August 2018

Cover Story Warm Ties Between India, U.S. Move Full Speed Ahead Under Trump President Trump has made enemies out of allies and friends out of autocrats, but Indian Ambassador Navtej Sarna has the fortune of representing the world's largest democracy on Embassy Row at a time of unusually warm — and refreshingly uncontroversial — ties between Washington and New Delhi. Read More

People of World Influence Nonproliferation Expert Tierney: More Nukes Means More Dangers President Trump thinks the U.S. needs more and better nuclear weapons to counter growing geopolitical threats such as Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. Former Congressman and longtime nonproliferation expert John Tierney says the last thing the U.S. needs is to tempt fate with another global arms race. Read More

Death Knell for WTO? Trump's Tariff War Threatens to Kill Multilateral Trading System President Trump has said he doesn't plan to withdraw the United States from the World Trade Organization, but he has expressed disdain for the organization. Consequently, all the progress the United States has made toward keeping the WTO relevant in the 21st century has ground to a halt. Read More

Change in Africa Historic Transitions In Ethiopia, Zimbabwe Could Shake Up Africa Nations across Africa are experiencing dramatic, historic change that stands in stark contrast to the clichéd portrayal of a continent hobbled by strongmen and sclerotic regimes. Perhaps nowhere is this seismic shift more apparent than in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. Read More

Power of the Purse EU Seeks to Influence Hungary, Poland Through Budget Funds It's the $1.5 trillion question. Can the European Union use its budget for 2021-27 to curb what many see as member states like Hungary and Poland riding roughshod over the rule of law, independent institutions and even democratic norms? Read More

Georgia's Sad Anniversary Georgia Marks 10th Anniversary Of Painful War with Russia Twenty-seven years after Georgia declared its independence from the crumbling U.S.S.R. and 10 years after Russian troops invaded the former Soviet republic, Georgia's 3.9 million inhabitants still live in fear of their giant northern neighbor. Read More

American Summer America Celebrates Summer With Mix of Old World and New Traditions Because the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, Americans also participate or watch as people who came here from other countries celebrate summer their way. Often, that involves a mixture of pagan and Christian rites to mark two dates — the summer solstice and the feast of St. John. Read More

Book Review 'The Peacemakers' Grapples with Leadership Via Personal Examples "The Peacemakers: Leadership Lessons from Twentieth-Century Statesmanship" by Bruce W. Jentleson looks at statesmanship through the prism of 13 case studies from the 20th century and considers what lessons can be drawn from these examples for our current time. Read More

Nordic Vantage Point Op-Ed: Norway Vows Consistency, If Elected to U.N. Security Council Two years from now, five nonpermanent members of the U.N. Security Council will be elected for the two-year term of 2021-22. Norway is a candidate for one of those five seats. We hope to convince the world that we are a strong one. Read More

Diplomatic Appointments Diplomatic Spotlight Classifieds Real Estate Classifieds

Languages

Cantonese German Swedish

Czech Hebrew

English Japanese

French Korean

 

Cantonese

I've Got the Blues

Directed by Angie Chen
(Hong Kong, 2017, 90 min.)

This documentary centers around artist Yank Wong. A complex man who resists definition, Wong is a painter, art director, set designer, writer, musician and photographer — a true renaissance man who expresses his creativity in multiple forms.

Freer Gallery of Art
Sun., Aug. 12, 2 p.m.

 

Legendary Weapons of Kung Fu

Directed by Lau Kar-leung
(Hong Kong, 1982, 109 min.)

This cult classic Shaw Brothers film will be accompanied by a live score blending hip-hop, soul, funk and more, mixed live by Shaolin Jazz cofounder DJ 2-Tone Jones. The result is a new soundtrack that accentuates specific scenes and fight sequences.

Freer Gallery of Art
Fri., Aug. 3, 7 p.m.

 

The Secret

Directed by Ann Hui
(Hong Kong, 1979, 90 min.)

Ann Hui, who went on to become a monumental figure of Hong Kong cinema, skillfully utilized the dynamics of the Hollywood suspense genre to tell a decidedly local tale. The story takes off from a horrific crime inspired by a real-life incident, turning sensational headlines into a map of social and psychological currents (Cantonese and Mandarin).

Freer Gallery of Art
Sun., Aug. 5, 2 p.m.

 

Czech

8 Heads of Madness
(8 hlav šílenství)

Directed by Marta Nováková
(Czech Republic, 2017, 107 min.)

The film follows the life of the talented Russian poet Anna Barkova (1906-76), who spent 22 years of her life in the Gulags. She survived thanks to the help of her poetry, hope for better days and passionate love for a woman named Valentina.

The Avalon Theatre
Wed., Aug. 8, 8 p.m.

English

BlacKkKlansman

Directed by Spike Lee
(U.S., 2018, 135 min.)

In the early 1970s, Ron Stallworth is the first African American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department. Determined to make a name for himself, Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission: infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan.

Angelika Mosaic
Atlantic Plumbing Cinema
Opens Fri., Aug. 10

 

Blindspotting

Directed by Carlos López Estrada
(U.S., 2018, 95 min.)

Lifelong friends Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal co-wrote and star in this timely and wildly entertaining story about the intersection of race and class, set against the backdrop of a rapidly gentrifying Oakland.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema
Landmark's E Street Cinema

 

Dark Money

Directed by Kimberly Reed
(U.S., 2018, 99 min.)

This political thriller examines one of the greatest present threats to American democracy: the influence of untraceable corporate money on our elections and elected officials. The film takes viewers to Montana — a frontline in the fight to preserve fair elections nationwide — to follow an intrepid local journalist working to expose the real-life impacts of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision.

West End Cinema

 

Eighth Grade

Directed by Bo Burnham
(U.S., 2018, 93 min.)

A rare film that perfectly captures the awkwardness of adolescence, this poignant comedy focuses on 13-year-old Kayla as she endures the tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence and makes her way through the last week of middle school — the end of her thus far disastrous eighth grade year.

Angelika Mosaic
Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema
Landmark's E Street Cinema

 

Far from the Tree

Directed by Rachel Dretzin
(U.S., 2018, 93 min.)

This life-affirming documentary explores the difficulties and rewards of raising and being a child whose experience is vastly different from that of his or her parents, featuring families coping with the challenges presented by Down syndrome, dwarfism, autism and having a child in prison.

West End Cinema
Opens Fri., Aug. 3

 

Generation Wealth

Directed by Lauren Greenfield
(U.S., 2018, 106 min.)

Acclaimed photographer and filmmaker Lauren Greenfield puts the pieces of her life's work together for in an incendiary investigation into the pathologies that have created the richest society the world has ever seen.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

 

The Green Fog

Directed by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson
(U.S., 2017, 63 min.)

Using Bay Area-based footage from hundreds of sources, the filmmakers exert the inexorable pull of Hitchcock's twisted tale of erotic obsession while paying tribute to San Francisco and the ways it looks and feels through the medium of cinema.

AFI Silver Theatre
Tue., Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m.

Hochelaga, Land of Souls

Directed by Francois Girard
(Canada, 2017, 100 min.)

This mesmerizing time-travel drama spans eight centuries of layered indigenous, colonial and contemporary histories. Uncovering artifacts and clues to Montreal's extraordinary past, a young archaeologist of Mohawk heritage embarks on an incredible journey of discovery through the tangled history of his at-once-modern and ancient city (English, French, Mohawk and Algonquin).

AFI Silver Theatre
Mon., Aug. 6, 7:30 p.m.

 

Juliet, Naked

Directed by Jesse Peretz
(U.S., 2018, 105 min.)

"Juliet, Naked" is the story of Annie (the long-suffering girlfriend of Duncan) and her unlikely transatlantic romance with once revered, now faded, singer-songwriter Tucker Crowe, who also happens to be the subject of Duncan's musical obsession.

Angelika Mosaic
Opens Fri., Aug. 24

 

Love, Cecil

Directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland
(U.S., 2018, 98 min.)

Lisa Immordino Vreeland directs this documentary about Academy Award-winning costume designer Cecil Beaton, a respected photographer, artist and set designer who was best known for designing on award-winning films such as "Gigi" and "My Fair Lady."

Landmark's E Street Cinema

 

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Directed by Ol Parker
(U.K./U.S., 2018, 114 min.)

Ten years after "Mamma Mia! The Movie," return to the magical Greek island of Kalokairi in an all-new original musical based on the songs of ABBA, as Sophie learns about her mother's past while pregnant herself.

Angelika Mosaic
Angelika Pop-U
Atlantic Plumbing Cinema

 

Mary Goes Round

Directed by Molly McGlynn
(Canada, 2017, 86 min.)

Thoughtful and self-assured, Mary is an intelligent and compassionate substance abuse counselor. The trouble is, she has a serious drinking problem that she struggles mightily to conceal.

AFI Silver Theatre
Mon., Aug. 20, 6:45 p.m.

 

McQueen

Directed by Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui
(U.K., 2018, 111 min.)

"McQueen" is a personal look at the extraordinary life, career and artistry of Alexander McQueen. Through exclusive interviews with his closest friends and family, recovered archives, exquisite visuals and music, "McQueen" is an authentic celebration and thrilling portrait of an inspired yet tortured fashion visionary.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema
Landmark's E Street Cinema
Opens Fri., Aug. 3

 

Meditation Park

Directed by Mina Shum
(Canada, 2017, 94 min.)

An Asian-Canadian grandmother arrives at her own declaration of personal independence after discovering that her longstanding husband may not be as worthy of her reverential treatment as she once believed.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sat., Aug. 18, 11:30 a.m.

 

Metric: Dreams So Real

Directed by T. Edward Martin
(Canada, 2017, 110 min.)

In 2016, Canadian rock group Metric traversed the globe on the most significant tour of their career. This feature-length concert documentary captures their last live show in Vancouver, British Columbia, the culmination of a year's work on the part of the band and their dedicated crew.

AFI Silver Theatre
Fri., Aug. 24, 7:20 p.m.

 

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Directed by Casey Wilder Mott
(U.S., 2018, 104 min.)

One of Shakespeare's most beloved creations is the frolicking tale of lovesick young aristocrats, energetic but inept rustics and mischievous woodland spirits. This production is a fresh and stylish reinvention set in present-day Hollywood, making great use of the locations.

Landmark's Theatres
Opens Fri., Aug. 17

 

Mission: Impossible – Fallout

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
(U.S., 2018, 147 min.)

Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission has gone wrong (English and French).

Angelika Pop-Up
Atlantic Plumbing Cinema

 

Nico, 1988

Directed by Susanna Nicciarelli
(Italy/Belgium, 2018, 93 min.)

Approaching 50, Nico leads a solitary, low-key existence in Manchester, far from her 1960s glam days as a Warhol superstar and celebrated vocalist for cult band The Velvet Underground. Her career seems over, but her new manager gives Nico some needed drive to hit the road again to tour Europe, although she continues to struggle with addiction and personal demons.

Landmark's Theatres
Opens Fri., Aug. 31

 

Puzzle

Directed by Marc Turtletaub
(U.S., 2018, 103 min.)

Agnes, taken for granted as a suburban mother, discovers a passion for solving jigsaw puzzles which unexpectedly draws her into a new world - where her life unfolds in ways she could never have imagined.

Angelika Mosaic
Opens Fri., Aug. 3

 

RBG

Directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West
(U.S., 2018, 97 min.)

At the age of 84, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But without a definitive Ginsburg biography, the unique personal journey of this diminutive, quiet warrior's rise to the nation's highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her biggest fans—until now.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema
Landmark's E Street Cinema

 

The Serpent's Egg

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(U.S./W. Germany, 1977, 119 min.)

Ingmar Bergman's second English-language production follows a week in the life of Abel, an out-of-work American circus acrobat living in poverty-stricken Berlin following Germany's defeat in World War I. When his brother Max commits suicide, Abel seeks refuge in the apartment of professor Vergérus, an old acquaintance (English and German).

AFI Silver Theatre
Sat., Aug. 25, 11 a.m.,
Wed., Aug. 29, 7:05 p.m.

 

Three Identical Strangers

Directed by Tim Wardle
(U.K., 2018, 96 min.)

New York, 1980: Three complete strangers accidentally discover that they are identical triplets, separated at birth. The 19-year-olds' joyous reunion catapults them to international fame, but it also unlocks an extraordinary and disturbing secret that goes beyond their own lives - and could transform our understanding of human nature forever.

Angelika Mosaic
Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema

 

The Touch

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(U.S./Sweden, 1971, 115 min.)

Ingmar Bergman's first English-language feature focuses on Karin, a Swedish housewife trapped in a stable but somewhat unsatisfying marriage to a small-town surgeon. When a lively, engaging Jewish-American archaeologist enters the picture, Karin gives in to her attraction and begins an affair. But Karin's new relationship turns out to be less fulfilling than she had hoped.

AFI Silver Theatre
Wed., Aug. 15, 7:15 p.m.

 

Venus

Directed by Eisha Marjara
(Canada, 2017, 95 min.)

At once hilarious and serious, smart and sassy, this lively gender-shifting comedy is the witty tale of Sid, a transitioning woman whose life takes a surprising turn when a 14-year-old boy named Ralph arrives at her door with the surprising announcement that he is her son.

AFI Silver Theatre
Mon., Aug. 27, 7:05 p.m.

The Wife

Directed by Björn Runge
(Sweden/U.S./U.K., 2018, 100 min.)

A wife (Glenn Close) questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm with her husband, where he is slated to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Angelika Mosaic
Opens Fri., Aug. 24

 

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Directed by Morgan Neville
(U.S., 2018, 94 min.)

For over 30 years, Fred Rogers, an unassuming minister, puppeteer, writer and producer, was beamed daily into homes across America. In his beloved television program, "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," Fred and his cast of puppets and friends spoke directly to young children about some of life's weightiest issues, in a simple, direct fashion.

Landmark's Bethesda Row Cinema
Landmark's E Street Cinema

 

French

All You Can Eat Buddha

Directed by Ian Lagarde
(Canada/Cuba, 2017, 85 min.)

At the Palacio, a rather forlorn, all-inclusive resort somewhere in the Caribbean, there arrives an unusual guest, a gentle French-Canadian behemoth named Mike. His voracious appetite, mysterious magnetism and otherworldly talents combine to attract resort staff and tourists alike.

AFI Silver Theatre
Mon., Aug. 13, 9:15 p.m.

 

Between Sweet and Salt Water
(Entre la mer et l'eau douce)

Directed by Michel Brault
(Canada, 1967, 85 min.)

Francophone country boy and aspiring folk singer Claude leaves his small fishing and logging village, and his girlfriend, to try his luck in the big city of Montreal. Initially moving from job to job, Claude eventually becomes a successful musician. But when he decides to return home after a failed romance and his burgeoning fame leave him disillusioned, he arrives back only to realize too late the value of what he left behind.

AFI Silver Theatre
Mon., Aug. 13, 7:15 p.m.

 

Custody

Directed by Xavier Legrand
(France, 2018, 93 min.)

This tense domestic thriller will keep audiences guessing and leave them with their hearts in their throats. It begins quietly at a judicial hearing to decide custody of 11-year-old Julien living with his divorced mother Miriam. His father Antoine claims he loves his son and just wants to keep in touch; Miriam says he is violent. Fatefully, the family law judge awards Antoine weekend visiting rights, but Antoine has not given up on his marriage and immediately begins to manipulate Julien to try to reach Miriam.

Landmark's E Street Cinema
Opens Fri., Aug. 3

German

The Captain

Directed by Robert Schwentke
(Germany/Poland/Portugal/France, 2018, 118 min.)

In the chaotic final few weeks of the Second World War, young German soldier Willi Herold, a lowly enlisted man, deserts, desperately trying to survive. Stumbling on an abandoned military vehicle, he finds a captain's uniform and puts it on, and is transformed by its allure and power. A parade of fresh atrocities follows in the self-declared captain's wake, serving as a reminder of the dire consequences of social conformity and untrammeled political power.

Landmark's Theatres
Opens Fri., Aug. 10

 

Hebrew

The Cakemaker

Directed by Ofir Raul Graizer
(Israel/Germany, 2017, 104 min.)

Thomas, a young and talented German baker, is having an affair with Oren, an Israeli married man who dies in a car crash. Thomas travels to Jerusalem seeking answers. Keeping his secret for himself, he starts working for Anat, his lover's widow, who owns a small café. Although not fully kosher and despised by the religious, his delicious cakes turn the place into a city attraction (Hebrew, German and English).

West End Cinema

Japanese

An Actor's Revenge

Directed by Kon Ichikawa
(Japan, 1963, 113 min.)

Set in the cloistered world of 19th-century kabuki theater, this film charts a female impersonator's attempts to avenge his parents, who were driven to suicide by three corrupt men.

Freer Gallery of Art
Wed., Aug. 1, 2 p.m.

Korean

The Age of Shadows
(Mil-jeong)

Directed by Jee-woon Kim
(South Korea, 2016, 140 min.)

Set in the late 1920s, a cat-and-mouse game unfolds between a group of resistance fighters trying to bring in explosives from Shanghai to destroy key Japanese facilities in Seoul, and Japanese agents trying to stop them.

Korean Cultural Center

Swedish

Autumn Sonata
(Höstsonaten)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1978, 93 min.)

In a long-planned collaboration, Ingrid Bergman returned to Swedish cinema after 40 years for her last feature film role, a concert pianist returning home to an anguished reunion with neglected daughter Liv Ullmann.

AFI Silver Theatre
Aug. 24 to 28

 

Cries and Whispers
(Viskningar och rop)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1972, 91 min.)

Amid the blood-red backgrounds of a turn-of-the-century mansion, Liv Ullmann and Ingrid Thulin keep a death-watch over spinster sister Harriet Andersson. Flashbacks tell of disappointed lives, meaningless marriages and sisterly conflicts.

AFI Silver Theatre
Tue., Aug. 14, 7:20 p.m.,
Thu., Aug. 16, 7:20 p.m.

 

Dreams

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1955, 88 min.)

Set in Gothenburg where the famous wooden roller coaster of Liseberg Park provides an emblematic backdrop, "Dreams" spans 24 hours in the lives of two women (a fashion mogul and model) at different points in their relationships with men.

National Gallery of Art
Sun., Aug. 12, 4 p.m.

 

Ego

Directed by Lisa James Larsson
(Sweden, 2013, 100 min.)

For 25-year-old Sebastian, life is all about partying, one-night stands and satisfying his enormous ego. When things are at their best Sebastian suddenly loses his eyesight in an accident forcing him to re-examine what actually matters to him and what's just superficial.

Embassy of Sweden
Sun., Aug. 12, 3 p.m.

 

Face to Face

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden/U.S., 1976, 176 min.)

Liv Ullmann gives a gut-wrenching performance as Dr. Jenny Isaksson, a psychiatrist on the verge of a breakdown while staying with her grandparents and awaiting the construction of a new house.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sat., Aug. 18, 3:45 p.m.

 

From the Life of the Marionettes

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(W. Germany/Sweden, 1981, 104 min.)

Made during his self-imposed exile in Germany, Ingmar Bergman offers a lacerating portrait of a troubled marriage as an unhappily married businessman nurses fantasies of murdering his wife, until a prostitute becomes his surrogate prey.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sun., Aug. 26, 7:05 p.m.,
Thu., Aug. 30, 7:05 p.m.

 

Hour of the Wolf

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1968, 90 min.)

Holed up together in a tiny cabin on a remote island, sensitive artist Max von Sydow recounts stories from his past to pregnant wife Liv Ullman. As the stories become increasingly lurid, Ullmann begins to wonder if these are real memories or nightmares.

AFI Silver Theatre
Fri., Aug. 3, 7:30 p.m.,
Wed., Aug. 8, 9:30 p.m.

 

A Lesson in Love
(En lection I karlek)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1954, 96 min.)

After 15 years of marriage, David and Marianne have grown apart. David has had an affair with a young patient of his and Marianne has got herself involved with her former lover, who was once David's best friend

National Gallery of Art
Sat., Aug. 4, 4 p.m.

 

The Magic Flute
(Trollflöjten)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1975, 135 min.)

Considered by many the greatest film version of an opera, Ingmar Bergman pays loving tribute to Mozart's exquisite work, while adding some Bergmanesque touches.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sun., Aug. 19, 12:30 p.m.

 

The Magician
(Ansiktet)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1958, 101 min.)

When Vogler's Magnetic Health Theater comes to town, there's bound to be a spectacle. Reading reports of a variety of supernatural disturbances at Vogler's prior performances abroad, the leading townspeople request that their troupe provide them with a sample of their act.

National Gallery of Art
Sat., Aug. 18, 3:30 p.m.

 

The Passion of Anna
(En passion)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1969, 101 min.)

On the island of Fårö, reclusive Max von Sydow becomes involved with high-strung widow Liv Ullmann and cynical couple Bibi Andersson and Erland Josephson, and the foursome trade barbs and innuendos at a drunken dinner party.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sun., Aug. 5, 4:20 p.m.,
Tue., Aug. 7, 9 p.m.

 

The Rite
(Riten)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1969, 72 min.)

When actors are brought in for questioning on an obscenity charge, a magistrate subjects them to group and individual interrogations. As a response, the troupe performs their "act" for him, with mortal results.

AFI Silver Theatre
Tue., Aug. 7, 7:20 p.m.,
Thu., Aug. 9, 7:20 p.m.

 

Scenes from a Marriage Part 1

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1973, 300 min.)

When Erland Josephson suddenly leaves his wife Liv Ullmann for another woman, they are forced to confront the disintegration of their marriage. This film, shot in intense, intimate close-ups, chronicles the 10 years of turmoil and love that bind the couple despite their divorce and subsequent marriages.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sat., Aug. 11, 2:30 p.m.

 

Scenes from a Marriage Part 2

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1973, 300 min.)

When Erland Josephson suddenly leaves his wife Liv Ullmann for another woman, they are forced to confront the disintegration of their marriage. This film, shot in intense, intimate close-ups, chronicles the 10 years of turmoil and love that bind the couple despite their divorce and subsequent marriages.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sun., Aug. 12, 2:30 p.m.

 

Sawdust and Tinsel
(Gycklarnas afton)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1953, 96 min.)

As an itinerant circus rolls through the countryside in turn-of-the-century Sweden, a coach driver recounts to owner Albert a tale of lurid humiliation from long ago involving Frost the clown, who must retrieve his naked wife before a crowd of leering, jeering soldiers. Later Albert finds himself reliving the episode within his own circus ring.

National Gallery of Art
Sat., Aug. 4, 2 p.m.

 

Shame
(Skammen)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1968, 103 min.)

Ingmar Bergman's existential study of life during wartime begins like a chamber drama, with husband-and-wife classical musicians Max von Sydow and Liv Ullmann ensconced in a country farmhouse, quietly waiting out the far-off events of an unnamed war. But then the war comes to them, changing everything around them, inside them and between them.

AFI Silver Theatre
Sat., Aug. 4, 4:45 p.m.,
Wed., Aug. 8, 7:20 p.m.

 

Smiles of a Summer Night
(Sommarnattens leende)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1955, 110 min.)

In Sweden at the turn of the century, members of the upper class and their servants find themselves in a romantic tangle that they try to work out amidst jealousy and heartbreak.

National Gallery of Art
Sun., Aug. 19, 4 p.m.

 

Summer with Monika
(Sommaren med Monika)

Directed by Ingmar Bergman
(Sweden, 1953, 96 min.)

The sensual, young, and freethinking Monika escapes with her new lover to the Swedish Archipelago, where the two spend the summer in a fragile idyll that eventually ends in loss of innocence and painful resignation.

National Gallery of Art
Sun., Aug. 5, 4 p.m.

 

Young Sophie Bell
(Unga Sophie Bell)

Directed by Amanda Adolfsson
(Sweden, 2015, 80 min.)

After high-school graduation, life is finally going to begin for real. At least that's how best friends Sophie and Alice feel about the upcoming move to Berlin. But their plans are crushed when Alice disappears in Berlin under murky circumstances.

Embassy of Sweden
Sun., Aug. 26, 3 p.m.

EVENT CATEGORIES

Art

Discussions

Music

Theater

 

ART

Aug. 3 to Sept. 4

Expanding Spacetime: Works by Chae Eun Rhee and Sky Kim

The vivid and evocative paintings of Chae Eun Rhee and Sky Kim ask viewers to imagine how the human mind and body transcend the constraints of time and space. As female artists who have each lived in Korea and the United States, Rhee and Kim employ fundamentally different visual styles and subjects, but both aspire to integrate a sense of spirituality into their work by crossing traditional boundaries between imagination and reality. By examining what makes us who we are, from the cellular to the unconscious, both ask viewers to visualize their own inner worlds that are deeply personal, rarely seen and startling to behold.

Korean Cultural Center

 

Through Aug. 5

Do Ho Suh: Almost Home

Korean-born Do Ho Suh (b. 1962) is internationally renowned for his immersive, architectural fabric sculptures that explore the global nature of contemporary identity. "Do Ho Suh: Almost Home" will transform the museum's galleries through Suh's captivating installations, which recreate to scale several of his former homes from around the world. Through these works, Suh investigates the nature of home and memory and the impact of migration and displacement on an individual's sense of self.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

 

Through Aug. 5

The Prince and the Shah: Royal Portraits from Qajar Iran

In our age of social media and selfies, it may be difficult to grasp the importance of painted portraits and studio photographs in 19th-century Iran. During this time, known as the Qajar era, rulers such as Fath-Ali Shah, a contemporary of Napoleon, and Nasir al-Din Shah, a contemporary of Queen Victoria, used portraiture to convey monarchical power and dynastic grandeur. Through a selection of about thirty works from the Freer and Sackler collections, this exhibition explores how Persian artists transformed modes of representing royalty and nobility.

Freer Gallery of Art

 

Through Aug. 5

Sharing Images: Renaissance Prints into Maiolica and Bronze

Inspired by the acquisition of the important William A. Clark maiolica (glazed Italian ceramics) collection from the Corcoran Gallery of Art, this exhibition brings together some 90 objects to highlight the impact of Renaissance prints on maiolica and bronze plaquettes, the two media most dramatically influenced by the new technology of image replication.

National Gallery of Art

 

Through Aug. 10

Intimate Cartographies: An Approach to Interpersonal Relationships

This contemporary photography features outstanding artists from OAS member states Argentina, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela, as well as OAS permanent observer states Italy and Spain. Cartography and photography are similar in that they both originate from a natural reality. But this representation is not exact; it is subjective. The images in this exhibition hold a subtle informative quality, closely connected with the lyrical documentation of Walker Evans, "where many of his landscapes were not documented but created by him."

Art Museum of the Americas F Street Gallery

 

Through Aug. 10

A New League: Shared Pastimes and the Story of U.S.-Japan Baseball

To celebrate the 2018 Major League Baseball All-Star Game coming to D.C. this summer, the Japanese Embassy presents an exhibit that celebrates the bonds between the U.S. and Japan forged through the game of baseball. Featuring baseball-related historical objects and artifacts from Japan, the exhibition will trace the history of the sport in Japan, from its introduction and rapid transformation into Japan's national sport, as well as explore the fascinating history of sports exchange and "baseball diplomacy" between Japan and the U.S. — avenues of contact that have fostered friendship, goodwill, and reconciliation between the two nations.

Japan Information & Culture Center

 

Through Aug. 11

The Way Things Were: The Painted World of Hashim Al-Samarraie

One of Baghdad's premier fine artists, Hashim Al-Samarraie captures Iraqi and Kurdish culture through his unparalleled sensitivity to emotion and detail. Living with his family amid the chaos and danger of present day Baghdad, he persists in the work that has nurtured him for the past 25 years as an artist. Hashim's work evokes an Iraqi past that is now lost to war and conflict, a remembrance of things past brought to life under his brush.

Syra Arts in Georgetown

 

Through Aug. 12

Does the Body Rule the Mind, or Does the Mind Rule the Body?

"Does the body" is the museum's first live performance exhibition, introducing the newest generation of American artists who blend the avant-garde legacy of performance art with pop culture, presented together for the first time.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

 

Through Aug. 12

Ralph Steadman: A Retrospective

Celebrating the career of one of Britain's most important graphic artists of the last 50 years, this collection of more than 100 original artworks will take viewers on a journey through Ralph Steadman's wide-ranging career, from sketches created in the 1950s, to book illustrations, to present-day work. Steadman is famous for his long collaboration with the writer Hunter S. Thompson, most notably providing the illustrations for "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and helping to create what has since become known as "Gonzo" journalism.

American University Museum

 

Through Aug. 15

Mayas: Spaces of Memory

Documenting Mayan sites throughout Mexico, photographer Javier Hinojosa clearly and forcefully reflects the intimate relationship that exists between the jungle and the Mayas. Over the centuries the Mayas populated, developed and tamed the jungle, leaving behind a vast visual record of their historical and archeological legacy. In the process, they experienced an enormous amount of change, developing from tiny agricultural communities and the first regional centers of power to eventually becoming masters of politics, war and the jungle

Mexican Cultural Institute

 

Through Aug. 15

Tomb of Christ

Be virtually transported to Jerusalem and discover the fascinating history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in an immersive 3-D experience unlike anything you've seen in a museum before. Groups will be able to virtually visit the church and learn about its storied history and enduring mysteries.

National Geographic

 

Through Aug. 24

1968: A Time of Uproar in Europe and the U.S.

Riots in Washington, D.C., violent protests in Berlin, a national strike in Paris and the brutal end of the Prague Spring: The year of 1968 was shaped by protest movements and an atmosphere of massive change. On the 50th anniversary of the protests, the Goethe-Institut highlights these historic events with a photo exhibition, offering a view into the movements in these four major cities.

Goethe-Institut

 

Through Aug. 24

In the Library: The Richter Archive at 75

In celebration of the 1943 arrival of the George M. Richter Archive of Illustrations on Art — the founding collection of 60,000 photographs that formed the nucleus of the department of image collections — this installation presents the history and development of the photographic archives of the National Gallery of Art.

National Gallery of Art

 

Through Aug. 31

Constructing Mexico68

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first Latin American Olympic games, this exhibit takes audiences through a simple and concrete exploration of the sporting venues built for the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics and their constant connection to design and urban art. The development of competition sites for the Olympics' diverse sporting disciplines required not only the adaptation of existing structures, but also the rapid construction of new, modern and functional facilities. In these new spaces, it was possible to implement the use of an applied architecture that met both the needs of the audience and the functional requirements of each sporting event that occupied it.

Mexican Cultural Institute

 

Through Sept. 3

World on the Horizon: Swahili Arts Across the Indian Ocean

The first major traveling exhibition dedicated to the arts of the Swahili coast reveals the diverse interchanges that break down barriers between Africa and Asia in a space that physically connects the Smithsonian's African and Asian art museums. The Swahili coast, where East Africa meets the Indian Ocean, has long been a significant cultural, diplomatic and commercial intersection for Africa, Asia and Europe for millennia. "World on the Horizon" offers audiences an unprecedented opportunity to view over 160 artworks brought together from public and private collections from four continents.

National Museum of African Art

 

Through Sept. 9

Marking the Infinite: Contemporary Women Artists from Aboriginal Australia

Approximately 60 works, drawn from the collection of Miami-based collectors and philanthropists Debra and Dennis Scholl, spotlight nine leading Aboriginal Australian women artists. The artists are from remote Aboriginal communities across Australia, and the subjects of their art are broad, yet each work is an attempt to grapple with fundamental questions of existence, asking us to slow down and pay attention to the natural world.

The Phillips Collection

 

Through Sept. 16

Baselitz: Six Decades

The first major U.S. retrospective in more than 20 years of Georg Baselitz, one of Germany's greatest living artists, marks the artist's 80th birthday. With more than 100 works, including iconic paintings, works on paper, and wood and bronze sculptures, highlighting every phase of Baselitz's six-decade career from the 1950s to today, this milestone exhibition features work never before seen in the U.S. and cements Baselitz's reputation as one of the most original and inventive figurative artists of his generation.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

 

Through Sept. 16

Heavy Metal – Women to Watch 2018

Over 50 works made from silver, copper, bronze, pewter, aluminum and more highlight contemporary women artists working with a variety of metals and techniques to create pieces such as wall-size installations, exquisite jewelry and reinventions of familiar objects.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

 

Through Sept. 23

Form and Function: The Genius of the Book

Dive deep into one of the world's greatest technologies: the book. Discover a history beyond what's printed on the page, seen in the structure, craftsmanship and beauty of this often-overlooked marvel.

Folger Shakespeare Library

 

Through Oct. 14

Collection of the Art Museum of the Americas

The OAS AMA | Art Museum of the Americas announces the second in a series of exhibitions accompanying "Collection of the Art Museum of the Americas of the Organization of American States, curated by Adriana Ospina. Initiated five years ago, the project aims to rethink the study of the historical and cultural legacy of the Art Museum of the Americas, beginning with a comprehensive catalogue of the permanent collection. The catalogue highlights key pieces of the AMA art collection, representing fundamental artistic trends that have developed in Latin America, including new figuration, geometric and lyrical abstraction, conceptual art, optical and kinetic art. Over the years, the museum has provided valuable support in the expansion of the academic field of modern and contemporary art of Latin America and the Caribbean in the United States.

OAS Art Museum of the Americas

 

Through Nov. 12

Mark Bradford: Pickett's Charge

For his first solo exhibition in D.C., acclaimed artist Mark Bradford debuts a monumental site-specific commission inspired by Paul Philippoteaux's 1883 cyclorama depicting the Battle of Gettysburg. Covering the curved walls of the Hirshhorn's Third Level Inner Circle, "Pickett's Charge" presents 360 degrees of abstracted historical narrative.

Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

 

Through Nov. 25

Bound to Amaze: Inside a Book-Collecting Career

Curator Emerita Krystyna Wasserman assembled NMWA's collection of more than 1,000 artists' books over a 30-year period. This focus exhibition celebrates her vision and features 20 notable artists' books from the museum's expansive collection.

National Museum of Women in the Arts

 

Through Nov. 25

Water, Wind, and Waves: Marine Paintings from the Dutch Golden Age

The Dutch rose to greatness from the riches of the sea. During the 17th century, water was central to their economic and naval successes, but was also a source of pleasure and enjoyment. This exhibition explores the deep, multifaceted relationship the Dutch had with the water, including their gratitude for the sea's bounty and their fear of its sometimes destructive power.

National Gallery of Art

 

Through Dec. 25

Visionary: Viewpoints on Africa's Arts

More than 300 works of art from the museum's permanent collection are on view within this exhibition. Working in media as diverse as wood, ceramics, drawing, jewelry, mixed media, sculpture, painting, photography, printmaking, and video, these works of art reflect the visionary ideas and styles developed by men and women from more than half of Africa's 55 nations. The installation is organized around seven viewpoints, each of which serve to frame and affect the manner in which African art is experienced.

National Museum of African Art

 

Through Jan. 6, 2019

Sense of Humor

Humor may be fundamental to human experience, but its expression in painting and sculpture has been limited. Instead, prints, as the most widely distributed medium, and drawings, as the most private, have been the natural vehicles for comic content. Drawn from the National Gallery of Art's collection, this exhibition celebrates this incredibly rich though easily overlooked tradition through works including Renaissance caricatures, biting English satires, and 20th-century comics.

National Gallery of Art

 

Through Jan. 6, 2019

Trevor Paglen: Sites Unseen

Trevor Paglen is an award-winning artist whose work blurs the lines between art, science and investigative journalism to construct unfamiliar and at times unsettling ways to see and interpret the world. This is the first exhibition to present Paglen's early photographic series alongside his recent sculptural objects and new work with artificial intelligence.

Smithsonian American Art Museum

 

Through Jan. 13, 2019

Fabergé Rediscovered

Designed to delight and surprise, the treasures created by the firm of Carl Fabergé have inspired admiration and intrigue for over a century, both for their remarkable craftsmanship and the captivating stories that surround them. The fascination with Fabergé continues to uncover new discoveries about the storied jeweler to the tsars and his remarkable creations. This exhibit unveils recent research and explore how the 2014 discovery of a long-lost imperial Easter egg prompted new findings about Hillwood's own collection.

Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens

 

Through Jan. 21, 2019

No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man

Each year in Nevada's Black Rock Desert, a city of more than 70,000 people rises out of the dust for a single week. During that time, enormous experimental art installations are erected and many are ritually burned to the ground. Cutting-edge artwork created at Burning Man, the annual desert gathering that is one of the most influential events in contemporary art and culture, will be exhibited in the nation's capital for the first time this spring.

Renwick Gallery

DISCUSSIONS

Fri., Aug. 3, 6:45 p.m.

New Frontiers and Old Traditions: Trends in South American and Australian Wines

Argentine Malbec and Aussie Shiraz may still rule the export markets, but today's producers in South America and Australia create a richly varied range of high-quality wines that deserve to be better known. Joined by a pair of wine experts, Taylor Parsons, a Los Angeles-based sommelier, guides a two-part exploration of the history, development, and diversity of these two pivotal axes of the wine world. Ticket are $65; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

 

Sat., Aug. 4, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Decoding Air Travel: A Practical Guide for Frustrated Flyers

Does each news report on the latest air passenger's nightmare strengthen your resolve to never step on a plane again? Nicholas Kralev, a globe-trotting author and entrepreneur who has visited almost 100 countries and flown more than 2 million miles, decided that knowledge is the most effective key to affordable and comfortable travel. Learn his tricks as he discusses his book "Decoding Air Travel: A Guide to Saving on Airfare and Flying in Luxury." Tickets are $140; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

 

Sat., Aug. 11, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Buzz on Bees

In a day-long program, discover the ways humans and bees are inextricably linked, and how much we rely on them: When the hive thrives, we all thrive. Tickets are $140; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

 

Wed., Aug. 15, 6:45 p.m.

Heavenly Bodies at the Met: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination

A new exhibition at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art examines fashion's ongoing engagement with the devotional practices and traditions of Catholicism. Inspired by the exhibition, art historian Anne Higonnet surveys an unexpected range of style leaders, from the archangel Gabriel to Pope Francis I, and their influence on recent fashion. Tickets are $45; for information, visit www.smithsonianassociates.org.

S. Dillon Ripley Center

 

MUSIC

Aug. 2 to 5

WIPAC 2018 Piano Artist Competition

The Washington International Piano Arts Council (WIPAC) — an organization dedicated to a renaissance of classical piano artistry that includes both professional and outstanding amateur pianists showcasing their many talents — will be holding its 16th annual piano competition for outstanding piano amateurs in the Music Department at The George Washington University starting at 10 a.m. on Aug. 2. Preliminary rounds will be on Aug. 2 and 3; the semi-final round will be held on Aug. 4, with finalists being announced at 6 p.m. that Saturday. The final round will be held on Aug. 5 at 1 p.m. at the Cosmos Club and will be followed by cocktails, the awarding of prizes (including $3,000 for the first prize) and a celebratory dinner. Admission for the preliminary and semi-final round is $25.00; seating is between pianists. Admission for the final round is $25 for the concert; $50 for cocktails and awarding of prizes; or $150 for the celebratary dinner. Tickets may be purchased at the door, but reservations must be made in advance for the celebratory dinner. For more information, visit www.wipac.org.

The George Washington University
Cosmos Club

 

Thu., Aug. 2, 6:45 p.m.

La Música de México: Recital with Mexican Composer Alfredo Sánchez

As part of its 2018 Music Series, the Mexican Cultural Institute presents a recital titled "Mexico's nueva canción" with Mexican composer Alfredo Sánchez. Sánchez will play a number of his songs from over the years, offering a panorama of his work as composer and sampling the many different musical genres that have influenced him throughout his career, including music from Mexico, Latin America, as well as rock, jazz and more. To RSVP, visit www.instituteofmexicodc.org.

Mexican Cultural Institute

 

Mon., Aug. 6, 8 p.m.

Dani Cortaza: Jazz and Latin American Folklore

Composer and performer Dani Cortaza specializes in South American folklore, Brazilian and Latin jazz in nylon and electric jazz guitar. He returns to Blues Alley for the U.S. release of his album "Together/Oñondivé." Please call for ticket information.

Blues Alley

 

Mon., Aug. 6, 6:30 p.m.

Tango Jazz Quartet in Concert

Tango Jazz Quartet mixes the melodic and rhythmic patterns of tango with the improvisation of jazz, taking its unique brand of music to venues in Europe, Brazil, Russia, China and Africa. To RSVP, visit http://tjq.eventbrite.com.

Embassy of Argentina

 

Mon., Aug. 6, 6 p.m.

Upbeat Strings: Jakub Trasak and Jiří Nedoma

This is not your ordinary violin and piano duo but a groovy acoustic and electric experience across the genres. The concert, showcasing Jakub Trasak (violin) and Jiří Nedoma (piano), features virtuosic arrangements and an emotionally packed delivery of music by Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Coldplay and more.

Kennedy Center Millennium Stage

 

Mon., Aug. 7, 8 p.m.

Angélique Kidjo's Remain in Light

In her newest project, Angelique Kidjo reinterprets The Talking Heads's classic album, "Remain in Light" (1980), adding electrifying rhythms, African guitars and layered backing vocals. Cross-pollinating the West African traditions of her childhood in Benin with elements of American R&B, funk, and jazz, Kidjo is nothing short of exhilarating and transcendent. Tickets are $28 to $60.

Wolf Trap

 

Sun., Aug. 26, 8 p.m.

Bollywood Boulevard

Bollywood Boulevard — a harmonious fusion of live music, dance and film — leads audiences from the birth of Hindi cinema to present day. Experience the spirit, artistry, and history of India's famous film industry from the classics of the black and white era and the timeless songs of Bollywood's Golden Era to the foot-tapping blockbusters of today. Tickets are $25 to $55.

Wolf Trap

 

THEATER

 Aug. 4 to Sept. 2

The Bridges of Madison Country

A sweeping romance about the roads we travel, the doors we open and the bridges we dare to cross, this 2014 Tony Award-winner for Best Score and Orchestrations captures the lyrical expanse of America's heartland and the yearning entangled in the eternal question of "what if?" Tickets are $55.

Andrew Keegan Theatre

 

Through Aug. 5

The Story of the Gun

Mike Daisey returns to tackle our nation's most intractable subject: America's relationship with guns. Throwing easy answers and partisan bickering out the window, he delves into the history of the gun and its place in our national culture, cutting through the political static with hilarious comedy, brilliant observation, and pitch-perfect timing. Tickets are $20 to $75.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

 

Aug. 10 to Sept. 2

Melancholy Play: A Contemporary Farce

Tilly, a bank teller, is consumed by a melancholy so exquisite that everyone she meets becomes infatuated with her. But when Tilly inexplicably discovers happiness, her joy wreaks havoc on the lives of her paramours. Please call for ticket information.

Constellation Theatre Company at The Source

 

Through Aug. 12

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

A wizard stuck in a land far away from home; a Scarecrow tied to a pole; a Tinman rusted in a forest; and a Lion afraid of his own shadow. Join Synetic Theater's brand new adaptation of one of the most important cultural texts of the 20th century, L. Frank Baum's American masterpiece "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Tickets start at $35.

Synetic Theater

 

Aug. 14 to Sept. 23

Passion

Set in 1860s Italy, this gorgeous musical ignites a fiery love triangle when a handsome army captain is transferred to a remote military outpost and into the blinding infatuation of Fosca, the ailing cousin of his superior. Fosca's fervent longing draws him in as it threatens to upend his career in an exhilarating tangle of obsession, desire, madness and above all, passion. Please call for ticket information.

Signature Theatre

 

Through Aug. 19

Dave

From a Tony and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning creative team and adapted from the Oscar-nominated film, "Dave" tells the story of high school teacher (and presidential lookalike) Dave Kovic, who is hired by the Secret Service as a stand-in for the commander-in-chief. Tickets are $40 to $90.

Arena Stage

 

Through Aug. 26

The Color Purple

With a soul-raising score of jazz, gospel, ragtime, and blues, this joyous American classic has conquered Broadway in an all-new "ravishingly reconceived production that is a glory to behold" (The New York Times). Tickets are $69 to $149.

Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater