The extraordinary adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

Language: French
Fantasy/ Adventure/Action (2010)
Directed by Luc Besson
Starring Louise Bourgoin, Mathieu Amalric, Gilles Lellouche and others

Cult French director Luc Besson has proposed another portion of fantasy and action to his fans craving for something enthralling like ‘The Fifth Element’ used to be. Here it is, the adaptation of a popular French-Belgian comic book written and illustrated by Jacques Tardi in 1972.
Adele Blanc-Sec (Louise Bourgoin), a cynical, redheaded adventurer and fiction novelist living in pre-WWI France, turns herself to investigative journalism. On her mission in Egypt, Adele is attempting to retrieve ancient sarcophagus and tote it back to Western Europe, fending off different archeological traps. In the meantime, a Parisian scientist while trying to heal Adele’s sister, has accidentally let loose an ancient pterodactyl from a 136 million year old egg kept in the museum of natural history. While the creature wreaks havoc on the citizens, Adele is going to eliminate it.


OM SARA

Language: Swedish
Drama (2005)
Directed by Othman Karim
Starring Linda Zilliacus

Sara is in her early 20s and lives in Malmo, in the south of Sweden. Her father is dead, and Sara has to put her mother into a hospital. Her boyfriend Kalle is a celebrated soccer player and likes the high life fame brings. Sara, however, wants to study and work. Despite clearly different life goals, they marry only to split up later. The job is also in the way of her next big relationship. Failing to get a proper man in her life, Sara decides to have a baby, not necessarily being married. At this stage, she falls for a carpenter working on her old house. Is she getting desperate or love conquers it all?
The film was screened and awarded at Moscow International Film Festival.



MR. NOBODY

Language: English
Fantasy Drama/Canada/Belgium/France (2009)
Directed by Jaco Van Dormael
Starring Jared Leto, Diane Kruger, Sarah Polley and others

These days American actor Jared Leto is more often seen recording songs, shooting music videos and performing with his alternative-rock band 30 Seconds to Mars, than acting in films. However, he made an exception for Belgian director Jaco Van Dormael to star in this weird tale of a man with a very suggestive name – Nemo Nobody. Nobody leads an ordinary life with his wife, Elise (Polley) and their three children, until one day he wakes up as an old man living in the year 2092. Moreover, he turns out to be both the oldest living human and the only mortal still remaining– since in this future society nobody dies anymore. But what Nobody himself cares about is to know whether he has lived the right life, loved the woman he was meant to love and had the children he was meant to have.

PRECIOUS

Language: English
Drama (2009)
Directed by Lee Daniels
Based on the novel ‘Push’ by American poet Sapphire
Starring: Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd, Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique

Illiterate, obese and pregnant teenager Claireece Jones, who goes by the name Precious, lives in Harlem. Her father got her pregnant, and her mother used to assault her verbally and physically. Amid these misfortunes, she is invited to enroll in an alternative school. Precious finds a way out of her traumatic routine imagining that she lives in another world where people love her. Inspired by her new teacher, she learns how to read and starts raising her children properly. But she’s about to face another challenge.
The film won two Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress.


THE VANISHING POINT (CE QUE MES YEUX ONT VU)

Language: French
Fantasy Drama/Mystery/France(2007)
Directed by Laurent de Bartillat
Starring Sylvie Testud, Jean-Pierre Marielle, James Thierree and others

Coming out just a year after “The Da Vinci Code,” “The Vanishing Point” offered a European take on the mystery involving a famous artist and hidden messages in his paintings. Made by a French director with French actor, “The Vanishing Point” is a lot more humane and subtle than the “Code,” though there are plenty of logical holes here as well. But if you refrain from analyzing the film much, you may still enjoy it.
A history student, Lucy (Testud) is trying to trace the identity of a female figure pictured from behind on a painting by French artist Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). At the same time she develops an awkward relationship with mute street mime Vincent (Thierree). Soon after, however, Vincent falls into a coma. But just before he does, he shows Lucie a picture of himself as a child in an institution for children with disabilities. Coincidentally (or not?) the photograph provides Lucie with another lead to her Watteau mystery. On the picture she sees a work by another French artist, Gilles-Marie Oppenord, which, she believes, holds a key to Watteau’s life and career.


ZHOVTEN
26 Konstyantynivska, 205-5951,
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The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec
Aug. 27- Sept. 2 at 1:10 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 7:50 p.m.

Om Sara
Aug. 27- Sept. 2 at 4:00 p.m.

Mr. Nobody
Aug. 27- Sept. 2 at 9:10p.m. and 3:50p.m.

Precious
Aug. 27- Sept. 2 at 4:05 p.m. and 7:25p.m.

The Vanishing Point
Aug. 27- Sept. 2 at18:00 p.m.