Smith Rafael Film Center Quarterly 02.19

YEARS

A P R I L

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J U N E

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IT WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO TODAY...

APRIL 16-18, 1999

On April 16th in 1999, the restored Rafael theater opened its doors to the community. I asked you all at the time to imagine a place where the entire history of cinema could be celebrated; where the best national and international independent films and documentaries could be screened, a place where shorts, retrospectives, and in-persons with filmmakers could engage and inspire audiences.

Over the last 20 years, we’ve screened countless films and hosted filmmakers from around the globe, and inspired new generations of filmmakers, right here in downtown San Rafael.

The Rafael is also home to the Mill Valley Film Festival, and our newest addition, DocLands documentary film festival.

We were the first historic theater to receive THX certification; technology is constantly changing and evolving, and we always strive to stay at the forefront of trends in the film industry.

The Rafael serves as a town hall and an education center, where kids have the opportunity to share their passion for film

RAFAEL TOP GROSSING FILMS APR. 1999—APR. 2019

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE MARCH OF THE PENGUINS WINGED MIGRATION BUENA VISTA SOCIAL CLUB RIVERS & TIDES FREE SOLO HIMALAYA BOYHOOD RABBIT-PROOF FENCE RBG

and express their ideas, as they learn about the world around them. We work hand in hand with other non-profits to serve as a venue where film enhances their mission and enables them to fulfill their goals.

I believe that the power of film is universal. There’s no other medium that is more powerful, or more popular. Film affects the way people think: how we look at ourselves, how we look at others, and at the world.

Thank you, our dear community members, for embracing and supporting the Rafael for 20 years.

Happy 20th anniversary, Rafael!

Mark Fishkin Executive Director / Founder, California Film Institute

IN APRIL 1999...

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERS:

ALL TOO HUMAN, by GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS

THE TESTAMENT, by JOHN GRISHAM BILLBOARD #1: NO SCRUBS by TLC SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE wins BAFTA CONCERT FOR LINDA BEST SELLING CELL PHONE: NOKIA 3210 #1 RATED TV SHOW: WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE COMPUTER VIRUS MELISSA UNLEASHED

FIRST USB FLASH DRIVES WAYNE GRETSKY PLAYS FINAL GAME JOSÉ MARÍA OLAZÁBA wins THE MASTERS GAS PRICE: $1.14 / GALLON MYSPACE.COM OFFICIALLY INTRODUCED BILL CLINTON is PRESIDENT GRAY DAVIS is CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR WILLIE BROWN is SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR AL BORO is SAN RAFAEL MAYOR

A P R I L

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Vol. 21 Issue 1

From the

DIRECTOR of PROGRAMMING While it’s a fact that’s difficult to swallow, I’m finally coming to terms with the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center being 20 years old. It certainly doesn’t feel possible, but we have the Rafael quarterlies on hand to prove it.

Throughout 2019 we will be lighting birthday candles with programs that reflect different aspects of our history.

April brings us the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra, those premier silent film accompanists, who first came to the Rafael (and made their Bay Area debut) the same week we opened in 1999. That was for Buster Keaton’s The Cameraman, and Mont Alto have returned to the Rafael several times in the intervening years (mostly in conjunction with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival). This time I’m excited that they will tackle a great, but little-known silent from the great Alfred Hitchcock.

Another relationship that has endured throughout our history has been with the Buddhist Film Foundation, producers of the International Buddhist Film Festival since 2000. The “Class of ‘99” series gathers important Buddhistrelated films that were made the year we opened, and our audience could recognize most of the titles. Incidentally Zen for Nothing, one of our first

theatrical engagements this quarter, debuted locally at one of our Buddhist Film Festivals.

California Film Institute has a large staff as an arts organization, and the Rafael has been an integral part of its many facets, including the Mill Valley Film Festival, CFI Education, DocLands and CFI members’ screenings, as well as building a bulging roster of visiting filmmakers and events on its own.

There are so many people to thank, but for the moment I’ll limit myself to the ones who have been here since the very beginning: Dan Zastrow, general manager, who handles all technical situations with aplomb; Jan Klingelhofer, our offsite programmer and booker; and (naturally) Mark Fishkin, our founder and executive director, who got the place built. I’ll cheat a little and add a special thanks to Brian Lehman, our quarterly designer, who was here when I arrived, left a few years later and then returned a few years ago. Thanks to him for his patience and versatility, but I’d better finish this note and not keep him waiting. Besides, I take some comfort in the fact that we’re all 20 years older. ~ Richard Peterson P.S. Special thanks to you, the audience.

THE BRINK

OPENS APRIL 5

SUNSET

OPENS APRIL 5

ZEN FOR NOTHING

APRIL 5-11

THE CHAPERONE

OPENS APRIL 12

ROLL RED ROLL

APRIL 14

WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY OPENS APRIL 19 POINT OF NO RETURN

APRIL 22

A DANGEROUS IDEA

APRIL 24

WORLDS OF URSULA K. LE GUIN

APRIL 25 MONT ALTO ORCHESTRA with HITCHCOCK’S BLACKMAIL

APRIL 29 FINDING KIND

APRIL 30

BOLDEN

OPENS MAY 3

DOCLANDS

MAY 3-5

ASK DR. RUTH

OPENS MAY 6

INSTANT FAMILY

MAY 9

SATAN & ADAM

MAY 15

MEETING GORBACHEV

OPENS MAY 10

THE WHITE CROW

OPENS MAY 10

BIGGEST LITTLE FARM

OPENS MAY 17

NON-FICTION

OPENS MAY 17

Royal Opera LA FORZA DEL DESTINO

MAY 19 ASBURY PARK

MAY 22

DECONSTRUCTING THE BEATLES: ABBEY ROAD MAY 23 & 26 RAMBLIN’ JACK—BEYOND THE MUSIC

MAY 30

RAFAEL Q UARTERLY STAFF RI C H A R D P E T E R S O N Director of Programming | Editor

ALE XANDR A CANTIN Rafael Program Associate

L EAH L OSCHIAVO Marketing Coordinator

DAN ZASTROW Rafael General Manager

S HE LLE Y S PICE R Director of Marketing & Publicity

BRIAN LEHMAN Quarterly Layout/Production

J AN KLINGE LHOFE R Program Consultant

Films marked with this logo are part of CFI’s gender equity initiative, Mind the Gap, launched at the 2015 Mill Valley Film Festival. CFI is dedicated to actively working towards closing the gender gap in Hollywood and the rest of the global film industry.

Programs subject to change, including opening dates. OTHER PROGRAMS OPEN THAT DO NOT APPEAR HERE. For up-to-date info: rafaelfilm.org Sign up for weekly email at rafaelfilm.org Check daily newspaper Call 415 454 1222

Cover photo: © Christopher Markisz

AT-A-GLANCE

WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION OPENS MAY 31 ECHO IN THE CANYON

OPENS IN JUNE

WILD ROSE

OPENS IN JUNE

Royal Opera FAUST

JUNE 2

BRUCE JOEL RUBIN

JUNE 6 & 13

SPY BEHIND HOME PLATE OPENS JUNE 7 CLASS OF ‘99

JUNE 9, 16, 23, 30

Royal Ballet TRIPLE BILL

JUNE 23

CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S RED LETTER DAYS with DAN KAMIN JUNE 27

Programs with in-person guests

Smith Rafael Film Center is owned and operated by the California Film Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that also produces the annual Mill Valley Film Festival, DocLands Documentary Film Festival and CFI Education programs throughout the year. © Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.

No portion of the Rafael Quarterly may be duplicated in any form without written consent from the Smith Rafael Film Center and/or the California Film Institute.

SUNSET

OPENS APRIL 5 The atmospheric new work from Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes (Son of Saul) is set in 1913 Budapest as World War I approaches. Young Irisz Leiter (Juli Jakab) arrives in the capital with hopes of working as a milliner at Leiter, the legendary hat store that once belonged to her late parents. The new owner (Vlad Ivanov) sends her away, but when Irisz hears of a brother she never knew, she seeks out her only link to a lost past.

Her quest takes her through the dark streets of Budapest, where only the Leiter hat store shines, into the turmoil of a civilization on the eve of its downfall. In Hungarian with English subtitles. Director: László Nemes. (Hungary 2018) 142 min.

THE BRINK

OPENS APRIL 5 When Steve Bannon left his position as White House chief strategist less than a week after the Charlottesville rally in August 2017, he was already a notorious figure in Trump’s inner circle, known for bringing a far-right ideology into the highest echelons of American politics. After leaving the White House, he began to exercise his perceived influence as a kingmaker, turning his brand of nationalism into a global movement.

Filmmaker Alison Klayman (Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry) follows Bannon through the 2018 midterm elections in the US, shedding light on his efforts to mobilize and unify far-right parties in order to win seats in the May 2019 European Parliamentary elections. It’s a fascinating and candid portrait. Director: Alison Klayman. (US 2019) 91 min.

ZEN FOR NOTHING

OPENS APRIL 5 Hidden between the tree-lined mountains of the Western coast of Japan, the small Antaiji Zen monastery seems to have become a sanctuary for wanderers in search of spirituality. One of these is actress Sabine Timoteo, who leaves job and family behind in Switzerland to immerse herself in monastic life through the autumn, winter and spring. Filmmaker Werner Penzel follows her as she encounters the philosophy of the Japanese Zen master Kodo Sawaki and the surprises brought forth by everyday monastic life. This quietly compelling film is filled with moments of pristine beauty and meditative calm, as well as humor and humanity. In English and in German and Japanese with English subtitles. Music: Fred Frith. Camera/Director: Werner Penzel.

(Germany/Japan 2018) 100 min.

Community Partner: Buddhist Film Foundation

THE CHAPERONE

OPENS APRIL 12 Haley Lu Richardson stars as young Louise Brooks before her movie stardom in this adaptation of the popular novel by Laura Moriarty. In Wichita, Kansas in 1922, the teenager is bound for New York to study with a leading dance troupe, but she must have a chaperone with her. Elizabeth McGovern plays the local society matron who impulsively volunteers to accompany this rebellious free spirit. Created by some of the talent behind Downton Abbey, this colorful period drama depicts two women of different generations, each at the threshold of a major life change. With Campbell Scott, Géza Röhrig, Miranda Otto, Robert Fairchild, Blythe Danner. Writer: Julian Fellowes. Director: Michael Engler. (US 2018) 108 min

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ROLL RED ROLL

SUNDAY | APRIL 14 | 4:15 IN PERSON: FILMMAKER NANCY SCHWARTZMAN At a pre-season party in small-town Steubenville, Ohio, a heinous crime took place-the sexual assault of a teenage girl by members of the town’s beloved high school football team. But it was the disturbing social media evidence uncovered by crime blogger Alexandria Goddard that provoked the most powerful questions about the collusion of teen bystanders, teachers, parents and coaches to protect the assailants and discredit the victim. Presented in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, this devastating real-life thriller painstakingly reconstructs both the night of the crime and its aftermath, showing the role of social media in compounding the felony while providing the clues to solve it. Producer/Director: Nancy Schwartzman.

(USA 2018) 80 minutes plus discussion.

WILD NIGHTS WITH EMILY

OPENS APRIL 19 Molly Shannon stars in this humorous yet bold reappraisal of Emily Dickinson, the iconic American poet popularly thought to be a recluse. In the mid-19th century, Dickinson is writing prolifically, baking gingerbread and enjoying a passionate, lifelong romantic relationship with another woman: her friend and sister-in-law Susan (Susan Ziegler). While seeking publication of some of the 1,775 poems written during her lifetime, Dickinson finds herself facing a troupe of male literary gatekeepers too confused by her genius to take her work seriously. Dickinson’s private letters inform this vibrant, irreverent but tender portrait of the artist from Amherst. With Amy Seimetz, Brett Gelman. Writer/Director: Madeleine Olnek. (US 2018) 84 min.

EARTH DAY

POINT OF NO RETURN

MONDAY | APRIL 22 | 6:30 IN PERSON: FILMMAKERS QUINN KANALY & NOEL DOCKSTADER Soaring at 26,000 feet without a drop of fuel, nothing is predictable, including weather, technology and the fate of the pilots. Bertrand Piccard, psychiatrist and balloonist, and André Borschberg, engineer and jet-fighter pilot, built what many experts said was impossible—a solar-powered airplane capable of flying day and night. With the wingspan of a 747 jet and the weight of a car, Solar Impulse is fragile. Technical failures, unplanned landings and stormy weather jeopardize the mission, and the pilot and the crew must rise again. This story of hope, courage and perseverance is our special presentation for Earth Day. Directors: Quinn Kanaly, Noel Dockstader (USA 2017) 95 min. plus panel discussion.

A DANGEROUS IDEA: EUGENICS, GENETICS AND THE AMERICAN DREAM

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 24 | 7:00 IN PERSON: FILMMAKERS STEPHANIE WELCH, MAUREEN GOSLING JED RIFFE, ANDREW KIMBRELL A dangerous idea has threatened the American Dream from the beginning: the belief that some groups and individuals are inherently superior to others and more deserving of fundamental rights. Such biological determinism provided justification for many great injustices in our country’s history. This film explores how biologically determined politics has disenfranchised women and people of color and provided a rationale for state-sanctioned crimes committed against America’s most vulnerable citizens. Featuring interviews with such social thinkers as Van Jones and Robert Reich as well as prominent scientists, this documentary is a radical reassessment of the meaning, use and misuse of gene science. Editor: Maureen Gosling. Producer: Jed Riffe. Co-writer/Producer/Director: Stephanie Welch. (US 2016) 108 min. plus discussion.

—5—

WORLDS OF URSULA K. LE GUIN

THURSDAY | APRIL 25 | 7:00 IN PERSON: FILMMAKER ARWEN CURRY Arwen Curry’s feature documentary explores the remarkable life and legacy of the late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin. Best known for such groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy novels as A Wizard of Earthsea, The Left Hand of Darkness and The Dispossessed, Le Guin defiantly held her ground on the margin of “respectable” literature until the sheer excellence of her work forced the mainstream, at long last, to embrace fantastic literature. Her fascinating story has never before been captured on film. Produced with Le Guin’s participation over the course of a decade, this fascinating portrait also includes reflections by such luminaries as Margaret Atwood, Neil Gaiman, David Mitchell and Michael Chabon, among others. Producer/Director: Arwen Curry. (US 2018) 65 min. plus discussion.

CFI EDUCATION presents TEEN WELLNESS FILM SERIES

FINDING KIND

TUESDAY | APRIL 30 | 6:30 In 2009, filmmakers Lauren Paul and Molly Thompson set out on a cross-country journey of discovery and education, interviewing hundreds of girls and young women across America about girl-against-girl bullying and meeting with experts in the fields of psychology, education, and the interrelationships of women and girls. Along the way, they learn more about themselves, the truths behind the “mean girl” phenomenon, and our culture’s influence on female behavior. Director: Lauren Paul (US 2011) Panel discussion follows, featuring youth, educators, parents, and mental health professionals. This is the fourth program in our Teen Wellness Film Series presented in partnership with the Tamalpais Union High School District Wellness Center. A portion of the proceeds will support TUHSD Wellness. Film 78 min. plus discussion.

ASK DR. RUTH

OPENS MAY 6 This lively film portrait (how can it not be?) chronicles the incredible life of Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a Holocaust survivor who became America’s most famous sex therapist.

With her diminutive frame, thick German accent and uninhibited approach to sex therapy and education, Dr. Ruth transformed the conversation around sexuality through her numerous television appearances and countless books on the topic. As she approaches her 90th birthday, this peppy workaholic maintains a schedule that would exhaust someone half her age. In this highly entertaining film, she revisits her painful past and unusual career trajectory (including a stint as an Israeli sniper) on her unlikely path to the forefront of the sexual revolution. Director: Ryan White. (US 2019) 100 min.

CFI EDUCATION PRESENTS

INSTANT FAMILY

THURSDAY | MAY 9 | 7:00 When Pete (Mark Wahlberg) and Ellie (Rose Byrne) decide to start a family, they stumble into the world of foster care adoption. But their noble ambitions of helping out a needy child become more complicated when they meet three siblings and find themselves speeding from zero to three kids overnight. Now, Pete and Ellie must try to learn the ropes of instant parenthood in the hopes of becoming a real family.

Inspired by actual events from the life of writer/director Sean Anders and also starring Octavia Spencer, Tig Notaro, and Margo Martindale. (US 2018) Panel discussion follows featuring members of the Marin fostering community. A portion of the program proceeds will support the Marin Foster Care Association. Film 117 min. plus discussion.

—6—

“The silent pictures were the purest form of cinema” Alfred Hitchcock

LIVE MUSIC FOR SILENT FILM MONDAY

APRIL 29 7:00

We’re excited to welcome Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra back to the Rafael, in anticipation of their performances at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival (May 1-5).

During the transition to sound in 1929, Alfred Hitchcock made Blackmail in both silent and sound versions. The silent one was unavailable until recently, and many modern critics discovered it to be superior, with several differences from the more familiar “first British talkie.” Anny Ondra stars as Alice, an innocent who finds herself in a fix after her defense against sexual assault results in death. Also starring Sara Allgood and Cyril Ritchard, it is rich with Hitchcock’s trademark style and delivers the first major climax he set in a landmark location. $20 general, $18 seniors, $15 Cfi Members & youth

ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S

BLACKMAIL

The talented musicians of Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra made their Rafael debut (and first Bay Area appearance) exactly 20 years ago, the very week the restored theater reopened in April 1999. Based in Louisville, Colorado, director Rodney Sauer compiles and arranges his scores from authentic music of the period. The New York Times wrote about their work: “The results are often breathtakingly beautiful and always in the strict service of the film on the screen.” Following our screening, Sauer will answer questions about his work. Program approximately 90 min.

Special thanks to San Francisco Silent Film Festival and to Rialto Pictures.

OPENS MAY 3

Not many of us have heard of Charles “Buddy” Bolden, who grew up in New Orleans at the end of the 19th century to forge a new kind of music. Fusing blues, ragtime, gospel and an improvisational energy anchored by his cornet’s sensual sound, Bolden essentially “invented” jazz. Filmmaker Dan Pritzker’s visually sumptuous biographical drama stars Gary Carr as Bolden, a haunted figure who recalls his past success from the Louisiana mental asylum where he spent the last 25 years of his life. The cast also includes: Yaya DaCosta as his wife Nora, who endured his self-destructive lifestyle; Erik LaRay Harvey as the manager who took the musician to new highs and lows; Reno Wilson as Louis Armstrong, who learned from Bolden; and Ian McShane and Michael Rooker as the law, who enforced the brutal racial code of the era.

Composer and musician Wynton Marsalis offsets the tale’s tragic outline with a lush score that captures the experiment and excitement of early jazz, making Bolden as much a musical experience as a dramatic one. Rated R. Music/Executive Producer: Wynton Marsalis. Writers: Dan Pritzker, David N. Rothschild. Director: Dan Pritzker. (US 2019) 108 min.

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DOCLANDS D O C U M E N TA R Y F I L M F E S T I VA L

RUNNER

THE WEIGHT OF WATER

OPENING NIGHT | WORLD PREMIERE

MR. JIMMY LIVE FILM & LIVE MUSIC | CALIFORNIA PREMIERE

CLOSING NIGHT | BAY AREA PREMIERE

MOTHERLOAD LOCAL FILMMAKER | WORLD PREMIERE

TICKETS ON SALE TO MEMBERS APRIL 4 | GENERAL PUBLIC APRIL 5

MAY 2-5 | SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER | CINÉARTS SEQUOIA | DOCLANDS.COM

MEETING GORBACHEV

OPENS MAY 10 The last president of the former Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev sits down for a fascinating conversation with German filmmaker Werner Herzog. As on-screen interviewer, Herzog doesn’t disguise his admiration, celebrating Gorbachev’s three remarkable accomplishments: negotiations with the US to reduce nuclear weapons; cessation of Soviet control of Eastern Europe and the reunification of Germany; and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. All in six years! Could he be the world’s greatest living politician? Augmented by archival footage and interviews with other world leaders, this is a great meeting with one of the most impactful figures of the 20th century. In German & Russian with English subtitles and in English. Directors: Werner Herzog, André Singer. (Germany/US 2018) 92 min.

THE WHITE CROW

OPENS MAY 10 Ralph Fiennes directs and co-stars in this dramatic portrayal of ballet star Rudolf Nureyev’s early career, leading to his defection from the Soviet Union to the West in 1961, at the height of the Cold War. Dancer Oleg Ivenko is convincing as Nureyev both onstage and off, and Fiennes plays master teacher Alexander Pushkin using Russian dialogue. From Nureyev’s poverty-stricken childhood, to his blossoming as a student dancer, to his arrival at the epicenter of western culture in Paris, to a nail-biting standoff at the Le Bourget airport, this is the true story of an incredible journey by an artist who transformed ballet forever. Rated R. In English and in Russian with English subtitles. Writer: David Hare. Director: Ralph Fiennes. (UK/France 2018) 127 min.

SATAN & ADAM

WEDNESDAY | MAY 15 | 7:00 A celebration of the transformative power of music, and the bonds that develop when artists collaborate and worlds collide, the film follows Satan & Adam, a blues duo and a fixture on Harlem’s sidewalks in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Director V. Scott Balcerek pulls together over two decades of documentary footage to chart the duo’s trajectory from busking in the streets of Harlem, where they were happened upon

by U2 who were filming for their Rattle and Hum documentary, to bigger and bigger stages, depicting the challenges that both had to overcome to keep Satan & Adam and their friendship together. Director V. Scott Balcerek. (US 2019) 78 min.

THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM

OPENS MAY 17 This testament to the immense complexity of nature follows two dreamers and a dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to their lives and the land. When the barking of their beloved dog Todd leads to eviction from their tiny Los Angeles apartment, John and Molly Chester make a choice that takes them out of the city and onto 200 acres in the foothills of Ventura County. This film chronicles eight years of daunting work and naïve idealism as they attempt to create their utopia, planting 10,000 orchard trees and over 200 different crops, as well as adopting animals of every kind, including an unforgettable pig named Emma and her best friend, Greasy the rooster. Rated PG. Producer/Director: John Chester. (US 2018) 91 min.

—9—

NON-FICTION

OPENS MAY 17 Juliette Binoche and Guillaume Canet reunite with French master Olivier Assayas for this wry, slyly seductive tale of sex, lies and literature. A controversial writer (Vincent Macaigne) begins blurring the line between fact and fiction, using his real-life affairs, including a passionate fling with an actress (Binoche) married to his publisher (Canet), as fodder for his explosive new novel. Meanwhile, the publisher is himself simultaneously entranced by, and fearful of, the lovely young consultant (Christa Théret) his company has hired to oversee its “digital transition.” Personal peccadillos are peppered with clever conversations about the position of books in the age of Twitter and Instagram. With Nora Hamzawi, Pascal Greggory. (France 2018) 108 min.

ASBURY PARK: RIOT, REDEMPTION, ROCK ‘N ROLL

WEDNESDAY | MAY 22 | 7:00 A once storied seaside resort, Asbury Park erupted in flames during a summer of civil unrest, crippling the town while destroying the fabled Westside jazz and blues scene. However, from the flames of the burning city emerged the iconic Jersey sound.

Shuttered for decades, the legendary after-hours club Upstage remains a perfect time capsule of the club which united people. This major theatrical event will also include a bonus feature of never before seen footage, as Steve Van Zandt, Southside Johnny, and Bruce Springsteen play a now legendary concert to a sold-out Paramount Theater and trade guitar licks with the future of music in Asbury, a group of 11-year-old rockers who prove the best days for the town may just lie ahead. Director: Tom Jones. (US 2019) 116 min $13 general, $11 seniors, $9 CFI members

MOVIES

MUSIC

@RAFAEL

LA FORZA DEL DESTINO THE ROYAL OPERA

SUNDAY | MAY 19 | NOON Jonas Kaufmann and Anna Netrebko star in Verdi’s epic La Forza del Destino, (The Force of Destiny), an opera which demands the very best of singers for its powerful music as well as the fullest theatrical treatment for its story of bitter revenge pursued across miles and years. The production comes to The Royal Opera in a sensational staging from Amsterdam packed with color and action. It is directed by Christof Loy and conducted by Antonio Pappano, music director of The Royal Opera. Sung in Italian with English titles with an anticipated running time of 255 minutes including two intermissions.

FAUST THE ROYAL OPERA

SUNDAY | JUNE 2 | NOON Breathtaking cabaret, ballet, sublime singing and Parisian passion will inspire audiences in director David McVicar’s theatrical production of Faust. The stunning cast includes American tenor Michael Fabiano as Faust, Uruguayan bass-baritone Erwin Schrott as the devil Méphistophélès and German soprano Diana Damrau as Faust’s beloved Marguerite. The superb score includes some devilish songs for Méphistophélès, Marguerite’s ecstatic ‘Jewel Song’ and a thrilling ballet in Act V. Faust is the French composer CharlesFrançois Gounod’s greatest masterpiece and a favorite with opera audiences worldwide. The opera will be sung in French with English titles, with an anticipated running time of 210 minutes including one intermission.

TRIPLE BILL THE ROYAL BALLET

SUNDAY | JUNE 23 | NOON The contemporary face of The Royal Ballet is shown in works from three of today’s leading choreographers.

Christopher Wheeldon’s Within the Golden Hour is based around seven couples separating and intermingling, to music by Vivaldi and Bosso. Crystal Pite’s Flight Pattern, revived for the first time, uses a large dance ensemble and Górecki’s familiar music from his Symphony of Sorrowful Songs for a poignant and passionate reflection on migration. The third dance is a world premiere by choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, and created with The Royal Ballet, drawing on many styles of dance to create a stylistic fusion. The anticipated running time is 195 minutes including two intermissions. $15 general, $13 seniors, $10 CFI members per program

— 10 —

DECONSTRUCTING THE BEATLES’ ABBEY ROAD PART 1 THURSDAY, MAY 23, 7:00 & SUNDAY, MAY 26, 4:15 PART 2 THURSDAY, JULY 11, 7:00 & SUNDAY, JULY 14, 4:15

Music expert and lecturer Scott Freiman has done it again, and with Abbey Road his insights into the genius of The Beatles are too numerous for a single show!

See why so many Rafael audiences have enjoyed his filmed lectures. Each program approximately 95 min. $15 general, $10 CFI members (per each part)

MOVIES

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W O R L D

P R E M I E R E

RAMBLIN’ JACK—BEYOND THE MUSIC THURSDAY | MAY 30 | 7:00

IN PERSON: RAMBLIN’ JACK ELLIOTT, FILMMAKER OLEG HARENCAR & SPECIAL GUESTS, HOSTED BY PETER COYOTE

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott is to Dylan what Cassady was to Kerouac: a fountainhead for countless followers and admirers for whom he is proof that an authentic, self-invented life is possible. This film is the story of Jack’s life as seen by Jack himself, documented over four years by friend and filmmaker Oleg Harencar. Jack recounts his life through numerous stories of sailing ships, adventures and an incredible entourage of friends and acquaintances. We follow Jack in his element, be it on horseback or minding a sail, hanging with ordinary folks as well as demigods of politics, the arts and music.

Ramblin’ Jack Elliott will appear with special guests and participate in a discussion following the screening. Producers: Steve Hyman, Kat Lusher, Don Zimmer. Director: Oleg Harencar. (US 2019) Film 60 min. plus discussion. $25, $20 CFI members

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@RAFAEL

“Nobody I know, and I mean nobody, has covered more ground and made more friends and sang more songs than Ramblin’ Jack Elliott.”

Johnny Cash

WOODSTOCK: THREE DAYS THAT DEFINED A GENERATION

OPENS MAY 31 In 1969, against the backdrop of a nation in conflict over sexual politics, civil rights and the Vietnam War, half a million people converged on a small dairy farm in upstate New York to hear the concert of a lifetime. What they experienced was a moment that would spark a cultural revolution, changing many of them and the country forever.

With never-before-seen footage, this film tells the story of the political and social upheaval leading up to those three historic days, as well as the extraordinary events of the concert itself, when near disaster put the ideals of the counterculture to the test, and the result was nothing less than a miracle of unity. Director: Barak Goodman (US 2019) 100 min.

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— 11 —

BRUCE JOEL RUBIN: MATTERS OF LIFE & DEATH IN PERSON: BRUCE JOEL RUBIN

Bruce Joel Rubin is an Oscar-winning screenwriter, photographer and meditation teacher. His films have often explored themes of life and death with metaphysical and science fiction elements. “Each film was an attempt, successful or not to witness and explore the unseen world of our lives,” he says. “I wanted to speak to adults and to children and to touch the inner mystery of our shared being.” We are pleased to host Bruce Joel Rubin in conversation around two of his most celebrated films. CO-PRESENTED WITH BUDDHIST FILM FOUNDATION

JACOB’S LADDER

GHOST

THURSDAY | JUNE 6 | 7:00 THURSDAY | JUNE 13 | 7:00 Long after this film was released as a thriller, Bruce Joel Rubin re- Bruce Joel Rubin received the Academy Award® for Original Screenvealed that his screenplay was inspired by the Tibetan Book of the play for his widely popular romantic drama, which he recently rewrote Dead. Tim Robbins stars as a Vietnam veteran mourning his dead as a musical for the stage. Banker Patrick Swayze is murdered and child and struggling to maintain his sanity. With Elizabeth Peña, Dan- must communicate with lover Demi Moore through a psychic, played ny Aiello, Jason Alexander. Director: Adrian Lyne. Rated R. (1990) by Whoopi Goldberg in a scene-stealing, Oscar®-winning perfor113 min. Rubin will discuss the film with BFF executive director Gae- mance. Rated PG-13. Director: Jerry Zucker. (US 1990) 127 min. tano Kazuo Maida. $13 general, $11 seniors, $9 CFI members per program

THE SPY BEHIND HOME PLATE

OPENS JUNE 7 Aviva Kempner (The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg) delivers the first feature documentary to tell the true story of Morris “Moe” Berg, the brilliant and enigmatic Jewish baseball player turned spy. Berg caught and fielded in five different major league teams during baseball’s “golden age” in the 1920s and 30s. But few know that Berg, often called the brainiest man in baseball, also worked for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), spying in Europe and playing a prominent role in America’s efforts to undermine the German atomic bomb program during World War II. Enriched by interviews and archival footage, Berg’s exciting life story can decidedly be filed under “stranger than fiction.’ Writer/Producer/Director: Aviva Kempner. (US 2019) 98 min.

CHARLIE CHAPLIN’S RED LETTER DAYS with DAN KAMIN THURSDAY | JUNE 27 | 7:00 Charlie Chaplin was the first global superstar, and he’s still relevant today, as performer and comic Dan Kamin will demonstrate in this entertaining show, which incorporates fascinating images, music and pristine restored film, including Chaplin’s blockbuster World War I comedy Shoulder Arms in its original release version. Don’t miss this excursion into the public and private worlds of the comic legend whose films still make audiences roar with laughter.

Dan Kamin performs internationally in solo shows. He trained Robert Downey, Jr. for his Oscar®-nominated performance in Chaplin and created Johnny Depp’s physical comedy routines in Benny and Joon. Program approximately 2 hours. $15 general, $13 seniors & youth, $11 CFI members

CLASS OF ‘99 Smith Rafael Film Center and the Buddhist Film Foundation in Berkeley are celebrating virtually identical anniversaries, with the latter organization founded in 2000. Over the years we’ve maintained a warm working relationship with BFF, which has included our presentations of the International Buddhist Film Festival. These four films with Buddhist themes or connections were produced the same year the restored Rafael opened its doors. Each show will offer a special guest. Each program $13 general, $11 seniors, $9 CFI members

ENLIGHTENMENT GUARANTEED

SUNDAY | JUNE 9 | 4:15 Doris Dörrie’s delightfully quirky film follows the misadventures of two middle-aged German professionals seeking the solace of Zen Buddhism in a Japanese monastery. German with English subtitles. 105 min.

THE CUP

SUNDAY | JUNE 16 | 4:15 Young Tibetan monks in a monastery in India obsess over World Cup soccer in the brilliant and funny directorial debut by Khyentse Norbu, a noted Tibetan Buddhist teacher. In Tibetan & Hindi with English subtitles. 93 min.

SHOWER

SUNDAY | JUNE 23 | 4:15 Director Yang Zhang’s comedy about a family-run bath house demonstrates how a Vajrayana Buddhist spirit survived China’s cultural revolution. In Mandarin with English subtitles. 95 min.

HIMALAYA

SUNDAY | JUNE 30 | 4:15 Still one of the Rafael’s all-time hits, Eric Valli’s breathtaking adventure film about a Tibetan caravan will be screened in a beautiful new restoration. In Tibetan with English subtitles.

CO-PRESENTED WITH

O P E N I N G

I N

J U N E

ECHO IN THE CANYON

In this performance-documentary, Jakob Dylan revisits the Laurel Canyon music scene of the mid60s, interviewing Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Stephen Stills, Michelle Phillips, Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Graham Nash, Jackson Browne and Tom Petty (his final filmed interview).

Dylan also performs their songs with such contemporary collaborators as Beck, Norah Jones, Regina Spektor, Cat Power and others. Director: Andrew Slater. 82 min.

WILD ROSE

Jessie Buckley delivers a breakout star performance in this story about a working-class musician from Glasgow, a single mother of two, who dreams of going to Nashville and becoming a country music success. Julie Walters is her long-suffering mom, and Sophie Okonedo plays her unexpected patron. Director: Tom Harper. 100 min.

We thank this vital group of individuals who believe in the power of storytelling through film to inspire, educate and entertain. Their support advances the expression of independent voices of individuals and cultures from around the globe.

LEADERSHIP Christopher B. and Jeannie Meg Smith Jennifer Coslett MacCready Nancy P. and Richard K. Robbins

Family Foundation Vickie Soulier INVESTOR Jim Boyce Trust and Kris Otis Gruber Family Foundation Gordon Radley Resonance Philanthropies Christine A. Schantz Michael and Susan Schwartz Fund PLATINUM Ken and Jackie Broad Family Fund Kamala Geroux-Berry and David Berry Genuine Article Pictures Carie Harris Haimovitch Vivian Kaufman Fund Daniel Kenyon and

Michelle Marchetta Kenyon Maggie O’Donnell and Josh Floum Jonathan and Deborah Parker The Jay Pritzker Foundation SILVER Nancy Abodeely Alice Corning Stephanie DiMarco Dennis P. Fisco and Pamela Polite Fisco Lorrie and Mark Fishkin The Gibbs Family Charitable Fund Griswold Family Fund,

Bob and Alex Griswold Tom and Barbara Harrison Margaret E. Haas Robin Hauser Andree and John Jansheski Katz Family Foundation Marion Krott K.C. and Steve Lauck Kenneth and Vera Meislin Harrison Miller and Clare McCamy Stephen and Mary Mizroch James Mochizuki

Cathy and Robert Nourafshan Gertrud Parker Monahan Parker, Inc. Mary and Bill Poland Ginger and Howard Robin Eric Schwartz and Magda Wesslund Jann Stanley and Soren Dalsager Mona Steinberg Patricia Tanoury Henry O. Timnick Sue and Steve Weinswig Paul Zaentz BRONZE Anonymous (3) Clara Basile Jane Bay Alletta Bayer Dave and Ann Peckenpaugh Becker Susan and William Beech Kenneth Birdwell Susan Bolle Inez Brooks-Myers Marc and Robin Bussin Jan Capper Joe and Sue Carlomagno Tom Cohen and Kristi Denton Cohen Joel and Justine Coopersmith Carol DiFeo Gayle Donsky and Morton J. Stein Michael Dyett and Heidi Richardson Julie Erickson and Art Rothstein Catherine and Peter Flaxman Janet Fox Gerald L. and Sheree A. Friedman Frank Gaipa Deborah Goldman Linda Gomez Michelle Griffin and Tom Parker Maureen Groper Amy Miller Gross Julie Hauser Richard J. Idell and Susan Kornblatt Idell Devorah Jacoby Elisabeth and Howard Jaffe Willa Jefferson-Stokes Pat Kendall

Dr. Joe Keon Margaret Keon Amy Keroes and Jeff Fisher Thomas Koegel and Anne La Follette Theo Koffler Letty Ledbetter Dawn Lyon Cynthia Maram Cindy and John McCauley Catherine and Ted McKown Rosemary McNeely Linda Morgan Suki and Russell Munsell Roberta O’Neale Lorne and Ilona Parker Tucky and John Pogue Mark and Dorian Polite Put and Pari Carolyn Cavalier Rosenberg,

Dr. Sanford Rosenberg

and Media Research Associates Karen and Harry Rosenbluth Jack and Judy Sherman Susan and Joel Sklar Elliott and Shayna Stein Carol Tabb Laura Tauber Mel and Lois Tukman Lucinda Watson Karen Williams Kate Wilson Teresa Wolf Zach and Marlies Zeisler Mel and Patricia Ziegler MAJOR FOUNDATION SUPPORT The Bernard Osher Foundation The EACH Foundation Fenwick Foundation Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation Marin Community Foundation GOVERNMENT SUPPORT County of Marin

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