Home The Washington Diplomat June 2017 Films – June 2017

Films – June 2017

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Languages

Czech

German

Romanian

Danish

Hebrew

Russian

English

Japanese

Silent

French

Polish

Spanish

 

Czech

How to Shake Off a Bride

(Jak se zbavit nevesty)

Directed by Tomás Svoboda

(Czech Republic, 2016, 89 min.)

Eva owns a pastry shop, raises her son and takes care of her quirky, formidable mother. She gets on beautifully with her ex-husband, until she discovers his love for another woman — a beautiful, likeable and sophisticated pianist named Linda. To top it all off, they want Eva to make the wedding cake for their upcoming nuptials.

The Avalon Theatre

Wed., June 14, 8 p.m.

 

Danish

The Commune

(Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands, 2017, 111 min.)

Personal desires, solidarity and tolerance clash in a Danish commune in the 1970s.

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

English

Abacus: Small Enough to Fail

Directed by Steve James

(U.S., 2017, 88 min.)

Accused of mortgage fraud, Abacus becomes the only U.S. bank to face criminal charges in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. The indictment and subsequent trial forces the Sung family to defend themselves – and their bank’s legacy in the Chinatown community – over the course of a five-year legal battle.

Landmark’s Theatres

Opens Fri., June 23

 

Alien: Covenant

Directed by Ridley Scott

(U.S./U.K./Australia/New Zealand/Canada, 2017, 122 min.)

The crew of a colony ship, bound for a remote planet, discover an uncharted paradise with a threat beyond their imagination, and must attempt a harrowing escape.

Angelika Mosaic

Atlantic Plumbing

 

Beatriz at Dinner

Directed by Miguel Arteta

(U.S., 2017, 83 min.)

A holistic medicine practitioner attends a wealthy client’s dinner party after her car breaks down.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., June 16

 

The Beguiled

Directed by Sofia Coppola

(U.S., 2017, 94 min.)

At a girls’ school in Virginia during the Civil War, where the young women have been sheltered from the outside world, a wounded Union soldier is taken in. Soon, the house is taken over with sexual tension, rivalries and an unexpected turn of events.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., June 30

 

The Big Sick

Directed by Michael Showalter

(U.S., 2017, 119 min.)

A couple deals with their cultural differences as their relationship grows. (English and Urdu).

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., June 30

 

Buena Vista Social Club: Adios

Directed by Lucy Walker

(Cuba/U.S., 2017, 109 min.)

The musicians of the Buena Vista Social Club exposed the world to Cuba’s vibrant culture with their landmark 1997 album and Academy Award-nominated documentary “Buena Vista Social Club.” Now, against the backdrop of Cuba’s captivating musical history, hear the band’s story as they reflect on their remarkable careers and the extraordinary circumstances that brought them together (English and Spanish).

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

 

Churchill

Directed by Jonathan Teplitzky

(U.K., 2017, 98 min.)

Tensions mount for the beleaguered British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the days leading up to infamous Allied D-Day landings in Normandy, France in June, 1944. Fearful of repeating his deadly mistakes from World War I in the Battle of Gallipoli, exhausted by years of war, plagued by depression and obsessed with his historical destiny, Churchill is reluctant to embark on the large-scale campaign.

The Avalon Theatre

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Opens Fri., June 2

 

Citizen Jane

Directed by Matt Tyrnauer

(U.S., 2017, 92 min.)

Writer and urban activist Jane Jacobs fights to save historic New York City during the ruthless redevelopment era of urban planner Robert Moses in the 1960s.

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

 

The Dream of Shahrazad

Directed by François Verster

(Multiple countries, 2015, 107 min.)

Drawing on the stories known collectively as “The Arabian Nights,” “The Dream of Shahrazad” contextualizes recent upheavals across the Middle East within a broader historical and cultural legacy.

The Jerusalem Fund

Sun., June 11, 2 p.m.

 

Hell on Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS

Directed by Sebastian Junger

(U.S., 2017, 99 min.)

In the National Geographic documentary “Hell on Earth,” best-selling author Sebastian Junger and his Emmy-winning filmmaking partner Nick Quested chronicle Syria’s descent into the unbridled chaos that allowed the rise of the Islamic State, better known as ISIS. Pulling from nearly 1,000 hours of stunningly visceral footage — from that of a family living under ISIS control that finally fled to Turkey, to Kurdish fighters in Sinjar and Shia militias in Iraq — Junger and Quested cover the ISIS catastrophe from multiple angles and feature interviews with top experts from around the world (English, French, Arabic and Kurdish).

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Tue., June 6, 7 p.m.

 

I, Daniel Blake

Directed by Ken Loach

(U.K./France/Belgium, 2016, 100 min.)

Gruff but goodhearted, Daniel is a widowed woodworker who’s never owned a computer and lives according to his own common sense moral code. But after a heart attack leaves him unable to work and the state welfare system fails him, the stubbornly self-reliant Daniel must stand up and fight for his dignity.

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

Opens Fri., June 2

 

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Directed by Guy Ritchie

(U.S., 2017, 126 min.)

Robbed of his birthright, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy – whether he likes it or not.

Atlantic Plumbing Cinema

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

 

The Lost City of Z

Directed by James Gray

(U.S., 2017, 141 min.)

In this incredible true story, British explorer Percy Fawcett journeys into the Amazon at the dawn of the 20th century and discovers evidence of a previously unknown, advanced civilization that may have once inhabited the region. Despite being ridiculed by the scientific establishment, he returns time and again to his beloved jungle in an attempt to prove his case, culminating in his mysterious disappearance in 1925 (English, Spanish, Portuguese and German).

West End Cinema

 

Manifesto

Directed by Julian Rosefeldt

(Germany/Australia, 2017, 95 min.)

“Manifesto” features two-time Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchett in 13 astonishing roles that span the gamut of humanity — from punk rocker to anchorwoman, from homeless man to mother delivering Sunday grace before family dinner, from puppeteer to factory worker.

Landmark’s Theatres

Opens Fri., June 9

 

Maudie

Directed by Aisling Walsh

(Ireland/Canada, 2017, 115 min.)

An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the community.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., June 16

 

Megan Leavey

Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite

(U.S., 2017, 116 min.)

Based on a true life story, a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saves many lives during their deployment in Iraq.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., June 9

 

My Cousin Rachel

Directed by Roger Michell

(U.S./U.K., 2017, 106 min.)

A young Englishman plots revenge against his mysterious, beautiful cousin, believing that she murdered his guardian. But his feelings become complicated as he finds himself falling under the beguiling spell of her charms.

Angelika Mosaic

Opens Fri., June 9

 

Paris Can Wait

(Bonjour Anne)

Directed by Eleanor Coppola

(U.S., 2016, 92 min.)

Anne is at a crossroads in her life. Long married to a successful, driven but inattentive movie producer, she unexpectedly finds herself taking a car trip from Cannes to Paris with a business associate of her husband. What should be a seven-hour drive turns into a carefree two-day adventure replete with diversions that reawaken her lust for life.

Angelika Mosaic

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

 

Past Life

Directed by Avi Nesher

(Israel/Poland, 2017, 109 min.)

Inspired by true events, “Past Life” tracks the daring 1977 trans-European odyssey of two sisters — one an introverted ambitious classical music composer, and the other a combative liberal magazine editor (English, German, Polish and Hebrew).

The Avalon Theatre

 

A Quiet Passion

Directed by Terence Davies

(U.K./Belgium, 2017, 125 min.)

Cynthia Nixon delivers a triumphant performance as Emily Dickinson as she personifies the wit, intellectual independence and pathos of the poet whose genius only came to be recognized after her death.

The Avalon Theatre

 

Their Finest

Directed by Lone Scherfig

(U.K., 2017, 117 min.)

A British film crew attempts to boost morale during World War II by making a propaganda film after the Blitzkrieg.

The Avalon Theatre

 

The Zookeeper’s Wife

Directed by Niki Caro

(U.S., 2017, 124 min.)

The keepers of the Warsaw Zoo, Antonina and Jan Zabinski, help save hundreds of people and animals during the German invasion of World War II.

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

 

French

Yoshiwara

Directed by Max Ophuls

(France, 1937, 102 min.)

Considered something of a curiosity in French filmmaker Max Ophuls’s oeuvre, “Yoshiwara” is the story of a love triangle between a geisha, a Russian military officer and a family servant, offering an intriguing example of France’s fascination with Japanese culture in the early 20th century.

Embassy of France

Thu., June 22, 7 p.m.

 

German

As We Were Dreaming

(Als wir träumten)

Directed by Andreas Dresen

(Germany, 2013-15, 117 min.)

Just a few years previously, Dani, Rico, Paul and Mark had still been schoolchildren in the GDR, subject to ideological constraints, but also secure in their manageable daily lives. After German reunification, there no longer seem to be any rules, as the friends enjoy their private anarchy, stealing cars, taking drugs and engaging in acts of vandalism.

Goethe-Institut

Fri., June 16, 6:30 p.m.

 

Hebrew

The Wedding Plan

(Laavor et hakir)

Directed by Rama Burshtein

(Israel, 2016, 110 min.)

Exhausted by single life at 32, spirited bride-to-be Michal is eager for the comfort and companionship of marriage. Then, her fiancé dumps her one month before their wedding. Devastated but undeterred, Michal, an Orthodox Jew, decides to keep her wedding date, leaving it to God to provide a suitable groom.

Landmark’s Bethesda Row Cinema

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

 

Japanese

Your Name

(Kimi no na wa)

Directed by Makoto Shinkai

(Japan, 2017, 106 min.)

Mitsuha is the daughter of the mayor of a small mountain town. She’s a straightforward high school girl who has no qualms about letting it be known that she’s uninterested in Shinto rituals or helping her father’s electoral campaign. Instead she dreams of leaving the boring town and trying her luck in Tokyo. Taki is a high school boy in Tokyo who works part-time in an Italian restaurant and every night has a strange dream where he becomes … a high school girl in a small mountain town (Japanese and Mandarin).

Landmark’s E Street Cinema

 

Polish

Kamper

Directed by Lukasz Grzegorzek

(Poland, 2016, 89 min.)

Thirty-something Kamper is the eternal boy who has it all: a beautiful wife he loves, a large apartment, a super car, and a dream job. When it turns out that his wife is unfaithful, everything gets turned on its head. His perfect job as head of a video game development team no longer has meaning, and his personal life is a shambles.

The Avalon Theatre

Wed., May 31, 8 p.m.

 

Romanian

Box

Directed by Florin Șerban

(Romania/France/Germany, 2015, 93 min.)

In a gritty gym in the city of Sibiu, 19-year-old Roma boxer Rafael trains for a big fight. Elsewhere, in a more picturesque part of the Transylvanian town, thirty-something actress Cristina rehearses for a new Hungarian-language play for a demanding director. After a chance passing in the street, Rafael begins following the alluring Cristina around town on a daily basis, seemingly content just to watch her (Romanian and Hungarian).

AFI Silver Theatre

Thu., June 1, 7 p.m.

 

Police, Adjective

Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu

(Romania, 2009, 115 min.)

A young cop assigned to trail a schoolboy suspected of using drugs spends long hours in surveillance and longer nights writing reports. The officer questions the morality and even necessity of his situation and, soon, his own police terminology starts to sound ambiguous.

National Gallery of Art

Sun., June 4, 12:30 p.m.

 

Stuff and Dough

(Marfa si banii)

Directed by Cristi Puiu

(Romania, 2001, 90 min.)

In this delightfully deadpan road movie that inaugurated the Romanian New Wave, 20-something slacker Ovidiu decides to launch a snack-selling business, taking a dubious transporter job from a local crime boss in order to earn startup cash. Hitting the road with his girlfriend and best friend, Ovidiu has no idea what he’s gotten into.

AFI Silver Theatre

Wed., June 7, 7 p.m.

 

When Evening Falls on Bucharest or Metabolism

Directed by Corneliu Porumboiu

(Romania/France, 2013, 89 min.)

With two weeks left before wrapping on his latest project, Paul is falling apart, complaining about his supposed “ulcer” and insisting that an actress with a small role in the film (with whom he has been romantically engaged throughout shooting) do a nude scene in this contemplative dry-humored tale of a narcissistic director on edge.

AFI Silver Theatre

Wed., June 14, 7 p.m.

 

Russian

Moscow Never Sleeps

Directed by Johnny O’Reilly

(Russia/Ireland, 2017, 100 min.)

This multi-narrative drama dives headlong into the volatile intersections of contemporary Moscow and the intimate lives of five people, including an entrepreneur whose business comes under siege by bureaucrats and a teenage girl mired in the misery of a broken home.

Landmark’s Theatres

Opens Fri., June 30

 

Silent

Crossroads (aka Crossways)

Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa

(Japan, 1928, 87 min.)

“Crossroads” centers on a brother and sister living amid the Yoshiwara pleasure quarters of old Edo. Filmed entirely at night, Kinugasa’s film creates a menacing, chiaroscuro vision of the Yoshiwara at odds with traditional cinematic representations of the era, launching a new form of visually and emotionally nuanced silent cinema.

National Museum of American History

Sun., June 4, 2 p.m.

 

Spanish

The Bar

Directed by Álex de la Iglesia

(Spain, 2017, 102 min.)

In this dark comedy, after a customer leaves the bar and is shot by an unseen gunman, the group left inside is stunned. When one brave soul ventures out to help the downed man, he promptly receives a bullet himself. The remaining patrons are glued to the spot, trying to determine why they’re being targeted, and slowly eyeing one another for answers.

AFI Silver Theatre

Fri., June 2, 10 p.m.,

Sat., June 3, 10 p.m.

 

Dreaming of Wine

(Priorat)

Directed by David Fernández de Castro

(Spain, 2016, 68 min.)

The viticultural roots of Priorat, Catalonia, run centuries deep, but by the late 1970s, wine production in the area was on the brink of extinction. In the early 1980s, however, a handful of pioneers came to the area with high hopes of reviving the fading industry (Spanish and Catalan).

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., June 3, 3:30 p.m.

 

The Fury of a Patient Man

(Tarde para la ira)

Directed by Raúl Arévalo

(Spain, 2016, 92 min.)

In Madrid, small-time crook Curro is arrested as the getaway driver in a jewelry store hold-up that left a sales clerk dead. Fast-forward eight years, and Curro is preparing to leave jail, ready to pick up life with his girlfriend Ana and their young son. In the meantime, however, Ana has befriended an unassuming, solitary man who frequents the local bar in which she and her brother work.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., June 3, 5:30 p.m.

 

Isla Bonita

Directed by Fernando Colomo

(Spain, 2015, 101 min.)

When an aging filmmaker arrives in picturesque Menorca looking for work, he shacks up with an artist and her daughter under the guise of making a documentary with the help of his old pal.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., June 4, 3:15 p.m.

 

Maria (And Everybody Else)

Directed by Nely Reguera

(Spain, 2016, 90 min.)

A struggling writer afraid to let anyone read her first novel, María is at a crossroads. After 20 years of caring for her father and siblings following the death of her mother when she was 15, María must look inward and re-evaluate her own life.

AFI Silver Theatre

Fri., June 2, 7:30 p.m.,

Sun., June 4, 5:30 p.m.

 

Romantic Exiles

(Los exiliados romanticos)

Directed by Jonás Trueba

(Spain, 2015, 70 min.)

A group of 30-somehting friends hit the road traveling from Spain to Paris in their vintage burnt-orange VW Vanagon, setting out to capture that ephemeral sense of vitality and idyllic passion that they all once possessed.

AFI Silver Theatre

Sun., June 4, 7:30 p.m.

 

Smoke and Mirrors

(El hombre de las mil caras)

Directed by Alberto Rodríguez

(Spain, 2016, 123 min.)

This smart spy thriller tells the mind-boggling true story of Francisco Paesa, an ex-secret agent framed by the Spanish government and forced to leave his homeland following an operation against the Basque terrorist group ETA (Spanish and French).

AFI Silver Theatre

Sat., June 3, 7:30 p.m.