Foreign Language Films

Kenji Mizoguchi’s First Masterpiece, THE STORY OF THE LAST CHRYSANTHEMUM, to NY Premiere on Christmas Day

Kenji Mizoguchi’s first masterpiece, THE STORY OF THE LAST CHRYSANTHEMUM, will make its New York theatrical premiere on Friday, December 25 in a two-week exclusive engagement at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center. The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum is Japanese master Kenji Mizoguchi’s hauntingly beautiful adaptation of Shofu Muramatsu’s popular novel, starring Shotaro Hanayagi as Kikunosuke Onoe, a young actor and the adopted son of a Kabuki star in late-19th-century Tokyo. Failing to meet the standards set by his father, Onoe estranges himself from his family by entering into a relationship with Otoku (Kakuko Mori), his newborn brother’s nurse who makes agonizing self-sacrifices to advance her beloved Onoe’s career. Mizoguchi thoughtfully conveys a culture’s social limitations and repressive gender roles while maintaining a pitch-perfect balance of tragedy and romance. With its flowing camera movements, delicate long takes, and measured choreography of actors, this masterpiece is marked by splendorous interplay of movement and space, and is a poignant tale of conflict between generations and female sacrifice. The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in a new digital restoration—made from a 4K film transfer by Shochiku and presented by Janus Films—and the Film Society of Lincoln Center is pleased to host this long-overdue revival of one of Mizoguchi’s defining achievements, never before released in New York. A Janus Films release | 1939 | 143m | Japanese with English subtitles | B&W | 1.37:1 Here is a clip (not digitally restored) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B75FVJ18sFg
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Award-Winning Israeli Point-of-View Horror Film “JeruZalem” Sets January 2016 Release Date | TRAILER

The award-winning Israeli horror film JeruZalem will be released in the US on January 22nd, 2016 via Epic Pictures Releasing. The film world premiered at the 2015 Fantasia International Film Festival and, among other awards, was recognized with the Audience Award and Best Editing Award at the 2015 Jerusalem Film Festival. A unique, point-of-view style horror film directed by Doron and Yoav Paz, JeruZalem follows Rachel (played by Jane the Virgin star Yael Grobglas), and her friend Sarah (Danielle Jadelyn), two American girls on vacation in Jerusalem. The two follow Kevin (Yon Tumarkin), a mysterious and handsome anthropology student, into the heart of the Old City. The party is cut short when a biblical prophecy comes to pass on the night of Yom Kippur and Jerusalem’s gate to hell is opened, releasing an epic apocalypse. Trapped between the ancient walls of the holy city, the trio must survive long enough to find a way out as the fury of hell is unleashed upon them. Shooting on location amongst the monuments of Jerusalem’s Old City, The Paz Brothers directed the film utilizing a custom-made camera mount to capture some of the holy’s city’s ancient architecture, religious landmarks and historical sites. The film features extensive point-of-view footage, shown from the perspective of Sarah’s Google Glass-type smart eyewear, as she uses the glasses’ GPS, facial recognition and other apps to navigate the city and identify potentially threatening strangers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EhqqJpDNSw “The Paz Brothers first feature, Phobidilia, premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was the Israeli film that ignited the genre wave from that country. With their second feature, JeruZalem, they have created a remarkable, cinematic film that demands to be seen in theaters,” commented Epic Pictures CEO Patrick Ewald. “We’re thrilled to bring the film to audiences across the country.”
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Serial Killer Comedy ‘Barney Thomson’ Directed by Robert Carlyle Sets February 2016 Release Date | TRAILER

Barney Thomson, described as “a uniquely twisted comedic thriller” written by Richard Cowan and Colin McLaren and directed by “Once Upon a Time” star Robert Carlyle – his first feature film directorial effort, is headed to US theaters. Gravitas Ventures will release the film on demand on February 2, 2016, and in theaters on March 11, 2016. The film, which also stars Emma Thompson (Saving Mr. Banks), Ray Winstone (Hugo), and Tom Courtenay (The Golden Compass), premiered earlier this year at the opening night of Edinburgh Film Festival and has gone on to be a commercial and critical success in the UK. The film recently won “Beast Feature Film” from BAFTA Scotland, while Emma Thompson won the BAFTA Scotland award for “Best Actress.” Deemed “deliciously macabre” by the UK’s Daily Telegraph, the film tells the titular tale of Barney Thomson (Carlyle), an awkward, shy Glasgow barber, living a life of desperate mediocrity. His mother (Thompson) offers little encouragement, as she is far too self-absorbed, chain-smoking between absurd social outings in her animal print wardrobe. Little does Barney know how his stale and stagnant life is about to go from 0 to 60 in mere seconds when he accidentally enters the dark, grotesque, and comically absurd life of a serial killer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADcvH4B_LbA The film was adapted by Richard Cowan and Colin McLaren from the first book in “The Barbershop Seven” series by Douglas Lindsay. Cowan also served as a producer on Barney Thomson along with Holly Brydson, Brian Coffey, Kaleena Kiff, and John G. Lenic. Doug Apatow and Kirk D’Amico are the executive producers.
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YOUTH, THE LOBSTER Leads Nominations for 28th European Film Awards

Youth directed by Paolo Sorrentino, lead the nominations for the 28th European Film Awards with 6 nominations, including Best European Film 2015, European Director for Paolo Sorrentino , European Actress for Rachel Weisz, European Actor for Michael Caine, European Screenwriter for Paolo Sorrentino. Starring Academy Award winner Michael Caine as Fred and Academy Award nominee Harvey Keitel as Mick, Paolo Sorrentino’s YOUTH explores the lifelong bond between two friends vacationing in a luxury Swiss Alps lodge as they ponder retirement. While Fred has no plans to resume his musical career despite the urging of his loving daughter Lena (Academy Award Winner Rachel Weisz), Mick is intent on finishing the screenplay for what may be his last important film for his muse Brenda (Academy Award winner Jane Fonda). And where will inspiration lead their younger friend Jimmy (Paul Dano), an actor grasping to make sense of his next performance? Set against a sprawling landscape of unforgettable sights and intoxicating music, YOUTH asks if our most important and life-changing experiences can come at any time – even late — in life. Fox Searchlight will release the film on December 4, 2015. Other films with multiple nominations, include The Lobster directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, with 4 nods, including Best European Film 2015, European Director for Yorgos Lanthimos, European Actor for Colin Farrell and European Screenwriter for Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou. In the very near future, society demands that we live as couples. Single people are rounded up and sent to a seaside compound—part resort and part minimum-security prison—where they are given a finite number of days to find a match. If they don’t succeed, they will be “altered” and turned into an animal. The recently divorced David (Colin Farrell) arrives at The Hotel with his brother, now a dog; in the event of failure, David has chosen to become a lobster… because they live so long. When David falls in love, he’s up against a new set of rules established by another, rebellious order: for romantics, there’s nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Welcome to the latest dark, dark comedy from Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth), creator of absurdist societies not so very different from our own. With Léa Seydoux as the leader of the Loners, Rachel Weisz as David’s true love, John C. Reilly, and Ben Whishaw. An Alchemy release. EUROPEAN FILM 2015 A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE EN DUVA SATT PÅ EN GREN OCH FUNDERADE PÅ TILLVARON Sweden, France, Germany, Norway, 96 min. WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Roy Andersson PRODUCED BY: Pernilla Sandström https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7pna4laaAk MUSTANG France, Germany, Turkey, 100 min. DIRECTED BY: Deniz Gamze Ergüven WRITTEN BY: Deniz Gamze Ergüven & Alice Winocour PRODUCED BY: Charles Gillibert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU9JAN8LtIk RAMS HRÚTAR Iceland, Denmark, 93 min. WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Grímur Hákonarson PRODUCED BY: Grímar Jónsson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWOFWaltGRw THE LOBSTER UK, Ireland, Greece, France, Netherlands, 118 min. DIRECTED BY: Yorgos Lanthimos WRITTEN BY: Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou PRODUCED BY: Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Ceci Dempsey & Yorgos Lanthimos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z069ldsumxA VICTORIA Germany, 138 min. WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Sebastian Schipper PRODUCED BY: Jan Dressler https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kp8wcV3GjW0 YOUTH YOUTH – LA GIOVINEZZA Italy, France, UK, Switzerland, 118 min. WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Paolo Sorrentino PRODUCED BY: Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima & Carlotta Calori https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJNxQ8Wzr2I EUROPEAN COMEDY 2015 A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE EN DUVA SATT PÅ EN GREN OCH FUNDERADE PÅ TILLVARON Sweden, France, Germany, Norway, 96 min. WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Roy Andersson PRODUCED BY: Pernilla Sandström THE BÉLIER FAMILY LA FAMILLE BELIER France, 106 min. DIRECTED BY: Eric Lartigau WRITTEN BY: Eric Lartigau, Victoria Bedos, Stanislas Carre de Malberg & Thomas Bidegain PRODUCED BY: Eric Jehelmann, Philippe Rousselet & Stéphane Celerier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9p0qnj4OC4 THE BRAND NEW TESTAMENT LE TOUT NOUVEAU TESTAMENT Belgium, France, Luxembourg, 114 min. DIRECTED BY: Jaco Van Dormael WRITTEN BY: Jaco Van Dormael & Thomas Gunzig PRODUCED BY: Jaco Van Dormael, Olivier Rausin & Daniel Marquet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9jEA8uzHwQ EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY 2015 A SYRIAN LOVE STORY UK, 76 min. DIRECTED BY: Sean McAllister PRODUCED BY: Elhum Shakerifar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30JqnWtLvlU AMY UK, 127 min. DIRECTED BY: Asif Kapadia PRODUCED BY: James Gay-Rees https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2yCIwmNuLE DANCING WITH MARIA Italy, Argentina, Slovenia, 75 min. WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Ivan Gergolet PRODUCED BY: Igor Princic, David Rubio & Miha Cernec https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHW5kOLRVP4 THE LOOK OF SILENCE Denmark, Norway, Indonesia, 99 min. DIRECTED BY: Joshua Oppenheimer PRODUCED BY: Signe Byrge Sørensen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bp1xT302VcY TOTO AND HIS SISTERS TOTO SI SURORILE LUI Romania, Hungary, 93 min. WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY: Alexander Nanau PRODUCED BY: Valeriu Nicolae, Hanka Kastelicova, Alexander Nanau, Catalin Mitulescu & Marcian Lazar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXtjJbB1Oh4 EUROPEAN DIRECTOR 2015 Roy Andersson for A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE Yorgos Lanthimos for THE LOBSTER Nanni Moretti for MY MOTHER Sebastian Schipper for VICTORIA Paolo Sorrentino for YOUTH Małgorzata Szumowska for BODY EUROPEAN ACTRESS 2015 Margherita Buy in MY MOTHER Laia Costa in VICTORIA Charlotte Rampling in 45 YEARS Alicia Vikander in EX MACHINA Rachel Weisz in YOUTH EUROPEAN ACTOR 2015 Michael Caine in YOUTH Tom Courtenay in 45 YEARS Colin Farrell in THE LOBSTER Christian Friedel in 13 MINUTES Vincent Lindon in THE MEASURE OF A MAN EUROPEAN SCREENWRITER 2015 Roy Andersson for A PIGEON SAT ON A BRANCH REFLECTING ON EXISTENCE Alex Garland for EX MACHINA Andrew Haigh for 45 YEARS Radu Jude & Florin Lazarescu for AFERIM! Yorgos Lanthimos & Efthimis Filippou for THE LOBSTER Paolo Sorrentino for YOUTH
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Polish Horror Film “Demon” by Late Marcin Wrona, to Get a 2016 Release | TRAILER

The horror film Demon, from the late director Marcin Wrona, which had its world premiere at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival (Vanguard Section), will be released in 2016 via The Orchard. Polish director Marcin Wrona was found dead in his hotel room in late September, while attending the Gdynia Film Festival in the Baltic city of Gdynia for the Poland premiere of Demon. In Demon, a young man travels to the hometown of his future wife where he knows no one. As a wedding gift from the bride’s grandfather, he receives a piece of land where the two can build a house and raise a happy family. While preparing the land to build, he finds human bones buried beneath the new property. Strange things begin to happen to change this happy couple’s life forever. Demon is a modern take on one of the most famous figures of Jewish folklore, the dybbuk, a spirit of a person not properly laid to rest that seeks to inhabit the body of a living person. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn2zvlURSeU
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Palestinian Film DEGRADE Withdraws from Other Israel Film Festival

The Israeli–Palestinian conflict has reached the Other Israel Film Festival, with the Palestinian film, Degrade, deciding to withdraw from the upcoming festival. One of the closing night films of the Other Israel Film Festival, a New York festival calling for dialogue and conversation, Degrade has pulled out of the festival as a result of the impact of the Jewish-Arab conflict reaching new heights in Israel. Degrade, by the brothers Tarzan and Arab Assad, which exposes the diversity of life in Gaza through individuals at a hair salon, was scheduled for its NY premiere at the Festival after a successful run at Cannes and Toronto film festivals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjVPSnnSp58 The Other Israel Film Festival, a non-political festival focused on Israel’s minority populations, is presented by JCC Manhattan as a platform for conversation and dialogue. Isaac Zablocki, Executive Director of the festival, commented: “In these polarizing times, it is more important than ever to hear each other’s voices and create a culture of dialogue. The silencing and boycotting of arts and education only hurts those aiming to create positive change and hear the other side.” According to the film’s European sales agent, Elle Driver, who contracted the rights for the screening with the film festival, the producers are removing the film from all Jewish related festivals. Closing night of the Other Israel Film Festival will still feature the previously-scheduled, award winning “Women in Sink” by Iris Zaki, a documentary which also follows women in an Arab-Israeli-owned hair salon who discuss their views on politics, history, and love. The Other Israel Film Festival opens this Thursday Nov 5th at JCC Manhattan and runs till Nov 12th.
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Observational Doc SCHOOL OF BABEL, Follows Newly Immigrant Teens Entering French Educational System

School of Babel (La Cour de Babel), Julie Bertuccelli’s observational documentary follows a group of newly arrived immigrant teens as they begin their studies at La Grange-aux-Belles secondary school in Paris and prepare for entry into the French educational system. At the center of this dramatic transition is teacher Brigitte Cervoni, a wise and patient woman charged with guiding a diverse class of 11- to 15-year-olds hailing from countries including Tunisia, Ireland, Senegal, China, Serbia and Brazil. Part psychologist and part surrogate mother, Cervoni helps her students cope with problems ranging from homesickness to emotional trauma while instilling in her students a sense of self-worth and mutual respect. As the teens adjust—and some begin to blossom—the results are illuminating, moving and exhilarating. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4yHTfbYaEI School of Babel is screening as part of the Northwest Film Center’s Global Classroom program, which presents new international cinema for high-school students throughout the Portland, Oregon, metro area.
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Documentary IRAQI ODYSSEY, Switzerland’s Oscar Entry for Best Foreign Language Film, Sets Fall Release Date | TRAILER

The documentary Iraqi Odyssey, Switzerland’s Oscar entry for Best Foreign Language Film will be released in New York and Los Angeles on November 27 before expanding nationwide in 2016. Typecast Films will release the English-language version of the film in US theaters, but the version that has qualified as the Swiss Oscar entry is in German. While there are no precise statistics, it is estimated that four to five million Iraqis live outside Iraq today. Award-winning filmmaker Samir was born in Baghdad and has lived in Switzerland since he was child, while the members of his extended family are scattered all over the world — Abu Dhabi, Auckland, Sydney, Los Angeles, Buffalo, London, Paris, Zurich, and Moscow — with only a handful remaining in Iraq. Recounting his family’s stories of departures and uprootings, in Iraqi Odyssey Samir also chronicles how Iraqis’ dreams of building a modern and just society after their nation achieved independence in the 1950s were brutally dashed over the course of half a century. Loosely organized in three acts, the film begins with Samir’s grandfather and his role in the struggle against British colonialism. The second act traces the successive waves of emigration as his relatives sought safe havens around the globe to escape from the series of coups and counter-coups in the 1960s and 1970s that resulted in the establishment of Saddam Hussein’s three-decade dictatorship over the country. Saddam’s deposition by the 2003 US invasion, and the iconic image of his statue being toppled in Firdos Square, signals the film’s final act, and the last tale of departure. Weaving together the ironic, wistful, and witty testimonies of Samir’s relatives with rare documents from private and state archives, Ottoman film footage and 3D technology, Iraqi Odyssey is a riveting epic that creates a genuine people’s history of Iraq, at once humble and majestic. Shedding a new light on a grossly misrepresented country, Iraqi Odyssey is the veteran director’s most personal, ambitious, and accomplished feature to date. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTs2IMlv7rY
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VIVA, Ireland’s Oscar Entry for Best Foreign Film, to Get 2016 Release

Viva, directed by Irish filmmaker Paddy Breathnach, and Ireland’s Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film, will be released in theaters in 2016 via Magnolia Pictures. The film, which received a positive response when it premiered at the 2015 Telluride Film Festival in September, stars Hector Medina, Luis Alberto Garcia and Jorge Perugorria. “Viva stars Héctor Medina as Jesus, a young hairdresser working at a Havana nightclub that showcases drag performers, who dreams of being a performer himself. Encouraged by his mentor, Mama (Luis Alberto García), Jesus finally gets his chance to take the stage. But when his estranged father Angel (Jorge Perugorría) abruptly reenters his life, his world is quickly turned upside down. As father and son clash over their opposing expectations of each other, ‘Viva’ becomes a love story as the men struggle to understand one another and reconcile as a family.”
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Award-Winning MY SKINNY SISTER Tackles Eating Disorders and Love-Hate Relationship Between Sisters | TRAILER

Winner of the Crystal Bear (Best Film, Children’s Jury, Berlin), as well as an audience award at the Goteborg Film Festival, MY SKINNY SISTER tells the insightful story of two sisters: chubby Stella and teenage Katja. Like many siblings, they have a humorous, love-hate relationship, with squabbles over belongings and personal space. Katja is an obsessive ice-skater, out on the rink day and night preparing for performances. Stella tries to emulate her big sis but spends most of the time butt down on the ice. Beneath Katja’s bright success, however, is the onset of an eating disorder, something her troubled parents ignore and her little sister frets about. The feature debut of writer-director Sanna Lenken takes a unique approach to the issue of eating disorders, observing the moral dilemma facing an awkward 12-year-old girl when she discovers that her older sister, a beautiful competitive figure skater, has been starving herself in her quest for excellence. In this assured feature debut, writer-director Sanna Lenken continues on the theme of her 2013 short film Eating Lunch, exploring the subject of eating disorders through a unique lens. Rather than focussing on the affected individual, My Skinny Sister unfolds through the eyes of the protagonist’s sibling. Like many sisters, Stella (Rebecka Josephson) and Katja (Amy Deasismont) share a nuanced and complicated relationship. Katja, a beautiful and successful competitive figure skater, is disciplined both on and off the ice in order to maintain excellence and the praise of her busy parents. Awkward twelve-year-old Stella is struggling to come into her own as she begins to explore her sexuality, which has manifested in a crush on Katja’s skating coach. Stella endures the pressures of early adolescence in the shadow of her older sister, who teases her endlessly. Yet when Katja’s moody behaviour intensifies around mealtimes, Stella can’t help but be suspicious about her unhealthy eating habits. When confronted, Katja threatens to reveal Stella’s own secret and puts their sisterly bond on the line in order to keep their parents in the dark. The girls’ bickering and their love for one another intersect as they struggle to maintain outward appearances. Ultimately, Stella is forced to weigh her loyalty against Katja’s deteriorating health as their secret threatens to fracture their already-fragile family. Newcomer Josephson is a true delight to watch as her Stella subtly shifts from asserting herself amongst her peers to the more timid, yet perceptive, role she assumes around her family. This is complemented by Deasismont’s fine performance as Katja. The dynamic of their onscreen relationship addresses a very crucial issue with warmth and sensitivity. Toronto International Film Festival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh0tbzLia_8 MY SKINNY SISTER is being presented as part of the Northwest Film Center’s New Scandinavian Cinema series, running October 23 through November 1. Northwest Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium Portland Art Museum-1219 SW Park Avenue
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MONICA Z Chronicles Real-Life Triumphs and Tragedy of Swedish Jazz-Singer Monica Zetterlund | TRAILER

Winner of Guldbagge Awards for Best Direction, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Costume Design, MONICA Z chronicles the real-life triumphs and tragedy of popular Swedish jazz-singer Monica Zetterlund, played by an enchanting Edda Magnason who sings her own smoky, elegant vocals. MONICA Z is directed by Per Fly and stars Edda Magnason, Sverrir Gudnason, Kjell Bergqvist Monica, a young, rebellious small town girl, is determined to make it as a singer in the vibrant sixties jazz clubs of Stockholm, and even New York City. Beautiful and sensual, she embarks on the singing career of her dreams and evolves as an exquisite singer and actress in the golden era of jazz. But behind all the glamour, Monica struggles to face the dark side of fame and success. The jazz life can take its toll, and with a string of broken love affairs, a father she can never please, and a daughter to whom she’ll never be the perfect mother, Monica finds herself living the blues. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNqP4B1Ba_A MONICA Z is being presented as part of the Northwest Film Center’s New Scandinavian Cinema series, running October 23 through November 1. Northwest Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium Portland Art Museum-1219 SW Park Avenue.
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HENERAL LUNA, Philippines Oscar Entry to Be Released in the US | TRAILER

Jerrold Tarog’s HENERAL LUNA the Philippines’ submission for 2015 Foreign Language Film Oscar category for the 88th Academy Awards, will be released in theaters nationwide in Fall 2015, via Abramorama. Heneral Luna will open in New York on October 30, followed by Los Angeles and other markets on November 6. Set during the Philippine-American war, a short-tempered Filipino general faces an enemy more formidable than the American army: his own treacherous countrymen. In 1898, General Antonio Luna ( John Arcilla ), commander of the revolutionary army, is spoiling for a fight. The Philippines, after three hundred years as a Spanish colony, has unwillingly come under American rule. General Luna wants to fight for freedom but members of the elite would rather strike a deal with the United States. The infighting is fierce in the new cabinet but General Luna and his loyal men forge ahead even as his military decisions are met with resistance from soldiers who are loyal only to President Aguinaldo ( Mon Confiado ). Ultimately, it is the general’s legendary temper and pride that bring him to his death when a pack of presidential guards assassinate him in broad daylight. While American newspapers are quick to point the blame to Aguinaldo, the mystery has never been completely solved and the General’s killers were never put to justice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_T1ykhy3Fg
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