Set in Egypt during Byzantine rule, THAIS is the story of a monk's attempt to convert Thais, a courtesan and devotee to Venus. Mixing religious devotion with lustful desire yields tragedy. Known for its mix of religious eroticism, it is one of the most popular and controversial in the operatic canon. Don't miss this sumptuous production starring Lado Ataneli and Barbara Frittoli.
Tickets for the opera are $22 General Admission and $18 Discounted.
French with English Subtitles. 2hours and 19minutes plus one intermission.
The 2012 Ethics Film Series and Women Filmmaker Series are please to bring filmmaker Rebecca Haimowitz to the Cosford Cinema to discuss here documentary MADE IN INDIA. This special event is supported by the generous and hard work of the Program of Women's and Gender Studies, University of Miami Ethics Program, and the Arsht Ethics Initiatives. Following the screening of MADE IN INDIA, Rebecca Haimowitz will be present for a Q+A.
MADE IN INDIA, directed by Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha, is a film about the human experiences behind the phenomenon of "outsourcing" surrogacy to India. The film follows the journey of an infertile American couple, an Indian surrogate, and the business of reproductive tourism that brings them together. MADE IN INDIA is the first feature documentary to show the personal stories of the real people involved--following their journeys throughout the entire surrogacy process.
Please join us for this exciting film and discussion. The event is free and open to the public.
Serge Diaghilev famously described Coppélia as “the most adorable ballet in the world, a unique pearl in the history of dancing.” Unlike most classical ballets, Coppélia is a comedy. It was designed to be charming, tender and sweet at a time when political tensions were high and signs of impending revolution filled the streets of Paris. A doll come to life, love triangles, illusions, doubles – the story of Coppelia is just as intriguing and fanciful today as it was in 1870! From the Bolshoi Ballet; Original choreography by Marius Petipa recreated by Sergei Vikharev. Starring Viacheslav Lopatin and Natalia Osipova.
Choreographed by Marius Petipa recreated by Sergei Vikharev
Premiered at last year’s Critics’ Week in Cannes, 17 GIRLS takes its inspiration from a real, headline-grabbing incident in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where a group of teenage girls all decided to become pregnant at the same time, much to the consternation of their families and teachers. First-time feature directors Delphine and Muriel Coulin shift the action to a sleepy seaside town in northern France, where the rocky cliffs and unwelcoming sea create a sense that all of the characters are in some way trapped. When the brash Camille (Louise Grinberg, discovered in Laurent Cantet’s THE CLASS) announces she’s pregnant, soon her friends and classmates decide to follow suit. Like Gus Van Sant’s ELEPHANT-- often cited as one of the film’s inspirations-- 17 GIRLS is less interested in the psychological or social background of its young subjects than it is in the reactions they provoke in the adults around them. Greatly aided by an ensemble cast of both professionals and non-professionals, the Coulins have made a challenging work that confounds easy definitions of choice and responsibility.
A live-stremed Q+A with directors Delphine and Muriel Coulin to follow the screening of 17 GIRLS.
Directed by Delphine Coulin and Muriel Coulin. Unrated.
France, 2011, 90 minutes, French with English Subtitles.
Romain is a “moon child”, afflicted since birth by a rare genetic deficiency that makes him unable to stand exposure to daylight. Since infancy he has been cared for by David, a consultant dermatologist who is fascinated with his case and with whom he has developed an unusually close relationship. Now David has to leave, and doesn’t know how to tell Romain. The day of the separation draws near… a new ordeal for them both.
Directed by Delphine Gleize. Unrated.
France, 2011, 110 minutes, French with English Subtitles.
France’s most unpredictable filmmaker, the wonderful Alain Cavalier (LE COMBAT DANS L'ILE, THERESE) teams up with an actor in every way his eccentric equal, Vincent Lindon, to create this sly, witty look at men, power and politics. Cavalier himself takes the part of an imaginary President of the Republic, searching for a Prime Minister, who turns out to be Lindon. The two develop a kind of filial relationship, complete with all the accompanying jealousies, competitiveness and affection. Shot, like all of Cavalier’s recent works, with a handheld digital camera, Pater was largely a kind of “improvised adventure,” as Cavalier described it; he would often come up with an idea or a few lines of dialog, and from there he and Lindon would invent each scene. The result is a film at once revealing, provocative, and consistently engaging—a cinematic game that asks the spectators to play along.
A live-broadcast Q+A with French star Vincent Lindon following the film.
Directed by Alain Cavalier. Unrated.
France, 2011, 105 minutes, French with English Subtitles.
Part of an ongoing project sponsored by La Comédie-Française—in which filmmakers are given 12 days to adapt a classic French play using actors from the famed troupe—actor-director Mathieu Amalric’s wildly inventive response to Corneille’s popular 17th century tragicomedy transforms the original’s wizard Alcandre into a hotel concierge and seedy detective. His assignment is to find Clindor, a young man working for a manufacturer of violent video games, who seems to have left a trail of young female hearts aflutter. As might be expected, the investigation reveals far more than anyone ever imagined. Per his agreement with the producers, Amalric added not one line of new dialogue to the film, finding ingenious solutions for characters and locations that capture the spirit if not always the letter of Corneille.
A live-broadcast Q+A with director and star Mathieu Almaric to follow the screening.
Directed by Mathieu Amalric. Unrated.
France, 2011, 77 minutes, French with English Subtitles.
Daniel Auteuil, who shot to international fame for his work in the Claude Berri adaptations of Marcel Pagnol’s JEAN DE FLORETTE and MANON DES SOURCES, returns to Pagnol for his first work as a director. Pascal Amoretti (Auteuil), a hard-scrabble well-digger, holds a special place in his heart for his oldest child, Patricia (a lovely performance by newcomer Astrid Bergès-Frisbey). But Patricia has also attracted the attention of Jacques (Nicolas Duvauchelle), son of a prosperous shopkeeper. Their attraction quickly blossoms into something more, but then Jacques, a pilot, goes off to fight in the Great War—leaving Patricia behind to deal with the consequences of their brief moment of passion. Shot in the beautiful landscapes of the Vauclose, THE WELL-DIGGER'S DAUGHTER beautifully captures the humanist spirit of Pagnol: there are no villains here, and each character tries to do their best with the hand they feel has been dealt to them. The cast also includes Jane-Pierre Daroussin, Sabine Azema, and Kad Merad.
Directed by Daniel Auteuil. Unrated.
France, 2011, 107 minutes, French with English Subtitles.
Louis Mandrin was a notorious, Robin Hood-like bandit in the years before the French Revolution; eventually, he was captured and executed, but his legend lived on in music, films and TV series. This is the point of departure for Rabur Ameur-ZaÏmeche’s fourth feature: following the hanging of Mandrin, members of his band set up a kind of underground network to publish and distribute his songs and stories, hoping to create “a framework for the republic.” They are helped in their efforts by the support of the Marquis de Levezin (Jacques Nolot), a wistful aristocrat who believes in Mandrin and his followers even though he knows they signal the end of his kind. Marking the director’s first foray into period filmmaking, SMUGGLERS' SONGS nevertheless has a strikingly contemporary feel; shot on digital, and with a broad ethnic mix of actors, the film seems torn from today’s headlines even as it anticipates the Revolution.
The Cinema Empire, a slightly run-down repertory house in a provincial town offers daily screenings of Jean Renoir’s FRENCH CAN CAN to a small but loyal clientele. The cinema is presided over by its manager/projectionist, Sylvain (Pascal Servo), a high priest of the Seventh Art who lovingly handles each film reel and makes sure that every detail is just right [just like the Cosford's projectionist Michael]. Alas, the Empire is about to be sold by its owner, a secret Sylvain keeps from the customers who ask what will be showing in the coming weeks. But Sylvain, it turns out, is full of other, more sinister secrets, too. A clever weaving of cinephilia and contemporary horror, director Achard’s provocative updating of a classic genre tale examines the multiple ways that desire can be projected.
Directed by Laurent Achard. Unrated.
France, 2011, 81 minutes, French with English Subtitles.