Middlebury College Language Schools
2008 International Documentary Film Festival

Screenings are at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in Dana Auditorium 
The Arabic Film will have ONE showing at 7 p.m.

Admission is free and open to the public.

Guests are asked to minimize their use of English in the presence of Language Schools students.

After each 7 p.m. screening, filmgoers are invited to participate in a discussion in English moderated by a member of the Language Schools. Due to the Language Pledge, Language Schools students are not permitted to attend the discussions.

June 14, 2008 (one showing at 7 p.m.)
Omaret Yakobean (Yacoubian Building )
Directed by Marwan Hamed
Egypt, 2006
Color. 161 minutes. Arabic with English subtitles
http://www.arabfilm.com/item/444/

Like the novel ostensibly set in 1990 at about the time of the first Gulf War, the film is a scathing portrayal of modern Egyptian society since the coup d'état of 1952. The setting is downtown Cairo, with the titular apartment building (which actually exists) serving as both a metaphor for contemporary Egypt and a unifying location in which most of the primary characters either live or work and in which much of the action takes place.

The stories of each of the primary characters are intertwined, at times colliding or converging with one another. Together, they give a biting condemnation of a nation that has squandered its promise and which has been forced to compromise its own principles, resulting in a corrupt and undemocratic political system dominated by a single party (the fictitious "Patriotic Party", a thinly-veiled version of Egypt's National Democratic Party). The unlikely pairing of the elderly roué and the disillusioned young girl that ends the film provides a closing grace note that can be seen as a ray of hope against the death and unhappiness that has befallen the other characters.

"The Yacoubian Building distinguishes itself both as the most expensive Egyptian film ever made and, despite its nearly three-hour running time, one of the most watchable."
- Deborah Young, Variety

June 21, 2008
Abduction: The Megumi Yakota Story
UK/USA, 2006
Directed by Chris Sheridan and Patty Kim
Color, 85 minutes, Japanese with English subtitles
http://www.abductionfilm.com/

This documentary tells the story of Megumi Yakota, a Japanese student abducted by a North Korean agent in 1977. The film is told through the eyes of Megumi’s mother and father, retelling their thirty-year investigation of the facts of Megumi’s abduction.

"A shocking and poignant count of an outrageous and villainous international incident the world should know about."
- Jeffrey Lyons, NBC's REEL TALK

June 28, 2008
Still Life
Directed by Zhang-Ke Jia
Hong Kong/China, 2006
Color. 108 mins. Chinese with English subtitles
http://movies.nytimes.com/2008/01/18/movies/18stil.html

This film tells the story of Han Sanming, a coal-miner from the province of Shanxi who has returned to the city of Fengjie, near the Three Gorges Dam, in search of his wife who ran away sixteen years ago. When he is told his wife and daughter work downriver, he decides to remain in the city, working on a demolition crew, tearing down old buildings, and hoping for his wife’s return. We then meet Shen Hong, a nurse also from Shanxi, in search of her husband who left her two years earlier. Enlisting the help of her husband’s friends, she searches for her husband, hoping he has remained faithful during their time apart.

Golden Lion Winner, 23^rd Venice Film Festival
“A human triumph. One of the world’s most important filmmakers”
- Manohla Dargis, The New York Times

July 5, 2008
Congorama
Directed by Philippe Falardeau
Canada/Belgium/France, 2006
Color. 106 minutes. French with English subtitles
http://www.congorama-lefilm.com/

Blood diamonds, world expos, electric cars, long-lost fathers and emus. Such is the stuff of the unlikely world of surefire crowd-pleaser Congorama. Michel, an underachieving inventor trading on the name of his famous and ailing father, leads a life of unremitting frustration. So when said father reveals to Michel that he is not Belgian, but is instead an adopted Canadian, Michel finally uses one of his well-intentioned yet ultimately pointless inventions as cover for a quest to find his biological family. Ostensibly trying to sell cable deicers to the government of Québec, Michel lights in the rural hamlet of Saint-Cécile, where a series of chance encounters will change his fortunes forever. Director Philippe Falardeau’s second feature playfully interweaves the implausible with the poignant to produce a uniquely satisfying wry comedy. Unlike other films that use intersecting, engineered narratives to offer pedantic views of politics or culture, Congorama uses the form towards a richer aim—humor—with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Even lead actor Olivier Gourmet, the supremely talented Belgian player associated with serious fare such as the Dardennes’ The Son and The Promise, sheds his characteristically brooding persona to deliver a pitch-perfect dry comedic performance in this existential, quasi-mystical tale of transformation and invention.

The Counterfeiters is the true story of the largest counterfeiting operation in history, set up by the Nazis in 1936. Salomon "Sally" Sorowitsch is the king of counterfeiters. He lives a mischievous life of cards, booze, and women in Berlin during the Nazi-era. Suddenly his luck runs dry when arrested by Superintendent Friedrich Herzog. Immediately thrown into the Mauthausen concentration camp, Salomon exhibits exceptional skills there and is soon transferred to the upgraded camp of Sachsenhausen. Upon his arrival, he once again comes face to face with Herzog, who is there on a secret mission. Hand-picked for his unique skill, Salomon and a group of professionals are forced to produce fake foreign currency under the program Operation Berhard. The team, which also includes detainee Adolf Burger, is given luxury barracks for their assistance. But while Salomon attempts to weaken the economy of Germany's allied opponents, Adolf refuses to use his skills for Nazi profit and would like to do something to stop Operation Bernhard's aid to the war effort. Faced with a moral dilemma, Salomon must decide whether his actions, which could prolong the war and risk the lives of fellow prisoners, are ultimately the right ones.

                            Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film (2008)
                                                - Academy Awards USA
                        
                            Nominated for Golden Berlin Bear (2007)
                                                - Berlin International Film Festival

                             Film Award in Gold (2007)
                                                - German Film Awards                        

                                  "Cinema at its most powerful"
                                                - Daily Mirror

July 19, 2008
L’ora di religione (The Religion Hour )
Directed by Marco Bellocchio
Italy, 2001
Color. 102 minutes. Italian with English subtitles
http://cineuropa.org/film.aspx?documentID=1591

Ernesto is a successful artist who has his life turned upside down by his family's wishes for the canonization of his murdered mother. His extreme dislike for her ignorant ways brings about a greater connection with his insane brother who killed her, while his other brothers favor her beatification. There is a struggle of wills and will power.

July 26, 2008
La Misma Luna (Under the Same Moon)
Directed by Patricia Riggen
Mexico/USA, 2007
Color. 106 minutes. Spanish with English subtitles
http://www.laemmle.com/viewmovie.php?mid=3148

This film tells the parallel stories of nine-year-old Carlitos and his mother, Rosario. In the hopes of providing a better life for her son, Rosario works illegally in the U.S. while her mother cares for Carlitos back in Mexico. Unexpected circumstances drive both Rosario and Carlitos to embark on their own journeys in a desperate attempt to reunite. Along the way, mother and son face challenges and obstacles but never lose hope that they will one day be together again. Riggen's film is not only a heartwarming family story; she also offers subtle commentary on the much-debated issue of illegal immigration.

August 1, 2008
O Ano em Que Meus Pais Saíram de Férias (The Year My Parents Went on Vacation)
Directed by Cao Hamburger
Brazil, 2006
Color. 104 min. Portuguese, with English subtitles
http://www.oano.com.br/english/

Set in 1970, this film tells the story of Mauro Stein, the son of Daniel and Bia Stein, two political activists on the run from the military government. Unable to care for their son, the Steins leave Mauro with his grandfather, Mótel, who lives in Born Retiro, a working-class neighborhood of São Paulo inhabited mostly by Jewish families. Unfortunately, Mótel dies on the same day that Mauro arrives in the city, so Mauro is left under the care of Shlomo, a close neighbor and friend of Mótel’s. Not knowing when his parents will return, Mauro befriends the members of the neighborhood, all the while anticipating the coming World Cup.

“Brazil’s official entry Best Foreign Language Film”
- 2007 Academy Awards

August 2, 2008
Michtavim Le America (Dear Mr. Waldman)
Directed by Hanan Peled
Israel, 2006
Color. 90 min. Hebrew with English subtitles
http://www.eztakes.com/store/movie/Dear-Mr-Waldman-Movie-Download.jsp

Set in the early 1960s, this film tells the story of Hilik, a ten year old boy who lives in Tel Aviv, whose goal in life is to make his parents happy and compensate for the grief and loss they suffered during the Holocaust. Moishe, Hilik's father, chooses to believe that his lost son, from his first marriage, didn't die in Auschwitz, and somehow escaped to America to become President Kennedy's assistant. As Moishe has never really accepted the fact that he is the only survivor from his family, he is sinking back to his past. Torn between his fear that his father might abandon him, and the wish to make his father happy, Hilik chooses to test his father's love, while accepting the potential risk of losing him.

August 9, 2008
Italianetz (The Italian)
Directed by Andrei Kravchuk
Russia, 2005
Color. 99 mins. Russian with English subtitles
http://www.sonyclassics.com/theitalian/

Vanya is a 6 year old orphan living in a rundown orphanage in a remote Russian village. For Vanya and the other children, life is without hope, unless, of course, they are adopted by wealthy foreigners. For Vanya, hope comes in the form of an Italian couple. But while arrangements are being made an incident occurs when the mother of another child appears, seeking her son. Vanya begins to wonder what would happen if his own mother reappeared, and he was living in Italy.With the assistance of older children, Vanya is able to access his records and find the possible whereabouts of his mother. He escapes and travels across the country, pursued by the adoption agents.