<<< July 2003 >>>

Tuesday, July 8 – 7:30 PM

HOOVER STREET REVIVAL, 2002, 100 min., UK/France "Sophie Fiennes (yes, sister of Joseph, Martha, and Ralph) has made a documentary about a thriving revivalist church in the ghetto of South Central LA, which contains some of the truest images of American life since Hoop Dreams." (New Humanist Magazine) Snippets of the charismatic bishop Noel Jones' (brother of Grace Jones) sermons are stand out moments, but of equal impact is Fiennes’ seemingly unnoticed camera sensitively focused on moments of everyday life in this African American community.

Reverend Noel Jones is "a cross between Richard Pryor and the kind of revivalist preacher found in the fiction of Flannery O’Connor…an extraordinary charismatic figure." (The Independent)

"The stories of abuse, jail, drugs and redemption are tempered with humour and sometimes tears. A rare and eloquent mosaic of a resilient community." The Times

Discussion following with filmmaker Sophie Fiennes and members of the Greater Bethany Community Church.

Wednesday, July 16 – 7:30 PM

FRENCH ANIMATION IN ALL ITS GLORY

In Association with ASIFA-Hollywood, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Animated Film Centre (Cica) in collaboration with Association of French Animated Cinema (AFCA) are proud to present two programs reflecting the richness of French animated cinema through its many techniques and themes. We have two of these excellent programs. Come to both for one price. ASIFA members receive a discount. (See below)

All shorts with dialogue other than English do have subtitles. All are 35mm prints.

Program 1. THE MENAGERIE: Philippe Arc’s "Toro de Nuit" ("Bulls by Night," , 1996, 6 min.) A dreamlike confrontation between man and bull. Francois P. Guillou’s "Zob de Moor" (1997, 3 min.) Zob is a zebra who doesn’t quite fit in. Federico Vit’s "Guano" (1992, 9 min.) Insane tales filled with stupid creatures. Isabelle Faivre’s "Du Zero des Arenes" (1996, 3 min.) Two dots meet and charm each other, but where will they go? Guillaume Casset’s "La vache qui voulait sauter par-dessus l’église" ("The cow who wanted to jump over the church," 1997, 7 min.) A day in the life of a computerized and robotized farm where everything goes wrong. Nicolas Jacquet’s "Vermillon, la Grande Musique" (1998, 3 min.) A pianist transforms an auditorium into Noah’s Ark. Sarah Rope’s "Le Chat d’Appartement" ("The House Cat," 1998, 7 min.) Cleo is a fat, curious New York cat. Marie-Christine Perrodin’s "Les Adventures de Leon, on n’est pas des Sauvages" ("The Adventures of Leon, We’re not Savages," 1997, 5 min.) A bored chameleon gets on the phone. Bruce Krebs" "Zebres" ("Zebras," 1999, 3 min.) A musical starring zebras. Magali Wassong’s "René et Gisèle" (2001, 5 min.) An impossible love story between a hen and a wild boar. Konstantin Bronzit’s "Au Bout du Monde" ("To the End of the World," 1998, 7 min.) A swaying house on a hill scares it’s inhabitants.

Program 2. FAMILIAR AND UNUSUAL WORLDS: Arnaud Pen’s "L’Abri" ("The Shelter," 1995, 6 min.) The earth and its survivors have to reconstruct the world after a global disaster. Laurent Pouvaret’s "Ferrailles" ("Scraps," 1996, 6 min.) The employees of an old factory are upset when their routine is disrupted. Lolo Zazar’s "Dernière Invention" ("The Last Invention," 1997, 8 min.) Funny, surreal tale of a man and his animated household objects. Jean-Luc Greco’s "La Bouche Cousue" ("The Sewn Mouth," 1998, 3 min.) A man and his pizza go for a ride! Aline Ahond’s "Carnavallée" (1998, 4 min.) A sumptuous tale set in a carnival. Christian Volckman’s "Maaz" (1999, 8 min.) A man in a heavy cape rushes through an empty town. Florence Miailhe’s "Au Premier Dimanche D’aout" ("On the First Sunday of August," 1999, 11min.) A depiction of a village and its annual ball. Helene Moinerie’s "D’une Cité à L’autre" ("From One Town to Another," 2000, 5 min.) Dance and music bring together West and East. Florent Mounier’s "Le Bain" ("The Bath," 2000, 7 min.) A little boy menaces his bath toys. Laetitia Gabrielli’s "L’Enfant de la Haute Mer" ("The Child of the Open Sea," 2000, 7 min.) A little girl finally sees something in her small seaside village.

International Animated Film Society (ASIFA) members will receive a discount of $2.00 off the regular $9.00 ticket price when they present their membership card at the box office or send a copy with their faxed order.

Thursday, July 17 - 7:30 PM ALTERNATIVE SCREEN: Independent Film Showcase

NOSEY PARKER, 2002, 105 min., USA John O’Brien (VERMONT IS FOR LOVERS) directs this story of a lonely, recently transplanted from NYC, trophy wife who feels empty in her rural Vermont dream house. Natalie finds unlikely friendship with a weathered old farmer, closer to her psychiatrist husband’s age than her own. Natalie hires George as her handyman, but he soon becomes a steady companion with a good ear for listening and solid, no-nonsense advice. One thing leads to another and her husband becomes jealous of Natalie’s attention for George. This is Vermont filmmaker (and sheep farmer) John O’Brien’s (his MAN WITH A PLAN played Alternative Screen in 1996) third film capturing the local color of a vanishing generation of Vermont natives. He may well be the only independent filmmaker to self distribute his films in Vermont "feed stores."

MAN WITH A PLAN, 1995, 90 min., USA, What’s a 73-year-old, retired Vermont dairy farmer to do when he needs some cash to save his farm and pay medical bills? Fred Tuttle and his 96-year-old dad Joe knock noggins and decide that Fred should capitalize on his NATURAL charisma and run for US Congress on the "Regressive" party ticket. With the slogan "Why Not," Fred launches a $30 grass-roots campaign that offers six-time incumbent (and real-life former Vermont Rep.) Bill Blachly some stiff competition. "I’ve spent all my life in the barn. Now I’d just like to spend a little time in the house," quips Fred, in this "wry little charmer of a comedy" from John O’Brien. The Boston Globe says, "there’s more sly self-awareness than Capra brought to MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON... Nonothingism never had a more appealing emblem than Fred," and The Patriot Ledger remarks, "Clever funny and biting, this political satire is pure delight."

Discussion following with director John O’Brien and actress Natalie Picoe.

Friday, July 25 – 9:45 PM

The Latino International Film Festival and The American Cinematheque Present A Special In-Person Screening with Alejandro Jodorowsky!!

SANTA SANGRE, 1989, MGM/UA, 121 min. We are extremely pleased to co-present this rare Los Angeles appearance of revered Mexican film ringmaster and enfant terrible, Alejandro Jodorowsky (EL TOPO, THE HOLY MOUNTAIN) for a screening of his phantasmagorical horror film, SANTA SANGRE. Combining elements at once beautiful, grotesque and erotic, SANTA SANGRE is something akin to Fellini remaking both PSYCHO and NIGHTMARE ALLEY as one single, glorious fever dream of a thriller. If you haven’t seen it, not to be missed! Discussion Following With Director, Alejandro Jodorowsky. Rated NC-17 No One Under 17 Will Be Admitted To This Screening.