Check out what’s playing at Cinematheque in the Now Playing section and purchase advance tickets. Download a PDF copy of the July/August program guide.
It is always a treat to find a Wim Wenders film in the Cinematheque program. The Salt of the Earth, co-directed with Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, (July 2–4) promises a mesmerizing look at the nature of humanity and the world. As a Chilean, I am often asked about bringing in more Latin American cinema. Wild Tales (August 5–15) provides a glimpse into modern Argentinian cinema, reflecting the urban Latin American experience today. Finally, underground film fans should not miss The Editor (August 20–27), by Adam Brooks and Matthew Kennedy. It is a smart film and you might also recognize some of the locations (including our own Winnipeg Film Group) in this Winnipeg-made film.
— Cecilia Araneda, Executive Director
It’s embarrassing now, but I was a total “grungie” in my teens and had a massive Nirvana poster in my room, not to mention a ridiculous collection of their CDs, singles and bootlegs. So when I saw that Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (July 29–August 13) was being released, I pleaded with Dave to find the director at Hot Docs this past May and convince him to let us screen the film — and much to my delight, he did! Also, I had the extreme pleasure of seeing local filmmaking collective Astron-6’s The Editor (August 20– 29) at TIFF last year and I can assure you that if you love the schlocky Italian horror films of Dario Argento and Lucio Fulci, you are going to love this. The boys of Astron-6 have perfectly emulated every aspect of giallo horror, injected with their own acerbic brand of humour. It also boasts one of the best synth soundtracks I’ve heard in a long, long time.
— Jaimz Asmundson, Cinematheque Programming Director
The Argentinian film Wild Tales is one of the most entertaining foreign films I’ve seen all year. A black comedy, it’s an anthology of six outrageous stories which can only be compared to Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction with its sense of immediacy and multiple story lines. The opening short story is amazing. Winnipeg filmmaking collective Astron-6 have created a darkly funny tribute to the Italian giallo horror films of the 1970s and 80s with The Editor and are ingenious in what they are able to accomplish on such a tight budget. And if you have never seen the films of independent Winnipeg filmmaker Mike Maryniuk, who works wonders with scratch animation and found footage, you can’t miss Mike Maryniuk: Prairie Surrealist (July 31) which features some of his best shorts and many rare gems of his unique Maryniuk humour.
— Dave Barber, Cinematheque Programming Coordinator
I retired my sad, ripped wool sweaters a long time ago but I’m so ready to relive the ‘90s with Montage of Heck. Many moons ago while my friends plastered their walls with the tangled haired Kurt Cobain, I was busy drawing Chris Cornell (sigh) in Mr. Olafson’s art class (yes, Freya’s Dad). Nirvana Unplugged was one of my favourite albums but I never lost myself in Kurt’s mystery or love affair with Courtney. However, the film looks powerful with a lot of never seen before footage. I’m really looking forward to hearing the music and getting to know the man behind the eyeliner. Dozens of people have been telling me how excited they are to see The Salt of the Earth. One woman told me that she saw it twice in Toronto but she’ll be coming down to see it again. Advance tickets have been pouring in so I suggest you purchase your tickets early as this will be a busy one. Lastly, I can’t wait to watch Wild Tales. Here’s hoping it’s as awesomely awkward as Force Majeure.
— Kristy Muckosky, Cinematheque Operations Manager
I am curious to see the man behind the feathers in I Am Big Bird. Getting to know puppeteer Caroll Spinney through archival footage and interviews will prove to be fascinating. It is very surreal to see that familiar voice of big bird to come out of him, a man with bird legs. Also, this month Cinematheque goers will have a rare chance to see a collection of Mike Maryniuk‘s films. A couple of visually stunning shorts of Mike’s to look out for are Fish Finder 3000 and Thompson.
— Heidi Phillips, Cinematheque Head Projectionist