Cinematheque brings French films to Athens
Preview of this week's Cinematheque showings
By Rachel Hanes, Staff Writer
February 8, 2008 | 6 a.m.
It is the second week of the month and the middle of a dreary winter quarter. No better time exists for Arts for Ohio's Cinematheque to come to the Athena for some free film fun.
This week's Cinematheque is offering seven prestigious and intriguing films that are free for students and offer some room for discussion.
The theme for the event is following in the footsteps of The Tournées Festival, which brings contemporary, French-produced films to college campuses. For only $4 per showing for non-students or free entry with a student ID, members of the community are invited to view any or all films. Below is a preview of this week’s festivities, beginning Feb. 8.
“The Case of the Grinning Cat”
In what might be the strangest film in this week’s Cinematheque, “The Case of the Grinning Cat” is a “documentary” that is trying to uncover the mystery behind strange drawings of yellow cats that seem to come from thin air. Director Chris Marker revolves his film around the cats and their possible ties to the post-September 11th world.
What exactly these parallels are may be the most enticing aspect of this film. The direction, however, may be debatable. Manohla Dargis of the New York Times calls him not a filmmaker but “a multimedia artist for whom film has been just one of many means to a visually expressive end.” One may question the outcome, but the want for the answer to this film’s question may be too much to resist.
Showings: Sunday, Feb. 10 at 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 6 p.m.
Running time: 58 minutes
Languages: French and English with English subtitles
“Daratt”
At the end of the civil war in Chad, those who were involved in the gruesome genocide were not condemned. For citizens like Atim, whose father was murdered in the war before his birth, justice is not served. Atim’s grandfather orders him to avenge his father, but when Atim finds his father’s killer, he meets a kind man named Nassara. Atim is soon taken under Nassara’s wing, and the two begin to share a father-son bond.
This strange relationship breaks many levels of complexity, and the most exciting part of “Daratt” will no doubt be in watching to see if Atim will choose whether to honor his family or do what is right. “Daratt” won five awards at the Venice Film Festival, so it is easy to see why this film may be one of the most engaging and enraging films Cinematheque has to offer this week.
Showing: Friday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.
Running time: 1 hour, 36 minutes
Languages: Arabic and French with English subtitles
“L’Iceberg”
After a near-death experience involving a walk-in freezer, suburbanite Fiona develops an unhealthy obsession with all things frozen. “L’Iceberg” follows Fiona as she leaves her husband and two children in search of a real iceberg in the North Pole.
Adding some lightheartedness to the Cinematheque lineup, “L’Iceberg” is as quirky as it sounds. Although family abandonment may not be the most endearing act, Fiona’s adventure on the ship Le Titanique seems like it will be exactly what one would expect from an award-winning, foreign film: totally and completely ridiculous.
Showings: Saturday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m.; Monday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m.
Running time: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Language: French with English subtitles
“Beyond Hatred”
When François Chenu, 29, openly admitted his homosexuality, he became a victim to a violent hate crime. In September 2002, he was beaten to death and abandoned by three skinheads. “Beyond Hatred” is a documentary that follows Chenu’s family as they try to cope with his death.
With Ohio University being such a diverse campus, this film will certainly attract attention and stir conversation. What other conflicts or resolutions there may be to this story, however, may be questioned. The film was named “Best Documentary” at the Berlin Film Festival, so there may be some promise in this simple film.
Showings: Saturday, Feb. 9 at 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m.
Running time: 1 hour, 26 minutes
Language: French with English subtitles
“Private Fears in Public Places”
The want for love and the heartache that comes with it is universal, and the characters in “Private Fears in Public Places” are unable to escape this rule. The film follows six characters as they try to conquer their respective fears of loneliness, all while becoming intertwined in one another’s lives.
“Private Fears” is directed by Alain Resnais, a talented French director who is a past British Academy of Film and Television Arts award nominee and one-time winner. This film itself has been nominated for five César awards, which are very prestigious in France. Although it may seem to follow an old recipe, “Private Fears” promises not to be the run-of-the-mill romantic sitcom.
Showings: Friday, Feb. 8 at 8 p.m.; Monday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m.
Running time: 2 hours
Language: French with English subtitles
Cinematheque will also be offering showings of two non-French films, America’s “Casablanca” and the Yugoslavian film “You Love Only Once (The Melody Haunts My Reverie).” While the films range in content, they are all, in the spirit of Cinematheque, worthy of a view and a debate. Amusez-vous bien!
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