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SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 2019
After the Mill Valley Film Festival, the Smith Rafael Fall Season kicks into high gear with many awards season films you may have missed at MVFF. The very popular Deconstructing The Beatles series returns with special encore screenings of all nine films presented in album order, every Sunday through the end of the year. Community Cinema screenings, music programs, restorations, performing arts, plus the Rafael's continuing high number of in-person filmmakers and other guests make this another exciting couple of months!
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This
indicates programs with in-person guests.
Programs subject to change, including opening dates. Cover photo: Pain and Glory (see p. 3)
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.
SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER
1118 FOURTH STREET, SAN RAFAEL
CFI Media Partner
CFI French Cinema Sponsor
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 2019. All rights reserved. No portion of Rafael publications may be duplicated in any form without written consent from the Smith Rafael Film Center and/or the California Film Institute.
METALLICA & THE S.F. SYMPHONY: S&M 2
MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 7:00 The hometown heavy-metal heroes of Metallica return to the Bay Area with Metallica & San Francisco Symphony: S&M2, a must-see celebration of the 20th anniversary of Metallica’s groundbreaking S&M live collaboration with the San Francisco Symphony! Including tracks from the original ’99 S&M release as well as symphonic versions of new songs released since then, this theatrical release gives fans around the world the chance to experience the show as a modern-day big screen concert. Director: Wayne Isham (US 2019) 150 min.
WAKING DREAM
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 7:00 Waking Dream tells the stories of six undocumented young people waiting in limbo between deportation and a path to citizenship. Bay Area filmmaker Theo Rigby’s latest documentary follows the unfolding fate of six young “Dreamers” after DACA is rescinded—as they fight for legal status in the U.S., and pursue their dreams in a country that is trying harder and harder to push them out. Director: Theo Rigby (US 2018) 52 min Co-presented with CANAL ALLIANCE Followed by panel discussion
PAIN AND GLORY
OPENS OCTOBER 18 Pain and Glory tells of a series of reencounters experienced by veteran film director Salvador Mallo (Cannes’ Best Actor Antonio Banderas); some occur in the flesh, others remembered: his childhood in the 60s, when he emigrated with his parents to a village in Valencia in search of prosperity, young loves, the early discovery of cinema, and more. In recovering his past, Salvador finds the urgent need to recount it, and in that need, he also finds his salvation. Director: Pedro Almodóvar (Spain 2019) 113 min
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THE ELEPHANT QUEEN
OPENS OCTOBER 18 The African savanna elephant is the world’s largest animal and one of the few species that live in a matriarchal society. Featuring beautiful cinematography and honeyed narration from actor Chiwetel Ejiofor, this glimpse into a complex animal society contextualizes how the changing, unforgiving climate and illegal poaching are substantially impacting these majestic pachyderms and ultimately the ecosystem they help maintain. Director: Victoria Stone (UK 2018) 96 min
THE SWEET REQUIEM
OPENS OCTOBER 18 Filmmakers in person Sunday, October 20, 4:30 This bold new work from directors Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam is a tale of tragedy, retribution, and courage. Shifting between a present-day struggle to overcome trauma and flashbacks to a harrowing trek through the Himalayas, The Sweet Requiem offers an unforgettable reflection on the refugee crisis in a part of the world too rarely reported on. Directors: Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam (India 2018) 91 min Co-presented with BUDDHIST FILM FOUNDATION
MOUNTAINTOP SESSIONS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22, 7:00 Two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Neil Young and Crazy Horse continue their 50 year odyssey, this time in the mountains of Colorado, and Bernard Shakey (aka Neil Young) filmed it all. Mountaintop Sessions offers music lovers an unprecedented peak behind the curtain as Neil works with the band and engineers to create another musical masterpiece. Interwoven with studio footage are sublime and intimate live performances as Neil played some of the songs from his new album, Colorado, for the first time. Director. Bernard Shakey (US 2019) 86 min
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THE COMPLETE SERIES All n i n e fil ms pre se nte d in a lb um ord er! SUNDAYS
OCTOBER 20 - DECEMBER 15
4:15
G N I T C U R T S N
S E L BEAT
October 20 BIRTH OF THE BEATLES October 27 YEAH! YEAH! YEAH! November 3 RUBBER SOUL November 10 REVOLVER November 17 SGT. PEPPER -6-
MOVIES
MUSIC
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@RAFAE
November 24 MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR December 1 THE WHITE ALBUM December 8 ABBEY ROAD, SIDE 1 December 15 ABBEY ROAD, SIDE 2
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Photo: Brian Lehman
E H T
45s Courtesy Maureen Galliani
DECO
AND WITH HIM CAME THE WEST
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 7:00 Filmmaker in person: MIKE PLANTE After the 30-second shootout known as the Gunfight at the OK Corral occurred in late 1881, Tombstone lawman Wyatt Earp became famous in his own time. The gunfight represented the epitome of what the wild west stood for: good guys against bad guys in a thrilling duel, although the long-standing feud and motivations behind it have complicated details. Earp wanted the general public to disregard all of that and decided he could rewrite history through the magic of the movies. He set out to Hollywood in the 1920s to try to get a movie made about his life – and it actually worked. Director: Mike Plante (US 2019) 77 min.
GIFT
OPENS OCTOBER 25 Inspired by Lewis Hyde’s beloved classic The Gift: Creativity and the Artist in the Modern World, Gift is a tribute to something that can’t be measured or counted, bought or sold. An intimate exploration of real-life gift economies, it’s a reflection on the creative process, the reasons we labour in service of our gifts, and a celebration of the imagination. Director: Robin McKenna (Canada 2019) 90 min OCTOBER 26, 6:30 Filmmaker in person: ROBIN McKENNA
BY THE GRACE OF GOD
OPENS NOVEMBER 1 By The Grace of God tells the story of three adult men who band together to expose the code of silence that continues to enable a priest who abused them as boys. Their experiences powerfully illustrate the varying effects that the trauma of abuse causes on individuals and their families for years. The true story upon which the film is based is an ongoing scandal in France, with Philippe Barbarin, Cardinal of Lyon, convicted in March 2019 for concealing the conduct of Father Preynat. Director: François Ozon (France 2019) 137 min CFI French Cinema Sponsor
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FREAKS
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 7:30 Filmmaker in person: ADAM STEIN Kept locked inside the house by her father, 7-year-old Chloe lives in fear and fascination of the outside world, where Abnormals create a constant threat – or so she believes. When a mysterious stranger offers her a glimpse of what’s really happening outside, Chloe soon finds that while the truth isn’t so simple, the danger is very real. Starring Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, and Grace Park. Directors: Zach Lipovsky and Adam Stein (US 2019) 105 min
DON GIOVANNI
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3, NOON Sexual intrigue, jealousy, wit, anger… and retribution! Mozart’s engaging masterpiece presents the exploits of Don Giovanni, the women he serially seduces, and the vengeance that finally catches up with him. The opera is renowned for portrayals of complex characters, fast-moving action, and mix of emotions both the comic and heartfelt. Sung in Italian with English titles with an anticipated running time of 210 minutes including one intermission. $15 general, $13 seniors/youth, $10 CFI members
THE PORTAL
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 7:00 Filmmaker in Person A unique cinematic experience created to inspire humankind into a new era, The Portal is about the ability for inner change to bring about a powerful planetary shift. Exploring the role crisis plays in our evolution, this experiential documentary brings to life the stories of six people who have used stillness and mindfulness to move beyond trauma. An unusual blend of technology, love, human potential, philosophy, brain hacking, stillness and inner peace, The Portal is a film that humanity needs Right Now. Directors: Tom Cronin and Jacqui Fifer (US 2019) 88 min
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THOUSAND PIECES OF GOLD
OPENS NOVEMBER 8 Filmmakers in Person at select shows Set in a mining town in the 1880s, Thousand Pieces of Gold portrays the real-life story of Lalu (Rosalind Chao), a young Chinese woman whose desperately poor parents sell her into slavery. She is trafficked to a nefarious saloonkeeper in Idaho’s gold country. Eventually Charlie, a man of different ilk, played by Chris Cooper, wins her in a poker game and slowly gains her trust. Aesthetically majestic and psychologically profound, it’s a story of two people who were never meant to meet each other, let alone fall in love. New 4K restoration by IndieCollect, under the supervision of director Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto. Consult rafaelfilm.org for in-person updates
SYNONYMS
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OPENS NOVEMBER 8 In Paris, things do not exactly get off to a good start for the newly arrived Yoav. Yet this young Israeli, who has arrived with such great expectations, will not be dissuaded easily. Based on the real-life experiences of writer-director Nadav Lapid's (The Kindergarten Teacher, Policeman), Synonyms explores the challenges of putting down roots in a new place. Yoav's attempts to find himself awaken past demons and open up an existential abyss in this tragicomic puzzle that wisely knows how to keep its secrets. Director: Nadav Lapid (France/Israel/ Germany 2019) 123 min. CFI French Cinema Sponsor
A BIGGER SPLASH
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 7:00 The painter David Hockney is thrown into a personal crisis during a protracted breakup with longtime lover Peter Schlesinger. Hockney rushes to finish his Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) in time for a New York showing and to overcome the sorrow of the end of his affair with Schlesinger, all of which coincides with the decisive end of the Swinging London Youthquake. Hockney’s social circle and the imaginary worlds of his canvases blend together, creating an endlessly beguiling, deeply melancholic study of an artist and his milieu. Director: Jack Hazan (UK 1974) 105 min.
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THE IRISHMAN
OPENS NOVEMBER 15 Seething with incendiary street malice, Martin Scorsese's epic saga of organized crime in postwar America stars Oscar® winners Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci and divulges the controversial confessions of mob hitman Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran (De Niro), his relationship to the infamous Bufalino crime family via Russell Bufalino (Pesci), and his involvement with the still-unsolved disappearance of notorious labor organizer Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). One of the most highly anticipated films of the year, The Irishman features a magnetic ensemble which includes Bobby Cannavale, Anna Paquin, Ray Romano, and Harvey Keitel. Director: Martin Scorsese (US 2019) 210 min.
BEHIND THE BULLET
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 7:00 Filmmaker in Person: HEIDI YEWMAN Behind the Bullet explores a side of gun violence that’s rarely talked about - the impact a shooting has on the shooter. Each subject in the film tells the story of how the pull of a trigger, changed them emotionally, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. The complexity of each scenario plays out as they describe the conflicting emotions and moral injury that comes after a self-defense shooting, an accidental shooting or an unintentional shooting. Director: Heidi Yewman (US 2019) 84 min. Followed by panel discussion
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 Filmmaker in Person: JOHN CHESTER 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. The 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. Co-presented with GOOD EARTH NATURAL FOODS
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DEPECHE MODE: SPIRITS IN THE FOREST
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 7:00 This new visually-striking film, directed by award-winning filmmaker and longtime artistic collaborator Anton Corbijn, captures the energy and spectacle of the band’s performance from their 2017/2018 Global Spirit Tour, along with a deeper look into how their music and shows have been woven into the fabric of their fans’ lives. Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest weaves together exhilarating musical performances with intimate documentary footage filmed in fans’ hometowns across the globe. Director: Anton Corbijn (US 2019) $15 general, $13 seniors/youth, $10 CFI members
MARRIAGE STORY
OPENS NOVEMBER 22 Writer-director Noah Baumbach offers another alternately funny and deeply moving snapshot of a marriage in its final stages. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson deliver rich, layered performances, surrounded with one of the year’s strongest ensembles—Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Merritt Wever, and Julie Hagerty—as he jumps back and forth through their relationship to capture a kaleidoscopic, bittersweet tale of lost and found love (though maybe not in that order). Director: Noah Baumbach (US 2019) 136 min.
DON PASQUALE
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24, NOON Royal Opera favorite Bryn Terfel heads the cast for this new production of Donizetti’s comedy of domestic drama across two generations. The witty story of a middle-aged man whose supposed young wife runs circles around him – with her own ulterior romantic purpose in mind – has long delighted and surprised audiences. Director Damiano Michieletto’s exhilarating production shows how contemporary the characters and story still are. Sung in Italian with English titles with an anticipated running time of 150 minutes including one intermission. $15 general, $13 seniors/youth, $10 CFI members
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DOCLANDS
APRIL 30 – MAY 3, 2020 DOCLANDS.COM RAFAELFILM.ORG
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PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER MARKISZ
DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
CFI EDUCATION COMMUNITY CINEMA
Join us for this free weekday matinee documentary film series that brings people of all ages together for screenings and community-driven conversations around meaningful and urgent issues. October 21 | NOON THE GREAT AMERICAN LIE
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and First Partner of California Jennifer Siebel Newsom’s newest documentary aims to expose social and economic immobility, as viewed through the lens of American’s gendered values. As increasing inequality has created deep social, economic, and political divides, The Great American Lie exposes how this inequality is rooted in our core beliefs, with the cultural pendulum swinging too far towards revering things we consider “masculine”—like individualism, power, and money—at the expense of things we consider “feminine”—like empathy, care, and collaboration. Director: Jennifer Siebel Newsom (US 2019) 99 min. Discussion to follow with producer Amanda Mortimer.
November 18 | NOON THE FIRST RAINBOW COALITION
In 1969, the Chicago Black Panther Party began to form a multi-ethnic coalition with the Young Lords Organization and the Young Patriots. Banding together in one of the most segregated cities in post-war America, the Rainbow Coalition changed the face of 1960s Chicago politics and created an organizing model for future activists and politicians. Director: Ray Santisteban (US 2019) 56 min. Discussion to follow: Guests TBA
TEEN WELLNESS FILM SERIES
Presented in partnership with the Tam Union High School District Wellness Center, the second season of this popular series provides a valuable community forum for education, communication, understanding, and awareness. November 12 | 7:00pm SCREENAGERS THE NEXT CHAPTER: UNCOVERING SKILLS FOR STRESS RESILIENCE
Filmmaker and physician Dr. Delaney Ruston takes the conversation around screens and teens to the next level with Screenagers Next Chapter—a film that examines the science behind teen’s emotional challenges, the interplay of social media, and most importantly, what can be done in our schools and homes to help them build crucial skills to navigate stress, anxiety, and depression in our digital age. Director: Delaney Ruston (US 2016) 70 min. Panel discussion to follow.
For more information on these and other CFI Education programs, visit cfieducation.org or contact us at education@cafilm.org
cfieducation.org
Photo: Tommy Lau
CFI EDUCATION @ DOCLANDS presents
ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH FORUM
For Bay Area school groups only, this unique interactive learning experience uses film to foster awareness and activism around environmental and global issues through screenings, discussions, live presentations, and interactive exhibits.
APRIL 27–28, 2020 David Brower Center, Berkeley APRIL 29–MAY 1, 2020 Smith Rafael Film Center, San Rafael RAFAELFILM.ORG
CALIFORNIA FILM INSTITUTE members receive benefits at
MILL VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL SMITH RAFAEL FILM CENTER DOCLANDS Documentary Film Festival
Purchase today at: cafilm.org/gift-membership
SPONSORSHIP
DOCLANDS DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL
APRIL 30 – MAY 3, 2020
CONTACT BEAU BLANCHARD bblanchard@cafilm.org or NICK FRIEDMAN nfriedman@cafilm.org
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER MARKISZ
OPPORTUNITIES
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 Vivian Kaufman Fund Daniel Kenyon and Michelle Marchetta Kenyon Mobley Family Fund Maggie O’Donnell and Josh Floum Jonathan and Deborah Parker The Jay Pritzker Foundation SILVER Anonymous Nancy Abodeely Kenneth Birdwell Susan Bolle Alice Corning Drusie and Jim Davis, Drusie Davis Family Fund Carol DiFeo Stephanie DiMarco Michael Dyett and Heidi Richardson Egide Family Foundation Dennis P. Fisco and Pamela Polite Fisco Lorrie and Mark Fishkin Linda Gomez Griswold Family Fund, Bob and Alex Griswold Maureen Groper Margaret E. Haas
Lynne Hale Tom and Barbara Harrison Andree and John Jansheski Willa Jefferson-Stokes Katz Family Foundation Pat Kendall Dr. Joe Keon Margaret Keon Marion Krott Caroline Labe K.C. and Steve Lauck Cynthia Maram Kenneth and Vera Meislin Stephen and Mary Mizroch James Mochizuki Linda Morgan Andra Munteanu Cathy and Robert Nourafshan Paragon Energy Capital Gertrud Parker Mary and Bill Poland Eric Schwartz and Magda Wesslund Jann Stanley and Soren Dalsager Mona Steinberg Patricia Tanoury Laura Tauber Henry O. Timnick Sue and Steve Weinswig Paul Zaentz BRONZE Anonymous (4) Clara Basile Jane Bay Alletta Bayer Dave and Ann Peckenpaugh Becker Susan and William Beech Inez Brooks-Myers Marc and Robin Bussin Anthony Campodonico Joe and Sue Carlomagno Tom Cohen and Kristi Denton Cohen Joel and Justine Coopersmith Suzette deVogelaere Gayle Donsky and Morton J. Stein Catherine and Peter Flaxman Janet Fox
Gerald L. and Sheree A. Friedman Michelle Griffin and Tom Parker Amy Miller Gross Robin Hauser Richard J. Idell and Susan Kornblatt Idell Elisabeth and Howard Jaffe Amy Keroes and Jeff Fisher The Kustel Family Letty Ledbetter Dawn Lyon Jan Marcus Cindy and John McCauley Catherine and Ted McKown Rosemary and Kevin McNeely Monahan Parker, Inc. Suki and Russell Munsell Alex Nourafshan Roberta O’Neale Lorne and Ilona Parker Morgan and Elizabeth Pierce Henry Pilger and Mary Mewha Tucky and John Pogue 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 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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