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12 Angry Lebanese: the Documentary
Lebanon, 2009, 78 min.
For 15 months, 45 inmates in a notorious Lebanese prison worked together to present an adaptation of 12 Angry Men. This inspiring, affecting documentary demonstrates the efficacy of drama therapy and its positive effects on some of society’s most ostracized individuals. Winner, Best Documentary, Aud... more
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The Angel
Norway, 2009, 97 min.
A lyrically shot tale of addiction and dysfunctional families, The Angel is a story about women inheriting and enduring their mother’s pain; a story where dependence determines every decision. Winner, Audience Award, Gothenburg Film Festival; Best Actress, Talinn Film Festival.... more
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The Arbor
United Kingdom, 2010, 90 min.
This stunningly original picture reconstructs the life of talented British playwright Andrea Dunbar (Rita, Sue and Bob Too) who died at age 29. After spending two years conducting audio recordings with Dunbar’s family, friends, and neighbors, Barnard filmed actors flawlessly lip-synching the intervi... more
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As if I Am Not There
Ireland, 2010, 109 min.
A harsh dose of realism about the Bosnian War of the 1990s, director Wilson’s drama chronicles the fate of a schoolteacher forced into sexual slavery by Serbian soldiers. This depiction of the horrors of war from a woman’s point of view will stay with you.... more
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Beyond
Sweden, 2010, 94 min.
Acclaimed actress Pernilla August makes her directing/writing debut with this compassionate look at a woman who fought all her life to let go of her grief over her dark childhood as the daughter of bitter, hard-drinking Finnish immigrants. Winner, Audience Award, Critic’s Week Venice Film Festival; ... more
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Desert Flower
United Kingdom, 2010, 124 min.
Daughter of a Somali shepherd, Waris Dirie went on to become a top supermodel and a spokesperson against the ongoing genital mutilation of African women. Hormann’s gorgeous biopic of this inspiring woman is anchored by supermodel Liya Kebede’s quietly determined turn in the lead.... more
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An Earthy Paradise for the Eyes
Czech Republic, 2010, 114 min.
This wry comedy chronicles the adventures of a Czech mother and her two daughters in the wake of the 1968 Russian invasion. It captures the euphoria of the liberalized Prague Spring that Soviet tanks were dispatched to repress as well as the solidarity in absurdity that persisted in the dark days fo... more
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Even the Rain
Spain, 2010, 104 min.
An idealistic young director has to move production of his period piece to Bolivia so as to save on labor costs. There he encounters a population in civic upheaval. This powerful and layered film lays bare the hypocrisies of a post-colonial world where injustices to the dispossessed continue uncheck... more
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Farewell
Netherlands, 2009, 90 min.
A tender love story compiled from breathtaking footage of the 1929 Graf Zeppelin trip around the world, and the diaries of the only female reporter on board. Her reports are front-page news, but her private diaries reveal her futile struggle with feelings for a past lover who is now shipmate, superv... more
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Grace Paley: Collected Shorts
USA, 2010, 74 min.
A rich, inspiring portrait of writer, activist and New York icon Grace Paley (1922-2007). Winner, Audience Award, Woodstock Film Festival and Denver Film Festival.... more
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The Hedgehog
France, 2010, 98 min.
Disenchanted with life’s hypocrisies, 11-year-old Paloma plans to end it all on her next birthday. But while filming her gilded Parisian apartment building, she discovers that some of its inhabitants are not who she believed them to be. An unlikely trio of friendships develops and hopes bloom in Mon... more
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Imani
Uganda, 2009, 78 min.
In the course of just one day in contemporary Uganda, we venture into the seemingly unrelated lives of a child soldier, a maid, and a hip hop dancer. A refreshing snapshot of a country settling into a new national identity with richly drawn characters and vivid cinematography.... more
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Jane’s Journey
Germany, 2010, 107 min.
More than 20 years ago, primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, now 75, decided to give up her career, as well as her private life, in order to devote all her energy to saving our endangered planet. As The Boston Globe once put it: “To be with Jane Goodall is like walking with Mahatma Gandhi.”... more
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Leading Ladies
USA, 2010, 102 min.
This intoxicating musical explores themes of personal liberation, sexual exploration and the lure of the ballroom dance floor with its tale of two distinctly different sisters and the overbearing mother who holds each of them back from attaining their heart’s desire.... more
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The Little Room
Switzerland, 2010, 87 min.
Cantankerous widower Edmond’s heart is not very robust. But it beats to the rhythm of a fierce independence, which makes him reject the idea of going into a retirement home and the ministrations of a home health care aide. But one day, a bad fall changes things.... more
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Little Sparrows
Australia, 2010, 88 min.
Celebrating life--and the unconditional love of a mother for her three daughters--Little Sparrows centers on a family coming to terms with the matriarch’s impending death and the reality of their last Christmas together.... more
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Lou
Australia, 2010, 86 min.
A tender story about the relationship between 11-year-old Lou and her grandfather. Not long after Lou's father walks out of her life, her irascible and befuddled grandfather Doyle crashes in. When Doyle comes to stay, Lou discovers, against all her expectations, the healing power of love.... more
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Love, Lust & Lies
Australia, 2009, 87 min.
The latest entry in a series that began in 1976 examining the lives of three working-class Adelaide women who were 14 when it began. Armstrong’s (My Brilliant Career) nonjudgmental style coupled with the subjects’ innately fascinating lives make for a marvelous film.... more
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Madly in Love
Belgium, 2010, 90 min.
A frank and funny romantic comedy about an obstinate Antwerp family, filmed in a quirkily inventive style, Madly in Love might recall It’s Complicated with its liveliness, beautiful settings, and spicy love scenes.... more
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My So-Called Enemy
USA, 2010, 89 min.
When six Palestinian and Israeli teenagers travel to the United States to participate in a women's leadership program called Building Bridges for Peace, they find the experience complicates the next seven years of their lives. An ideal companion piece to Precious Life. Winner, Best Conflict and Reso... more
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Of Love and Other Demons
Costa Rica, 2009, 97 min.
Masterful cinematography and a powerful script draw us into this tale of passion between a young noblewoman and a passionate priest bound by the confines of social mores and the smothering restraints of the Spanish inquisition. Based on Gabriel García Márquez’s novel.... more
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On the Path
Bosnia-Herzegovina, 2010, 100 min.
A free-spirited flight attendant, Luna starts to question her relationship when her partner wants to join a strict Wahhabi community. Is love alone enough to survive the conflict between fundamentalist Islam and secular modernity?
... more
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Peepli Live
India, 2010, 106 min.
Faced with financial ruin, poor farmer Natha learns of a program that would benefit his family if he commits suicide. A media frenzy breaks out when news gets around that he is seriously considering this desperate option in this Capra-esque, Indian style comedy. A biting satire from Aamir Khan Produ... more
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Puzzle
Argentina, 2010, 87 min.
An Argentine housewife discovers a talent for jigsaw puzzles, much to the bewilderment of her affectionate but oblivious husband and two grown sons. As she pursues and perfects her puzzle-solving skills, she quietly finds her passion and asserts her independence.... more
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The Recipe
South Korea, 2010, 104 min.
Mixing romance, crime story, black comedy, missing-persons drama, modern fairy tale and food to near-perfection, The Recipe centers on a TV producer searching for the recipe for an enchanting spicy bean-curd stew--and its elusive creator.... more
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Soul Boy
Kenya, 2010, 60 min.
A gentle coming-of-age story encompassing the diverse worlds of the Kenyan capital, combining traditional beliefs and contemporary problems into a narrative that's part fairy tale, part teaching tool.... more
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When We Leave
Germany, 2009, 119 min.
When a young Turkish-German woman can no longer stand her husband's ill treatment, she flees from Istanbul with her five-year-old son to her family in Berlin. But their love, affection, and loyalty soon become irrelevant as they struggle to reconcile her willful self-determination with the tradition... more
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The Whistleblower
Canada, 2010, 112 min.
Based on a true story, this tough-minded and unsparing conspiracy thriller follows an American cop (Weisz) to Bosnia, where her job as a peacekeeper leads her to uncover a ring of human traffickers that includes fellow U.N. workers.... more
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