July 2013


Last updated on July 1, 2013. Please check back later for additions.

Contents

  • The Cinema Lounge
  • Adam's Rib Takes on the Superman-Jesus Connection JUST ADDED
  • Hannah Arendt: Q&A with Director Margarethe von Trotta
  • A Hijacking: Q&A with Director/Writer Tobias Lindholm
  • The Hunt: Q&A with Director Thomas Vinterberg
  • Byzantium: Q&A with Director Neil Jordan
  • We Need to Hear From You
  • Calendar of Events

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    Last 12 issues of the Storyboard.



    The Cinema Lounge

    The next meeting of the Cinema Lounge will be on Monday, July 15 at 7:00pm. This month's topic is "What if ... : Dream Pairings and Projects."

    The Cinema Lounge, a film discussion group, meets the third Monday of every month (unless otherwise noted) at 7:00pm at
    Barnes and Noble, 555 12th St., NW in Washington, DC (near the Metro Center Metro stop). The meeting area is on the second floor, special events area. 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 Takes on the Superman-Jesus Connection

    By Adam Spector, DC Film Society Member

    He can fly. He has both heat and X-Ray vision. He’s got limitless strength. He’s invulnerable to everything except a green rock. You would think that all of that would be enough. But evidently Superman now has to be something more. According to the two most recent Superman films and numerous media outlets, the Man of Steel’s real secret identity is not Clark Kent but Jesus Christ. I call for an end to this
    in my new Adam's Rib column.



    Hannah Arendt: Q&A with Director Margarethe von Trotta, Screenwriter Pamela Katz and Actress Barbara Sukowa

    By Ron Gordner, DCFS Member

    Hannah Arendt (Germany, 2012) is another great film about fascinating historical women. The film is about the controversial German-Jewish philosopher, journalist and political theorist Hannah Arendt (1906-1975). Director Margarethe von Trotta tries to transform a thought into a film. She focuses most of the film around Arendt's attending the Nazi leader Adolf Eichmann's 1961 trial in Jerusalem. Arendt became infamous for her "banality of evil" concept which states that his evil was not diabolical in intent, but rather an unthinking carrying out of his orders with ignorance of the consequences of his or the Nazi's actions. The film screened in September 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Barbara Sukowa was named best actress at the 2013 Bavarian Film Festival and at the 2013 German Film Awards for her portrayal as Hannah, which also named the film as best German feature film. Janet McTeer plays American author, critic and political activist Mary McCarthy. The film was released in Germany in January 2013 and also had screenings at the 2013 Filmfest DC. The film is expected to open in the DC metro area on July 5, 2013.


    Margarethe von Trotta and Barbara Sukowa at the Toronto Film Festival

    TIFF Moderator: What drew you to this person to make a film about, and how did you decide to focus on this amazing period of her life?
    Margarethe von Trotta: I think of her as a very important woman of her time and as a political thinker. This was probably one of the most challenging stories to tell. To me she went through the Nazi period and was a victim to many since she was a woman, very intelligent, and changed the world. She is the one who really looked at the war criminals and changed our ideas about them and what they did. This was four years after World War II and Germany had gone from its love of Heidegger and his philosophy to the War, and then we have Eichmann and other individuals that Germany had to reconcile with. Her idea of the "banality of evil" and other theories really stirred up controversy and changed our views.

    Audience Question: Can you talk more about Hannah and her relationship with Kurt?
    Pamela Katz: Kurt was really her teacher but you can see how he quickly became her father figure and they met because of his Zionist movement activities.

    Audience Question: Why so many cigarettes in the film and so little Heidegger?
    Barbara Sukowa: Maybe there were so many cigarettes because there was so little Heidegger (audience laughs). Hannah really did smoke that many cigarettes, in fact she died with a cigarette in her hand. Yes it may have been more interesting to have more about Hannah the Zionist with Heidegger the Nazi, but for our story we thought these four years needed to be the focus of the film. A larger, more interesting story is the polarity of Hannah and Eichmann which interested us more. Also this is more than just the one man Eichmann, Hannah wanted to show how this phenomenon can happen if a totalitarian system develops. The moral decline on all sides is vast and even the victims and perpetrators become objects in this kind of system. Heidegger was part of that also.
    Margarethe von Trotta: We thought too much Heidegger would make it like a soap opera. Her great love was her second husband Heinrich Blucher. Women in the meeting scene didn't understand Hannah's theories until Mary McCarthy helped her. Janet McTeer was wonderful and wanted to be here tonight but is filming in Europe. She will be sorry not to be here and see the great reaction the film is getting.

    Audience Question: [To Barbara] Can you tell us how you prepared for this role?
    Barbara Sukowa: I have worked with Margarethe several times now, and was not sure about this role but Margarthe is relentless in getting her cast. I had a great script and the two women here to update me, but it is impossible to catch up with the life of a scholar. I tried hard and I read a lot of what she wrote and read a very good biography by Elizabeth Young-Bruehl who unfortunately died before we finished the film. I had to go back to the old philosophers also and read Plato and I worked with a young philosophy teacher also. I collected all this material in my head and was glad when we started shooting to use it, and the rest is a sixth sense of using what you have read, experienced, and your own life to tell her story. The night before we started shooting I had a strange dream that I had to wear very big shoes that I could not walk in. I told Margaretha and she said well you should have thought about that before and laughed.
    Margarethe von Trotta: I must also recognize the great talents and work of our producer Bettina Brokemper. [asks her to come up].
    Bettina Brokemper: I have always loved Hannah Arendt and wondered why her story was not told more. I worked with Margarethe for seven years to find funding for the movie.

    Audience Question: Why is there not much about her first husband Gunther Anders?
    Margarethe von Trotta: She married him on the rebound from Heidegger but never really loved him. They divorced not long after being married and she met Heinreich Blucher who fled from Paris with her to the United States and she married him and loved him very much. France was being invaded by the Nazis and any Germans were viewed as Nazis although of course they were fleeing them. If she had stayed she would have probably been transferred from camp to camp and then the Nazis when in power would have sent her to Auschwitz. So she was lucky to find Heinrich and flee with him when she did.

    Audience Question: What about Arendt's critics and did they have a point?
    Pamela Katz: I don't have much on that. I do get asked do we agree with her comments and philosophy? I don't say agree with everything she said, but I do have great respect for her and the concepts that she developed. The important thing is can we learn anything from her idea that Eichmann and others could really be terrifyingly normal in many respects and do these acts? I will say Hans Jonas is one of her stronger critics and I can understand some of his comments and criticisms also. Many criticized her tone in her writing, but that was her nature. I think there are some merits in the criticisms of writers like Hans Jonas and Kurt Lowith, but I think that she was often also attacked by many of the so called "New York intellectuals" in a less intelligent and more vicious way. I think there is something to be said for controversy itself. Her ideas were very provocative and stirred great controversy and debate.

    Audience Question: Did you already have many of the actors in mind while or before scripting or did you cast it later?
    Margarethe von Trotta: Well, Barbara was there in our heads from the begining. I made my last film Vision about Hildegarde von Bingen and earlier films also and she is so great I can't do without her. There are many actresses capable, but for this role I knew she was the best. I am very grateful that she accepted once more to do my film.



    A Hijacking: Q&A with Director/Writer Tobias Lindholm and Actor Soren Malling

    By Ron Gordner, DCFS Member

    A Hijacking (Kapringen) is the first feature film as a solo director for Tobias Lindholm. He also wrote the screen play and has written screenplays for Thomas Vinterberg's films Submarino and The Hunt and also writer of the popular Danish tv series Borgen (Castle). Although A Hijacking seems like you are watching a news driven documentary, it is actually a suspenseful feature thriller about a Danish freighter captured by Somali pirates who demand millions of dollars for release of the ship and its crew. Soren Malling plays the part of the head of the shipping company and Pilou Asbaek, the troubled ship's cook Mikkel. The film was screened in September 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and opened in the DC area on June 28, 2013. It won the Bodil Award as best Danish film of the year.


    Actor Soren Malling at left; director Tobias Lindholm at right.

    Audience Question: Why don't these freighters arm themselves against incidents like this?
    Tobias Lindholm: Well things have changed since we made this movie. The United Nations now does allow freighters to arm themselves and since the film was made no freighters with armed guards have been hijacked. However they have started taking tourist ships beached on the northern shores of Kenya. Also some small companies can't afford to arm themselves, and having these kind of cowboys on board can also be problematic. It can also create problems with the sailors' unions having other personnel on board with guns, but yes it is allowed now and most all companies are using armed guards to prevent hijacking.

    Audience Question: Can you speak about the casting process and where you found the actors?
    Tobias Lindholm: I had worked with Pilou and Soren both on tv shows that I scripted so I had them in mind early in the process and a few other characters are professional actors. Gary, who plays the negotiator, was really an advisor for the script since he does negotiating in these kinds of incidents and how they were managed including the money drops. We gave him a scenario of a hijacking and for background taped him explaining the process of negotiation and resolution he would use. I went home and looked at that tape and knew he would be perfect in the film playing the negotiator and it also helped us to focus on that part of script and shooting. Some of the sailors used are real sailors who had experienced hijacking from the pirates also, so I think this all gave an authenticity to the film. Also Omar we found in Denmark who had been a refugee from Somalia since he was a child, so he knew about the manners and language that were realistic.

    Audience Question: How did you keep up the intensity in the film and in your performance?
    Tobias Lindholm: On the boat that was easy, because we did have the fear that we could be hijacked which made us tense. We also wanted to be respectful to the crew on board and the members who told us their stories of real hijackings they had been involved in. It was probably harder for Soren in Copenhagen since each day we could go back home to our wonderful wives and kids, so I think he may have had to struggle a little more with creating that intensity.
    Soren Malling: Early on after I had read the script I told Tobias yes I am on board. I also did a lot of research and shadowed a real CEO of a shipping company so when we started shooting I felt prepared. The CEO is in total control, and Tobias said if you need to improvise--such as leave the room to get a cup of coffee, go ahead. We tried to add onto the script as needed.

    Audience Question: Why didn't you use a government owned ship or have government involvement?
    Tobias Lindholm: I was surprised also when I started investigating for the film but you have many nations involved. The country that owns the freighter, Denmark; an Indian who owns the cargo; and the many nationalities of the crew and where in the water the hijacking happens. Making this also at a government level added other issues. I liked that this was a corporate issue and that the CEO had to make decisions that affected not only the company but the crew and others and that really he was making life and death decisions. If the ship was Danish and sailing under the Danish flag it would have been a little different. We used the real story of a Danish freighter hijacked by pirates in 2009 and we basically followed the skeleton of their story and the government really never got involved on a major level.

    Audience Question: Typically in these hijackings do most of the crew return safely to their families?
    Tobias Lindholm: There really have not been that many killings so far. Mainly because that would harm what the pirates are selling, the hostages. But of course when you put guns in the hands of 16 year old boys, things can happen. I did a prison film with Pilou before, and I agreed with him that I would not kill his character in this one. So it would have to be someone else, but it does happen.

    Audience Question: How long did it take to shoot the film and do you have distribution yet?
    Tobias Lindholm: We shot in about 5-1/2 weeks. 2-1/2 weeks in Africa and the rest in Denmark. Due to no unions we could film longer in Africa which helped. I did research for a year, the script took a couple of months. I don't know about distribution yet.

    Audience Question: What were they traveling with on the ship that was of value?
    Tobias Lindholm: They had already delivered their cargo and were going back to Mumbai at the time of the hijacking. Many times you don't always pick something up where you dropped off a cargo. Also there is insurance, so if there is a cargo it usually has been insured, so that is not the problem. It is the men that are worth more for the companies.

    Audience Question: Did you ever considering subtitling the conversation of the Somali pirates?
    Tobias Lindholm: At a point, I was trying to tell the story of the Somali pirates as well, but I quickly realized it would be pretty arrogant of me as a guy coming from Northern Europe and living in a nice home to tell that story. We decided to use one camera and stick to the rules, and if we were able to understand the pirates, it may not make much sense for us to understand why the crew were so afraid. So early on, we decided not to translate the Somali pirates conversation and that we should not know anymore than the crew members did.

    Audience Question: Was it difficult for some of the crew members who had actually been in hijacking situations to relive this during the shooting of the movie?
    Tobias Lindholm: First of all, the crew members from third world countries have little other choices to work for money, unlike those of us from the developing countries. I asked them if it would be psychologically a problem, but they all wanted to do it to show their own families the type of experience they had endured and to share that with them. When we found out we had former hostages playing crew members, we tried to be respectful of them and made sure they were not the particular victims in the movie, but used them as professionals and as advisors for their experiences.

    Audience Question: Could you comment on your shooting style, which was very documentary-like?
    Tobias Lindholm: Well there is really only one camera, so we try to do it as precise as possible on the first take. Then it was up to the D.O.P., Magnus Nordenhof Jonck, to use his own judgment, since he has done a lot of documentaries before, so that was his technical responsibility. I monitored the scenes and we also made a rule the camera can not leave the person, but the person can leave the camera and go off-screen. We had all the camera crew and others work together for the same effect and it was shot digitally which gave us more time. Many times we shot for 30 minutes to an hour to find those 30 seconds to show how Pilou was suffering.

    Audience Question: Could you discuss why you didn't really show the initial action of the hijacking?
    Tobias Lindholm: I initially wrote a scene with the hijacking and also of the CEO in his office listening to the hijacking take place and not being able to do anything about it. I decided it was more important to stick with the CEO and his desperation, rather than trying to do an action montage of the hijacking itself. If we had an action scene, I think we would have seen the CEO as a different person and victim also and would have lost much of his character.

    A Hijacking is currently playing at Landmark's E Street Cinema.



    The Hunt: Q&A with Director Thomas Vinterberg

    By Ron Gordner, DCFS Member

    The Hunt (Denmark, 2012) is a provocative tale of Lucas, a divorced daycare worker played by Mads Mikkelsen, who is accused of harming one of the children in his care. The changes in Lucas' life and the reaction of his friends and the community about his alleged crimes create a tense thriller. Mikkelsen won best actor in the 2012 Cannes Film Festival for his portrayal of Lucas. Vinterberg received a standing ovation after this screening in September 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film opens in mid July in the DC metro area. (Q&A contains some spoilers.)

    Mads Mikkelsen and Thomas Vinterberg

    TIFF Moderator: What was your inspiration for turning this story into a film?
    Thomas Vinterberg: I had a psychiatrist living near me and he came and knocked on my door and said, I know you did The Celebration years ago and there is another film you need to do. This is based on some cases, I think you should read it. I ducked doing it for about 8 years, and then I needed to see a psychiatrist and thought about the film again. So I read it again and this time I was shocked and horrified by it. Also I am not a priest or moralist, but felt I had made a film about a child abuser in the 1990s and thought I should also do one as an antithesis of that film also.

    Audience Question: Why did you decide to jump the story ahead one year in the film. And why did he stay in the town?
    Thomas Vinterberg: The jump ahead of a year in time was to show that hopefully this was enough time for a healing to take place. Are his former friends his friends again, and is there really a possible life for Lucas in this town now? I think his leaving the town would have proved him guilty somehow. Also he is a very stubborn man but he also believes in the good of other people and that these bad feelings and actions will go away. I am not sure he stays at the end or not, that is a decision you can make as a viewer.

    Audience Question: Could you talk about working with children on the film and also about the psychology behind why children may tell lies? Did you investigate this before filming?
    Thomas Vinterberg: We did a lot of research and read some cases and what you are seeing is the airplane version or horrifying version of real life. You never know when they lie, but there are many cases where it is unclear if anything really happened. I consider this a very innocent lie. A small girl reaches out to a friend and is slightly rejected and she feels angry about it and makes a lie. After that she is doing it to please the grown-ups. You see the investigation where Clara is asked the same question several times. This is from a real transcript but leaves out all the terrible details that a truthful child would tell about. The problem is that in the end these children do become victims after seeing legal experts, gynecologists, etc. and they hear the same story repeatedly so that it does become part of their memory.

    Audience Question: Why did you leave out some things that we saw but the protagonists didn't?
    Thomas Vinterberg: First of all if he knew everything, it would have been a very short film. This is a film about mistakes. It is not a film about rational people acting rationally. It is how many people and communities react according to many cases and police interrogations that I have read about. You won't believe how sometimes the kids are coached or what they tell the kids.

    Audience Question: How did you work with such a young actress to do this part and understand it?
    Thomas Vinterberg: She is seven years old, so she doesn't understand. We had to find a balance so that we were not too secretive about the situation which would have made it seem even more toxic and we also spoke to her parents often. The scene where supposedly she is shown porn by the counselors or investigators, obviously we didn't really show her porn, but she seemed to know what generally it was about, so it felt more healthy the way we approached the scene. She pretty much studied her lines and played with her dolls when off camera, so we felt there was no harm done to her. She didn't absorb or understand all the sexuality issues, but knew it was about lying and the implications of that. Also we are in Denmark, which is very different from other countries. We tried to find and maintain a balance where kids are protected and sometimes may be overprotected at times.

    Audience Question: Can you talk about the symbolism in the film including the title "The Hunt" and how this is projected in the film? Also there is a lot of taxidermy in the film and dead animals on the walls, lots of guns and hunting scenes. And near the end of the film Lucas may himself be hunted. Is there a metaphor or relationship of the hunter and the hunted in your film?
    Thomas Vinterberg: You've precisely described what we wanted to show--this parallel throughout the film of the hunter and the hunted. I am not proud of the title "The Hunt" since it is so obvious but it is a nice, catchy title and distribution is happy with it. I think it would have been more clever without that title. The important thing for me is that there is life in this town. They have rituals, they have and maintain a past, and hunting is part of that and the life of this community. I try to create a real place in all of my films. So the hunting is important as a metaphor, but more as a thing to do in this community.

    Audience Question: Are you involved in the Danish manifesto for making films with rules?
    Thomas Vinterberg: Yes, you are referring to Dogme 95. Lars von Trier and others used this in making films. It was long ago and even though I was one of the Dogme 95 missionaries or spokesmen, and did many interviews about it, I don't remember a great deal about it now. It was a manifesto of film making that von Trier and myself created in 1995. I won't elaborate in great detail but it tried to strip down all the elements of making a film to get to the bare naked truth, as close as you could get since it is usually fiction. Use of hand held cameras, no artificial light or artificial sound or music. A group of directors used this style and made a great set of movies, but then as artists we have to constantly renew ourselves. We don't want to keep repeating ourselves, so Dogme is over but it was wonderful while it lasted.

    Audience Question: Could you describe your creative process from pre-production, screenwriting, through to post-production?
    Thomas Vinterberg: I do a lot of research and developing the script and also we spend quite a bit of time rehearsing with the actors and having conversations with the actors and the crew, over and over again, so that when we begin shooting or are in front of the camera, you can just let it go. That's the moment of liberation and that you have created a foundation to stand upon. That takes a lot of work to accomplish that feeling. I do enjoy the writing process more and more, the older I get. I am getting faster in developing and changing the script, but it is still a very thorough process that has to end up somewhat playful in front of the camera. Film making can become a very boring dry walk through the desert, so you must find that balance of playfulness and thoroughness but find those moments where the film is uplifting and just fun as well. So basically you do the hard work and then you eventually just let it go.

    The Hunt is expected to open during July.



    Byzantium: Q&A with Director Neil Jordan

    By Ron Gordner, DCFS Member

    Byzantium (Ireland/United Kingdom, 2012) is Neil Jordan's return to the vampire genre after his well known film Interview With the Vampire with this gothic tale of horror and humor. It is the tale of two sister vampires, the older Clara (Gemma Arterton) who is very aggressive and sexual, and her younger sister, Eleanor (Saoirse Ronan), the introverted storyteller. Clara uses the strangely awkward man (Daniel Mays) who has recently inherited a rundown hotel at the British seaside called the Byzantium Hotel. Lush, gory happenings and cinematography make this a vampish fun time. This Q&A took place in September 2012 at the Toronto International Film Festival. The film opens around July 5th in the DC metro area.

    Left to right: Gemma Arterton, Caleb Landry Jones and Saiorse Ronan at the Toronto Film Festival

    TIFF Moderator: What brought you back to this kind of drama genre again?
    Neil Jordan: It was the script, really. Moira Buffina was asked to write a script based on a play called The Vampire Tale and when I read it I thought I'd really like to make that film. She reinvented and changed our presumptions we have of the physiques and characterizations we have of these creatures and that it was the story of two women, possibly sisters.

    TIFF Moderator: These characters have such starkly opposite personalities and could you speak how you portrayed these deeply emotions connections that they have? How were they developed with the actresses and how that dynamic was formed?
    Neil Jordan: They worked beautifully together and I think you'll agree that Saoirse Ronan is one of the best young talents around now. Saoirse lives in Ireland and read the script and wanted to do it. I have also always loved Gemma Arteron, she is such a force of nature and this part could show her whole range of talents. We didn't have a lot of time to rehearse the parts, but they quickly adapted to the roles of mother and daughter or two sisters instantly. When they came on the set Saoirse was all stillness and Gemma was all this human energy.

    Audience Question: Would you like to follow these characters again?
    Neil Jordan: Well we'll have to see how the film is accepted and if these sucreant creatures are accepted. They're not quite vampires, but I would love to follow the characters again, yes.

    Audience Question: Did you add all the comments on the walls or graffiti?
    Neil Jordan: No, we used whatever was already on the walls.

    Audience Question: Where did you find the Coventry tune we hear?
    Neil Jordan: It's a famous tune in Ireland but I also found it on You tube. Is it known over here also? I gather school kids still sing it.

    TIFF Moderator: Obviously there are some similarities of this film with your Interview With a Vampire film. Can you talk about your different approach in this film and how that experience may have been used for Byzantium?
    Neil Jordan: Well I did Interview With a Vampire over 17, almost 20 years ago and that was my response to Ann Rice's work. I guess you could say that this is Moira Buffina's response to that film about a voracious male vampire. Here we have a mother or sister carrying around her guilt-ridden daughter or sibling, so there is a similarity in a way. She is a woman in a male dominated world and really is an 18th century woman kind of wreaking vengeance on men who have made her what she is.

    Audience Question: Where is the island?
    Neil Jordan: It is an island of the West coast of Cork called Beara. In the original script Moira had them going to somewhere in Asia Minor and they were bitten by an enormous bird-like creature but that would have cost too much, so we came up with this Irish island story.

    Audience Question: Can you talk about your seeking the locations and art of the film and putting these women into a modern day context?
    Neil Jordan: The seaside town was very important to the story and film and we finally found this town called Hastings near Brighton that was perfect. It has all this faded grandeur and rundown, shoddy elegance that fit the story. It's the first time I worked with our art and costume designers and we were aware we wanted to make very graphic, strong images.

    Audience Question: Could you talk about the young actor that plays Frank?
    Neil Jordan: Yes. Caleb Landry Jones, is a fine young actor, he has been in other films, including Anitiviral which is also at this festival. He read the part on a tape and sent it to me, and he was extraordinary. It's a dangerous part to play with a guy with this strange movie disease and he has an amazing touching and emotional range.

    Byzantium opens July 5 at Landmark's E Street Cinema.



    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
    "Totally Awesome 7: Great Films of the 1980s" is now in its seventh summer. Titles for July are Night of the Creeps, Videodrome, Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi, Beetlejuice and Phantasm II with more in August and September.

    "Ozploitation: Australian Genre Classics" is a series of films from Australia starting with Mad Max, Mad Max The Road Warrior and Wake in Fright. The series continues in August and September.

    "70mm Spectacular, Part 2" follows up on last summer's popular 70mm series. Titles for July are Lawrence of Arabia, Gettysburg, Patton, Star! and Lifeforce. Presented in DCP is The Sound of Music. More in August.

    "The Civil War on Screen" commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg with Gettysburg in 70mm and Copperhead (2013) with director Robert Maxwell in person on July 5.

    "The Hitchcock 9: Alfred Hitchcock's Silent Films" is a series shared with the National Gallery of Art. In July at the AFI is Blackmail (the silent version) with the Mont Alto Picture Orchestra accompanying the film, Champagne with Ray Brubacher as accompanist, The Ring with the Mont Alto Picture Orchestra, and The Manxman with accompaniment by Stephen Horne. One more in August.

    "Scandinavian Crime Cinema" is a large and ambitious series of "Nordic Noir," films from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland, both old and new. During July you can see Easy Money from Sweden, Nightwatch from Denmark, Man on the Roof fromSweden, The Element of Crime from Denmark, Jar City from Iceland, Insomnia from Norway, Crime and Punishment from Finland, Wallander The Revenge from Sweden, The Laughing Policeman from the US based on a Martin Beck novel, the first of Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo from Sweden, Headhunters from Norway, Reykjavik-Rotterdam from Iceland and The Hunters from Sweden. More in August and September. A pass is available for six or twelve films.

    "Ernest Borgnine Remembered" is a series of 15 films featuring the actor, who died in July of last year. Titles for July are From Here to Eternity, Marty, Vera Cruz, Violent Saturday, Bad Day at Black Rock, The Catered Affair, Jubal, The Vikings and The Flight of the Phoenix. More in August.

    Special events during July at the AFI include The Athlete, a biopic about the Ethiopian Olympic marathoner, The Searchers with Glenn Frankel, author the the book "The Searchers: The Making of an American Legend," Charles Bradley: Soul of america, winner of the Audience Award from 2012 Silverdocs, and Phantasm with "Count Gore" in person.

    "Ten Years of Film Movement," a series of 15 international films originally distributed by Film Movement ends in July with Shun Li and the Poet.

    The "Opera on Film" for July is Giuseppe Verdi's "La Traviata" performed by the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy and conducted by Lorin Maazel on July 19 at noon and July 21 at 10:00am.

    The "Ballet on Film" for July is "La Sylphide" from the Bolshoi Ballet, Moscow, Russia. This version has been adapted by choreographer Johan Kobborg, and is shown on July 12 at noon, July 14 at 11:00am and July 15 at 12:45pm.

    Freer Gallery of Art
    In July, the 18th Annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival features the late actor Leslie Cheung, who died ten years ago. On July 12 at 7:00pm and July 14 at 2:00pm is A Better Tomorrow (John Woo, 1986). On July 19 at 7:00pm and July 21 at 2:00pm is A Chinese Ghost Story (Ching Siu-Tung, 1987). On July 26 at 7:00pm and July 28 at 2:00pm is Viva Erotica (Derek Yee, 1996).

    National Gallery of Art
    "Hungary, Hero and Myth: Immigrant Experience and the Artist's Eye" is a new film series in association with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival's spotlight on Hungary. On July 5 at 1:00pm is American Postcard (Gabor Body, 1975), on July 5 at 3:00pm is The Maiden Danced to Death (Ender Holes, 2011), on July 6 at 2:00pm is No Subtitles Necessary: Vilmos and Laszlo (James Chressanthis, 2008), on July 6 at 4:00pm is Bank Ban (Csaba Kael, 2002) with cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond in person. On July 7 at 4:00pm is Children of Glory (Joe Eszterhas, 2006).

    "The Hitchcock 9" (see also the AFI) shows all of Alfred Hitchcock's surviving silent films. On July 14 at 4:00pm is The First Born (Miles Mander, 1928) shown with Easy Virtue (1927) with Stephen Horne accompanying the films. On July 21 at 4:00pm is Downhill (1927) and on July 21 at 5:30pm is The Constant Nymph (1928) both accompanied by Philip Carli. On July 27 at 2:00pm is The Lodger (1926) accompanied by the Mont Alto Orchestra. On more in August. See the AFI for the other films.

    "From Vault to Screen" is an annual showcase of film preservation from international archives and special collections. On July 20 at 2:00pm is "The City in the '60s: Forgotten Films from American Archives," a collection of short films introduced by Marsha Gordon, author of "Learning with the Lights Off." On July 27 at 4:00pm is The Dancing Soul of the Walking People (Paula Gladstone, 1980/2012) with the filmmaker and sound restorationist John Polito present to discuss the film and its restoration. On July 28 at 4:30pm is "The Artist and the Fragile Emulsion," a collection of experimental short films screened during an illustration presentation by archivist and curator Jon Gartenberg.

    Special events in July include The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1943) on July 12 and 13 at 2:30pm, and filmed ballet performances on July 10, 17, 24, and 31 at 12:30pm.

    National Museum of the American Indian
    On July 19 at 7:00pm is Watershed (Mark Decena, 2012) about a fly fishing guide in the Rocky Mountain National Park and others living and working in the Colorado River Basin.

    Museum of American History
    On July 13 at 2:00pm is Matrix Reloaded (Andy and Lana Wachowski, 2003), the second of the trilogy. Prior to the film, at 1:00pm will be commentary and discussion with Dwight Blocker Bowers and Murray Horwitz. On July 13 at 7:00pm is Matrix Revolutions (Andy and Lana Wachowski, 2003), the third installment of the trilogy, with commentary preceding the film at 6:00pm. On July 14 at 2:00pm is V For Vendetta (James McTeigue, 2006) with discussion starting at 1:00pm prior to the screening.

    Smithsonian American Art Museum
    "The Films of Nam June Paik" continues in July at 6:30pm on July 17; short films by his contemporaries are also in the program.

    Washington Jewish Community Center
    "Double Take: Woody Allen" is a series Woody Allen films shown in 35mm. On July 8, 9 and 10 at 6:45pm is Annie Hall and July 8, 9, and 10 at 8:45pm is Purple Rose of Cairo. On July 11, 13, and 14 at 7:00pm is Purple Rose of Cairo and on JUly 11, 13, adn 124 at 8:45pm is Annie Hall. On July 15, 16, and 17 at 6:45pm is Manhattan and on July 15, 16 and 17 at 8:45pm is Crimes and Misdemeanors. On July 18 at 6:30pm is Crimes and Misdemeanors and on July 18 at 8:20pm is "Woody Allen Trivia." On July 19 at 10:30am is Manhattan. On July 20 and 21 at 6:45pm is Crimes and Misdemeanors and on July 20 and 21 at 8:45pm is Manhattan.

    Goethe Institute
    "50 Years of French-German Friendship" concludes in July. On July 1 at 6:30pm is Merry Christmas (Christian Carion, 2005) about the informal Christmas Eve truce during WWI. The film was nominated for Best Foreign Film.

    On July 8 at 6:30pm is Finding "Trust" (John Moletress, 2013), a part-documentary, part-film performance about Trust Me, a dance/theater project. A panel discussion will follow.

    The Japan Information and Culture Center
    On July 17 at 6:30pm is Ping Pong (Fumihiko Sori, 2002), based on a best-selling comic.

    The National Theatre
    The 2013 Summer Cinema series features the films of Jimmy Stewart. On July 1 at 6:30pm is Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939); on July 8 at 6:30pm is Destry Rides Again (George Marshall, 1939), on July 15 at 6:30pm is Rope (Alfred Hitchcock, 1948), on July 22 at 6:30pm is Harvey (Henry Koster, 1950), and on July 29 at 6:30pm is Anatomy of a Murder (Otto Preminger, 1959). One more in August.

    Screen on the Green
    Back for its 15th year, "Screen on the Green" starts with E.T. The Extraterrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982) on July 22 at sunset. Norma Rae (1979) is on July 29 at sunset. Films are shown on a 20x40 foot screen on the National Mall between 7th and 12 Streets. Bring a blanket. More in August.

    National Archives
    On July 25 at 12:30pm Shirley Jones will discuss her Hollywood career and sign copies of her memoir.

    The Avalon
    The "Czech Lions" film for July is Shameless (Jan Hrebejk, 2008) on July 12 at 8:00pm. The French Cinematheque film is Almayer's Folly (Chantal Akerman, 2011) on July 17 at 8:00pm. The July film for "Reel Israel" is The World is Funny (Shemi Zarhin, 2012) on July 24 at 8:00pm.

    On July 30 at 8:00pm is A League of Their Own with director Penny Marshall present for Q&A. Sports columnist Christine Brennan will moderate. Sponsored by Women in Film and Video. Tickets are $20.

    The Corcoran
    On July 6 at 3:00pm is Bearing Witness (Bob Eisenhardt Barbara Kopple, 2005), a documentary about female journalists working in combat zones.

    Italian Cultural Institute
    On July 17 at 7:00pm is Nights of Cabiria (Federico Fellini, 1957).

    The Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital
    On July 12 at 7:00pm is Slam (1998); 0n July 19 at 7:00pm is Advise and Consent (Otto Preminger, 1962); and on July 26 at 7:00pm is The Seduction of Joe Tynan (1978).

    Bloombars
    On July 2 at 7:00pm is Eight Times Up (Xabi Molia, 2009), a French film starring Julie Gayet and Denis Podalydès. On July 9 at 7:00pm is Jose Carlos Schwarz: The Voice of the People (Adulai Jamanca, 2006), a documentary about a singer from Guinea-Bissau.

    Smithsonian Associates
    On July 12 at 7:00pm is The Matrix (Lana and Andy Wachowski, 1999). The film will be introduced by Murray Horwitz. See above for more "Matrix." In the Warner Brothers Theater at the American History Museum.

    Busboys and Poets
    On July 27 at 6:00pm is the French film Tomboy (Celine Sciamma, 2011) shown at the 5th & K location, also at the Hyattsville location at 8:00pm on July 25.

    The Phillips Collection
    French films are shown in July. On July 13 at 2:00pm is The Grand Illusion (Jean Renoir, 1937); on July 20 at 2:00pm is The Rules of the Game (Jean Renoir, 1939); and on July 27 at 2:00pm is Children of Paradise (Marcel Carne, 1945).




    FILM FESTIVALS

    March on Washington Film Festival
    From July 11-25 is the March on Washington Film Festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the August 28, 1953 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Films include documentaries and features. See the website for titles and locations.

    Clifton Film Festival
    On July 20 locally made films are shown from 4:00pm-10:00pm.

    Crystal Screen Outdoor Films
    Movies begin after sunset at 1851 S. Bell Street in Crystal City. This summer's theme is "blockbusters." On July 1 is American Beauty, on July 8 is The Blind Side, on July 15 is Moneyball on July 22 is A Beautiful Mind, and on July 29 is Forrest Gump. More in August.

    NoMa Summer Screen
    This 13-week outdoor film series is held from May 22-August 21. All films are subtitled and shown at dark on Wednesdays. This year's theme is "Outlaw Heroes." On July 3 is The Fugitive, on July 10 is Bridesmaids (2003), on July 17 is Moonrise Kingdom, on July 24 is True Grit, and on July 31 is Hunger Games.

    U Street Movie Series
    Films are shown at sundown on the field at Harrison Recreation Center, 1330 V Street, NW between 13th and 14th Streets. On July 17 is TBA.

    Rosslyn Outdoor Film Festival
    This outdoor film festival is held at Gateway Park near Key Bridge at 1300 Lee Highway. All films begin at dusk; bring a blanket. "Summer School" is this year's theme. On July 5 is Bring It On (2000), on July 12 is Pretty in Pink (1986), on July 19 is She's All That (1999), and on July 26 is Fame (1980). More in August.

    Capitol Riverfront Outdoor Movies
    Movies are shown at 250 M SE Canal Park at sundown with "Marvel vs. DC Comics" as this summer's theme. On July 11 is Batman Begins, on July 18 is Thor, and on July 25 is The Dark Knight. More in August.

    Movies on the Potomac
    Films are shown approximately 20 minutes after sundown at the Plaza, National Harbor. Bring a lawn chair. The films for "80's Classics" are E.T. on July 7, Back to the Future on July 14, Ghostbusters on July 21 and The Goonies on July 28.

    Movies on the Square (Rockville)
    Films are shown at 8:30pm at the Rockville Town Square on Wednesday nights. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. On July 3 is Life of Pi, on July 10 is The Hunger Games, on July 17 is Men in Black 3, on July 24 is Wreck It Ralph and on July 31 is Big. More in August.

    Bethesda Outdoor Movies
    Films are shown July 23-27 at 9:00pm at Woodmont Triangle, corner of Norfolk and Auburn Avenues, Bethesda. On July 23 is The Princess Bride (1987), on July 24 is Rear Window (1954), on July 25 is Back to the Future (1985), on July 26 is The Hunger Games (2012), and on July 27 is Life of Pi (2012). Bring a lawn chair.



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