BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//B-Side Presents: Bermuda International Film Festival 2009//iCal 4j 1.0//EN VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090320T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090320T202400 SUMMARY:The Absence DESCRIPTION:Adama is a successful scientist happily living in France and ignoring the small family he has left behind in Senegal: a grandmother a nd a deaf and dumb younger sister. Summoned home by an urgent message\, he rediscovers a country in chaos. Shockingly\, his sister is caught up in prostitution and entangled in a gangsta lifestyle. Adama’s instinct i s to punish his sister but he soon goes after the gang leader with grim consequences. Assisted by his best friend\, who forces him to open his e yes to the social condition of the country and family he has abandoned\, Adama must decide whether to become part of the solution. Part social c ommentary\, part thriller\, The Absence is an atmospheric and contempora ry sketch of Senegal that touches on issues of drugs\, prostitution\, co rruption\, brain drain\, and\, possibly\, redemption. Filmmaker Mama Kei ta gives us a film that urgently races towards a dramatic\, exciting and unexpected climax. The Absence depicts Senegal with all its contradicti ons so we see horrible\, graphic violence as well as sweet friendship bu t\, above all\, we hope there is hope. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/theabsence_bermuda2009 UID:2472567723-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090320T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090320T214000 SUMMARY:Flame & Citron DESCRIPTION:Copenhagen\, 1944: Denmark is occupied by the Nazis. Resistan ce fighters Flame (Thure Lindhardt) and Citron (Mads Mikkelsen) - so nam ed because of the former's distinctive red hair and the latter's fondnes s for a particular brand of French car - are members of the Holger Dansk e group\, specialising in acts of sabotage and liquidating Danish inform ers. But Flame\, the younger of the two\, wants to take direct action ag ainst the Germans\, while Citron\, a middle-aged man whose family is tor n apart by his activities\, gets drawn ever deeper into the tangled poli tics of the resistance movement. An action thriller and period piece wit h a hefty dose of noir\, Ole Christian Madsen’s fact-based film was a ma ssive hit in Denmark and one of the best war films of recent years. As t he sabotage and double-crossing mounts\, Lindhardt and Mikkelsen give st erling performances\, and Madsen wields great skill to combine action sc enes with the complex moral debate about wartime resistance\, where hero ic acts inevitably provoke reprisals against innocent civilians. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/flamecitron_bermuda2009 UID:2472567923-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090320T210000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T020000 SUMMARY:UnWrapped Party DESCRIPTION:Open with a bang: Live music sets by the most original band t o hit Bermuda’s shores in years – Peculiar Gentlemen and their special f riends Sugar Shack Burlesque. Straight from New York City\, Sweet Willy Jive and E-Beats lead the band and back up singers through an evening of unforgettable tunes\, while the likes of RunAround Sue and Legs Malone provide the moves.\n\nYour “Unwrapped” ticket gets you admission\, live music and show and open bar (only) at one of the coolest parties of the year. Tickets are $80 at the BIFF Box Office at 53 Front Street\, Hamilt on or www.biff.bm. Entry restricted to persons 18+. CATEGORIES:Parties LOCATION:Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/unwrappedparty_bermuda2009 UID:2472577162-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090320T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090320T230100 SUMMARY:Heaven on Earth DESCRIPTION:Opening with an ecstatic\, vibrantly coloured celebration mar king the impending nuptials of Chand (Bollywood star Preity Zinta\, who delivers one of the year's finest and most courageous performances)\, De epa Mehta's powerful and visceral Heaven on Earth quickly shifts gears. The minute its heroine gets off a plane in Toronto to meet her new husba nd\, Rocky (Vansh Bhardwaj\, who's impossibly good in his first film rol e)\, the colour scheme greys\, and virtually all scenes (even outdoor on es) appear to be lit by fluorescent lights. This twilight world is fitti ng\, because there's something off-putting about Rocky's family. \nDeepa Mehta has always had a particular gift for portraying unique families a nd their subtle power dynamics. Still\, Heaven on Earth may be her stron gest work to date because of her insistence on the collective liability for the acts of a lone individual. Rocky's coldness and horrific temper may be the primary causes of Chand's unhappiness\, but he has numerous – albeit often passive – accomplices\, most importantly his domineering m other. \nSimply put\, this is a brilliant work by one of the most daring filmmakers\, humanist and empathetic even toward its villains\, yet at the same time a universal indictment\, refusing to let any of us off the hook. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/heavenonearth_bermuda2009 UID:2472567835-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T141900 SUMMARY:Garbage Dreams DESCRIPTION:A city of 18 million people\, Cairo had no city-wide waste di sposal system for years. Instead\, residents relied on 60\,000 Zaballeen \, Egypt’s indigenous garbage workers\, to collect their trash. Long bef ore recycling became trendy\, the Zaballeen were actively separating and recycling the tons of garbage collected each day to earn a living. Thes e entrepreneurial garbage workers recycle 80% of the garbage they collec t – arguably the world’s most efficient waste disposal system. Over four years\, filmmaker Mai Iskander followed three teenagers – Adham\, Osama and Nadil – who grew up in this garbage village. We see the impact on t heir life when the city decides to replace the Zaballeen by contracting with multinational garbage disposal companies. The change in policy thre atens the Zaballeen livelihood and the survival of the community. As thi s crossroad is reached\, each teen must choose his future. More than a s tory about garbage\, the filmmaker has created an intriguing\, multi-lay ered film that observes the culture of the Zaballeen and provides a wind ow to their hopes\, dreams and fears. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/garbagedreams_bermuda2009 UID:2472567944-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T134800 SUMMARY:Charlie and Lola DESCRIPTION:Join Charlie and his very funny little sister\, Lola\, in thi s hilarious set of four short films from the award-winning British telev ision series that is seen in 20 countries worldwide. Seven-year-old Char lie narrates the stories\, which focus on the antics of his feisty four- year-old sister\, Lola. Characters in the series also include Marv Lowe\ , Charlie’s best friend\, plus Lola’s best friend\, Lotta\, and Soren Lo rensen\, Lola’s imaginary friend. Based on the series of children’s pict ure books by Lauren Child\, the television series has won numerous award s worldwide. Join us for four hilarious episodes – I Will Not Eat A Toma to\, I Just Love My Red Shiny Shoes\, I Slightly Want To Go Home and Our Shop Sells Everything. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/charlieandlola_bermuda2009 UID:2472568373-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T144200 SUMMARY:Moscow\, Belgium DESCRIPTION:Belgium has a reputation for dullness (In Bruges) and being i nvaded by Germans (the Schlieffen Plan)\, but this delightful film also proves that it’s a place where unlikely love can flourish. \n\nSometimes you just gotta love a crotchety middle-aged woman\, especially when she ’s played with the kind of salty charm Barbara Serafian injects into Mat ty\, the conflicted heroine of the smart\, touching Moscow\, Belgium. Wo rking a menial job\, raising three kids and waiting for her husband to s nap out of his mid-life crisis\, Serafian’s Matty is a pissed-off spitfi re who spews bile at nearly everybody she meets\, particularly eccentric truck driver Johnny (Jurgen Delnaet)\, who accidentally dings her car. Matty’s verbal assault on Johnny is comic gold that borders on the cruel \, which sparks Johnny’s interest despite Matty being 10 years his senio r. \n\nWhat follows is a sweet mix of comic romance and family drama tha t never fully veers into the conventional trappings that typically make such descriptions induce cringes. The two leads have infinite chemistry\ , and both Serafian and Delnaet deliver charismatic performances that sk imp neither on laughs or genuine emotion. The characters register becaus e they feel real\, and what we get is a pleasing story of lost souls fin ding their paths\, a warts-and-all look at love\, and a cantankerous old broad for the ages. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/moscowbelgium_bermuda2009 UID:2472570475-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T175500 SUMMARY:The Lion and the Mouse DESCRIPTION:The Lion and The Mouse is the epic tale of two countries\, th e United States of America and Bermuda. Using local actors\, the film c harts the landmark moments\, relationships\, conflicts and characters\, that all played a part in the first four centuries of settlement in Amer ica and Bermuda. It is told through the historic perspective of Bermuda ’s people and their direct role in the birth of America and its developm ent as a nation. Bermudians embodied the necessary reinvention and adap tability to prosper in a changing Atlantic world.\n \nAt times mercuria l\, treasonous and unprincipled but with the wiles of a small independen t nation Bermuda was able to adapt its strategic location to military an d trade routes and to overcome its insignificant size\, and vulnerabilit y to hostile nations through time become an unlikely but significant US ally. A shipwreck\, a rebellion of stolen gunpowder to save George Wash ington’s revolutionary army\, and a freed slave ship – as the Mouse of A esop’s fable says to the lion\, “Was I not right?” CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/thelionandthemouse_bermuda2009 UID:2472571698-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T171400 SUMMARY:Guest of Cindy Sherman DESCRIPTION:Cindy Sherman is a well-known Contemporary Artist whose art p rimarily focuses on photographing herself in a series of different self- constructed persona of women that exist in film\, magazine and history. Her work becomes a deconstruction of stereotypical public identities in the gaze of her audience - layers of identities one can strip off and pu t back on. The documentary is about Paul H-Q’s ‘Cinderella’-like encount er with Sherman and his consequent identity struggle. He loses his exist ing identity along with ‘the shoe’ during his relationship and fails to reinvent one that is compatible to Cindy’s celebrity’ existence. The doc umentary gives an authentic portrayal of New York contemporary art scene along with Sherman’s work and the cou-ple’s relationship. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/guestofcindysherman_bermuda2009 UID:2472568017-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T174500 SUMMARY:The Invocation DESCRIPTION:The Invocation is a quest to look for the notion of God and P eace around the world and through Religion\, Spirituality\, Science\, Hi story\, Politics\, Philosophy and Entertainment. We travel from South Af rica to Asia to India to Europe to Bermuda to America and Mexico to meet and be inspired by the most important leaders on the planet. Let yourse lf be enlightened by the wise words of Desmond Tutu\, The Dalai Lama\, D eepak Chopra\, Dean Radin\, Stewart Copeland\, Ervin Laszlo\, Oliver Sto ne and many more. The Invocation is an urgent message of Peace in critic al times of doubts and worries around the world. It is a message of hope and unity so that we can dream\, plan and build a better future for us all. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/theinvocation_bermuda2009 UID:2472854306-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T201300 SUMMARY:The Year My Parents Went on Vacation DESCRIPTION:If you were a ten-year-old boy in 1970 Brazil\, you had one t hing on your mind: The Brazilian soccer team playing in the World Cup. B ut for young Mauro (Michel Joelsas)\, his excitement for Pelé is oversha dowed by his parents' departure. In that historic year\, the Brazilian p opulation wasn't just united by one of the greatest soccer teams ever as sembled. It was also dealing with increasingly aggressive activity by a dictatorship eager to arrest any non-conformists. So while Mauro collect s national team trading cards and plays out matches with his tabletop so ccer game\, his parents rush him from their home\, explaining the couple needs to "go on vacation.\n\nIn telling the story from Mauro's eyes\, d irector Cao Hamburger doesn't offer names\, faces\, or specifics. Mauro' s parents just drop him off at his grandfather's apartment and head for the hills. Only one problem: Unknown to the family\, Grandpa died earlie r in the day. Our young hero is forced to make his own way and contend w ith Shlomo (Germano Haiut)\, the grandfather's crusty old neighbour in a predominantly Jewish building. Mauro and Shlomo become buddies\, of cou rse\, but Mauro learns much more from the diverse world that surrounds h im. He teams up with a few kids (led by Daniela Piepszyk) to play soccer \, gawk at women in a dressing room\, and meet the people in the communi ty. Italians\, Jews\, and Blacks make up Mauro's new landscape\, filling in the slots of his life like those soccer cards filling up his collect ion book.\n\nHamburger's coming-of-age story breathes within this larger mosaic of race\, ethnicity\, religion\, and politics\, and many of the film's memorable scenes have those issues at centre CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/theyearmyparentswentonvacation_be rmuda2009 UID:2472567375-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T200300 SUMMARY:Rain DESCRIPTION:Rain is a young teenager who was raised by her grandmother in the Bahamas. . When the elderly woman dies\, Rain seeks out her mother in Nassau. \nThe boat passage that carries the young heroine from her is land serenity to the inner-city is both literal and metaphorical. Upon l anding in Nassau's harbour\, Rain meets her mother Glory (Nicki Micheaux ) for the first time. The realities of both her new home and new caregiv er are so far from those of her former idyll that it takes time to adjus t. Glory is no longer the young\, ambitious girl at the top of her acade mic class\, but a drug addict living in The Graveyard\, an area from whi ch “no one ever gets out.” \nWith a strong visual aesthetic and an even stronger cast\, Rain shakes off our postcard perceptions of Bahamian lif e to show us the beauty and dark complexity that lies between Ragged Isl and and the Nassau few tourists see. That it does this with depth\, deli cacy and nuance makes for a rewarding audience experience\, and marks Go van as a talent to watch. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/rain_bermuda2009 UID:2472568103-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T194200 SUMMARY:Of Time and the City DESCRIPTION:Terence Davies's symphonic cinematic poem was one of the surp rise hits at Cannes last year and has gone on to charm audiences around the world ever since. Davies made the film on a minuscule budget (£250\, 000)\, using archive footage\, some shots of contemporary Liverpool\, hi s own inimitable voice-over (at times viciously critical) and a great de al of music. Made to celebrate Liverpool's year as Cultural Capital of E urope\, the film is a personal reflection on\, a paean of praise to and a lament for the city where Davies was born. Homosexuality\, class socie ty\, Protestants versus Catholics\, post-war aftermath: they are all exa mined. An extraordinarily powerful\, almost magical\, combination of sou nd and image in a way not seen on the British screen since the films of Humphrey Jennings\, the film's ostensible focus is Liverpool. But its tr ue subject - and the reason why it has won over those with no direct kno wledge of Merseyside (or\, indeed\, postwar Britain) - is that overwelmi ng sense of loss which lies at the heart of the human condition. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/oftimeandthecity_bermuda2009 UID:2472568437-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T231600 SUMMARY:Revanche DESCRIPTION:Revanche is a slow\, intimate thriller that evolves around de sperately-in-love Ukrainian prostitute Tamara and Austrian henchman Alex and the lovers’ attempts to escape from their seedy downtown brothel.an d Plan’ is the ultimate ‘bank robbery’ that radically alters the life of everyone involved. 50\,000 Euros are gained but Tamara is unintentiona lly sacrificed\, leaving Alex and a police officer with the feeling of d espair and guilt. After the calamity\, Alex ends up with his left over e motions at his grandfather’s isolated farm in the country-side. Alex’s f eeling of revenge transcends in the process and becomes clear in his con sciousness as the projection of his own guilt rather than the policeman’ s crime.\nGoetz Spielman delivers a wonderfully-shot\, typical example o f the German-speaking school\; an emotionally cool and unsentimental pie ce. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/revanche_bermuda2009 UID:2472568244-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T223900 SUMMARY:Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi DESCRIPTION:A reporter in a foreign country needs assistance from a local person who speaks the language\, is familiar with the culture\, underst ands local morals and\, importantly\, knows when something is wrong. Suc h a person is a “fixer” and journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi was one of the b est in Afghanistan. As the film begins\, though\, you can tell Ajmal is no longer alive. Filmmaker Ian Olds gives you a peek at life behind the scenes as American journalist Christian Parenti works with Ajmal to repo rt from Afghanistan. Later\, when Ajmal is working with Italian journali st Daniele Mastrogiacomo\, the truly tragic and heart-rending part of th e film is front and centre. The two are ambushed and\, after much negoti ation\, the Italian is freed but Ajmal is not. How could that happen? Yo u will question thinking that suggests issues between Afghanistan\, Paki stan and the Taliban can be resolved in a manner that results in a stabl e democratic government. This film is an intelligent\, enlightening and depressing picture of future Afghanistan that is thoroughly engrossing. \nWarning: graphic scenes of mutilation CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/fixerthetakingofajmalnaqshbandi_b ermuda2009 UID:2472568482-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090321T225000 SUMMARY:The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry DESCRIPTION:There is sometimes a fine line between genius and madness – a nd Lee “Scratch” Perry demonstrates both sides of the line amply in this fascinating documentary about the legendary Jamaican musician and music producer. \n\nThe film traces Perry from his early days through to the peak of his career – he was a mentor to the young Bob Marley\, he define d the sound of modern reggae and he pioneered a slow and darker version of the genre known as dub. He was also among the first to come up with t he studio sound familiar today as remix and he produced international hi t songs for artists such as Paul McCartney and The Clash. He also built his Black Ark Studio with his bare hands\, and then burnt it down in a f it of drug-induced rage. \n\nThe Upsetter is a sight and sound clash of visual and aural styles\, using stock footage\, photographs\, concert vi deo\, audio clips\, music video clips both old and new\, and an exclusiv e\, candid interview with the mastermind himself at his home in Switzerl and. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/theupsetterthelifeandmusicofleesc ratchperry_bermuda2009 UID:2472571737-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T144600 SUMMARY:Rez Bomb DESCRIPTION:While his previous films were set in his native Scotland\, Re z Bomb provides quite a contrast for director Steven Lewis Simpson. The story is set on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota\, one the poorest place in the USA. In its original script form\, the film was to take place in Edinburgh\, but after visiting South Dakota and findin g a rapport with the local Native American population\, the director dec ided to switch locales and base his thriller/love story in the US.\nRez Bomb pairs Tamara Feldman (Dirty Sexy Money\, Hatchet\, Perfect Stranger ) as a Lakota woman and Trent Ford (How to Deal\, Gosford Park\, Septemb er Dawn) as her white boyfriend. The film also provides a juicy part fo r native American actor and activist Russell Means (Last of the Mohicans \, Natural Born Killers).\nThe plot is about lovers from different backg rounds who run afoul of a ruthless money lender\, and find themselves in a race against the clock to bail themselves out of a dangerous situatio n. \nWhile the location shooting in South Dakota takes advantage of the desolate plains and mountains of the area and the obvious poverty of the Reservation itself\, it tells a universal story. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/rezbomb_bermuda2009 UID:2472571879-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T142900 SUMMARY:Be Calm and Count to Seven DESCRIPTION:This lyrical first feature\, shot in a style of documentary r ealism that is poignant and\, at times\, gently humorous\, tells the int ertwined stories of inhabitants of a remote fishing village in southern Iran. With no fish left in the sea\, the villagers smuggle goods and som etimes people. Teenager Moto’s father has left on a smuggling trip and n ot yet returned. To help his pregnant mother and a sister who\, it emerg es\, was abandoned by her husband\, Moto smuggles too. This involves wil d speeding boats that are beached recklessly so that silent chador-clad women can unload and hide the goods – just ahead of chasing police! Mean while\, the middleman keeps a casual eye on Moto\, while engaging in inc reasingly worrisome phone calls with his wife in Tehran. Just as village life is in transition\, Moto is changing and maturing too. He stops wai ting and fatefully decides to seek his father. Be Calm and Count to Seve n is an accomplished observation of life and character that will grab yo ur attention and tug at your heart. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/becalmandcounttoseven_bermuda2009 UID:2472572858-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T150000 SUMMARY:Hunger DESCRIPTION:Hunger is an extreme cinema work that follows the last days o f IRA hunger striker\, Bobby Sands’ life in the Maze prison during 1981. The movie starts with scenes of the prisoners’ revolt: bold images of f aeces-painted bodies\, urine washed cells and beaten to bath prisoners. Visual Artist Steve McQueen conveys raw but powerful images to expose an ugly\, almost forgotten period in British and Irish history. The film i ntroduces Sands when announcing his decision to start the hunger strike during a sharp philosophical conversation with a Catholic priest. Michae l Fassbender’s performance of the decomposing Sands is an outstanding co ntribution to the controversial Hunger scenes. Every single scene in Hun ger is powerful and stunning\; it is a movie with a committed vision. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/hunger_bermuda2009 UID:2472573457-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T173100 SUMMARY:Heaven on Earth DESCRIPTION:Opening with an ecstatic\, vibrantly coloured celebration mar king the impending nuptials of Chand (Bollywood star Preity Zinta\, who delivers one of the year's finest and most courageous performances)\, De epa Mehta's powerful and visceral Heaven on Earth quickly shifts gears. The minute its heroine gets off a plane in Toronto to meet her new husba nd\, Rocky (Vansh Bhardwaj\, who's impossibly good in his first film rol e)\, the colour scheme greys\, and virtually all scenes (even outdoor on es) appear to be lit by fluorescent lights. This twilight world is fitti ng\, because there's something off-putting about Rocky's family. \nDeepa Mehta has always had a particular gift for portraying unique families a nd their subtle power dynamics. Still\, Heaven on Earth may be her stron gest work to date because of her insistence on the collective liability for the acts of a lone individual. Rocky's coldness and horrific temper may be the primary causes of Chand's unhappiness\, but he has numerous – albeit often passive – accomplices\, most importantly his domineering m other. \nSimply put\, this is a brilliant work by one of the most daring filmmakers\, humanist and empathetic even toward its villains\, yet at the same time a universal indictment\, refusing to let any of us off the hook. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/heavenonearth_bermuda2009 UID:2472567877-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T171700 SUMMARY:Summer Book DESCRIPTION:A long summer vacation by the sea. An ordinary Turkish famil y whose life takes an unexpected turn. Told through the eyes of a ten-y ear-old boy\, this is a picturesque and moving début.\n\nSummer Book is the seemingly ordinary story of a Turkish family in a provincial Mediter ranean town. It’s the end of the school year\, and ten-year-old Ali and his classmates receive a study book for the summer. When Ali’s book is s tolen by the class bully\, his patriarchal father Mustafa\, an ambitious merchant\, gives Ali a different task: sell a boxful of chewing gum for profit. Meanwhile\, Ali’s much older brother Veysel comes home for a br eak from the military academy and reveals his wish to switch to a civili an school in Istanbul. This infuriates the father. His wife does what sh e can to calm tempers and keep the family together. Easy-going Uncle Has an is on Veysel’s side. But when the father suffers a stroke\, all the d ynamics of this family topple.\n\nSummer Book is not only a compelling c oming-of-age story but a microcosm of a very distinct feeling in contemp orary provincial Turkish life: the yearning for change in conflict with the suffocating comfort of the simple life. The director observes the d aily routine of this family and portrays its dramatic potential in a sub tle\, minimalist way. Convincing acting by the protagonists (often non-a ctors) and the warm tones and natural lightning combined with meticulous camera work make this a wonderful début full of atmosphere that seduces you into following this meditative journey. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/summerbook_bermuda2009 UID:2472573021-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T172000 SUMMARY:West of Pluto DESCRIPTION:West of Pluto is a zany and dramatic portrait of 24 hours in the lives of 12 teenagers living in the suburbs of Quebec City. On a day when the kids are giving hilarious class presentations on their hobbies \, Pierre-Olivier is coming to grips with the fact that Pluto has lost i ts status as a planet\; Jerome is trying to express his feelings for the girl he loves\; Nicolas and Steve are attempting to name their hopeless punk band\; Emilie is organising a party for the girls that you just kn ow is headed for disaster. In this mix are all the things teens experien ce for the first time: infatuation\, drugs\, sex and alcohol. In a raw a nd authentic manner – probably because the filmmakers auditioned and imp rovised with students from their old high school\, rather than trained a ctors – the kids are confronted with the opinions they have about themse lves\, their friends and their situations. West of Pluto is funny\, sad and very real. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/westofpluto_bermuda2009 UID:2472573496-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T200000 SUMMARY:Cold Lunch DESCRIPTION:Eva Sørhaug's memorable debut feature follows a disparate gro up of characters in Oslo. Lonsj (Cold Lunch) takes an unflinching yet co mpassionate look at what happens when a social safety net collapses for reasons other than poverty or neglect. In fact\, all of the film's chara cters come from middle-class – or at least comfortable – homes. Like th e creations of Todd Solondz and Lucrecia Martel\, Sørhaug's characters a re largely moral idiots\, surrendering responsibility for their own acti ons. But even when their behaviour is appalling\, it still possesses a grim humour. \nAll of them are fabulously ill-equipped to deal with the circumstances into which they have been thrust. But it is ultimately He idi's abject failure as a parent that is most troubling.\nDirecting with a maturity rarely seen in a first feature\, Sørhaug deftly balances a c ritical view of her own characters with considerable empathy. We never l ose sight of these troubled souls' basic humanity. We may not like them that much\, but we recognise each one of them. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/coldlunch_bermuda2009 UID:2472572072-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T190900 SUMMARY:Charles Lloyd Tucker - A Living History Film DESCRIPTION:Charles Lloyd Tucker (1913 – 1971) was Bermuda’s first profes sionally trained black artist who influenced many notable Bermudians. An accomplished pianist\, sculptor and painter\, he was the first art teac her at Berkeley Institute. Although music was his foremost love\, he wen t on to become a dominant figure in Bermuda’s art scene\, and beyond\, d uring the 1950’s and 60’s\; painting and exhibiting in Europe\, the USA and the Caribbean. This fine documentary concentrates on Tucker the man and looks back at his life\, his work and some of the people he inspired . CATEGORIES:Shorts LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/charleslloydtuckeralivinghistoryf ilm_bermuda2009 UID:2472573152-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T195700 SUMMARY:Waltz with Bashir DESCRIPTION:Director Ari Folman explores a dark chapter in his (and Israe l’s) life in this award-winning animated feature. In 1982\, Israel invad ed Lebanon. Soon afterwards\, Israeli soldiers including Folman’s brigad e\, allowed Christian Phalangist militiamen to invade the Sabra and Shat ila refugee camps where they killed thousands of men\, women and childre n. While not directly responsible for the slaughter\, the Israelis – mos tly teenage soldiers like Folman – tacitly assisted by sending up flares to illuminate the night sky and\, many feel\, by standing by and allowi ng the murders to occur. The director’s ferociously honest exploration o f the reliability of memory and the long-term impacts of violence on you ng soldiers is a tribute to the filmmaker’s own moral honesty and to gen erations of young people scarred by ungodly acts of war. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/waltzwithbashir_bermuda2009 UID:2472573747-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T231300 SUMMARY:The Elite Squad DESCRIPTION:A thumping macho melodrama that sets a corrupt police squad a gainst itself\, this year’s Golden Bear-winner at Berlin weaves together punishing narratives of guilt\, rage\, competition and control. The ris e of two rookies through the ranks of the Rio police coincides with the decision of a young Captain to relinquish his leadership of BOPE\, the f orce’s controversial\, ultra-hard military squad (former members of whic h collaborated on this film’s script). \n\nOne recruit\, Matias (Andre R amiro)\, is a bookish type drawn to police work because of his love of t he law\; the other\, Neto (Caio Junqueira)\, is an initially timid boy w ho reveals an unpredictable streak out in the field. Over an episodic st ructure that hits multiple successive climaxes\, José Padilha’s film exp eriments with various approaches to its cast of conflicted action men. \ n\nInitially\, as Neto and Matias recoil from corruption and Captain Nas cimento (Wagner Moura) experiences panic attacks brought on by the bruta lity of his working life\, the film’s morality seems clear. But then a b attle in a favela alters everything: membership of BOPE becomes a glorif ied state\, and Neto and Matias shelve their ethical qualms and enter th e punishing initiation process.\n\nWhile the film’s bloodthirstiness is certainly played for thrills\, it also displays the punishing social and psychological effects of deprivation\, and the brutality that passes fo r justice when humane standards have been forgotten. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/theelitesquad_bermuda2009 UID:2472572815-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090322T221500 SUMMARY:Satellite Queens DESCRIPTION:No\, this is not about drag artists on a cable TV channel – S atellite Queens is a gem of a documentary which pulls you in as it unfol ds the story of four Arab women who host Kalam Nawaem (’Sweet Talk’ or ’ Women Talk’) – the most popular talk show in the Muslim world. We see ho w difficult it can be to discuss homosexuality\, masturbation\, terroris m\, infidelity\, love outside marriage and a host of other subjects in t he ultra-conservative Middle East. The four ‘Queens’ have been brought t ogether from different countries (Egypt\, Lebanon\, Palestine and Saudi Arabia) to front the talk show\, and they challenge each other as much a s they do their audiences.\nThe women display great courage as they vent ure into unexplored territory - would TV presenters in the West be so fe arless if they thought gunmen could come knocking? And it is not that th ey are fearless\; through their narratives it is clear they are aware\, and wary\, of the dangers. They push for freedom\, for tolerance\, and f or understanding – but from an Arab perspective. Nothing is going to hap pen overnight but in its own good time – Insha Allah. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/satellitequeens_bermuda2009 UID:2472573331-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T170900 SUMMARY:Fixer: The Taking of Ajmal Naqshbandi DESCRIPTION:A reporter in a foreign country needs assistance from a local person who speaks the language\, is familiar with the culture\, underst ands local morals and\, importantly\, knows when something is wrong. Suc h a person is a “fixer” and journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi was one of the b est in Afghanistan. As the film begins\, though\, you can tell Ajmal is no longer alive. Filmmaker Ian Olds gives you a peek at life behind the scenes as American journalist Christian Parenti works with Ajmal to repo rt from Afghanistan. Later\, when Ajmal is working with Italian journali st Daniele Mastrogiacomo\, the truly tragic and heart-rending part of th e film is front and centre. The two are ambushed and\, after much negoti ation\, the Italian is freed but Ajmal is not. How could that happen? Yo u will question thinking that suggests issues between Afghanistan\, Paki stan and the Taliban can be resolved in a manner that results in a stabl e democratic government. This film is an intelligent\, enlightening and depressing picture of future Afghanistan that is thoroughly engrossing. \nWarning: graphic scenes of mutilation CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/fixerthetakingofajmalnaqshbandi_b ermuda2009 UID:2472570452-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T172000 SUMMARY:The Upsetter: The Life and Music of Lee Scratch Perry DESCRIPTION:There is sometimes a fine line between genius and madness – a nd Lee “Scratch” Perry demonstrates both sides of the line amply in this fascinating documentary about the legendary Jamaican musician and music producer. \n\nThe film traces Perry from his early days through to the peak of his career – he was a mentor to the young Bob Marley\, he define d the sound of modern reggae and he pioneered a slow and darker version of the genre known as dub. He was also among the first to come up with t he studio sound familiar today as remix and he produced international hi t songs for artists such as Paul McCartney and The Clash. He also built his Black Ark Studio with his bare hands\, and then burnt it down in a f it of drug-induced rage. \n\nThe Upsetter is a sight and sound clash of visual and aural styles\, using stock footage\, photographs\, concert vi deo\, audio clips\, music video clips both old and new\, and an exclusiv e\, candid interview with the mastermind himself at his home in Switzerl and. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/theupsetterthelifeandmusicofleesc ratchperry_bermuda2009 UID:2472571839-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T200300 SUMMARY:Rain DESCRIPTION:Rain is a young teenager who was raised by her grandmother in the Bahamas. . When the elderly woman dies\, Rain seeks out her mother in Nassau. \nThe boat passage that carries the young heroine from her is land serenity to the inner-city is both literal and metaphorical. Upon l anding in Nassau's harbour\, Rain meets her mother Glory (Nicki Micheaux ) for the first time. The realities of both her new home and new caregiv er are so far from those of her former idyll that it takes time to adjus t. Glory is no longer the young\, ambitious girl at the top of her acade mic class\, but a drug addict living in The Graveyard\, an area from whi ch “no one ever gets out.” \nWith a strong visual aesthetic and an even stronger cast\, Rain shakes off our postcard perceptions of Bahamian lif e to show us the beauty and dark complexity that lies between Ragged Isl and and the Nassau few tourists see. That it does this with depth\, deli cacy and nuance makes for a rewarding audience experience\, and marks Go van as a talent to watch. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/rain_bermuda2009 UID:2472568138-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T201200 SUMMARY:Moscow\, Belgium DESCRIPTION:Belgium has a reputation for dullness (In Bruges) and being i nvaded by Germans (the Schlieffen Plan)\, but this delightful film also proves that it’s a place where unlikely love can flourish. \n\nSometimes you just gotta love a crotchety middle-aged woman\, especially when she ’s played with the kind of salty charm Barbara Serafian injects into Mat ty\, the conflicted heroine of the smart\, touching Moscow\, Belgium. Wo rking a menial job\, raising three kids and waiting for her husband to s nap out of his mid-life crisis\, Serafian’s Matty is a pissed-off spitfi re who spews bile at nearly everybody she meets\, particularly eccentric truck driver Johnny (Jurgen Delnaet)\, who accidentally dings her car. Matty’s verbal assault on Johnny is comic gold that borders on the cruel \, which sparks Johnny’s interest despite Matty being 10 years his senio r. \n\nWhat follows is a sweet mix of comic romance and family drama tha t never fully veers into the conventional trappings that typically make such descriptions induce cringes. The two leads have infinite chemistry\ , and both Serafian and Delnaet deliver charismatic performances that sk imp neither on laughs or genuine emotion. The characters register becaus e they feel real\, and what we get is a pleasing story of lost souls fin ding their paths\, a warts-and-all look at love\, and a cantankerous old broad for the ages. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/moscowbelgium_bermuda2009 UID:2472571126-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T223900 SUMMARY:The Absence DESCRIPTION:Adama is a successful scientist happily living in France and ignoring the small family he has left behind in Senegal: a grandmother a nd a deaf and dumb younger sister. Summoned home by an urgent message\, he rediscovers a country in chaos. Shockingly\, his sister is caught up in prostitution and entangled in a gangsta lifestyle. Adama’s instinct i s to punish his sister but he soon goes after the gang leader with grim consequences. Assisted by his best friend\, who forces him to open his e yes to the social condition of the country and family he has abandoned\, Adama must decide whether to become part of the solution. Part social c ommentary\, part thriller\, The Absence is an atmospheric and contempora ry sketch of Senegal that touches on issues of drugs\, prostitution\, co rruption\, brain drain\, and\, possibly\, redemption. Filmmaker Mama Kei ta gives us a film that urgently races towards a dramatic\, exciting and unexpected climax. The Absence depicts Senegal with all its contradicti ons so we see horrible\, graphic violence as well as sweet friendship bu t\, above all\, we hope there is hope. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/theabsence_bermuda2009 UID:2472567795-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090323T224400 SUMMARY:Guest of Cindy Sherman DESCRIPTION:Cindy Sherman is a well-known Contemporary Artist whose art p rimarily focuses on photographing herself in a series of different self- constructed persona of women that exist in film\, magazine and history. Her work becomes a deconstruction of stereotypical public identities in the gaze of her audience - layers of identities one can strip off and pu t back on. The documentary is about Paul H-Q’s ‘Cinderella’-like encount er with Sherman and his consequent identity struggle. He loses his exist ing identity along with ‘the shoe’ during his relationship and fails to reinvent one that is compatible to Cindy’s celebrity’ existence. The doc umentary gives an authentic portrayal of New York contemporary art scene along with Sherman’s work and the cou-ple’s relationship. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/guestofcindysherman_bermuda2009 UID:2472568048-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T165700 SUMMARY:Of Time and the City DESCRIPTION:Terence Davies's symphonic cinematic poem was one of the surp rise hits at Cannes last year and has gone on to charm audiences around the world ever since. Davies made the film on a minuscule budget (£250\, 000)\, using archive footage\, some shots of contemporary Liverpool\, hi s own inimitable voice-over (at times viciously critical) and a great de al of music. Made to celebrate Liverpool's year as Cultural Capital of E urope\, the film is a personal reflection on\, a paean of praise to and a lament for the city where Davies was born. Homosexuality\, class socie ty\, Protestants versus Catholics\, post-war aftermath: they are all exa mined. An extraordinarily powerful\, almost magical\, combination of sou nd and image in a way not seen on the British screen since the films of Humphrey Jennings\, the film's ostensible focus is Liverpool. But its tr ue subject - and the reason why it has won over those with no direct kno wledge of Merseyside (or\, indeed\, postwar Britain) - is that overwelmi ng sense of loss which lies at the heart of the human condition. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/oftimeandthecity_bermuda2009 UID:2472568458-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T171500 SUMMARY:Cold Lunch DESCRIPTION:Eva Sørhaug's memorable debut feature follows a disparate gro up of characters in Oslo. Lonsj (Cold Lunch) takes an unflinching yet co mpassionate look at what happens when a social safety net collapses for reasons other than poverty or neglect. In fact\, all of the film's chara cters come from middle-class – or at least comfortable – homes. Like th e creations of Todd Solondz and Lucrecia Martel\, Sørhaug's characters a re largely moral idiots\, surrendering responsibility for their own acti ons. But even when their behaviour is appalling\, it still possesses a grim humour. \nAll of them are fabulously ill-equipped to deal with the circumstances into which they have been thrust. But it is ultimately He idi's abject failure as a parent that is most troubling.\nDirecting with a maturity rarely seen in a first feature\, Sørhaug deftly balances a c ritical view of her own characters with considerable empathy. We never l ose sight of these troubled souls' basic humanity. We may not like them that much\, but we recognise each one of them. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/coldlunch_bermuda2009 UID:2472572136-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T201600 SUMMARY:Rez Bomb DESCRIPTION:While his previous films were set in his native Scotland\, Re z Bomb provides quite a contrast for director Steven Lewis Simpson. The story is set on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota\, one the poorest place in the USA. In its original script form\, the film was to take place in Edinburgh\, but after visiting South Dakota and findin g a rapport with the local Native American population\, the director dec ided to switch locales and base his thriller/love story in the US.\nRez Bomb pairs Tamara Feldman (Dirty Sexy Money\, Hatchet\, Perfect Stranger ) as a Lakota woman and Trent Ford (How to Deal\, Gosford Park\, Septemb er Dawn) as her white boyfriend. The film also provides a juicy part fo r native American actor and activist Russell Means (Last of the Mohicans \, Natural Born Killers).\nThe plot is about lovers from different backg rounds who run afoul of a ruthless money lender\, and find themselves in a race against the clock to bail themselves out of a dangerous situatio n. \nWhile the location shooting in South Dakota takes advantage of the desolate plains and mountains of the area and the obvious poverty of the Reservation itself\, it tells a universal story. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/rezbomb_bermuda2009 UID:2472571899-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T200500 SUMMARY:West of Pluto DESCRIPTION:West of Pluto is a zany and dramatic portrait of 24 hours in the lives of 12 teenagers living in the suburbs of Quebec City. On a day when the kids are giving hilarious class presentations on their hobbies \, Pierre-Olivier is coming to grips with the fact that Pluto has lost i ts status as a planet\; Jerome is trying to express his feelings for the girl he loves\; Nicolas and Steve are attempting to name their hopeless punk band\; Emilie is organising a party for the girls that you just kn ow is headed for disaster. In this mix are all the things teens experien ce for the first time: infatuation\, drugs\, sex and alcohol. In a raw a nd authentic manner – probably because the filmmakers auditioned and imp rovised with students from their old high school\, rather than trained a ctors – the kids are confronted with the opinions they have about themse lves\, their friends and their situations. West of Pluto is funny\, sad and very real. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/westofpluto_bermuda2009 UID:2472573518-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T223400 SUMMARY:Garbage Dreams DESCRIPTION:A city of 18 million people\, Cairo had no city-wide waste di sposal system for years. Instead\, residents relied on 60\,000 Zaballeen \, Egypt’s indigenous garbage workers\, to collect their trash. Long bef ore recycling became trendy\, the Zaballeen were actively separating and recycling the tons of garbage collected each day to earn a living. Thes e entrepreneurial garbage workers recycle 80% of the garbage they collec t – arguably the world’s most efficient waste disposal system. Over four years\, filmmaker Mai Iskander followed three teenagers – Adham\, Osama and Nadil – who grew up in this garbage village. We see the impact on t heir life when the city decides to replace the Zaballeen by contracting with multinational garbage disposal companies. The change in policy thre atens the Zaballeen livelihood and the survival of the community. As thi s crossroad is reached\, each teen must choose his future. More than a s tory about garbage\, the filmmaker has created an intriguing\, multi-lay ered film that observes the culture of the Zaballeen and provides a wind ow to their hopes\, dreams and fears. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/garbagedreams_bermuda2009 UID:2472567975-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090324T224700 SUMMARY:Summer Book DESCRIPTION:A long summer vacation by the sea. An ordinary Turkish famil y whose life takes an unexpected turn. Told through the eyes of a ten-y ear-old boy\, this is a picturesque and moving début.\n\nSummer Book is the seemingly ordinary story of a Turkish family in a provincial Mediter ranean town. It’s the end of the school year\, and ten-year-old Ali and his classmates receive a study book for the summer. When Ali’s book is s tolen by the class bully\, his patriarchal father Mustafa\, an ambitious merchant\, gives Ali a different task: sell a boxful of chewing gum for profit. Meanwhile\, Ali’s much older brother Veysel comes home for a br eak from the military academy and reveals his wish to switch to a civili an school in Istanbul. This infuriates the father. His wife does what sh e can to calm tempers and keep the family together. Easy-going Uncle Has an is on Veysel’s side. But when the father suffers a stroke\, all the d ynamics of this family topple.\n\nSummer Book is not only a compelling c oming-of-age story but a microcosm of a very distinct feeling in contemp orary provincial Turkish life: the yearning for change in conflict with the suffocating comfort of the simple life. The director observes the d aily routine of this family and portrays its dramatic potential in a sub tle\, minimalist way. Convincing acting by the protagonists (often non-a ctors) and the warm tones and natural lightning combined with meticulous camera work make this a wonderful début full of atmosphere that seduces you into following this meditative journey. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/summerbook_bermuda2009 UID:2472573075-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T164500 SUMMARY:Satellite Queens DESCRIPTION:No\, this is not about drag artists on a cable TV channel – S atellite Queens is a gem of a documentary which pulls you in as it unfol ds the story of four Arab women who host Kalam Nawaem (’Sweet Talk’ or ’ Women Talk’) – the most popular talk show in the Muslim world. We see ho w difficult it can be to discuss homosexuality\, masturbation\, terroris m\, infidelity\, love outside marriage and a host of other subjects in t he ultra-conservative Middle East. The four ‘Queens’ have been brought t ogether from different countries (Egypt\, Lebanon\, Palestine and Saudi Arabia) to front the talk show\, and they challenge each other as much a s they do their audiences.\nThe women display great courage as they vent ure into unexplored territory - would TV presenters in the West be so fe arless if they thought gunmen could come knocking? And it is not that th ey are fearless\; through their narratives it is clear they are aware\, and wary\, of the dangers. They push for freedom\, for tolerance\, and f or understanding – but from an Arab perspective. Nothing is going to hap pen overnight but in its own good time – Insha Allah. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/satellitequeens_bermuda2009 UID:2472573354-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T174500 SUMMARY:105 Minutes of Shorts DESCRIPTION: CATEGORIES:Shorts Programs LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/105minutesofshorts_bermuda2009 UID:2472573927-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T195900 SUMMARY:Be Calm and Count to Seven DESCRIPTION:This lyrical first feature\, shot in a style of documentary r ealism that is poignant and\, at times\, gently humorous\, tells the int ertwined stories of inhabitants of a remote fishing village in southern Iran. With no fish left in the sea\, the villagers smuggle goods and som etimes people. Teenager Moto’s father has left on a smuggling trip and n ot yet returned. To help his pregnant mother and a sister who\, it emerg es\, was abandoned by her husband\, Moto smuggles too. This involves wil d speeding boats that are beached recklessly so that silent chador-clad women can unload and hide the goods – just ahead of chasing police! Mean while\, the middleman keeps a casual eye on Moto\, while engaging in inc reasingly worrisome phone calls with his wife in Tehran. Just as village life is in transition\, Moto is changing and maturing too. He stops wai ting and fatefully decides to seek his father. Be Calm and Count to Seve n is an accomplished observation of life and character that will grab yo ur attention and tug at your heart. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/becalmandcounttoseven_bermuda2009 UID:2472572899-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T203000 SUMMARY:Citizen Havel DESCRIPTION:This intimate\, sensitive and cultured piece looks behind the scenes at the political and private dramas of former political dissiden t\, leader of the Velvet Revolution\, playwright and essayist Vaclav Hav el’s presidential tenure at the helm of Czechoslovakia and\, later\, the Czech Republic. His friend\, filmmaker Pavel Koutecky\, began shooting in 1992 when Havel was considering his second candidacy for the presiden tial office\, and continued shooting for more than a decade. Full of fas cinating footage\, this is Havel as you have never seen him. The film no t only reveals a different side to one of the key figures in modern Czec h history but\, in doing so\, it gives the viewer greater insight into t he modern history of the Czech Republic. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/citizenhavel_bermuda2009 UID:2472574792-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T222400 SUMMARY:Beauty of the Fight DESCRIPTION:The filmmaker took four years to record life in two of Panama ’s ghettos - Barraza and El Chorrillo. Photographer John Urbano and his crew filmed the on-going destruction of these two impoverished communiti es. Urbano approached the project with self-confessed naivety\; he was c learly lucky to escape the first few days with his life. As the film unf olds we become aware\, as he did\, of the dangers that pervade this area and yet\, as he points out\, there is tremendous beauty too. A man is l eft homeless with nothing more than the clothes he wears but he creates and decorates a new home out of driftwood and flotsam on the beach. Even when the authorities have it removed\, he rebuilds and seems happy\, st ating simply ‘without a home you have no life’. The ‘fight’ is to surviv e\, to have a home\, to have a life. As for ‘beauty?’ Urbano finds beaut y in abundance\; from the smile of a little girl\, to the ambition of a champion boxer\, to the twinkling eyes of an old man. This is a gem of a film. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/beautyofthefight_bermuda2009 UID:2472573816-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090325T222900 SUMMARY:Dear Oprah: Non-Voting America's Wildest Dreams DESCRIPTION:One might feel a little jaded about the most recent president ial election\; it’s hard to imagine that there is anything left to tell about who said what\, when\, why and to whom – however this documentary is definitely worth viewing. In 2007 a small group of European filmmaker s wanted to understand why so many in the USA did not vote when the resu lt was to elect\, arguably\, the most powerful man in the world. As they track across the USA\, it becomes apparent that the non-voters are the very people who would have most to gain by a change in leadership. It ma y be difficult to remember\, but Barack Obama’s biggest threat was the i ndifference to\, and lack of belief in\, the office of President on the part of his potential voters. While the film may not fulfil its ambition to identify the causes of non-voting (and it may not make contact with the elusive Oprah!)\, it is nonetheless a fascinating record of the year before Obama became famous\, and of the efforts of ordinary people who helped create the change. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/dearoprahnonvotingamericaswildest dreams_bermuda2009 UID:2472575852-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T174600 SUMMARY:Revanche DESCRIPTION:Revanche is a slow\, intimate thriller that evolves around de sperately-in-love Ukrainian prostitute Tamara and Austrian henchman Alex and the lovers’ attempts to escape from their seedy downtown brothel.an d Plan’ is the ultimate ‘bank robbery’ that radically alters the life of everyone involved. 50\,000 Euros are gained but Tamara is unintentiona lly sacrificed\, leaving Alex and a police officer with the feeling of d espair and guilt. After the calamity\, Alex ends up with his left over e motions at his grandfather’s isolated farm in the country-side. Alex’s f eeling of revenge transcends in the process and becomes clear in his con sciousness as the projection of his own guilt rather than the policeman’ s crime.\nGoetz Spielman delivers a wonderfully-shot\, typical example o f the German-speaking school\; an emotionally cool and unsentimental pie ce. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/revanche_bermuda2009 UID:2472568282-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T171200 SUMMARY:Waltz with Bashir DESCRIPTION:Director Ari Folman explores a dark chapter in his (and Israe l’s) life in this award-winning animated feature. In 1982\, Israel invad ed Lebanon. Soon afterwards\, Israeli soldiers including Folman’s brigad e\, allowed Christian Phalangist militiamen to invade the Sabra and Shat ila refugee camps where they killed thousands of men\, women and childre n. While not directly responsible for the slaughter\, the Israelis – mos tly teenage soldiers like Folman – tacitly assisted by sending up flares to illuminate the night sky and\, many feel\, by standing by and allowi ng the murders to occur. The director’s ferociously honest exploration o f the reliability of memory and the long-term impacts of violence on you ng soldiers is a tribute to the filmmaker’s own moral honesty and to gen erations of young people scarred by ungodly acts of war. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/waltzwithbashir_bermuda2009 UID:2472573761-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T200100 SUMMARY:Ciao Bella DESCRIPTION:Charming and full of humour\, this delightful romantic comedy by first-time director Mani Masserat-Agah focuses on Swedish attitudes towards immigrants and foreigners with a funny and thought-provoking sto ry about young love\, sex\, ethnicity and the fear of being an outsider. \n\nLike the director\, Mustafa (Poyan Karimi) is a Swede born in Iran. Still a virgin at 16\, his prospects don’t look good when his girlfrien d leaves him -- and he often hears casually racist remarks directed his way. His salvation comes in the form of the Italian team visiting the bi g youth soccer tournament in Gothenburg. \n\nAccepted into their fold\, he re-invents himself – and is suddenly a girl magnet. Meanwhile\, beaut iful Linnea (Chanelle Lindell) is desperately searching for a stylish an d passionate guy like those she met on holiday in Italy. Who knows what would have become of her had she not met Massimo\, the most romantic Ita lian in the world?\n\nNudity and teen sexuality may offend some. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/ciaobella_bermuda2009 UID:2472576584-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T201000 SUMMARY:8 DESCRIPTION:In September 2000\, 191 governments committed to halve world poverty by 2015 and set eight goals to achieve this: the Millennium Deve lopment Goals (MDG). At the halfway point\, eight directors were invited to share their vision of these major issues\, each by way of a short fi lm. \n \nMDG 1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: Tiya’s Dream\, d. A bderrahmane Sissako (Ethopia). In a small country school\, children have a lesson in the MDGs but one child\, Tiya\, is distracted and staring o ut of the window… \nMDG 2 Achieve universal primary education: The Lette r\, d. Gael Garcia Bernal (Iceland). A letter is delivered. A father goe s to work. Throughout this normal day\, he will remember that education is the only way to be free. \nMDG 3 Promote gender equality and empower women: How Can It Be? d. Mira Nair (USA). Base on true story\, wife and mother\, Nainab\, makes the complicated decision to leave her sheltered Brooklyn life and follow her heart within the realm of the values she ho lds sacred. \nMDG 4 Reduce child mortality: Mansion on the Hill\, d. Gus Van Sant (USA). Images of youth at play are constrasted against the har rowing facts of infant mortality. \nMDG 5 Improve maternal health: The S tory of Panshin Beka\, d. Jan Kounen (Peru). In Amazonia\, pregnant Pans hin Beka feels labour pains and\, with her husband and grandmother\, att empts the difficult journey by boat\, with no money or fuel\, to the hos pital in the city. \nMDG 6 Combat HIV/AIDS\, malaria and other diseases: SIDA\, d. Gasper Noe (Burkina Faso). A portrait of Dieudonne Ilboudo\, a man infected with HIV in a hospital in Burkina Faso. \nMDG 7 Ensure en vironmental sustainability: The Water Diary\, d. Jane Campion (Australia ). Eleven year old Ziggy writes in her diary about the things that happe n during the worst drought in history. She reports\, also\, on the dream s people have about water… \nMDG 8 Develop a global partnership for deve lopment: Person to Person\, d. Wim Wenders (Germany). At a TV station\, reporters prepare news stories on the state of the Millenium Goals until something unusual happens.\n \nWinner: Cinema for Peace Award for Contr ibution to UN Millenium Development Goals CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/8_bermuda2009 UID:2472576693-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T231500 SUMMARY:Hunger DESCRIPTION:Hunger is an extreme cinema work that follows the last days o f IRA hunger striker\, Bobby Sands’ life in the Maze prison during 1981. The movie starts with scenes of the prisoners’ revolt: bold images of f aeces-painted bodies\, urine washed cells and beaten to bath prisoners. Visual Artist Steve McQueen conveys raw but powerful images to expose an ugly\, almost forgotten period in British and Irish history. The film i ntroduces Sands when announcing his decision to start the hunger strike during a sharp philosophical conversation with a Catholic priest. Michae l Fassbender’s performance of the decomposing Sands is an outstanding co ntribution to the controversial Hunger scenes. Every single scene in Hun ger is powerful and stunning\; it is a movie with a committed vision. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/hunger_bermuda2009 UID:2472573481-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090326T222300 SUMMARY:Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans DESCRIPTION:Hurricane Katrina demolished New Orleans in August 2005\; est imates of fatalities range from 1400 to 10\,000. This documentary refers to Katrina\, but only in passing - it is really a record of the years b efore Katrina hit\, of the people who lived in that city\, how they arri ved there\, how they thrived there. The film centres on narrator\, Lolis Eric Elie\, a journalist who has set up home in the city. We meet the p eople in his street\, the construction workers renovating his house\, th e characters in his area – there is a strong sense of community\, fun an d friendship. As we witness the innocence of New Orleans before Katrina\ , with marching bands\, dancing girls and smiling faces\, it seems remin iscent of the grainy black and white films of the late 1930s before WWII . As if to underline the point\, Elie\, at an early stage in the film\, chillingly states that he does not know where many of the people in the film are now. We don’t know either but in this poignant film\, we gain a window to their world. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/faubourgtremetheuntoldstoryofblac kneworleans_bermuda2009 UID:2472576748-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T123000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T145500 SUMMARY:The Lion and the Mouse DESCRIPTION:The Lion and The Mouse is the epic tale of two countries\, th e United States of America and Bermuda. Using local actors\, the film c harts the landmark moments\, relationships\, conflicts and characters\, that all played a part in the first four centuries of settlement in Amer ica and Bermuda. It is told through the historic perspective of Bermuda ’s people and their direct role in the birth of America and its developm ent as a nation. Bermudians embodied the necessary reinvention and adap tability to prosper in a changing Atlantic world.\n \nAt times mercuria l\, treasonous and unprincipled but with the wiles of a small independen t nation Bermuda was able to adapt its strategic location to military an d trade routes and to overcome its insignificant size\, and vulnerabilit y to hostile nations through time become an unlikely but significant US ally. A shipwreck\, a rebellion of stolen gunpowder to save George Wash ington’s revolutionary army\, and a freed slave ship – as the Mouse of A esop’s fable says to the lion\, “Was I not right?” CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/thelionandthemouse_bermuda2009 UID:2474630785-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T174500 SUMMARY:Citizen Havel DESCRIPTION:This intimate\, sensitive and cultured piece looks behind the scenes at the political and private dramas of former political dissiden t\, leader of the Velvet Revolution\, playwright and essayist Vaclav Hav el’s presidential tenure at the helm of Czechoslovakia and\, later\, the Czech Republic. His friend\, filmmaker Pavel Koutecky\, began shooting in 1992 when Havel was considering his second candidacy for the presiden tial office\, and continued shooting for more than a decade. Full of fas cinating footage\, this is Havel as you have never seen him. The film no t only reveals a different side to one of the key figures in modern Czec h history but\, in doing so\, it gives the viewer greater insight into t he modern history of the Czech Republic. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/citizenhavel_bermuda2009 UID:2472575831-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T172500 SUMMARY:8 DESCRIPTION:In September 2000\, 191 governments committed to halve world poverty by 2015 and set eight goals to achieve this: the Millennium Deve lopment Goals (MDG). At the halfway point\, eight directors were invited to share their vision of these major issues\, each by way of a short fi lm. \n \nMDG 1 Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger: Tiya’s Dream\, d. A bderrahmane Sissako (Ethopia). In a small country school\, children have a lesson in the MDGs but one child\, Tiya\, is distracted and staring o ut of the window… \nMDG 2 Achieve universal primary education: The Lette r\, d. Gael Garcia Bernal (Iceland). A letter is delivered. A father goe s to work. Throughout this normal day\, he will remember that education is the only way to be free. \nMDG 3 Promote gender equality and empower women: How Can It Be? d. Mira Nair (USA). Base on true story\, wife and mother\, Nainab\, makes the complicated decision to leave her sheltered Brooklyn life and follow her heart within the realm of the values she ho lds sacred. \nMDG 4 Reduce child mortality: Mansion on the Hill\, d. Gus Van Sant (USA). Images of youth at play are constrasted against the har rowing facts of infant mortality. \nMDG 5 Improve maternal health: The S tory of Panshin Beka\, d. Jan Kounen (Peru). In Amazonia\, pregnant Pans hin Beka feels labour pains and\, with her husband and grandmother\, att empts the difficult journey by boat\, with no money or fuel\, to the hos pital in the city. \nMDG 6 Combat HIV/AIDS\, malaria and other diseases: SIDA\, d. Gasper Noe (Burkina Faso). A portrait of Dieudonne Ilboudo\, a man infected with HIV in a hospital in Burkina Faso. \nMDG 7 Ensure en vironmental sustainability: The Water Diary\, d. Jane Campion (Australia ). Eleven year old Ziggy writes in her diary about the things that happe n during the worst drought in history. She reports\, also\, on the dream s people have about water… \nMDG 8 Develop a global partnership for deve lopment: Person to Person\, d. Wim Wenders (Germany). At a TV station\, reporters prepare news stories on the state of the Millenium Goals until something unusual happens.\n \nWinner: Cinema for Peace Award for Contr ibution to UN Millenium Development Goals CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Southside Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/8_bermuda2009 UID:2472576722-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T194400 SUMMARY:Dear Oprah: Non-Voting America's Wildest Dreams DESCRIPTION:One might feel a little jaded about the most recent president ial election\; it’s hard to imagine that there is anything left to tell about who said what\, when\, why and to whom – however this documentary is definitely worth viewing. In 2007 a small group of European filmmaker s wanted to understand why so many in the USA did not vote when the resu lt was to elect\, arguably\, the most powerful man in the world. As they track across the USA\, it becomes apparent that the non-voters are the very people who would have most to gain by a change in leadership. It ma y be difficult to remember\, but Barack Obama’s biggest threat was the i ndifference to\, and lack of belief in\, the office of President on the part of his potential voters. While the film may not fulfil its ambition to identify the causes of non-voting (and it may not make contact with the elusive Oprah!)\, it is nonetheless a fascinating record of the year before Obama became famous\, and of the efforts of ordinary people who helped create the change. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/dearoprahnonvotingamericaswildest dreams_bermuda2009 UID:2472576134-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T200100 SUMMARY:Empty Nest DESCRIPTION:Marriage is hard work. It involves commitment\, constant nego tiation and putting up with your spouse's friends. Daniel Burman's super bly imaginative and entertaining Empty Nest is a comedic look at the pro blems inherent in married life and the difficulties associated with keep ing a long-term relationship new and exciting. At once hilarious and nos talgic\, Burman's film ponders reality itself while offering a profound consideration of memories and how they are created. \nBurman invites the viewer into the quasi surrealist world of playwright Leonardo (played w ith Woody Allen-like guile by Oscar Martínez) and his wife Martha (wonde rfully performed by All About My Mother's Cecilia Roth). The well writt en script naturally interweaves plot twists\, and Empty Nest is a testam ent to Burman's maturity as a director. The narrative sustains a sense of gravity throughout\, but manages to treat the difficult topic of infi delity with delicacy and a dose of playfulness. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/emptynest_bermuda2009 UID:2472576843-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T222400 SUMMARY:Beauty of the Fight DESCRIPTION:The filmmaker took four years to record life in two of Panama ’s ghettos - Barraza and El Chorrillo. Photographer John Urbano and his crew filmed the on-going destruction of these two impoverished communiti es. Urbano approached the project with self-confessed naivety\; he was c learly lucky to escape the first few days with his life. As the film unf olds we become aware\, as he did\, of the dangers that pervade this area and yet\, as he points out\, there is tremendous beauty too. A man is l eft homeless with nothing more than the clothes he wears but he creates and decorates a new home out of driftwood and flotsam on the beach. Even when the authorities have it removed\, he rebuilds and seems happy\, st ating simply ‘without a home you have no life’. The ‘fight’ is to surviv e\, to have a home\, to have a life. As for ‘beauty?’ Urbano finds beaut y in abundance\; from the smile of a little girl\, to the ambition of a champion boxer\, to the twinkling eyes of an old man. This is a gem of a film. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/beautyofthefight_bermuda2009 UID:2472573840-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T231500 SUMMARY:105 Minutes of Shorts DESCRIPTION: CATEGORIES:Shorts Programs LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/105minutesofshorts_bermuda2009 UID:2472574118-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090327T233000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T010300 SUMMARY:JCVD DESCRIPTION:Being Jean-Claude Van Damme is tough. Sure\, he is an interna tionally recognized celebrity (and possibly the world's most famous Belg ian)\, but this star seems to have fallen from grace with a recent histo ry of direct-to-video flicks. In a surprising yet crafty career move\, V an Damme plays himself – with all his foibles in plain view – in JCVD\, a rollicking action-comedy examination of the nature of fame. \n\nAdding to Van Damme's worries are a parasitic agent\, financial troubles and a n emotionally fraught custody battle for his daughter in which the prose cuting attorney rips apart the action star's bone-cracking collected wor ks to make a case for an unsuitable father figure. In order to clear his head\, Van Damme returns to his family home in Belgium\, where the myth of the indestructible hero hasn't been completely shattered. \nAfter bo uncing a cheque to his lawyer\, Van Damme goes to a post office to make a wire transfer\, only to stumble into a heist and be taken hostage. Whe n the police catch a glimpse of the superstar in the middle of the chaos \, they jump to the conclusion that he has finally snapped and pulled th e robbery himself. Under the barrel of a gun\, Van Damme is revealed to be an ordinary guy\, filled with fears\, contradictions and hopes. How c an he live up to the legend he has built? \n\nBoth a madcap tribute to t he star's martial arts moves and an examination of the true essence of a hero\, JCVD makes sure that its subject is in on the joke\, immersing h im into a reality similar to that found in Spike Jonze's Being John Malk ovich. Aware of his limitations\, Van Damme conveys a stoic deadpan that director Mabrouk El Mechri moulds into comedic gold. There is also a dr amatic centre to the film\, and Van Damme delivers a sincere and moving monologue that must be seen to be believed. \n\nA hilariously entertaini ng\, surprising film\, JCVD tells the comeback story of a screen hero wh o has been on the receiving end of kicks that are getting harder and har der to take. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/jcvd_bermuda2009 UID:2472576922-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T101500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T115000 SUMMARY:Azur & Asmar DESCRIPTION:Across North Africa can be found colourful\, intricate murals \, depicting the zenith of the Arabian empire and Michel Ocelot has recr eated this rich tapesrty with wonderful results. In an original fairyta le\, reminiscent of Scheherazade's Arabian Nights\, Azur\, the blonde\, blue-eyed son of a noblewoman\, and Asmar\, the dark skinned and dark-ey ed child of the nurse\, are brought up together until they are cruelly s eparated by Azur’s father and Asmar is banished. Years later\, rememberi ng the nurse’s childhood stories of her homeland and of the legendary Dj inn-fairy waiting to be released from her chamber by a good and heroic p rince\, Azur sets sail for this land. Arriving in a strange place\, he i s rejected on account of his “unlucky” blue eyes\, so he resolves never to open them again and ends up a blind beggar. Meanwhile\, Asmar has bec ome a dashing horseman and the two are destined to meet again as young m en in their respective quests for the heart of the Djinn fairy. Themes i nclude class struggle\, discrimination\, honour and respect. Children of all ages will love this. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/azurasmar_bermuda2009 UID:2472576936-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T133900 SUMMARY:Charles Lloyd Tucker - A Living History Film DESCRIPTION:Charles Lloyd Tucker (1913 – 1971) was Bermuda’s first profes sionally trained black artist who influenced many notable Bermudians. An accomplished pianist\, sculptor and painter\, he was the first art teac her at Berkeley Institute. Although music was his foremost love\, he wen t on to become a dominant figure in Bermuda’s art scene\, and beyond\, d uring the 1950’s and 60’s\; painting and exhibiting in Europe\, the USA and the Caribbean. This fine documentary concentrates on Tucker the man and looks back at his life\, his work and some of the people he inspired . CATEGORIES:Shorts LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/charleslloydtuckeralivinghistoryf ilm_bermuda2009 UID:2472573182-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T154500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T165300 SUMMARY:Faubourg Treme: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans DESCRIPTION:Hurricane Katrina demolished New Orleans in August 2005\; est imates of fatalities range from 1400 to 10\,000. This documentary refers to Katrina\, but only in passing - it is really a record of the years b efore Katrina hit\, of the people who lived in that city\, how they arri ved there\, how they thrived there. The film centres on narrator\, Lolis Eric Elie\, a journalist who has set up home in the city. We meet the p eople in his street\, the construction workers renovating his house\, th e characters in his area – there is a strong sense of community\, fun an d friendship. As we witness the innocence of New Orleans before Katrina\ , with marching bands\, dancing girls and smiling faces\, it seems remin iscent of the grainy black and white films of the late 1930s before WWII . As if to underline the point\, Elie\, at an early stage in the film\, chillingly states that he does not know where many of the people in the film are now. We don’t know either but in this poignant film\, we gain a window to their world. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/faubourgtremetheuntoldstoryofblac kneworleans_bermuda2009 UID:2472576755-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T183000 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T200100 SUMMARY:Empty Nest DESCRIPTION:Marriage is hard work. It involves commitment\, constant nego tiation and putting up with your spouse's friends. Daniel Burman's super bly imaginative and entertaining Empty Nest is a comedic look at the pro blems inherent in married life and the difficulties associated with keep ing a long-term relationship new and exciting. At once hilarious and nos talgic\, Burman's film ponders reality itself while offering a profound consideration of memories and how they are created. \nBurman invites the viewer into the quasi surrealist world of playwright Leonardo (played w ith Woody Allen-like guile by Oscar Martínez) and his wife Martha (wonde rfully performed by All About My Mother's Cecilia Roth). The well writt en script naturally interweaves plot twists\, and Empty Nest is a testam ent to Burman's maturity as a director. The narrative sustains a sense of gravity throughout\, but manages to treat the difficult topic of infi delity with delicacy and a dose of playfulness. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/emptynest_bermuda2009 UID:2472576874-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T224600 SUMMARY:Ciao Bella DESCRIPTION:Charming and full of humour\, this delightful romantic comedy by first-time director Mani Masserat-Agah focuses on Swedish attitudes towards immigrants and foreigners with a funny and thought-provoking sto ry about young love\, sex\, ethnicity and the fear of being an outsider. \n\nLike the director\, Mustafa (Poyan Karimi) is a Swede born in Iran. Still a virgin at 16\, his prospects don’t look good when his girlfrien d leaves him -- and he often hears casually racist remarks directed his way. His salvation comes in the form of the Italian team visiting the bi g youth soccer tournament in Gothenburg. \n\nAccepted into their fold\, he re-invents himself – and is suddenly a girl magnet. Meanwhile\, beaut iful Linnea (Chanelle Lindell) is desperately searching for a stylish an d passionate guy like those she met on holiday in Italy. Who knows what would have become of her had she not met Massimo\, the most romantic Ita lian in the world?\n\nNudity and teen sexuality may offend some. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Speciality Cinema URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/ciaobella_bermuda2009 UID:2472576613-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20091123T064208Z DTSTART;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T211500 DTEND;TZID=America/Halifax:20090328T223500 SUMMARY:Turtle: The Incredible Journey DESCRIPTION:If 10\,000 baby loggerhead turtles emerge from the sands of F lorida\, then only one will return 21 years later to lay more eggs. This beautiful and enthralling film follows the adventures of one such turtl e as she surfs fate throughout early life until\, as a fearless and virt ually indestructible adult\, she finally climbs back on to that Florida beach. You might watch this documentary purely for the visual extravagan za\; every scene representing long hours of laborious preparation. You m ay be captivated by the dramatic narrative\, beautifully delivered by th e vocal talents of Miranda Richardson. You may feel that it is worthwhil e because the Sargasso Sea\, which surrounds Bermuda\, is a stopping poi nt for our turtle. Or you may just be astonished that\, having grown to 3\,000 times her original size\, and having followed her ancestors for o ver 10\,000 miles without a single signpost\, she finds her way home at all. Stunning. CATEGORIES:Features LOCATION:Liberty Theatre URL:http://bermuda.bside.com/2009/films/turtletheincrediblejourney_bermud a2009 UID:2472576960-bermuda.bside.com/2009 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR