Rooftop Films Announces Free Events Summer 2015

Rooftop Films is happy to announce its complete list of free movies for the summer of 2015. This year Rooftop will help produce over 60 free outdoor screenings, many of which are new, independent films that will screen as part of the 19th annual Summer Series. Rooftop Films will also partner with various New York cultural institutions to screen new independent films along with classics and recent blockbuster hits.

Over in Manhattan, Rooftop Films will co-present three free screenings of new independent films on the Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place (formerly World Financial Center) with Arts Brookfield. The screenings will take place July 30th through August 1st, with live musical performances preceding each of the films. July 30th marks the return of Animation Block Party, a selection of the year’s best animated shorts. This will be followed on July 31st by a special screening of the environmental exposé Racing Extinction, directed by the Academy Award® -winning filmmakers of The Cove. Racing Extinction will be broadcast worldwide in 220 countries and territories on Discovery Channel later this year.

Rooftop is also happy to support Olga Bell’s Krai, and Roomful of Teeth’s Render and Ritornello, which are co-presented by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and New Amsterdam Presents as part of the River To River Festival. River To River is a public engagement initiative that inspires residents, workers, and visitors in Lower Manhattan, by connecting them to artists, new ideas and perspectives, and other art-lovers to demonstrate the role that artists play in creating vibrant, sustainable communities. To learn more about River To River and for a full calendar of events, visit RiverToRiverNYC.com

Rooftop has also selected two films for Outdoor Cinema at Socrates Sculpture Park, which returns to Long Island City this summer for an 18th consecutive summer of free screenings of films from around the world on Wednesday nights in July and August. This year, Rooftop has chosen Rooftop Alums Gaspard Kuentz & Cedric Dupire’s sensational Kings of the Wind and Electric Queens, in addition to a series of Swedish Short Films, courtesy of the Swedish Film Institute, as their contributions to the festival. Rooftop will also help produce the rest of the Film Forum curated series, which includes Don’t Look Back, Iron Crows, and Wadjda among other international triumphs. In addition to films, the Outdoor Cinema festival invites visitors to picnic on the grass, and see musical and dance performances.

As part of the Summer Series, Rooftop has teamed up with The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and Forest City to bring outdoor movies to Summer@Metrotech in Downtown Brooklyn. These events include A Night with Khalik Allah, one of New York’s preeminent photographers and filmmakers, and a special screening of Bikes vs. Cars, which documents the transportation revolution.

Rooftop will also once again co-present Coney Island Flicks on the Beach in partnership with the Alliance for Coney Island and NYC & Company. Every Monday from July 6th to August 24th, a giant 40-foot inflatable screen will turn the beach at West 10th Street into an outdoor movie theater. This summer’s lineup includes a mix of modern, classic, and indie films, all for free, and starting at 7:30 pm.

Rooftop will also help Bronx Terminal Market host its 4th Annual Free Summer Film Series. Films include Home, The Lego Movie, and Big Hero 6. Each evening will begin with pre-film activities provided by Bronx Terminal Market retailers and local organizations such as Bronx Museum and CUNY Hostos.

This summer Rooftop will explore exciting new venues such as Elevated Acre, a full acre park three stories up between the two towers at 55 Water Street. As part of the Water Street Game On! Program, Rooftop will produce outdoor screenings of White Men Can’t Jump, The Karate Kid, and Rudy.

Rooftop Films will also present free outdoor events at the Ridge Hill Mall in Yonkers, including screenings of recent Academy Award® nominees Birdman and Whiplash. The screenings at Ridge Hill are presented in partnership with Forest City.

In addition to those listed above, Rooftop has also helped to program and present LOFT’s “LOL Movie Series” which will feature free screenings of Frances Ha, and Bridesmaids at Solar One in Kips Bay, as well as three free screenings on the roof of the Whole Foods in Lincoln Park, Chicago.

ROOFTOP FILMS 2015 FREE SUMMER PROGRAM:

THE ROOFTOP FILMS 2015 SUMMER SERIES

Various Locations

June 22

Industry City, Sunset Park, Brooklyn

FRESH DRESSED (Sacha Jenkins)

Special FREE screening courtesy of Vimeo. Fresh Dressed is a fascinating chronicle of hip-hop, urban fashion, and the hustle that brought oversized pants and graffiti-drenched jackets from Orchard Street to high fashion's catwalks and Middle America shopping malls. Director Sacha Jenkins' music-drenched history draws from a rich mix of archival materials and in-depth interviews with rappers, designers, and other industry insiders. Featuring Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Nas, Pusha T, Swizz Beatz, Damon Dash, André Leon Talley, A$AP Rocky, Marc Ecko, Big Daddy Kane, Kid ‘N Play & many others. Fresh Dressed will be released on Vimeo on Demand on June 26th

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/fresh-dressed/

June 23

Liberty Plaza, Manhattan

RIVER TO RIVER PRESENTS: OLGA BELL’S KRAI

Krai (край) is the Russian word for edge, limit, frontier or hinterland. Presentday Russia is divided into a myriad of ‘federal subjects’, including nine krais. Olga Bell’s Krai is an audiovisual performance concerned with the rest of the map: the wilderness, the towns, the inhabitants and their stories.The setting for Krai is Pier 15, where a video installation showing landscapes of rural Russia provides a dreamlike backdrop for this performance. Using text that is a mix of traditional, liturgical and original poetry that Olga created with her mother, a former Radio Moscow broadcaster, Krai will feature Olga along with a small chorus will sing entirely in Russian of Cossack fables, Orthodox chants and politically charged limericks—all set to an astounding score, creating a dizzying mosaic of avantgarde and vernacular soundscapes. River to River Festival includes 60 free dance, music, visual art events in Lower Manhattan and on Governors Island

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/river-to-river-presents-krai/

June 24

Liberty Plaza, Manhattan

RIVER TO RIVER PRESENTS: RENDER AND RITORNELLO

Roomful of Teeth is a Grammy-award winning vocal project founded by Brad Wells and dedicated to mining the expressive potential of the human voice. Drawing from their studies with masters of non-classical traditions from around the world, the eight-person ensemble is continually growing its vocabulary of singing techniques, which include Tuvan throat singing, yodeling, belting, Inuit throat singing, Korean P’ansori, Georgian singing, Sardinian cantu a tenore, Hindustani music, and Persian classical singing. Roomful of Teeth’s mesmerizing songs are guaranteed to capture your attention and show you the infinite possibilities of what the human voice can do through singing styles from around the world. River To River Festival includes 60 free dance, music, visual art events in Lower Manhattan and on Governors Island

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/river-to-river-presents-render-and-ritornello/

July 17

Metrotech Commons, Downtown Brooklyn

A NIGHT WITH KHALIK ALLAH

Join one of NYC’s preeminent urban photographers/filmmakers for a night of unforgettable imagery.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/a-night-with-khalik-allah/

July 29

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

KINGS OF THE WIND AND ELECTRIC QUEENS (Gaspard Kuentz & Cedric Dupire)

A compelling and hypnotic glimpse into one of India’s wildest carnivals. Courtesy of UniFrance.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/kings-of-the-wind-and-electric-queens/

July 30

Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey Street, Financial District

ANIMATION BLOCK PARTY (SHORT FILMS)

Experience some of the year's best animated shorts at the incomparable Animation Block Party!

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/animation-block-party-short-films-2/

July 31

Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey Street, Financial District

RACING EXTINCTION (Louie Psihoyos)

Filmmakers of The Cove bring you the latest environmental exposé

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/racing-extinction/

August 1

Waterfront Plaza at Brookfield Place, 230 Vesey Street, Financial District

TBA

August 5

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

COLD CONFLICTS: SWEDISH SHORT FILMS

A selection of Swedish short films about confrontations and disagreements. Part of Rooftop Films’ Swedish Summer Focus.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/swedish-short-films/

August 6

Metrotech Commons, Downtown Brooklyn

BIKES VS. CARS (Fredrik Gertten)

The bicycle, an amazing tool for change. Activists and cities all over the world are moving towards a new system. But will the economic powers allow it? Bikes vs Cars, a new film project from BANANAS!* and Big Boys Gone Bananas!* director Fredrik Gertten, looks into and investigates the daily global drama in traffic around the world. Part of Rooftop Films’ Swedish Summer Focus.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/bikes-vs-cars/

LOL MOVIE SERIES (NEW YORK)

Solar One, Manhattan. Loft and Rooftop Films present three classic comedies, FREE, along the river at East 23rd Street.

More Info: http://loft.com/summermovies 

June 25

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: FRANCES HA (Noah Baumbach)

Noah Baumbach's brilliant comedy Frances Ha, FREE, outdoors at Solar One.

June 30

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: BRIDESMAIDS (Paul Feig)

The instant-classic comedy, Bridesmaids, FREE, outdoors at Solar One

LOL MOVIE SERIES (CHICAGO)

Loft’s LOL Movie Series continues in Chicago with three free screenings on the roof of Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park, Chicago.

More Info: http://loft.com/summermovies

July 8

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: BRIDESMAIDS (Paul Feig)

The instant-classic comedy, Bridesmaids, FREE, on the roof of Whole Foods Market in Chicago, as part of Loft's LOL Movie Series.

July 15

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: GHOST WORLD (Terry Zwigoff)

The 90’s indie hit, starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson on the roof of Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park, in Chicago, as part of Loft's LOL Movie Series.

July 22

LOFT AND ROOFTOP FILMS PRESENT: WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (Rob Reiner)

The classic 80’s rom com, When Harry Met Sally, FREE, outdoors on the roof of Whole Foods Market Lincoln Park, in Chicago, as part of Loft's LOL Movie Series.

OUTDOOR CINEMA

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

July 1

DON’T LOOK BACK (D.A. Pennebaker)

Arguably the greatest music documentary ever. Bob Dylan’s 1965 British tour, intimately recorded by legendary filmmaker D.A. Pennebaker, reveals the genius/enfant terrible at the height of his growling ‘60s counter-culture persona.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/dontlookback/

July 8

LIVE IN MAID (Jorge Gaggero)

A wonderful comedy of class consciousness and codependency that easily and subtly crosses cultural boundaries.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/live-inmaid/

July 15

GAINSBOURG: A HEROIC LIFE (Joann Sfar)

The life and loves of French pop star Serge Gainsbourg are reimagined by comic book artist Joann Sfar.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/gainsbourg-2/

July 22

IRON CROWS (Bong-Nam Park)

Remarkably beautiful cinematography affords indelible insights into how some of the most exploited people on earth retain their courage, decency and fortitude.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/ironcrows/

July 29

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

KINGS OF THE WIND AND ELECTRIC QUEENS (Gaspard Kuentz & Cedric Dupire)

A compelling and hypnotic glimpse into one of India’s wildest carnivals. Courtesy of UniFrance.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/kings-of-the-wind-and-electric-queens/ 

August 5

Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City

SWEDISH SHORT FILMS

A selection of Swedish short films about confrontations and disagreements.

More Info: http://rooftopfilms.com/2015/schedule/swedish-short-films/

August 12

WADJDA (Haifaa al-Monsour)

The charming, poignant story of a 10-year-old girl who longs for a bicycle so she can race her best friend (a boy) and attain some measure of independence in a society whose restrictions on women begin early.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/wadjda/

August 19

ALICE (Jan Svankmajer)

A live-action Alice encounters both animated animals and objects on her trip down the existential rabbit hole.

More Info: http://socratessculpturepark.org/program/alice/

CONEY ISLAND FLICKS ON THE BEACH

On Mondays during July and August, a giant 40-foot inflatable screen turns the beach at West 10th Street into an outdoor movie theater! Come on down and see great flicks, representing a mix of modern, classic, and indie movies. Get ready for a great lineup for the fifth annual Coney Island Flicks on the Beach presented by Alliance for Coney Island, Rooftop Films and NYC & Company!

More info: http://www.coneyislandfunguide.com/Attraction/Coney-Island-Flicks-on-the-Beach.htm

July 6

THE TERMINATOR (James Cameron, 1984)

July 13

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (Wes Anderson)

July 20

THE GOONIES (Richard Donner)

July 27

INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (Steven Spielberg)

August 3

BIG HERO 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams)

August 10

MRS. DOUBTFIRE (Chris Columbus)

August 17

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (James Gunn)

August 24

TBA

RIDGE HILL

Rooftop Films and Forest City present five screenings FREE screenings at Ridge Hill in Yonkers.

More info: http://www.westchestersridgehill.com/eventscalendar

July 13

PADDINGTON (Paul King)

July 27

BIG HERO 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams)

August 10

MALEFICENT (Robert Stromberg)

August 19

BIRDMAN (Alejandro González Iñárritu)

August 27

WHIPLASH (Damian Chazelle)

GAME ON! AT ELEVATED ACRE

More Info: http://gameon.downtownny.com/

July 8

WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP (Ron Shelton)

August 12

KARATE KID (John G. Avildsen)

September 9

RUDY (David Anspaugh)

BRONX TERMINAL MARKET

Rooftop Films co-presents three FREE screenings of family-friendly movies on the big, beautiful Roof of the Bronx Terminal Market. More info at http://bronxterminalmarket.com/pages/events.aspx

June 30

HOME (Tim Johnson)

July 14

THE LEGO MOVIE (Christopher Miller, Phil Lord)

August 11

BIG HERO 6 (Don Hall, Chris Williams)

For more information and updates please visit their website at www.rooftopfilms.com

Tangerine (4/4)

Writer and Director: Sean Baker

Co-writer: Chris Bergoch

Starring: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, James Ransone, Karren Karagulian, and Mickey O’Hagan

Tangerine: Too much going on in a broken world, is there any potential for a positive outcome?  Betrayal. Friendship.  Drug use. Disloyalty. Hustling to get money. Living a double life.  These are some of the adrenaline thrills and behavior we see from the lead characters in feature film, Tangerine.  I was on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end; Sean Baker created a storyline that made me really care for the characters and fall in love with lead Sin-Dee, who is played by Kitana Kiki Rodriguez.

What defines betrayal? Is it conditional on the relationship? Does it depend on if you’re a coworker, best friend, or lover? This storyline intertwines two worlds, between a taxi driver and prostitutes in Los Angeles, there is plenty of action, pun intended.

This film is a raw and exposed look at getting into trouble in a big city.  Everything will come to surface eventually, whether it’s a mother in law catching her son-in-law cheating, or Sin-Dee’s best friend finding out she lied. This film shows who’s really there for you, and how to steer on the air of caution.  Tangerine defies predictability.

There were sweet moments brief care and love. Was it illusional? Was everything and everyone delusional? I noted a lot of symbolism and metaphors with the films embodiment of twists and turns-that which life can bring. The writer/director, Sean Baker, created this film with an exceptionally artistic eye.

It's a MUST WATCH!

Note: These ratings and review are personal opinion of the author.

FSLC & Met Opera co-present FREE outdoor screening of WEST SIDE STORY | @filmlinc

The Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Opera announced that they are co-presenting a free outdoor screening of Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise’s Academy Award–winning film West Side Story on the Lincoln Center Plaza in front of the opera house on Friday, August 28 at 7:45pm. The 1961 classic is a bold, beloved adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which was originally inspired by William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The free screening, running 2 hours and 30 minutes, is open to the public and seating is first-come, first-served. The event is a special tease, serving to kick off the Met Opera’s popular Summer HD Festival.


Before Lincoln Center became the place to hear Plácido Domingo sing “La donna è mobile” or witness Anna Netrebko deliver Lucia di Lammermoor’s mad scene, the Upper West 60s was imagined in this film as a gritty, blue-collared neighborhood where Tony belted out “Something’s Coming,” Maria declared “I Feel Pretty,” and the Jets danced to “Gee, Officer Krupke.” Natalie Wood stars as good girl Maria (dubbed vocally by Marni Nixon), who falls in love with handsome Tony, played by Richard Beymer, who happens to be the leader of the gang facing off against the faction led by Maria’s brother. Rita Moreno and George Chakiris complete the principal cast (both winning supporting Oscars). The real star of the show, though, is Bernstein’s glorious score. From “Maria” to “Tonight” to “America” to “Somewhere,” West Side Story features one unforgettable tune after another (not to mention song lyrics by a twentysomething Stephen Sondheim), along with dazzling emotional choreography. The story of impossible love and violent death should set the stage ideally for Bizet’s Carmen—the opening opera of the festival the very next night on Saturday, August 29.

The much-praised box-office blockbuster received 11 Academy Award nominations and won all but one. Oscars include Best Picture, Best Director (Wise and Robbins—the first time that award went to co-directors), Best Supporting Actor and Actress (George Chakiris in his first major film role and Rita Moreno), Best Color Cinematography, Best Color Art Direction/Set Decoration, Best Sound, Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Film Editing, and Best Color Costume Design.

For more information, visit www.filmlinc.com

FSLC announces 2015 Free Summer Talks for June & July

SPECIAL GUESTS INCLUDE: Julie Taymor, Alan Rickman, Joshua Oppenheimer & more

***

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced the initial June and July lineup for the popular FREE Film Society Talks series, sponsored by HBO. The returning summer series kicks off on Monday, June 15 with director, writer, and producer Julie Taymor, who will discuss the filmed version of her critically acclaimed stage production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The upcoming events will include a combination of clips, trailers, and extended conversations, with questions also taken from the audience. Additional information on moderators and talks will be announced at a later date so stay tuned and visit filmlinc.com for more information. Talks will take place in the Amphitheater at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center, 144 West 65th Street. 

Additional guests include British director and actor Alan Rickman, who will discuss his romantic drama A Little Chaos on Tuesday, June 16. Cannes sensation The Tribe bowed at New Directors/New Films earlier this year and will be spotlighted on Wednesday, June 17 with director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy and actress Yana Novikova in attendance to talk about how the strictly sign-language thriller was made with a cast of deaf, non-professional actors. Award-winning directors Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) and Joshua Oppenheimer (The Look of Silence) will be on hand on Tuesday, June 30 and Wednesday, July 18, respectively, to discuss their searing new documentaries. 

Free tickets will be distributed at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center box office (144 West 65th Street, between Broadway and Amsterdam) on a first-come, first-served basis starting one hour prior to the talks. Limit one ticket per person, subject to availability.

**For those unable to attend, video from the event will be available online at filmlinc.com.

DESCRIPTIONS & SCHEDULE

Julie Taymor 
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Julie Taymor is an Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning director, writer, and producer whose visionary work has also extended to the stage with The Magic Flute and the Broadway smash-hit The Lion King. Taymor’s big-screen credits include Titus, Frida, Across the Universe, and The Tempest. Her latest project blends the worlds of cinema and theater, presenting a multi-camera film that captures a 2014 live performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Theatre for a New Audience’s Polonsky Shakespeare Center in Brooklyn. Starring David Harewood (Homeland, Blood Diamond), Kathryn Hunter (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix), Tina Benko (The Avengers), and Max Casella (Blue Jasmine), Julie Taymor’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream opened to rave reviews at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and will hit select theaters June 22. 

Taymor’s production of Shakespeare’s most phantasmagorical play is visually breathtaking, funny, sexy, and darkly poetic. Ealing Studios, Londinium Films, in association with Theatre for a New Audience and producers Lynn Hendee (Ender’s Game, The Tempest) and Ben Latham-Jones (Nina, The D-Train) have joined forces with Taymor to create this exclusive filmed production. Featuring cinematography by Academy Award nominee Rodrigo Prieto (The Wolf of Wall Street, Argo) and music by Academy Award–winning composer Elliot Goldenthal (Frida, Heat), this immersive, inventive cinematic experience allows audiences from around the world to witness this critically lauded, sold-out show. Taymor will share her experiences about bringing A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the big screen.
Monday, June 15, 5:00pm

Alan Rickman 
A Little Chaos

British actor and filmmaker Alan Rickman will appear at the Film Society to discuss his second feature as a director, in which he appears opposite Matthias Schoenaerts, Kate Winslet, Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Ehle, and Helen McCrory. Following a string of standout supporting roles in such films as Die Hard and Sense and Sensibility, Rickman won both an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his lead role in TV’s Rasputin in 1996. Since then, he’s appeared on the big screen in films on both sides of the Atlantic, playing such varied roles as the wizard Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies, a corrupt judge in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and President Ronald Reagan in Lee Daniels’ The ButlerA Little Chaos is a romantic drama following Sabine (Winslet), a talented landscape designer, who, while building a garden at Versailles for King Louis XIV (Rickman), struggles with class barriers as she becomes romantically entangled with the court’s renowned landscape artist (Schoenaerts). The film debuted at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and opens in the U.S. on June 26.
Tuesday, June 16, 6:30pm

Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy and Yana Novikova  
The Tribe

The Tribe packed the house when it screened earlier this year at New Directors/New Films, but Ukrainian director Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy unfortunately wasn’t able to attend the festival. He will now be in town with lead actress Yana Novikova to talk about his crime-drama on the day of its release in the United States. Winner of multiple 2014 Cannes Film Festival Awards (including the coveted Critics’ Week Grand Prix), The Tribe is a silent film with a unique difference: its entire cast is deaf, non-professional actors and the “dialogue” is strictly sign language—without subtitle or voiceover. Set at a spartan boarding school for deaf coeds, the film follows new-arrival Sergey (Grigory Fesenko), who’s immediately initiated into the institution’s hard-as-nails culture with a beating before ascending the food chain from put-upon outsider to foot soldier in a criminal gang that deals drugs and pimps out their fellow students. With implacable camerawork and a stark, single-minded approach worthy of influential English director Alan Clarke, Slaboshpytskiy overcomes what may sound like impossible obstacles to tell an intense, but uncannily immersive story of exploitation and brutality in a dog-eat-dog world.
Wednesday, June 17, 6:30pm

Matthew Heineman 
Cartel Land

Director Matthew Heineman won audience accolades and the Directing Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival for his powerful documentary Cartel Land, and the film, which opens the Human Rights Watch Film Festival this week and opens July 3, has continued to impress on the festival circuit and will likely have a presence this coming Awards Season. Cartel Land is a classic Western set in the 21st century, pitting vigilantes on both sides of the border against the vicious Mexican drug cartels. With unprecedented access, this character-driven film provokes deep questions about lawlessness, the breakdown of order, and whether it is just for citizens to take up arms to fight violence with violence. Making a compelling documentary is never easy even under the most “ideal” situations; capturing the war that is right at the doorstep of the U.S. is nothing short of breathtaking.
Tuesday, June 30, 6:30pm

Joshua Oppenheimer
The Look of Silence

Texas-born filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer’s chilling Oscar-nominated documentary The Act of Killing (New Directors/New Films 2013) has elicited its fair share of controversy. The film, which opens July 17, asked former Indonesian death-squad leaders to reenact their mass killings using the cinematic genre of their choosing, resulting in lavish musical numbers and scenes in the style of classic Hollywood gangster flicks. Oppenheimer’s follow-up, The Look of Silence (New York Film Festival 2014), returns to Indonesia to view the genocide of 1965-66 through the eyes of one of its victims, Adi, who tracks down a number of retired torturers—under the guise of paying them medical visits—to confront them about their past deeds. And as Indiewire critic Eric Kohn observes: “The result is the opposite of the unnerving showmanship that dominated The Act of Killing. A soft-spoken, levelheaded interrogator, Adi is an object of continual fascination as he attempts to get real answers from unwitting and potentially dangerous men.” 
Thursday, July 16, 6:30pm

 

  • For more information, visit:
  1. www.filmlinc.com
  2. http://www.filmlinc.com/films/series/free-talks