The Film Club

Children_of_HeavenSynopsis:
Children of Heaven, is an Oscar nominated Iranian film with English subtitles. An extraordinary piece of filmmaking, Children of Heaven engages people from all backgrounds in revisiting and reflecting on their childhood.

The story concerns a 9-year-old boy Ali, and his 7-year-old sister Zahra, who live with their parents in a one-room flat in the south of Tehran. At the outset, Ali is sent to have his sister’s shoes repaired, but on the way home the repaired shoes are mistakenly taken away by a city rag picker while Ali is dutifully shopping for some potatoes that his mother needs. This establishes the “problem” that drives the rest of the story. Ali is mortified by having lost the shoes, knowing that his family cannot afford to replace them and that he will be severely punished for his error. He and his sister take the only option that appears: since they attend school at different times, they must share Ali’s sneakers, without telling their parents. While a novel arrangement, we know that it is not sustainable and something will have to give.

Children of Heaven is a simple, realistic window into the emotional ups and downs of childhood. It invites us to experience the myriad of fears, dreams and expectations that a child has to navigate through on a daily basis – the desperate need for approval from ‘grownups’, the desire to meet their expectations and the ever-present fear of punishment.

The movie has been selected for screening at TRC for its relevance to the times we live in. In a world of impossible demands and a never-ending series of often-frightening encounters with intolerant adults, this powerful film prompts us to revisit and realize the enormity of every experience for a child, and our role as ‘grownups’ in influencing the impact of those experiences.

Facilitator: Sadiya Azeem
Date: Friday, October 30, 2009
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Venue: TRC
Duration of Film: 90 minutes
Discussion Time: 45-60 minutes
Fee: Rs. 200 per participant

Read More
The Film Club

awednesdaySynopsis
‘A Wednesday’ is a film starring Anupam Kher, Naseeruddin Shah, Jimmy Sheirgill and Aamir Bhasin. The screenplay is excellent and the characters have been masterfully created. Prakash Rathod, Commissioner of Police, Mumbai gets a call demanding the release of four militants in exchange for information on bombs that a man has planted in various parts of the city. At first, Prakash suspects it to be a crank call but his doubts are dispelled once he actually finds a bomb planted in the police station right opposite his Police Headquarters.

Now Prakash Rathod is in a real dilemma. Should he release the militants? Militants who have been caught at the cost of lives of police officers and who are responsible for unaccountable damage to civilian lives and property. Or should he just think of all the innocent people who will die today if he decides not to let them go?
Prakash Rathod is not a man who will give up so easily. He gets a team of his best men together and taps all his resources – he is going to leave no stone unturned in his mission to track down the man.

Who is this man? What is his identity? What are his intentions and what are the motives behind his actions? In due course the caller reveals his true identity and answers these questions, raising some more in the process…

Facilitators: Ghazanfar Shahzad & Uzma Rauf
Date: Thursday, January 22, 2009
Time: 2:15 p.m.
Venue: TRC
Duration: Film & Discussion: 3 Hours
Fee: Rs. 200

Read More
The Film Club

Freedom_WritersSynopsis:
Freedom Writers is inspired by a true story and the diaries of real Long Beach teenagers after the LA riots, during the worst outbreak of interracial gang warfare. Two-time Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank stars as Erin Gruwell, whose passion to become a teacher is soon challenged by a group of Black, Latino, and Asian students and gang members who hate her even more than each other. When Erin begins to listen to them in a way no adult has ever done, she begins to understand that for these kids, getting through the day alive is enough — they are not delinquents but teenagers fighting “a war of the streets” that began long before they were born. Erin gives them something they never had from a teacher before — respect. For the first time, these teens experience a hope that maybe, they might show the world that their lives matter and they have something to say.

Facilitator: Mahenaz Mahmud
Date: Thursday, October 30, 2008
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Venue: TRC
Duration: Film & Discussion: 3 Hours
Fee: Rs. 200

Read More
The Film Club

Synopsis:
pursuit_of_happynessWill Smith stars in this moving tale inspired by the true story of Chris Gardner, a San Francisco salesman struggling to build a future for himself and his 5 yearold son Christopher (Jaden Smith). When his girlfriend Linda (Thandie Newton) walks out, Chris is left to raise Christopher on his own. Chris’ determination finally pays off when he lands an unpaid internship in a brutally competitive stockbroker-training program, where only one in twenty interns will make the cut. But without a salary, Chris and his son are evicted from their apartment and are forced to sleep on the streets, in homeless shelters and even behind the locked doors of a metro station bathroom.
With self-confidence and the love and trust of his son, Chris Gardner rises above his
obstacles to become a Wall Street legend.

The Pursuit of Happyness is an inspirational, coming-of-age memoir that bears the message that the thirst for learning, hard work, and never giving up on the people who make you truly “wealthy”, can break destructive cycles and propel anyone to unlimited heights – no matter who they are, where they come from, or what their circumstances maybe.

Facilitator: Ghazanfar Shahzad
Date: Friday, May 16, 2008
Time: 2:30 p.m.
Venue: TRC
Duration: Film & Discussion: 3 Hours
Fee: Rs. 200

Read More
The Film Club

Synopsis:

Dor is a tale of two women from two different worlds. Zeenat is an independent, self-assured young woman from Himachal Pradesh. She has lived life on her terms. Her strength of character is evident from how she lives alone, chooses to marry for love, and is ready to go to any lengths to save the life of the man she loves.
Meera is a simple and conventional girl who lives by the strict traditions of her Rajput roots. She is a sweet innocent girl who is content with what life has given her. A loving husband and a joint family. She never questions her existence in the patriarchal settings of Rajasthan, even when her life drastically changes after the sudden death of her young husband.

In ways that neither Zeenat or Meera can perceive, their worlds are about to collide. A life-changing piece of news reaches both women and sets into motion a series of events that will change their lives forever. Zeenat is compelled to make the long journey from the hills of Himachal Pradesh to Rajasthan’s deserts in search of Meera. As different as they are, Zeenat and Meera form an uncommon bond of friendship and respect when they meet. But can their friendship endure the uneasy truth that Zeenat hides?
DorDor is a compelling story about love, loss, friendship and hope that leaves you thinking: Just how far would you go to save the one you love? Would you beg? Would you fight? Would you challenge even destiny?

Facilitator: Seema Malik

Date: Friday, April 11, 2008

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Venue: TRC

Duration: Film & Discussion: 3 hours 45 minutes

Fee: Rs. 200

Read More
The Film Club

Film: Lord of the Flies

Synopsis: Lord of the Flies is famed theater director Peter Brook’s daring translation of William Golding’s brilliant novel. The story of 30 English schoolboys stranded on an uncharted island at the start of the “next” war, Lord of the Flies is a seminal film of the New American Cinema and a fascinating anti-Hollywood experiment in location filmmaking. As the cast relived Golding’s frightening fable, Brook found the cinematic “evidence” of the author’s terrifying thesis: there is a beast in us all…

In this classic 1963 adaptation of William Golding’s novel, a planeload of schoolboys is stranded on a tropical island. They’ve got food and water; all that’s left is to peacefully govern themselves until they’re rescued. “After all,” says choir leader Jack, “We’re English. We’re the best in the world at everything!”

Lord of the Flies.thumbnail

Unfortunately, living peacefully is not as easy as it seems. Though Ralph is named chief, Jack and the choristers quickly form a clique of their own, using the ever-effective political promise of fun rather than responsibility to draw converts.

Director Peter Brook draws some excellent performances out of his young cast; the moment when Ralph realizes that even if he blows the conch for a meeting people might not come is an excruciating one.

Well acted and faithfully executed, Lord of the Flies is as compelling today as when first released.

Facilitator: Zaheer Kidvai
Date: Saturday, March 3, 2007
Time: 10:30 am
Venue: TRC, 67-B, Garden Road, Karachi-75500
Duration: Film and Discussion: 2.5 hours
Fee: Rs. 150

Please phone and make a reservation. Seats are limited and will be available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Read More
The Film Club

12 Angry Men Poster
Film: Twelve Angry Men

Heralded as one of the all-time great theatrical releases, both as a play and a film, “12 Angry Men” focuses on a jury’s deliberations in a murder case. A 12-man jury is sent to discuss and reach the final decision in the first-degree murder trial of an 18-year-old Latino accused in the stabbing death of his father. A guilty verdict means an automatic death sentence. The case appears to be open-and-shut: The defendant has a weak alibi; a knife he claimed to have lost is found at the murder scene; and several witnesses either heard screaming, saw either the killing or the boy fleeing the scene. Eleven of the jurors immediately vote ‘guilty’; only one Juror casts a ‘not guilty’ vote. What begins as a clear-cut case of murder soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors’ prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.

A triumph of Director Sydney Lumet’s brilliance, almost all of the action in this black & white 1957 masterpiece takes place in one room and holds the audience spellbound, not because of the murder mystery but the stunning showcasing of human emotions. While the two major roles, executed superbly by Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb, will live with you forever, every single character is played as flawlessly as you could ever have imagined.

The film raises several issues, from pre-conceived notions to apathy and from anger management (several corporations around the world continue to use it for personnel training) to rigidity of views.

Facilitator: Zaheer Kidvai

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NOV 4 SESSION HAS BEEN FULLY BOOKED BY A SCHOOL AND IS BEING HELD AT ITS OWN PREMISES. THE SHOWING OF ‘TWELVE ANGRY MEN’ AT THE TRC WILL NOW BE HELD ON THE DATE BELOW.

Date: Saturday, November 25, 2006
Time: 10:30 am
Venue: TRC, 67-B, Garden Road, Karachi-75500
Duration: Film and Discussion: 2.5 hours
Fee: Rs. 150 only

Read More
The Film Club

Film: Song Spinner

Synopsis: In the kingdom of Shandrilan, winter has been growing longer and colder ever since the creation of the Hush Law forbidding noise. This includes everything from talking loud, laughter, and dancing to music! But Aurora, the daughter of the ‘town whisperer’, hears music (“beautiful noises” as she calls them)! She is sure of it. Her parents are quite distressed at this and forbid her to speak of it. Her mother is particularly harsh on the subject for reasons that Aurora does not know …. Then Aurora befriends a mysterious gypsy who gives her a music box. The machine will teach her all the “old songs” before the sun fades away in Shandrilan, if she isn’t arrested by the ‘noise police’ first. A gentle, artistic, and powerful portrayal of honoring the truth even when it’s forbidden or not popular.The_Song_Spinner

Made for TV in 1995, Director Randy Bradshaw’s delightfully magical movie has had tremendous acclaim from teachers and parents who have called it “a pure gem of a movie!”, “flawless in every way!” and “timeless and timely!”

The film raises several issues related to Authoritarianism, Laws, the role of Music in our lives, and the ability of a courageous heart to affect the world.

Facilitator: Zaheer Kidvai

Date: Saturday, June 17, 2006

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Venue: TRC, 6C Prime Point Building, Khayaban-e-Ittehad, Phase 7, DHA

Duration: Film and Discussion: 2.5 hours

Fee: Rs. 150

Please phone and make a reservation. Seats are limited and will be available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Read More
The Film Club

Film: Cheaters

Synopsis: In the fall of 1994, a teacher at Chicago’s run-down Steinmetz High recruited seven students for an academic decathlon team. They worked long hours, preparing for the February regional event, previously won for ten straight years by a privileged, preppy school. Steinmetz finished just well enough to be invited to the state championship. When a team member stole a copy of the state test, the teacher and students faced a dilemma: to remain honest, or to cheat and score a victory for students in underfunded schools. When they do well, they must face a withering barrage of investigations, accusations, lawyers’ lies, and reporters’ intrusions. Is it all worth it? What lessons does cheating teach?

Made for HBO, Director John Stockwell’s brilliant drama is based on the true story of eleven students who conspire with their teacher to cheat on an academic competition. The film raises several issues related to Testing, Grading,
cheatersCompetition, Motivation, Fairness, and Privilege
. As the film’s tagline states, Cheaters “puts the system to test”.

The film won two of Television’s most coveted awards: the Emmy (for Outstanding Writing) and the Eddie (for Best Edited Motion Picture for Non-Commercial Television).

Facilitator: Zaheer Kidvai

Dates: Saturday, May 6, 2006 & Saturday, May 20, 2006

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Venue: 6th May: TRC, 67-B, Garden Road | 20th May: TRC, 6C Prime Point Building, Khayaban-e-Ittehad, Phase 7, DHA

Duration: Film and Discussion: 2.5 hours

Fee: Rs. 150

Please phone and make a reservation. Seats are limited and will be available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

Read More