November 2018

Posted November 1, 2018.

Contents

  • Coming Attractions Trailer Night Winter 2018
  • Arabian Sights Awards
  • The Cinema Lounge
  • Adam's Rib Looks Back On Won't You Be My Neighbor? and RBG
  • The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival
  • We Need to Hear From You
  • Calendar of Events

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    Coming Attractions Trailer Night Winter 2018

    The Winter Trailer Night 2018 is November 19 at 7:00pm. See 30 or more trailers for upcoming films, indies, Oscar hopefuls and mainstream movies coming this fall and winter. Join us at Landmark’s E Street Cinema (E Street between 10th and 11th Street, NW) from 7:00pm-9:00pm. DC Film Critics extraordinaire Tim Gordon and Travis Hopson bring the movie buzz and lead discussion on the trailers.

    Tickets are only $3 for DC Film Socity Basic Members, FREE to Gold Members and $5.00 for all non-members. Your ticket includes fun promotional giveaways and posters, raffles of movie tickets and DVDs!.

    Our lineup of trailers will be announced soon but may include: Mary Poppins Returns, Aquaman, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Barry Jenkins' If Beale Could Talk, Creed II, Mary Queen of Scots, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs from the Coen Bros, Anna & the Apocalypse, Holmes and Watson, Green Book with Oscar winner Mahershala Ali and nominee Viggo Mortensen, Bumblebee, Robin Hood, Welcome to Marwen with Steve Carrell, The Favourite, Boy Erased and much more.

    Check the website for updates.

    The Arabian Sights Film Festival Awards

    Awards at the 23rd Annual Arabian Sights Film Festival (October 18–28) are:

    Arabian Sights Audience Award: Wajd-Songs of Separation (Amar Chebib).

    Arabian Sights Jury Award: Heaven Without People (Lucien Bourjeily) from Lebanon.

    The Cinema Lounge

    The Cinema Lounge meets Monday, November 26, 2018 at 7:00pm. NOTE THE DATE CHANGE. Our topic is Do Movie Stars Still Matter?

    Movie stars are almost as old as Hollywood itself. Their names could get a movie made and get audiences in seats. Over the past ten years though, it seems like the franchises have become the stars. People will pay to see Robert Downey Jr. in The Avengers, but would they do so for him playing someone other than Tony Stark? One time box office sure things such as Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts have faded. Do movie stars still matter anymore?

    The Cinema Lounge, a film discussion group, meets the third Monday of every month (unless otherwise noted) at 7:00pm at     Teaism in Penn Quarter, 400 8th St., NW in Washington, DC (closest Metro stop is Archives, also near Metro Center and Gallery Place). NOTE: We will meet in the downstairs 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 Looks Back on Won't You Be My Neighbor? and RBG in the Wake of the Pittsburgh Murders

    By Adam Spector, DC Film Society Member

    Last summer the documentaries Won’t You Be My Neighbor? and RBG became critical and commercial hits, illustrating the work and values of Mr. Rogers and Justice Ginsburg. The Pittsburgh synagogue shootings last Saturday occurred only blocks away from where Mr. Rogers used to live, making the tragedy feel even more like a direct attack on what he stood for. Are we losing what he and Justice Ginsburg worked so hard to achieve? I reflect in     my new Adam’s Rib column.


    The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival

    By Ron Gordner, DC Film Society Member

    The 43rd Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was held from September 6-18, 2018 showcasing about 372 films (including 83 shorts, and 289 features, documentaries, and retrospectives) and 146 world premieres from approximately 72 countries, including 32 Canadian features and 47 Canadian shorts, shown on over 34 screens, chosen from over 4,143 submitted films. It was attended by nearly 500,000 people, 5,400 industry personnel, and 1,200 journalists. Starting out as a collection of films from other festivals, the Toronto International Film Festival has now become one of the most beloved cinematic events in the world, universally regarded as an ideal platform for filmmakers to launch their careers and to premiere their new work, and one of the major film festivals where public screenings are held. TIFF has a large economic impact on Canada, Ontario and Toronto since it brings in over $170 million Canadian dollars annually and currently employs more than 100 full time staff, 500 part-time and seasonal staff and over 2,000 volunteers. The festival has become progressively more expensive per ticket depending on the venue and category, but is still one of the largest festivals offering public screenings.

    Piers Handling, Director and CEO of TIFF announced he would be retiring or stepping down at the end of 2018. He has been involved with TIFF for 37 years: first as a programmer, then an artistic director, and as director since 1994. He said the challenges of growing the TIFF Festival were many since it does not have as many juried awards as other festivals. Also the industry is changing with online players now like Amazon and Netflix. He hopes to write a book about cinema and stay somewhat connected to TIFF doing special programming in the future. Cameron Bailey will assume the title of Artistic Director and Co-Head of the Toronto International Film Festival and Joanna Vicente has been named the new Executive Director and other Co-Head of TIFF.

    TIFF, like the BFI London Film Festival and some other festivals, has tried to support programming at least 35-38% of their films to be by female directors. This year, 36 per cent of the 372 films (full-length features and shorts) being shown at TIFF were directed by women, an increase of three percentage points from last year. Other large festivals like Cannes and Venice had extremely low percentages of female directors represented this year, especially in the competition categories but equal representation should alter their selections in the future also if they wish to remain first level festivals. TIFF also included a number of NETFLIX films that Cannes and some other festivals have banned in the past.

    The usual very long lines around the block were seen for some screenings despite the fact that the Winter Garden and Elgin screening rooms, and the Princess of Wales are huge theatres. This year had assigned seating. You didn’t get to pick the seating so it was ok sometimes and other time seating in the nosebleed seats. Despite the assigned seats many times at these theatres there were the usual long lines since patrosn were told to be in their seats 15 minutes early. I found arriving on time or after the lines had gone in made little difference to your assigned seat. Future assigned seating may lessen lines like those at the BFI London Film Festival that has all assigned seats for public screenings. In London they don’t want queues before about 15 -20 minutes before a movie. They don’t have the space to snake lines and amazingly everyone seems to fill the seats the last five minutes. This will be a hard habit to break at TIFF and getting to know your fellow patrons in line and their hits and misses so far at the festival and other chatter can be very instructive or amusing for 20-30 minutes, but an hour of is too much. The physical lines to pick up, switch or buy tickets seemed better than other years, since many people were using the online ticketing system. The online system seemed to work fine this year and lines for ticket pickup were not long this year, since you were given the option to print out your own tickets at home.

    TIFF has sections or categories of films and also has some art installations. Sections this year were: Gala Presentations, Masters, Special Presentations, TIFF for free (some free films publicly screened outdoors and a free additional screening of the Audience Award winner on the last Sunday), Discovery (first and second time filmmakers); a record number 46 films this year from 37 countries, TIFF DOCS (documentaries), Contemporary World Cinema, Canadian Programming, TIFF KIDS, Visions (filmmakers who challenge our notions of mainstream cinema), Primetime (TV movies), Wavelengths (avantgarde cinema), and their famous Midnight Madness section (primarily horror and black comedy films screening at Midnight with usually an appreciative and rowdy crowd). The Wavelengths category described as: daring, visionary, and autonomous voices. Primetime included serial television storytelling that shows how recent tv films are blurring the line between big screen and small screen viewing experiences.

    There was lots of swag or free food the first week on the blocked King St. including the Nespresso (McDonalds’ was out this year as sponsor) Air France’s Eiffel Tower popup café with free bonbons and raspberry champagne, L’Oreal lipstick, Saba hummus and chips, and Pure Leaf tea samples. There was also a TIFF stage the first week with live music. Lines were not as long at Sweet Jesus ice creamery this year either and miraculously the escalators at Scotia theatre I don’t believe broke down this year, as they had the last two years and the metro and streetcars were also fairly reliable.

    TIFF has become a major market and sales stop for films to North America. There is a small market at the Venice Festival but it is really Toronto where they are primarily sold. Over 5,400 industry delegates from over 80 countries came to Toronto this year. Some of the deals made in a somewhat healthy sales climate in TIFF 2018 included Lionheart to Netflix, Greta to Focus Features, Divide and Conquer: the Story of Roger Ailes to Magnolia Pictures, The Elephant Queen to Apple, Teen Spirit to LD Entertainment, and Wild Rose and Vox Lux to Neon. I thought the selections this year were very good especially the Special Presentations and Discovery Sections. A second year in a row I didn’t walk out early on selected films.



    Some films picked up for U.S. distribution included Greta, Wild Rose, and The Hummingbird Project. Oscar buzz was heard around Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper for A Star is Born, Viggo Mortenson for The Green Book, Viola Davis in Widows, Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy for First Man, Melissa McCarthy and Richard E. Grant for Can You Ever Forgive Me, and their films, and also films Cold War, Roma, and Capernaum. A few films missing from TIFF this year that may be Oscar favorites were The Favourite and On the Basis of Sex.

    There were a number of strong female driven films this year and those again on the plight of immigrants, fractured families and substance abuse.

    Films seen or highly recommended by others at TIFF 2018 included some that may have already played at local theatres:


    MUST SEE FILMS:

  • Blind Spot (Tuva Novotny, Norway, 2018). The actress/director’s first feature film is a tough film like some others this year about substance abuse. Shot in the Dogme 95 school minimalistic style, a seemingly happy family starts to lose their daughter Tea to teenage peer drinking and substance abuse that follow her and her family for decades. A good companion piece to A Beautiful Boy but here we see how the initial experience of peer experimentation begins and the importance of close friends’ or family’s support could be intervening or not. Very graphic scenes include drug and sexual abuse and years caught in this disease’s web.

  • Border (Ali Abbasi, Sweden/Denmark, 2018). From author John Ajvide Lindqvist, who also wrote Let the Right One In comes this Nordic story with some mythological background about Tina, a border guard who has congenital malformations including a tail. She has an uncanny sense of smell that can spot suspicious people crossing the border. It is Sweden’s submission for Oscar’s foreign language film and should open in the DC metro area sometime in November 2018. Some of the film could be used a metaphor for immigrants or other citizens disabled or on the fringes of accepted society.

  • Can You Ever Forgive Me (Marielle Heller, U.S., 2018). A marked change to a dramatic role for Melissa McCarthy as a somewhat once successful biographer and writer, Lee Israel, down on her luck and aided by Richard E. Grant as a boozy, gay accomplice, she forges literary letters by famous authors for money. How long can the money come in and no suspicions arise? Based on her own best selling story of her life; the screenplay is co-written by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty.

  • Capernaum (Nadine Labaki, Lebanon, 2018). Labaki has also directed favorite films like Caramel and TIFF Audience winner Where Do We Go Now? A heartbreaking story of a family in poverty--Zain, who is 12 and trying to survive and escape poverty, a family that seems not to care, or to help others in a similar predicament in current Lebanon. The child actor is played by a real Syrian refugee who later with his family was allowed to emigrate to Norway. Another main character, an Ethiopian woman and her infant, was an extra from the streets who was also in danger of deportation. Another strong Oscar contender for Lebanon for best foreign language film this year.

  • Cold War (Pawel Pawlikowski, Poland, 2018. After his foreign language winner Ida, the director again used black and white interesting cinematography and noir atmosphere to highlight a post WWII romance, loosely based on his own parents whose paths cross many times. She is a folksinger and he is a musician, a choir director for a state project to show rural Polish folksinging. This is Poland’s strong submission for best language film.

  • Girl (Lukas Dhont, Belgium 2018). Lara is 15 and dreams of becoming a ballerina. Lara was born as a boy and is trying to transition to a girl. Her father is very supportive and she is accepted at a ballet academy, but is far behind others in the dance school. The real actor Victor Polster, had some ballet training and said the scenes doing point on ballet shoes were more like a painful documentary for his bleeding feet. The director expressed his concern for trying to find a transgender actor but Victor shines above all others. He used the transgendered woman that the story is based on as a film consultant to provide as much authenticity as possible. This is Belgium’s submission for best foreign language film. It has been picked up by Netflix and will also play during the AFI European Union film festival in December 2018.

  • Orange Days (Arash Lahooti, Iran, 2018). Lahooti’s first feature is the battle of 40-something Aban to prove a woman can run a business. She is a contractor to provide oranges from the orchards to Tehran but is treated as an outsider by the other competing contractors who want her out of their business. She also must face the problems with her household and what looks like a failing marriage.

  • Rojo (Benjamin Naishtat, Argentina/Brazil/France/Netherlands/Germany, 2018). How the 1970s dictatorship in Argentina was seen in small rural towns. An excellent noir mystery about a stranger who attacks Claudio, a town lawyer and later disappears. A detective from Chile enters the scene and is asking many too many questions.

  • Roma (Alfonso Cuaron, Mexico, 2018). From the famous Academy award director of Gravity and other films, this is a black and white engaging film about Cleo, a live-in maid and nanny and her family who live in the upper middle class Roma district, the mother of the house and their somewhat similar journeys and predicaments. Mexico’s foreign language favorite submission and also is getting buzz at a possible best film and other nominations. Winner of the Golden Lion at the 2018 Venice Film Festival.

  • The Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan, 2018). Japanese society was taken back by this honest look at a family living in poverty and stealing for survival, but still somehow happy much of the time. Winner of the 2018 Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival and Japan’s submission for best foreign language film.

  • A Star is Born (Bradley Cooper, U.S., 2018). The fourth remake of this film. An amazing first venture for Bradley Cooper as screenwriter, director and also actor. He is a country singer who drinks too much and discovers a chanteuse, Lady Gaga, when he wanders into a random bar for another drink. Lady Gaga without all the trappings and make-up is a wonderful actress and the chemistry seems real. It could rack up a number of Oscar nominations.

  • Wild Pear Tree (Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Turkey/France, 2018). The Turkish director and master filmmaker of other films: Distant, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, and Palm D’Or winner . College graduate Sinan returns to his small rural town and wants to be a teacher like his father. His father however, has created many problems with his gambling. This is Turkey’s submission for best foreign film.

  • Working Woman (Michal Aviad, Israel, 2018). A perfect film for the Me2 current times. Orna has three children and her husband is barely making it in his new restaurant in Jerusalem. She needs to help out by getting a job. She is smart, confident and very good at her new job in real estate. Her one problem may be what looks like possible advances by her new boss, who offers her big bonuses and praise over her stressed out husband.


    VERY GOOD FILMS:

  • Asako I and II (Fyusuke Hamaguchi, Japan/France, 2018). Asako, a student in Osaka, meets Baku, an odd but handsome young man but an enigma who likes to disappear and does. Later she meets another young man Ryohei (played by the same actor) who is stunning look-alike to Baku, but has a very different personality. Which young man is she really in love with?

  • Beautiful Boy (Felix van Goreningen, U.S., 2018). A Belgian director brings to life the harrowing tale of a family with Steve Carell as the father and Timothee Chalamet as the teen son who gets involved in drug abuse. A recent screening at the Navy Heritage auditorium had the director and real father and son that the book is based on.

  • The Dig (Andy Tohill and Tyan Tohill, United Kingdom/N.Ireland, 2018). Winning film at the 2018 Galway Film Fleadh has Ronan Callahan returning after serving 15 years in prison for a murder conviction. Returning to the home town presents problems for many, including the family of the girlfriend who disappeared years ago when he was drunk and was blamed with killing.

  • Dogman (Matteo Garrone, Italy/France, 2018). From the director of Gomorrah, a film taken from the news of crime in 1980’s Italy, seems like an older neo-realist Italian film. Mild-mannered Marcello grooms dogs but is bullied by others in the town. To make ends meet and help his daughter, he is selling cocaine on the side and quickly learns the ups and downs of the drug trade and the rants and beatings of his best customer Simoncino. Awarded the Best Actor prize in Cannes, Marcello Fonte in a Toronto Q&A seemed much like the uber-animated character he played in the film. It can be seen at the EU Film Festival at AFI Silver in December.

  • The First Man (Damien Chazelle, U.S. 2018). Chazelle follows up his popular La La Land with Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong, NASA’s race to the moon and Claire Foye as his steadfast but fearful wife. This is a balanced approach that should honor the brave men and women astronauts at NASA and also question our motives for the Space Race over time.

  • Float Like a Butterfly (Carmel Winters, Ireland, 2018). Another Discovery program film set in the 1960’s rural Ireland about a Traveller family and the teenage daughter Frances who wants to box like her hero Mohammad Ali. Wonderful cinematography of the wild Irish countryside and a young woman fighting racial and gender issues to follow her dream.

  • Greta (Neil Jordan, Ireland/U.S., 2018). A unique film starring Chloe Grace Moretz and Isabelle Huppert set in New York City when a young woman returns a purse found on the metro to an older woman and a friendship of a kind begins. As usual, Huppert takes on another strange role that will stick with you long after the credits roll.

  • Hotel Mumbai (Anthony Maras, Australia, 2018). Based on 4 days when Mumbai was under terrorist attack and the famous Hotel Mumbai was a key location. Dev Patel plays a hotel worker caught up in the mess and Armie Hammer and family are guests at the hotel. A thriller that also highlights the division of classes in India.

  • Mouthpiece (Patricia Rozema, Canada, 2018). Based on a successful play with the writers/actors in the movie, young writer Cassandra must deal with her mother’s death and wants to write the eulogy, against the best advice of many of her friends and relatives who know her sometimes volcanic character. Two actors play Cassandra side by side as we see her and her conscience battle for supremacy.

  • Phoenix (Camilla Strom Henriksen, Norway/Sweden, 2018). Another film about substance abuse and mental illness. Jill, a young high school student must deal with her mother’s alcoholism, disappearances, cover for her and try and keep her and her younger brother Bo together as a family.

  • Red Joan (Trevor Nunn, United Kingdom, 2018). Dame Judi Dench portrays Joan Stanley, a retired scientist who in 2000 was arrested as a Russian spy. In 1938 young Joan, played by Sophie Cookson, is a Cambridge student who meets politicized Sonya and is intrigued by her brother Leo. She soon faces her national loyalties, friends, lovers, and who and what to trust in.

  • Saf (Ali Vatansever, Turkey/Germany/Romania 2018). A young couple in Istanbul tries to find work and survive in the urban sprawl. Kamil agrees to take a night job at a lower salary and causes a Syrian refugee to lose his job. He also must get appropriate papers and training to maintain the job. His wife becomes a housekeeper for a rich family. The result is a moral tale that seems to be one the Dardennes Brothers could have filmed.

  • Sibel (Cagla Zencirci and Gujillaume Giovanetti, France/Germany/Luxembourg/Turkey, 2018). Filmed in the Turkish Black Sea region, Sibel is a headstrong young woman who has apparently lost her speech and like others in the area communicates by whistling. Since she is mute, the townspeople consider her bad luck and shun her. A wounded fugitive in the area is added to the mix, but nothing seems to keep our heroine down.

  • Stupid Young Heart (Selma Vilhunen, Finland/Netherlands/Sweden, 2018). Lenni, a goofy short teen has a crush on pretty Kiira, but neither is ready for possible parenthood. A more realistic look at young people who were ill-parented themselves and decisions that may make them grow up much faster than normal.

  • Transit (Christian Petzold,Germany, 2018). Adapted from a WWII novel, not unlike one of his earlier films, Phoenix, Georg escapes Germany to Marseilles and is trying to get letters of transit from the Mexican Embassy. Many homages to Hitchcock thrillers or Casablanca can be found in this noir thriller.

  • The Wedding Guest (Michael Winterbottom, United Kingdom, 2018). Mysterious traveler Dev Patel on his travel to Pakistan meets a young woman on her trip to an arranged marriage. This is a whirlwind romance and thriller that keep you guessing until the end of the film.


    GOOD FILMS:

  • Angelo (Markus Schleinizer, Austria/Luxembourg, 2018). From the director of Michael comes the tale of Angelo Soliman, an 18th century Moor in the court of Vienna. It begins with his trip to Austria as a young boy who is baptized and accepted somewhat into an elite family. A social critique that can be compared to more recent colonialism and treatment of outsiders.

  • The Chambermaid (Lila Aviles, Mexico, 2018). A chambermaid in a large hotel tries to better herself in her position with mixed results. Another subtle look at the layers of Mexican society and Eve’s self-discovery.

  • Core of the World (Natalia Meshchaninova, Russia/Lithuania, 2018). Egor, a kind veterinarian, works on a rural farm that breeds foxes and hunting dogs. His interactions with the family, animals and animal rights protesters, portrays some surprising moral lessons and emotional outlets.

  • Divine Wind (Merzak Allouache, Algeria/France/Qatar/Lebanon, 2018). A black and white almost play-like film with young Amine trying to follow the rules of the older woman Nour, an extremist with her own goals that may conflict with a possible romance with a younger man.

  • Hotel by the Sea (Hong Sang-soo, South Korea, 2018). The interaction of several guests in a small inn on the Han River including an elderly poet, his adult sons, and a young woman who has just come out of a destructive relationship.

  • Loro (Paolo Sorrentino, Italy/France, 2018). From the director of Academy winning film The Great Beauty, we have famous actor Toni Servillo as infamous Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, inspired by Slvio Berlusconi. Lush scenery and wild extremes make this a Fellini-like film of modern politics, greed and some private life among the buffoonery. It can also be seen at the AFI Silver European Union Film Festivalin December 2018.

  • Maya (Mia-Hansen-Love, France, 2018). After surviving a hostage situation in Syria, a young war correspondent travels to India to visit his godfather. There he finds Maya, a beautiful younger woman who is also his godfather’s daughter. The movie is his rehabilitation from his plights and possible romance in a new Indian society.

  • Papi Chulo (John Butler, Ireland, 2018). From the director of Handsome Devil, this film is set in Los Angeles. TV weatherman Sean (Matt Bomer) wants to upgrade his patio. He hires a Mexican day worker and the interaction of the two men is a multi-layered look at success and xenophobia in the U.S.

  • That Time of Year (Paprika Steen, Denmark 2018). Actress/director Steen stars in this film about a large family gathering for Christmas with all the usual dysfunctional caustic family issues we all may also deal with at the Holiday Season.

  • Ulysses and Mona (Sebstian Betbeder, France, 2018). A middle-aged reclusive artist in the countryside meets a young art student intent on interviewing him. Tour-de force acting in a type of road movie of sorts that never really goes where we think it will go.

  • Vita and Virginia (Chanya Button, United Kingdom/ireland, 2018). Based on the affair and long friendship of writers Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf, the British aristocracy at the time, and Bloomsbury group of Bohemian artists. Gemma Arterton plays Vita and Elizabeth Debicki portrays Woolf.


    THE OFFICIAL TIFF 2017 AWARDS:

    Grolsch People's Choice Award: The Green Book; first runner-up: If Beale Street Could Talk; 2nd runner-up: Roma.

    People's Choice Award For Documentary: Free Solo, directed by E. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The first runner-up is Tom Donahue’s This Changes Everything. The second runner-up is John Chester’s The Biggest Little Farm.

    People's Choice Award For Midnight Madness: Vasan Bala’s The Man Who Feels No PainHalloween; second runner-up is Sam Levinson’s Assassination Nation.

    Air France Platform Prize: Wi Ding Ho’s Cities of Last Things.

    EURIMAGES Audientia Award: Aäläm-Wärqe Davidian's Fig Tree.

    Best Canadian Feature Film: Sébastien Pilote’s The Fireflies Are Gone (La disparition des lucioles).

    City of Toronto Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film: Katherine Jerkovic’s Roads in February (Les Routes en Février).

    Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Special Presentations Section: Guy Nattiv for Skin (U.S.)

    Prizes of the International Critics (FIPRESCI Prize) for Discovery Sectiono: Carmel Winters for Float Like a Butterfly (Ireland).

    NETPAC Award For Best Asian Film: Ash Mayfair’s The Third Wife (Vietnam).

    Award For Best Canadian Short Film: Meryam Joobeur’s Brotherhood.

    Award For Best International Short Film: Sandhya Suri’s The Field.

    Check local theater listings and upcoming festivals such as AFI’s European Union Film Festival and the DC Jewish Film Festival which may have some of these and other films in the coming months.

     Other Reviews and Awards: Indiewire’s criticWire survey of top film critics and bloggers selected their favorite films, directors, and performances at TIFF2018.

    See the TIFF website.


    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
    "Films Across Borders: Stories of Women" (October 29-November 21) is a series shown at the AFI, National Gallery of Art, Goethe Institute, the National Museum of Women in the Arts, and other locations. Titles shown at the AFI in November are Wings (1966) from the USSR; Raw (2016) from France; One Sings, The Other Doesn't (1977); Daisies (1966) from Czechoslovakia; the 40th anniversary of Girlfriends (1978); Diary of a Teenage Girl (2015); the documentary Fatma 75 (1976) from Tunisia; Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels (1975); Mademoiselle Paradise from Austria; Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts from Indonesia; My Brilliant Career (1979) from Australia; Peppermint Soda (1977) from France; Scarlet Diva (2000) from Italy; Sir (2018) from India; Sofia (2018) from France/Qatar; and Julia 1st (2017) from Spain.

    The 11th "Kids Euro Festival" (October 20-November 4) is a two-week long festival of European arts and culture, with films and other activities at various locations. Films at the AFI are Jill and Joy's Winter from Finland; and The Sentries from Romania.

    Special events at the AFI in November include "CatVideoFest 2018" on November 17 at 11:00am; Coco (Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, 2016) on November 3 at 11:05am in English and November 4 at 11:05 in Spanish. On November 12 at 7:00pm is "Reel Rock 13," a collection of climbing films from the 13th annual Reel Rock Film Tour, covering locations from the Antarctic to the Middle East.

    "The Silent Cinema Showcase" (October 27-November 21) shows a selection of newly restored screen classics and rare gems from the silent era. Music accompaniment is provided by Donald Sosin, Ben Model, Gabriel Thibaudeau, Makia Matsumura, Michael Britt and Andrew Simpson; larger combos incude the Silent Orchestra, the Columbia Orchestra and the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra. Titles in November are The Cardboard Lover (1928) with music by Ben Model; a 4K DCP restoration of Buster Keaton's The Navigator (1924) with music by Andrew Simpson; Beauty's Worth (1922) in a new 2K restoration with music by Ben Model; a 4K restoration of Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) with music by Andrew Simpson; Dante's Inferno (1911) with music by Maurizio Guarini; Safety Last (1923) with music by the Peacherine Ragtime Society Orchestra; Show People (1928) with music by Ben Model; When Knighthood Was in Flower (1922) in a new 2K restoration; The Ancient Law (1923) in a new 4K restoration with music by Donald Sosin; Seven Chances (1925) with music by Donald Sosin; Mare Nostrum (1926) with music by Donald Sosin; Barbed Wire (1927) with music by Michael Britt; The Big Parade (1925) with music by Andrew Simpson; The Cameraman (1928) with music by Andrew Simpson; Carmen (1918) with music by Gabriel Thibaudeau and Sheila Hannigan; Corporal Kate (1926) with music by Andrew Simpson; Flesh and the Devil (1926) with music by Gabriel Thibaudeau and Sheila Hannigan; a restored 4K of The General (1926) with music by The Columbia Orchestra; Heart to Heart (1928) with music by Makia Matsumura; The Hound of the Baskervilles (1929) with music by Andrew Simpson; The Last Laugh (1924) with music by Gabriel Thibaudeau; Lilac Time (1928) with music by Michael Britt; The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928); A Woman of the World (1925) with music by Makia Matsumura; and a program of Alice Howell Comedy Shorts. A series pass is available.

    Freer Gallery of Art
    A series of Japanese classic films continues at the Freer. On November 7 at 2:00pm is Harakiri (Masaki Kobayashi, 1962), starring the great Tatsuya Nakadai.

    The "Fourth China Onscreen Biennial" (November 2-18) showcases a China in continued flux. On November 2 at 7:00pm is Long Day's Journey Into Night (Bi Gan, 2018) in 3D, starring Sylvia Chang; on November 4 at 1:00pm is Girls Always Happy (Yang Mingming, 2018); on November 4 at 3:30pm is The Swim (He Xiangyu, 2017); on November 9 at 7:00pm is The Widowed Witch (Cai Chengjie, 2018); On November 11 at 2:00pm is A Family Tour (Ying Liang, 2018); and on November 18 at 1:00pm is An Elephant Sitting Still (Hu Bo, 2018).

    A new series "The Legend of Koji Wakamatsu" starts November 30 at 7:00pm with the US premiere of Dare to Stop Me (Kazuya Shiraishi, 2018) from Japan, based on "pink" filmmaker Koji Wakamatsu.

    National Gallery of Art
    Special events in November include the documentary Chartres: Light Reborn (Anne Savalli, 2016) on November 25 at 2:00pm with an introduction by Dominique Lallement and a panel discussion following the film.

    "Lifting Traces: Memories of London" (October 27-November 11) highlights selected works by London-based filmmakers. On November 11 at 2:00pm is London (Patrick Keiller, 1996) and on November 11 at 4:00pm is Home Suite (John Smith, 1994) followed by the short film Blight (John Smith, 1996).

    "Luchino Visconti" (November 3-December 16) is a 12-film series of films by the great Italian director. On November 3 at 2:00pm is Ossessione (1943); on November 9 at 2:30pm is Bellissima (1951); on November 10 at 2:30pm is La terra trema (1948); on November 17 at 4:00pm is White Nights (1957); on November 18 at 4:00pm is Senso (1954); on November 23 at 2:00pm is Rocco and His Brothers (1960); and on November 24 at 2:00pm is The Leopard (1963). More in December.

    "From Co-op to LUX: The Last Decade of the London Film-Makers' Co-op" (November 10-17) is a two-program series of short films by members of the Co-op, mostly from the 1990s. On November 10 at 12:30pm is "Resistance to Professionalism," a collection of short films; and on November 17 at 2:00pm is "Self-Determined Selves," short films by women filmmakers.

    National Museum of the American Indian
    On November 2 at 6:00pm is Promised Land (Sarah and Vasant Salcedo, 2016), a documentary about the Duwamish and Chinook tribes and their fight for indigenous sovereignty, recognition, and restoration of their homeland. On November 14 at 6:00pm is Tribal Justice (Anne Makepeace, 2017) about Native American judges. Journalist Simon Moya-Smith will moderate a discussion between Judge Claudette White and Anne Makepeace after the film.

    Museum of American History
    "Remembering World War I is a day-long commemoration of WWI starting at 10:00am on November 11. Lectures, discussions and films are part of the activities. The Veterans Day Film Festival begins November 10 at 10:50am with Sgt Stubby: An American Hero. Other titles on November 10 are A Solemn Promise, America's Missing in Action at 1:00pm; D-Day: Normandy 1944 in 3-D at 2:15pm; and All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) at 3:15pm. On November 11 titles include Brothers at War plus three short films at noon; Apache Warrior at 4:10pm; a program of short films at 4:35pm; Discharged at 5:30pm; and The Deer Hunter at 6:25pm. See the Air and Space Museum for two more. See the website for more information.

    Smithsonian American Art Museum
    On November 5 at 7:00pm is Score (Matt Schrader, 2016), a documentary about Hollywood's premier composers. The film's producer Robert Kraft and director Matt Schrader will be present for discussion after the film.

    National Museum of Women in the Arts
    On November 4 at 3:00pm is the Academy Award-winning documentary Inocente (Andrea and Sean Fine, 2012), the story of a homeless and undocumented teenager who dreams of being an artist. A panel discussion and reception follow the film.

    Washington Jewish Community Center
    The JCC will be renovating its space and programs are shown at other locations. On November 7 at 7:30pm is Etgar Keret: Based on a True Story (Stephane Kaas, 2018), a documentary about the Israeli writer and humorist. Shown at Landmark's E Street Cinema. On November 15 at 7:30pm is Red Cow (Tsivia Barkai Yacov, 2018) from Israel, winner of Best Feature and Best Actress at the 2018 Jerusalem Film Festival. Shown at Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema.

    Goethe Institute
    Landmark's West End Cinema hosts a new film series "Wunderbar Films: German Cinema 101" - Film and Discussion with Hester Baer, Associate Professor and Head of Germanic Studies at the University of Maryland. Films will be shown once a month and are divided into four categories: contemporary German film, films of the German Democratic Republic (DEFA Studio), films of the Weimar Republic (1920s), and New German Cinema (1970s). The series began in October and continues on November 12 at 6:30pm with The Edge of Heaven (Fatih Akin, 2007), part of Akin's trilogy "Love, Death, and the Devil."

    The "Film Neu 2018" film festival (November 1-4) features ten films from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. See below.

    National Air and Space Museum
    Two films in the Veterans Day Film Festival are shown November 11: Last Man Club at noon and Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed at 2:15pm.

    French Embassy
    On November 5 at 7:00pm is the documentary Paris Noir: African Americans in the City of Light (Joanne and David Burke, 2012) followed by a discussion with the film's co-producer Julia Browne.

    As part of the film series "Films Across Borders: Stories of Women," is the documentary Cinéast(e)s (Julie Gayet and Matthieu Busson, 2013), a look at women directors, on November 13 at 7:00pm; and All About Actresses (Maiwenn, 2009), a "mockumentary" about French actresses on November 27 at 7:00pm. One more in this series in December. See below for other locations participating in Films Across Borders.

    Films are shown as part of the "World War I: A Hundred Year Legacy." On November 7 at 6:00pm is Anne Morgan's War (2017), a documentary about American women volunteers led by financier Pierpont Morgan's daughter Anne. Following the screening is a Q&A with Miles Morgan, great-nephew of Anne. A concert performance of Igor Stravinsky's "The Soldier's Tale" by the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra and a reception conclude the evening. On November 14 at 7:00pm is the documentary The American in Paris: The True Story of the American Hospital in Paris, about American volunteers in France. A panel discussion follows with John Crawford of the American Hospital of Paris and others. After the panel discussion is a Q&A and a wine and cheese reception.

    The Japan Information and Culture Center
    On November 2 at 6:30pm is Metropolis (Rintaro, 2001), an anime film about an ultra-modern utopia built with robot labor.

    On November 14 at 6:30pm is Parks (Natsuki Seta, 2017).

    National Archives
    On November 8 at 7:00pm is the documentary Blood Road (2017) about ultra-endurance mountain bike athlette Rebecca Rusch and her Vietnamese riding partner as they pedal 1200 miles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Rebecca Rusch will introduce the film and answer questions.

    On November 15 at 7:00pm is the US premiere of The Tokyo Trials, a documentary about the Tokyo War Crimes Trial.

    Bethesda Row
    "Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series. On November 18 at 10:00am is 1945 (Ferenc Torok, 2017) from Hungary. Breakfast is at 9:30am, the film is at 10:00am and discussion follows, moderated by Adam Spector, host of the DC Film Society's Cinema Lounge and author of the column "Adam's Rib." A season pass is available.

    The Avalon
    On November 7 at 8:00pm is 306 Hollywood (Elan Bogarin and Jonathan Bogarin, 2018), a magical realist documentary of two siblings who undertake an archaeological excavation in their grandmother's house. Part of the "Films in Focus" series.

    The "Exhibitions on Screen" series continues with Degas: Passion for Perfection (David Bickerstaff) on November 11 at 10:30am and November 13 at 10:30am.

    On November 14 at 8:00pm is Gavagai (Rob Tregenza, 2016) with the filmmaker present for Q&A.

    On November 20 at 8:00pm is Gauguin: Voyage to Tahiti (Edouard Deluc, 2017) with Vincent Cassel starring as Paul Gauguin. Part of the French Cinematheque series.

    Hasna
    On November 8 at 8:00pm is the award-winning documentary Resistance Is Life (Apo W. Bazidi, 2017). Location: The Avalon Theater.

    Italian Cultural Institute
    On November 12 at 6:00pm is the documentary I Villani (Daniele De Michele, 2018) about agriculture, fishing, farming, cheesemaking and family cooking. A panel discussion featuring filmmaker Daniele De Michele and cookbook author Joan Nathan and a tasting of wine and food from the Puglia region follows the film.

    New York University Abramson Family Auditorium
    Two films from the "Films Across Borders: Stories of Women" are shown, both from Mexico. On November 15 at 6:30pm is The Eternal Feminine (Natalia Beristain, 2017) and on November 28 at 6:30pm is We Are Always Walking (Dinazar Urbina Mata, 2017). A reception follows both films.

    Library of Congress
    The Mary Pickford Theater at the Library of Congress continues its series of films showcasing the Library's collection and including newly preserved films. On November 8 at 7:00pm is Medium Cool (Haskell Wexler, 1969). On November 10 at 3:00pm is The Road Back (James Whale, 1937) based on the novel by Erich Maria Remarque. On November 15 at 6:30pm is Howard (Don Hahn, 2018). On November 28 at 7:00pm is The Lost Weekend (Billy Wilder, 1945) starring Ray Milland.

    "Capital Classics" at Landmark's West End Cinema
    Classic films are shown at the West End Cinema on Wednesdays at 1:30pm, 4:30pm and 7:30pm. On November 7 is Dave (Ivan Reitman, 1993); on November 14 is Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Richard Brooks, 1958); on November 21 is The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946); and on November 28 is Lassie Come Home (Fred M. Wilcox, 1943).

    Kennedy Center
    On November 8 at 7:00pm is The Unseen Sequence (Sumantra Ghosal), about the traditional Indian dance form bharatanatyam. A Q&A will follow the screening with choreographer Malavika Sarukkai.

    On November 23 at 7:00pm, November 24 at 7:00pm and November 25 at 2:00pm is "NSO Pops: Walt Disney Animation Studios—A Decade in Concert," with scenes from Disney films such as Frozen, Moana, Zootopia, Big Hero 6, Wreck-It Ralph, Winnie the Pooh, Tangled, Bolt, Princess and the Frog and more with live music by the NSO Pops.

    International Spy Museum
    See below.

    Atlas Performing Arts Film Series
    On November 6 at 7:00pm is Tyrus (Pamela Tom, 2015), a documentary about the China-born artist Tyrus Wong who worked in Hollywood studios. The filmmaker will take part in a panel discussion after the film.

    Hill Center
    "Reel Architecture: The Built Environment on the Silver Screen" is a three-part series of films in which architecture is the star. The final film in this series is 24 City (Jia Zhangke, 2008) on November 18 at 4:00pm, about the destruction of no-longer-needed industrial factories in China. It is presented by Philip Kennicott, Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post Senior Art and Architecture Critic.

    Smithsonian Associates
    On November 1 at 7:00pm is a members-only advance screening of the award-winning documentary On Her Shoulders (Alexandra Bombach, 2018). Location: Landmark's E Street Cinema.

    Busboys and Poets
    On November 13 at 6:00pm is Adios Amor: The Search for Maria Moreno (Laurie Coyle, 2018), a documentary about migrant worker Maria Moreno who became a union organizer. The filmmaker will introduce the film and answer questions. Part of the series "Films Across Borders: Stories of Women."

    Alliance Francais
    On November 1 at 7:00pm is Two English Girls (Francois Truffaut, 1971) followed by a Q&A with journalist Nicholas Elliott.

    The Phillips Collection
    A Nordic film series accompanies the exhibition "Nordic Impressions." On November 15 at 6:00pm is the world premiere of Human Wild (Marthe Thorshaug, 2018) from Norway, followed by discussion with the filmmaker. On November 29 at 6:00pm is The Swam (Ása Helga Hjörleifsdótirr, 2017) from Iceland. More in December.


    FILM FESTIVALS

    Gala Hispanic Theater Film Festival
    The 7th annual film festival "Reel Time at Gala" (November 28-December 2) is a series of films from Mexico, Argentina and Colombia. Titles include Nobody's Watching from Argentina; So Long Enthusiasm from Colombia; I Like It But It Scares Me from Mexico. More in December. Many films have discussions and receptions. A festival pass is available.

    World War I Armistice Film Festival
    WWI-themed films are shown at the National World War I Memorial, Pershing Park on November 12. Starting at 10:00am is the animated Sgt Stubby: An American Hero; at 12:00 noon are two documentaries Pershing's Path of Glory and The Lafayette Escadrille; at 1:30pm is the documentary The Hello Girls; and at 3:00pm is the documentary The Millionaires Unit. All are preceded by the 10 minute A Soldier's Journey.

    AFI European Union Film Showcase
    The 31st European Union Film Showcase (November 30-December 20) includes films from countries in the European Union. More than 50 films are shown, many are award-winners from international film festivals, European box office hits, and official Oscar submissions for Best Foreign Language Film. Many films will have special guests and Q&As. Festival passes are available, see the website.

    Films Across Borders: Stories of Women
    This festival starts October 5 and runs through December 18. More than 50 films are shown in 14 venues. Titles in November include Back for Good, Wanda, The Watermelon Woman, Wings, Raw, One Sings the Other Doesn't, Daisies, Girlfriends, Julia 1st, Fatma 75, My Brilliant Career, Martina the Murderer in Four Acts, The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Adios Amor-the Search for Maria Moreno, Cineast(e)s, Naila and the Uprising, Mademoiselle Paradis, The Eternal Feminine, Sofia, Scarlet Diva, Jeanne Dielman, Sir, All About Actresses, We Are Always Walking and Dancing Beethoven. See the website for details.

    Film|Neu
    The 26th annual "Film | Neu" takes place November 1-4. Films are shown from German speaking countries: Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Documentaries, dramas, comedies and short films are part of the festival. The Opening Night film is 3 Days in Quiberon from Germany/Austria and the Closing Night Film is The Silent Revolution from Germany. Other film titles are Blue My Mind from Switzerland; Back for Good from Germany; L'Animale from Austria; The Migrumpies from Austria; Magical Mystery from Germany; A Dysfunctional Cat from Germany; In the Aisles from Germany; plus a program of short films. All films are shown at Landmark's E Street Cinema.

    Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival
    This film festival is celebrating its 21st year and runs from November 1-11. American and international films will be shown, including features, documentaries and shorts. See the website for locations, titles, schedule, tickets and passes.

    Reel Affirmations Film Festival
    This film festival takes place at the Tivoli Theater November 1-4. The Opening Night film is Anchor and Hope (Carlos Marques-Marcet) from Spain; and the Closing Night film is Mapplethorpe. There are programs of short films, documentaries, panel discussions, filmmaker Q&As, receptions and other events. A pass is available.

    Alexandria Film Festival
    The 12th Annual Alexandria Film Festival will be held November 8-11, presenting feature-length films, documentaries, animation and short films. Films are shown at AMC's Hoffman 22 and the Beatley Library. See the website for films, tickets and passes.

    Kids Euro Festival
    The Kids Euro Festival takes place October 20-November 4. Films and performing arts events are part of the festival. Locations vary; see the website for more information. Check the website, not all are open to the public.

    The Virginia Film Festival
    The 31st annual Virginia Film Festival takes place November 1-4 at the University of Virginia. See the website for film titles, schedule and locations.


    FILM-RELATED LECTURES

     The International Spy Museum
    On November 13 at 6:30pm is a lecture Spies of the Soviet Screen. Two Soviet films from 1973, both influenced by the KGB are discussed. Erik Jens, National Intelligence University professor, presents Seventeen Moments of Spring, a TV miniseries of a Soviet spy in Nazi Germany; and Shana Oltmans, Spy Museum researcher discusses The Plainsclothesman based on Dimitri Bystrolyotov, a spy for Stalin in the 1930s.


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