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URSULA VON RYDINGSVARD: INTO HER OWN is an artistic biography of one of the few women in the world working in monumental sculpture. Von Rydingsvard’s work has been featured in the Venice Biennale and is held in the collections of some of the world’s great museums, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. But she may be best-known for work in public spaces – imposing pieces painstakingly crafted with complex surfaces.
In this documentary, we go behind the scenes with von Rydingsvard, as she and her collaborators – cutters, metalsmiths, and others – produce new work, including challenging commissions in copper and bronze. But the film also delves into the artist’s personal life, and how it has shaped her work. Born in Poland during the Second World War, she was partly raised in a displaced persons camp and came to the US as a refugee with her nine-person family. Her younger brother shares memories of being raised by their violent, domineering father – a man whose influence von Rydingsvard continues to feel. Brought up in a blue-collar environment, she became a teacher and then, as a single mother, moved to New York in the 1970s to take up her artistic practice full-time.
In conversations with curators, patrons, family, and fellow artists, we come to know von Rydingsvard as a driven but compassionate sculptor with a deep commitment to her art and the world around her.
Synopsis: Spaceship Earth is the true, stranger-than-fiction, adventure of eight visionaries who in 1991 spent two years quarantined inside of a self-engineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem called BIOSPHERE 2. The experiment was a worldwide phenomenon, chronicling daily existence in the face of life threatening ecological disaster and a growing criticism that it was nothing more than a cult. The bizarre story is both a cautionary tale and a hopeful lesson of how a small group of dreamers can potentially reimagine a new world.
Synopsis
A feature length documentary that looks at the culture of New Orleans through the lens of music. New Orleans has a distinct history as a result of its political and social history. There is a thread that runs through the city that can be heard from the drumming at Congo Square in the 1700’s through to today’s vibrant music scene. The music of this city is a powerful form of expression. It was a vehicle to communicate a desire for freedom, express frustration of the injustices of segregation and Jim Crow laws, a healing force that helped bring the city back from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, and is still a vital form of expression against ongoing cultural & racial biases. Executive Producer Terence Blanchard and Director Michael Murphy, show how the culture of the city is reflected in its music, how music impacts culture; and how even in the darkest of times, music lifts and unites.
Other Information
Nominated for Best Feature Louisiana Documentary at 2019 New Orleans Film Festival
Nominated for Best Feature Documentary at 2020 Los Angeles Pan African Film Festival
Nominated for Best Feature Documentary at 2020 DC Independent Film Festival
Received Award of Excellence at indie Fest Film Festival for Documentary Feature
Juried Gold Award Winner for Best Feature Documentary at Houston WorldFest Film Festival
A portion of the proceeds from every ticket sold will be donated to The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation’s Jazz & Heritage Music Relief Fund, a statewide relief fund created to support Louisiana musicians and music industry workers whose livelihoods have been adversely impacted by this unprecedented crisis.
Synopsis
Winner of the Best Documentary award at the Cannes Film Festival, master filmmaker Patricio Guzmán's The Cordillera of Dreams completes his trilogy (with Nostalgia for the Light and The Pearl Button) investigating the relationship between historical memory, political trauma, and geography in his native country of Chile. It centers on the imposing landscape of the Andes that run the length of the country’s Eastern border. At once protective and isolating, magisterial and indifferent, the Cordillera serves as an enigmatic focal point around which Guzmán contemplates the enduring legacy of the 1973 military coup d’état.
Synopsis
Cody is a sweet, sensitive boy who doesn't always fit in easily with other kids his age. He's not bothered by spending the summer in an unfamiliar New York town while his mother, Kathy, cleans out the house left behind by his recently deceased aunt, trying to ready it for sale. As Kathy--estranged from her reclusive sister for years--learns how much she didn't know about the woman, Cody strikes up a surprising friendship with the gruff Korean War vet who lives next door. Nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, DRIVEWAYS is a beautifully observed, bittersweet drama about our lifelong search for a sense of community. With a genuine script and impeccable acting from Hong Chau (Downsizing) and Brian Dennehy (First Blood), this little gem doesn’t coax tears, but earns them.
Synopsis
Hilma af Klint was an abstract artist before the term existed, a visionary, trailblazing figure who, inspired by spiritualism, modern science, and the riches of the natural world around her, began in 1906 to reel out a series of huge, colorful, sensual, strange works without precedent in painting. The subject of a recent smash retrospective at the Guggenheim Museum, af Klint was for years an all-but-forgotten figure in art historical discourse, before her long-delayed rediscovery. Director Halina Dryschka’s dazzling, course correcting documentary describes not only the life and craft of af Klint, but also the process of her mischaracterization and erasure by both a patriarchal narrative of artistic progress and capitalistic determination of artistic value.
Synopsis:
A gifted dancer named Merab moves beautifully, but his mannerisms enrage his coach, who finds them too effeminate. Merab, however, quietly defies not only his coach but his community’s hyperconservative constraints. An aura of danger emerges when he meets a handsome new dancer named Irakli, whose gifted technique becomes a source of attraction and competition for Merab. As the two fall into a secretive affair, whispers of their newfound romance threaten their respective careers.
Far from fitting into the traditional coming-out narrative, And Then We Danced represents something especially joyful, romantic, and transgressive. It stands confidently as one of the most important films—gay or otherwise—of the year.
The directors and Udo Kier did a live Q&A on April 1st
If you are interested, click this link to watch!
Synopsis
A few years from now... Bacurau, a small village in the Brazilian sertão, mourns the loss of its matriarch, Carmelita, who lived to be 94. Days later, its inhabitants (among them Sônia Braga) notice that their village has literally vanished from online maps and a UFO-shaped drone is seen flying overhead. There are forces that want to expel them from their homes, and soon, in a genre-bending twist, a band of armed mercenaries led by Udo Kier arrive in town picking off the inhabitants one by one. A fierce confrontation takes place when the townspeople turn the tables on the villainous outsiders, banding together by any means necessary to protect and maintain their remote community. The mercenaries just may have met their match in the fed-up, resourceful denizens of little Bacurau.
Language: English and Portuguese with English subtitles
Synopsis
Following the crossing of the inner German border by the families Strelzyk and Wetzel from the GDR to West Germany in the summer of 1979. Desperate to leave the GDR, they flee in a homemade hot-air balloon.
Language: German with English Subtitles
Synopsis
In post-WWII Leningrad, two women, Iya and Masha (astonishing newcomers Viktoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina), intensely bonded after fighting side by side as anti-aircraft gunners, attempt to readjust to a haunted world. As the film begins, Iya, long and slender and towering over everyone-hence the film's title-works as a nurse in a shell-shocked hospital, presiding over traumatized soldiers. A shocking accident brings them closer and also seals their fates. The 28-year-old Russian director Kantemir Balagov won Un Certain Regard's Best Director prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival for this richly burnished, occasionally harrowing rendering of the persistent scars of war.
"Critic's Pick. Dazzling... a brilliantly told, deeply moving story about love... from the sensationally talented Russian director Kantemir Balagov." - Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
Synopsis
Fernando Botero is one of the world’s most popular living artists, with millions of fans transcending cultures across the globe. While his art is instantly recognizable, the story of how he became “the Maestro” is largely unknown. BOTERO changes that. This beautifully filmed documentary offers an inspiring look at the power of relentless vision, unwavering conviction and a lifetime of discipline. We follow an unknown, self-taught painter from provincial Medellin in 1932, as he propels himself to the pinnacle of the art world. The film brings together the man and his art to capture Botero’s essence–the quiet resolve and strength of character that allowed him to overcome poverty, decades of harsh criticism and the tragic death of his four-year-old son. Never-before-seen moments come to life as his children uncover 50 year-old sketches in a shuttered storage facility, as our cameras go behind the scenes at as how exhibiting his work alongside Pablo Picasso’s, and as the artist takes us on a private tour of his studio. BOTERO weaves together original footage shot in 10 cities across China, Europe, New York and Colombia, with decades of family photos and archival video. Unprecedented access to the artist and his family is combined with a colorful cast of historians, curators and academics to reveal the creativity and convictions at the heart of Fernando Botero. In his sunlit studio, Botero explains that despite the fame, the accolades, and the financial success, he is still learning and discovering, because “my life is to paint.”
Synopsis
Anchored by a “dynamically physical, wild-eyed performance” (The Hollywood Reporter) from newcomer Bartosz Bielenia, CORPUS CHRISTI is an incisive, darkly humorous, and “engrossing exploration of faith, second chances and the possibility of atonement” (Screen).
After spending years in a Warsaw prison for a violent crime, 20-year-old Daniel is released and sent to a remote village to work as a manual laborer. The job is designed to keep the ex-con busy, but Daniel has a higher calling. Over the course of his incarceration he has found Christ, and aspires to join the clergy - but his criminal record means no seminary will accept him. When Daniel arrives in town, one quick lie allows him to be mistaken for the town’s new priest, and he sets about leading his newfound flock. Though he has no training, his passion and charisma inspire the community. At the same time, his unconventional sermons and unpriestly behavior raise suspicions among some of the townsfolk - even more so as he edges towards a dark secret that the community hasn't revealed in the confessional booth.
Synopsis
Based on the bestselling novel by José Luis Sampedro
THE ETRUSCAN SMILE stars Brian Cox (HBO’s SUCCESSION and recent Broadway leading man in THE GREAT SOCIETY) as Rory MacNeil, a rugged old Scotsman who reluctantly leaves his beloved isolated Hebridean island and travels to San Francisco to seek medical treatment. Moving in with his estranged son, Rory’s life will be transformed, just when he expects it least, through a newly found love for his baby grandson.
“Has energy and spirit, thanks to Brian Cox's bright, charming performance.”
OBSERVER
“Brian Cox gives the performance of his career.... Oscar is calling.”
WILD ABOUT MOVIES
“Delights with a good mix of humor and seriousness.”
CINEMA MAGAZINE
Synopsis
The 1981 Academy Award-winning (Best Foreign Language Film) Mephisto concerns a passionate, but struggling actor (Klaus Maria Brandauer) who remains in Germany during the Nazi regime and reaps the rewards of this Faustian pact by finally achieving the stardom he has long craved.
"Few have dared what Brandauer accomplishes: showing us a good actor responding to the same neurotic drive for the center of the stage, the immortalizing role. His is a great performance, nothing less." - Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine
"Mephisto is brilliant metaphorical filmmaking." - Bruce McCabe, Boston Globe
"One of the greatest movie performances I've ever seen. A performance of electrifying power." - Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Please note the following:
Magnolia has run into a technical issue with Apple TV. Once purchased, the films function fine through browsers and phones. However, when some users attempts to cast to their Apple TV, the file will only transmit the audio track (not video). We are working on getting this fixed immediately.
When you make your purchase, the receipt you will receive will have a line of text saying: “If you’re having trouble viewing this video, please email booking@magpictures.com and we will send you a replacement file.”
Synopsis:
A confessional and cautionary documentary about Robbie Robertson’s young life, and the creation of one of the most enduring groups in the history of popular music – The Band. The film blends rare archival footage, photography, iconic songs, and interviews with Robertson’s friends and collaborators, including Martin Scorsese, Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, and more.
TRIUMPHANT. Robertson deeply dissects the Band’s magic and dysfunction, reckoning with the grudges, tragedies and incomparable musical bond.”
– David Fear, Rolling Stone
Synopsis
Myriam (Leïla Bekhti) and Paul (Antoine Reinartz), are your typical pair of Parisian bobos and parents of two young children, toddler Adam, and 5-year-old Mila, who are taking up all of Myriam’s time. When Myriam decides to go back to work despite her husband’s initial reluctancy, the couple starts looking for a nanny. After a very selective process, they finally find the perfect candidate, Louise, a poised 40-year old woman who is an instant hit with both kids and parents. But appearances can be deceiving, even dangerous…
Adapted from the eponymous novel by Leïla Slimani, winner of the Goncourt prize, and based on a a true story that took place in Manhattan in 2012, the film offers a true pedestal to Karin Viard who seizes with formidable mastery this role of a disturbed nanny whose mask of perfection gradually cracks.
Language: French with English Subtitles
You can buy a ticket from their site using our link and we will split the proceeds with Corinth films
Synopsis
Based on the tragic “honor killing” of Hatun Aynur Sürücü in 2005, the film A Regular Woman portrays a glimpse of life for a free spirited young woman living with an ultra-conservative Turkish Muslim family in Berlin. After escaping a forced marriage in Turkey with her abusive cousin, Hatun provokes the ire of her family by embracing a westernized lifestyle. After enduring endless harassment, she finally leaves the family and attempts to survive alone with her child, with whom she had escaped Turkey while pregnant. The threats and harassment continue, with German authorities willing to do nothing unless a physical act of harm takes place. This soon materializes as the family decides to task Hatun’s youngest brother with a deed that would end the family’s “shame,” and thrust the horrific practice of honor killings into the national spotlight.
Synopsis
Flailing thirty-four-year-old Bridget (Kelly O’Sullivan) finally catches a break when she meets a nice guy and lands a much-needed job nannying six-year-old Frances (played by a scene-stealing Ramona Edith-Williams). But an unwanted pregnancy introduces an unexpected complication. To make matters worse, she clashes with the obstinate Frances and struggles to navigate a growing tension between Frances’s moms. Amidst her tempestuous personal relationships, a reluctant friendship with Frances emerges, and Bridget contends with the inevitable joys and shit-shows of becoming a part of someone else’s family.
You can buy a ticket from their site using our link and we will split the proceeds with Magnolia Pictures
Synopsis
A secretive, high-tech gerrymandering initiative launched 10 years ago threatens to undermine our democracy. Slay the Dragon follows everyday people as they fight to make their votes matter.
Synopsis
The British working class is once again the empathetic subject of Ken Loach’s SORRY WE MISSED YOU, a wrenching, intimate family drama that exposes the dark side of the so-called “gig economy”.
Ricky, a former laborer, and his home-attendant wife Abby—who lost their home in the 2008 financial crash—are desperate to get out of their financial distress. When an opportunity comes up for Ricky to work as his own boss as a delivery driver, they sell their only asset, Abby’s car, to trade it in for a shiny new white van and the dream that Ricky can work his way up to someday owning his own delivery franchise.
But the couple find their lives are quickly pushed further to the edge by an unrelenting work schedule, a ruthless supervisor and the needs of their two teenage children. Capturing the sacred moments that make a family as well as the acts of desperation they need to undertake to make it through each day, this universal story is skillfully and indelibly told with unforgettable performances and a searing script by Loach’s long-time collaborator Paul Laverty.
Synopsis
Told in Bill Cunningham’s own words from a recently unearthed six-hour 1994 interview, the iconic street photographer and fashion historian chronicles, in his customarily cheerful and plainspoken manner, moonlighting as a milliner in France during the Korean War, his unique relationship with First Lady Jackie Kennedy, his four decades at The New York Times and his democratic view of fashion and society. Narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker, The Times of Bill Cunningham features incredible photographs chosen from over 3 million previously unpublicized images and documents from Cunningham.
“A snapshot of a life that leaves you grateful for having encountered it.” – Variety
“The minute Bill Cunningham starts talking in this charming documentary is the minute you fall in love with him.” – RogerEbert.com
“A unique New York story” – The Hollywood Reporter
Synopsis
Pauline Kael (1919-2001) was likely the most powerful, and personal, movie critic of the 20th century. Writing for The New Yorker and publishing a dozen best-selling books, she ruthlessly pursued what made a movie or an actor’s performance work, or not, and why. Her passion made her both admired and despised amongst her readers and her subjects. Pauline’s own story is one of struggle and obsession: the fight to establish her voice and have it heard, and to raise a daughter on her own in a time when the obstacles were high. The latter golden age of movies of the 1960s and 1970s are the focus of this film that pursues the question of what made Pauline Kael’s work so individual, so controversial — and so damned good.
Please note the following:
Magnolia has run into a technical issue with Apple TV. Once purchased, the films function fine through browsers and phones. However, when some users attempts to cast to their Apple TV, the file will only transmit the audio track (not video). We are working on getting this fixed immediately.
When you make your purchase, the receipt you will receive will have a line of text saying: “If you’re having trouble viewing this video, please email booking@magpictures.com and we will send you a replacement file.”
Synopsis In this Romanian neo-noir thriller from acclaimed auteur Corneliu Porumboiu, a police inspector embarks on a high-stakes heist with a beautiful femme fatale. A secret whistling language helps them pull it off.
“If the Coen brothers were Romanian, they might have made The Whistlers.”
– A.O. Scott, The New York Times
“A nifty, twisty drama. An elegant and stylishly crafted piece of entertainment.”
– Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian