Cinemateca, February 25–March 2, 2008

José Luis Pick’n’tip February 22, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

The Picks

The Soong Sisters

Not to be missed—a historical and biographical epic of Chinese history, with three unforgettable performances. 

Refusing to be Enemies: the Zeitouna Story 

The film tells the personal stories of women affected by the creation of Israel, the loss of Palestine, the experience of being Jewish or Arab in the US. It is very moving, funny at times, but also a wonderful depiction of the dialogue process and the closeness and intimacy it can bring.

The Tip: In order to provide the best viewing experience, the show times for some movies may be adjusted to accommodate their length. Be sure to check the schedule carefully. I also want to remind you of our new ticket price: 50 pesos and discount cards buy 12 shows for 450 pesos. Starting Monday, after 11am, buy your tickets in advance for any movie or show of the week. If you have a discount card, collect your pass to secure a seat; don’t take the risk of being locked out…Nos vemos en el Cine… Would you like to receive this info by email? Write to Jose Luis at alephamour@hotmail.com.  Thank you.


The Movies


Short Film Festival Award Winner
Lost and Found in Mexico
Monday, February 25 at 5:30pm 
Documentary, English, 53 minutes.
Writer/director/producer: Caren Cross.

Lost and Found in Mexico explores the question: What lies on the other side of the American dream? This quirky documentary explores the lives of Americans who chose to leave their hard-working, successful and fast-paced lives to live in San Miguel, where leisurely conversations take place in the main square, burros walk the streets and people find their hearts engaged in living once again. While many Mexicans are leaving families behind and risking their lives to cross the border to a better life, this film focuses on the Americans who have decided to cross in the other direction—for a simpler life. Questions and Answers with the filmmaker follow the show.



Again by popular demand, new copy.
The Dead (1987)
Monday, February 26 at 1:30pm
Romantic drama, English, 82 minutes.
Directed by John Huston, screenplay by Walter Anthony Huston, cinematography by Fred Murphy, music by Alex North. Cast: Anjelica Huston, Donal McCann, Dan O’Herlihy, Donal Donnelly, Helena Carroll.

In this, his final film achievement, legendary director John Huston brings the magic of James Joyce to the screen with an evocative drama, a profound elegy to his cinematic career. Huston leads an award-winning production team, an acclaimed cast of Irish players, and directs his daughter, Anjelica Huston, for the first time since their Academy Award-winning collaboration in Prizzi’s Honor. From an Academy Award-nominated screenplay by Tony Huston, The Dead takes place in turn-of-the-century Dublin, at a holiday feast vibrant with food and spirit. A young couple at the party, Gretta and Gabriel Conroy, seem to have everything to be grateful for. But that night, a tenor’s voice recalls poignant memories and Gabriel learns of his wife’s unforgotten young love. Her secret past is a shattering revelation as he finally sees himself, and indeed, the world of “all the living and the dead.”



Sugar Cane Alley (1983)
Wednesday, February 27 at 3:30pm
Great black films, French with English subtitles, 103 minutes.
Director: Euzhan Palcy. Cast: Garry Cadenat, Darling Legitimus, Douta Seck, Joby Bernabe.

José is a bright young boy who lives among the poor black families of a sugar cane plantation community. His grandmother, believing her grandson is capable of great things, sacrifices to save him from the hard life of working the fields. Euzhan Palcy’s award-winning film is an honest, deeply moving human drama of a young boy who fights against the odds for his future.



Refusing to be Enemies: the Zeitouna Story 
Thursday, February 28 at 5:30pm (limited seating).

The movie profiles the 12 women of an Ann Arbor dialogue group called Zeitouna (“olive tree” in Arabic) and documents their developing relationship over a four-year period. Six of the Zeitouna women are of Arab descent and six are of Jewish descent. Some are native born and some are immigrants. What they all have in common is their humanity and their desire to bridge the gulf that has developed between their two communities. They chose the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the focus of the group and use the dialogue process as a means of personal transformation leading to socio-political transformation. 



The Soong Sisters (Song Jia Huang Chao) (1997)
Friday, February 29 at 2pm
Foreign drama, Mandarin with English subtitles, 135 minutes.
Director: Mabel Cheung. Cast: Maggie Cheung, Vivian Wu, Kuo Chiu Wu, Winston Chao, Elaine Jin.

Maggie Cheung, Vivian Wu and Michelle Yeoh portray three sisters in the Soong family, an influential and fascinating political dynasty in China that reached the highest levels of power. After being educated in America, the women marry some of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Chinese history, including Sun Yat-sen, the revolutionary founder of modern China, and Chiang Kai-shek, the nation’s leader during World War II.



Kids Movies: Cartoons
Saturday, March 1, noon


Sunday Matinee concert series cancelled. 

Age Kristoffersen, our beloved pianist from Norway, broke a bone in his left hand while performing one of his extraordinary concerts. Against his will and ours, we have to cancel the Sunday Matinee concert series for this season. Age expresses his intentions of coming next winter with a series of concerts designed for San Miguel’s connoisseur audience. We wish Age a successful and fast recovery and are looking forward to next season.



Musical Saturdays:
Bizet’s Carmen 
Saturday, March 1, at 2:30pm, 175 minutes.

The story is set in Seville, Spain, circa 1830, and concerns the eponymous Carmen, a beautiful gypsy with a fiery temper. Free with her love, she woos the corporal Don José, an inexperienced soldier. Their relationship leads to his rejection of his former love, mutiny against his superior, turn to a criminal life and ultimate jealous murder of Carmen. Although he is briefly happy with Carmen, he falls into madness when she turns from him to the bullfighter Escamillo.

Several well-known pieces from this opera have taken on a life separate from the work: the Prélude (overture), the Toréador Song and the Habanera.

Today, it is one of the world’s most popular operas and a staple of the standard operatic repertoire. Carmen appears as number four on Opera America’s list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America