Thursday, March 12, 2020
7 pm @ Galaxy Cinemas, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Director: Sophie Deraspe
Canada 2019
French; 109 minutes
Rated: 14A

Following the murder of her parents, Antigone (Nahéma Ricci),
her sister, two brothers, and grandmother find refuge in Montreal.
A straight-A student and model citizen, Antigone seems destined for success, but her life takes an unexpected turn when her brothers run into trouble with the police. Motivated by her duty to her family and her sense of justice, Antigone sets onto a path that puts her at odds with the authorities. Loosely based on Sophocles’ Greek
tragedy, Antigone explores sacrifice, responsibility, and the nature
of justice with exceptional depth and nuance.

Philosophically compelling and emotionally devastating, Deraspe crafts
a unique and contemporary cinematic experience that resonates deeply. Justine Smith, Globe and Mail

A contemporary spin on the Greek tragedy that feels refreshingly
liberated by the spirit of Sophocles’ original material, rather than
slavishly devoted to its letter. Jessica Kiang, Variety

The film is an incisive critique of the power imbal­ance between citizens and immigrants and the hypocrisy of an unjust justice system. It jolts the viewer out of complacency. Kelsey Adams, NOW Magazine

Thursday, February 27, 2020
7 pm @ Galaxy Cinemas, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Presented in partnership with Shadows of the Mind Film Festival
Feb. 22 – Mar. 1, 2020           http://www.shadowsfilmfest.com/

Director: Louise Archambault
Canada 2019
French; 127 minutes
Rated: 14A

Three hermits – Tom (Rémy Girard), Charlie (Gilbert Sicotte), and Ted (Kenneth Welsh) – fled society years ago. They’ve been living
in the Quebec countryside, miles from civilization, eking out an
existence selling pot to the closest locals with help from local
hotelier Stephen (Éric Robidoux). But their lifestyle is increasingly endan­gered by nature, infirmity, and age. Driven by an astonishing cast boasting some of Quebec’s most esteemed performers, And the Birds Rained Down is a charming meditation on the possibilities of
living outside modernity and a tribute to the need to live on one’s own terms.

Touching, heartbreaking, and dangerously thought-provoking, And the Birds Rained Down will force you to re-examine your relationship with your­self, the world around you, and the people you love.
Anne T. Donahue, The Globe and Mail

This eco-friendly, elegantly delivered tale about the sunset changes in
the lives of a trio of graybeards living in the woods is engaging, thought-
provoking and ultimately moving…
Jonathan Holland, Hollywood Reporter

Thursday, February 20, 2020
7 pm @ Galaxy Cinemas, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Director: Céline Sciamma
France 2019
French; 119 minutes
Rated: R for some nudity and sexuality

In 18th-century Brittany, Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is
commissioned to paint a por­trait of a reclusive young woman,
Héloïse (Adèle Haenel), who is soon to be married. Héloïse is not
to know of the painting, so Marianne closely observes her model
by day in order to paint her likeness at night. Day by day, the two women become closer as they share Héloïse’s last moments of
freedom before her impending wedding. Winner of the Queer Palm and Best Screenplay Awards at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival,
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an exquisite portrait of art, eros, and
the gaze.

It is so very easy to label a film incendiary, but Portrait of a Lady on Fire deserves the scalding honour. It will ignite every flame you might have. Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail

In a film told with sweeping visual scope, Sciamma plunges the viewer into a story and setting of the deepest intimacy.
David Sims, The Atlantic

It’s a great example of how a well-told story, with vivid characters, can seep right into your bones and keep you thinking for days afterward — and the pleasure felt while watching it isn’t negligible either.
Stephanie Zacharek, Time Magazine

Thursday, February 13, 2020
7 pm @ Galaxy Cinemas, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Director: Bong Joon-ho
South Korea 2019
Korean; 131 minutes
Rating: 14a for language, some violence, and sexual content

Ki-taek (Song Kang-ho), his wife Chung-sook (Chang Hyae-jin), daughter Ki-jung (Park So-dam), and son Ki-woo (Choi Woo-shik) live in an overcrowded, sor­did basement while the Parks live in a fabulous house. When Ki-woo is unexpectedly hired by the Parks, the destinies of the two families cross and their explosive meeting exposes the evils of class inequalities, culminating in a powerful
and utterly original outcome. Described by Bong as “a comedy
without clowns and a tragedy without vil­lains,” Parasite mixes
pathos and satire with thrills and drama in a perfectly controlled blend of genres.

An exhilarating and furious indictment of class struggle, Parasite might be the masterpiece South Korea’s Bong Joon-ho has been working toward his entire career. Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail

One of the best movies of 2019, Bong Joon Ho’s latest is a film of
dramatic power, innovative comedy, romantic poetry and melancholy beauty. Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times

It’s a hell of a ride – and one of the year’s best films. Norman Wilner, NOW Toronto

Thursday, January 30, 2020
7 pm @ Galaxy Cinemas, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Director: François Girard
Canada/Hungary 2019
English; 113 minutes
Rating: PG

Dovidl Rapoport (Jonah Hauer-King), a Polish musical prodigy, fails to show up for his much-anticipated first public performance.
Decades later, Martin (Tim Roth) is reminded of Dovidl by a student at a musical competition and sets out to find him. Consumed by memories of the bond they shared, Martin slowly unravels the
mystery of Dovidl’s disappearance and uncovers elements of the boy’s life too tragic for Martin to have fathomed. Featuring exquisite music, touching performances, and an extremely talented young cast, The Song of Names is an emotionally devastating tale of family, obligation, ambition, and friendship.

Girard proves once again that he’s a master of music. By weaving both original compositions and classic works flawlessly into the film, The Song of Names becomes a solemn reflection on war and a lost brotherhood. Sara Clements, Flick Feast

An emotional performance of the titular Song is the heart and soul
of the film. Anne Brodie, What She Said

[The Song of Names] remains among the better serious, adult-oriented films of this holiday season. Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times

Thursday, January 23, 2020
7 pm @ Galaxy Cinemas, Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Director: Carl Hunter
United Kingdom 2019
English; 91 minutes
Rating: PG

Alan (Bill Nighy) has a keen talent for Scrabble, but it’s tainted by
the memory of his son who disappeared after storming out during
a game. He’s been searching for his missing son ever since, but it seems all he has accomplished is to estrange his other son, Peter (Sam Riley). Peter and Alan attempt reconciliation, but when Alan comes across a mysterious online Scrabble player their strained
relationship teeters on the brink of calamity. The quietly powerful performances from Nighy and Riley, visual inventiveness, and
whimsically offbeat style of Sometimes Always Never make for a
lovely tale.

This film is a distinct, articulate pleasure. Peter Bradshaw,
The Guardian

Nighy is a perfect fit as the somewhat scuffed roué who still radiates an unmistakeable mystique. Adam Sweeting, The Arts Desk

Often, the whole shebang plays like a rattle bag of tropes, digressions and stray running gags. Then again, that randomness is perfectly apt…
Leslie Felperin, Hollywood Reporter