nwFilmCenter

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.

Fri, Jun 20, 2008 at 7 PM Sat, Jun 21, 2008 at 9 PM	THE FISH FALL IN LOVE DIRECTOR: ALI RAFFI IRAN Atieh 's singular passion is food, and her small but popular restaurant on the sleepy Caspian coast is her pride and joy. But when Aziz, a former lover, appears after a twenty-year absence with the intention of closing the restaurant, Atieh prepares his favorite dishes, one after the other, in a desperate effort to convince him not to. Loosely based on the Persian fable of "Shahrazad and the Thousand Myths" ("A Thousand and One Nights"), THE FISH FALL IN LOVE uses the language of food to paint a richly textured portrait of life and love on the southern coast of Iran. In Persian with English subtitles. ( 96 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Jun 21, 2008 at 7 PM Sun, Jun 22, 2008 at 8:30 PM	KEPT AND DREAMLESS DIRECTOR: VERA FOGWILL ARGENTINA During Argentina 's economic crisis of the '90s, nine-year-old Eugenia and her mother, Florencia, live a colorful life filled with eclectic neighbors and an assortment of offbeat family members. But for Eugenia, who must deal with her mother 's dysfunctional and drug-addled lifestyle, life may be colorful but is anything but pleasant. KEPT AND DREAMLESS is a darkly comic and inspiring story of expectation, acceptance and nontraditional family, featuring standout performances from director Vera Fogwill and young actress Lucía Snieg. Fogwill 's film was the winner of several Argentine Film Critics Awards. In Spanish with English subtitles. ( 100 min ) ^ Top
Sun, Jun 22, 2008 at 6:30 PM Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 7 PM	THE KITE DIRECTOR: RANDA CHAHAL SABBAG LEBANON In director Sabbag 's "fairytale for troubled times," 16-year-old Lamia must cross a border checkpoint between Lebanon and Israel to marry a man she has never met. But on her wedding day, neither she nor her betrothed are eager to consummate a marriage to a stranger—a matter further complicated by Lamia 's surprising admission that she is in love with the Israeli soldier guarding the checkpoint. Delicate symbolism and artful references to the politics of Lebanon 's annexed territories underscore Sabbag 's enchanting drama about marriage and tradition. Grand Special Jury Prize, Venice Film Festival. In Arabic with English subtitles. ( 80 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 7 PM Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 9 PM	OPERA JAWA DIRECTOR: GARIN NUGROHO INDONESIA Setyo and Siti live a peaceful life as husband and wife, selling earthenware in their small village. But when Setyo is called away on business, a flirtatious butcher, Ludiro, takes advantage of Siti 's loneliness to seduce her. Siti initially refuses his advances, but tempted by song and dance, she acquiesces in a moment of weakness, setting the stage for an epic battle between the two men. Located in the lush forests and on the pristine beaches of Java, this dazzling visual narrative is based on "The Abduction of Sita," from the Hindu epic "The Ramayana." "A surrealist Indonesian pomo-folkloric/funkadelic musical-slash-avant-garde pop-and-rock revolutionary romance-slash-Hindu song-and-dance-installation art extravaganza."—VILLAGE VOICE. In Indonesian with English subtitles. ( 120 min ) ^ Top
Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 9:15 PM Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 8:15 PM	THE CUSTODIAN DIRECTOR: RODERICO MORENO ARGENTINA As a bodyguard for a high-profile politician, Ruben is reduced to a mere shadow of a man: every action in his life is regulated by a series of mundane routines, and everywhere his boss goes he must follow, watching but never speaking. Resigned to his invisibility, his life is a series of days without meaning, punctuated only by visits to a prostitute. This compelling chronicle by first-time director Moreno offers a haunting portrait of a man without any true identity or connection to the world in which he lives. Best Director Prize, Havana Film Festival. In Spanish with English subtitles. ( 93 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 7 PM Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 6:30 PM	LUXURY CAR DIRECTOR: WANG CHAO CHINA In this emotionally taut narrative, winner of the Un Certain Regard Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Li Qi Ming travels from his small village to the city of Wuhan, determined to fulfill his dying wife 's last wish: to see their son again. But instead of finding his son, he finds his daughter—working as a karaoke bar escort. Li Qi Ming is forced to come to terms with his long estrangement from his daughter, and must face the tenuous future of his family. Chao uses the disappointed father to represent the painful reality of thousands of parents who have lost contact with their children through rural exodus and political upheaval in China. In Mandarin with English subtitles. ( 88 min ) ^ Top
Wed, Jul 2, 2008 at 7 PM Sun, Jul 6, 2008 at 6:30 PM	LET THE WIND BLOW DIRECTOR: PARTHO SEN GUPTA INDIA At the height of nuclear tensions between India and Pakistan, Arjun and his best friend, Chabia, weigh their options for the future against the reality of life on the streets of Mumbai. Enticed by the promise of wealth and opportunity in the Persian Gulf, Chabia is eager to leave his job as a mechanic. But for Arjun, who must finish college and care for his mother, the decision is not so easy. Gupta 's gritty, apocalyptic updating of Krishna 's counsel to Arjuna in the "Bhagavad Gita" provides timeless perspective on the human condition. In Hindi with English subtitles. ( 93 min ) ^ Top
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 6:45 PM Sat, Jul 5, 2008 at 9 PM	BUNNY CHOW DIRECTOR: JOHN BARKER SOUTH AFRICA In Barker 's raucous debut feature, up-and-coming comedians Kags, Joey and Dave believe that life in the "new" Johannesburg is not just about hardship and townships. It 's also about finding humor in love, hanging out with friends, and celebrating life on a roadtrip to Oppi Koppi, South Africa 's largest music festival. Shot in a cinema vérité style and using the street food "bunny chow" as a metaphor for contemporary Johannesburg 's mix of races, cultures and attitudes, Barker 's edgy, urban comedy asks us to envision a nation through the eyes of its future, rather than the tragedy of its past. "Not only laughs, but youth, energy and style."—THE GUARDIAN, London. In Afrikaans and Tsotsi Taal with English subtitles. ( 95 min ) ^ Top
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 at 8:45 PM Wed, Jul 9, 2008 at 7 PM	THE BET COLLECTOR DIRECTOR: JEFFERY JETURIAN PHILIPPINES Amy, the family matriarch, makes ends meet by running a small convenience store out of her home. But in a struggling economy customers are scarce, and when she receives no help from her husband or pregnant daughter, she is forced to supplement the family income by collecting bets for an illegal numbers game. In this starkly realistic narrative, Jeturian presents a captivating portrait of a once-proud woman, haunted by memories of a dead son and hounded by the police, who endures a fragile and lonely life as a kubrador (bet collector) on the streets of Manila. Critics ' Prize, Moscow Film Festival. In Tagalog with English subtitles. ( 98 min ) ^ Top
Sat, Jul 5, 2008 at 7 PM Sun, Jul 6, 2008 at 8:30 PM	ALL FOR FREE DIRECTOR: ANTONIO NUIÉ CROATIA After his friends are killed in a bizarre bar room argument, Goran devises an unusual plan to deal with the loss: he will sell his house, buy a mobile tavern and travel from town to town, giving away free drinks to everyone he meets. But for everyone except Goran, the idea is strangely suspicious, and a bit absurd. A darkly humorous tale of loss and reconciliation, ALL FOR FREE is a metaphor for Bosnia 's gradual rediscovery of a shared humanity that was lost during the war. Best Director and Screenplay Awards, Pula Film Festival.In Bosnian-Croatian with English subtitles. ( 94 min ) ^ Top