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Around the World in 80 Days Past Events
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED
January 5, 2010
Focus country:
HAITI
Le Perle des Antilles
Celebrate Haitian culture as we celebrate the launch of our 80 Night visit to 80 countries!
Taste samples of Haitian cuisine with proceeds benefiting the Peniel Haitian Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale and the Haitian Youth and Community Center of Florida, Inc.
Our special guest artist of the evening will be the award winning Haitian painter, Eric Jean- Louis, courtesy of Grace Cafe and Galleries of Dania Florida. Originally from Jérémie, "The Town of Poets" on the southwest tip of Haiti, Eric's work has been exhibited in the United States, Guadeloupe, Denmark, Curaçao, Switzerland, and France since 1977.
Following the Haitian movie COUSINES. Join representatives of the Haitian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida here in the Courtyard to talk about the Haitian heritage.
The gathering starts in the Paradiso Courtyard Patio at 5:30pm, the film starts at 7pm
ABOUT THE FILM
(Directed by Richard Senecal / 2006 / 97 min / Drama)
Jessica is a young Haitian girl. She lives a quiet life in Port-au-Prince with her father's friends Margareth and Gasner. Everything changes when her father who is in the US dies. She's soon homeless and she must go to live with her friend Johanne.
Johanne is a girl without resources who to survive must deal with her too many lovers. Will Jessica be able to resist the temptation? Will she resist the sincere love of the young Bobby, the sex appeal of the dangerous Ralph or the sexual appetite of the millionaire Félix? It's about the hard reality of being young in a troubled country.
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January 12, 2010
Focus country:
BANGLADESH
Truth Alone Triumphs
Celebrate the culture of Bangladesh with food and music from Bangladesh. Proceeds from the food will benefit the Life Bangladesh Foundation.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the film "CLAY BIRD" at 7pm
ABOUT THE FILM
CLAY BIRD
(2002 / Drama / 94 min / Bengali with English Subtitles)
Set against the backdrop of the turbulent period in the late 60's leading up to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, MATIR MOINA MOINA (The Clay Bird) tells the story of a family torn apart by religion and war. A young boy, Anu, is sent off to a strict Islamic school, or Madrasah, by his deeply religious father Kazi.
As the political divisions in the country intensify, an increasing split develops between moderate and extremist forces within the madrasa, mirroring a growing divide between the stubborn but confused Kazi and his increasingly independent wife. Touching upon themes of religious tolerance, cultural diversity, and the complexity of Islam, MATIR MOINA has universal relevance in a crisis-ridden world.
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January 26, 2010
Focus country:
TURKEY
Peace at Home, Peace in the World
Celebrate the Turkish culture presented by The Florida Turkish American Association and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities.
Samples of Turkish cuisine will be for sale with proceeds benefiting the Florida Turkish American Association’s cultural activities.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie at 7:00pm. Belly Dancing at 6:15 pm
Food items include
Main dish: Doner(gyro) or Chicken shish kebab + rice with vermicelli + shepherd's salad(chopped tomatoes,cucumbers, onions, green peppers) + piyaz (bean salad-white beans(like navy), onions, green peppers, parsley etc with oil & vinegar) + yogurt sauce + bread)= $10
or
Rice & beans (Turkish national dish- white beans in sauce)= $5
For not-so-hungry ones: Spinach Boerek (Spinach pastry in filo dough)= $3
Desert: Yogurt Desert (Sort of a sponge cake made with yogurt, sugar etc)= $2
ABOUT THE FILM
(Directed by Emre Sahin / 2009 / 87 min / Drama)
40 revolves around the bizarre events that unfold on the streets of Istanbul during one strange and stormy week in November. Metin, Godwill and Sevda are just 3 people in a city of 12 million – yet, like a magnetic force, something more powerful has taken hold, inextricably linking their fates and causing us to question the sacrosanctity of numbers, faith, destiny and just plain luck.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Emre Şahin is a multi-award winning director and cinematographer who captured the coveted Panavision scholarship in 1999, where he trained with some of the world’s leading directors of photography.
While a student at Emerson College in Boston, Şahin’s short film “Fetish” was awarded two acclaimed Evvy Awards (Best Film, Best Editing).
Şahin has since directed and edited documentary and television shows for networks such as ABC, ABC Family, MTV, VH1, Travel Channel, Food Network, TLC, Discovery Channel and the History Channel. Emre created, directed and executive produced History Channel's hit series “Cities of the Underworld”, one of the top 5 most watched series in the cable network's history.
He wrote and directed the feature film 40, shot entirely on location in Istanbul. 40 stars Ntare Mbaho Mwine of the acclaimed NBC series, Heroes, and is the follow up to Sahin's award winning short film Çanta. Among the numerous awards Çanta has received is the Best Short at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.
Link to the trailer of 40: http://www.40thefilm.com/
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February 2, 2010
Focus country:
United Kingdom
"God Save the Queen"
Celebrate the culture of Great Britain in the Courtyard of the Cinema Paradiso with typical British food provided by the Kings Head Pub will be for sale, along with $3.00 Bass Ale! And of course how can we celebrate the U.K. without the music of The Beatles!
Roy Yates, President of the British American Chamber of Commerce, will present a lecture on his home country.
Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International will present their UK sister city Sefton.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie "In The Loop" at 7:00pm.
A Taste of Traditional British Food
Fish and Chips
Deep-fried in our own ale beer batter
served with home made tartar sauce and malt vinegar.
Banger and Mash
Traditional English Sausage offered with mashed potatoes, onions and gravy.
Each sample plate = $3.00
www.Daniakingsheadpub.com
500 East Dania Beach Blvd, Dania Beach, Fl 33004
954-922 5722
ABOUT THE FILM
(2008 | 102 min | Feature Narrative)
Primary Cast: Peter Capaldi, James Gandolfini, Tom Hollander, David Rashe, Gina McKee, Chris Addison, Anna Chulmsky, Mimi Kennedy
Director: Armando Iannucci
Screenwriter: Armando Iannucci, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche
Producer: Kevin Loader, Adam Tandy
"War is unforeseeable," announces Britain's Minister of International Development, Simon Foster (Tom Hollander), at the opening of Armando Iannucci's wicked political satire In the Loop. With allies the US and Britain secretly on the road to war with a hostile nation, the comment, vague and likely meaningless, nonetheless propels Foster and his team of associates into the center of a firestorm of international controversy. Suddenly charged with choosing alliances within the petty and farcical bureaucratic chaos, Foster attempts to balance his hilariously foul-mouthed hawkish boss on one side, an American State Department pacifist with bleeding teeth on the other, and a deteriorating municipal wall somewhere in the middle.
Iannucci adapts his hit BBC comedy series The Thick of It, preserving all of the original's tongue-in-cheek insight and wit, to craft a smart political comedy that pokes fun at the absurdity and ineptitude of our highest leaders. With everyone looking out for number one, and the fate of the free world at stake (but apparently incidental), the hilarious ensemble cast of characters bumbles its way through Machiavellian political dealings, across continents, and toward comic resolutions that are, indeed, unforeseeable. The terrific ensemble cast also includes James Gandolfini, Peter Capaldi, and Steve Coogan. An IFC Films presentation.
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February 9, 2010
Focus country:
Guatemala
"Live Free and Fertile"
Celebrate the culture of the Guatemalan Maya and taste samples of Guatemalan Maya cuisine presented by local Maya in native dress, while enjoying original Mayan crafts in the Courtyard.
ACTIVITIES A demonstration on how to make the corn tortillas made live, and then those same tortillas will be made into a Mayan dish known as "PUPUSAS," which is a corn tortilla filled with a black bean and cheese mixture.
Also a Mayan weaver will be on site demonstrating his technique on the ancient backstrap loom as used in the highlands of Guatemala.
Arts and crafts from Guatemala will be available for sale, including the charming "worry dolls." The Mayans create the tiniest dolls and bundle them into a tiny pouch (for sale for $2 per packet). At night, the owner is to whisper a worry to each doll and then to put the doll(s) under their pillow. As the owner sleeps, the worry dolls take the cares away!
At 6:30 p.m., Dr. Clifford Brown, a specialist on Mayan Studies and an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Florida Atlantic University will give a presentation on the Maya. His presentation will be followed by the class film, "El Norte" at 7:00 p.m.
Proceeds for the food and crafts benefit the Guatemalan Maya Center.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie "El Norte" at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
(Directed by Gregory Nava / 1983 / 141min / Adventure, Drama)
Mayan Indian peasants, tired of being thought of as nothing more than "brazos fuertes" ("strong arms", i.e., manual laborers) and organizing in an effort to improve their lot in life, are discovered by the Guatemalan army. After the army destroys their village and family, a brother and sister, teenagers who just barely escaped the massacre, decide they must flee to "El Norte" (the USA).
After receiving clandestine help from friends and humorous advice from a veteran immigrant on strategies for traveling through Mexico, they make their way by truck, bus and other means to Los Angeles, where they try to make a new life as young, uneducated, and illegal immigrants.
A U.S./U.K. film by Gregory Nava, El Norte was the first independent film to be nominated for an Academy Award. It is selected for preservation by the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or esthetically significant." For our people its significance is less that it was considered for a Best Original Screenplay than that it tells a story intimately familiar to many of us Maya in exile
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February 16, 2010
Focus country:
Taiwan
Celebrate the Taiwanese culture as presented by Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Miami and Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International.
Makino Japanese Buffet is selling tasting of Taiwanese cuisine and The Orchid Tea Room demonstrates Taiwanese Tea culture with typical Taiwanese teas for sale.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
Cape No. 7 - Hái-kak chhit-ho
(Comedy/Drama/Romance/129 min/directed by Te-Sheng Wei / Mandarin|Taiwanese|Japanese w/English subtitles)
Set in the southern coastal town of Hengchun, "Cape No. 7" follows the fortunes of vocalist A-chia, a local boy who has returned to Hengchun after a tough time up in Taipei City. A-chia starts work as a mailman, where he discovers a mysterious love letter written 60 years earlier and yet to be delivered.
In the 1940s near the end of the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, an unnamed teacher dispatched to Hengchun falls in love with a local girl. After the Surrender of Japan, the teacher is forced to return home as the Chinese occupation of Taiwan resumed. On his trip home, he pens seven love letters to express his regret for leaving Kojima Tomoko, who originally planned to elope with him.
In present day a former Japanese model stranded in Hengchun decides to put on a live event. A-chia's stepfather decides to get a band together with his stepson and five other local residents to enter the concert. The film follows their preparations in a multi-layered story.
One of the most successful Taiwanese films ever, Cape No. 7 was Taiwan's 2009 Academy Awards official submission to Foreign-Language Film category.
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February 23, 2010
Focus country:
Brazil
Celebrate the Brazilian culture as presented by the Broward Center for the Performing and Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International. Happy Days Parties is selling tasting of Brazilian cuisine in the courtyard.
Have a Caipirinha and stroll around watching footage of this year’s Carnival celebrations in Rio provided by Brazilian Film Festival. The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie at 7:00pm.
Menu
Torta vegetariana com pacote de snacks
Vegetable spread sandwich
$ 4.00
Torta de Frango com apcote de snacks piece
Chicken with cream filling spread sandwich $ 4.00
Empada de frango
Cheese empanada
each $ 2.00
Quiche de queijo
chicken pie
each $ 2.00
Pao de mel $
Bread honey chocolate glaze
each $ 2.00
ABOUT THE FILM
CHEGA DE SAUDADE (THE BALLROOM)
Brazil/95min/Portuguese with English subtitles
A diverse cast of characters crosses paths on the floor of a beautiful old São Paulo dance hall, and the experiences of many different lifetimes play out against each other during one eventful night. Director Laís Bodanzky has drawn comparisons to Robert Altman for her handling of a fine ensemble cast and their overlapping storylines, while the other star of the show—the film’s soundtrack—features performances by singers Elza Soares and Marku Ribas. Best Supporting Cast, 2009 Cartagena Film Festival; Audience Award, Best Director and Best Screenplay, 2007 Brasilia Film Festival.
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March 2, 2010
Focus country:
THE REPUBLIC OF PERU
"Amazon Rainforest"
Join us at the Paradiso Patio Courtyard at Cinema Paradiso to celebrate the culture of Peru with arts and crafts from the Peruvian Amazon.
Kristina Pearson will represent the Peruvian Rainforest Support Network a project of Village Earth, the consortium of sustainable village-based development and talk about her work in the Peruvian Amazon.
The travel specialists of Post Haste Travel will showcase travels to Peru and its culture.
Samples of Peruvian cuisine will be for sale.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie "Crude: The Real Price of Oil" at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
(Directed by Joe Berlinger / 2009 / 105 min / Documentary)
One of the largest and most controversial legal cases on the planet. An inside look at the infamous $27 billion "Amazon Chernobyl" case, CRUDE is a real-life high stakes legal drama set against a backdrop of the environmental movement, global politics, celebrity activism, human rights advocacy, the media, multinational corporate power, and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures. Presenting a complex situation from multiple viewpoints, the film subverts the conventions of advocacy filmmaking as it examines a complicated situation from all angles while bringing an important story of environmental peril and human suffering into focus.
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March 9, 2010
Focus country:
FRANCE
"Liberty, Equality, Fraternity"
Celebrate the culture of France presented by Alliance Française of Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Alliance Française of Miami and Fort Lauderdale will be selling French mini croissant - sandwiches as well as French mini patisserie
The French General Consul Gael de Maisonneuve will give an introduction speech about France.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm and join us for the French movie PARIS at 7:00pm.
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ABOUT THE FILM
(Directed by Cédric Klapisch/ 2008 / 130 min / Comedy, Drama, Romance)
"Here is a film about a group of Parisians. It opens with a sweeping shot of Paris from the atop the Eiffel Tower. The characters don't have interlocking lives; it's not that kind of film. They have parallel lives. The purpose of Cedric Kaplisch, the writer-director, is to make a symphonic tribute to the city he loves, and use each character as a movement. That said, every character has life and depth. It's unusual for an episodic film to involve us so well in individual lives; as the narrative circles through their stories, we're genuinely curious about what will happen next." Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"Cedric Kaplisch's ensemble drama is an often very funny and moving look at a group of Parisians whose lives intersect in an Altman-esque manner. A top notch cast including new French cinema sensation Romain Duris and a sassy Juliette Binoche should give fans something to drool over." Paul Hurley, TALKTALK
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March 12-14, 2010
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 NIGHTS AFRICAN EXPERIENCE
The Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival along with Post Haste Travel and Ebony Heritage are presenting a full weekend of film from 18 Countries from the African Continent.
For additional information and a complete schedule.......CLICK HERE
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March 16, 2010
Focus country:
Australia
Join us at the Courtyard of CINEMA PARADISO to enjoy the “Aussie Atmosphere” including Down Under Folk Music presented by Dennis Sindry and a short exhibition and playing of the Digery Do with “Alexandrer”.
Members of the local "AussieKiwiClub" will be there to socialize and Players from the FT. Lauderdale Aussie Rules Football Club will be available for questions and answers about this exciting game.
“Shrimps on the Barby” along with a “Sausage Sizzle” will be available for those who wish to try a typical Aussie Snack.
Happy Hour with music, Aussie Beer and Wine starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie "My year without sex" at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
(Directed by Sarah Watt / 2009 / 96 min / Comedy, Drama)
A comical, look on the bright side, family deals with all the big questions and even more of the small ones. Set over one messy year, Ross and Natalie and their two kids, Louis and Ruby, navigate nits, faith, Christmas, job insecurity, footy practice, more nits, and whether they will ever have sex again. A huge hit at the Cannes market.
"Sarah Watt's follow up to Look Both Ways is a gem of a film: a wonderfully observed snapshot that canvasses the emotional pulse of a family in the suburbs. It's the slant with which Watt affectionately embraces her characters that make it so engaging; humour abounds everywhere as fate, irony, circumstances and human nature conspire to fill life's cup with hiccups galore." - Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile
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March 23, 2010
Focus country:
Ukraine
Experience Ukraine as the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival takes you Around The World In 80 Nights. The Ukrainian-American Club of Miami will provide samplings of Ukrainian cuisine for sale in the courtyard and the Ukrainian Dancers of Miami will perform before the movie.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
MAMAY
The film selected to represent the country is Mamay, Directed by Oles Yanchuk, was Ukraine's submission for the 2003 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Inspired by ancient Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar folklore, Mamay, is their version of Romeo and Juliet. A fugitive Cossack falls in love with a stunningly beautiful Tatar woman who saves him from certain death. Their love defies age-old hatred between their respective peoples. The film features cinematography by Serhiy Mykhalchuk and a soundtrack by composer Alla Zahaykevych.
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March 30, 2010
Focus country:
Trinidad Tobago
Celebrate the culture of Trinidad and Tobago as presented by the Consulate General of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in Miami.
Have a glass of rum and enjoy typical dishes from Trinidad and Tobago while listening to steel drums in our courtyard.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm and join us for the feature film Mas Man, directed by Dalton Narine , is about Peter Minshall, Trinidadian Carnival artist who describes his medium as "the mas" (overriding masquerade) and prefers to be called a "masman". The film captures the many textures to Peter Minshall’s Carnival art, and tie into a story line that essentially captures his muse, flair for costumery, as well as the enigma of a man whose main job seems to open confrontation between good and evil against the backdrop of the celebrations.
ABOUT THE FILM
(Directed by Dalton Narine))
Art has its share of uncredited heroes and this film assesses the heft of a Trinidadian artist’s refreshing point of view of the perils of man’s incompleteness.
It is about a designer’s hubris to author a new word in art, “Mas ” (which overrides masquerade), to counteract the conformity and conservatism of Carnival in the 1970s. It’s about Peter Minshall reinventing Mas as a cutting edge tool to enlighten spectators about the complexities of life – a bold move that, in due course, influences the Olympic Games to feature him as an artistic director in Barcelona, Atlanta and Salt Lake City.
There are so many textures to Peter Minshall’s Carnival art, they all tie into a story line that essentially captures his muse, flair for costumery, as well as the enigma of a man whose main job seems to open confrontation between good and evil against the backdrop of the celebrations. His calling, as such, isn't so much about being playful in the Mas as much as it is to awaken themes about modern humanity that not only display a curious slant in art but also inform audiences that are privileged to discern his work.
The film examines Minshall’s life and art, a tapestry woven from multiple threads that include his “masography” coursing through 26 years; his design and stage acumen (documented in the 2006 presentation “The Sacred Heart”); his Olympic Games contribution; the Carnival stage (the Mas) in Trinidad preparing him for the world stage (the Olympics); and his set pieces of political protest and entertainment provoking parallel emotions in major North American, European and Asian cities.
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April 6, 2010
Focus country:
Scotland
Celebrate Scottish culture as presented by the Scottish American Society of South Florida and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
One More Kiss
(98 minutes)
Starring Gerard Butler, Valerie Edmond, James Cosmo, and Valerie Gogan.
When Sarah Hopson (Valerie Edmond) realizes her successful high-rise New York lifestyle is devoid of meaning, she packs her bags and heads for her home town in the Scottish Borders to look for Sam, her childhood sweetheart and the only man she ever loved. Sam Murray (Gerard Butler) runs a restaurant. He and Sarah grew up together and Sam hoped they'd grow old together. His world fell apart the day Sarah left and now she's back, standing on his doorstep and telling his wife she'd like to spend some time with him.
"An ambitious, strikingly shot love story. An ode to life." - Variety
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April 13, 2010
Focus country:
Uruguay
Celebrate the culture of Uruguay presented by Bernardo Rudich from the Uruguayan newspaper Noticias, the Consulate General of Uruguay and the Uruguayan Women Association in Miami.
Come and enjoy typical Uruguayan food sold by the Uruguayan restaurant Los Asado’s while looking at beautiful paintings by the Uruguayan artists Lyliam Correa and Daniel González Dago or stop by at the stand of the Uruguayan Women Association.
The Uruguayan Consul will give a brief introduction speech about Uruguay and Hugo Daniel and Ana Laborde will sing Tango on stage at 6:30pm.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm and join us for the Uruguayan movie Gigante at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
Gigante
(2009/directed by Adrián Biniez/90 min/Spanish with English subtitles)
Jara is a shy and lonely thirty-five year old security guard at a supermarket on the outskirts of Montevideo. He works the night shift, monitoring the surveillance cameras of the entire building. One night Jara discovers Julia, a twenty-five year old cleaning woman, through one of the cameras and is immediately attracted to her. Night after night, he watches her on the cameras while she works. Soon he starts following her after work: to the cinema, the beach and even to a date with another man. Jara's life becomes a series of routines and rituals around Julia, but eventually he finds himself at a crossroad and must decide whether to give up his obsession or confront it. This unexpected romantic comedy combines sublime moments of tenderness and vulnerability with evocative reflections on dull jobs. Offbeat and original, Gigante reflects on the possibility of change and hope despite modern-day tedium.
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April 20, 2010
Focus country:
Venezuela
Celebrate the Venezuelan culture as presented by " EL VENEZOLANO" Newspaper and our own Chef Michelle who will prepare delicious Venezuelan dishes available for purchase.
Join us in the courtyard @ 5:30pm for fun, music, dances & food.
In the theater enjoy a special presentation from Venezuelan singer, Rosaura Linares, " THE MADAM OF BOLERO ". She has emerged as one of the premier soloist singer and vocal performers in the country. AS a result of her international merits & family lineage Rosaura has been invited to join LARAS-The Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences .
The guest speaker of the night, famous writer & historian, Dr. Luis Prieto Oliveira, who will take you back in time & introduce the setting of the movie.
Pabellon Criollo: Venezuela's national dish, shredded beef with onions/peppers with 3 side dishes: white rice, black beans & ripe plantains.
Sancocho de verduras con arepita: vegetable consome with yuca, green plantains, corn, cilantro, onion, calabaza, taro. $3
Quesillo: venezuelan flan $2
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie at 7:00pm.
ABOUT THE FILM
Postcards from Leningrad
The film selected to represent the country is Postcards from Leningrad, Venezuela's official entry for the Best Foreign Language Film of the 2008 Academy Awards and winner of awards at internationally recognized film festivals. Written and directed by Mariana Rondón, Postcards from Leningrad is a visual collage mixing whimsical animation with nostalgic footage of revolutionary youth that injects both humor and pathos into a story where wild imaginations, foggy memories, white lies, and grief all become mixed up in a child’s reality.
Growing up as children of Marxist guerrillas in the 1960s isn’t easy. For the unnamed narrator of Postcards from Leningrad and her cousin, Teo (Laureano Olivares), both of whose parents belong to an armed revolutionary group fighting the Venezuelan army, life is an ongoing game of survival, with everything from code names and disguises to making themselves invisible and devising creative escape plans. They reinvent the adventures of their parents, building a labyrinth of superheroes and strategies around guerrilla warfare, where the line between reality and fantasy is often imperceptible.
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April 27, 2010
Focus country:
Italy
Celebrate Italian culture as presented by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International.
Italian food will be prepared and sold by “In Chef We Trust Catering and Event Company”.
The gathering starts at 5:30pm followed by the movie ‘Caterina va in Citta’ at 7:00pm.
About the movie
Caterina va in Citta
(Italy / 107 min)
The film selected for the evening is the award-winning charmer, Caterina va in Citta, directed by Paolo Virzì and starring Alice Teghil, Sergio Castellitto, Margherita Buy.
When her father, is transferred to Rome from the small country town, Caterina, a 14 year old girl, finds that life is much different in the big city. At school, her simple and direct ways make her appealing to two cliques: one led by Margherita, the Bohemian daughter of leftist intellectuals, and the other headed by the preppy Daniela, daughter of one of Berlusconi's ministers. Caterina must navigate a new city, a new school, new friends, the cross-cutting politics of wealth, class, and ideology in Rome. But what happens when you don’t play the game?
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May 11, 2010
Focus country:
Colombia
Celebrate Colombian culture as presented by the Unilatina International College in Fort Lauderdale and the Consulate General of Colombia, the Honorable Angela Suarez Velez.
Colombian food will be sold in the courtyard during the Happy Hour starting at 5:30pm.
Movie: The Wind Journeys
For most of his life, Ignacio Carrillo travelled the villages of northern Colombia, playing traditional songs on his accordion, a legendary instrument said to have once belonged to the devil. He eventually married and settled in a small town, leaving the nomadic life behind. But after the traumatic death of his wife, he vows to never play the accursed accordion again, and embarks on one last journey to return the instrument to its rightful owner. On the way, Ignacio is followed by Fermín, a spirited teenager determined to become his apprentice. Tired of loneliness, Ignacio accepts the young man as his pupil and together they traverse the vast Colombian terrain, discovering the musical diversity of Caribbean culture. Hardened by a life of solitude, Ignacio tries to discourage Fermín from following in his footsteps, but destiny has different plans for them.
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May 4, 2010
Focus country:
China
Celebrate the culture of China and enjoy typical Chinese food.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm and a Chinese cultural performance on stage at around 6:30pm followed by the Chinese movie BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS at 7:00pm.
About the movie:
BALZAC AND THE LITTLE CHINESE SEAMSTRESS
(111 minutes)
Language - Mandarin w/English subtitles
Based on the best-selling novel set during China’s cultural revolution, this acclaimed film is about two young men, university students, who are sent to a remote mountain village for a Maoist re-education, to purge them of their decadent Western education. Amid the back-breaking work and stifling ignorance of the community, the local beauties are the only respite from their miserable life. But none compare to the granddaughter of the region’s tailor. With a secret cache of forbidden books, they set about to woo her.
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May 18, 2010
Focus country:
Mexico
Celebrate the culture of Mexico presented by the Consulate General of Mexico.
Come and enjoy typical Mexican food for sale in the courtyard prepared by Nacho Bizness.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm and listen to a group of mariachis. At around 6:30pm join us for a presentation of the Mexican Consulate General in the theater followed by the Mexican movie Alamar at 7:00pm.
About the movie:
Alamar (73 min)
Jorge and Roberta have been separated for several years. They simply come from opposite worlds: he likes an uncomplicated life in the jungle, while she prefers a more urban existence. He is Mexican and she is Italian, and she has decided to return to Rome with their five-year-old son, Natan. But before they leave, Jorge wishes to take young Natan on a trip, hoping to teach him about his Mayan origins in Mexico. At first the boy is physically and emotionally uncomfortable with the whole affair, and gets seasick on the boat taking them to their destination. But as father and son spend more time together, Natan begins a learning experience that will remain with him forever.
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May 25, 2010
Focus country:
Monaco
Come and enjoy typical Monegasque food for sale in the courtyard.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm. At around 6:30pm join us for a presentation of the Honorary Vice-Consul Tomas Abreu in the theater followed by the movie La fille de Monaco/The Girl from monaco at 7:00pm.
About the movie:
La fille de Monaco (The Girl from Monaco)(2008 / comedy / drama / 95 min)
Casting can be the reason that one movie works and another doesn’t. It is the first reason for the success of “The Girl from Monaco,” the kind of romantic comedy with a twist that used to star Jack Lemmon. That kind of role is played this time by Fabrice Luchini, a 57-year-old veteran French character actor whose first significant role was 39 years ago, in “Claire’s Knee.”
He plays Bertrand, a smooth, powerful defense attorney, confident and well-known, who is hired for a difficult case. The millionaire widow Edith Lasalle (Stephane Audran) is on trial for murder in Monaco, charged with killing a reputed member of the Russian mafia, and she refuses to utter a single word in her own defense. An ambitious weather girl decides to report on the famous lawyer from Paris, thus complicating manners.
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June 1, 2010
Focus country:
India
Celebrate the culture of India presented by the
India-US Chamber of Commerce Inc., South Florida.
Come and enjoy typical Indian food in the courtyard, which is prepared and sold by Madras Café.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm and an Indian cultural presentation inside the theater at around 6:30pm followed by the movie "Harishchandrachi Factory" at 7:00pm.
About the movie:
Harishchandrachi Factory
(2010 / 128 min / Marathi with English subtitles)
The film is the story about the beginning of the Indian film industry, set in 1913, when two business partners fall out resulting in one leaving the company. As the family struggle to survive Phalke (Nandu Madhav) decides to make his own silent motion picture along with the support of his family. He travels to England to learn about the new medium and after he returns brings together a team of actors and technicians to produce his first film about the story of Raja Harishchandra. Through all the hard work the movie becomes a hit thus marking the beginning of one of the world's biggest film industry.
The film is a light comic entertainer which is well received by the common audience as well. Its light comic narration makes it an enjoyable movie.
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June 8, 2010
Focus country:
Israel
Celebrate the culture of Israel presented by the Consulate General of Israel and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Sister Cities International.
Starting at 5:30pm, come and enjoy typical Israeli food for sale in the courtyard and an Israeli cultural performance on stage at around 6:30pm, followed by the movie JAFFA at 7:00pm.
About the movie:
JAFFA
Official Selection - Cannes Film Festival
Israeli | 2009 | Hebrew with English subtitles | 90 min.
In the heart of Jaffa, a city nicknamed "the Bride of the Sea" by the Israelis, Reuven's garage is a family business. His daughter Mali and his son Meir, as well as Toufik and Hassan, a young Palestinian and his father, work there for Reuven.
Directed by Keren Yedaya, whose 2004 film "Or" won five awards at the Festival de Cannes including the Critics Week Grand Prix and Camera d'Or, this insightful portrait boasts terrific performances by Dana Ivgy (Or), Ronit Elkabetz (Or, The Band's Visit), and veteran Moni Moshonov (Two Lovers).
"Absorbing and touching!" -- Ray Bennett, The Hollywood Reporter
June 15, 2010
Focus country:
Iceland
Celebrate the culture of Iceland presented by the Icelandic American Association of South Florida.
Come and enjoy typical Icelandic food and the Icelandic Consular of South Florida will deliver a short speech before the film. Marizelda Soliz Eggertsson will play the Icelandic anthem on the saxophone on stage.
Meet us in the courtyard at 5:30pm and join us for the Icelandic movie The Sea at 7:00pm.
About the movie:
The Sea
(Drama/109 Minutes/Icelandic and English with English subtitles)
The Sea is a dark comedy in the vein of The Celebration, takes what we know of the family drama and spins it into an unexpected whirl of emotions with surprising revelations. Set against Iceland’s majestic coast, an aging father summons his children home from various parts of the world to unload a secret that will cause long hidden resentments and desires to rise to the surface - this leads to a startling finale that will forever affect the whole family.
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