Aaltra – by Benoît Delépine & Gustave de Kervern
Friday, September 14, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
Two neighbors in the Belgian countryside: Gus, a white-collar worker, and Ben, a farmer, despise one another. One day, in the midst of a fight, an accident with a tractor leaves them both paralyzed, wheelchair-bound, and spiteful. Rather than feeling sorry for themselves, the embittered paraplegics decide to seek revenge against the tractor's manufacturer, Aaltra. They set out to Finland, directing their frustrations towards people they meet on their way. They steal money, food, and even an electric wheelchair that belongs to an old lady. They abuse people's compassion towards them but when they at last reach the company's headquarters, they are in for a big surprise… Captured in sharp black-and-white photography that complements its visual gags, Aaltra undermines conventional attitudes toward the disabled with its dry wit and acerbic, vengeful characters. In this film, the disabled protagonists are simply normal human beings, at times a bit stupid, a bit nasty, and often funny. Actors Benoît Delépine and Gustave Kervern, who wrote, directed and co-star, show a distinct flair for understated physical comedy and politically incorrect humor.
Running Time: 92 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
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Mondovino – by Jonathan Nossiter
Friday, September 21, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
For thousands of years, wine has been an important tradition in many countries. Never has so much pride – and money – been at stake as today. Never have the battle lines been so clearly drawn between the old world and the new, between peasants and millionaires, and between local, artisanal styles of wine production and multinational, mass-produced ones. The ultimate film about wine, Mondovino was filmed over a three-year period in France, Italy, the United States, Argentina and Brazil. Juxtaposing mom-and-pop wine growers with conglomerates, Jonathan Nossiter, a trained sommelier and wine writer, intertwines multiple family dramas – some of which play like soap operas. Through interviews of amateurs, winegrowers, businessmen, and critics, he uncovers the complex tapestry of conflicts, conspiracies, and alliances that stem from the production, distribution, and consumption of wine. Mondovino gives voice to those who create, critique, sell, and distribute wine, offering a surprisingly varied, and sometimes controversial glimpse into something many people enjoy but few people know much about.
Running Time: 135 minutes
Rating: PG-13 (brief pin-up nudity)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Les Invasions Barbares (The Barbarian Invasions) – by Denys Arcand
Friday, September 28, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
In Québec, Rémy, a truculent, hedonist, and ex-radical professor in his fifties, is dying of cancer. His son, Sébastien, who lives in London and with whom he has had little contact for years, is called to be at his side. After a difficult start, Sébastien's generosity leads him to handle everything, from bribing the hospital union to reuniting his father's best friends and mistresses at his bedside. Soon, Rémy's pain overwhelms him, and one of his mistress' daughter, a junky, agrees to find some heroin to help him through his pain. Mistresses, best friends, and family go with Rémy to the countryside for his final days. These last scenes are unforgettable, as Denys Arcand focuses his camera on the long conversations that take place between them. Love for life, political ideals, beauty, the current state of the world and friendship are all recalled by the close-knit group. Winner of many awards, The Barbarian Invasions is packed with wit and emotion. Denys Arcand proves once again that he is a master at portraying life without embellishment and at poking fun at institutions such as the health care system and the Catholic Church.
Running Time: 99 minutes
Rating: R (language, sexual dialogue and drug content)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Le Plafond de Verre (The Glass Ceiling) – by Yamina Benguigui
Thursday, October 4, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
“The Glass Ceiling” is an American sociological expression referring to the invisible, impalpable barrier that prevents women from reaching the same level as men in their careers. Using this metaphor, Yamina Benguigui examines the integration of immigrants in the workplace. For her, the comparison between immigrants and women is relevant because they face the same challenges: the issue is not necessarily about finding work, but about being hired for positions of responsibility that correspond to their educational backgrounds. The film provides deeply moving testimonies of qualified students who, because of their obviously foreign last names, were not called back for job interviews. Some chose to fight for jobs for which they are qualified, others gave up and accepted positions with less or no responsibilities. Yamina Benguigui also interviews experts who discuss the reasons behind discrimination, which include France's colonial past as well as deeply entrenched corporate practices, and the difficulty that individuals of foreign origins face.
Running Time: 90 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
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Indigènes (Days of Glory) – by Rachid Bouchareb
Friday, October 5, 2007, 7:30 p.m.
In 1944 and 1945 the liberation of Italy, Provence, the Alps, the Rhone Valley, Vosges, Alsace was essential to the victory of the allies. What is little known is that these victories were largely due to the accomplishment of recruits from Africa. 130 000 natives from North Africa and 20 000 Africans fought to liberate France, a country they had never seen before. With a reputation for endurance, sense of orientation and great courage, they were sent to the front lines of the battlefields. Days of Glory relates the forgotten story of these soldiers known as “Indigènes” through four of these courageous men: Yassir, Abdelkader, Saïd and Messaoud. Yassir expects to collect a booty for his services in the army. Surprised by the warm welcome he receives from the French, Messaoud hopes to marry and live in France, in order to escape racism in Algeria. By joining the military, Saïd wishes to escape poverty in Morocco and hopes to find a family in the French army. Abdelkader becomes a soldier to fight for liberty and equality. While fighting for freedom, these soldiers must face tremendous racism in the military, and in French society, forcing them to struggle for equality of treatment at every turn.
Running Time: 120 minutes
Rating: R (war violence and brief language)
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All films are subtitled in English, and will be shown in The Bytwerk Theater on the campus of Calvin College in the DeVos Communication Center. Free admission.
For more information call (616) 526-6361.
Sponsored by the Calvin College French Department and the Calvin College Film Forum with the support of a FACE Tournées grant.
*Film line-up and dates are subject to change.
Check back in the fall for the definitive schedule.
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