(Mazie laupitaji)
Latvia/Austria 2009. Director: Armands Zvirbulis
Cast: Gustavs Vilsons, Zane Leimane, Karl Markovics, Artūrs SkrastiŅŠ, Juris Žagars
A family adventure suitable for all ages, Little Robbers, the debut feature of Latvian TV director Armands Zvirbulis, has been stealing hearts – and winning prizes – at children’s film festivals around the world. “Cross your heart and hope to die! Can you honestly swear that at least once in your life you have not thought that robbing a bank is a good idea? Especially if you’re five years old . . .Getting away with it is the hard part” (Studio FORMA). “This is the challenge for five-year-old Robby and seven-year-old Louisa, whose world is turned upside-down when their father loses his job. Their family moves into the cramped confines of their grandparents’ home. For young Robby, there seems to be only one solution. Robby convinces a reluctant Louisa to join his clever scheme, confident that together they can achieve almost anything. With pluck, problem solving and planning, the two almost achieve their goal . . . When life throws you a curveball, you sometimes have to think outside the box to keep the ball in play!”(Chicago International Children’s Film Festival). Colour, 35mm, in Latvian and German with English subtitles. 76 mins.
All Ages Welcome! Admission for minors (under 18) is $8.00 — no membership required. Regular admission/membership requirements in effect for adults 18+.
(Un prophÈte) France 2009. Director: Jacques Audiard
With: Tahar Rahim, Niels Arestrup, Adel Bencherif, Reda Kateb, Hichem Yacoubi
One of the year’s most fêted French films, Jacques Audiard’s A Prophet won the Grand Prize of the Jury at Cannes (the festival’s second-highest honour) and was just announced as France’s official submission to the upcoming 82nd Academy Awards. “A Prophet depicts the jailhouse coming-of-age of a French-Arab man (Tahar Rahim) who is strong-armed by a powerful Corsican inmate (Niels Arestrup) into murdering another Muslim. The Corsican takes him under his wing and teaches him about the workings of power. The young man bides his time, educates himself, consolidates his own base, turns the tables on his mentor, and leaves prison ready to claim his piece of the Paris underworld. Like Audiard's similarly rich thriller, The Beat That My Heart Skipped, A Prophet is elegantly structured, arresting in its detailing of a little-known subculture, filled with fascinating characters, and gripping beginning to end” (Amy Taubin, Film Comment). “Works both as hard-edged, painstakingly detailed social realism and as a compelling genre entertainment . . . When it comes to hard-bitten crime cinema, Jacques Audiard has few equals in Europe, and his violent, gripping prison drama A Prophet shows him extending his range with unimpeachable command” (Jonathan Romney, Screen International). Colour, 35mm, in French, Arabic and Corsican with English subtitles. 150 mins.
The Lithuanian comedy 5 Day Scam aims straight at mainstream funny bones. Eros, a successful Greek television producer in the midst of a mid-life crisis, arrives in Vilnius seeking new blood for a European TV talent show. During a local casting call, he becomes enamoured with young Egle, a would-be singer; she’s hardly the most gifted of the contestants, but she manages to take Eros’s breath away. He sets out to woo and win her, but various colourful characters – including Andrius, Egle’s jealous boyfriend; Liepa, a local producer intent on seducing Eros; Julian, the latter’s oddball assistant; and Natali, Eros’s very temperamental Russian wife – stand in his way. Meanwhile, someone nearby is secretly hatching a scam that must unfold within five days. 5 Day Scam is the debut feature of director Žeraldas Povilaitis, who, as Gerri Pavloff, is a prominent Lithuanian music producer and composer. He also contributed the film’s score. Colour, 35mm, in Lithuanian with English subtitles. 97 mins.
BOX OFFICE · CASH ONLY Tickets go on sale 30 minutes before the first screening of the evening.
ADVANCE TICKETS
Available for credit card purchase on this website until 4pm the day of screening.
Screenings restricted to 18+ and require a Pacific Cinémathèque membership unless otherwise indicated.
SATURDAY, dec. 05 – 4:30 PM
