The MFA Film Program presents two of its most extensive film festivals this month: The Boston Jewish Film Festival, November 6-16, and the Festival of Films from Iran, November 14-December 14.
The MFA is one of 3 venues for The Boston Jewish Film Festival and will host 17 of the Festival's programs, including the opening night program, SAMY AND I, on November 6 and the closing night film, ALMOST PEACEFUL, on November 16. For more information, visit www.bjff.org.
Our annual Festival of Films from Iran comprises 16 programs this year and includes some of the latest dramas that explore the struggles and relationships in a changing Iran, as well as several films made on the margins of the government-approved film industry. Highlights include veteran feminist director Tamineh Milani's THE FIFTH REACTION, the underground experimental film BLACK TAPE, and impressive newcomer Ali Reza Amini's LETTERS IN THE WIND. Also included is Babak Payami's SILENCE BETWEEN TWO THOUGHTS, which the director, who is currently living in self-imposed exile, reconstructed from computer files after the print was confiscated by the Iranian government.
This year our special guest, and recipient of the fourth annual ILEX Foundation Award for Excellence in Iranian Cinema, is Rakhshan Bani Etemad, the most accomplished woman film artist in Iran. Ms. Bani Etemad will be present on November 14 to screen her recent film OUR TIMES and on November 15 with UNDER THE SKIN OF THE CITY. Our festival also includes 3 other films by Ms. Bani Etemad: THE MAY LADY, NARGESS, and THE BLUE-VEILED.
Highlights from this festival will also be presented in Washington DC at the American Film Institute, Nov. 21- Dec. 21, in New York City at the Asia Society, Dec. 5 and 6, and at Houston's Museum of Fine Arts, Jan. 9-18.
At the end of November we begin The Fantastic Cinema of Jean Cocteau, a series of 10 films written and/or directed by Jean Cocteau, November 20-December 7. This series includes classics such as BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and ORPHEE, as well as Edgardo Cozarinsky's biographical documentary JEAN COCTEAU: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF AN UNKNOWN.
November's New England Film Artists Present series features 3 special programs: On November 7 we will present the New England premier of Karen Aqua and Joanna Priestley's new short animated film ANDALUZ, followed by a Flamenco music and dance performance by the Juanito Pascual Flamenco Quartet. On November 20, we will have 2 local presentations: at 6:15 pm we will show 3 shorts by Film Shack Productions (Tom Keefe's PRETENDER'S DANCE, Ellie Lee's DOG DAYS, and Andrew Mudge's THE PERFECT GOOSEYS), and at 8 pm we will show John J. Michalczyk's new documentary DIFFERENT DRUMMERS: DARING TO MAKE PEACE IN THE MIDEAST, which will be shown again on November 23 at 2:15 pm.
The November schedule also features a 7-show engagement of POSTMEN IN THE MOUNTAINS, Huo Jianqi's beautiful father-son drama. Other engagements and special screenings include: 2 screenings of Miguel Grunstein and Dale Kruzic's wheelchair basketball documentary KISS MY WHEELS on November 8 & 13, and the return of RIVERS AND TIDES November 22-December 28