Inside the Arthouse: Roger Christensen

Posted on by Raphael Sbarge

The staff members at your local arthouse — they’re generally as unique as the films they show. And thank God for that. Because without their disregard for corporate uniformity, the experience of going to the cinema would not have that distinctive quality that makes each visit unique.

In this episode of INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, we get to talk with Roger Christensen, a longtime movie theater employee who spent the last part of his 40-plus year career as the locally famous, beloved, and hilarious general manager of the Sunset 5 in West Hollywood. At a time when that venue was the hottest arthouse west of the Angelika Film Center in New York, he was there when indie icons like Todd Haynes, Lisa Cholodenko, and Doug Liman debuted their first films. And just to prove that it wasn’t all Oscars and accolades, he also bears some responsibility for the launch of the phenomenon of Tommy Wisseau and his cult B movie THE ROOM.

Downtown movie palaces fade away. New venues take over as the audience shifts geographically. Single screens give way to multiplexes. But through it all, the audience still craves that moment when the house lights dim and the screen comes to life. And for the people who work at the theater – the managers, projectionists, and box office and concessions personnel – they get to share in that journey of change and discovery that comes with seeing a great movie.

We had a lot of fun recording this episode, and we hope that you’ll also find it fun and illuminating. So join us as we share war stories with Roger Christensen, General Manager of the Sunset 5 in West Hollywood, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now…

Inside the Arthouse: FAMILIAR TOUCH

Posted on by Team Sbarge

As the new luminous film FAMILIAR TOUCH opens, we meet Ruth, an independent and self-assured octogenarian who is embarking on a journey of both mind and body. Her body is moving into a memory care facility. Her mind is evolving in ways that are hard for her family to understand. But as played by acclaimed actress Kathleen Chalfant, we vividly experience this journey through Ruth’s eyes. And Ruth is never lost. She just is where she is: in the moment.

Inspired by her experiences as a caretaker, writer-director Sarah Friedland has made a “coming of age story” and imbued FAMILIAR TOUCH with a spirit and depth that avoids the usual tropes that we associate with films about cognitive decline. Filmed almost entirely at a retirement community, which involved members and staff of the facility both behind and in front of the camera, FAMILIAR TOUCH feels “real” in a way that most films can only hope to achieve.

The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it was awarded the Best Director and Best Actress prizes, and it is now opening in theatres across the U.S.

We love this movie and are so happy that writer-director Sarah Friedland and actress Kathleen Chalfant were able to join us to talk about making FAMILIAR TOUCH. So sit back and join us for our conversation on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE,starting now…

Inside the Arthouse: TATAMI

Posted on by Team Sbarge

In a strange and sad twist of fate, TATAMI arrives in theaters as Israel and Iran are engaged in armed struggle. And yet this film, the first to be co-directed by an Iranian and an Israeli filmmaker, makes the compelling point that we as individuals are not bound by the political positions of our rulers.  

TATAMI is co-directted by Zar Amir and Guy Nattiv and follows the story of Leila, an Iranian judo athlete who is forced into a compromising situation when she is told by government officials that she should pull out of a world championship competition by faking an injury to avoid facing an Israeli rival in the final round.

With the clock ticking, we see how pressure is applied to Leila, her family, and her coach, and the moral decay that happens when individual expression is crushed by autocratic control.

Beautifully shot in black and white, the film features a fierce lead performance by Arienne Mandi as Leila. Co-director Zar Amir, a winner of the Best Actress prize at Cannes for her role in THE HOLY SPIDER, is also terrific in the role of Leila’s coach.

Join us as we sit down with the co-directors, Zar Amir and Guy Nattiv, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now… 

 

Inside the Arthouse: A Photographic Memory

Posted on by Team Sbarge

What happens when a photograph, a home movie, or an audio tape is your only link to a family member you never knew?

This is the question at the heart of A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY, a deeply personal documentary that follows journalist Rachel Seed on a multi-year journey to connect with her mother, Sheila Turner-Seed, who died when Rachel was just 18 months old.

The discovery of a rich archive of her mother’s work becomes the catalyst for Rachel’s investigation. Sheila was a trailblazing photojournalist whose work not only stands on its own but is also preserved in her recorded interviews with photography legends like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Cecil Beaton, and Gordon Parks.

 

As Rachel delves into this treasure trove of images and sounds, a conversation between mother and daughter begins to unfold across time. A PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORY is a poignant exploration of universal themes like memory, grief, and the enduring power of legacy. This genre-bending film offers a haunting and delightful look at how we piece together the stories of those we’ve lost.

 

To learn more about the decade-long journey to create this remarkable film, join our conversation with filmmaker Rachel Seed on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now.

Inside the Arthouse: The Queen of My Dreams

Posted on by raphaelsbarge_lf2krp

Having premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, playing SXSW and many others, Fawzi Mirza’s luminous debut film, THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS, opens in theaters exploding with color and sound.

Set against the rich, stylish backdrop of 1969 Pakistan, THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS is a mother-daughter dramedy, that time-travels between generations to explore themes of cultural identity and family expectations.

At the center of the story is actress Amrit Kaur, who delivers an award-winning performance in dual roles as both mother and daughter—each navigating their own path between tradition and transformation.

Evoking the bold colors of classic Bollywood, THE QUEEN OF MY DREAMS is vibrant, emotional, and infused with humor. This is a film that will resonate with anyone who’s ever struggled to reconcile family, where they come from, and who they really are.

Join us for our conversation with the writer-director, Fawzia Mirza, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now…

 

Inside the Arthouse: Bad Shabbos

Posted on by raphaelsbarge_lf2krp

Did some say, “Comedy?” Right when we need it most, BAB SHABBOS is inviting you to dinner.

You didn’t have to be Greek to enjoy MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. So it stands to reason that you don’t need to be Jewish to enjoy BAD SHABBOS.

Winner of the Audience Award at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival, BAD SHABBOS has found favor both with ticket buyers and critics, who have given the film a 90% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Written by Daniel Robbins and Zach Weiner, and directed by Robbins, the film boasts a terrific cast including Kyra Sedgwick, David Paymer, Milana Vayntrub and Cliff “Method Man” Smith.

Hollywood has largely abandoned comedy. But this indie gem more than fills the gap, providing laughs that take the familiarity of family getting together for a meal, and mines comic gold from a rather unexpected situation.

Writer-director Daniel Robbins joins us for a conversation about BAD SHABBOS, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now…

Inside the Arthouse Ghost Trail

Posted on by Team Sbarge

Every Spring in New York City, Lincoln Center hosts Rendez-Vous with French Cinema. An eagerly awaited festival for lovers of French film. Of the films we saw, Jonathan Millet’s GHOST TRAIL, stood out as haunting, immersive and truly memorable.  

Millet has been a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker up till now, and this, his feature film debut is a spy thriller, based entirely on true events.  The filmmaking is remarkable, visceral, suspenseful–  a political thriller that seethes with tension.  

With a plot that recalls the best spy fiction of Graham Greene and John le Carre, GHOST TRAIL is that rare film that combines the thoughtfulness of an arthouse film with the dramatic tension of a Hollywood thriller.  

Add extraordinary performances from Adam Bessa and Tawfeek Barhom, makes GHOST TRAIL something you won’t  want to miss as it opens in theaters across the US.  

Join us, “on the road” at Lincoln Center, as we sit down for a conversation with Johnathan Millet, in INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now.  

INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE: NORTHERN LIGHTS

Posted on by Team Sbarge

In the late 1970’s, when there was nothing like the indie film scene that we now take for granted, the film NORTHERN LIGHTS surprised the cinema world by winning the coveted Camera d’Or Award at the 1979 Cannes Film Festival.  

NORTHERN LIGHTS has the feel of an old black and white photograph discovered in an attic. The bitter-sweet story of young lovers caught up in a political struggle waged by farmers against the grain trade, the banks and the railroads, NORTHERN LIGHTS brings back a forgotten era of American history and evokes the austere beauty of the Northern Plains. 

Called “The greatest movie you will never see,” this rare and remarkable film has been lovingly revived by a team lead by IndieCollect for a gorgeous 4K restoration, and is now being brought back to North American arthouses by Kino Lorber.

In support of this re-release, we are very happy to welcome co-director Rob Nilsson for a discussion about this landmark film. Join us on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now. 

Inside the Arthouse: Jane Austen Wrecked my Life

Posted on by Team Sbarge

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen has inspired some of our favorite movies.  

There are the faithful adaptations: Oscar-nominated PRIDE & PREJUDICE, Oscar-winning SENSE & SENSIBILITY.  

You also have more fanciful adaptations like the EMMA-inspired CLUELESS.

And then you have the Jane Austen “adjacent” films like THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB, the hilarious AUSTENLAND, and a personal favorite – COLD COMFORT FARM.

Laura Piani’s JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE is squarely in this last category. And it is a most welcome addition to the club.

A beguiling Camille Rutherford stars as a desperately single Parisian bookseller, who feels that she has lost her chance at love. But when she is invited to participate in a writer’s retreat in England, she finds herself tossed into an Austen-esque situation, juggling the affection of two suitors, and trying to find a way to stay true to herself.

A hit at the Toronto International Film Festival, JANE AUSTEN WRECKED MY LIFE is now opening in theatres across the US.

Join us for a discussion with the film’s writer and director, Laura Piani, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now… 

Inside the Arthouse: Most People Die On Sundays

Posted on by Team Sbarge

 

MOST PEOPLE DIE ON SUNDAYS may be the quirkiest film you see this year …or any year.

Directed and starring Iair Said, and asking the big question: when “ordinary people’’– not extraordinary– die? What happens to those of us who stay here on earth without them? 

Funny, outrageous, surprising and utterly unique, MOST PEOPLE DIE ON SUNDAYS, has a deadpan tone that recalls the early films of Jim Jarmusch. 

We follow the protagonist David as he returns home to Argentina to attend the funeral of his uncle. This is a story about how people go through a “mourning moment” as they try to survive, with a pain that will transform their lives forever. 

As an actor, Said has a sad sack quality of classic screen comics like Buster Keaton and Jacques Tati. And the rest of the cast plays off of Said perfectly.

A sensation when it premiered in the Acid Section at Cannes, MOST PEOPLE DIE ON SUNDAYS is a comic gem that is truly worth searching out.

Join us for a conversation with filmmaker Iair Said, on INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, starting now…