Cinemateca, January 14–20

José Luís’s Pick’n’tip:

The Pick:

A Soul Haunted by Painting 

This movie showcases China’s most famous actress, Gong Li, in the role of the painter Pan Yuliang. Pan was sold into prostitution as a child, rescued by a progressive businessman and trained at the western-style Shanghai school of art. She was twice driven out of China by conservatives objecting to the use of nude models, and finally settled in Paris. The movie gives Gong Li a chance to really act, moving from a shy teenager to a controversial, trend-setting professor of art, to old age. There are some exquisite depictions of pre-communist Shanghai (look for the open-air two-seater automobile) and pre-war Paris. The spoken roles (subtitled in English) are mostly in Mandarin Chinese, with a little German and French.

The Tip:

Important: 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 José Luís at alephamour@hotmail.com.  Thank you.

The Movies:

A Soul Haunted by Painting (Hua hun 1995)
Monday, January 14 at noon
Thursday, January 17 at noon
Chinese drama, Mandarin with English subtitles, 125 minutes.
Director: Shuqin Huang. Cast: Gong Li, Fang Cen, Shichang Da, Er Dongsheng, Zunxia Gao.
This true story depicts the life of Chinese painter Pan Yuliang (Gong Li), who rose from being a prostitute to an acclaimed Parisian artist. Pan begins working at a brothel at age 12 and meets Zanhua (Derek Yee); even though Zanhua is married, the two run off together. Pan then studies art at a famed institute, but her work isn’t appreciated until after Zanhua goes back to his wife and Pan moves to the art-friendly city of Paris.





Short Film Festival Award Winner
Lost and Found in Mexico
Monday, January 14 at 5:30pm 
Documentary, English, 53 minutes.
Writer/director/producer: Caren Cross.
The illusion of the American dream is challenged in this portrait of ex-pats in San Miguel de Allende who discovered that some vital things were missing in their prior lives. 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 the border in the other direction—for a simpler life. Happy to live with less, among a people they respect and admire, these ex-professionals and executives explain why they have left family and friends behind to live in a country where crowded malls and BlackBerries have been replaced by books, art and casual conversations. 

Mountain Patrol: Kekexili (2004)
Tuesday, January 15 at noon
Wednesday, January 16 at noon
Foreign China adventure, Cantonese with English subtitles, 89 minutes.
Director: Chuan Lu. Cast: Duobuji, Zhang Lei, Qi Liang, Xueying Zhao, Ma Zhanlin.
In the remote mountains of Tibet, a team of volunteer rangers struggles against all odds to save the endangered Tibetan antelope. This remarkable true story pits the determined mountain patrol against a band of ruthless poachers who move like spirits across the massive Kekexili wildlife reserve. And if do-gooders stand in the way of their hunt for the elusive antelope, these gun-toting outlaws won’t hesitate to shoot patrolmen.

“Searching for the Maya” 
From the Ancient Mexico series
Tuesday, January 15 at 3pm
Friday, January 18 at noon
English with Spanish subtitles, 60 min.
Deep in the rainforest are the lost Mayan cities of Chichen Itza and Palenque. Discover their magic and learn about the Mayan culture while exploring some of the region’s most exquisite examples of pre-Hispanic architecture. “Searching for the Maya” is part of the award-winning Ancient Mexico series, acclaimed at the Cannes Film Festival and recipient of the National Cable Award. Excerpts from the series have appeared on the Discovery and Learning Channels, Time-Life Television, BBC, France’s Canal Plus and Belgium’s Planet. 

Kids Movies: Cartoons
Saturday, January 19 at noon

Musical Saturdays:
Norma
Saturday, January 19 at 2:30pm, 112 minutes.
Norma is an opera in two acts by Vincenzo Bellini, with libretto by Felice Romani after Norma, ossia L'infanticidio (Norma, or The Infanticide) by Alexandre Soumet. First produced at La Scala on December 26, 1831, it is generally regarded as an example of the supreme height of the Bel canto tradition. The title role is one of the most difficult in the soprano repertoire. German soprano Lilli Lehmann once famously remarked on how the singing of all three Brünnhildes in Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen in one evening was less stressful than the singing of one Norma. The role was created for Giuditta Pasta who also created the role of Amina in La Sonnambula.