A Separation
After his wife Simin leaves him, the middle-class Nader hires Razieh, a devout, impoverished woman, to look after his Alzheimer’s-stricken father. When he fires her, an accident encourages her enraged husband to sue, pulling everyone into a spiraling, Kafkaesque labyrinth of Iran’s Islamic legal system. Winner of Berlin’s Golden Bear for best film and for awards for both the male and female ensembles, writer-director Asghar Farhadi’s masterpiece explores Iranian class conflict, gender inequalities and cultural tensions between secular and spiritual values. Though the story is simple, Farhadi and his astonishing cast explore it with subtlety and elegance. By film’s end, you can feel the tragic spiritual condition of an entire society in your bones. (Iran, 2011, 123m, Sony Picture Classics)
Opens March 2
Bullhead
“A work of nightmarish force … unforgettable.” –Rex Reed, NY Observer
Oscar Nominee, Best Foreign Language Film!
The most extraordinary international debut of the year, Michael R. Roskam's harrowing tale of revenge, redemption and fate shocked the world with its Best Foreign Language Oscar nomination. The story follows domineering cattle farmer Jacky Vanmarsanille (Matthias Schoenaerts in a ferocious breakout performance), constantly pumped on steroids and hormones, as he initiates a shady deal with a notorious mafioso meat trader. When an investigating federal agent is assassinated and a woman from his traumatic past resurfaces, Jacky must confront his demons and face the far-reaching consequences of his decisions. (Belgium, 2011, 124m, digital video, Drafthouse Releasing)
Opens March 2
Santa Fe Institute presents: Science on Screen series: Wargames
This eye-opening series provides new contexts for classic films, with a luminary from the Santa Fe Institute’s renowned research center curating a film and giving an introductory lecture connecting the film’s content with elements of his or her current research. The Science on Screen series puts an innovative, science-rich spin on cinema, bringing fresh insights to wonderful films.
Simon DeDeo presents
WARGAMES
Generously Sponsored by Diana MacArthur
DeDeo, a physicist dedicated to sharing knowledge with the general public, recontextualizes the greatest cult film of the hacker generation. He’ll reveal how our visions of the Internet have shifted during the past 20 years and offer insights into the digital age.
7:00p Thursday March 8
On The Ice
“Captivating … fascinating … keeps the audience fully engaged.” –Twitch
Winner of major awards at Berlin, Seattle and Woodstock, Andrew Okpeaha MacLean’s acclaimed debut follows two teenage boys who, as close as brothers, have together survived the comfortable claustrophobia of an isolated Alaskan town. But after an argument breaks out during a seal hunt with another teenager, and a tragic accident ensues, the boys are forced to cover their tracks, falling more deeply into guilt as their community grows increasingly suspicious. How far can their friendship take them? (U.S., 2011, 96m)
Opens March 9
