As part of the course requirement for LG 110, the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures will be screening the following films this semester. The Mobile community is invited to attend and enrich the discussion afterwards with their comments.
February 21st Air Crew (Ekipazh, Russia, 1980) Director Alexander Mitta
Aleksander Mitta's AIR CREW is the very first disaster film produced in the Soviet Union. A passenger airplane is forced to land in the midst of a violent earthquake. As lava pours out from the ground and buildings are set aflame, the crew must try to save the lives of the hundreds of scared passengers. The movie provides a look into the private lives of pilots and their loved ones who eventually have to deal with a jumbo jet disaster situation. ( In Russian with English subtitles, 144 min, PG 13)
February 28th Almost Brothers, (Quase Dois Irmãos, Brazil, 2004) Director Lúcia Murat,
This Brazilian movie revolves around the strange friendship between two men of opposite social classes. Miguel is a senator. His childhood friend Jorge is a major drug-dealer. In the 1970s, they meet in prison: Miguel was there for political reasons, and Jorge, as a common criminal.( In Portuguese with English subtitles, 102 min. PG 16).
March 20th Bear Ye One Another’s Burden… (Einer trage des anderen Last; East Germany, 1988) Director: Lothar Warneke
Two roommates in a private East German sanatorium in early-1950s find that they follow radically conflicting ideologies: Josef is a communist policeman, while Hubertus is a Lutheran vicar. The film offers both suspense and high comedy as the two begrudgingly develop tolerance and respect for one another as they share a common battle against tuberculosis. Jörg Pose (Josef) and Manfred Möck (Hubertus) received the Silver Bear at the 1988 Berlin Film Festival for their performances. (In German with English subtitles, 118 min.)
March 27th Pan’s Labyrinth (El laberinto de fauno, Spain, 2006) Director: Guillermo del Toro
Spain, 1944. Dreamy 10-year-old Ofelia moves to Navarra with her delicate, pregnant mother Carmen, to become acquainted with her new stepfather, Captain Vidal. There, in an overgrown, tumbledown labyrinth behind the mill, she meets an ancient faun who claims to know her true identity and her secret destiny.( in Spanish with English subtitles, 112 minutes, R).
April 3rd Paprika (Paprika, Japan 2006) Director: Satoshi Kon
A brilliant example of Japanese anime, Paprika is set in the near future. A female psychotherapist, Dr. Chiba, is employing a new prototype device that allows doctors to enter their patients’ subconscious minds and record their dreams from the inside. When the device is stolen, Dr. Chiba enlists her “dream detective” alter-ego Paprika to solve the crime. ( In Japanese with English subtitles, 90 min, R)
April 10th The Moustache (La Moustache, France 2005) Director: Emmanuel Carrere
One day, Marc, an architect, decides to shave off his moustache, curious to see how his lover, friends and co-workers will react to his new look. But when no one seems to have noticed his changed appearance, Marc gets desperate and demands to know their reaction. Everybody sounds surprised for no one seems to remember him with a moustache at all.( In French with English subtitles, 87 min, PG)
