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The Island On Bird Street 107 min • Denmark/Great Britain/Germany, 1997 Soren Kragh-Jacobson, Director |
A powerful depiction of war seen through young eyes, The Island on Bird Street tells of one boy's metamorphosis from abandoned child to resourceful survivalist. After the Polish ghetto in which he lives with his father and uncle (played by Patrick Bergin and Jack Warden) is liquidated, 11-year-old Alex takes refuge in a bombed out building. Modeling the hideaway on his favorite stories of "Robinson Crusoe," and there finding guidance and courage, he waits for his father's promised return. Brilliantly acted by newcomer Jordan Kiziuk, The Island on Bird Street is a rare film capable of moving adults without overwhelming children. Based on the acclaimed semi-autobiographical novel by Uri Orlev.
The Call of the Oboe
[O toque do oboé]
Claudio MacDowell
Brazil/Paraguay 1998 120 min. 35mm Color
A fable about life and death that celebrates rebirth through art, THE CALL OF THE OBOE is the story of a fatally ill Brazilian musician who chooses a forsaken village as his final resting place. Following an impromptu musical performance in the town square, the owner of an abandoned local cinema invites him to perform there, resulting in a revival of both the cinema and the town. Youthful love blooms, the telephone operator contacts God and a centenarian man comes back to life. Meanwhile, the cinema owner and the musician find themselves in a gentle but intoxicating romance.
Director Claudio MacDowell describes his poignant film as "neo-poetic realism," a mixture of two traditions of popular culture in the 20th century: "I think it bears a tenderness for the characters that’s typical of neo-realism and the combination of magical elements to everyday life characteristic of poetic realism."
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