On Monday, May 15, 2023 at 8:00pm [NOTE: New regular time] please join the Cinema Lounge, the DC Film Society's monthly film discussion group. We will be online again.

TOPIC: Is the Actresses Over 40 Curse Broken?

Maggie Gyllenhaal was infamously told she was too old to accurately portray the lover of a 55-year-old man, while she was 37. In 2016, The Washington Post wrote that past age 40, men claim 80 percent of the leading roles, while women only get 20 percent. Traditionally Hollywood has not treated actresses over 40 kindly. Roles dry up, and many of what was offered were smaller parts not worthy of the actresses' talents. Is that still the case or has the curse been broken? Michelle Yeoh just won Best Actress at age 60. Eight of the 10 last Best Actress winners were over 40 at the time. Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Meryl Streep, Melissa McCarthy, Viola Davis, and Reese Witherspoon are just some of the actresses who starred in hit movies well into their 40s and beyond. Are they just the exceptions in a still ageist Hollywood or have the times truly changed?

Please RSVP to atspector@hotmail.com and you'll get the Zoom link 1-2 days before the discussion.

The Cinema Lounge, a film discussion group, meets the third Monday of every month (unless otherwise noted) at 8:00pm at Teaism in Penn Quarter, 400 8th St., NW in Washington, DC (closest Metro stop is Archives, also near Metro Center and Gallery Place). NOTE: We will meet in the downstairs area. WE ARE MEETING ONLINE THIS MONTH. You do not need to be a member of the Washington DC Film Society to attend. Cinema Lounge is moderated by Adam Spector, author of the DC Film Society's Adam's Rib column.

Joseph Breen ran the Production Code of America from 1934-1954. He and his minions decided what films were allowed to be shown. While Breen is long gone, other self appointed morality guardians are following his lead. While Breen battled what he and others like him deemed Hollywood's moral filth, today's "guardians" battle such "threats" as books and drag shows. The singer may have changed, but the song remains the same as I explain in my new Adam's Rib column.

We are always looking for film-related material for the Storyboard. Our enthusiastic and well-traveled members have written about their trips to the Cannes Film Festival, Karlovy Vary Film Festival, London Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto Film Festival, Austin Film Festival, Edinburgh Film Festival, the Berlin Film Festival, the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Reykjavik Film Festival, the Munich Film Festival, and the Locarno Film Festival. We also heard about what it's like being an extra in the movies. Have you gone to an interesting film festival? Have a favorite place to see movies that we aren't covering in the Calendar of Events? Seen a movie that blew you away? Read a film-related book? Gone to a film seminar? Interviewed a director? Taken notes at a Q&A? Read an article about something that didn't make our local news media? Send your contributions to Storyboard and share your stories with the membership. And we sincerely thank all our contributors for this issue of Storyboard.

FILMS

American Film Institute Silver Theater
"Special Engagements" in May include the "New York Cat Film Festival and the "New York Dog Film Festival." Count Gore de Vol presents Fright Night (Tom Holland, 1985).

"Warner Bros. Centennial" Part 1 (April 28-July 13) will ????? Titles in May are 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (1932), a double feature of Heroes for Sale (1933) and Wild Boys of the Road (1933), both in 35mm; a double feature of Black Legion (1937) shown with They Won't Forget (1937), both in 35mm; a double feature of The Star Witness (1931) shown with Five Star Final (1931), both in 35mm; 42nd Street (1933); The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938); Baby Face (1933); Dark Victory (1939); a double feature of Little Caesar (1931) shown with Public Enemy (1931); a double feature of Night Nurse (1931) shown with Baby Face (1933); Employees Entrance (1933); Footlight Parade (1933); Four Daughters (1938) in 35mm; Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933); I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (1932); Jezebel (1938); Little Caesar (1931); Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933); The Old Maid (1939); The Petrified Forest (1936); Public Enemy (1931); and Three On a Match (1932). More in June and July.

"Magnificent Obsessions: The Films on Douglas Sirk" (April 28-July 12). Titles in May are The First Legion (1951) in 35mm; Lured (1947); Magnificent Obsession (1954); Shockproof (1949); Sleep, My Love (1948); Take Me To Town (1953) in 35mm; Taza, Son of Chochise (1954) in 3-D; and Thunder on the Hill (1951). More in June and July.

"Recent Restorations" (April 28-July 13). Titles in May are The Best Years of Our Lives (1946); a director's cut of Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001); Chocolat (1988); Daisies (1966); a director's cut of The Doom Generation (1995); Il Sorpasso (1962); Invaders from Mars (1953); Life is Cheap ... But Toilet Paper Is Expensive (1990); Los Olvidados (1950); Millennium Mambo (2001); and Suzhou River (2000). More in June and July.

"Agnes Varda Retrospective" (April 29-July 13) Titles in May are Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962); Le Bonheur (1965); La Pointe Courte (1955); Lions Love (... and Lies) (1969); One Sings, the Other Doesn't (1977); Vagabond (1985). More in June and July.

The "DC Labor FilmFest" (May 1-30) is a film festival about work, workers and the issues affecting workers' lives. The Opening Night film is Blackberry (2023) featuring Q&A with filmmaker Jatt Johnson. The Closing Night film is Blue Jean (2023). Other titles are American Factory (2019); The Sitting Duck (2022); The Spirit of '45 (2013); The Assistant (2019); The Trotsky (2010); Bombshell (2019); Fair Play (2022); Her Socialist Smile (2020); and When Tomorrow Comes (1939).

The "Star Wars Saga" (May 4-7) features the first three Star Wars films: Star Wars: A New Hope (1977); Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980); and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983).

"AFI Silver After Dark" is a new series of midnight-style movies. The May film is a director's cut of David Cronenberg's Videodrome (1983).

Freer Gallery of Art
On May 10 at 2:00pm is Throne of Blood, an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth (Akira Kurosawa, 1957), starring Toshiro Mifune. Part of the "Japanese Classics" series.

On May 5 at 7:00pm is A Page of Madness (Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1926), a silent film with music accompaniment by techno band Coupler. Preceding the film is a DJ set by Coupler on the Freer plaza 4:30-6:30pm.

On May 6 at 7:00pm are two Chinese silent films Romance of the Fruit Peddler (Zhang Shichuan, 1922) and Romance of the Western Chamber (Hou Yao, 1927). Min Ziao-Fen's original scores will accompany the films.

On May 7 at 4:00pm is the documentary 38 at the Garden (2022), about basketball player Jeremy Lin. Director Frank Chi will be present to discuss the film.

On May 21 at 2:00pm is the documentary In Our Hands (Eros Zhao, 2022), about conservation of Chinese paintings. On May 21 at 4:00pm is the documentary Hokusai Up Close (Kazuo Hara, 2019).

National Gallery of Art
The series "Burning Illusions: British Film and Thatcherism" continues in May with Sitting in Limbo (Stella Corradi, 2020) preceded by Windrush: Movement of the People (Ross MacGibbon, 2019) and the short film I Carry It With Me Everywhere (Turab Shah and Arwa Aburawa, 2022) on May 13 at 2:00pm. On May 20 at 2:00pm is the documentary Ballet Black (Stephen Dworskin, 1986) preceded by the short film Black Exodus (Daniel Bailey, 2021). On May 27 at 2:00pm is Rebel Dread (William E. Badgley, 2022) preceded by Divide and Rule Never (1978).

The series "Art Films and Special Screenings" features 32 Sounds, a meditation on sound with live narration by Sam Green on May 6 at 12:00noon and May 6 at 3:00pm.

All are in the East Building Auditorium. Registration is required.

National Museum of the American Indian
On May 27 at 2:00pm is Corridor Four, a portrait of 9/11 first responder Isaac Ho‘opi‘i who will be present for discussion after the film.

French Embassy
A series of sports-related films (April-May) celebrates the 2024 Summer Olympics to be held in Paris. On May 9 at 7:00pm is La Grande Boucle aka Tour de Force (Laurent Tuel, 2013). On May 23 at 7:00pm is Jappeloup: A Show Horse's Tale (Christian Duguay, 2013), about a French show jumping horse who won a gold medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in South Korea.

On May 11 at 6:30pm is the documentary Dear Plastic: A Toxic Love Story (Dorothée Adam) with the filmmaker present along with science experts to discuss the film.

On May 16 at 7:00pm is a documentary Chartres: Light, Reborn! (Anne Savalli) about the restoration of Chartres Cathedral with guest speakers and a reception.

"Films on the Green" (outdoor screenings) begins with The Artist (Michel Hazanavicus, 2011) on May 25 at sunset. Location: Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens.

Bethesda Row
"Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series. On May 7 at 10:00am is Close (Lukas Dhont, 2022) from Belgium.

On May 21 is The Last Film Show (Pan Nalin, 2021) from India.

Breakfast is at 9:30am, the film is at 10:00am and discussion follows, moderated by Adam Spector, host of the DC Film Society's Cinema Lounge and author of the column "Adam's Rib." A season pass is available.

The Avalon
On May 4 at 7:30pm is Gratitude Revealed (Louie Schwartzberg, 2022).

On May 10 at 8:00pm is Il Boemo (Petr Vaclav, 2022) for the "Czech Lions" series.

On May 17 at 8:00pm is Full Time (Eric Gravel, 2021), part of the "French Cinematheque" series.

"Exhibition on Screen" has added more dates for Vermeer: The Greatest Exhibition (David Bickerstaff, 2023): May 3 at 8:00pm, May 12 at 10:30am, May 13 at 10:30am, and May 14 at 10:30am.

Library of Congress
The Mary Pickford Theater On May 4 at 7:00pm is The Frightened City (John Lemont, 1961) and on May 25 at 7:00pm is The Anderson Tapes (Sidney Lumet, 1971) both starring Sean Connery.

Landmark's E Street Cinema
"Retro Replay" is a series of classic films shown Tuesdays at 4:00pm and 7:30pm (note that the times may vary). This month's theme is "May'd Men: Scorsese and De Niro." On May 2 is Taxi Driver (1976); on May 9 is Raging Bull (1980); on May 16 is Goodfellas (1990); on May 23 is Cape Fear (1991) and on May 30 is Casino (1995). Some are new 4K restorations.

Kennedy Center
On May 7 at 3:00pm is The Quiet Girl (Colm Bairead, 2022) from Ireland; On May 14 at 3:00pm is Official Competition (Mariano Cohn, 2021) from Spain; on May 21 at 3:00pm is Fire of Love (Sara Dosa, 2022), all shown in the Justice Forum. On May 26 at 8:00pm is Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981), shown outdoors on the Reach Video Wall, no reservations required.

Old Greenbelt Theater
On May 1 at 1:00pm and May 4 at 8:00pm is Sorry, Wrong Number (Anatole Litvak, 1949) starring Barbara Stanwyck. On May 13 at 1:00pm is The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939). On May 18 at TBA is The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985).

Alden Theater
On May 4 at 1:00pm is Tampopo (Juzo Itami, 1986) from Japan.

Angelika Film Center Mosaic
The Harry Potter series continues in May with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) on May 29 at 11:00am.

"Classics in Black and White" features a classic B&W film on the third Monday of each month. On May 15 at 4:00pm and 7:00pm is Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950) starring Gloria Swanson.

For the "Angelika Classic" series is Flash Gordon (1980) at 7:00pm

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