The
2015 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival announced their complete
schedule for its 32nd year, featuring over 245 films from 44 countries to be screened from October 23 to November 1 at venues across Chicago.
Along with the newly released schedule, the 2015 Festival unveiled this year’s official poster and theme: Passport to a World of Movies for Kids.
Among the highly anticipated features is When Marnie Was There (pictured above), the most recent film from Studio Ghibli, with an all-star American voice cast led by Haillee Steinfeld (Pitch Perfect 2, Ender’s Game, True Grit). Another festival highlight, based on the phenomenally popular best-selling book series, Molly Moon and the Incredible Book of Hypnotism teaches a fun lesson of friendship and independence, as plucky orphan Molly finds a book with which she masters the power of hypnosis. Also highly anticipated is the tweenage Danish Game of Thrones-style adventure The Shamer’s Daughter, in which Dina unwillingly inherits her mother’s supernatural ability to stare into someone’s soul and make them feel ashamed of their own bad deeds.
2015 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Feature Films
Trenk, the Little Knight. It’s medieval times and ten-year-old Trenk, peasant and property of evil Sir Wertolt, wants to become a knight and free his family. After many adventures, he solves the duchy’s dragon problem and is knighted by the Duke. Now he just has to grow up to become a proper hero! His sword may be heavier than he is, but with persistent practice, he is soon ready to conquer the terrifying dragons. Joining him are his friends, Thekla and Momme, in this thrilling adventure of knights, castles, duels, and dragons, told with humor, twists, and turns. Conflict resolution through brains over brawn is what wins the day in the end! Based on the beloved book series. Austria/Germany, screened in English. For ages 5 and up.
Molly Moon and the Incredible Book of Hypnotism. (pictured above) Plucky Molly enjoys her family of friends in a small-town English orphanage. That is, until she finds a book that gives her the power of hypnosis. When her talented best friend, Rocky, is adopted, Molly sets her sights on a new, big-city adventure: having fun and becoming a huge TV star! But is the false fame worth it, at the expense of true friendship? Based on the phenomenally popular best-selling book series, starring Raffy Cassidy (Snow White and the Huntsman, Disney’s Tomorrowland), and featuring Oscar-nominated Emily Watson and Celia Imrie (Nanny McPhee). England, screened in English. For ages 8 and up.
Oddball. The sleepy maritime Australian town of Warrnambool is losing its beloved Little (“Fairy”) Penguin population faster each day. It’s up to hard-nosed local chicken farmer “Swampy” Marsh, his notoriously havoc-wreaking dog, Oddball, and ten-year-old granddaughter, Livvy to save them! Mother Emily is the top conservationist on the island. While she wants to stay to preserve the island’s wildlife treasure, time is running out, and the family must move if the efforts are fruitless. Both free-thinking Swampy and goofy sheepdog Oddball together have a bit of a reputation, but Livvy and family will keep them on track as they search for clues illuminating the reasons for the penguins’ perilous position. Based on real-life events, the Maremma dogs have truly made a difference on the penguin colony. This is a fairy tale about fairy penguins come true! Australia, screened in English. For ages 9 and up.
Code M. D’Artagan’s legendary sword has been missing for generations. Resourceful twelve-year-old Isabel decides to take over her grandfather’s search to solve the Musketeer’s mystery, once and for all, by piecing together clues and codes. Joined by two unlikely friends, they band together – all for one and one for all! But who can Isabel really trust? Brought to you by the same director as the 2014 Festival hit, Secrets of War. Netherlands, screened in Dutch with English subtitles. For ages 9 and up.
Secret Society of Souptown. Mari, Olav, Sadu, and Anton are part of the “Secret Society of Souptown,”whose sole purpose is to go on adventures and solve mysteries. When a magic potion starts making adults act like children, ten-year-old Mari takes charge, and her friends must work together to find the antidote to save the town. Perhaps a clue is in the old book that Mari’s grandfather mentions, hidden by their scientist ancestor during the German occupation in World War II. The gang must first get to the remaining clues to save the day. But they only have 48 hours! Estonia/Finland, screened in Estonian with English subtitles. For ages 10 and up.
When Marnie Was There. The wildly popular Studio Ghibli’s latest is a Hitchcockian coming-of-age film. Twelve-year-old Anna believes she’s forever outside of the invisible magic circle where most people live. In order to help her relax for the summer and recover from a recent asthma attach, Anna is forced to live with her aunt and uncle in the countryside of Japan. However, her entire summer unexpectedly takes a turn when she meets a bewitching and mysterious neighbor girl with flowing blonde hair named Marnie. But is Marnie real or imagined? Featuring an all-star American voice cast: Haillee Steinfeld (True Grit, Pitch Perfect 2, Ender’s Game), Kiernan Shipka (TV’s Mad Men), John C. Reilly, Catherine O’Hara, and Kathy Bates. Japan, screened in English. For ages 11 and up.
Rhubarb. Siem is twelve years old and pretty tired of moving from house to house with his father each time a new romance fails. Winnie is twelve years old and hopes that her fiery but gorgeous mother Tosca can just settle down. When the two parents meet at the children’s school, a relationship blossoms. To ensure that this one sticks, the kids take matters into their own hands. Budding videographer Siem enlists friend Winnie to come up with tips and tricks for how to make a fruitful relationship grow, by creating a how-to video guide for the hapless couple. But will the pair’s multi-media efforts get real-life results? Netherlands, screened in Dutch with English subtitles. For ages 11 and up.
Satellite Girl and Milk Cow. (pictured above) The satellite KITSAT-1 is abandoned in outer space because of a malfunction. She used to be doing research on human activity, collecting sounds and images. She has captured the most intriguing voice of all while researching Planet Earth: that of young Kyung-Chun. The teen is a would-be singer-songwriter, deep in the throes of miserable rejection from his unrequited love. Transformed into a creature, he is forced to wander, forever pursued by the evil Incinerator. It’s up to Merlin the Wizard to help bring the two isolated beings together, each facing failure. By embracing their humanity and humanness, while at the same time sorting out what lies ahead in their futures, can this unlikely pair become more than just friends? South Korea, screened in Korean with English subtitles. For ages 11 and up.
Labyrinthus. Fourteen-year-old Frikke finds a mysterious camera in the park and he soon gets sucked into a virtual video maze. Is his new friend Nola real or imagined? Frikke thinks he has what it takes to crack the code, but perhaps he does not have control over the rules after all. He’ll have to play the game to the end, using all available resources, or risk losing everything. Belgium, screened in Dutch with English subtitles. For ages 11 and up.
The Shamer’s Daughter. The Shamer’s daughter, Dina, has unwillingly inherited her mother’s supernatural ability. She can look straight into the soul of other people, making them feel ashamed of themselves. When the sole heir to the throne is wrongfully accused of the horrible murders of his family, Dina’s mother is lured to Dunark under false pretenses to make him confess. Refusing to use her ability for the wrong purposes, she is taken prisoner. It is now up to Dina to uncover the truth of the murders, but soon she finds herself in a dangerous power struggle, with her own life at risk. Based on the popular book. Denmark, screened in Danish with English subtitles. For ages 12 and up.
Adama. As twelve-year-old Adama is about to experience his boyhood rite of passage, he and his brother’s lives are changed forever. Adama lives in a remote African village, but his older teenaged brother Samba gets lured outside of their community to join the ranks of the Tirailleurs, French West African soldiers recruited by the French during World War I. Despite all odds, Adama goes on a journey and finds his brother at the ferocious Battle of Verdun on the Western Front. This stunningly animated coming-of-age story is an inspiring depiction of perseverance and personal striving where fraternal bonds triumph. France, screened in French with English subtitles. For ages 12 and up.
2015 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Shorts Programs
Ready, Steady, Go! On your marks, get set, go! Come along with these animated characters as they undertake remarkable adventures. In one film, persistence pays off for pals Rita and Crocodile, as they set out for a day of fishing. In another film, an abandoned mitten makes an unexpected hang-out for a rag-tag pack of animal friends. Then, visiting a new place can be difficult even for the intergalactically well-traveled. There’s more than one way to feel like an alien! Finally, quirky Pecival Pilts reaches for new perspectives – on stilts! Perfect Houseguest (USA), Bear and Bird (USA), The Sun of Bagnolet Street (France), Lune (France), My Little Croco (France), Rita and Crocodile: “Fishing” (Denmark), The Tie (Belgium), The Mitten (France/Belgium), Alien (Czech Republic), The Story of Percival Pilts (Australia/ New Zealand). For ages 2 to 8.
New Faces, New Friends. New friends may well turn out to be best friends, and it’s okay if they are a little different, too. In this collection of animated shorts, characters of all species forge new friendships, learn about each other, and explore the world around them. A tabby cat and a goose may be an unusual friendship, but Fred and Anabel are inseparable as they set out on a series of adventures. In the last short, a boy’s imagination takes wing – literally! – with the help of his animal friends. Mr. K’s New House (Taiwan), Achoo! (Japan), Rita and Crocodile: “Forest”(Denmark), Bear and Bird (USA), My Little Croco (France), Lune (France), Rita and Crocodile: “Zoo”(Denmark), Fred and Anabel (Germany), The Mitten (France/Belgium), Konigri-kun: “A Small Rice Ball” (Japan) The Little Blond Boy with a White Sheep (France). For ages 2 and up.
Out and About. Doers and Dreamers Wanted! Join these spirited individuals on their journeys as they discover new places and new faces. Little Cousteau longs for a big adventure in the deep blue sea, just like his idol, Jacques Cousteau. But does he even have to leave his bedroom to experience the deep blue sea? In the last film, the town character becomes the new town hero, striving to achieve his goals of new heights and new perspectives. The Sun of Bagnolet Street (France), Da Vinci and the Button (Ireland), La Fontaine Turns Film-makers – The Crow and the Fox (France/Belgium), Rita and Crocodile: “Forest”(Denmark), Trude’s Flatmate: “The Gift” (Germany), My Little Croco (France), Lune (France), The Little Cousteau (Czech Republic), Ba (Brazil), The Story of Percival Pilts (Australia/New Zealand). For ages 5 and up.
Halloween: Tricks and Treats.Tricks and treats, new identities, aliens, monsters, all at a snap of your fingers! It’s Freaky Friday for the feline and canine cantankerous duo in one film, as they realize that being kind might be the only way to reverse the damage. Can these enemies put their differences aside in time to get their voices back? Then, when is too much of a sweet treat just too much? In one set of shorts, can Trude’s roommate mend some of his monstrous ways? In the last short, while a classmate picks on new girl Anabelle for her wearing a funny mask, it only takes one move of solidarity on Bethany’s part to rally the students around her. Ham Ham (Germany), Tony and Mr. Illness (Czech Republic), Rita and Crocodile: “Camping” (Demark), The Sweet Porridge (Germany), Alien (Czech Republic), Trude’s Flatmate: “The Gift” (Germany), Frenemy (France), Pawo (Germany) Snap (Croatia), Trude’s Flatmate: “Digger” (Germany), Bunny New Girl (Austria). For ages 5 and up.
Day Trippers. Adventure and flights of fancy are on the minds of the characters in these short films, even if only for a little while. A boy finds he can fly with the help of his wooly and feathered friends. In another short, Alfred has regal aspirations on his “day off” from school. Then, in the final film, Belinda and Alexander break free and escape to a swanky music hall to fulfill a lifelong dream. Imagination and day tripping await! Alien (Czech Republic), One, Two, Tree (France/Switzerland), The Captain, the Pilot and the Singer (Norway), Cookin’ with Fire (Australia), My 2014 Neighbor (Philippines), The Little Blond Boy with a White Sheep (France), Astronaut K (Switzerland), The Fly (Italy), Prince Alfred (Germany), Dreaming of Peggy Lee (England). For ages 8 and up.
Not Invisible. Whether deaf, hearing, or somewhere-in-between, these short films prove there is no limit with a little patient persistence, creative communication, and a good team. In one film, Jean-Michel discovers through countless comedic efforts that in the game of love, the greatest superpower is the ability to communicate. In another film, Alexander and Belinda defy expectations and achieve a lifelong dream: singing on stage. At only 15, twins Sisi and Wanwan inspire us with their dedication to music, to each other, and to supporting youth in their native China. Finally, extraterrestrial robot Spanneroo and earthling Joe build a friendship that crosses galaxies, solves problems, and brings them on unimaginable adventures! Mr. Violet (Iran), Jean-Michel the Woodland Caribou (France/Belgium), Dreaming of Peggy Lee (England), Sisi and Wanwan (Netherlands), Spanneroo and Joe (France). For ages 8 and up.
Halloween: Transformers. Teenage transformations can be wacky and weird, especially for some of the characters in this collection of shorts. In a film based on a Sioux tale, Coyote denies his gift but is granted a magical second chance to redeem himself. In another short, what happens when a young minotaur’s single mom begins to date – only, Mr. Right is a little prone to turn into stone? Then, what to do when Granny turns into… an orange tree? Make marmalade, of course. In the final film, a family’s camping trip goes awry when Simon’s older sister’s wish comes true. Enjoy these tales of transformation, magic, and persistence. A Single Life (Netherlands), Cookin’ with Fire (Australia), Alchemist’s Letter (USA), Alien (Czech Republic), My Stuffed Granny (Greece), Coyote and the Rock (Hungary), Mythopolis (Czech Republic), The Wish Fish (Czech Republic). For ages 10 and up.
Halloween: AlieNation. The characters in this collection, alien or otherwise, are going through some changes and hardly feel like themselves anymore. In a beautifully animated French film, single Mom has brought home a new beau, who is a … raven? The new stepfather is entirely a bird of a different feather, and it takes quite a bit of adjustment in the household. In the final short, Amelia and Duarte become different people when going through their relationship’s break-up. Transforming and compartmentalizing each magic moment into an orderly system might help contain their sorrows. Alien (Czech Republic), A Single Life (Netherlands), Alchemist’s Letter (USA), Alienation (Germany), My Stuffed Granny (Greece), Coyote and the Rock (Hungary), My Home (France), Amelia & Duarte (Portugal). For ages 13 and up.
Circuit Breakers. The characters in this collection of short films are disconnected. They need to trip their emotional switch to be fully in touch with themselves and with those around them. In one film, recent immigrant Yussef comes to the realization that to move forward in his new environment, he needs to reveal a bit about himself to his new classmates and unload the burden of his past. In another short, two young brothers are thrown together in an uncomfortable situation, but learn they can rely on each other as never before. In the final film, a young teen visits his father in prison, where they have a limited time to truly connect. Soot (Portugal), Yussef is Complicated (Ireland), Like a Butterfuly (Germany), The Swing (England), Picnic (Croatia). Contains extremely coarse profanity and is for ages 14 and up.
2015 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Shorts Program Special Event
“Nature Cat” Special Sneak Peek. The national PBS launch of Nature Cat is right here, in Chicago! Come for the sneak peek and stay for behind-the-scenes insight on animation from members of the creative team. Fred is a housecat who dreams of exploring the great outdoors, but there’s one hitch: he’s still a housecat with no instincts for nature! Time for action-packed adventures full of nature investigation, “aha” discovery moments, and humor. Voiced by an all-star line-up of comedic actors, including Saturday Night Live star Taran Killam as Nature Cat. The brain-child of brothers David Rudman (Sesame Street, The Muppets) and Adam Rudman (Tom & Jerry, Sesame Street, Cyberchase), Nature Cat is a co-production of Spiffy Pictures and WTTW Chicago. For ages 4 and up.
Edgy Animation and Anime
Satellite Girl and Milk Cow. The satellite KITSAT-1 is abandoned in outer space because of a malfunction. She used to be doing research on human activity, collecting sounds and images. She has captured the most intriguing voice of all while researching Planet Earth: that of young Kyung-Chun. The teen is a would-be singer-songwriter, deep in the throes of miserable rejection from his unrequited love. Transformed into a creature, he is forced to wander, forever pursued by the evil Incinerator. It’s up to Merlin the Wizard to help bring the two isolated beings together, each facing failure. By embracing their humanity and humanness, while at the same time sorting out what lies ahead in their futures, can this unlikely pair become more than just friends? South Korea, screened in Korean with English subtitles. For ages 11 and up.
When Marnie Was There. The wildly popular Studio Ghibli’s latest is a Hitchcockian coming-of-age film. Twelve-year-old Anna believes she’s forever outside of the invisible magic circle where most people live. In order to help her relax for the summer and recover from a recent asthma attack, Anna is forced to live with her aunt and uncle in the countryside of Japan. However, her entire summer unexpectedly takes a turn when she meets a bewitching and mysterious neighbor girl with flowing blonde hair named Marnie. But is Marnie real or imagined? Featuring an all-star American voice cast: Haillee Steinfeld (True Grit, Pitch Perfect 2, Ender’s Game), Kiernan Shipka (TV’s Mad Men), John C. Reilly, Catherine O’Hara, and Kathy Bates. Japan, screened in English. For ages 11 and up.
Boy and the World. (pictured above) This colorfully animated film follows a young Brazilian boy who explores his world with wonder and a sense of curiosity. One day, while searching for his father in the bustling city, he stumbles onto a network of money-grubbing adults who pit governmental forces against a band of colorful merrymakers. A stunning depiction of growing up and the choices that must be made, this film is a creative feat in emotional, lyrical animation. Brazil. For ages 12 and up.
Edgy Animation. Come for a sampler of this season’s best animated short films from around the globe! In one film, each awkward aspect of puberty is portrayed by characters in different animation styles. In another, a new arrival is an alien in more than one sense of the word. In order to stave off feelings of discrimination, a video diary proves a good coping mechanism for one woeful young city dweller. Go along for the ride as films based on French surrealist poetry deliver boundless, fantastical perspectives. Lastly, daughter and father band together to get government aid, but there is just one hitch. A Single Life (Netherlands), A Portrait (Greece), Blotting Paper (France), The Sun of Bagnolet Street (France), Sovereign Paperwork (Uruguay), Alienation (Germany), The Zebra (France), The Bengal Salsify (France), Aubade (Switzerland), Alien (Czech Republic), The Marathon Diary (Norway), My Stuffed Granny (Greece), Why Banana Snarls (Russia), Granny (Georgia), Soot (Portugal). For ages 13 and up.
Fantasy Fantastic. The characters in this collection of animated shorts are dreamers and doers. But, do their reveries stand in the way of moving on in their lives and moving forward in their relationships? A recent graduate of a French film school animates a set of films based on the Surrealist poetry of Robert Desnos. Then, a young skier, despite her best efforts, is never first place at the Lapland Marathon Arctic Challenge. But then again, winning isn’t everything. Then, in a cheeky digitally animated short, Amelia and Duarte “unpack” their feelings during a break-up in a very unusual fashion. In the last film, Hugo’s new stepfather is a bird of a different feather, entirely. Mr. Violet (Iran), In a Small Boat (France), I Have Dreamed of You So Much (France), Paris (France), Reclining (France), Aubade (Switzerland), One, Two, Tree (France/Switzerland), Air-Mail (Switzerland), Counting Sheep (France), Sleepy Steve (USA), The Marathon Diary (Norway), Amelia & Duarte (Portugal), Mythopolis (Czech Republic), My Home (France). For ages 13 and up.
Little from the Fish Shop. Not your mother’s Little Mermaid! A very adult re-telling of the Hans Christian Anderson story, director Jan Balej uses stop-motion animated puppets in the tradition of his legendary countryman, Jiří Trnka. Forced to relocate above ground, the Sea King and his family are fishmongers in a sleazy harbor town. Hidden from humans until her 16th birthday, his youngest daughter is unschooled in the ways of the human world. Fascinated by the seedy surroundings, “Little” falls instantly in the thrall of the oily neighbor, owner of a brother and bar next door. When pure love meets real-life risks, tragedy ensues. Czech Republic. For ages 16 and up.
2015 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Weekday Evening Screenings- Shorts Programs
Style and Substance. The young people in this collection of short films sort out what they really need versus what they already have – or what they can make themselves! In one film, a middle sister is mortified that she can’t be like her neighbor with her amazing, brand new bike. In another film, Myna longs for an Xbox upgrade. In the final short, four teens travel to a fashion school in Mannheim to learn from style experts how they can revamp their current wardrobes without spending a dime. Mo’s Bows (USA), Catwalk (Sweden), Me and My Moulton (Canada/Norway), Myna and Asterix (India), You Are Style! (Germany). For ages 10 and up.
Circuit Breakers. The characters in this collection of short films are disconnected. They need to trip their emotional switch to be fully in touch with themselves and with those around them. In one film, recent immigrant Yussef comes to the realization that to move forward in his new environment, he needs to reveal a bit about himself to his new classmates and unload the burden of his past. In another short, two young brothers are thrown together in an uncomfortable situation, but learn they can rely on each other as never before. In the final film, a young teen visits his father in prison, where they have a limited time to truly connect. Soot (Portugal), Yussef is Complicated (Ireland), Like a Butterfuly (Germany), The Swing (England), Picnic (Croatia). Contains extremely coarse profanity and is for ages 14 and up.
2015 Chicago International Children’s Film Festival Weekday Evening Screenings- Feature Films
Tour of Honor. This thoughtful feature-length documentary film details a program created by Honor Flight, an organization that flies World War II and Korean War veterans out to Washington DC to see the memorials erected in their honor. It is a powerful, emotional journey that tells the personal stories of the veterans, members of the Greatest Generation. For ages 12 and up.
How I Came to Hate Math. (pictured above) Why is it that most of us struggled to stay awake in our high school math classes? A group of passionate mathematicians, who have dedicated their lives to the study of mathematics, hope to explain how most students have come to hate math and why we are missing out on the vast creativity, beauty, and potential that mathematics has to offer. In conversations with math visionaries, the film highlights the many outlooks on math applications (scientific, business, economics), opens up discourse about the importance and magnificence of math, and conversely, why people may generally find math historically inaccessible. Take back that negative perception! France, screened in French and English with English subtitles. For ages 15 and up.
Boy 7. In a future world, the Netherlands is a totalitarian government that has turned select teens into robotic killers to launch terrorist attacks in the nation. Talented hacker, Sam, is unwillingly recruited to join the Institute and starts a training regimen with a deadly diploma in mind. Through non-sequential narrative and flashbacks to a parallel life, Sam convinces fellow “trainees” Lara and Louis to help him infiltrate and subjugate the oppressors. But flashbacks and flash drives may not be enough to expose the conspiracy. Does Sam have what it takes? Netherlands/Belgium/Croatia, screened in Dutch with English subtitles. Contains extremely coarse profanity and is for ages 15 and up.
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The Seattle International Film Festival in partnership with TV5MONDE will present 20 French films from around the world as part of the 2015 French Cinema Now showcase. The Opening Night film is Dheepan, Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. This powerful drama from director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust & Bone) follows a former Tamil Tiger soldier as he flees from the aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil war to begin a new life in a Parisian suburb. An after-party will take place at Bastille Café + Bar in Ballard.
Half Sister, Full Love with director Marion Vernoux scheduled to attend and a post-film discussion with Director Lynn Shelton. The French adaptation of Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister (and the second of Shelton’s films adapted à la française) introduces Pierre, a young man still suffering after his brother’s recent death, who accepts his best friend Tessa’s invitation to recuperate at her family home in the French countryside, only to find the house already occupied by her heart-broken sister.
In The Chef’s Wife two of France’s most versatile and accomplished actresses, Karin Viard
(Polisse, Delicatessen) and Emmannuelle Devos (Coco Before Chanel, Read My Lips), come together for this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy. Carole can no longer stand working alongside her talented Michelin-starred chef husband Sam, so she meets with Marithé, who helps people explore new career opportunities. The two become friends, but when Marithé meets Sam, their mutual attraction complicates her motives in helping Carole to start over.
Adama, a stunning animated feature combining traditional painted backgrounds with clay sculpted characters, follows 12 year-old Adama, who leaves his small West African village on a quest to rescue his brother from the frontlines of WWI. Adama travels to “the land of breaths” – the village’s term for war-torn Europe – for a coming-of-age odyssey that is also a tale of outstanding love, courage, and humanity. Appropriate for ages 8+.
French Master Cédric Kahn’s Wild Life is based on a true story, and produced by the Dardenne Brothers. This tale of a father’s reckless but all-consuming love follows married couple Carole and Philippe (Céline Sallette and Mathieu Kassovitz, both giving riveting performances) who renounce civilization and lead a nomadic life in their caravan. But when Carole tires of their itinerant lifestyle and moves back to the city, Philippe refuses to allow his sons to be raised according to the societal codes he abhors.
Carl Spence, SIFF Artistic Director, says “We’re very excited about this year’s lineup, being able to bring such a diverse group of films to the Francophile Seattle audience. Our continued partnership with TV5 Monde has allowed French Cinema Now to reach not only the Seattle viewers, but nationally through the TV5 Monde channel.”
Dheepan
Opening Night Film & Party
France | 2015 | 110 minutes | Jacques Audiard
Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, this powerful drama from director Jacques Audiard (A Prophet, Rust & Bone) follows a former Tamil Tiger soldier as he flees from the aftermath of the Sri Lankan civil war to begin a new life in a Parisian suburb.
The Tournament
France | 2015 | 83 minutes | Elodie Namer
An international chess tournament becomes the setting of a compelling psychological thriller, when a 22-year-old French mastermind finds that his chief adversary is an unknown 11-year-old prodigy, leading to his emotional unraveling.
Anton Chekhov – 1890
France | 2015 | 96 minutes | René Féret
A pivotal period in the life of Russian literary master Anton Chekhov is brought to life in this expressive biographical tale. A humble Russian doctor, Chekhov (Nicolas Giraud) starts writing stories for magazines to earn extra money. As his talent gains notice, an unexpected tragedy sends him on a journey to Siberia, and the trip inspires some of his most brilliant and famous works.
Half Sister, Full Love
France | 2015 | 95 minutes | Marion Vernoux
Director Marion Vernoux scheduled to attend with post-film discussion with Director Lynn Shelton (Your Sister’s Sister). The French adaptation of Seattle filmmaker Lynn Shelton’s Your Sister’s Sister (and the second of Shelton’s films adapted à la française) introduces Pierre, a young man still suffering after his brother’s recent death, who accepts his best friend Tessa’s invitation to recuperate at her family home in the French countryside, only to find the house already occupied by her heart-broken sister.
You Sleep Nicole
Canada (Québec) | 2014 | 93 minutes | Stéphane Lafleur
Filmed in gorgeous black and white, the latest feature from Québécois director Stéphane Lafleur is a slice of life comedy about summer indolence. 22-year-old Nicole is fresh out of college, and plans to spend the summer hanging out her best friend Véronique. But things take an unexpected turn when a heatwave, Nicole’s growing insomnia, the persistent courtship of a 10-year-old boy, and a visiting rock band put their friendship to the test.
Adama
France | 2015 | 82 minutes | Simon Rouby
This stunning animated feature, combining traditional painted backgrounds with clay sculpted characters, follows 12 year-old Adama, who leaves his small West African village on a quest to rescue his brother from the frontlines of WWI. Adama travels to “the land of breaths” – the village’s term for war-torn Europe – for a coming-of-age odyssey that is also a tale of outstanding love, courage, and humanity. Appropriate for ages 8+.
Number One Fan
France | 2014 | 105 minutes | Jeanne Herry
In this cleverly suspenseful and satirical thriller, Sandrine Kiberlain gives a Cesar nominated performance a beautician who would do literally anything for her idol, the French crooner Vincent Lacroix. Her loyalty is put to the test one night when Vincent shows up on her doorstep and asks for her help in a most nefarious task.
The Chef’s Wife
France | 2014 | 90 minutes | Anne Le Ny
Two of France’s most versatile and accomplished actresses, Karin Viard (Polisse, Delicatessen) and Emmannuelle Devos (Coco Before Chanel, Read My Lips), come together for this crowd-pleasing romantic comedy. Carole can no longer stand working alongside her talented Michelin-starred chef husband, Sam, so she meets with Marithé, who helps people explore new career opportunities. The two become friends, but when Marithé meets Sam, their mutual attraction complicates her motives in helping Carole to start over.
Métamorphoses
France | 2014 | 102 minutes | Christophe Honoré
Visionary director Christophe Honoré’s enchanting, slyly satiric, and erotic updating of the of Ovid’s magnum opus transports mythological tales to present-day France, where the Gods – Jupiter, Orpheus, Bacchus – transform into different forms and fall in love with humans.
The Anarchists
France | 2015 | 101 minutes | Elie Wajeman
Tahar Rahim (A Prophet) and Adèle Exarchopoulos (Blue Is the Warmest Color) star in this sweeping historical crime drama set in turn of the century Paris, where police officer Jean Albertini is tasked with infiltrating a band of anarchists, and unexpectedly falls in love with a passionate, and persuasive, member of the movement. Torn between duty and his heart, Jean will have to choose his allegiance.
The Great Man
France | 2014 | 107 minutes | Sarah Leonor
This stylistic tale of pristine visual sensibility and French Legionnaires (reminiscent of Claire Denis’s Beau Travail) is an intimate metaphysical look at two men trying to piece their life together after war. Told in five chapters, the story follows a soldier (Jérémie Renier) who is reunited with the man who saved his life, and unexpectedly finds himself able to repay his debt.
The Sweet Escape
France | 2015 | 105 minutes | Bruno Podalydés
Packed with visual flair, delightful banter, and a whiff of Wes Anderson, this bittersweet coming-of-middle-age comedy follows 50-something graphic designer Michel (director Bruno Podalydés), who, longing for a sense of freedom and adventure, takes up kayaking. Michel’s virgin voyage is a pastoral adventure, but it doesn’t lead him very far down stream.
The Clearstream Affair
France | 2014 | 110 minutes | Vincent Garenq
This ripped-from-the-headlines political thriller follows journalist Denis Robert (Gilles Lellouche) and Judge Renaud Van Ruymbeke (Charles Berling), who shake up the French governing class by exposing a dark political financial machine called the Clearstream system, which allowed financial institutions and wealthy investors to hold secret accounts for hiding unreported income and money laundering.
High Society
France | 2014 | 95 minutes | Julie Lopes Curval
A delicate exploration of young love, artistic expression, and social class, High Society tells of the relationship between 20-year-old Alice (Ana Girardot, “The Returned”), a working-class artist whose talent leads her to design school in Paris, and privileged aspiring photographer Antoine. While their differences initially prove exciting, they begin to find that the pull of bourgeois society and artistic ambition changes the dynamic of their tender affair.
I’m Dead But I Have Friends
Belgium | 2015 | 96 minutes | Guillaume Malandrin, Stéphane Malandrin
Filled with unexpected twists and delightfully deadpan humor, this comic road movie follows the ageing members of a punkish Belgian rock band who lose their lead singer but decide to maintain their concert dates in Los Angeles with vague plans to place the dead friend’s funeral urn in front of the microphone. Nothing – absolutely nothing – goes according to plan.
Fatima
France | 2015 | 79 minutes | Philippe Faucon
A sweet, insightful, and emotionally complex portrait of immigrants living in France, Fatima dives into the life of a Moroccan-born mother living in Lyon and struggling to raise her two teenage daughters, one rebellious, the other starting medical school. When she is put on leave from her job as a cleaning woman, Fatima starts to write letters to her daughters in Arabic, telling them all the things she can’t express in French.
Cosmodrama
France | 2015 | 105 minutes | Philippe Fernandez
A slyly funny mix of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and 2001: A Space Odyssey, this retro-futuristic sci-fi story begins when seven astronauts – including Sigmund Freud look-alike, an overly communicative chimp, and a friendly dog – wake up on a spaceship, not knowing where they have come from nor where they are heading. As the ship operates by itself, they have ample time to meditate on matter, life and the universe.
Tokyo Fiancée
Belgium | 2014 | 100 minutes | Stefan Liberski
A young Belgian woman who is obsessed with all things Japanese travels to Tokyo and falls into a whirlwind romance with a Japanese student who is obsessed with all things French. This charming comedy about young love and cultural discovery, is filled with complications, misunderstandings, and double meanings in both French and Japanese.
Young Tiger
France | 2015 | 87 minutes | Cyprien Vial
Set in Paris’ suburban Sikh community, this drama features newcomer Harmandeep Palminder in a touching lead performance as a 17-year old boy from Punjab, India, who is trying to lead the life of a typical teenager, yet finds a crushing responsibility to financially support his parents in India pushes him into unprecedented danger.
Wild Life
France | 2014 | 114 minutes | Cédric Kahn
Based on a true story, and produced by the Dardenne Brothers, this tale of a father’s reckless but all-consuming love follows married couple Carole and Philippe (Céline Sallette and Mathieu Kassovitz, both giving riveting performances) who renounce civilization and lead a nomadic life in their caravan. But when Carole tires of their itinerant lifestyle and moves back to the city, Philippe refuses to allow his sons to be raised according to the societal codes he abhors.
Malala Yousafzai found herself at the age of 15 subjected to a brutal assasination attemp by the Taliban in Pakistan following her fight to garauntee girls right to education. This documentary portrays her everyday life and her global work, with sharpness and inspiring pathos. The result is an intimate portrait of a young hero, women’s rights activist and Nobel price winner.
Invisible
BY LAWRENCE FAJARDO
European Premiere
Cast Allen Dizon, Ces Quescada, Bernardo Bernardo
Country Philippines, Japan
Year: 2015
Length: 132 min
In Japan they are virtually invisible but in this intimate drama three Filipino migrant workers take front stage. Linda hides some of them in her apartment much to the dismay of her Japanese husband. »Invisible« conveys through long takes and tasteful photography an equally exciting and important film about prejudice and class inequalities.
Lampedusa in Winter
BY JAKOB BROSSMANN
Swedish Premiere
Country Italy, Austria, Schwitzerland
Year: 2015
Length: 93 min
The media often describes “refugee island” Lampedusa as a conflict area with widespread racism. Jakob Brossmann has however chosen to portray a different side. He paints a touching portrait of the local people’s daily lives and how the refugees have become a part of their identity. The result is a highly relevant and insightful portrayal of migration and reception.
One Breath
BY CHRISTIAN ZÜBERT
Nordic Premiere
Cast Jördis Triebel, Chara Mata Giannatou, Benjamin Sadler
Country: Germany, Greece
Year: 2015
Length: 96 min,
A greek nanny and a career-driven mother in Frankfurt collide in this thrilling drama from German director Christian Zübert. When a child disappears the two women are forced to confront their fears and responsibilities. »One Breath« is a stylistic and fast paced depiction of a desperate hunt that stretches from Germany to Greece.
Out of My Hand
BY TAKESHI FUKUNAGA
Swedish Premiere
Cast: Bishop Blay, Zenobia Taylor, Duke Murhpy Dennis
Country: USA, Liberia
Year: 2015
Length: 88 min
Cisco is a rubber plantation worker in Liberia who barely earns enough to feed his family. A trip to New York and a new job as a taxi driver forces him to move to a city that elicits buried memories. »Out of My Hand« is a beautiful and compelling drama that connects two continents whilst introducing bold new talents from Liberia.
The Waiting Room
BY IGOR DRLJACA
Nordic Premiere
Cast: Jasmin Geljo, Filip Geljo, Masa Lizdek
Country: Canada
Year: 2015
Length: 92 min
Actor Jasmin Geljo from former Yugoslavia utilizes his own experiences in his depiction of a unhappy immigrant living in Canada. His job as a construction worker combined with a declining film career makes him yearn for the past. However a new role raises hopes but also heavy war memories. »The Waiting Room« is a quiet drama about not belonging.
They Call Us Beggars, Caroline Kernen, Tova Kurkiala Medbo (2015), Sweden, Romania. World premiere.
The Zabaltegi program at the 63rd San Sebastian Festival showcases the Spanish premieres of the latest works by reputed filmmakers including Laurie Anderson, Jem Cohen, Anca Damian, Andrés Di Tella, Eric Khoo, Corneliu Porumboiu, Walter Salles, and Alexander Sokurov, alongside films selected for international festivals at which they have won numerous awards. Feature films, documentaries, animated movies and a short film make up a selection that reflects the vitality of contemporary cinema.
327 CUADERNOS
ANDRÉS DI TELLA (ARGENTINA – CHILE)
A documentary by Andrés Di Tella starring Ricardo Piglia, one of the great narrators in the Spanish language, who decides to closely read his intimate diary for the first time. A record of 50 years of life. 327 identical notebooks, all with black oilskin covers, stored away in 40 cardboard boxes.
ADAMA
SIMON ROUBY (FRANCE)
Premiered at Annecy Film Festival, an animated coming-of-age story. 12-year-old Adama lives in a remote West African village. One night his older brother, Samba, disappears and he decides to set off in search of him on a quest that takes him over the seas, to the North, to the frontline of the First World War.
ALLENDE MI ABUELO ALLENDE (BEYOND MY GRANDFATHER ALLENDE)
MARCIA TAMBUTTI (CHILE)
35 years after the coup d’état that overthrew her grandfather, Salvador Allende, Marcia draws a family portrait that addresses the complexities of irreparable loss and the role of memory in three generations of an iconic family. Winner of the L’Oeil d’Or award for Best Documentary at the last Cannes Festival.
COMOARA / THE TREASURE
CORNELIU PORUMBOIU (ROMANIA – FRANCE)
Corneliu Porumboiu returns with a tender black comedy, in which a father’s love transforms an unlikely treasure hunt into a fairytale. Winner of the Un Certain Talent Prize at the last Cannes Festival.
COUNTING
JEM COHEN (USA)
Fifteen distinct but interconnected chapters, shot in locations from Russia to New York City to Istanbul. Together, these build to a reckoning at the intersection of city symphony, diary, and essay film. Perhaps the most personal of Cohen’s documentary works, it measures street life, light, and time, noting not only surveillance and over-development but resistance and its phantoms as manifested in music, animals and everyday magic.
EFTERSKALV / THE HERE AFTER
MAGNUS VON HORN (POLAND – SWEDEN – FRANCE)
The feature directorial debut by Magnus von Horn was presented at the Cannes Festival Directors’ Fortnight. After having served time in prison, John’s punishment has come to an end. But he soon discovers that the real pain he needs to experience has not yet begun.
FRANCOFONIA
ALEXANDER SOKUROV (FRANCE – GERMANY – NETHERLANDS)
Paris 1940: Large armies are trampling on the heart of civilisation and cannon fire is once again taking its toll. Jacques Jaujard and Count Franziskus Wolff Metternich worked together to protect and preserve the treasure of the Louvre Museum. Alexander Sokurov tells their story. He explores the relationship between art and power, and asks what art tells us about ourselves, at the very heart of one of the most devastating conflicts the world has ever known. The film will compete in the Official Selection of the Venice Film Festival.
HEART OF A DOG
LAURIE ANDERSON (USA)
Composer and artist Laurie Anderson explores in this personal essay film themes of love death and language. The director’s voice is a constant presence as stories of her dog Lolabelle, her mother, childhood fantasies, political and philosophical theories unfurl in a seamless song like stream. The film will compete in the Official Selection at the Venice Film Festival.
IN THE ROOM
ERIC KHOO (HONG KONG – SINGAPORE) (pictured main image aboce)
Eric Khoo’s latest film is a tapestry of stories, all of which unfold in a hotel room over several decades. The common thread is sex. That hotel room is Room 27 at the Singapura Hotel, which started out as a ritzy establishment in the 1940s but has, over the decades, lost its sheen of respectability. In that time, Room 27 has felt and experienced – through the individuals who have passed through its doors and made love on its bed – all facets of the human condition: joy, love, fear, compassion, cruelty, depravity and redemption.
UNE JEUNESSE ALLEMANDE / A GERMAN YOUTH
JEAN-GABRIEL PÉRIOT (FRANCE – SWITZERLAND – GERMANY)
A chronicle of the political radicalization of a number of German youths in the late 1960s, giving rise to the Red Army Faction (RAF), a German revolutionary terrorist group founded, among others, by Andreas Baader and Ulrike Meinhof. It premiered at the Berlinale’s Dokumente Panorama section.
JIA ZHANG-KE, UM HOMEM DE FENYANG / JIA ZHANGKE, A GUY FROM FENYANG
WALTER SALLES (BRAZIL)
The portrait of a young Chinese director who has become one of the most important filmmakers of our time. The documentary, directed by Walter Salles, dwells on the question of memory (individual as well as collective) and cinema. Jia Zhang-ke returns to his birthplace, the Shanxi province in Northern China, and to the locations of his films. It premiered at the Berlinale’s Dokumente Panorama section.
KARATSI / LOSERS
IVAILO HRISTOV (BULGARIA)
Winner of the top prize at Moscow Film Festival, this film stars Elena, Koko, Patso and Gosho, high school students in a small provincial town. Koko is in love with Elena. She wants to be a singer and is excited about the upcoming concert by a famous rock band. An event that shakes up the town and gives birth to new love.
MARIPOSA
MARCO BERGER (ARGENTINA)
A butterfly’s flapping wings divides Romino and Germán’s universe into two parallel realities: in one of them they grow as siblings who conceal their desire for one another; while in the other they are two youngsters who have an unusual friendship. Winning film of the Sebastiane Latino 2015 Award.
MONTANHA
JOÃO SALAVIZA (PORTUGAL – FRANCE)
A hot summer in Lisbon. David, 14, awaits the imminent death of his grandfather but refuses to visit him, fearing this terrible loss. The void already left by his grandfather forces David to become the man of the house. He doesn’t feel ready to assume this new role, but without realizing it: the more David tries to avoid adulthood, the more he gets closer to it…Selected for Venice’s Critics’ Week.
MUNTELE MAGIC / THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN
ANCA DAMIAN (ROMANIA – FRANCE – POLAND)
The latest film by filmmaker Anca Damian (Crulic) landed a special mention at the Karlovy Vary Festival. In the form of an animated docudrama, the biography of Adam Jacek Winker, a Polish refugee in Paris, portrays a boundless life driven by the desire to change the world.
PSICONAUTAS
ALBERTO VÁZQUEZ, PEDRO RIVERO (SPAIN)
Teenagers Birdboy and Dinki have decided to escape from an island devastated by ecological catastrophe: Birdboy by shutting himself off from the world, Dinki by setting out on a dangerous voyage in the hope that Birdboy will accompany him.
THE SHOW OF SHOWS: 100 YEARS OF VAUDEVILLE, CIRCUSES AND CARNIVALS
BENEDIKT ERLINGSSON (ICELAND – UK)
Benedikt Erlingsson, winner of the Kutxa-New Directors Award in 2013 for Of Horse and Men, takes us back to the days when the most outlandish, skillful and breathtaking acts traveled the world. In this film, rarities and never-before seen footage of fairgrounds, circus entertainment, freak shows, variety performances, music hall and seaside entertainment are chronicled from the 19th and 20th century with an original score by Sigur Rós.
SWAP
REMTON ZUASOLA (PHILIPPINES)
Produced by Brillante Mendoza, Remton Zuasola’s film tells the story of a young father torn between solving a crime and committing another when his only son is kidnapped and the only way to get him back is to kidnap another child in exchange for his life.
The following titles join the Spanish productions already announced:
UN DÍA VI 10.000 ELEFANTES – Alex Guimerà, Juan Pajares
ISLA BONITA – Fernando Colomo
MI QUERIDA ESPAÑA – Mercedes Moncada
LA NOVIA – Paula Ortiz
THE PROPAGANDA GAME – Álvaro Longoria
DUELLUM (Short film) – Tucker Dávila Wood