This epic political thriller is a semi-fictionalized account of the assassination of progressive Greek politician Grigoris Lambrakis, which took place in 1963. On its release in 1969, it paved the way for political cinema in France. An all-star cast is led by Jean-Louis Trintignant, who plays the magistrate. Through his investigation, he uncovers and highlights […]
Continue readingLa belle époque
Victor (Daniel Auteuil) and Marianne (Fanny Ardant) are married in name only. Very little binds them together; she is openly unfaithful and gratuitously mocks her husband, he is morose and disillusioned. After their inevitable split, he meets entrepreneur Antoine (Guillaume Canet) and a strange opportunity arises: Victor can go back in time, to any moment […]
Continue readingFire Will Come
Amador Coro (Amador Arias Mon) has served time for arson. When his sentence is up, nobody is waiting for him at the prison gates. He retreats to his hometown, a small village hidden in the mountains of remote Galicia (Spain), to live with his mother, Benedicta (Benedicta Sánchez), and their three cows. Life goes by […]
Continue readingThe Bears’ Famous Invasion of Sicily
This beautifully animated film, full of humor and surprise, is a touching and powerful allegory about the absurdity of war and the importance of family and community.The son of Léonce, King of Bears, has been kidnapped by hunters in the Sicilian mountains and his subjects are also starving after a harsh winter. The bears must […]
Continue readingWasp Network
The story of a loyal band of Cubans who flee their country in the 1990s in order to infiltrate anti-Castro organisations in Florida. The latest film from prolific director Olivier Assayas is a fast-paced ride of intrigue and espionage. Adapted from “The Last Soldiers of the Cold War,” a nonfiction account of their lives by […]
Continue readingTo Live to Sing
Acclaimed Canadian-Chinese director Johnny Ma attentively and affectionately portrays the world of a Sichuan Opera troupe faced with the demolition of their building and the decline of their livelihood. China, like many societies, is undergoing a sea change. The drama combines gritty social realism with surrealism as it asks whether there is a place for […]
Continue readingMoondog
Khairy Beshara on Khairy Beshara, an autobiography introducing the director, the artist, and the man, which also explores the challenges and problems of the next generation, as represented by his son Robert. Tracing Beshara’s family migration to the United States through a surreal narrative, with Robert discovering his father has turned into a black dog. […]
Continue readingLes Pèlerins de la Mecque (Mecca Pilgrims)
In 1940, French alpinist, explorer, photographer, and film director Marcel Ichac traveled the pilgrimage route from North Africa to Mecca. He filmed the journey to the boundary at the request of the French government, with footage of the city filmed by a Muslim crew. The result, “Les Pèlerins de la Mecque,” is a remarkable account […]
Continue readingThe French Military Mission to Hijaz
Dating back to 1917, “The French Military Mission to Hijaz” includes the earliest footage shot on the Arabian Peninsula. Both a significant historical document and an engaging narrative, it is the only filmed account of the Great Arab Revolt, launched against the Ottomans in 1916 by Sharif Hussein ben Ali of Mecca. Emile Pierre and […]
Continue readingLumière, L’aventure Commence
Let there be light! An origin story, tracking back to the early days of cinema and the work of the Lumière brothers. This close look at the technical and emotive dimensions of the art form is insightful and delightful –and sure to make audiences fall in love with cinema all over again. In 1895, Louis […]
Continue reading