Category: Uncategorized

MONDAY, OCTOBER 13

SHOWN AT 12:30PM
Most people don’t think about singing when they think about revolution. But song was the weapon of choice when Estonians sought to free themselves from decades of Soviet occupation. “The Singing Revolution” is an inspiring account of one nation’s dramatic rebirth. It is the story of humankind’s irrepressible drive for freedom and self-determination.

“Imagine the scene in ‘Casablanca’ in which the French patrons sing ‘La Marseillaise’ in defiance of the Germans, then multiply its power by a factor of thousands, and you’ve only begun to imagine the force of ‘The Singing Revolution’.” -Matt Zoller Seitz, The New York Times

SHOWN AT 2:45PM
For more than thirty years, exit polls accurately predicted election results. Over the last ten years that reliability has disappeared. What’s going on? The last two presidential elections both came down to a relatively small number of votes, and in both elections the integrity of the voting process has been called into question. With the upcoming election looking to be similarly close, the time has come to ask the questions: What happened in 2000 and 2004? What, if anything, has changed since? And what can be done to ensure a fair and honest tabulation of votes in 2008? This film brings together behind-the-scenes perspectives from the U.S presidential election of 2004 – plus startling stories from key races in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2006. The film sheds light on a decade of vote counts that don’t match votes cast – uncounted ballots, vote switching, under-votes, an many other examples of election totals that warrant serious investigation. This film unveils patterns of anomalies at every level of the electoral process. Controversial partnerships perpetuate a secretive environment, as relevant facts and figures remain hidden from view. As a result, most Americans have no real sense of the threat to fair elections. As seemingly unrelated pieces of the puzzle come together, a chilling picture emerges: of widespread, artfully crafted “glitches” that, in the final tallies, have the capacity to alter election results.

“This tersely sobering documentary…mounts its case with hardheaded numerical logic.”
-Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly

SHOWN AT 5:00PM
The Paskowitz family – father Dorian “Doc,” mother Juliet, eight boys and one girl – became legends of surfing. This was due not only to the sheer number of them dominating competitions wherever their 24-foot camper trailer would take them, but their love for it and perseverance bred into them from birth by their unconventional Dad made them shine, too. The senior Paskowitz had rejected the cozy life of a Jewish post-War doctor, adopting a life in the froth after two failed marriages and an existential reckoning. An educated and principled man, he and Juliet home-schooled all their children, their nomadic beach life being their most regular classroom. It all seemed life the perfect off-the-grid life, but in up-close-and-personal portraits such as this one, things are seldom as they seem.

“The film’s director, Doug Pray, has been able to track down each and every Paskowitz child, and he weaves their memories together with old home movies, still photos and news clippings to create an evocative portrait of their lives.” -Roger Ebert, The Chicago Sun-Times

SHOWN AT 7:15PM

What happens when you’re asked to build the city of tomorrow… today? Set on the rugged streets of South Boston, “The Greening Of Southie” is the story of a revolutionary Green Building, and the men and women who bring it to life. From wheatboard cabinetry to recycled steel, bamboo flooring to dual-flush toilets, The Macallen Building is something different – a leader in the emerging field of environmentally friendly design. But Boston’s steel-toed construction workers aren’t sure they like it. And when things on the building start to go wrong, the young development team has to keep the project from unraveling. Funny and poignant, “The Greening Of Southie” is a story of bold ideas, unlikely environmentalists, and the future of the way we live. Created by the co-producers and stars of “King Corn,” Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis, the film features cinematography by Taylor Gentry, innovative time-lapse animation, and music by the Brooklyn-based duo Force Theory.

“The Greening Of Southie” is part of our

series of sustainability films, and this screening features a Q&A with director Ian Cheney.

SHOWN FOLLOWING THE SHORT:

Feeling disconnected from their food, filmmaker Richard Hoffmann and his family decide to join a community supported organic farm. As Hoffmann photographs the growing process, he moves from passive observer to active participant in the planting and harvesting of vegetables. Featuring lush time-lapse and macro photography sequences compiled from nearly 20,000 still images, this personal essay is a father’s meditation on his blossoming family and community.