Show Dates and Film Titles

 

March 11 House of Sand

(Brazil 2005) 103 minutes

Sponsored by the Office of Latino and Latin American Heritage / Office of Multicultural Programs

Starring the prolific actress Fernanda Montenegro and her real-life daughter Fernanda Torres, Casa de Areia deftly explores the passage of time and prolonged isolation throughout several decades of mother and daughter relationships. “Sensual, dreamlike, both intimate and epic… a cinematic tour de force.” Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

 

 

March 18 Caché

(France 2005) 121 minutes

Life seems perfect for a Parisian couple (Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche) and their son until an anonymous videotape turns up on their doorstep. Soon their calm life begins to spiral out of control in this taut thriller. “A brilliantly sinister mystery fraught with guilt, deceit, and denial.” Jan Stuart, Newsday

No Screening March 25

 

April 1 Aguirre, The Wrath of God

(Germany 1973) 94 minutes

Classics Pick

Acclaimed director Werner Herzog's hallucinatory tale of Spanish colonialists searching for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold, in 16th-century Peru, led by the ruthless Don Lope de Aguirre (played by the maniacal Klaus Kinski). “One of the great, haunting visions of the cinema.” Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

 

April 8 In the Tall Grass and Journey Into Sunset

(Rwanda 2006) 57 minutes and (Uganda 2006) 24 minutes

Co-Sponsorship with Uganda Untold RSO

This special screening features two documentaries which tell the story of the everyday challenges people face in Rwanda and Uganda as they struggle to deal with violence and its aftermath. In the Tall Grass traces the repercussion of brutal genocide as Rwandans embark on a process of healing and forgiveness using the traditional system of community justice and reconciliation known as gacaca. Journey Into Sunset features Academy Award-nominated actor Don Cheadle and his family as they bear witness to the plight of the night commuters – children who must flee their homes seeking refuge in the cities to keep from being kidnapped and forced to fight against the Ugandan government. ** These films will be presented on DVD rather than film format. **

 

April 15 Look Both Ways

(Australia 2006) 100 minutes

Follows the misadventures of Meryl, a woman who sees disaster everywhere, in a story shot through with humor, whimsical insight, and compassion. “Rich in dreamy summer atmosphere and deadpan wit.” Ann Hornaday, Washington Post

 

 

April 22 Why We Fight

(U.S. 2006) 99 minutes

A provocative and timely documentary that explores the military-industrial complex and the motivating forces which lead us to war. “Compulsory viewing in an age when the war of words is every bit as entrenched (and fierce) as the one with weapons.” Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

 

 

April 29 Willow Tree

(Iran 2005) 96 minutes

Co-sponsorship with the Persian Club RSO

University academic Youssef appears to have it all, except his sight. A cornea transplant allows him to see the world around him for the first time since childhood, but unexpected complications arise as he views his life as a series of experiences stolen from him by years of blindness. “Most memorable in its details, which beautifully illustrate the everyday wonder of sight.” Deborah Young, Variety

 

 

May 6 Blind Shaft

(China 2004) 92 minutes

Sponsored by the Asian Heritage Council / Office of Multicultural Programs

Banned in its home country, this biting critique of the new economic conditions in China tells a richly layered tale of miners and murder. “Fresh, stark, and consistently uncompromising, this film is an exceptional film noir.” John Hartl, Seattle Times

 

 

May 13 The World According to Shorts

(Chile / Australia / Norway / Poland / Brazil / Germany 2006) 95 minutes

Six award-winning short films reflect a diversity of visions in contemporary short filmmaking and include a broad range of styles and genres, from animation to fiction to semi-documentary and experimental. “For audiences exhausted by today's bloated extravaganzas, this is an eclectic palate-cleanser.” Jeannette Catsoulis, New York Times

 

May 20 My Summer of Love

(UK 2005) 87 minutes

This tale of obsession and deception charts the volatile emotional and physical effects that bloom one summer for two young women from opposite sides of the tracks. "Superbly acted, movingly written, and directed with a tough-minded lyricism rarely found in today's films." David Sterritt, Christian Science Monitor

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The International Film Series is run by an interdisciplinary committee of UD Faculty, Staff, and Students. The 2006/07 Committee roster is as follows:

Mark Beitman, Student, College of Arts and Sciences

Sean Cox, Assistant Director, Center for International Studies

Megan Fernandes, Student, College of Arts and Sciences

Michael Green, Student, College of Arts and Sciences

Carla Guerron-Montero, Anthropology Department

Kevin Kerrane, English Department

Meghann Matwichuk, Library, Instructional Media Collection Department (Chair)

Claire McCabe, English Department

Edgard Sankara, Foreign Language and Literatures Department

 

Series Assistant: Therese Rizzo, College of Arts and Sciences

 

International Film Series (Previous Showings)
SCPAB Films