Cinefest adds to Special Presentations Lineup

August 12, 2011 filed under Canadian , Special Presentations and World Cinema

Cinéfest Sudbury is pleased to announce additional selections for the Special Presentations programme for the 23rd edition of the festival. These films represent some of the year’s best in Canadian and World Cinema.

Les neiges du Kilimandjaro (The Snows of Kilimanjaro) [Robert Guédiguian, France, 2011, French with English Subtitles]

Despite losing his job, Michel (Jean-Pierre Darroussin) lives happily with Marie-Claire (Ariane Ascaride). They have been in love for more than thirty years, have children and grandchildren that delight them as well as plenty of close friends. They are proud of their union and political struggles, and their conscience is as clear as their view of life. This happiness will be shattered along with their French window by two young men, armed and masked, who beat them, tie them up, snatch their wedding rings and flee with their credit cards. The shock will be all the more violent when they discover that this brutal attack was organized by one of the young workers laid off at the same time as Michel, by one of their own people. Les neiges du Kilimandjaro is distributed in Canada by Mongrel Media.

A Separation (Jodaeiye Nader az Simin) [Asghar Farhadi, Iran, 2011, Persian with English subtitles]

Nader (Peyman Moaadi) and Simin (Leila Hatami) argue about living abroad. Simin prefers to live abroad to provide better opportunities for their only daughter, Termeh (Sarina Farhadi). However, Nader refuses to go because he thinks he must stay in Iran and take care of his father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi), who suffers from Alzheimers. However, Simin is determined to get a divorce and leave the country with her daughter. A masterpiece from one of Iran’s top directors, A Separation has been sweeping awards internationally since its release, including an unprecedented three Bears from the Berlin Film Festival. A Separation is distributed in Canada by Mongrel Media.

The Whistleblower [Larysa Kondracki, Germany/Canada, 2010]

Inspired by true events, Kathy (Rachel Weisz) is an American police officer who takes a job working as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Her expectations of helping to rebuild a devastated country are dashed when she uncovers a dangerous reality of corruption, cover-up and intrigue amid a world of private contractors and multinational diplomatic doubletalk. A drama based on the experiences of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop who served as a peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia and outed the U.N. for covering up a sex scandal. The Whistleblower is distributed in Canada by Entertainment One.

These films will join the previously announced La Sacrée, The Skin I Live In (La piel que habito), and Take Shelter to be screened as part of the Special Presentations programme.