Bryn Mawr Film Institute Programs
March 2010 - June 2010
These are one-night screenings of films of special merit. Often, the filmmaker or
screenwriter will be at the theater to introduce and
discuss the film. Don’t hesitate!
This may be your one chance to see these exceptional films.
Standard ticket prices apply unless otherwise noted. If you have a question for a Box Office representative, call 610.527.4008 x111.
7:00 Panel, 8:00 Screening
PERSEPOLIS
2007 – France – 1 hr 35 min – d. Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi – with subtitles
Adapted from the graphic-novel memoir by Marjane Satrapi, Persepolis is an amazingly
realized coming-of-age story, told from the perspective of a nine-year-old girl growing up in Iran
during the Islamic Revolution. Presented by First Person Arts and Bryn Mawr Film Institute
in collaboration with Philagrafika and One Book, One Philadelphia, this screening will be
preceded by a panel discussion headed by graphic memoirist Daniel Heyman. Tickets are $15
for General Admission and $10 for BMFI and First Person Arts members.
THE SHINING
1980 – UK/USA – 2 hr 22 min – d. Stanley Kubrick – 35mm
All work and no play make Jack a dull boy, so come out, come out wherever you are for a
screening of Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece of modern horror, The Shining. In an iconic role,
Jack Nicholson stars as a frustrated writer who decides to take a winter job at the eerie Overlook Hotel, with disastrous results. This film is shown in conjunction with our March Film Education course, Ascending from Darkness: The Films of Stanley Kubrick, and will be introduced by its instructor, Marc Lapadula, M.F.A.
OSCAR-NOMINATED ANIMATED SHORTS
Back by popular demand, BMFI presents a program of the short-subject animated films nominated at this year’s Academy Awards. Although not as widely seen as their feature film counterparts, these nominees often showcase innovative, visually stunning work brought about by the painstaking effort of exceptional artists. Winners run the gamut from laugh-out-loud crowd-pleasers to experimental masterpieces.
RED GROOMS: EARLY FILMS
Artist Red Grooms is internationally known for his large scale multimedia installations, like 1982’s Philadelphia Cornucopia. Early in his career, Grooms produced a number of experimental films in collaboration with Mimi Gross. A selection of these will be presented at BMFI followed by a Q&A session with Red Grooms. The screening is organized in conjunction with the exhibition Old Masters and Modern Muses: Red Grooms’s Portraits of Artists, 1957-2009 on view at Bryn Mawr College from March 25 through June 5.
THE ROBE
1953 – USA – 2 hr 15 min – d. Henry Koster – 35mm
Mark the Easter season with a screening of this Biblical epic that tells the story of a Roman military tribune (Richard Burton) who commands the unit that crucifies Jesus. Plagued by nightmares after winning Christ’s robe in a game of dice, the repentant sentry seeks more knowledge about the man he killed. The first film to be released in CinemaScope, The Robe is a treat to behold on the big screen.
CUBAN FILM SHOWCASE
Cuba has always had lively state-funded arts programs, and their filmmaking industry is no exception. Join us for an evening of short narrative, animated, and documentary films, made by some rising stars from Cuba’s Escuela de Cine at San Antonio de los Baños. Films will be introduced and discussed by Dr. Enrique Sacerio-Garí, Department Chair and Professor of Hispanic and Hispanic-American Studies at Bryn Mawr College.
THEY CAME TO PLAY
2008 – USA – 1 hr 31 min – d. Alex Rotaru
A highly enjoyable film, They Came to Play draws attention to the colorful, multifaceted
competitors in the International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs. Participants from all walks of life prove their dedication to music as they take part in the intense, week-long, juried contest. The screening of this uplifting documentary will be followed by a Q&A session with Annette Dimedio, a pianist/ventriloquist featured in the film.
CITIZEN KANE
1941 – USA – 1 hr 59 min – d. Orson Welles – 35mm
What is Rosebud? The life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, controversially based on the real
life of famed newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, is explored as a reporter seeks to
decode the meaning of his mysterious final word. Widely regarded as the greatest American
film of all time, Welles’s triumph of innovation can only truly be appreciated on the big screen.
This film is shown in conjunction with our April Film Education course, Touch of Genius: Orson
Welles, and will be introduced by its instructor, Andrew J. Douglas, Ph.D.
2:00 Master Class, 7:30 Screening
DARE
2009 – USA – 1 hr 32 min – d. Adam Salky – 35mm
Produced in the Philadelphia area, Emmy Rossum (The Phantom of the Opera) stars in this drama about the complicated relationship between three high school friends. BMFI advisor David Brind, who penned the engaging script, will teach a free Master Class in Screenwriting at 2:00 pm in BMFI’s upstairs multimedia room. Brind will also be present to introduce and discuss the film at the evening screening.
ANIMAL HOUSE
1978 – USA – 1 hr 49 min – d. John Landis
The seminal raunchy college comedy that went on to inspire a slew of imitators, Animal House chronicles a semester in the life of the members of the Delta House Fraternity as they recruit their pledges, party hard, and do battle with the villainous Dean Wormer. Boasting an all-star cast and too many memorable scenes and lines to name, Animal House is an unequivocal comic gem — don’t miss seeing it on the big screen!
Saturday, April 17, 11:00 am
MILLIONS
2004 – UK – 1 hr 38 min – d. Danny Boyle
Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), this enchanting family
film about faith and ethics focuses on a young boy who is faced with an important choice when
a bag full of money falls out of the sky and into his playhouse. The final film in the Growing Up
Global Film Series, Millions will be introduced by Sally M. Powell, Head of the Baldwin School, a
BMFI Community Partner. Recommended for ages eight and up.
THE NEW YEAR PARADE
2008 – USA – 1 hr 25 min – d. Tom Quinn
Siblings Jack and Kat McMonogul struggle to build their own meaningful relationships when
their lives are thrown into turmoil after their parents decide to divorce. Set against the backdrop
of Philadelphia’s annual Mummer’s Parade, this compelling drama highlights the small moments of change that many young people experience. Director Tom Quinn will be on hand to introduce and discuss this locally produced film.
THE COLOR OF PARADISE
1999 – Iran – 1 hr 30 min – d. Majid Majidi – 35mm
Filmed with exquisite detail and stunning cinematography, The Color of Paradise tells the tender story of an eight-year-old blind boy as he navigates the world and attempts to connect with his father after the heartbreaking death of his mother. This transcendent film, beautiful and spare, is an exemplary bit of filmic artistry. It is shown in conjunction with our May Film Education course, The Color of Paradise: Arab and Islamic Film, and will be introduced by its instructor, Nasser Chour.
HANDMADE NATION
2009 – USA – 1 hr 30 min – d. Faythe Levine
This isn’t your mother’s idea of crafting! In Handmade Nation, first-time director Faythe Levine
documents the rise of the do-it-yourself craft movement, a new wave of art and design that is
currently gaining ground across the nation. Traveling to fifteen cities and interviewing eighty
people, Levine captures the tight-knit community and their take on the sudden popularity of their
punk-infused marriage of historical handiwork and modern aesthetics.
BLACK MARIA FILM FESTIVAL
We are delighted to welcome back the Black Maria Film and Video Festival, an award-winning
festival committed to the exhibition of cutting edge independent films. The evening will
showcase a program of new and highly creative films — documentary, narrative, animated,
experimental, and more. The screening will be introduced by John Columbus, founder and
acting director of the alternative festival.
MAIN LINE STUDENT FILM FESTIVAL
The 2nd Annual Main Line Student Film Festival, a one-night screening of short films from
high school filmmakers in the greater Philadelphia area, showcases the best of local student
filmmaking and film education. Films screened will explore a variety of genres, including
comedy, drama, horror, sci-fi, noir, animation, and experimental, while demonstrating a variety
of approaches to the craft of video production. For more information, including instructions on
submitting films, please visit mainlinestudentfilmfestival.ning.com.
BIG PICTURE ALLIANCE 15TH ANNIVERSARY
Come enjoy films produced and directed by some of Philadelphia’s brightest young filmmakers!
The BMFI/Big Picture Alliance Summer Filmmaking Workshop educates and inspires Philly’s
young media visionaries by taking them through an intensive six-week course that teaches them about the filmmaking process — from pre-production through post-production. Join us for a wonderful evening that includes the Philadelphia premiere of “Class Clown,” produced by the
2009 BMFI/BPA Summer Filmmaking Workshop, a fantastic film retrospective highlighting BPA’s 15th anniversary, plus a Special Guest Host to lead a Q&A with BMFI/BPA students and alumni.
Theater Hotline: 610.527.9898
Business Office: 610.527.4008