Hooray for Hollywood! How ‘bout Hamburg, perhaps Hungary? Look beyond the local multiplex and there’s a world of extraordinary cinema out there.
One place to do precisely that is at New York City’s Disappearing Act IV European film festival. The house lights dim April 11, and the screenings run through April 22.
This year Disappearing Act IV showcases 25 contemporary films. Films from countries such as Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Matter of fact the Czech Center and the Romanian Cultural Institute are among the organizers.
Here are some highlights:
- The festival opens Wednesday April 11 with the United States premiere of Marc Bauder’s The System, the tale of a young man seduced by power and money when he crosses paths with former agents of the feared East German (remember them?) secret police
- Its name alone makes Disco and Atomic War a work worth investigation. The Jaak Kilmi and Kiur Aarma documentary chronicles the futile tries of the Soviet media to fight the influences of free media. If you want to see how Big Brother fought freedom and lost, this is your ticket. Disco screens Sunday April 15.
- One of the most acclaimed productions of this year’s films is unlikely to disappear from the cinematic scene. It’s showing up on everybody’s ‘must-see’ list. Markus Schleinzer’s Michael is being touted as a ‘triumph of uneasy cinema.’ The subject is child abuse, and it’s based on real-life incidents. This is not a feel-food film. It is, however, a watershed work. Watch for it Tuesday April 17.
If you’re in search of movies with moxie, cinema with real substance, New York City’s the place to be beginning April 11.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: FALHakaFalLin)
