THEATRICAL A Brave Fight For Change

A roundup of the films set for cinema release on 30^th September 2011*, including a moving account of Iran’s 2010 Green Revolution.

The Green Wave

Green is the colour of hope. Green is the colour of Islam. And green was the symbol of recognition among the supporters of presidential candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi, who became the symbolic figure of the Green Revolution. The presidential elections on June 12th, 2009 were supposed to bring about a change, but, contrary to all expectations, the ultra-conservative populist Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was confirmed in office. The accusations of vote-rigging were loud and justified.

The on-going “Where is my vote?” protest demonstrations were again and again worn down and broken up with brutal attacks by government militia. Images taken from private persons with their cell phones or cameras bear witness to this excessive violence: people were beaten, stabbed, shot dead, arrested, kidnapped, some of them disappearing without trace. What remains is the countless number of dead or injured people and victims of torture, and another deep wound in the hearts of the Iranians.

To illustrate the struggle of the real people behind the revolution, the filmmakers used collage illustrations to animate the dramatic events. In addition, they incorporated the new technologies – text messages, twitter feeds, facebook posts, blogs – the actual information the protestors used to mobilise and coordinate the revolution. These also serve as a reference for the experiences and thoughts of two young students, whose story runs through the film as the main thread

Country of Production: Germany | Language: German/Persian/English

Guilty Of Romance

A dramatic account of three women and their lives, seen through the looking glass of sex, words, madness, death, and family, Guilty of Romance — the new crime noir from the award-winning director Sion Sono (Love Exposure, Cold Fish) — tells the tale of three women entangled in a mystery – a mystery that is the gate to a hell-bound love like no other!

Set just before the turn of the 21st century, a grisly murder occurs in Maruyama-cho, Shibuya — a love hotel district — a woman was found dead in a derelict apartment in the pouring rain. Whilst the police investigate, the story interweaves with that of Izumi, the wife of a famous romantic novelist whose life seems just a daily repetition without romance.

One day, to break away from the loveless monotony, she decides to follow her desires and accepts a job as a naked model faking sex in front of the camera. Soon, she meets with a mentor and starts selling her body to strangers, whilst at home she hides behind the facade that she is still the wife she is supposed to be.

Guilty Of Romance is the final part of Sono’s ‘hate’ trilogy.

Country of Production: Japan | Language: Japanese

Speedy Singhs

‘Rajveer Singh’ (Vinay Virmani) is 21 years old and aspires to play professional hockey, struggling to succeed in a predominantly white man’s sport.

Facing prejudice from his peers, he decides to assemble an all-Sikh hockey team called ‘Speedy Singh’, and these talented young men begin a challenging journey of social acceptance and ethnic assimilation, while still retaining their proud roots.

However, further conflict arises for Rajveer at home, as his orthodox Sikh father (Anupam Kher) wants him to dedicate his life to the family business and the Sikh faith.

Caught at the crossroads between family duty and following his dreams, Rajveer prepares for the biggest challenge and game of his life.

Country of Production: Canada | Language: English/Hindi/Punjabi

La Piscine

Newly restored by Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie (SNC), Jacques Deray’s 1969 film, La Piscine, is set in a magnificent villa near a sun-drenched St. Tropez, where Jean-Paul (Alain Delon) and Marianne (Romy Schneider) are spending a happy, lazy summer holiday. Their only concern is to gratify their mutual passion – until the day when Marianne invites her former lover Harry (Maurice Ronet) and his beautiful, but awkward teenage daughter Penelope (Jane Birkin) to spend a few days with them.

From the first moment, a certain uneasiness and tension begins to develop between the four. In an apparently calm environment, a crisis eventually develops, in which these four oddly related, intelligent people, with their respective strengths and weaknesses, will be caught in their own game.

Country of Production: Italy/France | Language: French

*The release date is subject to change for any of these titles. Screenings at selected cinemas.

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