nwFilmCenter

June/July/August 2008

Sun, Jun 1, 2008 - Sun, Aug 31, 2008

Egyptian cinema, now over 100 years old, remains the major force in the film entertainment industry in the Middle East. Egyptian filmmakers have largely eschewed the contemporary art film genres that have emerged in Iran, preferring instead to make popular films that express the dreams and fears of mass audiences, while also symbolically translating and negotiating social realities. Working in an environment of government censorship that has made the overtly political problematic, during the last decade filmmakers have nonetheless explored a broad array of themes—from gender relations to feminism, from Islam to popular ideas about sexuality and morality—and found expression within the mainstream tradition. The films in this series offer frank, contemporary views of issues confronting a tradition-bound society as it grapples with changing values in a modern world. Thanks to the Middle East Studies Center, Portland State University and American Research Center in Egypt, Oregon Chapter, for co-sponsoring these free screenings.

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Derek Jarman

Derek Jarman (1942-1994) was the "enfant terrible" of British cinema in the 70s, 80s and 90s. With singular visual flair—mixing past and future, theater and painting, performance art and visual abstraction, sex and politics—Jarman struggled for gay liberation. In a world devastated by AIDS, Jarman lived as participant and observer, synthesizing and presenting all that passed before him with honesty, originality, intelligence and unique artistic vision. We are pleased to begin our retrospective with Isaac Julien and Tilda Swinton's new DEREK, a loving homage to this seminal figure in the history of independent film and art. Special thanks to our media sponsor Just Out.

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Franco Piavoli

Praised by such diverse filmmakers as Bernardo Bertolucci, Stan Brakhage, Godfrey (Koyaanisqatsi) Reggio, and Andrei Tarkovsky, Italian filmmaker Franco Piavoli's films comprise a symphonic suite of cinema pieces in which the sounds and images of nature are like the notes of a musical score. No subtitles are needed, because Piavoli's vocabulary is not learned by reading text or hearing voices, but by watching, listening, feeling, absorbing and remembering. On the 25th anniversary of the release of his BLUE PLANET, we are pleased to screen all four of his features, works that resonate all the more as our perspectives on the environment we share comes into focus with renewed urgency. Special thanks to Giuseppe Bruno-Bossio, Promofest, New York, in collaboration with Provincia di Brescia, Fondazione Banca Agricola Mantovana, and Fondazione Aida, Verona.

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Global Lens

Global Lens is a showcase of compelling new international films from countries with emerging and developing economies, and challenging film infrastructures. Organized by the Global Film Initiative, a non-profit organization founded to promote cross-cultural understanding through cinema, each has been selected for its authentic voice, cinematic accomplishment and unique cultural perspective. As well as bringing these films to audiences in the United States, the Initiative also develops programs to promote the production of narrative films in the developing world, recognizing that cinematic storytelling has a unique capability for fostering respect, trust and understanding.

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Milos Forman

"I discovered very soon that you can speak different languages and have different customs, but human nature is the same everywhere."—Milos Forman

Milos Forman has been making films of remarkable wit and insight for more than 40 years, first in Czechoslovakia and then, after the 1968 Soviet invasion, in the United States. No matter how disparate they seem on the surface, his works are united by a deep empathy for his characters, especially those who march to the beat of their own drummers. The sharp antiauthoritarian spirit and heartfelt humanism of his films have impressed audiences internationally with their ability to capture the zeitgeist of the moment, whatever the era, whatever the culture. We are pleased to screen nine of his finest works, including the classic ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, filmed in Salem 33 years ago. Special thanks to Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film, Museum of Modern Art, New York; The Czech Center, New York; The National Film Archive, Prague; and Irena Kovarova, independent curator.

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Top Down

Join us on the panoramic parking rooftop at the deluxe Hotel deLuxe, SW 15th at Yamhill, for some warm starry nights of entertaining films, culinary treats, a little live music and spectacular city views. The evenings begin at 8pm with live music and refreshments. Gracie's Restaurant will offer easy-to-juggle meals, snacks and cocktails, and additional beverages will be available from TAZO and Sierra Nevada Brewing. The screenings start at dusk—around 9pm depending on the light. Bring your favorite portable chair or blanket, but please, no pets or outside food and drink. Admission $7. Thanks to our sponsors: Hotel deLuxe, Willamette Week, ZipCar, 94/7FM Alternative Portland, KPSU Portland's College Radio, TAZO and Sierra Nevada Brewing.

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Special Screenings

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