82 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Jerry Rothwell.
Based on the best-selling book by Naoki Higashida, later translated into English by author David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas), The Reason I Jump is an immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of nonspeaking autistic people from around the world.
Co-Presented with Autism Society of Maine
Read More95 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Jean-Philippe Gaud. In Arabic & French with English subtitles.
Growing up in the Moroccan village of Tazzeka, Elias learned the secrets of traditional Moroccan cuisine from his grandmother who raised him. Years later, meeting a top Paris chef and a young woman named Salma inspires him to leave home. In Paris, Elias faces unstable work and financial hardship as an undocumented immigrant. But he also finds friendship with Souleymane, who helps revive his passion for cooking.
Read More99 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Graham Kolbeins. In Japanese with English subtitles.
Trailblazing artists, activists, and everyday people from across the spectrum of gender and sexuality defy social norms and dare to shine in this kaleidoscopic view of LGBTQ+ culture in contemporary Japan.
Read More81 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Martha Shane & Ian Cheney. In English and Japanese with English subtitles.
In The Emoji Story, Directors Martha Shane and Ian Cheney lead viewers 👀 on a deep dive into the ever evolving world of picture characters, from their humble beginnings in Japan 🇯🇵 to mobile keyboards 📱 the world 🌎 over, and shed fresh light 💡 on the private consortium 👥 that approves new emoji offerings and the individuals fighting ✊ to make the language more representative of its billions of users.
Read More99 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Melissa Haizlip.
Before Oprah, before Arsenio, there was MR. SOUL! Ellis Haizlip ensures the Revolution will be televised, with "SOUL!," America's first "Black Tonight Show." From 1968 to 1973, the public-television variety show SOUL!, guided by the enigmatic, openly gay producer and host Ellis Haizlip, offered an unfiltered, uncompromising celebration of Black literature, poetry, music, and politics
Co-Presented with Indigo Arts Alliance
Read More120 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
A young Japanese woman finds her cautious and insular nature tested when she travels to Uzbekistan to shoot the latest episode of her travel variety show. A brilliant mix of black comedy, travelogue, drama, and an adventure-imbued mockery of showbiz, To the Ends of the Earth is a young woman’s journey from displacement to a place of self-discovery.
Read More90 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Ali Ray.
Who was Frida Kahlo? Everyone knows her, but who was the woman behind the bright colors, the big brows, and the floral crowns? Take a journey through the life of a true icon, discover her art, and uncover the truth behind her often turbulent life.
Read More124 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Julien Temple.
Co-Presented with the Maine Irish Heritage Center
Crock of Gold is the definitive feature documentary on Irish musical icon, Shane MacGowan, exploring the wild and roving life of Ireland’s most beloved punk poet.
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89 minutes. Not rated. Directed David Osit.
Mayor is a real-life political saga following Musa Hadid, the Christian mayor of Ramallah, during his second term in office.
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106 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Federico Fellini.
Something of a late-career companion to 8½,Federico Fellini’s penultimate film is a similarly self-reflexive (and self-deprecating) journey through both the director’s dream life and his cinematic world—which are, here as always in Fellini’s work, inextricably entwined.
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104 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Ryan White.
The puzzling murder of Kim Jong Un’s brother in an Malaysian airport sparks a captivating investigation. Assassins questions every angle of this case, from human trafficking to high-level political espionage to the inner dynamics of the North Korean dynasty.
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90 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Seamus Murphy.
PJ Harvey’s 2016 album, The Hope Six Demolition Project, grew out of the English singer/songwriter’s collaboration with acclaimed photojournalist Seamus Murphy, who records their journeys through Kabul, Kosovo, and Washington, DC.
Running time: various. Not rated. Directed by Wong Kar Wai.
With his lush and sensual visuals, pitch-perfect soundtracks, and soulful romanticism, Wong Kar Wai has established himself as one of the defining auteurs of contemporary cinema. Janus Films and SIFF are proud to present six Wong Kar Wai classics in brand-new 4k restorations, in addition to a new director's cut of The Hand.
Opening Friday, December 11th
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113 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien.
An intoxicating, time-bending experience bathed in the golden glow of oil lamps and wreathed in an opium haze, Hou Hsiao-hsien’s gorgeous period reverie traces the romantic intrigue, jealousies, and tensions swirling around a late 19th century Shanghai brothel.
Read More129 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Alex Winter.
With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, ZAPPA explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time.
Read More90 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Shalini Kantayya.
Coded Bias follows MIT Media Lab researcher Joy Buolamwini’s startling discovery that many facial recognition technologies fail more often on darker-skinned faces, and delves into an investigation of widespread bias in artificial intelligence.
91 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Joyce Chopra.
Suspended between carefree youth and the harsh realities of the adult world, a teenage girl experiences an unsettling awakening in this haunting vision of innocence lost. Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ celebrated short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and produced for PBS’ American Playhouse, the narrative debut from director Joyce Chopra features a revelatory breakout performance from Laura Dern as Connie, the fifteen-year-old black sheep of her family whose summertime idyll of beach trips, mall hangouts, and innocent flirtations is shattered by an encounter with a mysterious stranger.
Read More65 minutes. Not rated. Various directors. In Spanish with English Subtitles.
The brilliant Spanish-language tales in Viva Kid Flicks, with a range of kids’ perspectives, speak volumes in any tongue. For ages 8+
Read More75 minutes. Not rated. Deborah Shaffer & Rachel Reichman.
At 88 years-old, Audrey Flack holds a unique place in the history of contemporary art in America. Feminist, rebel, mother, painter, sculptor and teacher, Audrey’s often controversial 40-year career evolved from abstract expressionism in the 1950s to photorealism in the 1970s. One of the first women ever included in the famed Janson’s History of Art, Audrey continues to create, explore, and inspire with her unique style and indomitable spirit.
Read More78 minutes. Not rated. Directed by Alexandra Kotcheff & Hannah Leder.
Awkward telemarketer Martha Plant lives a lonely existence burying treasure and eating split pea soup. When she takes in a vagrant with multiple personalities, she discovers having three friends in one may be more than she can handle.
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