Sep 14, 2011
SFFILM
The Sleeping Beauty (La belle endormie, France 2010), Catherine Breillat’s examination of female mythologies, sexuality, gender conflict and intimacy, plays October 17-21 at the San Francisco Film Society’s new theatrical home, San Francisco Film Society | New People Cinema (1746 Post Street).
On the heels of the mesmeric Bluebeard (SFIFF 2009), French auteur Catherine Breillat again delves into the piquant fairy tales of Charles Perrault for this singular, sparkling film, a reverie and rumination over slumbering lives and awakening sexual and mortal consciousness. The director’s idiosyncratic, heady and erotic aesthetic fashions a world at once palpable and ethereal, itself a waking dream, with a ludic insouciance that delights in combining allusive, painterly detail with makeshift and anachronistic improvisations. As much a tonic to the intellect as the senses, The Sleeping Beauty will keep you up all night.
Written by Catherine Breillat. Photographed by Denis Lenoir. With Carla Besnaïnou, Julia Artamanov, Kérian Mayan, David Chausse. 82 min. In French with subtitles. Distributed by Strand Releasing. Showtimes 3:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 daily.
To request screeners contact hilary@sffs.org.
For photos and press materials visit: sffs.org/pressdownloads.
At San Francisco Film Society | New People Cinema, the supremely stylish state-of-the art theater located in the ultra-contemporary New People building at 1746 Post Street (Webster/Buchanan) in Japantown, the San Francisco Film Society offers its acclaimed exhibition, education and filmmaker services programs and events on a daily year-round basis. For complete up-to-date information on all SFFS | NPC programming, including buying tickets, visit sffs.org/cinema.
Upcoming San Francisco Film Society programs
Opens September 16: Aurora Romanian filmmaker Cristi Puiu destroys all notions of crime as entertainment in this painstakingly realistic anatomy of a crisis, delivering a chilling character study of an ordinary person driven to extremes.
September 22: Grand Opening of San Francisco Film Society | New People Cinema with a ribbon-cutting, champagne toast, screening of short films and open house reception.
September 23-25: Hong Kong Cinema New in 2011, presenting recent works from one of the world’s most exciting film industries.
September 26: The Disappearance of McKinley Nolan Private McKinley Nolan vanished 40 years ago on the Cambodian frontier. In 2006, his younger brother travels from rural Texas to Vietnam to try to unravel the story in this moving documentary.
September 27: Film Arts Forum: The Sound of Cinema A panel discussion and networking event offering insight and expertise on sound design in film.
September 28-29: Shaolin With a superstar cast including Andy Lau, Jackie Chan and Nicholas Tse and a group of real Shaolin monks, this is an action-packed story of a ruthless warlord’s rehabilitation through Buddhist practice.
Opens September 30: Passione John Turturro’s tuneful exploration of the musical roots and traditions of Naples, Italy, as well as its influence on the rest of the world.
October 1: Film in the Fog Free, family-friendly screening will feature Delmer Daves’s gritty film noir thriller Dark Passage (USA 1947), a musical performance, a classic animated short and free freshly-popped popcorn.
October 9: An Evening with Susan Orlean and Rin Tin Tin Orlean celebrates the publication of her new book Rin Tin Tin: The Life and Legend with an illustrated introduction to Rin Tin Tin’s career and a screening of his greatest silent film, Clash of the Wolves.
October 14-16: Taiwan Film Days A showcase of the best contemporary Taiwanese cinema.
October 21-23: NY/SF International Children’s Film Festival A celebration of diverse, enlightening, inspiring and entertaining films for kids ages 3-18 and their families.
October 24: Orbit(film) and An Injury to One A program of short films dedicated to the awe and absurdity of the solar system.