Year: 2011
Abraxas
“Abraxas” is the story of Jonen, a thirty-something zen monk and family man, who is questioning his role in contemporary Japanese society. Set in a small village outside of Toyko, cultural tradition has pressured Jonen to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a monk. … read more
Happy, Happy
Kaja is an overly optimistic woman living in the middle of nowhere who is married to a man who hasn’t had sex with her for over a year. She claims that family is the most important thing—despite the fact that her husband and son don’t treat her particularly well. Although her life isn’t ideal by any means, she gets through it with a glowing smile. … read more
KNUCKLE
When you walk out of a film like “KNUCKLE”, you truly question your masculinity and what you’re willing to risk physically defending you and your family’s reputation. For over ten years, director Ian Palmer has documented an ongoing feud between a handful of traveler families (think Brad Pitt’s character in Guy Ritchie’s “Snatch”) in Ireland. … read more
Shorts Block 1
Ah, the shorts blocks. The true pith of any indie film festival. If you want to see the raw kernel of passion that’s supposed to be the whole reason for these festivals in the first place, the shorts blocks are where you want to be. Also, if a movie so happens to really suck a nut, its runtime’s about fifteen minutes, so you can probably sit through it. … read more
The Last Mountain
“The Last Mountain” is a carefully crafted environmental documentary covering the extensive damage that mountaintop coal removal has caused in West Virginia’s Coal River Valley. … read more
We Were Here
In the early ‘80s an epidemic with no name was sweeping through the gay community of San Francisco. Often called the gay cancer, eventually the disease was identified as AIDS and claimed 15,548 San Franciscans—many of them young, sexually active gay males. … read more
Shorts Block 2
Another four-course meal of indie cinema – dig in! … read more
Tyrannosaur
Within the first five minutes of Paddy Considine’s dramatic thriller, it’s blatantly clear the male lead is one of the most soulless characters to reach the screen in ages. Joseph (Peter Mullan) is an alcoholic with a gambling problem whose temper instigates unbelievably callous acts of violence. … read more
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Circumstance
“Circumstance” is a fictional story based on real-life experiences from the director, producer and writer of the film, Maryam Keshavarz. The story chronicles the rebellious behavior of two 16 year-old girls, Atafeh and Shireen, in present-day Iranian society where woman have no voice. … read more
Beats, Rhymes & Life
“Beats, Rhymes & Life” serves as a comprehensive look at one of the most influential hip hop groups to come out of the East Coast. The film traces A Tribe Called Quest from their roots in Queens, through the creation of their five albums and to their eventual and unsuspected breakup in 1998. … read more