The Foreign Film Festival, held at Northern Hills Cinema in Spearfish is an annual event featuring 4 film titles. It runs from
early September to late October with a new film every two weeks.
Subscriptions are good for four viewings of your choice (one per show or all for one show) and may be purchased for $25.00 each at the Spearfish Arts Center Gallery, 612 Main St., Spearfish until September 14th. If you wish to purchase your tickets by mail, please call 605 642-7973 for more information. Individual tickets may be purchased at the door for the full price. Please note: proceeds from the individual ticket sales made at Northern Hills Cinema are not received by the Spearfish Arts Center.
This year's schedule is as follows:
MONGOL - Directed by Sergei Bodrov - Produced in Germany
September 14 - 3pm
September 15 - 7pm
Mongol delves into the dramatic and harrowing early years of Genghis Khan who was a slave, born as Temudgin in 1162. As it follows Temudgin from his perilous childhood to the battle that sealed his destiny, the film paints a multidimensional portrait of the future conqueror, revealing him not as the evil brute stereotype, but as an inspiring, fearless and visionary leader who conquered half the world, including Russia in 1206. In Mongolian with English subtitles. 124 minutes. Rated R for sequences of bloody warfare. Spectacular scenery filmed in China, Mongolia, Russia and Kazakhstan.
THE COUNTERFEITERS - Directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky - Produced in Austria
September 28 - 3 pm
September 29 - 7pm
Winner of the 2008 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and based on the memoir of Adolf Burger, the film tells the inspiring story of a pre-World War II criminal whose cunning and fiery spirit enable him to overcome deadly odds and survive life in Germany’s Sachsenhausen concentration camp where a counterfeiting plant was set up by prisoners. Millions of British pounds were forged in order to weaken the enemy’s economy. In German with English subtitles. 99 minutes. Rated R for strong violence, brief sexuality/nudity and language.
The Band's Visit - Directed by Eran Kolirin - Produced in Israel
October 12 - 3pm
October 13 - 7pm
A subtle, heartfelt, and humane work that goes a long way towards dissolving the incredibly complex cultural divide that continues to plague the Middle East. When the Alexandria Ceremonial Police Orchestra flies from Egypt to Israel to perform at the opening of an Arab culture center, they are left stranded at the airport. When trying to solve their predicament, all eight members are left standing alone in a quiet desert town far from their intended destination with no way to get where they need to go. Both a clever, subtle slice-of-life comedy, and poignant cross-cultural exploration. Filmed in Israel, France and the United States. In Arabic, Hebrew and English with English subtitles. 89 minutes Rated PG-13 for language.
PERSEPOLIS - Directed by Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi - Produced in France
October 26 - 3pm
October 27 - 7pm
This is the coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl growing up during the Islamic Revolution. Using an unique style of animation, that closely follows the style of the graphic novel, the film pulls the audience into a world that is much different than the world they are used to. The story is often times humorous and often times heart breaking. In French with English subtitles. 95 minutes. Rated PG-13 for mature thematic material including violent images, sexual references, language and brief drug content.