Archive of Shows from the Athena Cinema
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Big River and Deep DownBig RiverDirectors: Curt Ellis and Ian Cheney 30 min. U.S.A.Following up on their Peabody winning documentary, the King Corn boys are back. For Big River, best friends Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis have returned to Iowa with a new mission: to investigate the environmental impact their acre of corn has sent to the people and places downstream. In a journey that spans from the heartland to the Gulf of Mexico, Ian and Curt trade their combine for a canoe – and set out to see the big world their little acre of corn has touched. On their trip, flashbacks to the pesticides they... This film was shown on Friday, April 23rd 2010 View This Film |
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Fish TankDirector: Andrea ArnoldRated Not RatedThe film is an emotionally stunning coming-of-age story, electrified by the breakthrough performance of its young star Katie Jarvis. Fifteen-year-old Mia is in a constant state of war with her family and the world around her, without any creative outlet for her considerable energies save a secret love of hip-hop dance. When she meets her party-girl mother’s charming new boyfriend Connor, she is amazed to find he returns her attention, and believes he might help her start to make sense of her life. A clear-eyed, potent portrait of teenage sexuality and vulnerability, Fish Tank confirms... This film was shown on Friday, April 23rd 2010 View This Film |
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The River Why Preceded by SteadfastSteadfastDirector: Phil Hastings 9 min. U.S.A.Water can be intimate or expansive, life giving or life destroying. It is eternal, ephemeral, and in a constant state of change. A distant and lone house stands against the crashing winter waves. What is Steadfast?
Director: Matthew Leutwyler 101 min. U.S.A. Based on the novel of the same name, this coming-of-age story is about Gus Orviston, who leaves his eccentric parents in the city for what he thinks is fly-fishing bliss along the banks of a wild... |
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Letters From the Desert (eulogy to slowness) Preceded by Bye Bye NowBye Bye NowDirector: Aideen O’Sullivan 15 min. IrelandAn amusing and poignant documentary about the fate of the Irish phone box, which has gone from the centre of society to the verge of extinction. Bye Bye Now! is a bittersweet tribute to the phone box, a historical document and a barometer of how much we’ve changed. A road trip around Ireland in honor of the phonebox.
Director: Michela Occhipinti 88 min. Italy |
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Mid-August LunchDirector: Gianni Di GregorioRated Not RatedIn Italian with English SubtitlesBroke, and armed with only a glass of wine and a wry sense of humor, middle-aged Gianni resides with his 93-year-old mother in their ancient apartment. The condo debts are mounting, but if Gianni looks after the building manager’s mother during the Pranzo di Ferragosto (Italy’s biggest summer holiday, and the Feast of the Assumption), all will be forgiven. Then the manager also shows up with an auntie, and then a doctor friend appears with his mother in tow... Can Gianni keep four such lively mamas well fed and happy in these cramped... This film was shown on Saturday, April 17th 2010 View This Film |
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The White RibbonDirector: Michael HanekeRated RIn German Italian Polish and Latin with English subtitlesA village in Protestant northern Germany. 1913-1914. On the eve of World War I. The story of the children and teenagers of a choir run by the village schoolteacher, and their families: the baron, the steward, the pastor, the doctor, the midwife, the tenant farmers. Strange accidents occur and gradually take on the character of a punishment ritual. Who is behind it all? The village schoolteacher observes, investigates and little by little discovers the incredible truth. Are we being asked to consider whether these events heralded something... This film was shown on Friday, April 16th 2010 View This Film |
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The Ghost WriterDirector: Roman PolanskiRated PG-13Starring Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Hutton, and Eli Wallach A ghostwriter stumbles onto a secret that places his life in danger as he takes down the life story of a former U.K. prime minister in this Roman Polanski-helmed adaptation of the Robert Harris novel. Convinced by his agent that he's been granted a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, talented British screenwriter "The Ghost" (Ewan McGregor) agrees to aid British prime minister Adam Lang (Pierce Brosnan) in completing his memoirs after... This film was shown on Friday, April 9th 2010 View This Film |
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The Yellow HandkerchiefDirector: Udayan Prasad Rated PG-13Starring William Hurt , Maria Bello, Kristen Stewart, and Eddie Redmayne Brett Hanson dealing with a painful past, crosses paths with Martine, a troubled teenager, and her new 'ride' Gordy. The trio head out together, each motivated by his/her own reasons: Brett must decide whether he wants to return to the uncertainty of his life and his ex-wife May for whom he longs, Martine yearns to escape her family and Gordy hopes to get close to her."The Yellow Handkerchief tells a... This film was shown on Friday, April 9th 2010 View This Film |
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Still WalkingDirector: Hirokazu KoreedaDirector Hirokazu Kore-eda writes and directs this family drama that unfolds over the course of a single summer day as the Yokoyama family gathers for a rare reunion held to commemorate the death of the one who was taken before his time. It was 15 years ago that eldest Yokoyama son, Junpei, drowned in a tragic accident, and the only changes around the family home since that fateful day are so subtle that they're not likely to be noticed by anyone outside of the immediate family. Retired family patriarch Kyohei (Yoshio Harada) used to run a successful medical clinic out of the home, though the lights in his medical examining room...This film was shown on Friday, April 2nd 2010 View This Film |
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ChloeDirector: Atom EgoyanRated RStarring Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, and Max Thieriot Chloe is a suspenseful story of love and betrayal. When Catherine, a successful doctor, begins to question her husband David's fidelity, she sets out to resolve her suspicions with the help of an alluring young woman, Chloe. Soon caught in a web of sexual desire, Catherine finds herself on a journey that places her family in great danger."It's not the kind of movie that depends on the certainty of an... This film was shown on Friday, April 2nd 2010 View This Film |
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North FaceDirector: Philipp Stolzl Rated Not RatedIn German, Swiss German, French and Italian with English subtitlesBased on a true story, North Face is a suspenseful adventure film about a competition to climb the most dangerous rock face in the Alps. Set in 1936, as Nazi propaganda urges the nation’s Alpinists to conquer the unclimbed north face of the Swiss massif — the Eiger — two reluctant German climbers begin their daring ascent. "This is a film done right by just about every measure. The extremes of the story seep deep into your bones -- the beauty, the allure, the desperation and... This film was shown on Friday, April 2nd 2010 View This Film |
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Prodigal SonsDirector: Kimberly Reed Rated Not RatedReturning home to a small town in Montana for her high school reunion, filmmaker Kimberly Reed hopes for reconciliation with her long-estranged adopted brother, Marc. But along the way she uncovers stunning revelations, including his blood relationship with Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth, intense sibling rivalries and unforeseeable twists of plot and gender that forces them to face challenges no one could imagine."A tale of two siblings -- one basking in memories, the other fleeing them -- Prodigal Sons grapples with identity through the prism of sibling rivalry. In the end its conclusions... This film was shown on Friday, March 26th 2010 View This Film |
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44 Inch ChestDirector: Malcolm VenvilleRated RStarring Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, Tom Wilkinson, Stephen Dillane, Melvil Poupaud, Joanne Whalley , and John Hurt How far would you go to avenge betrayal? Colin Diamond is about to find out in this gritty, provocative thriller. After he breaks down over the dissolution of his marriage, he kidnaps his wife’s lover, and his rage pushes him to the brink of murder as his motley crew of buddies urges him to exact brutal revenge. Ian McShane, John Hurt,...This film was shown on Friday, March 19th 2010 View This Film |
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The Red BaronDirector: Nikolai Muellerschoen Rated PG-13Von Richthofen see his duels in the sky as tactical, almost sportsmanlike, challenges that, at least at first, obscure his view of the horrors of the battlefields below. The provocative red paint job of his Fokker aircraft earns him the nickname "The Red Baron" and makes him famous the world over. For millions of his countrymen, he becomes an idol, a symbol of hope and pride. But the German high command increasingly misuses him for propaganda purposes - until the young pilot falls in love with Kate, a beautiful and resolute nurse who opens his eyes to the fact that there is more to war than dogfights won and adversaries... This film was shown on Friday, March 19th 2010 View This Film |
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District 13: UltimatumDirector: Patrick Alessandrin Rated RIn French with English SubtitlesTwo years have passed since elite police officer Damien Tomasso teamed up with reformed vigilante Leito to save the notorious District 13, a racially charged ghetto populated by violent drug dealing gangs and vicious killers. Despite government promises to maintain order, the state of the district has deteriorated, and a group of corrupt cops and elected officials are conspiring to cause civil unrest in D13, looking for an excuse to raze the area and cash in on its redevelopment. Now Damian and Leito must join forces again, and use their mastery of martial arts and... This film was shown on Friday, March 12th 2010 View This Film |
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CreationDirector: Jon Amiel Rated PG-13Starring Paul Bettany , Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam , Toby Jones, and Benedict Cumberbatch As renowned scientist Charles Darwin struggles to accept his young daughter's death, he finds himself torn between his love for his god-fearing wife and his growing belief in a world that is its own perpetual creation. Directed by Jon Amiel,written by John Colley, and based upon the book by Darwin's great-great-grandson, Randal Keynes, this is the deeply human story of the evolution of Darwin's masterwork,...This film was shown on Friday, March 12th 2010 View This Film |
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Under the BombsDirector: Philipe AractingiDuring a cease-fire in the Lebanon-Israel conflict of 2006, a Christian taxi driver brings an untraditional Shiite woman from Beirut to the heart of the conflict in the country's south. While they scour the rubble of local towns for her son, who was sent to live with her traditional family while she was staying with her husband in Dubai, they discover that despite their very different backgrounds they have much in common. And during their trip through the desolate countryside, the two travelers develop a deep bond as a response to the death striking all around them. The film was shot entirely on location during...This film was shown on Tuesday, March 9th 2010 View This Film |
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ArrangedDirector: Diane Crespo and Stefan C. SchaeferRated Not RatedRochel is an Orthodox Jew, and Nasira a Muslim of Syrian origin. They are both young teachers at a public school in Brooklyn. They also have something else in common – they are going through the process of getting "arranged marriages" through their respective religious and traditional customs. With both family pressure on the one hand, and the rejection of traditional values by the outside world on the other, Rochel and Nasira will have to rely on each other and their friendship to pull through this difficult time of their lives, striving to be strong women in charge of their own happiness, while keeping their deep...This film was shown on Monday, March 8th 2010 View This Film |
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A Series of Short FilmsBAGHDAD DAYS dir. Hiba Bassem 35 min. Iraq/UK 2005Hiba Bassem, a young woman from Kirkuk, returns to Baghdad after the war to finish her film studies at the Institute of Fine Arts. In Kirkuk, the Arab Hiba and her family had lived in harmony with the Kurds, but the war had changed all that and prompted the move to Baghdad. She is in the first class of film and TV students to submit their graduation films. The film is a diary of her year, as she struggles to finish her studies in the semi-destroyed city of Baghdad, find a place to live, find a job,... This film was shown on Sunday, March 7th 2010 View This Film |
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Afghan StarDirector: Havana MarkingRated Not RatedIn English, Dari and Pashto with English subtitlesIn Afghanistan you risk your life to sing. After thirty years of war and five devastating years of Taliban rule, pop culture is beginning to return to the country. Since 2005, millions have been tuning in to Tolo TV’s wildly popular American Idol-style series Afghan Star. Like its Western predecessors, people compete for a cash prize and record deal. More surprisingly, the contest is open to everyone across the country despite gender, ethnicity or age. Two thousand people audition, including three extremely brave women. And when viewers... This film was shown on Saturday, March 6th 2010 View This Film |
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