April 17-28

The 16th Annual Washington, D.C. International Film Festival

Discounts for Film Society Members!
Filmfest DC is upon us! Our parent organization's film festival, the Sixteenth Annual Washington, DC International Film Festival will again bring outstanding world cinema right to Washington, DC, from Wednesday, April 17th to Sunday, April 28th. Filmfest DC will celebrate its sixteenth year with more than 100 features, documentaries, short films and special programs.

This year, as a benefit to Film Society members, members can show their day-glo orange membership cards for day-of-screening discounts! Yes, just walk up to the ticket counter (come early, as films often sell out!), flash that special card, and receive $1.50 off the ticket price for you and a guest. That's $7.00 each for you and your friend and $8.50 for every other person off the street. You guys are special! The discount does not apply to opening night, closing night, or other special ticket-priced events.

Here's more information on what's coming up for Filmfest DC this year. Opening Night Gala Launching 12 days of outstanding new cinema from around the world is the Washington, DC premiere of The Cat's Meow. The film's critically acclaimed director, Peter Bogdanovich, will be in attendance for the premiere and Opening Night Gala. The film provides an extraordinary look at a 1920's Hollywood scandal, following the intriguing lives of some of the century's best-known celebrities as they take a fateful excursion aboard multi-millionaire William Randolph Hearst's luxury yacht. The screening takes place at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 at Lisner Auditorium, which is located at 730 21st Street, NW.

The Cat's Meow features a star-studded cast, including award-winning actress Kirsten Dunst as silent film star Marion Davies, Jennifer Tilly as New York-based gossip columnist Louella Parsons and actor/comedian Eddie Izzard as America's foremost comic genius, Charlie Chaplin. Also featured are Edward Herrmann as the multi-millionaire newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst and Joanna Lumley as the eccentric British novelist Elinor Glyn.

Master of Ceremonies NBC 4's Arch Campbell will attend the screening and Opening Night Gala, which immediately follows under a tent across the street from Lisner Auditorium. The reception will feature champagne and dessert. Tickets are $40 per person, and will be available starting on Friday, April 5, 2002 through Tickets.com.

Sponsors of the Opening Night Gala are the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Mayor's Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, The Independent Film Channel, and The George Washington University.

Festival to Highlight Asian Cinema
This year's 12-day festival will spotlight the exciting world of Asian cinema, but will also feature new films from Argentina, Brazil, Britain, China, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Sweden, Turkey and Vietnam. "It is a delight to present the Washington premiere of these accomplished films from around the world, and to present them in an increasing number of venues to Washington audiences," stated Tony Gittens, founder and director of the Festival.

Popular free programs will again be offered, including The Director's Roundtable, a unique opportunity to listen as directors compare and contrast their working styles; as will the CineCafes and panel discussions. Filmfest DC for Kids and Cinema for Seniors will also return to complete the lineup.

Tickets are moderately priced at $7.00 for members and one guest and $8.50 for non-members for most screenings. Tickets can be purchased in advance through Tickets.com or by calling (703) 218-6500. No discount applies when purchasing in advance. Filmfest DC covers service charges on all Tickets.com sales. The complete Filmfest DC catalog will be available online beginning April 1, 2002 at the website.

Major Filmfest DC sponsors include; the Washington, DC Film Society, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities, the Mayor's Office of Motion Picture and Television Development, The National Endowment for the Arts and agencies of the District of Columbia Government and Westlake Consulting Group. The Radisson Barcelo Hotel is the official hotel; NBC 4 is the official television station. WAMU 88.5 FM is the official radio station and Hisaoka Public Relations is the official public relations firm. The Filmfest DC public information line is (202) 628-FILM.

DCFS Announces Its Winners for The Best of 2001

By Brian Niemiec

The Washington DC Film Society announced their winners for the Best of 2001 at the 10th Annual Capital Oscars Party, Sunday, March 24. The winners are:

Best Picture: Memento

Best Director: Christopher Nolan, Memento

Best Actor: Russell Crowe, A Beautiful Mind

Best Actress: Sisssy Spacek, In the Bedroom

Best Supporting Actor: Ben Kingsley, Sexy Beast

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind

Best Foreign Film: Amélie, France

Thanks to everyone who voted. Start keeping tabs of your favorites now for the Best of 2002!

Next Cinema Lounge

The Cinema Lounge meets Monday, April 8, 2002 to discuss the films of Martin Scorsese in anticipation of the release of his film The Gangs of New York Suggested viewing: Mean Streets (1973), Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Taxi Driver (1976), New York, New York (1977), Raging Bull (1980), After Hours (1985), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), The Age of Innocence (1993), Kundun (1997), The Gangs of New York (2002).

The Cinema Lounge meets the second Monday of every month at 7:00pm PM at Borders Books, 600 14th St., NW in Washington, DC (near the Metro Center Metro stop).

The Oscars Party

By Bonnie Joranko

Oscar history was made Sunday night, March 24. For starters, it marked the return of the Oscar awards ceremony to Hollywood for the first time since 1959. It was conducted in the brand-new Kodak Theatre, the new home to the Academy Awards. Up until Sunday, it had been held in Los Angeles. Eclipsing that were the awards of both the Best Actor and the Best Actress to African-Americans for the first time in Oscar's 73 year history. Before Sunday night, Sidney Poitier was the only African-American to have been bestowed with the Best Actor award for his role in the 1963 film, Lilies of the Field. Previously, Hattie McDaniel, Lou Gossett, Jr., Denzel Washington and Whoopi Goldberg had only won for supporting roles. These coveted awards were a long time in coming, and certainly bestowed upon deserving recipients for their incredible performances in Training Day and Monsters Ball.

A thunderous cheer arose both times when the names of Halle Berry and Denzel Washington were announced. The applause of the DC Film Society's Capital Oscars Fun-Raiser could not be distinguished from that emanating from Hollywood on the movie screen. That dramatic moment in Hollywood was shared simultaneously with everyone attending the Capital Oscars party at the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse. We were one with Hollywood that night.

There is really is something to be said for watching the Oscars with nearly 200 people at the Capital Oscars party. There is a palpable energy when watching the show with a crowd of people, especially when watching it up on a movie screen. Whoopi Goldberg's jokes and jabs at the expense of celebrities and institutions were even funnier when shared in the company of a live audience. Favorites were applauded while less favored nominees were booed, which made the experience not unlike watching the Super Bowl. Even commercial breaks were something to look forward to with the opportunity to win trivia contests or drawings for door prizes. Watching it alone at home on a mere television screen simply has no comparison.

Adding to the excitement of the awards ceremony were the Silent Auction and the announcement of the DC Film Society's own "Best of 2001". After each major award was announced in Hollywood, we announced our own award of the same category. As for the Silent Auction, there were dozens of incredible prizes to bid on: weekend hotel give-aways, restaurant dinners, a DVD player, theater and movie tickets, free video rentals, movie posters, and so many more items.

The DC Film Society would like to take this opportunity to thank the following organizations for their generous contributions toward making "Capital Oscars" 2002 such a special and successful event: Godiva Chocolate, Red Sage, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Panevino, Fuzio, Luna Grill, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, Shakespeare Theatre, Warner Theatre, Arena Stage, Theater J, WPAS, River Inn, Hotel Washington, The Churchill, Embassy Suites - Dulles, VISIONS, Cinema Arts, Loews Cineplex, General Cinema, Gallery 2000, Allied Advertising, Blockbuster, Filmfest DC, The Container Store, Go Video, Video Warehouse, Sun & Moon Yoga Studio, ComedySportz DC, Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse.

And finally, special thanks goes to the twenty-seven volunteers of this year's Capital Oscars Planning Committee who helped put this annual event together. A lot of time and effort went into the planning and execution of the Capital Oscars Fun-Raiser and Silent Auction. Through their connections and hard work, the DC Film Society raised over $2,600 in admissions and around $2,000 in the Silent Auction. These funds help to support DC Film Society's yearly original programming and monthly newsletter as well as the work of our parent organization, the Washington DC International Film Festival - Filmfest DC.

Thanks to: Liz Wagger, Michael Kyrioglou, Karrye Braxton, Cheryl Dixon, Daniel Fiorito, Raiford Gaffney, Krista Grimmet, Larry Hart, Sarah Hodzic, Bonnie Joranko, Mary Lee, Wayson Lee, George Liao, Joel Miller, Brian Niemiec, James Parker, Jr., Lee Peltzman, Nina Reynoso, Ron Samuels, Jim Shippey, Adam Spector, Gene St. Hilaire, Catherine Stanton, Lynn Steinbach, S. Jill Tan, David Wagger, Wendell Wagner.

Edinburgh Means Festivals

By Jim McCaskill

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND. When you get something right you might as well do it over and over again. And Edinbugh does film festivals right and The Edinburgh Film Festival has been a August fixture for decades. A new Artistic Director brings a new point of view to this tradition. Shane Danielsen wanted to "extend the activities of EIFF outside of August and beyone the Scottish capital, and to provide a showcase of great films films from around the world which may go unseen by the British public." Running an abbreviated festival in March and taking it to Glasgow and London is his way to taking the interesting international films to the Brits. This showcase, called Early Spring, presented seven films this year.

"The philosophy behind Early Spring is simply an acknowledgment of the riches that are out there. Every year, there are a number of excellent movies which, for reasons mostly to do with timing, we're unable to screen as part of our regular August event." Danielsen continued, "Rather than simply let them vanish, we want to help bring them to the public."

Lantana, currently playing in the DC area, was the opening film. International critics have called it one of the most significant Australian features of recent years. Directed by Ray Lawrence and produced by Jan Chapman, nominated for Academy Awards for The Piano and Holy Smoke. Lantana stars Geoffrey Rush, who won the Academy Award for Shine, and Anthony Lapaglia, last seen here in Sweet and Lowdown. This film has been a critical and commercial success in Australia, winning Australian Film Institute Awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and every acting award given. This was the best film, in my opinion at Early Spring Festival. It's themes are both adult and universal. Lantana is intelligently written and acted. If you have not seen it yet, I strongly recomment this. While adultery and murder may not be everyone's cup of tea this film is worth looking for.

Other films in the festival were: The Days Between (In Den Tag Hinein) (Germany 2001) directed by Maria Speth, Academy Award Foreigh Language nominated Elling, (Norway 2001) directed by Petter Naess, Murderous Maids (Les Blessures Assassines) (France 2001) directed by Jean-Pierre Denis, Read My Lips (Sur Mes Levres) (France 2001) directed by Jacques Audiard, The Man From Elysian Fields (USA 2001) directed by Geoge Hickenlooper, and Baran (Iran 2001) directed by Majid Majidi.

The Days Between is a funny and moving film exploring Germany's immigrant community and its connection to the main stream. A bitter sweet romance turns darker in Maria Speth's debut film.

Elling begins after the title character has spent two years in Broynes Treatment Center. Elling is set to return to the real world. Released along with his denser roommate, Kjell Bjarne, he is given an apartment in Oslo and told to take care of himself. For Elling crossing a restaurant floor is a major undertaking so living in modern Oslo is a major undertaking. Elling and Bjarne are forced to work together to survive. Elling, as played by the versitle character actor Per Christian Ellefsen, is an appealing, shy individual. Bjarne, played by one of Norway's most popular actor, Sven Nordin, plays the dim roommate to perfection.

After seventy years the case of the Papin sisters--the servants who murdered and mutilated their mistress and her daughter in pre-World War II--fascinates people and results in the film Murderous Maids. This is one of France's most heinous crimes committed by women against women. This case has inspired numerous literary and cinematic adaptations. Jean Genet's The Maids was one. Sylvie Testud (Karnival, The Chateau) is superb as the dominant sister, Christine. Julie-Marie Parmentier is outstanding as the younger sister. Two of three sisters were left by their mother in a Catholic orphanage. One became a nun and the other a murderer. In a poignant scene the sisters clean the blood from each other after mutilating the mother and daughter. Another memorable scene was the somber parade of black umbrellas at the murder victims funeral.

Read My Lips opens with Carla (Emmanuelle Devos) being fitted for a hearing aid, setting the mood for this film. Lots of ambient sound in the first scene turns suddenly quiet for the partially-deaf woman. Her request for an assistant brought Paul (played by Vincent Cassel), tattooed ex-con. An odd pair but even odder is their embarking on a crime spree where Carla's lip reading skills provide the crucial ingredient. Director Jacques Audiard uses sound and silence in the Hitchcock manner. A very entertaining thriller.

For me, The Man From Elysian Fields, was the least successful film. What was meant as an ironic, sophisticated comedy just did not come together. Andy Garcia as a boy toy and Mick Jagger running a male escort service was more than unlikely.

Baran is getting to be a member of the family. This is the third film festival where I have seen this outstanding film. This timely look at Afghan workers in Iran is worth wide distribution. Majid Majidi previously directed the superb film Children of Heaven. Comments on this film were in October 2001 and February 2002 issues of Storyboard. In brief, when an illegal Afghan worker in a building site breaks his leg and his son must take his place. Hostile workers, government inspectors, surprising twists make an film worth seeing.

One film festival in March was not enough for Edinburgh. There was also a Spanish Film Festival organized in Manchester. Ten recent Spanish films included Sagitario, No Pain, No Gain, The Spirit of the Beehive, The Dutchman's Island, Visionaries, Thesis, Nomads, Work in Progress, Broken Silence, and The Hold Up. There was also a Greek Film Festival culled from the 37 feature films and 7 documentaries produced in a resurgent Greek film industry. The Only Journey of his Life, winner of the Best Film and Audience award at the Greek State Cinema Awards led the way. Elias Logothetis is wonderful as the central character in celebrated Greek author Georgios Vizyenos short story. Other films included the hilarious hit film Balkanisateur; a love story The Seventh Son of Love; a film on Kurdish refugees traveling through Greece, Roadblocks.

March was a busy month for film festival lovers. April may be almost as busy as an Italian Film Festival is planned. But they are just a warm up for a summer that begins with the Queen's Jubilee in June, Manchester hosting the Commonwealth Games in July and, of course, all the festivals in Edinburgh in August. Tickets for the Edinburgh International Festival go on sale in early July. Fringe, Book, Film tickets are available later in the year. It is not too late to make plans to be here. Information on festivals and accommodations can be found at www.edinburgh.org.

Ed. NOTE: Jim's article last month (about the Rotterdam Film Festival) didn't make it into the printed Storyboard. If you didn't check the on-line version and missed it, you can read it here.

Calendar of Events

FILMS

Freer Gallery of Art
The Freer concludes its series of films by Indian director Satyajit Ray with Company Limited (1971) on April 5 at 7:00pm, Three Daughters (1961) on April 7 at 2:00pm, The Middleman on April 12 at 7:00pm, The Lonely Wife on April 21 at 2:00pm, and The Stranger on April 28 at 2:00pm. An additional screening of Days and Nights in the Forest (1969) has been added on April 14 at 2:00pm.

National Gallery of Art
Also concluding its participation in the Satyajit Ray film series, the Gallery shows The Big City (1963) on April 5 at 2:30pm, The Hero (1966) on April 6 at 3:00pm and an additional show on April 15 at 2:00pm, The Chess Players (1977) on April 12 at 3:00pm, Branches of the Tree (1990) along with two documentaries Bala (1976) and The Inner Eye (1972) on April 13 at 3:00pm, The Coward (1965) with The Holy Man (1964) on April 19 at 3:00pm, The Expedition (1962) on April 21 at 5:00pm, and An Enemy of the People (1989) on April 26 at 3:00pm.

A series of films by the Dutch documentary filmmaker Joris Ivens starts April 6 at 1:00pm with The Bridge (1928), Rain (1929), Philips Radio (1931), New Earth (1933) and Misère au Borinage (1934). On April 7 at 4:00pm is Song of Heroes (1932) and Power and the Land (1941). The series concludes on April 14 with The Spanish Earth (1937) at 12:00noon and April 14 at 4:00pm with La Seine a rencontré Paris (1957), ...A Valparaiso (1963), Pour le Mistral (1965) and Une Histoire de Vent (1988).

Other films at the Gallery include more of the Christo films: Umbrellas (1996) on April 3, 4 and 5 at 12:30pm, Wrapped Reichstag (1996) on April 10, 11, 12, 13 at 12:30pm, and Wrapped Trees (1998) on April 17, 18, 19, and 21 at 12:30pm. Two films by Jacques Demy, Lola (1961) on April 27 at 3:00pm and Bay of Angels (1963) on April 28 at 4:00pm. Finally, for the William Wyler Centennial is The Shakedown (1929) with Catherine Wyler in person. For another William Wyler film on the previous day, see Films on the Hill listed below.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Three "city films" by Sarah Morris in response to the urban landscapes of Las Vegas, Manhattan, and Washington, D.C. are on April 4 and 5 at 8:00pm. Two films that influenced H.C. Westermann's sculptures are Le Quai des Brumes (Marcel Carne, 1938) on April 11 at 8:00pm and The Death Ship (Georg Tressler, 1959) on April 12 at 8:00pm.

National Museum of Women in the Arts
Two films in the Satyajit Ray series are Devi (1960) on April 3 at 7:00pm and an additional screening on April 14 at 7:00pm, and Home and the World (1984) on April 24 at 7:00pm. Two silent films by Nell Shipman, Trail of the North Wind (1923) and Something New (1920) are on April 13 at 7:00pm with music accompaniment by Carlos Garza and Rich O'Meara.

Films on the Hill
Those who saw Gosford Park will remember Jeremy Northam playing non-fictional character Ivor Novello. On April 10 at 7:00pm you can see the real Ivor Novello in The Rat (Graham Cutts, 1925). This was Britain's greatest hit of that year and two sequels were made. On April 19 at 7:30pm is a film by William Wyler, The Westerner (1940) in celebration of Wyler's Centennial. On April 29 at 7:00pm is a rarely-seen Gary Cooper film, Distant Drums (Raoul Walsh, 1951), shot on location in the Florida Everglades.

DC Jewish Community Center
On April 22 at 7:00pm is Café au Lait (Mathieu Kassovitz, 1994). On April 23 at 7:00pm are two short animated films with guest Arnost Lustig A Story About a Bad Dream (Pavel Sting, video, 2000) and Silence (Orly Yadin and Sylvie Bringas, 1998). On April 24 at 7:00pm Arthur Hiller, winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award at last month's Academy Awards Ceremony, will appear in person for a discussion and screening of his 1975 film Man in the Glass Booth. On April 29 at 7:00pm and also 9:00pm is Sobibor, October 14, 1943, 4pm (Claude Lanzmann, 2001) a documentary about the a prison uprising in the Sobibar extermination camp. Call 800-494-TIXS for tickets.

Pickford Theater
The Pickford takes part in the Satyajit Ray retro with The Adversary (1970) on April 9 at 7:00pm (note that The Zoo won't be shown). A series of "Unknown Russian Cinema" starts in April with A Nameless Star (Mikhail Kozakov, 1978) on April 4 at 7:00pm, The Town of Rosi (Igor Dobrolyuvob, 1983) on April 11 at 7:00pm, A Small Favor (Boris Konunov, 1984) on April 18 at 7:00pm, and The Soloist (Oleg Nikolayevsky, 1988) on April 25 at 7:00pm.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
A series of four films, each detailing a compelling and little-known aspect of Holocaust history will include discussions with filmmakers and commentary by other experts concludes with Outwitting Hitler (Christopher Ward, 2001) on April 1 at 7:00pm and April 2 at 1:00pm.

Embassy of Austria
A film by Michael Haneke Benny's Video (1992) is on April 24 at 8:00pm. RSVP: 202-895-6776.

Previous Storyboards

March, 2002
February, 2002
January, 2002
December, 2001
November, 2001
October, 2001
September, 2001
August, 2001
July, 2001
June, 2001
May, 2001
April, 2001
March, 2001
February, 2001
January, 2001
December,2000
November, 2000