13 Oct 08                                Orchestra Seats

Director: Danièle Thompson, 106 mins, 2006, France.

Starring: Cécile De France, Valérie Lemercier, Albert Dupontel.

A young woman from the provinces arrives in Paris where she finds a job as a waitress in a bar that caters to the theatre district and its wealthy inhabitants. She will meet a pianist, a famous actress and a great art collector, and become acquainted with the "luxurious" world her grandmother has told her about. For more detail click here

20 Oct 08                                Michael Clayton

Director: Tony Gilroy, 119 mins, 2007, USA.

Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton.

 Michael Clayton, known as the Fixer in his law firm, clears up complex cases for big business. Though burned out and discontented with his job, a broken personal life and mounting debt have left Clayton inextricably tied to the firm. The biggest case of his career leads him to be a target for the dark forces that defend corporate interests. For more detail click here

8 Dec 08                                 Persepolis

Directors: Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi,  95 mins, 2007, France.

Starring Voices: Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve.

 Animated autobiography by Marjane Satrapi.

In 1970s Iran, ‘Marji’ watches events through young eyes as her idealistic family’s long dream is fulfilled by the revolution’s defeat of the hated Shah. However, as Marji grows up, she witnesses first hand how the new Iran, now ruled by Islamic fundamentalists, has become a repressive tyranny on its own. After studying in Vienna, she returns home to face decisions about where she truly belongs.For more detail click here 

5 Jan 09                                  Triple Agent

Director: Eric Rohmer, 115 mins, 2004, France.

Starring: Serge Renko, Katerina Didaskalou.

France, 1936-37. The Popular Front wins elections, the Spanish Civil War begins, and Hitler and Stalin are manipulating and spying. The brilliant exile, Fiodor Voronin, is the deputy at the White Russian Military Union. As his wife’s health declines, the attentive Fiodor arranges care and, against the backdrop of Stalin's Great Purge, considers his options. He plays a chess game in which love of country, love of his wife, ideology, petty jealousies, and the machinations of power roil in matters of life and death. For more detail click here 

Tues 27 Jan 09           Syndromes and a Century (Sang sattawat)

Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 105 mins, 2006, Thailand.

Starring: Arkanae Cherkam, Jaruchai Iamaram.

With an unconventional structure, the film explores human behaviour by telling two similar stories from two different periods, mirroring their respective eras' mores.  First at a small-town hospital and then in a downtown Bangkok hospital, shy Toa is courting charming but standoffish Dr. Tei. For more detail click here 

2 Feb 09                      The Golden Door (Nuovomondo)

Director: Emanuele Crialese, 118 mins, 2006, Italy.

Starring: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato.

 At the start of the twentieth century, a desperate and poor Sicilian family seek a way out by leaving their stony rural cottage to buy a passage to America. They risk leaving everything behind in search of their dreams but, in quarantine at Ellis Island, the tests for admission to the States are not so simple for poor illiterate farmers. Their destiny is in the hands of the custom officers. For more detail click here  

9 Feb 09                      4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days

Director: Cristian Mungiu, 113 mins, 2007, Romania.

Starring: Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu.

 During the course of one day in 1987 in Communist Romania, Otilia helps her friend and roommate Gabita to get an abortion which, as well as any kind of contraceptive, is illegal. Faced with a rough and gritty situation, the women must make decisions and deal with their consequences.  For more detail click here

Tue 17 Feb 09                         Jindabyne

Director: Ray Lawrence, 123 mins, 2006, Australia.

Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Laura Linney.

 Stewart Kane is on a fishing trip with friends when they discover the body of a murdered girl in the river. Rather than return to town immediately, they continue fishing and report their gruesome find days later. Stewart's wife Claire is the last to find out. Deeply disturbed by her husband's action, her marriage is taken to the brink and her peaceful life with Stewart and their young son hangs in the balance. For more detail click here 

2 Mar 09                      Curse of the Golden Flower

Director: Yimou Zhang, 114 mins, 2006, China.

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li.

 China in the 10th century – the later Tang dynasty. The royal family is disintegrating with icy relationships and illicit affairs. Everyone involved has a secret plan for either escape or domination, resulting in revelation of dark family secrets and bloody battles both inside and outside the walls of the sparkling, gold-encrusted palace. For more detail click here