House Arrest?

We are featuring two delicious murder mysteries this week in our virtual cinema, one from Italy and one from France. Both feature characters accused of murder and under house arrest, an apt metaphor for our lives in the summer of 2020.  

THE INVISIBLE WITNESS:  (opens June 26) A young, successful entrepreneur wakes up in a hotel room locked from the inside next to his dead lover. He becomes the chief suspect, While awaiting trial under house arrest, he enlists the aid of a defense attorney who has never lost a case. Largely told in flashback, this noirish thriller from director Stefano Mordini recreates the days of intrigue that lead up to that fateful night. Characters’ motivations begin to blur until no one is quite who they seem to be, leading to a pulse-pounding conclusion that will leave you guessing until the final shot.  (in Italian with subtitles; 102 minutes; 2020)

THE GIRL WITH A BRACELET: Lise is 18 years old and is accused of murdering her best friend two years earlier. She’s been under house arrest, wearing an ankle bracelet to monitor her whereabouts, hence the film’s title. As her trial starts, her parents stand by her side. But once her secret life is revealed in court, her innocence is far from certain and her parents’ faith begins to unravel. Directed by Stéphane Demoustier (in French with subtitles; 96 minutes; 2020)

Wait! There’s more. There are lots of other good films playing this week including …

Race in America: We are screening three films that explore and bring a fresh and radical perspective to the current racial narrative in America. Two of these were shown in our series when they were originally released – I Am Not Your Negro and Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am. They are both well worth a second look. The third, Whose Streets? , is one that we overlooked when it was released in 2017. We are donating our portion of the ticket sales (just under 50%) to causes and organizations addressing longstanding injustices: police reform initiatives, The Bail Project, The Movement for Black Lives and Black Lives Matter.

Pioneers of Queer Cinema: three German classics from the 1920s and 30s that were landmarks in the early history of queer cinema: Madchen in Uniform, Michael, and Victor and Victoria

Proud: In 1981, it was still illegal to be gay in France. Today, same-sex marriage is recognized and has paved the way for legalizing the adoption of children by LGBTQ families. Proud tells the story of Charles, Victor and Diego, three generations of the same family who represent the seismic social changes that took place in just three decades.

In My Blood It Runs: This film could not be more timely. – The Washington Post Dujuan is a 10-year-old Arrernte boy from Mparntwe (Alice Springs) in Australia. Full of life and exuberance, he learns, with the support of his loving mother and grandmother, to hunt, speak two Indigenous languages, and become a healer.

Joan of Arc: Lise Leplat Prudhomme stars as the child-warrior. French filmmaker Bruno Dumont injects this heroine’s timeless cause and ideology with a modernity that highlights the fervor, strength and freedom women show when shackled by patriarchal societies and archaic virile customs.

The Wolf House an animated feature that tells the story of a young girl who escapes a cult colony of religious fanatics during Chile’s darkest years under rule of military dictator, Augusto Pinochet.

A White, White Day Iceland’s submission to the Academy for Best International Feature Film … a police officer on bereavement leave after the sudden loss of his wife in an apparent accident searches for someone to blame. He zeroes in on a neighbor whom he suspects may have had an affair with his wife. As past memories take on new meaning, his suspicion turns obsessive and imperils those around him.

Do you have a comment or a suggestion for a film? Maybe you’d like to write something for our magazine. Send an email to editor@theryder.com. We can be talked into almost anything.

Look for the July issue of The Ryder magazine next week.

If you have not seen our June issue, here’s a link.