FILM REVIEW

by Dave Bradley, Film/Arts Writer

Silver Screen is a specially curated screening program for older South Australians. Its purpose is to build an accessible and welcoming community for people to gather, socialise and connect over a common love of films.

Investigator Fred (Jean Dujardin, no longer a name in the States) is a key figure here, as we see him fail to capture a terrorist in Athens and then, after the bombs and murders back home, become almost scarily obsessed with apprehending the culprits. Director Jimenez also doesn’t show us the violence: we see the horror in the eyes of the police, hear a frenzy of ringing phones, and endure a little jiggly camerawork.

And we don’t need to as well, because surely staging it would be expensive, sensationalistic and disrespectful.

Fred is onscreen a lot here, but Dujardin is very nearly upstaged by Lyna Khoudri as fearful informant ‘Samia’ (not her real name). Indeed, the real ‘Samia’ sued the production about her onscreen depiction - and won - and yet, nevertheless, Lyna is hauntingly good.

A popular offering at this year’s French Film Festival, this is one of the year’s best movies so far, no matter how much of what we see is actually, ahem, “real”.

November is in cinemas now the addition of less familiar languages and voices has provided unique opportunities for cultural groups to experience the familiarity of childhood languages while piquing the interest of adventurous audiences.

Regular patron Malgorzata Schmidt puts it perfectly when she says, “The benefits remain hidden behind the facade of the unique and exuberant cultural program, professionally curated for decades with an intellectually premeditated and artistically fulfilling sophistication.”

Silver Screen’s biggest ambassador is The Mercury’s Programmer Ryder Grindle. Known by name by all the Silver Screen patrons, Ryder introduces each film and stays around after the screening for a chat, while patrons linger in the lounge foyer and socialise over morning or afternoon tea.

“We screen the best Australian and international cinema available, usually from the past eighteen months. The program is selected from well-reviewed films from the international trade papers, film festival circuits and award ceremonies, including the Oscars” says Ryder.

Consistently the feedback from patrons is that the quality of the films on show is outstanding. The variety of programming and

Silver Screen goes beyond watching films. Peter and Peter are two mates who met at The Mercury and now enjoy weekly excursions to the cinema together. Forming new friendships seems to be a common theme. Patron Kay Nowak regularly attends with her girlfriends. “For mature movie goers The Mercury enriches our lives with plenty of mental and social stimulation as we age well.”

Everyone is welcome! Silver Screen offers affordable cinema tickets with complimentary morning or afternoon tea through support from Office for Ageing Well and Retire Australia. Screenings are at 10:30am and 2:00pm every Tuesday and Friday. Tickets available at the door and online.

13 Morphett St, Adelaide mercurycx.org | @themercury.adl