Wall Street’s greed rescreened
November 21, 2008 San Miguel de Allende

Film
Wall Street
Sponsored by Center for Global Justice
Wed, Nov 26, 3pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
50 pesos

“Greed is good,” proclaimed Gordon Gekko in the most memorable line from the 1987 film Wall Street. This was the mantra not only for the 1980s but it has guided our high-stakes financial dealers in the decades since as well. It has taken the current financial crisis to expose this illusion as a self-defeating ideology—at the expense of millions of little people who trusted in the integrity of our regulatory institutions.

Michael Douglas won an Academy Award for his portrayal of Gekko, a ruthless Wall Street schemer. An early template for the financial gamblers now being bailed out by our government, Gekko boasts, “I create nothing. I own.” In such memorable lines we can see the mentality that has afflicted the US for too long. 



Breaking through the Silence

Film Series
Children of a Lesser God
Tue, Nov 25, 5pm
50 pesos (series: 300 pesos)

Dear Frankie

Thu, Nov 27, 5pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Insurgentes 25
Free screening



Children of a Lesser God

The thought-provoking story of Children of a Lesser God, set in a school for the deaf, explores the relationship between a teacher, James (William Hurt) and a former student, Sarah (Marlee Matlin), who works as a janitor at the school.

James, like many hearing people, wants to assimilate Sarah and his students into his world of speech, to rescue them from their mute deafness. Underlying this desire is an unspoken assumption: that they are like broken dolls that he can fix, defective creations, children of a lesser god. 

Sarah, however, does not want to be assimilated or rescued or “normal.” She refuses to speak, rejecting the imitation of normalcy that will always relegate her to an inferior position relative to people who can hear and modulate their voices. Her means of communication is not deficient or defective, just different. She signs fluently and is vibrantly expressive. She makes her own decisions in spite of disapproval or denigration by society, and she does not measure success by her ability to act like a hearing person. She demands that James accept her on her own terms.

In the end, the couple faces a difficult question, one all face who are children not of a lesser or greater god, but of one who has endowed us with different capabilities and circumstances. Can we accept those differences and try to adapt ourselves to the other’s world as much as we expect the other to adapt to ours? 



Dear Frankie

Dear Frankie, the Thanksgiving treat of the film series, focuses on nine-year-old Frankie and his single mom Lizzie, who have been on the move ever since Frankie can remember, most recently arriving in a seaside Scottish town.

Wanting to protect Frankie from the truth that they’re running away from his father, Lizzie has invented a story that his dad is away at sea on a ship called the HMS Accra. She intercepts the frequent letters her son writes and replies to them in the guise of his father, recounting adventures in exotic lands and sending him stamps from all over the world.

When Frankie discovers that the real HMS Accra is due to dock soon in their town, Lizzie is caught in a dilemma. She explains to a friend that she knew she should have told Frankie the truth long ago, but she thought he would grow tired of writing letters, and she admits that she has enjoyed the fiction because it was the only way that she could “hear” her deaf son’s voice.

This reviewer found this tender British film extremely appealing, appropriate for young people as well as adults, so we hope that the teachers and families of the IREE students also will enjoy this small gem of a film.

Filmmakers support IREE School for the Deaf
By Holly Yasui

The five-minute video opens with a Chaplinesque shot of a long line of children marching down Pila Seca and into their school, the Instituto de Rehabilitación y Educación Especial (IREE).

Premiering at the inauguration of the Deaf Film Festival on November 4, it delighted the students, teachers and their families in attendance. The kids loved seeing themselves on the screen, clapping and pointing, perhaps not yet grasping the hard reality of IREE’s desperate situation. The school is slated to close at the end of this year if sufficient funds are not raised to pay the teachers’ salaries, rent and utilities.

The spot was produced pro bono by two talented young filmmakers who recently arrived in San Miguel, Sam Oliver and Emilie Davies (www.bloodredcolt.com). 

“I was initially told about the plight of IREE by my good friend Deb Connor,” says Sam (more to come on Deb Connor Events, which is planning a fundraising event for IREE in December). “Upon visiting the school and meeting the kids, teachers and director, there was no way we could walk away and do nothing.”

“We believe in IREE and the work that they do,” says Emilie. “We don’t want to see it have to close its doors after more than 15 years in operation. We are working pro bono on this project because we know that without recognition and support, IREE will not be able to keep its doors open.”

IREE provides the only opportunity in the region for low-income deaf children to receive an education, therapy and, as bonuses, a nutritious breakfast and lunch every day as well as a variety of extracurricular activities and excursions.

Sam took on the project with the hope of “reaching out to a broad, international audience … touching people who otherwise would have never heard of IREE.” As Emilie puts it, “film has the ability to reach people at an emotional level in a very meaningful way ... that can resonate so profoundly with others.”

Sam was born in London, England, and attended the Herefordshire College of Art & Design. Emilie hails from Montreal, Canada, and holds a degree in business from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver. She says that they moved to San Miguel “for the opportunity to work on projects that had meaning to us, and in a place where we knew our skills and talent would be put to good use.”

Though they have been living in San Miguel for less than a year, Sam and Emilie have produced a number of videos for local charities, including two for the Sociedad de Protección de Animales (SPA) and Hospice San Miguel, as well as a short documentary about local craftsmen building a boveda.

Sam filmed his first documentary, about an international art project called “moja moja” (www.mojamojafilm.com), at an orphanage for disabled children in Kenya. The filmmakers are currently seeking an executive producer and raising funds for a short narrative drama in development that they hope to film in San Miguel.

At the end of the IREE spot, the students line up in front of the school and wave goodbye. Hopefully, the community of San Miguel will rally to the call for support and that farewell will not be forever.

The Deaf Film series continues with screenings at 5pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays until December 9. The IREE photo and poster exhibit is located in the hallway to the Café/Teatro Santa Ana in the Biblioteca Pública. The next two films are Children of a Lesser God on November 25 and Dear Frankie on November 27. 

Cinemateca, November 24–30, 2008

José Luis Pick’n’tip


The Visitor 

This refreshingly simple yet emotionally complex film is from the filmmakers behind The Station Agent and also is grounded with likeable yet very different characters who are brought together in a situation. Those differences help the audience embrace them. This was one of the most refreshing films to emerge from the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and features award-worthy performances from Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman and Hiam Abbass. Not to be missed.

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.



The Movies:


The Visitor (2007) 
Monday, November 24 at 7:30pm
Tuesday, November 25 at 7:30pm
Independent drama, English, 103 minutes
Director: Thomas McCarthy
Cast: Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Amir Arison, Haaz Sleiman, Laith Nakli 

Widowed professor Walter Vale (Richard Jenkins) discovers an immigrant couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Gurira), squatting in his Manhattan flat and becomes wrapped up in their lives when Tarek is thrown into a detention center. A wonderful Hiam Abbass co-stars as Tarek’s mother, who forges an unlikely connection with Walter. Director Thomas McCarthy’s follow-up to his indie hit The Station Agent premiered at Sundance in 2008.

Mother Teresa (2003)  Monday, November 24 at 5:30pm Friday, November 28 at 2pm Drama based on real life, English with Spanish subtitles, 110 minutes Director: Fabrizio Costa Cast: Olivia Hussey, Laura Morante, Michael Mendl, Ingrid Rubio

Olivia Hussey stars as the peerless Mother Teresa, the Albanian Catholic nun whose legendary selfless work among the poor and outcast of Calcutta inspired hearts around the world. Avoiding the sanctimonious, this stirring biography instead takes a clear-eyed look at the powerful faith that drove Mother Teresa to challenge civil and religious authorities and reach the needy on their own terms. Sebastiano Somma and Michael Mendl co-star.

Video Opera and Ballet series continues: Il Barbiere di Seviglia (2008) Monday, November 24 at 2pm Rossini opera, sung in Italian, 166 minutes Director: Gianluigi Glemetti Starring: María Bayo, Juan Diego Florez, Pietro Spagnoli, Bruno Pratico, Ruggero Raimondi

Renowned tenor Juan Diego Florez stars as Count Almaviva in this production of Gioachino Rossini’s popular opera, Il Barbiere di Siviglia. Count Almaviva disguises himself as a poor student to try to win beautiful Rosina’s (Maria Bayo) true love. Pietro Spagnoli, Bruno Pratico and Ruggero Raimondi co-star in this lavish production filmed live at the Teatro Real in Madrid. Gianluigi Glemetti conducts.

Next week: Monday, December 1: Luisa Fernanda, Federico Moreno Torroba’s three-act zarzuela

Special Movie Series to support the IREE school for the deaf 
Children of a Lesser God
Tuesday, November 25 at 5pm
Life drama, English, 118 minutes
Director: Randa Haines
Cast: William Hurt, Philip Bosco, Piper Laurie, Marlee Matlin 

Speech teacher James Leeds (William Hurt) uses unconventional methods to reach his hearing-impaired students but can’t make headway with the school’s deaf custodian, Sarah Norman (Marlee Matlin, who captured the Best Actress Oscar). The brainy but cynical Sarah thinks it’s better to stay in the safe confines of her voiceless milieu than to contend with a callous world. Can James get through to Sarah and release her from her cocoon of silence?

Dear Frankie Thursday, November 27 at 5pm Foreign drama, English, 105 minutes Director: Shona Auerbach Cast: Emily Mortimer, Jack McElhone, Mary Riggans, Sharon Small, Sophie Main

Faced with the prospect of raising her son Frankie (Jack McElhone) with a good-for-nothing man, Lizzie (Emily Mortimer) spirits him away to Scotland and pretends the boy’s father is aboard the HMS Accra. After years of pretending, including sending Frankie fake letters detailing his dad’s adventures, the jig is up when Frankie learns the ship is docked by their home. Now, Lizzie must find a man to pose as Frankie’s father…fast!



Kids Movies: Cartoons
Saturday, November 29 at noon