports commentator. On February 5 at 11:00am is Shooting Beauty (George Kachadorian), a documentary about a fashion photographer, shown with Crooked Beauty (Ken Paul Rosenthal), a short documentary. On February 9 at 7:00pm is War Eagle, Arkansas (Robert Milazzo), the closing night film.

    Goethe Institute
    "A Deeper Look" follows January's Film Neu festival, in a look at the Film Neu directors' earlier works. On February 6 at 6:30pm is Grounding: The Last Days of Swissair (Michael Steiner, 2006) and on February 13 at 6:30pm is Black Box Germany (Andres Veiel, 2001).

    The Goethe Institute takes part in the "Best of Input: Television Out of the Box" series on February 1 at 6:30pm. See for other locations and complete schedule.

    The Goethe Institute takes part in "PhotoFilm!" a series exploring the uses of still photographs in motion pictures. The first two programs are at the National Gallery of Art. The third program is at the Goethe Institute on February 27 at 6:30pm "The Dancing Photo on Film." Three more in March.

    National Geographic Society
    See all of the Oscar-nominated films for Best Foreign Language Film February 17-19. On February 17 at 7:00pm is A Separation (Asghar Farhadi, 2011) from Iran; on February 18 at 5:00pm is Bullhead (Michaël R. Roskam, 2011) from Belgium; on February 18 at 8:00pm is Footnote (Joseph Cedar, 2011) from Israel; on February 19 at 2:00pm is In Darkness (Agnieszka Holland, 2011) from Poland; and on February 19 at 6:00pm is Monsieur Lazhur (Philippe Falardeau, 2011) from Canada.

    The Banff Mountain Film Festival Series, films about mountain sports and cultures, continues through February 4. See the website for titles and dates.

    French Embassy
    On February 21 at 7:00pm is a film for Valentine's Day: The Art of Love (Emmanuel Mouret, 2011) starring François Cluzet and Julie Depardieu.

    The Japan Information and Culture Center
    On February 24 at 6:30pm is The Cherry Tree in the Hills (Tetsuo Shinohara, 2008).

    Arlington Arts and Artisphere
    Films celebrating women filmmakers are shown on Fridays in February. On February 2 at 8:00pm is The Piano (Jane Campion); on February 10 at 8:00pm is Marie Antoinette (Sophia Coppola); on February 17 at 8:00pm is Monster (Patty Jenkins); and on February 24 at 8:00pm is Frida (Julie Taymor).

    Other films shown at the Artisphere in February include Mongolia: Mining Challenges a Civilization, a short documentary. The Artisphere also shows films in the Reel Abilities Film Festival: Ben X on February 4 at 7:30pm and Henry O! on February 5 at 1:00pm.

    National Archives
    The 8th annual Academy Award-nominated documentaries and shorts are shown at the Archives February 22-26. Documentary Feature Nominees: On February 22 at 7:00pm is Hell and Back Again (Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner); on February 24 at 7:00pm is Undefeated (TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas); on February 25 at 7:00pm is Pina (Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel) shown in 2D; on February 26 at 7:00pm is Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs); and on February 27 at 4:00pm is If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman). Live Action Short Film Nominees are shown February 25 at noon; Animated Short Film Nominees are on February 25 at 3:30pm and Documentary Short Subject Nominees are shown on February 26 at 11:30am.

    The Avalon
    This month's "Greek Panorama" film is Gold Dust (Margarita Manda, 2009), winner of several festival awards, on February 2 at 8:00pm. The February "Czech Lions" film is The Greatest Czechs (Robert Sedlacek, 2010) on February 8 at 8:00pm. The "French Cinematheque" film for February is House of Pleasures (Bertrand Bonello, 2011) on February 15 at 8:00pm. This month's "Reel Israel DC" film is The Fifth Heaven on February 22 at 8:00pm.

    Italian Cultural Institute
    On February 8 at 6:30pm is L'Uomo che verra (Giorgio Diritti, 2009), set in 1943.

    Anacostia Community Museum
    On February 5 at 2:00pm and February 24 at 10:30am is Enslavement to Emancipation (2009), a documentary about the lives of the enslaved and the work of early abolitionists and civil rights workers.

    Alden Theater
    "Classics of the Silent Screen" is a new series beginning February 22 at 8:00pm with a selection of comedies including The Pawn Shop (1916) with Charlie Chaplin, High and Dizzy (1920) with Harold Lloyd, The Goat (1921) with Buster Keaton, Dog Shy (1926) with Charlie Chase, You're Darn Tootin' (1928) with Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. Film historian Bruce Lawton will introduce the films and Ben Model will provide live music accompaniment.

    University of Maryland, Hoff Theater
    On February 3 at 5:00pm is Traffic in Souls (George Loane Tucker, 1913), about immigrants forced into the sex trade.

    Smithsonian Associates
    On February 3 at 7:00pm is Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942), the inaugural event for the new Warner Bros. Theater. Shown in a newly restored studio print for its 70th anniversary, the film begins a three-day festival spotlighting Humphrey Bogart and the Golden Age of Hollywood. Stephen Bogart, son of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, will introduce the film and take audience questions.

    Busboys and Poets
    On February 2 at 6:00pm is Where We Take Our Stand: The Iraq Veterans Against the War (David Zeiger) with the filmmaker and one the main characters present to answer questions.

    DC Shorts
    Short films are shown February 3 and 4 at Riot Act Comedy Theater. See the website for films and schedule.



    FILM FESTIVALS

    REELAbilities Disabilities Film Festival
    Films promoting the awareness and appreciation of people with different disabilities are shown in six venues February 1-9. Opening night film is Warrior Champions (Brent and Craig Renaud, 2009 at the Avalon on February 1 at 7:30pm. Other films are Ben X at the Washington Jewish Community Center and the Artisphere, Henry O! at the WJCC and the Artisphere, Shameless at Cinema Arts, Praying with Lior at the JCC of Greater Washington and the JCC of Northern Virginia, Zig Zag Love at Cinema Arts and the JCC of Greater Washington, and Shooting Beauty and Crooked Beauty at the WJCC and the JCC of Greater Washington. The closing night film is War Eagle, Kansas at the WJCC, Cinema Arts and the JCC of Greater Washington. See the website for films, locations and schedule.

    Our City Film Festival
    Documentaries and shorts, some with filmmaker Q&As, about Washington DC are shown February 11-12 at the Goethe Institute. See the website for the complete schedule.

    William and Mary Global Film Festival
    For its fifth anniversary, the William and Mary Global Film Festival has chosen the theme "Film and the City." Films are shown February 16-19; see the website for details.

    Appalachian Film Festival
    Filmmakers from the Appalachian region show documentaries and music videos February 24-25.

    Ibero-American Film Showcase 2012
    Various embassies take part in this collection of films from Latin America, Spain and Portugal. See the website for film titles, locations and times.



    FILM RELATED EVENTS

    DC Humanities
    "Distortions of the District": Talk to local film experts about the way Washington DC has been portrayed in both feature and documentary film on February 21 at 6:00pm. Location: Bohemian Caverns, 2011 11th Street NW. Special guests include filmmakers Aviva Kempner, Steven Nero Ellie Walton and others.



    FILM-RELATED LECTURES & SEMINARS

    Smithsonian Associates
    The Enigmatic Frank Sinatra
    On February 23 at 6:45pm is an exploration of Sinatra's 40 year movie career with clips from many of Sinatra's classic films as well as some of his popular songs.



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