(Bill Forsyth, UK 1984, 105 min.)
In writer/director Forsyth’s subtly silly follow-up to Local Hero, deft comic actor Bill Paterson stars as a radio d.j. who, rejected in love, finds himself at the center of a war being waged by two families of Italian ice-cream merchants. Sweet and unpredictable, this is one of Forsyth’s funniest and most underrated efforts.
Read more about the films of Bill Forsyth here.
(Jacques Tati, France 1949, 80 min., French with subtitles)
Tati’s first feature as director and star casts the legendary, lanky comedian as a postman whose attempts to make his delivery route more efficient result in a series of brilliantly timed gags. The poetic glimpses of tiny village life during a Bastille Day celebration are priceless. Seen for many years only in black-and-white versions, this edition restores the original color cinematography.
REMOVES (Naomi Uman, US 1999, 5 min.)
THE TIN WOODMAN’S HOME MOVIE #2: CALIFORNIA POPPY RESERVE, ANTELOPE VALLEY (Naomi Uman & Lee Lynch, US 2008, 6 min.)
KALENDAR (FROM UKRAINIAN TIME MACHINE SERIES) (Naomi Uman, US 2008, 11 min.)
UNNAMED FILM (FROM UKRAINIAN TIME MACHINE SERIES) (Naomi Uman, US 2008, 50 min.)
A major figure in contemporary American avant-garde cinema, Naomi Uman’s work has been shown at film festivals worldwide. Her handcrafted work explores concepts of solitude, community, and a sense of belonging. This program presents a sample of her earliest and most recent works, including two parts of The Ukrainian Time Machine, which was shot on location near her ancestors’ hometown in the Ukraine, where the filmmaker currently resides. Uman will introduce and discuss her work. Co-presented by George Eastman House, the Central New York Programmers Group, and the Department of English, the Program in Film and Media Studies, and the Graduate Program in Visual and Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester.
(Maurice Tourneur, US 1917, 65 min.)
America’s sweetheart Mary Pickford stars as Gwendolyn, the unhappy daughter of wealthy and neglectful parents. When a crisis is started by a bullying and irresponsible servant, the family is forced to rethink what is important to them. The visual invention of talented director Maurice Tourneur will be accompanied by a new score composed by Rochester’s own Philip C. Carli, and performed by Carli and the Flower City Orchestra. The feature will be preceded by several short silent films with new music composed by students from the Eastman School of Music. This special event is sponsored by the Humanities Project of the University of Rochester’s College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, in collaboration with George Eastman House and the Eastman School of Music. Special ticket prices: $15, $10 members and students. No Take-10 tickets or passes.
(Bill Forsyth, UK/Scotland 1979, 92 min.)
Before he charmed the world with Local Hero and Gregory’s Girl, Scottish director Forsyth gave us this witty and charming portrait of a group of Glaswegian teenagers who relieve their boredom by stealing sinks and plumbing supplies. An absurd and sublimely detailed delight that continually surprises.
