Free Film Screening - Live Cinema Concert

Presented by Italian Cultural Institute of Abu Dhabi in cooperation with Museo Nazionale del Cinema

Featuring Piano accompaniment by Stefano Maccagno

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Giovanni Pastrone

Italy | 1914 | 166 minutes | English Intertitles

Rating: [ G ] -  General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  Carthage, Third Century B.C., during the second Punic War. The story concerns a girl, Cabiria, who is separated from her parents and in her odyssey through the world of ancient Rome she observes the eruption of Mt. Etna, endures capture by pirates, views the barbaric splendor of Carthage, and witnesses both human sacrifice and Hannibal crossing the Alps. When young Cabiria is about to be sacrificed to the god Moloch, she is saved by the Roman Fulvio Axilla and his faithful servant Maciste. Many years later, the two recognize her as the beautiful Elissa, Sofonisba's (the king of Carthage's daughter) favorite and entrapped by the high priest Kharthalo. The final defeat of Carthage by the Romans crowns the birth of love between Axilla and Cabiria. Inspired by grand opera and Italy's imperialist victory in the Libyan War (1911-12), the Italian movie industry produced dozens of historical epics in the period just before WW I. The most influential and successful of these was this visually spectacular film which set the standard for big-budget feature-length movies around the world. In addition to the meticulous care given to costume and set design, Cabiria was also filmed in on location in North Africa, Sicily and the Italian Alps.

Free Film Screening

Presented by Italian Cultural Institute of Abu Dhabi

Veloce come il vento (original title)

Directed by Matteo Rovere

Italy | 2016 | 119 minutes

In Italian with English Subtitles

RATING: [ 15+ ] - (Suitable for viewers ages 15 and above)

Synopsis:  Giulia De Martino (newcomer Matilda De Angelis), is 17-years-old and already carries the weight of her family on her shoulders. Her mother has left, and when her father dies, it is up to her to look after her little brother, and the family garage, which has been turning out rally champions for generations. Overwhelmed with debt, Giulia, who is a promising racing driver herself, must win the GT championships at any cost. She reaches out to her older brother Loris (brilliantly played by Stefano Accorsi), a former champion driver who has fallen into the spiral of drugs. Matteo Rovere’s new film mixes action and emotion and plunges the viewer into the world of GT (Gran Turismo) racing; into the training, preparation and visceral passion that goes into a race, and tells a true story of survival, pride, redemption and the unparalleled bond between siblings. Based on a true story, Italian Race portrays talent and deterioration, competition and toxic love in a way that is both accurate and realistic.

Free Film Screening - Family Friendly Program

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Cecil B. DeMille
USA | 1956 | 220 minutes (with intermission)

in English

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  Cecil B. De Mille's The Ten Commandments  is universally recognized as a cinematic masterpiece telling the epic story of an adopted Egyptian prince (Charlton Heston) who breaks with his brother the Pharaoh (Yul Brynner), delivers his people to freedom, leads the Exodus from Egypt and receives the Ten Commandments from atop Mount Sinai. From its Oscar winning director and revolutionary special effects to its memorable music score and all star cast including Anne Baxter, Edward G. Robinson, Yvonne De Carlo, Debra Paget, John Derek, and Vincent Price the film was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture. De Mille emphasized the colossal spectacle of the biblical epic, but never downplayed the tremendous human emotions at the core of the story. Shot on location in Egypt, Mount Sinai and the Sinai Peninsula in stunning VistaVision, the film is now fully restored to its incredible glory and remains one of the most spectacular and revered films of all time. Join us for a rare opportunity to see this glorious epic the way it was meant to be experienced complete with intermission!

Free Film Screening

Presented by Goethe-Institut Gulf Region

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Werner Herzog

Germany | 1972 | 94 minutes

In German with English Subtitles

RATING: [ 18+ ] - (Suitable for viewers ages 18 and above)

Synopsis:  In the mid-16th century, after annihilating the Incan empire, Gonzalo Pizarro (Allejandro Repullés) leads his army of conquistadors over the Andes into the heart of the most savage environment on earth in search of the fabled City of Gold, El Dorado. As the soldiers battle starvation, Indians, the forces of nature, and each other, Don Lope de Aguirre (Klaus Kinski), "The Wrath of God," is consumed with visions of conquering all of South America and revolts, leading his own army down a treacherous river on a doomed quest into oblivion. Featuring a seething, controlled performance from Klaus Kinski, this early masterpiece from director Werner Herzog was filmed entirely on location in the wild Amazonian jungle and remains an unforgettable portrait of madness, power, doomed adventure and savage beauty in one of Herzog's most extraordinary and brilliant achievements presented here in a newly restored version of the film.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky

Egypt | 2018 | 93 minutes

In Arabic with English Subtitles

RATING: [ 18+ ]

Synopsis:  After the death of his wife, Beshay bravely decides to leave the isolated community where he was abandoned as a child. Along with Obama, the young orphan he has taken under his wing, and his beloved donkey, he embarks on a journey across Egypt to his hometown to find out why his father never kept his promise to return. But Beshay isn’t a man like other men: he is a leper, now cured, whose scars have led him to live apart from the world. Together, he and Obama will confront the world with all its sorrows and moments of grace, in his quest for a family, a place to belong, a little humanity… An adventure-filled drama and a first feature that tells the heart-warming story of a remarkable friendship.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Nadine Labaki
Lebanon | 2016 | 126 minutes
In Arabic, Amharic with English Subtitles
RATING: [ 18+ ]

Synopsis:  Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Capernaum (“Chaos”), a new film by Nadine Labaki about the journey of a clever, gutsy 12-year-old boy, Zain, who survives the dangers of the city streets by his wits. He flees his parents and to assert his rights, takes them to court suing them for the “crime” of giving him life. Capernaum follows Zain, a gutsy streetwise child as he flees his negligent parents, survives through his wits on the streets, takes care of Ethiopian refugee Rahil (Yordanos Shiferaw) and her baby son, Yonas (Boluwatife Treasure Bankole), being jailed for a crime, and finally, seeks justice in a courtroom. While steeped in the quiet routines of ordinary people, Capernaum is a film with an expansive palette: without warning it can ignite with emotional intensity, surprise with unexpected tenderness, and inspire with flashes of poetic imagery. Although it is set in the depths of a society’s systematic inhumanity, Capernaum is ultimately a hopeful film that stirs the heart as deeply as it cries out for action.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky

Egypt | 2018 | 93 minutes

In Arabic with English Subtitles

RATING: [ 18+ ]

Synopsis:  After the death of his wife, Beshay bravely decides to leave the isolated community where he was abandoned as a child. Along with Obama, the young orphan he has taken under his wing, and his beloved donkey, he embarks on a journey across Egypt to his hometown to find out why his father never kept his promise to return. But Beshay isn’t a man like other men: he is a leper, now cured, whose scars have led him to live apart from the world. Together, he and Obama will confront the world with all its sorrows and moments of grace, in his quest for a family, a place to belong, a little humanity… An adventure-filled drama and a first feature that tells the heart-warming story of a remarkable friendship.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Wim Wenders
France, Germany, Italy, Switzerland
2018 | 96 minutes
In English, German, Italian, Spanish with English Subtitles
RATING: [ 18+ ]

Synopsis:  Wim Wenders’ new documentary, “Pope Francis - A Man of His Word,” is intended to be a personal journey with Pope Francis, rather than a biographical documentary about him. The pope’s ideas and his message are central to this documentary, which sets out to present his work of reform and his answers to today’s global questions. From his deep concern for the poor and wealth inequality, to his involvement in environmental issues and social justice, Pope Francis engages the audience face-to-face and calls for peace.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Soudade Kaadan
Syria, Lebanon, France | 2018 | 94 minutes
In Arabic with English Subtitles
RATING: [ 18+ ]
Synopsis:  In Damascus, young pharmacist Sana is trying to give her son as normal a childhood as possible. It is 2012, the start of the war in Syria, and water, gas and electricity are scarce. Sana hears there are bottles of gas to be had in a city nearby. She sets off on a search that quickly gets out of hand after she encounters an unexpected roadblock. Along the way, she experiences the kindness of strangers, but also her worst nightmare. In an olive grove, she discovers that people can lose their shadows – as if the traumatic experience of war causes them to lose something of themselves. Following several documentaries on refugees, this gripping story marks Soudade Kaadan’s transition to fiction. Her background in documentary is clearly visible in the natural acting, handheld camerawork and hyper-realism of Sana’s panic-stricken journey, with an excursion into the territory of magical realism. Winner of the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut in Venice.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Marlina Si Pembunuh dalam Empat Babak (Original Title)

Directed by Mouly Surya

Indonesia | 2017 | 93 minutes

In Indonesian with English Subtitles

RATING: [ 18+ ]

Synopsis:  In the deserted hills of an Indonesian island, Marlina (Marsha Timothy), a young widow, is attacked and robbed of all her livestock by a gang of seven bandits. She then defends herself, setting out on a journey to find justice, empowerment, retribution and redemption. But the road is long, especially when she begins to be haunted by the ghost of her victim. A stunning Scope western set to a Morricone-inspired score, this unique tale of female cinematic revenge takes no prisoners.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Soudade Kaadan
Syria, Lebanon, France | 2018 | 94 minutes
In Arabic with English Subtitles
RATING: [ 18+ ]
Synopsis:  In Damascus, young pharmacist Sana is trying to give her son as normal a childhood as possible. It is 2012, the start of the war in Syria, and water, gas and electricity are scarce. Sana hears there are bottles of gas to be had in a city nearby. She sets off on a search that quickly gets out of hand after she encounters an unexpected roadblock. Along the way, she experiences the kindness of strangers, but also her worst nightmare. In an olive grove, she discovers that people can lose their shadows – as if the traumatic experience of war causes them to lose something of themselves. Following several documentaries on refugees, this gripping story marks Soudade Kaadan’s transition to fiction. Her background in documentary is clearly visible in the natural acting, handheld camerawork and hyper-realism of Sana’s panic-stricken journey, with an excursion into the territory of magical realism. Winner of the Luigi De Laurentiis Award for Best Debut in Venice.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda
Japan | 2018 | 121 minutes
In Japanese with English Subtitles
RATING: [ 18+ ]

Synopsis:  On the margins of Tokyo, a dysfunctional band of outsiders are united by fierce loyalty, a penchant for petty theft and playful grifting. After one of their shoplifting sessions, Osamu and his son come across a little girl in the freezing cold. At first reluctant to shelter the girl, Osamu’s wife agrees to take care of her after learning of the hardships she faces. Although the family is poor, barely making enough money to survive through petty crime, they seem to live happily together. When the young son is arrested, secrets are exposed that upend their tenuous, below-the-radar existence and test their quietly radical belief that it is love—not blood—that defines a family.

Organized by Manarat Al Saadiyat

Ticket Price: (30 AED)

Directed by Bing Liu
USA | 2018 | 93 minutes
In English
RATING: [ 18+ ]

Synopsis:  Welcome to Rockford, Illinois, in the heart of Rust-Belt America, home to debut filmmaker Bing Liu. With over 12 years of footage, Bing discovers connections between two of his skateboarder friends' volatile upbringings and the complexities of modern-day masculinity. As the film unfolds, Bing captures 23-year-old Zack’s tumultuous relationship with his girlfriend deteriorate after the birth of their son and 17-year-old Keire struggling with his racial identity as he faces new responsibilities following the death of his father. While navigating a difficult relationship between his camera and his friends, Bing weaves a story of generational forgiveness while exploring the precarious gap between childhood and adulthood.

Free Film Screening

(Presented by Korean Cultural Center)

Directed by Jang Joon-hwan

South Korea | 2017 | 129 minutes

In Korean with English Subtitles

RATING: 15+ (Suitable for viewers ages 15 and above)

Synopsis:  Seoul, 1987. The city is shaken by riots, the intensity of which is equaled only by the violence used by Chun Doo-hwan's dictatorial regime in repressing them. Following a failed operation by the Office of Anticommunist Investigation, led by the intimidating North Korean defector Commissioner Park Cheo-won (Kim Yoon-seok), a student is accidentally killed during a forceful interrogation. The mishap must be covered up at all costs, so as not to increase popular resentment less than one year before the Seoul Olympics. Plans to do so are hindered by determined Prosecutor Choi Hwan (Ha Jung-woo) who decides to leak documents to the press for public exposure. So begins a race against time implicating students, prisoners, journalists, revolutionaries and lawyers in a quest to expose this death by torture, all while Commissioner Park uses all of his power to silence them by any means necessary. Based on true events leading to the establishment of South Korea's democracy, 1987: When the Day Comes features a stellar cast including Gang Dong-won (Haunters), Kim Tae-Ri (The Handmaiden), Park-Hee-soon (The Fortress) and many others. With its enthralling narrative, masterful performances, the colossal power of its subject matter and the masterful approach to its direction, 1987 qualifies as one of the best films of the year, hands down.

Free Film Screening

Presented by the U.S. Embassy of Abu Dhabi

Directed by John Scheinfeld

USA | 2016 | 99 minutes | In English

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences ( all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  This thought-provoking, uplifting, powerful and passionate film explores the extraordinary life and career of an outside-the-box thinker whose boundary-shattering music continues to influence people around the world.  This rich, textured and compelling portrait of a remarkable artist reveals the critical events, passions, experiences and challenges that shaped the life of John Coltrane and his revolutionary sounds. It is a story of demons and darkness, of persistence and redemption and, above all else, it is the incredible journey of a spiritual warrior who found himself, found God and created an extraordinary body of work that transcends all barriers of race, religion, age and geography. It is a film for anyone who appreciates the power of music to entertain, inspire and transform. The beauty, pain, joy and inspiration heard in nearly 50 Coltrane recordings from throughout his career bring alive the artist and the times in which he lived. Even those familiar with Coltrane’s music will be able to hear and appreciate the music of John Coltrane in a new and exciting way. Although Coltrane never participated in any television interviews (and only a handful for radio) during his lifetime, he has an active and vibrant presence in the film through his print interviews. These words—spoken by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington–illuminate what John Coltrane was thinking and feeling at critical moments throughout his life and career.

Free Film Screening

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Andrew L. Stone

USA | 1943 | 78 minutes | In English

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  Built around the premise of a Big Stage Show, Stormy Weather was a groundbreaking musical featuring an astounding all-African-American cast, perhaps never matched for sheer brilliance. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson stars as a World War I veteran who hopes to make it big as a dancer and win the heart of singer Selina Rogers (Lena Horne). The film’s slight showbiz-based romance is really a pretext for some 20 dazzling musical numbers performed by the sterling likes of Lena Horne, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Dooley Wilson, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers and the Katherine Dunham dance troupe. The outstanding musical score is highlighted by Waller’s performance of his own “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and the classic title tune by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, sung in barn-burning fashion by the inimitable Miss Horne. Selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, this dazzling revue showcases the most astonishing performances you will ever see in a movie theater. Don’t miss the amazing Nicholas Brothers and their “Jumpin’ Jive” dance sequence—Fred Astaire himself said it was the greatest movie musical number he’d ever seen. Keep an eye out for uncredited contributions by jazz greats Zutty Hamilton, Coleman Hawkins and Taps Miller.

Free Film Screening - CinemaNA Program

Organized by New York University Abu Dhabi & Sorbonne Abu Dhabi

Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky

Egypt | 2018 | 93 minutes

In Arabic with English Subtitles

Synopsis:  After the death of his wife, Beshay bravely decides to leave the isolated community where he was abandoned as a child. Along with Obama, the young orphan he has taken under his wing, and his beloved donkey, he embarks on a journey across Egypt to his hometown to find out why his father never kept his promise to return. But Beshay isn’t a man like other men: he is a leper, now cured, whose scars have led him to live apart from the world. Together, he and Obama will confront the world with all its sorrows and moments of grace, in his quest for a family, a place to belong, a little humanity… An adventure-filled drama and a first feature that tells the heart-warming story of a remarkable friendship.

(Program Details to be announced soon)

Overview:  These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.

Free Film Screening

Il vangelo secondo Matteo (original title)

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

Italy | 1964 | 138 minutes

In Italian with English Subtitles

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences

Synopsis:  Legendary director Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Gospel According to Matthew (Il vangelo secondo Matteo) is one of the great re-tellings of the story of Christ – a cinematic rendering at once both passionate and poetic. With stunning black-and-white photography, an eclectic soundtrack (Odetta, Bach, a Congolese mass, etc), and using a cast of non-professionals who voice dialogue drawn directly from scripture, the film depicts key events in the life of Christ, from immaculate conception to death on the cross. Pasolini’s film, lauded by both art-house and religious groups, was shot in natural settings in southern Italy, forsaking mythic grandeur in favor of a depiction that emphasizes the political radicalism of Christ’s life, with a visual style that drew from contemporaneous documentary and Renaissance painting alike. Vaunted by the Vatican as one of its select few recommended films, acclaimed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as a “great film”, and revered by critics and audiences alike, Pasolini’s film remains a magnificent, awe-inspiring experience.

(Program Details to be announced soon)

Overview: Exciting and original storytelling from international filmmakers where you can discover a director’s first or second feature film, fresh styles and challenging ideas in narrative work from around the world. Also included are nonfiction films that explore remarkable stories and issues in the world around us.

Free Film Screening

Directed by Mike Leigh

United Kingdom | 2010 | 129 minutes

In English

RATING: [ PG-13 ] - Parental Guidance is advised

Synopsis:  From seven-time Oscar nominee Mike Leigh comes this critically acclaimed slice of life starring Academy Award winner Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville and Ruth Sheen. Medical counsellor Gerri (Sheen) is happily married to Tom (Broadbent) and the film follows her over the course of the year as she opens her home and heart to her emotionally needy colleague Mary (Manville), counsels a chronic insomniac, spends time on her allotment with Tom and plays host to their 30-year-old lawyer son Joe and his wife and baby. A happy couple for over thirty years, Tom and Gerri act as a steady anchor to their unmarried circle of family and friends. But as the seasons change and another year passes, Tom and Gerri’s support is put to the test in this masterful look at life, love and the meaning of friendship. Another Year is one of director Mike Leigh's finest works and a touching exploration of the lives of a happily-married couple, their friends and family over four seasons as they experience love and warmth, joy and sadness, hope and despair, companionship and loneliness, a birth and a death.

Free Film Screening - Family Friendly Program

Presented by Goethe-Institut Gulf Region

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Lotte Reiniger
Germany | 1926 | 67 minutes | In English

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  When The Adventures of Prince Achmed premiered in Germany, it was hailed as the first full-length animated film. More than seventy-five years later, this enchanting film still stands as one of the great classics of animation — beautiful, mesmerizing and utterly seductive. Taken from The Arabian Nights, the film tells the story of a wicked sorcerer who tricks Prince Achmed into mounting a magical flying horse and sends the rider off on a flight to his death. But the prince foils the magician’s plan and soars headlong into a series of wondrous adventures — joining forces with Aladdin and the Witch of the Fiery Mountains, doing battle with the sorcerer's army of monsters and demons, and falling in love with the beautiful Princess Peri Banu. This cinematic treasure has been beautifully restored with its spectacular color tinting and with a new orchestral recording of the magnificent 1926 score by Wolfgang Zeller. Thrilling, sensuous and dazzling, Prince Achmed will enthrall children and film enthusiasts of all ages.

Free Film Screening

Presented by Embassy of the Spain

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Carlos Saura

Spain | 1976 | 107 minutes

In Spanish with English Subtitles

RATING: [ PG ] - Parental Guidance is advised

Synopsis:  Carlos Saura's touching, thought-provoking and exquisite Cría cuervos ... heralded a turning point in Spain: made while General Franco was on his deathbed, the film melds the personal and the political in a portrait of the legacy of fascism and its effects on a middle-class family (the title derives from the Spanish proverb: “Raise ravens and they’ll peck out your eyes”). Cría cuervos ... centres on an amazing performance by the young actress Ana Torrent (the dark-eyed beauty from The Spirit of the Beehive) as the disturbed eight-year-old girl living in Madrid with her two sisters and mourning the death of her mother, played by an ethereal Geraldine Chaplin, whom she conjures as a ghost. Seamlessly shifting between fantasy and reality, the film subtly evokes both the complex feelings of childhood and the struggles of a nation emerging from the shadows. Released when Spain was just coming out of 40 years of Fascist rule it was nominated for a Golden Globe, and won the Grand Prize at Cannes in 1977.

Free Film Screening

Directed by Agnès Varda, JR

France | 2017 | 89 minutes

In French with English Subtitles

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis: Marking her long-awaited return to filmmaking, Faces Places sees iconic, 90-year-old auteur Agnès Varda forging an unlikely partnership with enigmatic photographer JR as they embark on a road trip unlike any other. Varda and JR share a lifelong passion for images and how they’re created, displayed and shared. Varda expresses this through cinema and documentary, JR through his emotionally arresting open-air photo gallery installations. When the pair first met they instantly recognised the opportunity for a unique collaboration and set about exploring the villages and small towns of rural France. Meeting different groups of people, they were inspired to create large-scale portraits plastered across unconventional locations. What followed was a heartwarming insight into hitherto unnamed communities, documented here in Varda’s typically tender, playful and humanist manner. Winner of the Golden Eye Award at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and nominated for the Best Documentary Feature award at this year’s Academy Awards, Faces Places is a deeply charming and life-affirming look at not only the subtle power of community but the inspiration that can emerge from the most unexpected of friendships.

Free Film Screening - Family Friendly Program

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Samuel Armstrong, Norman Ferguson, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney, Bill Roberts, Ben Sharpsteen

USA | 1941 | 64 minutes | In English

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  Let your spirits soar as you travel beyond the big top to experience the daring adventures and inspirational tale of Dumbo the courageous baby elephant with a dazzling all-new restoration of this must-see animated classic. When Mrs. Jumbo's little "Baby Mine" finally arrives, Dumbo and his over-sized ears become the talk of the circus. With the help of his loyal best friend, Timothy Q. Mouse, a magic feather and a ton of courage, Dumbo uses his sensational ears to soar to fame as the world's one and only flying elephant! Full of daring adventure, memorable characters, award-winning music and inspiring messages about the power of friendship and belief in yourself, Dumbo will thrill and delight audiences of all ages and become a treasured part of your family's cinema experience.

Free Film Screening

Neotpravlennoe pismo (original title)

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Mikhail Kalatozov
Soviet Union | 1959 | 96 minutes

In Russian with English Subtitles

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  The great Soviet director Mikhail Kalatozov, known for his virtuosic, emotionally gripping films, perhaps never made a more visually astonishing one than Letter Never Sent. This absorbing tale of exploration and survival concerns the four members of a geological expedition, who are stranded in the bleak and unforgiving Siberian wilderness while on a mission to find diamonds. After many adventures the diamond seam is located and mapped, but a series of natural disasters threatens to prevent the explorers returning to Moscow with the precious find that will fund their nation's conquest of the cosmos. Luxuriating in wide-angle beauty and featuring one daring shot after another (the brilliant cinematography is by Kalatozov’s frequent collaborator Sergei Urusevsky), Letter Never Sent is a fascinating piece of cinematic history and a universal adventure of the highest order.

Free Film Screening

Directed by Ritesh Batra

India, USA, Germany, France | 2013 | 104 minutes

In Hindi with English Subtitles

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects Ila (Nimrat Kaur), a neglected housewife, to Saajan (Irrfan Khan), a lonely man on the verge of retirement. Through a series of exchanged notes that they pass back and forth through the lunches, Saajan and Ila find comfort in their unexpected friendship. Gradually, their notes become little confessions about their loneliness, memories, regrets, fears, and even small joys. They each discover a new sense of self and find an anchor to hold on to in the big city of Mumbai that so often crushes hopes and dreams. Still strangers physically, Ila and Saajan become lost in their virtual relationship that could jeopardize both their realities.

Free Film Screening - Family Friendly Program

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)

Directed by Andrew L. Stone

USA | 1943 | 78 minutes | In English

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  Built around the premise of a Big Stage Show, Stormy Weather was a groundbreaking musical featuring an astounding all-African-American cast, perhaps never matched for sheer brilliance. Bill "Bojangles" Robinson stars as a World War I veteran who hopes to make it big as a dancer and win the heart of singer Selina Rogers (Lena Horne). The film’s slight showbiz-based romance is really a pretext for some 20 dazzling musical numbers performed by the sterling likes of Lena Horne, Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Dooley Wilson, Cab Calloway, Fats Waller, The Nicholas Brothers and the Katherine Dunham dance troupe. The outstanding musical score is highlighted by Waller’s performance of his own “Ain’t Misbehavin’” and the classic title tune by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler, sung in barn-burning fashion by the inimitable Miss Horne. Selected for preservation in the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, this dazzling revue showcases the most astonishing performances you will ever see in a movie theater. Don’t miss the amazing Nicholas Brothers and their “Jumpin’ Jive” dance sequence—Fred Astaire himself said it was the greatest movie musical number he’d ever seen. Keep an eye out for uncredited contributions by jazz greats Zutty Hamilton, Coleman Hawkins and Taps Miller.

Free Film Screening

Presented by the U.S. Embassy of Abu Dhabi

(NEW FILM RESTORATION!)
Directed by Billy Wilder
USA | 1960 | 119 minutes | In English

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)
Synopsis:  In 1960, following the success of their collaboration on Some Like it Hot, director Billy Wilder re-teamed with actor Jack Lemmon for what many consider the pinnacle of their respective careers: The Apartment. C.C. “Bud” Baxter (Lemmon) is a lowly Manhattan office drone with a lucrative sideline in renting out his apartment to company bosses and their mistresses. When Bud enters into a similar arrangement the firm’s personnel director, J.D. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), his career prospects begin to look up… and up. But when he discovers that Sheldrake’s mistress is Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the girl of his dreams, he finds himself forced to choose between his career and the woman he loves. Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The Apartment features a wealth of Hollywood’s finest talent – on both sides of the camera – at the top of their game. By turns cynical, heart-warming and hilarious, Wilder’s masterpiece now shines like never before in an all-new beautifully restored print of the film.

Free Film Screening

Directed by Emmanuel Gras

France | 2017 | 96 minutes

In Swahili and French with English subtitles

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  Makala (Swahili for "charcoal"), the new documentary by Emmanuel Gras, is a powerful testament to one man's commitment to his family, and his endurance in working to provide them with a brighter future. Kasongo, a 28-year-old man living in Congo with his wife and daughters, dreams of purchasing a plot of land on which to build his family a home. He sees his opportunity to earn money by selling charcoal, culled from the ashes of a mighty hardwood tree that he has felled and baked in an earthen oven. Loading up the bags of charcoal onto the back of his bicycle, Kasongo sets off on a daunting journey – up steep hills and across treacherous roads – to sell the charcoal at market. Featuring stunning cinematography that finds beauty in this tireless labor, Makala won the 2017 Grand Prize and Golden Eye Special Mention for Best Documentary at International Critics Week in Cannes.

(Program Details to be announced soon)

Overview:  These wonderful programs feature classic family-friendly films from around the world with selections of terrific laugh-out-loud comedies, magnificent dramas, thrilling adventures and great works of fantasy that are sure to charm and entertain parents, children and audiences of all ages.

Free Film Screening

Presented by the Embassy of Sweden

Directed by Karin af Klintberg, Anders Helgeson

Sweden | 2015 | 96 minutes

In Swedish, Somali with English subtitles

RATING: [ G ] - General Audiences (all ages admitted)

Synopsis:  Nice people live in the Swedish town of Borlänge, if you believe the town’s motto. A group of young men who fled the war in Somalia have ended up in this rural town where integration is tough. Something needs to be done. Local entrepreneur Patrik Andersson gets an idea, why not use sport as a bridge to get people closer to each other? The goal: to create the first ever Somali national team in bandy and make it to the World Championship in Siberia. Eight months ahead of the 2014 world championship, the Somali national bandy team is formed. This is a new development, as no African country has ever taken part before. The hope is that the initiative will contribute to greater integration of the players. A good performance in Siberia, where the tournament is to be held, may bring about better understanding within the community. This is a story about racism and fear, but it's also about bravery and doing something that hasn't been done before.