Opens Sept 4th: Coup 53
This twisty documentary takes a deep dive into the secret history behind the 1953 CIA-MI6 led coup that overthrew the democratically elected president of Iran, and changed the course of the Middle East. There are many surprises in Coup 53, including Ralph Fiennes in an unexpected role.
While making a documentary about the Anglo-American coup in Iran in 1953, Iranian director Taghi Amirani and legendary editor Walter Murch) (Apocalypse Now, The Conversation, The English Patient) discover extraordinary never-before-seen archival material hidden for decades. The 16mm footage and documents not only allow the filmmakers to tell the story of the overthrow of the Iranian government in unprecedented detail, but also lead to explosive revelations about dark secrets buried for 67 years. What begins as a history documentary about 4 days in August 1953 turns into a live investigation, taking the filmmakers into uncharted cinematic waters.
The roots of Iran’s volatile relationship with Britain and America has never been so forensically and dramatically exposed. Twists and reveals that would make John le Carré smile. – Financial Times
There are lots of other films that you can see this week in our virtual cinema including . . .
from Japan: We Are Little Zombies: Alone in the world with no future, no dreams, and no way to move forward, four 13-year-olds dress themselves in scraps from a garbage dump, track down musical instruments, and decide to form a kick-ass band. CRITIC’S PICK! Wry humor, absurd dialogue and unflagging energy propel this dazzling, manic debut from Makoto Nagahisa…. he throws an entire box of tricks at the screen. Splitting it in two, fading to black and white, writing over it, and dunking an entire scene into a fishbowl, he fashions a fantasia of pranks so unexpected and colors so intense, they could make you hallucinate. – The New York Times
from France: My Dog Stupid: A middle-aged writer takes in an enormous stray dog against the wishes of his wife and four spoiled adult kids. (The family dynamic is amazing.) The dog, affectionately named “Stupid,” serves as both literary muse and a remembrance of lost, youthful rebellion.
from Germany: Bungalow: A major work of the celebrated Berlin School, Bungalow is a mesmerizing portrait of a young German soldier named Paul who goes AWOL and returns to his childhood home in the countryside. Over a few summer days, Paul evades the responsibilities of everyday life and falls in love with his brother’s girlfriend, disrupting the lives of everyone in his circle.
from Portugal: Paulo Rocha Long un-screened in the United States, Paulo Rocha’s The Green Years and Change of Life are two key entries in the Portuguese New Wave. Both have been restored by the Portuguese Cinematheque and are showing this week in our virtual cinema.
WE’RE SHOWING LOTS OF OTHER EXCITING FILMS: HERE IS A COMPLETE SCHEDULE:
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