Knickerbocker Starts New Film Series with Ten Canoes
Nov. 5-9, 7pm and 9pm
Knickerbocker Theatre

Ten Canoes is a captivating movie from Australia that examines the complex lives of the aboriginal culture.  Directed by Rolf de Heer, this film offers us a way into the lives of these people through their storytelling.  This winner of the Australian Academy Award for Best Film, is full of humor, but also has a moral message.
   Based on the Ninth Commandment, which has been shifted slightly to Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Brother’s Wife, Ten Canoes follows Minygululu, a tribal leader, who becomes aware of his younger brother’s infatuation with his third wife.  Instead of confronting his brother, Minygululu tells an ancient story of a similar situation.  While one story happens thousands of years ago it is easy for the viewer to keep the tales clear, as de Heer presents the modern story in black and white, while telling the ancient tale in vibrant color.  This story within a story draws the viewer into this tale of jealousy, forbidden love, sorcery, and revenge.
Filmed in Close collaboration with the aboriginal people this film is a compelling and authentic view of a seldom seen culture.

Running time: 1 hr and 30 minutes
In Ganalbingu w/ English Subtitles and English
This film is Unrated (intended for older audiences)

Knickerbocker Film Series Continues with Offside
Nov. 12-14, 16-17 @ 7pm and 9pm
Note: Nov. 12 is 9pm show only
Knickerbocker Theatre

Offside is the latest film offering from Iranian director Jafar Panahi, a talented director who makes films that are often crowd-pleasing, and almost as often banned.  Offside, like many of Panahi’s films focuses on the issues of women in Iran.  In this film he uses soccer as his medium.
          Offside concentrates on the problems of Iranian women who are soccer fans.  Law forbids them from attending sporting events, but the true fans know how to get in.  The movie focuses on the women unfortunate enough to be caught trying to sneak into the game.  They are moved to a holding area where they can hear the game, but must rely on their guards for the occasional update.  The real match happens between the soldiers and their prisoners.  During the game the two groups have ample time to discuss the nature of the situation.
          In Offside, Panahi has created one of his funniest films. This film is a mixture that contains all the excitement and fervor of soccer fans as well as the telling and critical look at issues that face women in the world today.  Offside is part sport-inspiration and part political allegory, but is surely a film to see.

This film is unrated and is in Farsi with English Subtitles
Running time 1 hr and 33 minutes

Knickerbocker Film Series Shows Memories of Tomorrow
Nov. 26-Dec. 1, 7pm and 9:15pm
Knickerbocker Theatre

One of the best Japanese movies, starring Academy Award Nominee Ken Watanabe (THE LAST SAMURAI, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA), was released in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hawaii and Chicago. With great success in these cities, the film will finally come to Michigan.

This film has earned eight awards and was one of Japan’s top box office hits of 2006; moreover, it was also released in Korea and other countries as well.
In MEMORIES OF TOMORROW, Ken Watanabe plays Saeki, a 50-year-old ad executive whose life is practically perfect: he commands the respect of his employees, he loves his wife Emiko (Kanako Higuchi) and his daughter will marry soon. But one day, Saeki has trouble remembering names and confusion sets in. His wife convinces him to visit a doctor, who delivers a devastating diagnosis: early-onset Alzheimer’s.   MEMORIES OF TOMORROW follows Saeki and Emiko as the couple embarks on a journey where every day marks a step closer to losing everything. In this very personal film, Watanabe delivers one of the most remarkable performances of his career.
Film website

This film is in Japanese with English Subtitles   This film is unrated  Running time 2 hours and 2 minutes