April 18-28
The 38th Washington, DC International Film Festival
Washington DC’s longest-running film festival is back with international features, timely documentaries and poignant local films. As usual, the festival spans across a variety of categories, including World View (international) cinema), Justice Matters (social issues), Trust No One (thrillers), The Lighter Side (comedies), Shorts and more. Filmfest DC boasts 65 films from 32 countries at theaters and embassies across the city for 10 movie-packed days!
Opening Night kicks off on April 18th at the Embassy of France (4101 Reservoir Rd, NW) with the DC premiere of Widow Clicquot (France/UK). The film is based on the New York Times bestselling book of the same name and tells the story behind the famous Veuve Clicquot champagne. Haley Bennet (Music & Lyric, Cyrano) plays BarbeNicole Ponsardin Clicquot, the businesswoman who broke gender barriers and revolutionized the industry. There will be a discussion and reception following the Opening Night film.
Highlights of the festival include political films like Bad Faith: Christian Nationalism’s Unholy War on Democracy (USA), which exposes how Christian Nationalism attempts to become the most powerful anti-democratic force in America, The Old
Oak (UK), the latest film by Ken Loach which details a village in northeastern England that has become a safe haven for Syrian refugees, and In The Rearview (Poland/Ukraine), a film that documents the lives of Ukrainians sitting inside a van shuttling them to safety via war-torn roads. On a lighter note are two music films, Bring the Beat (US), which celebrates Washington, DC’s go-go music scene, and The Humbler (US) about the legendary DC guitarist and self-described creator of “redneck jazz,” Danny Gatton. A Difficult Year (France) is a comedy following two swindlers, deep in debt, who infiltrate a group of climate activists for the free food and drinks. Other highlights include the thrillers Diabolik (Italy), about the dark and romantic story of a master thief in the 1960s, and A Normal Family (Japan), a film about two brothers who must make a drastic choice after discovering a dreadful secret.
Since 2020 The Arabian Sights Film Festival has been incorporated into Filmfest DC. Highlights from that section include Bye Bye Tiberias (Palestine) a timely documentary film about Emmy-nominated Hiam Abbass, and her return to her rapidly changing Palestinian village after many years away. The film tells the intimate story about four generations of women and their shared legacy of separation. The Chanting of the Dunes (US), follows the story of Wahbi al-Hariri-Rifai,
who was an accomplished international artist, architect, archeologist, and author, and the first living artist to be honored with a solo exhibition at the Smithsonian.
Closing Night of the festival will take place on April 28th at Landmark’s E Street Cinema with The Trouble with Jessica (UK), a film about a dinner gone terribly wrong, with a cast that includes Alan Tudyk. Directly after the screening, a festival wrap-up party will be held at nearby Penn Social (801 E Street, NW).
In a continuing effort to expand film opportunities throughout the city, Filmfest DC will also host several films and programs beyond the movie theater walls. There will be a screening of Bring the Beat: Go-Go in DC at The Kennedy Center, as well as
Movies Under the Stars at the Wharf. Filmfest DC’s Impact Project will take filmmakers into the city’s public schools. dditionally, PBS TV stations WETA and WHUT will host “Filmfest DC Select” showing the festival's many local films.
Many of the above film directors, subjects and stars will be present throughout the festival. Most screenings will take place at Landmark E Street Cinema, (555 11th Street, NW). For more information and to see the growing list of films, please visit the website.
Tickets go on sale beginning April 5. The full catalog of films is available now online and will be in a 20-page catalog insert in The Washington Post on Friday, April 12.
The Cinema Lounge
On Monday, April 15, 2024 at 8:00pm please join the Cinema Lounge, the DC Film Society's monthly film discussion group.
TOPIC: Max Steiner: Hollywood's First Maestro with Steven C. Smith.
Before Hans Zimmer, before John Williams, before Ennio Morricone, and even before Bernard Herrmann, there was Max Steiner. A musical prodigy in his native Vienna, Steiner had a brief career in Broadway, before moving to Hollywood in 1929. At that point, so soon after sound became part of the movies, Hollywood was unsure of what role music would play on film.
Steiner, along with fellow luminaries such as Erich Wolfgang Korngold, created the musical techniques and language film composers still use today. During his career with RKO Radio Pictures, independent producer David O. Selznick, and Warner Brothers, Steiner scored over 300 films. These include classics such as King Kong, Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, White Heat and The Searchers. We are honored to be joined by Steven C. Smith, author of Music by Max Steiner: The Epic Life of Hollywood's Most Influential Composer. He will give a 45-minute presentation on Steiner, followed by a discussion.
Steven C. Smith is an Emmy-nominated documentary producer, author, and speaker who specializes in Hollywood history and profiles of contemporary filmmakers. Before the Max Steiner biography he wrote A Heart at Fire’s Center: The Life and Music of Bernard Herrmann. That book was the main research source for the Academy Award-nominated documentary Music for the Movies: Bernard Herrmann.
A four-time Emmy nominee and sixteen-time Telly Award winner, Steven has produced and written over 200 documentaries. They include The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg; The Lure of the Desert: Martin Scorsese on Lawrence of Arabia; A Place for Us: West Side Story’s Legacy; and Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood.
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 online via Zoom. 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.
Ava DuVernay Does It Her Way with Origin at the Washington Post’s Style Session
By Cheryl Dixon, D.C. Film Society Member
Does lightning ever strike twice in the same place? DC’s Rubell Museum did it again--it hosted yet another film luminary, Ava DuVernay, filmmaker extraordinaire, at a Washington Post Style Session on January 11, 2024. Talk about starting the New Year off with a bang! Previously, we had reported on their collaborative series arts and culture spotlight on the formidable Christopher Nolan, co-writer, co-producer, and director of the widely celebrated and critically acclaimed Oppenheimer. This time, the Post’s National Arts Reporter Geoff Edgers interviewed Ms. DuVernay about her most recent Masterwork movie Origin, which she wrote and directed, and is largely based on the brilliant Isabel Wilkerson’s book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents. The Session concluded with an audience Q&A.
In Caste, Wilkerson deftly links complex subject matter regarding seemingly unrelated groups in different historical periods: segregation in the U.S. and its devastating impact on African-Americans, legal subjugation in Nazi Germany, and its horrific treatment of Jews, and the shocking, ongoing belittling treatment of the Dalits of India, to explain systemic, structural inequalities. In all these annihilating examples, she views race and class through the lens of a hidden caste system, and discovers a way to describe the mechanics, for example, of racism in the U.S. This is controversial, as its examination goes beyond race to an exploration of power and dominance in hierarchical structures.
Admittedly a “dense,” “tough”, and heavy work, Ms. DuVernay was more than up to the task of transforming a seemingly unyielding book into a film adaptation by creating a stunning biographical work with a focus on Wilkerson’s life, as she went about the work of researching and writing this book and developing her hypotheses. Edgers asked DuVernay questions about choosing this angle. DuVernay triumphantly reveals how she approached a nearly impossible work to adapt by cleverly employing the book’s author as the movie’s protagonist, portrayed by Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. DuVernay, therefore, reveals personal details about Wilkerson’s life (on love, loss, family, and healing) and shows how they both inspire and motivate Wilkerson to ultimately develop the thesis for her book. She also provides insights into Wilkerson’s research and writing process. DuVernay successfully finds a way to achieve this. A difficult and challenging task.
'
No less formidable than finding the funds for the film. Again, Edgers uncovered the innovative, creative way that DuVernay financed this film. Undeterred by the demands of the bureaucratic studio system, DuVernay discussed that she found greater freedom and flexibility utilizing funding from sources such as the Ford Foundation and other philanthropic organizations and individuals, including Melinda Gates. Even NBA players contributed to the effort. Edgers referred to this nontraditional financing method as “a new business model.”
In response to a question about the importance of acquiring formal accolades, nominations, and awards for this film, DuVernay instead focused on the many accolades that she receives from the adoring public that unabashedly approach her to tell her how much they love and appreciate her work. She indicates through a personal story helmed by Ellis-Taylor how the actress personally distributed flyers to promote her film, to bring more attention to it. DuVernay admits she would love to see her actors, like Ellis-Taylor, receive more award recognition, but insists that, more importantly, the emphasis should be on the work itself, why she did this movie, and doing the work. DuVernay additionally discussed the challenge of marketing the film and her desire to be recognized and presented with similar questions asked of her peers. For a Post review of this Session, see the article, which also provides a link to the event’s podcast.
On a personal note: I LOVED this film, it’s a work of genius with a stunning ensemble cast. In addition to Ellis-Taylor, Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash, Nick Offerman, Blair Underwood, Jasmine Cephas Jones, Stephanie March, Vera Farmiga, and Audra McDonald are featured, all with strong performances. The movie succeeds on all levels and is a must-see. Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Well, what happens when you combine the academic brilliance of a Pulitzer-prize winning, New York Times best-selling author with the visionary brilliance of an Academy Award-nominated, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker/director, screenwriter, and film and TV producer? You get one super-brilliant film. Count me a HUGE fan of this and DuVernay’s previous works, like Selma. Tickets to future Sessions are available to the public. There’s limited seating, with priority access for Style Memo Newsletter Subscribers and Rubell Museum DC members. Check these sources for further information and the schedule.
We Need to Hear From YOU
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, the Virginia Film Festival, the Locarno Film Festival, The Nitrate Picture Show, and the Chicago Critics 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.
Calendar of Events
FILMS
American Film Institute Silver Theater
"AFI Silver After Dark" is a new series of midnight-style movies. The April film is the first three episodes of the sci-fi film World of Tomorrow (2015-2020) with an animated introduction by Don Hertzfeldt and a short bonus film.
"George Romero's Independent Cinema" (April 4-May 1) includes Night of the Living Dead (1968); Dawn of the Dead (1978); The Crazies (1973); and Day of the Dead (1985). Selected films will be introduced by Tom Fallows, author of the book "George A. Romero's Independent Cinema: Horror, Industry, Economics." The book will be for sale and Mr. Fallows will be available for book signing.
"The Bong Hive: A Bong Joon Ho Retrospective" (April 5-May 2) includes Memories of Murder (2003); The Host (2006); Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000); Okja (2017); Snowpiercer (2013); Mother (2009); and Parasite (2019) which won four Oscars.
"Special Events" for April include Indigo Girls: It's Only Life After All (Alexandria Bombach); Million Dollar Legs (1932) co-presented by the Art Deco Society of Washington and with an introduction by Steve Knight and Karen Burditt; and Phantom of the Paradise (1974) with a shadowcast by Bloody Mayhem Theatrical.
"A Second Look" (February 16-April 20) is an eclectic slate of critically acclaimed 2023 films giving audiences a second chance to see these films at the AFI. The final film in the series is Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023), winner of the Oscar for Best Score.
"3-D Classics" (January 27-April 28). Titles in April are Miss Sadie Thompson (1953); The Diamond Wizard (1954); Gun Fury (1953); Taza, Son of Chchise (1954); Wings of the Hawk (1953); Cease Fire! (1953); and El CoraZon y la Espada (1953).
"George Pelecanos Presents Western Classics" (March 7-April 28) is a selection of Westerns introduced by local author, screenwriter and producer George Pelecanos. Titles in April are The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962); Hour of the Gun (1967); The Big Gundown (1967); and Ulzana's Raid (1972).
"Columbia Pictures" February 2-May 2) is a Centennial retrospective. Titles in April are On the Waterfront (1954); It Should Happen to You (1954); Born Yesterday (1950); Lawrence of Arabia (1962) in 70mm; From Here to Eternity (1953); The Lady from Shanghai (1948); Gilda (1946); You Were Never Lovelier (1942); Cover Girl (1944); The Caine Mutiny (1954); The Member of the Wedding (1952); Suddenly, Last Summer (1959); The Big Heat (1953); Anatomy of a Murder (1960); and Bell, Book and Candle (1958).
"Fabulous 50s" (February 2-May 2). Titles in April are The Killing (1956) with an introduction by author Robert P. Kolker; The War of the Worlds (1953); Ben Hur (1959); A Streetcar Named Desire (1951); Touch of Evil (1958); Sweet Smell of Success (1957); The Searchers (1956); Silver Lode (1954) in 35mm; 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954); Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954); Rebel Without a Cause (1955); Bigger Than Life (1956); and Demetgrius and the Gladiators (1954) in 35mm.
"Sembene 100" (March 31-April 29), a series of films, some in new 4K restorations, by Senegalese director Ousmane Sembene (1923-2007). Titles are Mandabi (1958); Emitai (1971); Xala (1975); Ceddo (1977); and Guelwaar (1992).
Freer Gallery of Art
On April 10 at 2:00pm is The Life of Oharu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1952), starring Kinuyo Tanaka, for this month's "Japanese Classics" film series.
On April 7 at 5:15pm is "Food and Film: Special Ramadan Screening" of Mandoob (Ali Kalthami, 2023) from Saudi Arabia, followed by a post-film discussion and refreshments.
"The Art of the Benshi" will be presented in four programs. Benshis would introduce and narrate silent films in Japan. Musicians from Japan will accompany the films. On April 12 at 7:00pm is program I with the short films The Dull Sword (1917); A Straightforward Boy (1929); The Golden Flower (1929); and The Water Magician (1933). On April 13 at 7:00pm is program II with the short films The Dull Sword (1917); An Unforgettable Grudge (1926); Blood Spattered Takadanobaba (1928); and the feature-length film Orochi (1925). on April 14 at 3:00pm is program III with the short films Sanji Goto (1918); Jiraiya the Hero (1921); Our Pet (1924); and the feature-length film A Page of Madness (1926). On April 14 at 7:00pm is program IV with the short films The Dull Sword (1917); Not Blood Relations (1916); The Immigrant (1917); The Oath of the Sword (1914); and the feature-length film The Vindictive Snake (1932). Note that not all the films are from Japan.
National Gallery of Art
A Kinyo Tanaka Retrospective features three films: On April 6 at 2:00pm is The Wandering Princess (Kinuyo Tanaka, 1960); on April 7 at 2:00pm is Girls of the Night (Kinuyo Tanaka, 1961); and on April 13 at 2:00pm is Love Under the Crucifix (1962).
On April 14 at 2:00pm is The Grand Bizarre (Jodie Mack, 2018), preceded by the short film Rad Plaid (2010). Both films are shown in conjunction with the exhibit "Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction" and are part of the series "Film Knots and Threads." Filmmaker Jodie Mack will be present for discussion.
On April 20 at 2:00pm is Being in a Place (Luke Fowler, 2022), preceded by the short film N'Importe Quoi (2023). Filmmaker Luke Fowler will be present to discuss the films. On April 27 at 2:00pm is the documentary The Art of Un-War (Maria Niro, 2022), about artist Krzysztof Wodiczko, who has devoted his work and life to denouncing militarization and war. The filmmaker and film subject will both be present to discuss the film.
Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
on April 11 at 6:30pm is "An Evening With Cady Coleman and Ido Mizrahy," a conversation with former astronaut Cady Coleman and film director Ido Mizrahy as they discuss and show clips from the film Space: The Longest Goodbye (2023) which follows NASA psychologists as they prepare astronauts for the extreme isolation of a three-year mission to Mars.
Goethe Institute
On April 13 at 6:30pm is an award-winning kid's film What the Finn?! - Summer of Surprises (Stefan Westerwelle, 2023) as part of the Geothe's "Kids Kino" series.
Films from the Human Rights Festival Berlin will be shown April 23-29. On April 23 at 6:00pm is Fritz Bauer's Legacy--Justice Has No Expiration (Isabel Gathof, Sabine Lamby, Cornelia Partmann, 2022), followsed by a discussion with filmmaker Cornelia Partmann and a reception. On April with a discussion. On April 26 at 6:00pm is Painting Dhaka (Lukas Zeilinger, 2023), also followed by discussion and reception. On April 29 at 6:00pm is Forest, a Garden We Cultivate (Mari Correa, 2023).
Strathmore
On April 5 at 7:30pm is Star Wars: The Force Awakens (J.J. Abrams, 2015) with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra performing live.
Cinema Arts Bethesda
"Cinema Arts Bethesda" is a monthly Sunday morning film discussion series held at Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema. On April 7 at 10:00am is The Teacher's Lounge (Ilker Çatak, 2023), about two teenage boys who leave Senegal for Europe.
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
The "Programmer's Choice" film for April is the documentary Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus (Neo Sora, 2023) on April 3 at 8:00pm.
On April 7 at 10:30am and April 9 at 10:30pm is "The Motive and the Cue," (Sam Mendes), a play by Jack Thorne at National Theater Live.
On April 9 at 8:00pm is Food, Inc. 2 (Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo), a sequel to the 2008 Oscar-nominated documentary Food, Inc. Part of "Avalon Docs."
On April 17 at 8:00pm is the documentary On the Adamant (Nicolas Philibert, 2023) for the French Cinematheque series.
On April 21, 23, and 27 at 10:30am is John Singer Sargent: Fashion and Swagger (David Bickerstaff, 2024), part of "Exhibition on Screen."
Italian Cultural Institute
On the occasion of Liberation Day, the Italian Cultural Institute of Washington present Libere (Rossella Schillaci, 2017), a documentary about the role of women in the Italian Resistance during WWII on April 26 at 6:00pm. Location: New York University's Abramson Family Auditorium.
On April 26 at 10:30am is the documentary Imprisoned Lullaby [Ninna Nanna Prigioniera] (Rossella Schillaci, 2016), followed by Q&A with the film's director. Location: Duques Hall 152, George Washington University, 2201 G St NW.
Library of Congress
The Mary Pickford Theater starts a series of U.S. Crime Classics. On April 11 at 7:00pm is Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944) starring Barbara Stanwyck. On April 25 at 7:00pm is The Long Wait (Victor Saville, 1958) with Anthony Quinn.
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress will host cast members from CBS’s comedy “Ghosts” on April 9. A special episode screening and a panel discussion with series stars Richie Moriarty, Danielle Pinnock, Asher Grodman, Román Zaragoza and Rebecca Wisocky will be held at 6:30pm on April 9 in the Coolidge Auditorium. From 5:00pm to 6:00pm, the Library will host a display of items curated for each of the ghost characters’ time periods in the Whittall Pavilion.
Anacostia Community Museum
On April 13 at 1:00pm is A Chocolate Lens (Gabriel Veras), a documentary film about photographer Steven Cummings. Both the film's director and subject will be present for discussion.
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 "New Hollywood." On April 2 is Serpico (Sidney Lumet, 1973); on April 9 is Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976); on April 16 is Sorcerer (1977) (William Friedkin, 1977); on April 23 is The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino, 1978); and on April 30 is Blow Out (Brian DePalma, 1981).
Kennedy Center
On April 7 at 3:00pm is The Holdovers (Alexander Payne, 2023); on April 14 at 3:00pm is the documentary 120 Wooster Street (Mary Kemper-Wolf, 2002); on April 21 at 3:00pm is Bring the Beat (Chris McDonald), a documentary presented by FilmfestDC; on April 30 at 3:00pm is On the Road With Duke Ellington (Robert Drew, 1974). with a panel post-screening panel with Mercedes Ellington.
Atlas Performing Arts Film Series
On April 14 at 4:00pm is Bare Knees (Erle C. Kenton, 1928) with music accompaniment by Andrew Simpson.
Old Greenbelt Theater
In the "Cinema Classics" series is The Way We Were (Sydney Pollack, 1973) on April 1 at 1:00pm and April 4 at 8:00pm.
On April 14 at 6:00pm is a program of seven short films from Puerto Rico, Spain and Iran.
For the series "Cinema Pop" on April 8 at 8:00pm and April 13 at 1:00pm is the anime film Ghost in the Shell (Hayao Miyazaki, 1995).
On April 18 at 8:00pm is Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977), part of the "Cult Classics" series.
On April 29 at 7:00pm is Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (Rainer Fassbinder, 1974) in the "Films in Focus" series.
On April 27 at 8:00pm is The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975).
Alden Theater
The foreign film for April is the award-winning Iranian film The Salesman (Asghar Farhadi, 2016) on April 4 at 1:00pm and April 10 at 6:30pm. The performing arts film this month is "Twelfth Night" with Stephen Fry and Mark Rylance on April 18 at 1:00pm.
Angelika Film Center Mosaic
The "Angelika Classics" series shows classic films on the first Monday of the month at 7:00pm. On April 8 at 7:00pm is Stripes (Ivan Reitman, 1981) starring Bill Murray.
"Classics in Black and White" features a classic B&W film on the third Monday of each month at 7:00pm. On April 15 at 7:00pm is His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940) starring Cary Grant and Rosaline Russell.
"Dinner With..." is a series of films on fourth Mondays at 7:00pm. On April 22 at 7:00pm is The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppolla, 1972).
"Brews and the Big Screen" is a series on Wednesdays in April. On April 3 at 7:00pm is Dazed and Confused (1993); on April 10 at 7:00pm is Inglourious Basterds (2009): on April 17 at 7:00pm is Animal House (1978); and on April 24 at 7:00pm is High Noon (1952).
A Harry Potter series (March 30-October 26) is on Saturdays at 11:00am. On April 27 at 11:00am is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002).
FILM FESTIVALS
