August 17: Flight of the Red Balloon
This is the first film made by Taiwanese
director Hou Hsiao-hsien outside of Asia. Inspired by Albert Lamororisse's 1956 classic, The Red Balloon, Hou expands
on its key elements--a young boy, a red balloon and Paris--to weave an achingly beautiful tale of the mysteries
of familial bonds and the lingering effects of the past. A precious young boy, Simon must deal with the increasing
fragility of his mother, the loving yet preoccupied Suzanne (Juliette Binoche). Completely immersed in ger own
tribulations, Suzanne hires Song, a Taiwanese film student, to help care for Simon. Together with Song, a unique
extended family is formed, utterly interdependent, yet lost in separate thoughts and dreams mirrored by a delicate,
shiny red balloon.
Director: Hou Hsiao-hsien
Starring Juliette Binoche, Simon Iteanu, Fang Song, Hippolyte Girardot
Official Website: Flight of the Red Balloon
Sponsor: Anne Veenstra - Affinity Counseling
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Sept. 21: Alexandra
From the Russian director best known in the
States for The Russian Ark, comes a loving story of a grandmother who sets out to visit her grandson on the Chechen
front. He's an unmarried 27-year-old captain who's been away too long. She has been recently widowed and misses
her grandson. She also wonders about this war in Chechnya, its effect on the young Russian soldiers and on the
local Chechen people. The beautiful images that Sokurov creates in the war-torn region are a contrast that speaks
multitudes about life and death and love and the spirit of Russia and her people.
Director: Alexander Sokurov
Starring: Galina Vishnevskaya, Vasily Shevtsor, Raisa Gichaeva
Offical Website: Alexandra
Sponsor: Phoebe Lawrence and Bill Charland
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