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First Posted: 3/8/2013
The Dietrich Theater is ushering in the Spring Film Festival on Friday, April 5. It will continue
through Thursday, April 18. All 15 of the films are acclaimed foreign and
independent masterpieces.
Some of them are : Quartet, starring Maggie Smith
and directed by Dustin Hoffman; Hyde Park on the Hudson, starring Bill
Murray as FDR; Amour, Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. Searching
for Sugar Man, a musical detective story. Chasing Ice, a photographic
study of the disappearing glaciers in the Arctic. There are 10 more
acclaimed films that will be shown between Friday, April 5, and Thursday,
April 18. There will be 2 p.m. matinees every day of the festival in
addition to evening showings. Film festival tickets excluding opening night
are $8 each for matinee shows (before 6 p.m.) and $9 each for evening shows
(after 6 p.m.).
There also will be an Opening Night Gala on Friday, April
5, at the Dietrich. This is the event that ushers in two weeks of
foreign and independent films, 15 films you would otherwise have to go to
New York City or Philadelphia to see. Gala Night features two
films: Quartet and Hyde Park on the Hudson. The night begins with
hors d’oeuvres by Twigs Restaurant, Epicurean Delight and Be Life Café and
Marketplace, and wine by Nimble Hill Vineyard and Winery. Then comes your
choice of first movie, followed by dessert by Epicurean Delight. Your
second movie ends the spectacular evening. Gala tickets are $35 and
reservations are required for the Opening Night. Tickets can be reserved by
calling 570-996-1500.
The following are film festival movie show times and summaries:
A ROYAL AFFAIR
Show times: Sun., April 7 (no time specified), Tues., April 9 4:30 pm, Mon., April 15
7:30 pm
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander, Mikkel Boe Folsgaard
Directed By: Nikolaj Arcel
Run Time: 137 min
Language: Danish w/ subtitles
Rating: R
This engaging Danish costume drama was nominated for a Golden Globe and
Oscar for Best Foreign Language film. It is the true story of a man who
unexpectedly wins the heart of his queen and starts a revolution. A ROYAL
AFFAIR is the gripping tale of brave idealists who risk everything in their
pursuit of freedom for their people.
“A Royal Affair is historical drama of the highest order – teeming with big
ideas, and anchored by the nicely nuanced performances.”
-Philadelphia Inquirer
QUARTET
Showtimes: Friday, April 5 (Opening Night Gala – reservations required),
Sun., April 7 4:30 pm, Thurs., April 11 5:00 pm, Sat., April 13 7:00 pm,
Fri., April 14 2:15 pm, Thurs., April 18 7:30 pm
Starring: Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly
Directed By: Dustin Hoffman
Run Time: 98 min.
Language: English
Rating: PG13
This is Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut and a light and lively confection
it is. The irrepressible Maggie Smith (famed for her latest role in Downton
Abbey as the Dowager Countess) knocks it out of the park in this moving and
boisterous comedy. An opera company filled with retired performers reunite
once a year to stage a fundraiser for their theater and must deal with big
egos and romances from the past.
“Quartet shows us how art illuminates our lives, and shows us artists and
performers who can still, after all these years, do some illuminating.”
-Philadelphia Inquirer
AMOUR
Showtimes: Sat., April 6 7:00 pm, Tues., April 9 7:30 pm, Thurs., April 11
7:30 pm, Sun., April 14 12:00 pm, Thurs., April 18 4:00 pm
Starring: Emmanuelle Riva, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Isabelle Huppert
Directed By: Michael Haneke
Run Time: 127 min
Language: French w/ subtitles
Rating: PG13
This is one of the most honored films of the year, having won the top prize
at the Cannes Film Festival and three Oscar nominations including Best
Actress, Best Foreign Language Film and Best Picture. An octogenarian
couple find their love put to the ultimate test when one of them suffers a
stroke, and the other must assume the role of the caretaker in this
compassionate yet unsentimental drama from director Michael Haneke.
“Transfixing and extraordinarily touching, perhaps the most hauntingly
honest movie about old age ever made.”
-Entertainment Weekly
A LATE QUARTET
Showtimes: Sat., April 6 4:45 pm, Sat., Mon., April 8 7:45 pm, April 13 2:15
pm
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Catherine Keener
Directed By: Yaron Zilberman
Run Time: 105 min
Language: English
Rating: R
The all-star cast of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken and
Catherine Keener makes this film a complete delight. A LATE QUARTET pays
homage to the professional music and cultural world of New York City. When
the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet can no longer perform
to demanding standards, the group’s future suddenly hangs in the balance.
Suppressed emotions and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of
friendship and collaboration. As they are about to play their 25th
anniversary concert, quite possibly their last, only their intimate bond and
the power of music can preserve their legacy.
‘”A Late Quartet’ provides distinct and uncommon satisfactions.”
-San Francisco Chronicle
HYDE PARK ON HUDSON
Showtimes: Fri., April 5 (Opening Night Gala –reservations required), Sun,
April 7 2:30 pm, Wed., April 10 4:30, Fri., April 12 7:30 pm, Tues., April
16 7:30 pm,
Starring: Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Samuel West
Directed By: Roger Michell
Run Time: 95 min
Language: English
Rating: R
Bill Murray proves himself to be a character actor of unexpected depth and
charm in his remarkable portrayal of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The always
reliable Laura Linney portrays a distant cousin, working as a personal
assistant, who has an affair with the president. Based on historical
records, the story unfolds in June 1939, when the president hosts the King
and Queen of England at the Roosevelt home at Hyde Park in upstate New York.
International affairs, the running of a presidential estate, and summer
night dalliances all combine to make for wonderful, humorous and moving
entertainment.
“Bill Murray’s spectacular Oscar-caliber performance is one of the year’s
delights!”
-New York Post
SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN
Showtimes: Fri., April 12 2:00 pm, Wed., April 17 7:00 pm
Starring: Malik Bendjelloul, Rodriguez
Directed By: Malik Bendjelloul
Run Time: 85 min
Language: English
Rating: PG13
This Oscar-nominated documentary focuses on Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, who had
the kind of musical career that every aspiring rock star fears — praised by
critics but overlooked by the public. He released two albums before
unceremoniously disappearing from the spotlight. But while sales of
Rodriguez’s debut CD fell flat in the U.S., overseas fans couldn’t get
enough. When his second album became a hit in South Africa, a pair of
devoted fans took it upon themselves to uncover the facts surrounding the
mysterious musician, and got the surprise of a lifetime.
“A winning musical detective story.”
-Variety
THE HOUSE I LIVE IN
Showtime: Mon., April 8 5:30 pm
Starring: Nannie Jeter, David Simon
Directed By: Eugene Jarecki
Run Time: 108 min
Language: English
Rating: NR
In the four decades since the War on Drugs commenced, over 45 million
addicts have been arrested – and for each one jailed, another family is
destroyed. Meanwhile, the prisons in America are growing overcrowded with
non-violent criminals, and illegal drugs are still being sold in
schoolyards. By examining just where it all went wrong, Jarecki reveals that
a solution is possible if we can just find it in ourselves to be
compassionate, and see past the decades of paranoia and propaganda.
“..A compelling, thought-provoking look at a highly relevant and
controversial topic.”
-San Francisco Chronicle
THE IMPOSSIBLE
Sat., April 6 2:15 pm, Wed., April 10 7:00 pm, Sat., April 13 9:15 pm, Wed.,
April 17 4:30 pm
Starring: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor
Directed By: Juan Antonio Bayona
Run Time: 114 min
Language: English
Rating: PG13
Naomi Watts earned an Oscar nod for her portrayal of a mother facing
extraordinary circumstances. A British family on Christmas holiday at a
beach resort in Thailand is torn apart when a deadly tsunami devastates the
area. The film follows the seriously wounded Maria and her eldest son Lucas
as they struggle to safety, not knowing whether Maria’s husband and their
two younger sons are dead or alive.
“A nimbly acted drama that is at once a stellar visual achievement
and a life-affirming story of familial love and courage.”
-USA Today
HAPPY PEOPLE: A YEAR IN THE TAIGA
Showtimes: Thurs., April 11 2:00 pm, Mon, April 15 2:00 pm, Thurs., April 18
2:00 pm
Directed By: Werner Herzog, Dmitry Vasyukov
Run Time: 94 min
Language: English and Russian w/ subtitles
Rating: NR
With HAPPY PEOPLE: A YEAR IN THE TAIGA, Werner Herzog and Russian
co-director Dmitry Vasyukov take viewers on yet another unforgettable
journey into remote and extreme natural landscapes. The acclaimed filmmaker
presents this visually stunning documentary about indigenous people living
in the heart of the Siberian Taiga. Deep in the wilderness, far away from
civilization, 300 people inhabit the small village of Bakhtia at the river
Yenisei. With insightful commentary written and narrated by Herzog, the
film follows one of the Siberian trappers through all four seasons of the
year to tell the story of a culture virtually untouched by modernity.
“…Inspired… by the rugged independence of these resourceful trappers, who
seem stoic about everything but their faithful dogs.”
-New York Times
EMPEROR
Showtimes: Sat., April 6 9:30 pm, Fri., April 12 9:30 pm, Sun., April 14
4:30 pm, Thurs., April 18 12:00 pm
Directed By: Peter Webber
Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Matthew Fox
Run Time: 94 min
Language: English and Japanese w/ subtitles
Rating: PG13
This fascinating historical drama brings to life the American occupation of
Japan in the perilous and unpredictable days just after Emperor Hirohito’s
World War II surrender. As General Douglas MacArthur (Oscar winner Jones)
suddenly finds himself the de facto ruler of a foreign nation, he assigns an
expert in Japanese culture – and psychological warfare – General Bonner
Fellers (Fox), to covertly investigate the looming question hanging over the
country: should the Japanese Emperor, worshiped by his people but accused of
war crimes, be punished or saved?
“A grand historical drama of the kind too rarely seen these days.”
-Toronto Film Festival
RUST AND BONE
Showtimes: Tues., April 9 2:00 pm, Mon, April 15 4:00 pm
Directed By: Jacques Audiard
Starring: Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts
Run Time: 120 min
Language: French w/subtitles
Rating: R
The luminous Oscar-winner, Marion Cotillard, stars in this moving, delicate
romance. A struggling single father helps a beautiful whale trainer recover
her will to live following a terrible accident that leaves her confined to a
wheelchair. Shot in southern France, this is a story of courage, strength,
and the power of love.
“A gripping French romance about the body and the soul.”
-Chicago Reader
BARBARA
Showtimes: Mon., April 8 2:00 pm, Sat., April 13 4:00 pm, Tues., April 16
2:00 pm
Directed By: Christian Petzold
Starring: Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Rainer Bock
Run Time: 105 min
Language: German w/subtitles
Rating: PG13
Winner of the Best Director prize at last year’s Berlin Film Festival, the
latest film from Christian Petzold (Yella, Jerichow) is a simmering,
impeccably crafted Cold War thriller. A Berlin doctor has been banished to a
rural East German hospital as punishment for applying for an exit visa. As
her lover from the West carefully plots her escape, Barbara finds herself
falling for a colleague who may be a spy. A film of glancing moments and
dangerous secrets, BARBARA paints a haunting picture of a woman being slowly
crushed between the irreconcilable needs of desire and survival.
“It’s one terrific film, as smart, thoughtful and emotionally involving
as just about anything that’s out there.”
-LA Times
LORE
Showtimes: Sat., April 6 12:00 pm, Fri., April 12 4:30 pm, Wed., April 17
2:15 pm
Directed By: Cate Shortland
Starring: Saskia Rosendal, Nele Trebs, Andre Frid
Run Time: 109 min
Language: German w/ subtitles
Rating: NR
Left to fend for themselves by their SS officer father and mother at the end
of World War II, five German children undertake a harrowing journey that
exposes them to the reality and consequences of their parents’ actions. Led
by the eldest sibling, 14-year old Lore, they set out across a devastated
country to reach their grandmother at her farm. Lush cinematography and an
evocative, haunting mood infuse this unconventional take on the Holocaust
legacy that you will find unforgettable.
“Riveting stuff, start to finish.”
-Chicago Sun-Times
REALITY
Showtimes: Wed., April 10 2:15 pm, Sun, April 14 7:00 pm, Sun., April 17
12:00 pm,
Starring: Aniello Arena, Loredana Simioli, Nando Paone
Directed By: Matteo Garrone
Run Time: 116 min
Language: Italian w/ subtitles
Rating: R
From acclaimed director Matteo Garrone, REALITY is a darkly comic look at
Luciano, a charming and affable working man whose unexpected and sudden
obsession with being a contestant on the reality show “Big Brother” leads
him down a rabbit hole of skewed perceptions and fanciful delusions. So
overcome by his dream of being on reality TV, Luciano’s own reality begins
to spiral out of control, making this film an indelible portrait of a
sympathetic comic everyman.
“A likable film played with gusto and heart.”
-Guardian
CHASING ICE
Showtimes: Sun., April 7 7:00 pm, Wed., April 10 12:00 pm, Sat., April 13
12:00 pm, Tues., April 16 5:30 pm
Starring: James Balog
Directed By: Jeff Orlowski
Run Time: 74 min
Language: English
Rating: NR
Traveling with a team of young adventurers across the brutal Arctic,
acclaimed National Geographic photographer James Balog risks his career and
his well-being in pursuit of the biggest story facing humanity. As the
climate change debate polarizes America, and the intensity of natural
disasters ramps up globally, ‘Chasing Ice’ depicts a heroic photojournalist
on a mission to deliver hope to a fragile planet. Through his Extreme Ice
Survey, Balog, once a skeptic, discovers undeniable evidence of our changing
planet. The film employs revolutionary time-lapse cameras to capture a
multi-year record of the world’s glaciers. Hauntingly beautiful videos
compress years into seconds and show ancient mountains of ice in motion as
they disappear at a breathtaking rate.
“Visually breathtaking.”
-Variety
Visit www.dietrichtheater.com or call 570-996-1500 for more information
about the Dietrich’s Spring 2013 Film Festival.