Semester Program

**For screening times check out our homepage where showtimes are listed and updated every week

January 9–10

SKIES OF LEBANON (2020)
Directed by Chloé Mazlo
French, Arabic, Italian, 92 min.

Using stories told to her by her grandmother of life during the Lebanese Civil War, Mazlo crafts a touching and heartbreaking story of love during wartime.

I'M STILL HERE (2024)*
Directed by Walter Salles
Portuguese, 137 min.

Rio de Janeiro, early 1970s. Brazil faces the tightening grip of a military dictatorship. The moving story of the Paiva family, based on the son’s memoir, helped to reconstruct an important part of Brazil’s hidden history. From Walter Salles, the acclaimed director of Central Station and The Motorcycle Diaries.

January 14–17

PING PONG (2002)*
Directed by Fumihiko Sori
Japanese, 114 min.

Ping Pong adapts the beloved manga with a kinetic style, focusing on high school rivals Peco and Smile as they vie for the national championship. Featuring vibrant cinematography and thrilling match sequences, it is a dynamic, fast-paced coming-of-age sports drama.

RIEFENSTAHL (2024)*
Directed by Andres Veiel
German and English, 115 min.

Using newly found personal archives, the film exposes propaganda filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl’s lifelong denial of complicity in the Third Reich's atrocities, raising questions about art, morality, and the power of imagery to serve toxic ideologies.

DECISION TO LEAVE (2022)*
Directed by Park Chan-wook
Korean, 139 min.

Detective Hae-jun investigates a man's suspicious death and becomes captivated by the victim's wife, Seo-rae, a prime suspect. Visionary director Park Chan-wook delivers an elegant, Hitchcockian tale of forbidden love, deception, and betrayal.

January 21–24

OVER THE LIMIT (2017)*
Directed by Marta Prus
Russian, 74 min.

Over the Limit offers an intense, behind-the-scenes look at the extreme physical and psychological demands placed on Margarita Mamun, an Olympic rhythmic gymnast, as she prepares for the Rio Games.

NEVER ALONE (2024)*
Directed by Klaus Härö
Finnish, Swedish, German, Hebrew, 85 min.

This gripping tale of resistance highlights the moral dilemmas of a nation caught in an uneasy alliance with Nazi Germany and the heroic efforts of one man to stand up for humanity amidst overwhelming adversity.

CHRONICLES OF A WANDERING SAINT (2023)*
Directed by Tomás Gómez Bustillo
Spanish, 84 min.

This whimsical film is a heartfelt and humorous exploration of misplaced devotion, the need for human connection, and the miracles found in everyday misadventures.

January 28–31

THE NATURAL (1984)*
Directed by Barry Levinson
English, 138 min.

To honor Robert Redford and his legacy, we are showing this lyrical and visually stunning story of destiny, redemption, and the enduring power of “America's pastime.” The Natural remains one of the great baseball films of all time. 

ANSELM (2023)
Directed by Wim Wenders
German and English, 93 min.

This documentary offers a hypnotic portrait of the influential German painter and sculptor Anselm Kiefer. The film traces Kiefer's life and career, exploring his monumental works that confront Germany's dark history, mythology, and human existence itself.

ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS (2000)*
Directed by Lone Scherfig
Danish, 112 min.

Italian for Beginners is a heartwarming and humorous Danish romantic comedy. Set against the backdrop of a small, dreary Danish town, the film follows a group of lonely individuals whose lives intertwine after they enroll in a beginner’s Italian night school class.

February 4–7

SHAOLIN SOCCER (2001)*
Directed by Stephen Chow
Cantonese and Mandarin, 87 min.

Shaolin Soccer is a sports comedy where former Shaolin monk Sing reunites his brothers to form a soccer team. They combine their superhuman kung fu skills with the game to challenge a corrupt professional team. This film is a wildly entertaining ride and a tribute to Bruce Lee.

QUISLING: THE FINAL DAYS (2025)*
Directed by Erik Poppe
Norwegian and Russian, 146 min.

As Norway celebrates liberation after World War II, notorious Nazi collaborator Vidkun Quisling sits in a prison cell, arrested for high treason. The former puppet leader maintains his blamelessness and awaits trial, convinced he acted to save his nation from Bolshevism.

AIN'T NO BACK TO A MERRY-GO-ROUND (2024)*
Directed by Ilana Trachtman
English, 89 min.

In 1960, Black students initiated the first organized interracial civil rights protest at a segregated Maryland carousel. This movement attests to the impact of everyday people working together to change history.

February 11–14

CHUNGKING EXPRESS (1994)*
Directed by Wong Kar-Wai
Cantonese, Mandarin, 1994, 102 min.

Chungking Express is a quintessential 1990s masterpiece from director Wong Kar-Wai, exploring two separate tales of love and missed connections in bustling Hong Kong.

XANADU (1980)*
Directed by Robert Greenwald
English, 96 min.

Xanadu is a vibrant roller-disco musical fantasy that blends 1940s nostalgia with 1980s pop culture. A struggling artist, Sonny Malone, is inspired by Kira, a mysterious muse to open a rollerskating nightclub. With a timeless soundtrack by ELO and Olivia Newton-John.

THE TASTE OF THINGS (2023)*
Directed by Anh Hung Tran
French, 135 min.

This film explores the deep connection between Eugénie, an exceptional cook, and Dodin Bouffant, the gourmet she works for. Their shared passion for gastronomy blossoms into a profound, tender relationship, expressed through the exquisite dishes they prepare together.

February 18–21

FREEDOM FIELDS (2018)
Directed by Naziha Arebi
Arabic and English, 97 min.

Filmed over five years, Freedom Fields follows three women and their soccer team in post-revolution Libya, as the country descends into civil war. An intimate film about hope, struggle, and sacrifice in a land where dreams seem a luxury. A love letter to sisterhood and teamwork.

VERMIGLIO (2024)*
Directed by Maura Delpero
Italian, 119 min.

Set in the mountainous village of Vermiglio during the waning days of WWII, this film follows a series of dramatic, consequential events after the arrival of a taciturn Sicilian soldier, who hides out in town after deserting the army.

SOULEYMANE'S STORY (2024)*
Directed by Boris Lojkine
French, Fulah, Malinka, 93 min.

An urgent portrait of a Guinean immigrant's struggle for asylum in Paris, this film follows Souleymane as he works illegally as a food delivery cyclist while preparing for a critical interview to determine his legal status. 

February 25–28

BLOOD WEDDING (1981)
Directed by Carlos Saura
Spanish, 67 min.

A flamenco troupe prepares to perform Federico García Lorca's tragedy, Blood Wedding. The film masterfully blurs the lines between art and reality as the dancers embody a timeless tale of forbidden love, ingrained family honor, and violent revenge.

ROUND MIDNIGHT (1986)*
Directed by Bertrand Tavernier
English, 135 min.

In 1950s Paris, a gifted but troubled jazz saxophonist struggles with alcoholism and a fading career. This film is a sensitive, atmospheric portrait of the jazz life, celebrated for Dexter Gordon's Oscar-nominated performance and an evocative soundtrack.

BENSHI EVENT — ONE SCREENING

Benshi performance by Kataoka Ichiro with the screenings of A Page of Madness (Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1926, 70 min), Snipped Snake (Chiho Maekawa, 1932, 4min.) and Liberty (Leo McCarey, 1929, 20 min.) This event is part of a mini tour that includes screenings in Santa Barbara and San Francisco.

VALLEY OF PEACE (1956)
Directed by France Stiglic
Slovenian, German, English, 82 min.

During the height of World War II in Nazi-occupied Slovenia, two orphaned children flee their bombed town in search of a mythical "Valley of Peace" where war supposedly does not exist.

March 4–7

THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (1967)
Directed by Jacques Demy
French, English, 125 min.

A vibrant, candy-colored celebration of Hollywood's Golden Age, Jacques Demy's The Young Girls of Rochefort follows twin sisters Delphine and Solange (played by real-life sisters Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac) as they search for love and opportunity.

MANAS (2024)*
Directed by Marianna Brennand
Portuguese, 101 min.

In a riverside Amazon community, 13-year-old Tielle idealizes her sister's escape via marriage to a wealthy man. Her illusions shatter when she matures, becomes trapped in abusive environments, and then confronts the oppressive system she now recognizes.

WERCKMEISTER HARMONIES (2000)*
Directed by Ágnes Hranitzky and Béla Tarr
Hungarian and Slovak, 145 min.

The quiet life of naive Janos is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious circus featuring a giant stuffed whale and a shadowy figure known as "The Prince". This film is an allegorical vision of humanity's destructive potential, exploring themes of order, chaos, and the rise of totalitarianism.

March 11–14

PINA (2011)*
Directed by Wim Wenders
German, French, English, 103 min.

Wim Wenders' Oscar-nominated documentary is a stunning tribute to the late modern dance pioneer Pina Bausch. Her dancers perform her most celebrated and emotionally raw works both on stage and in the industrial landscapes of Wuppertal, Germany.

YI YI (2000)*
Directed by Edward Yang
Mandarin, Min Nan, Hokkien, English, Japanese, French, 173 min.

The extraordinary, internationally embraced Yi Yi, directed by the late Taiwanese master Edward Yang, follows a middle-class family in Taipei over the course of one year, beginning with a wedding and ending with a funeral. 

METROPOLIS (1927)*
Directed by Fritz Lang
Silent, 153 min.

Fritz Lang's silent masterpiece Metropolis depicts a futuristic city rigidly divided between the elite and the exploited. Please join us for the Black Tie Event on Friday March 13 which will feature live music playing during the screening. 

March 18–21

POLINA (2016)
Directed by Valérie Müller and Angelin Preljocaj
French and Russian, 108 min.

Polina is a captivating coming-of-age drama about a gifted Russian ballerina who abandons the rigid world of the Bolshoi Ballet for the expressive freedom of modern dance in France. The film follows her struggle to find her own artistic voice and place in the world.

CRÍA CUERVOS (1976)*
Directed by Carlos Saura
Spanish, 105 min.

During the twilight of Franco's dictatorship in Spain, eight-year-old Ana is convinced she can control life and death. Cría Cuervos is an exploration of childhood trauma, memory, and the political climate of the era, blending fantasy with stark reality.

SENTIMENTAL VALUE (2025)*
Directed by Joachim Trier
Norwegian and English, 133 min.

Sentimental Value is a magnetic comedy-drama from acclaimed Norwegian auteur Joachim Trier about legacy, art, and complex family dynamics. Nora and Agnes reunite with their estranged director father, Gustav, who offers Nora a role in his comeback film.

March 25–28

SUMMER INTERLUDE (1951)*
Directed by Ingmar Bergman
Swedish, 96 min.

Marie, an emotionally distant prima ballerina, prepares for Swan Lake when a mysterious diary arrives, forcing her to confront a long-suppressed past in Ingmar Bergman's poignant early masterpiece, a powerful and poetic reflection on love, loss of innocence, and the past.

UNDER THE SAME MOON (2007)
Directed by Patricia Riggen
Spanish and English, 106 min.

Carlitos embarks on a perilous journey across the U.S.-Mexico border to find his mother, an undocumented worker in Los Angeles. Under the Same Moon is a heartwarming and poignant story of love, courage, and the unwavering hope of a family striving to reunite against all odds.

PUT YOUR SOUL ON YOUR HAND AND WALK (2025)
Directed by Sepideh Farsi
English and Arabic, 113 min.

Created through a year of video calls between filmmaker Sepideh Farsi and photojournalist Fatma Hassona, Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk offers a personal, intimate account of life under siege in Gaza.

April 1–4

10,000 DREAMS FILM FESTIVAL — ONE SCREENING
Jesse Obremski, 77 min.

This compilation of 11 unique dance shorts from the 10,000 Dreams Film Festival amplifies Asian American and Pacific Islander voices in film and dance. These films explore themes of  identity,  immigrant heritage, societal systems, longing,  love, and loss.

THE RED SHOES (1948)
Directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
English, French and Russian, 135 min.

A visually stunning masterpiece, The Red Shoes is a cinematic fairy tale that plunges viewers into the passionate, competitive world of a prestigious ballet company. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.

TINY LIGHTS (2024)*
Directed by Beata Parkanová
Czech, Slovak, 74 min.

A sensitive and visually striking character study, Tiny Lights is a powerful meditation on the things children see and hear long before they can name the ache of a world shifting around them. 

PRIME MINISTER (2025)*
Directed by Lindsay Utz and Michelle Walshe
English, 101 min.

This documentary provides unprecedented access to New-Zealand leader Jacinda Ardern's seven transformative years in power, capturing her meteoric rise, shocking 2023 resignation, and ongoing fight against fear and falsehood in politics.

April 8–11

OM SHANTI OM (2007)*
Directed by Farah Khan
Hindi and Urdu, 162 min.

In 1970s Bollywood, aspiring actor Om is murdered while trying to save superstar Shanti Priya, the woman he loves. Decades later, Om is reincarnated as a modern-day superstar and begins to piece together the fragments of his past life, setting out on a quest for justice and revenge.

THE MAKING OF A JAPANESE (2023)
Directed by Ema Ryan Yamazaki
Japanese, 99 min.

Intimately picturing one school year from the perspective of 1st and 6th graders, The Making of a Japanese captures the magic of childhood with precious moments of joy, tears, and discovery as the students learn the traits necessary to become part of Japanese society.

PARASITE (2019)
Directed by Bong Joon Ho
Korean, 2019, 132 min.

This Palme d’Or winning social thriller has taken the cinema world by storm with its representation of the social strata in South Korean society. The Kim family infiltrates the wealthy Parks’ home by systematically taking each household job until their ruse erupts into shocking violence along class lines.