Filmhouse October

GRACE KELLY — AN AMERICAN PRINCESS
Her fairytale life and career are the stuff of legend. Breaking free of her social heritage, she rose from New York starlet to glamorous Hollywood star and finally became princess of Monaco. Uncommonly compassionate, Grace Kelly (1929-1982) was universally well regarded. Frank Sinatra called her an "elegant and lovely woman, a princess from the moment she was born." Now the Cinematheque is showing her all-too-few films to mark the publication of "Grace Kelly — A Biography,” a new biography by the American writer Donald Spoto.
Series of eight films. For screening times, see page 4-6 in the Danish programme leaflet.
Saturday 3 October 19.00 pm. Donald Spoto will present his book and introduce 'High Society'. English
Friday 9 October 19.00 pm. Donald Spoto introduces the Hitchcock-classic 'Rear Window'. English

HIP HOP, POLITICS AND TANGO
High-intensity tango, Senegalese political hip-hop, a trip through the South Bronx melting pot – the Cinematheque is presenting this series of music films to celebrate WOMEX – The World Music Expo, the world’s biggest world music event, taking place in Copenhagen this month. On Friday, 2 October, we take up political hip-hop, and more, under the theme of 'African roots.' On Saturday, 3 October, we plunge into Argentine tango.
Series of five films. For screening times, see page 10-11 in the Danish programme leaflet.  

QUAY BROTHERS — WITH KAFKA IN DREAMLAND
Welcome to a parallel universe of stop-motion animation inhabited by puppets, people and ordinarily inanimate objects living side by side and merging into new constellations in an atmosphere that’s as vulnerable and unpredictable as it is playful and nightmarish. The laws governing good and evil in the Quay brothers’ parallel universe are uniquely their own.
Series of 2 feature films and 4 short films. For screening times, see page 8-9 in the Danish programme leaflet.

NUANCED PERCEPTION — FILM FROM DDR 1957-1990
Twenty years ago this autumn, the 'antifascist protective rampart' – as the Berlin Wall was known in official East German parlance – came down. The people of the German Democratic Republic may have been living under one-party rule, but their lives were more than bleak concrete buildings, endless queues and Stasi persecution. This series adds a few nuances to the somewhat simplified perception of East Germany now solidifying in our collective unconscious.
Series of 11 films screening 1-18 October. For screening times, see page 18-20 in the Danish programme leaflet.
Saturday 3 October 16:00 pm. Steen Bile talks to actress Jutta Hoffmann about East German films and introduces "Karla" with Hoffmann in the lead. English

NINE CONTAGIOUS FILMS — CHOSEN BY TALENT JOHAN MELIN
Johan Melin is one of the biggest talents in Danish cinema today. His new film, "Profetia," will have its world premiere this month at the Cinematheque. In turn, Melin has picked nine of his favourite films for a Cinematheque series. Apart from his uncommon fluency in the cinematic language, Melin clearly strives to make films that challenge and unsettle his audience. The same premise informs his nine film favourites – from conflicts of religious dogma in "Ordet" (1955) to Gypsy life in "Time of the Gypsies" (1988) and aggression and despair in "I Stand Alone" (1998).
Series of 9 films screening throughout October. For titles and screening times, see page 12-13 in the Danish programme leaflet.
Thursday 8 October Johan Melin will introduce at 19:00 pm 'I Stand Alone'; at 19:30 'Vacas' and at 19:30 Carl Theodor Dryer's 'The Word'. Danish

COPENHAGEN GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL (CGLFF)
One of Europe's most progressive festivals continues its close collaboration with the Cinematheque in screening a host of films that take the pulse of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) living, then and now. The programme is carved up into a number of current themes. "Documenting Denmark" is a showcase of brand new documentaries chronicling the queer community in Denmark today.
40 films screening at the festival 16-25 October. See programme at http://www.cglff.dk/english/

Special events

DANISH FILMS / ENGLISH SUBTITLES — LOVE AND DEATH IN PRAGUE
"Prague" tells the story of Christoffer and his wife Maja, who go to Prague to bring back the remains of his recently deceased father he has not seen for 25 years. As Christopher learns more about his father's life, he also tries to improve his relationship with his wife. He feels Maja is slipping away. The question is whether they will ever be able to retrieve their love for one another. This intense drama about love, loss and loneliness features yet another stand-out performance from Mads Mikkelsen ('Adam's Apples', 'Casino Royale'). "...powerful drama, strong direction and overwhelming performances" (Screen International). Appearances: Mads Mikkelsen and Stine Stengade.
Thursday 15 October 19:00: Prague

FILM OF THE MONTH "PROFETIA" BY JOHAN MELIN
Johan Melin demonstrates tremendous daring and sky-high technical ambition in this metaphysical multi-strand storyline about life, love and death. The Cinematheque welcomes you to the world premiere of "Profetia."
Screening 6 consecutive days at 19:15 pm. 25-31 October (note Monday 26 Oct closed).
Sunday 25 October, Johan Melin will introduce Profetia. Danish

EXPERIMENTAL — KUBELKA, KREN AND OTHER AUSTRIAN HIGHLIGHTS
In the 1950s, artists like Peter Kubelka and Kurt Kren made radical formal experiments, including the first “metric film.” In the 1970s and 1980s, Valie Export and Mara Mattuscka followed, deconstructing the female body, and the 1990s saw Peter Tscherkassky and Lisl Ponger’s use of found footage.
Wednesday 28 October 19:00 pm. Page 24 in the Danish programme leaflet.

SILENT FILMS
Lavish silent drama "From Piazza del Popolo" (1925) by A.W. Sandberg. Before the screening, historian Svend Jørgen Jensen will discuss the production designer Carlo Jacobsen’s work on the film. The film will feature live musical accompaniment by the composer and flutist Yael Acher. On Saturday, 31 October, we're showing another dimension of the Jacobsen/Sandberg duo's work: a thriller comedy, priceless titled "Nedbrudte nerver" (1923). The film will be accompanied by live piano music.
Tuesday 6 October 19:00, and Saturday 31 October 19:00

PSYCH-OUT: 'LIQUID SKY' — 1980S SCIFI WITH DISCO AND ALIENS
In the 1982 film "Liquid Sky," a flying saucer from Venus, looking for drugs(!), lands in the middle of a decadent new wave/disco scene. Later, the invisible aliens move in with an androgynous model and learn that sex is a much groovier high. The film is the first offering in “Psych-Out,” a new series dedicated to offbeat genres, presented in cooperation with the Station 16 film group. The series runs from grubby B-movies to weird underground fare and hellish midnight movies. On the third Thursday of every month, these rare reels will be introduced by a few wise words and followed by cold after-movie brews at Asta Bar.
Thursday 15 October, 21:00 with introduction. Danish

SUNDAY DOC — HAVANA HILTEN: SYMBOL OF A REVOLUTION
This year is the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution. "When Castro Seized the Hilton" (2009) is a fascinating new take on the events, as seen from the luxury hotel that became the epicentre of the revolution. Among his symbolic power plays in 1959, Castro made the new Havana Hilton Hotel his headquarters, renaming it the Habana Libre – Free Havana. After the screening, the director Bjarte Thoresen will discuss his work on the film and answer questions from the audience.
Sunday 4 October 14:30 pm: 'When Castro Seized the Hilton". Introduction in Norwegian by director Bjarte Thoresen, and debate.

NIGHT OF CULTURE — FRIDAY 9 OCTOBER
A Kulturpas gives you access to a score of activities and cinematic experiences. Watch a McDonald's restaurant slowly fill up with water in the compelling and beautifully realised new film "Flooded McDonald's." Make your own film in FILM-X, learn about the history of Danish animation and catch a preview of the new animated film, "Olsen Banden på de bonede gulve." Come to Madonna Night, two concert films 'Madonna — Drowned World Tour' and Madonna – The Confessions' beginning at 22:00 pm.
Purchase your kulturpas (85 kr) at most S-train stations and libraries.
Friday 9 October. Seven events, the first beginning at 16:30. Page 26 in the Danish programme leaflet.

FRIDAY LATE NIGHT — MARC ALMOND LIVE
Marc Almond immortalised the soul classic "Tainted Love" in 1981 with his band Soft Cell and later took a life-long plunge into such varied genres as disco, synthpop, cabaret and vaudeville. See the handsomely tattooed British performer in his ultimate show from the Royal Albert Hall in London, 1992.
Friday 23 October 21:45 pm. Followed by bar and DJ.  Presented in cooperation with Copenhagen Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.

FILM & EXHIBITION — MASKS AT THE GLYPTOTEK AND DFI CINEMATHEQUE
Masks, both seductive and menacing, take centre stage on 31 October, when the Cinematheque, in cooperation with the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, screens “En digters blod” (1930) directed by cinema’s master of masquerade, Jean Cocteau. The film will be introduced by DFI programme editor Claus Kjær. Moreover, Flemming Friborg, director of the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, will discuss the history and culture of masks. The event rounds off the exhibition "MASKS – from Carpeaux to Picasso," running at the Glyptotek until 1 November. Film tickets include free admission to the exhibition.
Saturday 31 October 16:00: "The Blood of a Poet." Introduction in Danish by Claus Kjær, DFI programme editor.

DAVID LYNCH FILM
"The Straight Story" is the touching, gently humming story of Alvin Straight (Richard Farnsworth), a 73-year-old man who can feel his life waning and decides to look up a brother (Harry Dean Stanton) he hasn't talked with for 10 years. What do you do when you don’t have a driver’s licence, hate buses and still have to cross two state lines? You jump on your lawn tractor, of course! The film is based on a true story.
Thursday 29 October 19:00: "The Straight Story". Introduction in Danish by film critic and parish vicar Johannes H. Christensen.