BFFS Autumn Viewing Session

28+29th September 2002, Betws Y Coed Memorial Hall, all day sessions.

Weekend of eight new feature films.

Real Institute invites the British Federation of Film Societies to stage their annual weekend of new films at Betws-y-Coed. BFFS have selected eight of the most exciting new independent releases from all over the world including Gerard Dépardieu in "The Closet (Le Placard) ", and Richard Linklaters latest "Tape".

This annual event is aimed at film programmers everywhere but all are welcome.
Price per film is the usual £2 or options available for day or weekend tickets.

Brief Synopses of Films

Betty Fisher and Other Stories (15)

Director: Claude Miller, 103 min, France, subtitles
Starring: Sandrine Kiberlain, Nicole Garcia, Mathilde Seigner

After Betty's son dies, her mother brings home an 'unwanted' child that she keeps. Adapted from a Ruth Rendell tale, this starts out like Short Cuts and ends up like Chabrol. Melodrama, black comedy and dark suspense, served up with a chilly flourish by a top quality cast.

Pauline & Paulette (PG)

Director: Lieven Debrauwer, 80 min, Belgium, subtitles
Starring: Dora van der Groen, Ann Peterson

Played to perfection by an inspired cast this gently perceptive study of family ties is delightful, heartwarming stuff. Following the death of the sister who had cared for her, Pauline, a sixty something with the mind of a child, is shuttled back and forth between the two remaining sisters who are loath to accept responsibility. Simple stuff that so deftly makes its telling points about age, dignity and affection as to become truly memorable.

Nine Queens (15)

Director: Fabien Bielinsky, 114 min, Argentina, subtitles
Starring: Gastón Pauls, Ricardo Darin

After rescuing him from a botched con trick, experienced grifter Marcos takes small-time operator Juan under his wing for a day. They get involved in a scam involving the sale of a set of rare stamps. Twist piles on twist and the film keeps you guessing right to the end. A fabulously enjoyable movie that is so brilliantly written even David Mamet would be jealous.

The Closet (Le Placard) (15)

Director: Francis Veber, 85 min, France, subtitles
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Gerard Dépardieu

From the director of Le Diner des Cons this is a superbly-played farce that was a huge hit in France last year. François is about to be fired, is barely speaking to his wife and is short of friends but when he allows the rumour to spread that he is gay it revolutionizes his life. Particularly amusing is the sight of a homophobic Dépardieu squirming while trying to woo the now feted employee - a real crowd-pleaser.

Battleship Potemkin (Bronenosets Potyomkin ) (U)

Director: Sergei Eisenstein, 70 min, USSR, B/W, silent with live piano accompaniment
Starring: A. Antonov, Vladimir Barski, Grigori Alexandrov

Made in 1925, and now widely regarded as one of the most important films in the history of cinema, Battleship Potemkin deals with the Kronstadt naval mutiny, which inspired the failed revolution attempt of 1905. With a cast of thousands Eisenstein tells the story of the uprising without concentrating on individual characters but uses close ups of people as symbols for the revolution as a whole.

Delbaran (PG)

Director: Abolfazl Jalili, 96 min, Iran, subtitles
Starring: Kaeem Alizadeh, Rahmatollah Ebrahimi

Dedicated to "all the children of war", this is the poignant story of Kaim, a young Afghan refugee, who survives by running errands at a remote truckstop on the Iranian border. Jalili uses the beauty of the stark desert landscape in which Kaim is lost, both literally and metaphorically, to achieve a lyrical quality while depicting the most painful reality.

Tape (15)

Director: Richard Linklater, 86 min, USA
Starring: Uma Thurman, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard

A three-hander set entirely in a grubby motel room that tells the disconcerting story of two old friends meeting up. Tense and tautly-scripted, Linklater cleverly shifts our perceptions of the characters as the action progresses leading to a climax that is both thought-provoking and funny.

Warm Water Under A Red Bridge (15)

Director: Shohei Imamura, 119 min, Japan, subtitles
Starring: Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu

Following a tale of hidden treasure, Yosuke travels to a remote village where he begins a passionate affair with Saeko, who is gifted/cursed with a strange condition. An intriguing tale, strikingly shot, Imamura surrounds the rapturously romantic central story with strange subplots and quirky characters, and makes no distinction between fantasy and 'reality'.