“Through Jenna’s experiences, Galdanova’s “Queendom” shows how hostile the country remains to the queer community. Jenna is punished for protesting, for her art, and for simply walking around a grocery store or public spaces in costume. Every outdoor scene comes with a hint of danger, but mostly Jenna attracts puzzled stares. In a world where few people like Jenna feel safe enough to walk outside in an audacious costume, a performer like her is something of a novelty. ” – RogerEbert.com
Synopsis:
In defiance of Russia’s anti-LGTBQ laws, a queer, 21-year-old artist risks her life performing in surreal costumes throughout Moscow. Jenna Marvin’s radical public performances blend artistry and activism in this SXSW documentary.
Real Art Way’s youth filmmaking program, Eye on Video, concludes with a free public screening on Tuesday, July 30, at 7pm, featuring the students’ video projects. A short film created by each student will be shown. The showcase films investigate a broad range of contemporary topics that are of personal interest to the young filmmakers.
Eye on Video has received generous support from The Common Sense Fund, Stanley Black & Decker, Gawlicki Family Foundation, and The Ellen Jeanne Goldfarb Memorial Charitable Trust. Eye on Video provides teens with the opportunity to learn artistic skills from a Master Teaching Artist (the filmmakers at Hartford Film Company) and career-skills training to prepare them for today’s creative workplace. Each student also receives a weekly stipend, so they don’t have to choose between a quality arts education and a summer job.
The Real Art Ways film curriculum includes camera operation, scriptwriting, storytelling, composition, critique skills, and digital video production, which includes editing, sound design, and lighting design.
A filmmaker Q&A and reception follows the screenings. All are welcome.
For more information about our education programs, contact Miller Opie at 860.232.1006 x129 or mopie@realartways.org.
“Beautifully realized. A simple, throwback, redemptive story about the very personal roads of grief we all must travel, Ghostlight connects as authentic and heartfelt, but there’s also a sneaky profundity to match.” – AV Club
“‘Ghostlight,’ named for the single bulb often left burning in a theater when all the rest of the lights are shut off, keeping it from total darkness. If that sounds like a metaphor, it is.”- NY Times
Synopsis:
When melancholic construction worker Dan (Keith Kupferer) finds himself drifting from his wife and daughter, he discovers community and purpose in a local theater’s production of Romeo and Juliet. As the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life, he and his family are forced to confront a personal loss.
“Annie Baker’s debut feature film is a tiny masterpiece — a perfect coming-of-age story for both a misfit tween and her mother.” – NY Times
Synopsis:
In rural Western Massachusetts, 11-year-old Lacy spends the summer of 1991 at home, enthralled by her own imagination and the attention of her mother, Janet. Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker captures a child’s experience of time passing, and the ineffability of a daughter falling out of love with her mother, in this singularly sublime film debut.
“…a fresh and socially relevant take on the classic heist genre.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Read the full press release here.
Synopsis
Ricky Pryce is blessed with good looks and a devious charisma, but they’re wasted on Grubhub Delivery orders and supporting his sick mother as his high school friends graduate college and move on with their lives. When he meets Claire Brent, the daughter of the Midas Health Insurance CEO, his lies are meant to win her over instead of winning him a job at the same company that laid off his mother. Ricky sees an opportunity and hatches a plan to set up fraudulent payouts to help pay for his mother’s upcoming surgery. To pull it off, he enlists the help of his two best friends, who have their own financial woes.
As first-time criminals, the trio is forced to learn on the fly. When an unexpected discovery reveals a dark secret, they’re faced with a choice—take the money and run, or stand up for what they believe?
“Over the past 25 years, Run Lola Run remains one of the most enduring Sony Pictures Classics titles of all time,” SPC said. “It is as timely now as when it first appeared in theaters in 1999. Our nationwide reissue in June is a celebration of this first hi-tech thriller presented as it deserves, to be seen and reseen on the big screen and to continue to dazzle new generations of viewers.” – The Hollywood Reporter
93% Rotten Tomatoes
Synopsis:
In this visually and conceptually impressive film, two-bit Berlin criminal Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) delivers some smuggled loot for his boss, Ronnie (Heino Ferch), but accidentally leaves the 100,000 mark payment in a subway car. Given 20 minutes to come up with the money, he calls his girlfriend, Lola (Franka Potente), who sprints through the streets of the city to try to beg the money out of her bank manager father (Herbert Knaup) and get to Manni before he does something desperate.
“…the film is bracing and inspiring, giving some talented conductors much-deserved visibility.” – Hollywood Reporter
“…leaves us in awe of everything conductors must do at once, from knowing the intricate pieces intimately before they even step on the stage to connecting with every single musician to get the best possible performance out of them.” – RogerEbert.com
“Watching people dear to us not make it can be heartbreaking, but by the end the movie proves a paean to the resilience and hard work of this vibrant collection of brilliant musicians. They all deserve a standing ovation.” – Film Festival Today
Synopsis:
Five incredible women from around the world who are boldly breaking glass ceilings in the male-dominated world of orchestral conducting take center stage in MAESTRA, filmmaker Maggie Contreras’ directorial debut. These women gathered in Paris for ‘La Maestra’, the only competition in the world for female conductors, to show the world the singular talent that unites them and which, for far too long, has been considered the pursuit of only men. Mothers, daughters, rebels, leaders — over four days, each took to the stage to compete: a mother of young twins from Athens, determined to show her kids anything is possible; a Ukrainian doing all she can to focus on her art and the competition in front of her while Russia invades; a Polish student just starting out; a newlywed American grappling with the decision to start a family; and a French immigrant returning to the city that closed its doors to her many years ago. Personal stories of survival, passion and perseverance are woven together with the drama and excitement of this one-of-a-kind event. The struggles and triumphs of the gifted artists in MAESTRA offer a microcosm for the challenges faced by women in every industry and in every walk of life today, while also providing valuable insights into how we may conduct ourselves as we create a new movement for a more equitable future.
100% on Rotten Tomatoes
For the June 15 screening, there will be a post-film discussion with Hartford Symphony Orchestra Music Director Carolyn Kuan starting at 8 PM.
Synopsis:
The National Gallery of London is one of the world’s greatest art galleries. It is full of masterpieces, an endless resource of history, an endless source of stories. But whose stories are told? Which art has the most impact and on whom? The power of great art lies in its ability to communicate with anyone, no matter their art historical knowledge, their background, their beliefs.
This film gives voice to those who work at the gallery – from cleaner to curator, security guard to director – who identify the one artwork that means the most to them and why. An assortment of people from all walks of life who have a strong connection to the gallery make surprising choices of both well-known and lesser-known artworks. Finally, some well-known celebrities explain what they head for when they visit the gallery.
These stories are used as a lens through which to explore the 200-year history of the National Gallery and what the future may hold for this spectacular space.
About EXHIBITION ON SCREEN™:
Working with all the world’s major international museums and galleries, EXHIBITION ON SCREEN™ creates films that offer a cinematic immersion into the world’s best-loved art, accompanied by insights from the world’s leading historians and art critics. Since launching in 2011, EXHIBITION ON SCREEN™ has released 22 films that have been shown in over 60 countries worldwide.
EXHIBITION ON SCREEN™ is produced and distributed in the UK by award-winning filmmaker Phil Grabsky and his production company Seventh Art Productions. They have also created the Great Composers cinema series and the highly acclaimed ITV series Great Art.
“Thelma” is a totally pure delight that gives June Squibb a much-deserved leading role. Her and Roundtree are fabulously paired and Margolin’s script is breezy and sharp in equal measure.” – TheWrap
“It’s the balance of comedy and existential drama that truly elevates Thelma.” – Slant Magazine
Synopsis:
Inspired by a real-life experience of director Josh Margolin’s own grandmother, THELMA puts a clever spin on movies like MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. With infectious humor, Margolin employs the familiar tropes of the action genre in hilarious, age-appropriate ways to tackle aging with agency. In the first leading film role of her 70-year career, Squibb portrays the strong-willed Thelma with grit and determination, demonstrating that she is more than capable of taking care of business — despite what her daughter Gail (Parker Posey), son-in-law Alan (Clark Gregg), or grandson Danny might believe.
98% on Rotten Tomatoes
“What keeps the story sweet is the chemistry between Cannavale and Fitzgerald, who build a bond worth cherishing.” – NYT
Synopsis:
EZRA follows Max Bernal (Bobby Cannavale), a stand-up comedian living with his father (Robert De Niro), while struggling to co-parent his autistic son Ezra (introducing William Fitzgerald) with his ex-wife (Rose Byrne). When forced to confront difficult decisions about their son’s future, Max and Ezra embark on a cross-country road trip that has a transcendent impact on both their lives. Directed by Tony Goldwyn, who also appears in the film alongside additional cast members Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson and Whoopi Goldberg, EZRA is an endearing and often funny exploration of a family determined to find their way through life’s complexities with humor, compassion, and heart.
“Remembering Gene Wilder” is a pleasant retro journey for fans and an efficient introduction to a comic genius for cineasts who might not know his work.” – SF Chronicle
“Warm, affectionate, so many great anecdotes and I came to appreciate his artistry on a whole different level.” – NPR
Synopsis:
This loving tribute to Gene Wilder celebrates his life and legacy as the comic genius behind an extraordinary string of film roles, from his first collaboration with Mel Brooks in The Producers to the enigmatic title role in the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to his inspired on-screen partnership with Richard Pryor in movies like Silver Streak. It is illustrated by a bevy of touching and hilarious clips and outtakes, never-before-seen home movies, narration from Wilder’s audiobook memoir, and interviews with a roster of brilliant friends and collaborators like Mel Brooks, Alan Alda, and Carol Kane. Remembering Gene Wilder shines a light on an essential performer, writer, director, and all-around mensch.
“Madeleine is a showcase for its two leads; both are exceptional. So is the film, which gently reminds us to feel compassion for others since we never quite know where another person has been or where they might be going.” San Jose Mercury News
“Line Renaud’s charm makes the present an increasingly welcoming place to return to.” – indieWire
Synopsis:
Madeleine, 92 years old, calls a taxi to take her to the retirement home where she will be living. Charles, a disillusioned driver with a tender heart, agrees to drive by the places that affected Madeleine’s life. Through the streets of Paris, her extraordinary past is revealed. They don’t know it yet, but they will forge a friendship during this drive that will change their lives forever.
(In French with English subtitles)
94% on Rotten Tomatoes
“…a meditation on hope.” – NY Times
“It is unmistakably a Loach film: taciturn yet forthright, examining life in the cracks of a fractured society with deep compassion, plain-spoken anger and, perhaps more so than in the previous two films, a shot of hope.” – Washington Post
“A fine send-off for workhorse British director Ken Loach, this film is a sort of proudly unsexy piece of social realism portraiture whose delicate blend of poignancy and hopefulness mark it as a welcomely mature work for the remaining cineastes who care.” – AV Club
Synopsis:
The Old Oak is the last pub in a once-thriving mining village in northern England, a gathering space for a community that has fallen on hard times. There is growing anger, resentment, and a lack of hope among the residents, but the pub and its proprietor, TJ, are a fond presence to their customers. When a group of Syrian refugees moves into the floundering village, a decisive rift fueled by prejudices develops between the community and its newest inhabitants. The formation of an unexpected friendship between TJ and a young Syrian woman named Yara opens up new possibilities for the divided village in this deeply moving drama about loss, fear, and the difficulty of finding hope. The release of The Old Oak reunites legendary British director Ken Loach with Zeitgeist Films and Kino Lorber following our 2020 release of his film Sorry We Missed You. Loach, 87 years old, has announced that The Old Oak will be his final film.
“Lovely and lyrical yet haunting and heartbreaking…” – Chicago Sun Times
“It’s a resolutely poetic, at times even golden-hued portrait of lives unafraid to hope amid growing despair.” – LA Times
“Writer/director Minhal Baig’s ‘90s coming-of-age drama is one of realistic warmth, rumbling hopes and roadblocks jutting up in front of children whose very existence is defiant.” – Paste Magazine
93% on Rotten Tomatoes
Synopsis:
In 1992 Chicago, as Michael Jordan solidifies himself as a champion, a story of two young legends in their own right begins. As wide-eyed and imaginative best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing, their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.
“I had no idea where Hamaguchi’s cautionary tale was taking me, but I remained intrigued until the bitter end.” – Boston Globe
“The ending will probably confound you, but its power lies in what particulars are provided, and how it leaves us wondering about the unstoppable dreams of humans and the ageless realities of nature.” – LA Times
“It’s a fable, like a simple game of good versus evil, that unspools with such density of narrative that it takes the breath away.” – AV Club
91% on Rotten Tomatoes
Synopsis:
In the rural alpine hamlet of Mizubiki, near Tokyo, Takumi and his daughter, Hana, lead a modest life gathering water, wood, and wild wasabi for the local udon restaurant. Increasingly, the townsfolk become aware of a talent agency’s plan to build an opulent glamping site nearby, offering city residents a comfortable “escape” to the snowy wilderness. When two company representatives arrive and ask for local guidance, Takumi becomes conflicted in his involvement, as it becomes clear that the project will have a pernicious impact on the community. Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s follow-up to his Academy Award®-winning DRIVE MY CAR is a foreboding fable on humanity’s mysterious, mystical relationship with nature. As sinister gunshots echo from the forest, both the locals and representatives confront their life choices and the haunting consequences they have.
(In Japanese with English subtitles)
“Mournful yet exuberant, “La Chimera” is a towering work of art presented with the unassuming invitation of a warming summer morning.” – LA Times
“One of the pleasures of Rohrwacher’s filmmaking is the way she subtly blurs our sense of time. La Chimera is set in the 1980s, but it could be taking place 20 years earlier, or 20 years later.” – NPR
Synopsis: Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never manage to find. For the band of tombaroli, thieves of ancient grave goods and archaeological wonders, the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur, the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina. To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, goes inside the earth — in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak. In an adventurous journey between the living and the dead, between forests and cities, between celebrations and solitudes, the intertwined destinies of these characters unfold, all in search of the Chimera.
93% on Rotten Tomatoes
(In Italian with English subtitles)
“Consistently weird and frequently wonderful, Sasquatch Sunset uses its high-concept premise to consider a host of themes: collective living, coexistence with nature, longing stirred by seclusion.” – Boston Globe
“It’s brilliantly filmed, constantly maintains our interest, boasts first-rate prosthetics, and is completely distinct from whatever else is found at the box office.” – Los Angeles Times
Synopsis:
In the misty forests of North America, a family of Sasquatches–possibly the last of their enigmatic kind–embark on an absurdist, epic, hilarious, and ultimately poignant journey over the course of one year. These shaggy and noble giants fight for survival as they find themselves on a collision course with the ever-changing world around them. Starring Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg, acclaimed directors David and Nathan Zellner (Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter) bring you the greatest Bigfoot story ever told.
“Destined to be the biggest feel-good movies of the year.” – The Aisle Seat
“Cabrini’s story is rather absorbing and the film offers a lushly mounted portrait of life in 1880s New York, when immigration was just as much of a contentious issue as it is today.” – Guardian
“Its visual splendor is matched by the strong moral convictions and absence of cynicism that characterized many movies of the 1940s, when Catholic heroes were all over the screen.” – Wall Street Journal
“An engaging account of a woman whose faith and personality allowed her to make a difference in the face of astronomical odds.” – ReelViews
91% on Rotten Tomatoes
Synopsis:
From Alejandro Monteverde, award-winning director of “Sound of Freedom”, comes the powerful epic of Francesca Cabrini, an Italian immigrant who arrives in New York City in 1889 and is greeted by disease, crime, and impoverished children. Cabrini sets off on a daring mission to convince the hostile mayor to secure housing and healthcare for society’s most vulnerable. With broken English and poor health, Cabrini uses her entrepreneurial mind to build an empire of hope unlike anything the world had ever seen.
“Smart, cynical and at times devilishly funny, the film delivers a crackle of disruptive static to the demonic possession genre.” – Observer (UK)
“A nasty and delicious, unapologetic pastiche with a flair for menace. I had a blast.” – New York Times
” It’s a gem on every level, and it’s already a contender for the best new horror film of 2024.” – AV Club
“A potent examination of the price of success.” – Austin Chronicle
“Absolutely brilliant. I couldn’t take my eyes off of it.” – Stephen King
97% on Rotten Tomatoes
Synopsis:
Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. However, ratings for the show have plummeted since the tragic death of Jack’s beloved wife. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, on October 31st, 1977, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other–unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America.
“A remarkable World War II story told conventionally but elevated by a superb Anthony Hopkins.” – Time Out
“Serves as an urgent reminder of the importance of individual action at a time when the world refugee crisis is at a scale not seen since the Second World War.” – Variety
“Heartwarming.” – RogerEbert.com
Synopsis:
Based on the book If It’s Not Impossible…: The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton by Barbara Winton, One Life tells the incredible, emotional true story of Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton (Johnny Flynn), a young London broker who visits Prague in December 1938. In a race against time, Winton convinces Trevor Chadwick (Alex Sharp) and Doreen Warriner (Romola Garai) of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia to rescue hundreds of predominantly Jewish children before Nazi occupation closes the borders. Fifty years later, Nicky (Anthony Hopkins) is haunted by the fate of the children he wasn’t able to bring to safety in England. It’s not until the BBC show “That’s Life!” re-introduces him to some of those he helped rescue that he finally begins to come to terms with the guilt and grief he carried — all the while skyrocketing from anonymity to a national hero.
