Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Festival honors the right to die and the right to have sex

Magic Lantern film festival continues


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Festival honors the right to die and the right to have sex

"The Sea Inside" chronicles Ramón Sampedro's fight to die.

The valley's film fans have spent the past five days rejoicing in the cinematic delights offered by the Magic Lantern film festival.

The twice-annual affair ends its spring fling on Thursday, May 5, so there are only eight more days in which to catch some of last year's finest motion-pictures.

Tonight and tomorrow night the first week's offerings are still on show: the French double-Oscar-nominee "The Chorus," a lavish all-star production of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice," Woody Allen's latest Manhattan offering "Melinda and Melinda," and 2004's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar-winner "Born into Brothels."

Starting Friday, April 29, is a fresh lineup of the controversial and brilliant films of 2004.

The Spanish-language "The Sea Inside" ("Mar Adentro") deals with a particularly hot-button issue. Written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar, starring Spanish darling Javier Bardem, "Sea" explores the story of Ramón Sampedro, who fought a 30-year campaign to win the right to end his life with dignity.

"Nobody Knows" ("Dare mo shiranai") was the Official Selection of the 2004 Cannes Film Festival and Japan's entry to the 2004 Academy Awards.

Director Hirokazu Kore-eda presents this exceptional story of a makeshift family of children left to survive in an urban jungle. The abandonment of four siblings—all with different fathers—by their mother begins the children's odyssey, a journey nobody knows.

"Some war stories will never make the nightly news," shouts the poster for "Gunner Palace." Following the experiences of American soldiers of the 2/3 Field Artillery Baghdad during the Iraq War, this documentary was hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as "a riveting and indispensable record of the war in Iraq—because it comes from the men who lived it."

Holed up in a bombed-out pleasure palace built by Saddam Hussein, the soldiers endured hostile situations some four months after President George W. Bush declared the end of major combat operations in the country.

"Inside Deep Throat" delves behind the scenes of the 30-year-old film that heralded the cinematic-porn industry.

Filmed in six days for $25,000, "Deep Throat" was banned in 23 states. Since its release it has grossed over $600 million and is the most profitable film in motion picture history.

Film Festival

For full information about the festival pick up a schedule at the Magic Lantern, 100 E. Second St., in Ketchum, or call 726-4274.




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