Hope you are enjoying these glorious days!
We have lots of films screening this week. Over the weekend, we will screen afternoon matinees of two films from the Sundance Institute's FILM FORWARD program that has been presenting independent films across the island and the state this past week : THE LIGHT IN HER EYES, a documentary about women's education and religion in Syria, will be Saturday at 2pm and VALLEY OF SAINTS, a story about a young Kashmiri man who becomes aware that pollution in his remote village will affect the lives of everyone who lives there, will be on Sunday at 2pm. They both look super interesting, and are FREE to the public. Doors open at 1:30.
See you soon!
-L
Here is our schedule for the week:
Fri 10/4 - Thurs 10/10
LEE DANIELS’ THE BUTLER (PG-13) 126min
Based on a real individual’s experiences, but not a biographical film, this powerful and compelling drama explores 90 years of African American history, from the Jim Crow era to Obama’s election, through the life of one man. Forest Whitaker (Last King of Scotland) is Cecil, born a poor southerner who became a discreet, deferential White House butler and served eight presidents over three decades. This butler’s inner strength as a passive servant belied his concealed turmoil at the changes he sees during his lifetime. Oprah Winfrey returns to the screen after a fifteen year absence playing his troubled wife. Director Lee Daniels (Precious) uses both real and replicated footage providing both an emotional and historical truth in this inspiring summation of a century of black history. trailer
Fri 10/4 - Mon 10/7
PRINCE AVALANCHE (R) 94min
In this refreshingly eccentric offbeat comedy and character study, Paul Rudd (This is 40) and Emile Hirsch (Into the Wild, Milk) give colorful performances as mismatched co-workers who are spending the summer painting lines on a desolate country highway that has been recently ravaged by wildfire. Set in pre-electronic era 1988, Alvin (Rudd) spends his free time learning German from his cassettes and writing letters to his fiancée, who is the older sister of Lance (Hirsch); Lance boasts about his prowess with the ladies and can’t wait to get into town for the weekend. Funny, meditative and at times surreal, this is the new feature from director David Gordon Green, which merges the two styles of his previous films, including the nuanced George Washington and Snow Angels, and the buddy comedy Pineapple Express. trailer
Tues 10/8 - Thurs 10/10
AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS (R) 105min
In the vein of Terence Malick’s Badlands and Robert Altman’s McCabe and Mrs Miller, this timeless, romantic crime ballad is from young director and film editor David Lowery. Stunningly beautiful and Sundance winning cinematography (by Bradford Young) in the Texas Hill country sets this story of a robbery gone bad. Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara star as a poor young couple with a baby on the way; he takes the rap for her shooting a sheriff’s deputy (Ben Foster) and she goes home to raise her daughter and wait for him to return from jail under the watchful eye of a mysterious neighbor (Keith Carradine). Each faces challenges, choices and second chances in this vibrant, captivatingly detailed film. trailer
FILM FORWARD
In association with MDI High School and other places in Downeast Maine we will be screening two films as part of Film Forward, an international touring program presented by the Sundance Institute designed to enhance greater cultural understanding, collaboration and dialogue around the globe by engaging audiences through the exhibition of films, workshops and conversations with filmmakers. FILM FORWARD promotes cultural dialogue through independent documentary and narrative film, using film’s unique ability to tell stories that explore universal themes to ignite meaningful conversations. cultivating engaged dialogue, fostering appreciation of other viewpoints, and developing new audiences for independent film. These screenings are free to the public. Also, there will be another Film Forward screening coming on our next schedule on Sat 10/19 of TOWN OF RUNNERS.
Sat 10/5
THE LIGHT IN HER EYES (87min) at 2pm
Los Angeles based filmmakers Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix offer an extraordinary portrait of a leader who challenges the women of her community to live according to Islam, without giving up their dreams. Shot right before the uprising in Syria erupted, in the women’s side of Al-Zahra mosque, preacher Houda al-Habash teaches the Qur’an, educating women and girls about their religion, and their rights, within their faith. Inside this community was uncovered a lively debate about women’s roles as mothers, teachers, wives, workers, sisters and daughters. trailer
Sun 10/6
VALLEY OF SAINTS (82min) at 2pm
Musa Syeed’s debut feature film won the Audience Award for World Cinema: Dramatic and the Alfred P. Sloan Prize. In the crown jewel of Kashmir, Gulzar, a young, working-class boatman takes a job assisting a pretty scientist collecting water samples for an environmental study. When research reveals harmful pollutants they realize that the ecology of the lake and an entire way of life face an alarming threat. This is a vibrant, lyrical film about finding one's path home in a changing world. trailer
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