FilmFest DC seems to be in a holding pattern, relying on the same tired Trust No One series and less inspired programming year after year. But a series this sprawling still has some good things to offer. Typically, some of the most interesting films this year are repeats from other area festivals: Mali Blues from the AFI’s African festival, The Teacher and Sieranevada from the European Union Showcase, Train to Busan from a brief theatrical run and an AFI reprise just last week. The festival also features photographer Lucian Perkins’ documentary The Messengers, which we previewed last year. DCist staff found something for everyone in this year’s festival. See the full schedule and buy tickets here.
(Courtesy FFDC)
Featuring interviews with Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky (as well as Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman and Nermeen Shaikh, Rolling Stone’s Matt Taibbi, and infamous Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein), this is an impassioned call to arms for investigative journalism. The film takes its inspiration from the late I.F. Stone, the fearless reporter of the 1950s and 1960s who famously said that it’s the duty of the journalist to uncover the truth behind those government lies. Although heavy-handed, the film underlines the importance of the fourth estate to the fate of democracy, likely in an effort to get the media to step up its game in the Trump era. Fortunately for the public (and perhaps unfortunately for this film), the media has already realized its flaws—the Washington Post’s new motto is “Democracy Dies in Darkness” after all—leaving All Governments Lie feeling a bit dated, even though it only came out last November.—Elena Goukassian
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Sunday, April 23 at 3:30 p.m. at AMC Mazza Gallerie and Tuesday, April 25 at 6:15 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
Courtesy of Latido Films
Crippled physically and emotionally by a tragic car accident, Joaquín lives alone in his big, dark house, with only his ailing dog Casimero for company. That is, until a beautiful woman and her mute daughter come looking to rent a room. Stunning and sexy, the woman quickly gets to work in her tiny cutoff jean shorts, cooking, cleaning, and turning on the lights both in the house and in Joaquín’s heart. She also performs a rooftop striptease, aided by a pole that appears out of nowhere. It’s somewhat ridiculous, but this story is just getting started. You’ll grip your seat, even if you can’t help rolling your eyes at the romantic subplot in this Argentine crime film directed and written by Rodrigo Grande.—Lauren Landau
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Saturday, April 22nd at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, April 27th 8:45 p.m. at AMC Mazza Gallerie.
Courtesy TIFF
Winner of the Silver Bear at the 2016 Berlin International Film Festival, this uniquely intellectual thriller takes place in a lavish hotel in the Bosnian capital, where several stories intertwine on the 100th anniversary of the 1914 assassination of Franz Ferdinand. The hotel is expecting an EU delegation in the evening to commemorate the centennial, hotel staff are planning a strike, a local TV station is filming a special on the rooftop on how the assassination is viewed today, and in the basement, gangsters play poker and intimidate the would-be strikers. Weaving various characters and events, director Danis Tanović (No Man’s Land) leads us through a complex allegory of Bosnian society. Surprisingly, Death in Sarajevo is both invigorating and philosophical. Just don’t forget to brush up on your Balkan history before you see it.—Elena Goukassian
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Saturday, April 2 at 4:30 p.m. at AMC Mazza Gallerie and Wednesday, April 26 at 8:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(Courtesy FIlmFest DC)
This Chilean movie tells the story of the worst housesitter ever. Martin not only snoops through everything in the house and even reorganizes the furniture, but he also loses the family cat—hilariously named Mississippi. While putting flyers up around the neighborhood in search of the missing feline, he meets and starts a relationship with a woman searching for her son’s dog. But instead of admitting that he’s just housesitting for a family, he weaves an enormous web of lies. Although its premise is intriguing (an obviously depressed man plays house to the detriment of everyone around him) and the camerawork notable, the film falters due to its uninteresting, one-dimensional characters, and an overkill of gratuitous sex scenes.—Elena Goukassian
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Sunday, April 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 29 at 9 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(Courtesy of FilmFest DC)
It may sound like little more than a children’s road trip: three adorable sixth graders from Taiwan’s Sqoyaw tribe go to Taipei to give a demo tape of their teacher’s music to a radio station. But that’s just a fraction of a film about the importance of familial and community ties, populated with the most earnest and likeable characters I’ve seen in a single film in years—even one of the fathers, an at-times violent alcoholic, is able to redeem himself in a particularly touching moment. Despite slow pacing, this is a fascinating glimpse into an indigenous Taiwanese tribal village (and its gorgeous mountainside), carefully portrayed by director Laha Mebow, a member of the Atayal tribe who cast indigenous actors in many of the film’s key roles.—Elena Goukassian
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Saturday, April 22 and Saturday, April 29 at 4:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(FilmFest DC)
Based on Stephen Fry’s novel, this film centers on British poet Ted Wallace (Roger Allam), who is at rock bottom when a mystery/miracle falls in his lap before he has the chance to dust himself off. The film’s literary origins appear in Wallace’s narration, sharing his thoughts with witty eloquence and the occasional limerick. While the reliance on inner dialogue is a risky choice on screen, it seems appropriate for Wallace’s character and showcasing Allam’s talent as a vocal artist (it’s no surprise he’s recorded nearly a dozen audiobooks). The mystery unravels with surprises and twists, though every reveal is subtly set up. A seasoned cast (Matthew Modine, Fiona Shaw) take on characters who are complex and realistic, and the enjoyable film may leave audiences interested in seeking out Stephen Fry’s written work.—Elisabeth Grant
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Sunday, April 23 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, April 29 at 9 p.m. at AMC Mazza Gallerie.
(FilmFest DC)
Damani Baker’s documentary about his family history is like a microcosm of the African-American experience—until his mom moves the family to Grenada to join the revolution in the early 1980s. Descendants of slaves, Baker’s grandparents were sharecroppers in Louisiana who joined the Great Migration and moved to California after WWII. Baker’s mother, Fannie Haughton, went to UCLA, where she studied under—and later became good friends with—Angela Davis, who accompanied Haughton on her first trip to Grenada. When Reagan’s war on drugs started tearing apart black communities in the early 1980s, Haughton took her kids and left for socialist Grenada, which she saw as a utopian society. Baker’s family story is both fascinating and extremely educational, a collage of the histories of black America and the island of Grenada, a tragic and oft-forgotten casualty of the Cold War.—Elena Goukassian
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Saturday, April 22 at 8:45 p.m. and Tuesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
Barbara Lynn (Film Movement)
The strongest of three blues-related films on this year’s schedule, Daniel Cross’ documentary follows a number of veteran blues artists through the deep south. The film’s almost verite focus on the musicians’ daily lives—particularly food—recalls the great music documentaries of Les Blank, and while its stars may not be as well known as those of Two Trains Runnin’ (see listing below), I guarantee you will want to track down some of their music. Featuring Bobby Rush, Barbara Lynn, Little Freddie King, Lazy Lester, RL Boyce, LC Ulmer, Lil’ Buck Sinegal, and other artists whose records you will want to find.—Pat Padua
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Saturday April 22 at 4 p.m. and Tuesday April 25 at 8:45 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(M-Appeal)
In a small and crowded Indian town, the lives of four women who yearn for freedom intersect as each one goes about her unfulfilling life, dreaming of love, sex, and independence. If the film’s narration sounds soft-core, they are in fact pages taken from a racy novel read by Auntie, a 55-year-old widow who rediscovers her sexuality after developing a crush on a young lifeguard. Meanwhile, a college student from a religious family wants to ditch her burka for jeans and sing in a band. A married woman and mother of three wants a career of her own, but can’t even get her husband to wear a condom. And a young and feisty bride-to-be beautician has bigger dreams, and a larger sexual appetite, than her prudish fiancé can accommodate. Writer-Director Alankrita Shrivastava continues to fight for her award-winning work to be shown after India banned the film for being too “lady-oriented.”Lauren Landau
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Saturday, April 22nd at 4 p.m. and Saturday, April 29th at 4:45 p.m. at AMC Mazza Gallerie.
(Finecut Co., Ltd.)
The films of director Kim KI-Duk (Pieta) are among the most violent of the brutally unsentimental Korean cinema. So you can imagine that this film about a North Korean fisherman (Ryoo Seung-bum) whose boat drifts into South Korea won’t end well. The fisherman runs afoul of both sides of his divided nation in this efficient political drama, which manages to sustain interest despite consisting of what are for the most part a series of brutal interrogations. National crisis is played out with a minimum of sets and a uniformly excellent cast.—Pat Padua
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Sunday, April 23 at 8 p.m. and Tuesday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema
(M-Appeal)
Most of writer-director Maria Govan’s film is an elaborate, deceptive setup for a dark kicker. While it’s difficult to reconcile its conventional aspects with its loftier ambitions, there’s plenty to recommend it, chiefly an affecting lead performance from Petrice Jones as Gregory, a studious college student living with his brother and grandmother in the rural mountains of Trinidad. We come to learn that he’s gay, but the ingrained conservatism of his surroundings doesn’t let him express himself in public. A prominent local businessman (Gareth Jenkins) seduces Gregory, but the tantalizing possibility of freedom from societal constraints only torments him further. James Wall’s lush cinematography paints Gregory’s village as a place of deep beauty with foreboding undertones — an apt visual metaphor, it turns out.—Mark Lieberman
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Friday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m., and Saturday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(IsumaTV)
Inspired by John Ford’s classic, this film opens with a haunting and guttural chant before stumbling into an awkward first scene, breaking the magic of an emotive start. But directors Zacharias Kunuk and Natar Ungalaaq soon find their footing again, immersing us into the life of Kuanana (Benjamin Kunuk), an Inuit who races to save what’s left of his family in 1913. Searchers proves that the brutality of men can make even the most extreme weather conditions seem gentler in comparison.The real and the magical, down-to-earth and spiritual, mix and shift throughout this mesmerizing and worthwhile film.—Elisabeth Grant
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Friday, April 21 at 8:30 p.m. and Wednesday, April 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(FilmFest DC)
This serene documentary follows pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, a network that crosses Europe to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where the remains of Saint James are said to be buried. Walking across the whole of Spain for almost 600 miles, the pilgrims discuss their reasons for undertaking the journey, and, ultimately, what they hope to accomplish. Filmmakers interview people from all over the world, and one of the most interesting pilgrims is an American cellist who carries his cello on his back throughout the entire journey and plays concerts in churches along the way. The scenery is just stunning, combining almost magically with the pilgrims’ philosophical insights and the soundtrack of Bach’s Cello Suites.—Elena Goukassian
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Friday, April 21 at 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, April 23 at 3 p.m.; and Wednesday, April 26 at 8:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(PACO Cinematografica)
A terrible storm leaves a group of travelers, which include a group of actors and a handful of prison inmates, shipwrecked on an island. The criminals hatch a plan to pass themselves off as actors, but the warden is suspicious of the ragtag theater troupe. To prove they are who they claim to be, the group must perform a play. Now their freedom hinges on a successful show, but half the cast members aren’t real actors and the rest aren’t very good ones. Set in post-WWII Italy, this 2015 comedy by Gianfranco Cabiddu, who will be in attendance for the festival, is inspired by William Shakespeare’s The Tempest and “L’arte della commedia” by Eduardo De Filipo. Winner of the 2017 David di Donatello Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.—Lauren Landau
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Sunday, April 23rd at 7:30 p.m. and Monday, April 24th at 6:30 p.m. at AMC Mazza Gallerie.
(Sam Pollard)
In 1964, a number of young white blues fans (including Takoma-born guitarist John Fahey) journeyed to Mississippi in search of lost blues legends. But their difficult musical journeys coincided with the “Freedom Summer” that electrified the Civil Rights movement. Director Sam Pollard weaves together animated reenactments of the musical journey along with news footage of the Civil Rights movement along with interviews with both blues fans and musicians like Buddy Guy, Lucinda Williams and Gary Clark, Jr. The documentary is fascinating history, though as far as the music goes, I Am the Blues (see above) is the stronger film. Screenings will be followed by a Q&A with representatives of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Civil Rights workers in the 1960s.—Pat Padua
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Thursday, April 27 and Friday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema.
(Cartilage Films)
Russian director Ivan I. Tverdovsky’s darkly funny second feature focuses on Natash (Natalia Pavlenkova), a fired zookeeper with a fantastical ailment, a burgeoning romance, and a persistent fondness for animals. Zoology never comes together as a cohesive whole, with too many subplots lacking dimension or resolution. But to its credit, the movie never sounds a predictable note when a jarring one will do. —Mark Lieberman
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Saturday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema, and Monday, April 24 at 9 p.m. at AMC Mazza Gallerie.
