MetroWest Daily News, MA
Films go international at Framingham State
By Bob Tremblay/ Daily News Staff
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Once again, fans of foreign films have reason to cheer in a multitude
of languages as the International Film Series resumes tonight at
Framingham State College.
Part of the college’s Arts & Humanities Program, the series begins
with a screening of "L’Enfant" ("The Child"). Winner of the Palme d’Or
at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, the movie focuses on a 20-year-old
petty thief whose 18-year-old girlfriend has just given birth to
their son. Joy turns to heartbreak when the young man sells the baby
on the black market.
Directed by the Belgian brothers Luc and Jeane-Pierre Dardenne,
the 95-minute film is in French with English subtitles.
The second film in the series, "Vodka Lemon" screens Oct. 26. Set in
an isolated mountainous village in post-Soviet Armenia, the movie is
a comedy that weaves together several stories, the most prominent
of which is the tentative romance between a 60-year-old grizzled
patriarch and a shy, middle-aged woman. The film is the third feature
from exiled Iraqi Kurd director Hiner Saleem. Winner of the San Marco
prize at the Venice Film Festival in 2003, this 88-minute film is in
Armenian, Russian and Kurdish with English subtitles.
The third film, "The Holy Girl" ("La Nina Santa") screens Feb. 22. Set
in a large, dilapidated hotel during a medical convention, the 2004
movie deals with a young teenage girl torn between her burgeoning
sexual awareness and her strict Catholic upbringing.
Directed by the Argentinian Lucrecia Martel ("La Cienaga"), the
103-minute film is in Spanish with English subtitles.
The final film, "Take Care of My Cat" ("Goyangireul Butakhae"),
screens March 22. The 2001 South Korean movie tells the story of a
close-knit group of five 20-year-old women trying to find their place
in the world. In Korean with English subtitles, the 113-minute film
marks the feature debut of director Jeong Jae-Eun.
The film series’ founder, Arthur Nolletti Jr., professor of English
and film studies at Framingham State, says he chose this quartet of
films because of their quality and approach to subject matter. "(The
series) is opening up a window for people to see what is going on in
films around the world," said Nolletti.
"The themes…are of interest to us but they’re not necessarily handled
in the same way as they would be in most serious American films."
Nolletti started the series in 1975 at the Danforth Museum in
Framingham where it continued until 1989. The museum resumed the
series in 1997 and the following year it moved to Framingham State
where it has continued since.
"From the start what made the series unique was the fact that each
screening was followed by a discussion," said Nolletti, who leads
the discussions.
"I learned that people want to share their impressions and opinions
with others; they want to talk about the film they’ve seen. Being
given the opportunity isn’t all that common since most film series
screen the film and that’s pretty much it."