Cinemateca, July 21–27, 2008 
July 18, 2008 San Miguel de Allende
José Luis Pick’n’tip

Mother Russia Movie Fest
This week we celebrate Mother Russia with four great movies, four gems representing the modern film industry of this great nation. Each and every one could be chosen as my pick, but the one that really thrills me is The Cuckoo. This movie is a marvelous surprise. It will gradually rivet the attentive viewer via the accumulation of wonderful small details that go into surviving in this World War II Lapland setting. With little dialog initially, when it finally comes, none of the characters can understand each other (don’t worry; you will). The emotional relationships build up slowly and lead to a conclusion of enormous yet well-earned sentiment. Among the many unusual scenes is one depicting the direct and necessary need for sex; another becomes one of the better metaphors for the trip toward death. The acting by the three principals is terrific and a word must be said for the woman’s role. Without unduly pushing the notion, this character becomes one of the richest embodiments of true feminism that the screen has seen in a long, long while.


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. Would you like to receive this info by email? Write to José Luis at alephamour@hotmail.com.  Thank you.

Mother Russia Movie Fest
Mother & Son (Mat i syn, 2000)
Wednesday, July 23 at 5pm
Russia, Russian with English subtitles, 101 minutes
Director: Alexander Sokurov
Cast: Gudrin Geyer, Alexander Anaishnov 

A deep, spiritual love develops between a dying woman (Gudrun Geyer) and the son (Aleksei Ananishnov) who’s caring for her in this gem of a film from Russian director Alexander Sokurov. When the two share the same dream one evening, the son carries his mother outside to ease her pain and experience nature. Sokurov shoots through mirrors and panes of hand-painted glass to suggest the heightened, dreamlike reality experienced by mother and son. 

At Home Among Strangers, A Stranger Among His Own 
(Svoj sredi chuzhikh, chuzhoj sredi svoikh, 1974)
Thursday, July 24 at 5pm
Russia, Russian with English subtitles, 97 minutes
Director: Nikita Mikhalkov
Cast: Yuri Bogatyryov, Sergei Shakurov, Anatoly Solonitsyn, Alexander Porokhovshchikov Alexander Kalyagin 

In this surprisingly good Soviet Western, Red Army soldier Shilov is protecting a trainload of gold that’s destined for the government in Moscow. A sneaky bunch of bandits makes off with the loot and Shilov is left holding the bag. Not ready to be shipped to Siberia for eternity, Shilov infiltrates the gang in an attempt to get back the gold before the train hits Moscow.

The Return (Vozvrashcheniye, 2003)
Friday, July 25 at 3pm
Russia, Russian with English subtitles, 90 minutes
Director: Andrei Zvyagintsev
Cast: Vladimir Garin, Ivan Dobronravov, Natalya Vdovina, Galina Petrova

The sudden reappearance of a man (Konstantin Lavronenko) who left his family 12 years earlier stirs up some mixed emotions in the household. His sons know him only from photographs and while teenage Andrey (Vladimir Garin) is content to accept the unexplained turn of events, his younger brother, Ivan (Ivan Dobronravov), wants answers. Where has the man been all this time and why is he back? Director Andrey Zvyagintsev’s feature film debut.

The Cuckoo (Kukushka, 2002)
Friday, July 25 at 5pm
Russia, Russian with English subtitles, 103 minutes
Director: Aleksandr Rogozhkin
Cast: Anni-Christina Juuso, Ville Haapasalo, Viktor Bychkov, Aleksei Kashnikov, Mikhail Korobochkin

A few days before Finland pulls out of World War II, Veiko, a Finnish sniper, is denounced by his comrades for a being a pacifist and a reluctant fighter. As punishment, the young man is shackled to a rock and forced to wear a German uniform, knowing full well that Russian soldiers have orders to shoot Germans on sight. Veiko escapes and forms an unlikely bond with a woman farmer and other refugees who are just trying to stay alive.

Kids Movies: Scientific Documentary 
Saturday, July 19 at noon

Bioneers Special:
The Future of Food (2004) 
Saturday, July 26 at 3pm 
Documentary, English, 90 minutes
Director: Deborah Koons Garcia

Before compiling your next grocery list, you might want to watch this eye-opening documentary, which sheds light on a shadowy relationship between agriculture, big business and government. By examining the effects of biotechnology on the nation’s smallest farmers, director Deborah Koons Garcia reveals the unappetizing truth about genetically modified foods: You could unknowingly be serving them for dinner.