through landmark films

Screening followed by a moderated discussion

Date:  23 April 2024 (Tuesday)

"A Most Extraordinary Film"

One of the most influential political films in history, The Battle of Algiers, by Gillo Pontecorvo, vividly re-creates a key year in the tumultuous Algerian struggle for independence from the occupying French in the 1950s.  As violence escalates on both sides, children shoot soldiers at point-blank range, women plant bombs in cafés, and French soldiers resort to torture to break the will of the insurgents.  Shot on the streets of Algiers in documentary style, the film is a case study in modern warfare, with its terrorist attacks and the brutal techniques used to combat them.  Pontecorvo's tour de force has astonishing relevance today.  ~criterion.com

Date:  29 April 2024 (Monday)

“Objector”

Like all Israeli youth, Atalya is obligated to become a soldier.  Unlike most, she questions the practices of her country’s military, and becomes determined to challenge this rite of passage.  Despite her family’s political disagreements and personal concerns, she refuses military duty and is imprisoned for her dissent.  Her courage moves those around her to reconsider their own moral positions and personal power.  OBJECTOR follows Atalya to prison and beyond, offering a unique window into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the perspective of a young woman who seeks truth and takes a stand for justice.  ~objectorfilm.com