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The
House of Sand,
by Andrucha
Waddington (Brazil, 2005)
"The
House of Sand" follows three generations of women as they
struggle to make a life for themselves in the desert of northeastern
Brazil . The film opens in 1910 as Vasco da Sa brings his pregnant
wife Áurea and her mother Maria to Maranhão to
homestead the barren waste. When Vasco dies, the women are
left to fend for themselves and Áurea’s unborn
daughter. This film marks the first time Oscar-winner Fernanda
Montenegro has been paired with her daughter, Fernanda Torres
and, in a move that adds nuance to the film, Montenegro plays
all three of the women at different stages of their lives.
115 minutes. Portuguese with English
subtitles.
"…has
the clarity of a fable and the sentimental enchantment of
a magic-realist novel." — New York Times
Wednesday,
September 12, 7:00 pm
Room 160, Kroeber Hall
The
Aura
by Fabián
Bielinsky (Argentina, 2005)
An
epileptic taxidermist who fantasizes about committing the perfect
crime stumbles upon an opportunity while on a hunting trip in
Patagonia. After mistakenly shooting a criminal in a hunting
accident, the unnamed protagonist decides to take over the dead
man’s role in a casino heist. Adding to the tension is
the uncertainty caused by his epilepsy, which comes on without
warning.
134 minutes. Spanish with English subtitles.
"…a top-notch heist thriller … full
of dark, moody atmosphere and richly imagined, indelibly etched
characters." — Chicago
Tribune
Wednesday,
October 10, 7:00 pm
Room 160, Kroeber Hall
American
Visa
by Juan Carlos Valdivia (Bolivia,
2005)
A
mild-mannered English teacher hoping to reunite with his son
in Miami turns to dangerous money-making schemes in an effort
to buy a black market U.S. visa. Along the way he meets the exotic
dancer, Blanca, who complicates his plans with her desire to
settle down in Bolivia . For director Juan Carlos Valdivia this
film, set in the Bolivian capital La Paz, is about "the
Bolivian dream versus the American dream."
100 minutes.
Spanish with English subtitles.
There
will be a question and answer session with Juan de
Recacoechea, the author of American Visa, after
the film.
Please note that this film contains mature content and may
not be suitable for all audiences.
Monday,
October 29, 7:00 pm
Pacific Film Archive Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way
The
Price of Sugar
Directed by Bill Haney (2007)
“The
Price of Sugar” follows a charismatic Spanish priest,
Father Christopher Hartley, as he organizes some of this
hemisphere’s poorest people, challenging powerful interests
profiting from their work. When he arrives in the Dominican
Republic , he’s warned against entering the sugar plantations
where most of his parishioners live. Breaking a centuries
old taboo, he discovers shocking examples of modern-day slavery
intrinsic to the global sugar trade. “The Price of
Sugar” raises key questions about where the products
we consume originate, at what cost they are produced and
ultimately, where our responsibility lies.
90 minutes. English and Spanish
with English subtitles.
The
screening will be followed by a question and answer session
featuring Mariah Lafleur, Berkeley Public Health graduate
student and a PeaceCorps volunteer on the Vicini plantations
at the time of the filming and Roxanna Altholz, Associate
Director of the International Human Rights Law Clinic at
Boalt Hall and a key adviser in Inter-American Court ruling
that recognized the right of Dominican-born children of Haitian
ancestry to nationality
and education.
Tuesday,
October 30, 6:30 pm
Room
110, Boalt Hall
The
Year My Parents Went on Vacation
by
Cao Hamburger (Brazil, 2006)
In
this coming-of-age film that juxtaposes the excitement of Brazil’s
victory in the 1970 World Cup with the increasing oppression
of the military government, 12 year-old Mauro is dropped off
at his Jewish grandfather’s house when his left-leaning
parents take an unexpected “vacation.” The plot thickens
when Mauro discovers that his grandfather has just died, and
he must learn to live in an unfamiliar community in an uncertain
time. 104 minutes. Portuguese with English subtitles.
The
mixture of sports and politics adds a phenomenal touch to
a story that is, at its core, fundamentally about an outsider
trying to fit in.— Tribeca Movie Review
Monday,
December 3, 7:00 pm
Pacific Film Archive Theater, 2575 Bancroft Way
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