Our Art Saturday programs run every 1st and 3rd Saturday from September 18th through May 7th. No need to RSVP. Students tour downtown galleries and museums to take in the very latest in contemporary art before they are treated to a picnic lunch. After lunch we go see a new release film. Unless noted otherwise, we meet on the balcony outside Metreon overlooking Yerba Buena Park between 10:30 and 11am. Come join us.

Cine/Club is held on Friday nights. These events are free to students, their guests, mentors, parents and friends of Art & Film. No need to RSVP. Screenings are held at the Randall Museum (199 Museum Way) and at Dolby Labs (100 Potrero Avenue). Refreshments are served at 6:30 and the film begins at 7pm unless otherwise noted.

Discussions are held after each film with moderators Heather Woodward of School of the Arts, and Ronald Chase, director of Art & Film.



Friday 4: Cine/Club: Randall Museum

Satyajit Ray's CHARULATA (1964, India)

We begin our month of Asian films with a tale of a wealthy, but lonely young housewife in 1870 India who falls in love with her cousin. He’s a charming but pretentious writer—all words and no action. Her unrequited love for him spurs her to create. This film is rich, stunning and moving.

 
WHY WE CHOSE THIS FILM:

Here is a film that takes on a world on one hand totally familiar (the Victorian era of England) and transposes it to an alien atmosphere (India)—it helps us understand the ways the Indians adapted to British rule. It also looks at a society we seldom associate with India. The upper middle class life of the heroine is one of total leisure, but it gives her time to observe, to become critical and finally create.
   
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:

Pather Pacahali, the first film of Ray’s long career, is something of a wonder in itself. It was financed originally by mortgaging Ray’s house, by handouts from family and friends, and taking two years to film it went on to make Ray famous throughout the world. Ray was inspired by another great film maker, Jean Renior, and worked with him on his film The River. Until this time the Indian film industry had triumphed by churning out an endless series of musical fantasies which we refer to as pre-Bollywood. Ray brought a neo-realist sensebility to his films, stories of people struggling to hold on to a moral center in their poverty, problems and personal disappointments and tragedies. His legacy is enormous, and though his films never achieved true popularity either at home or abroad, he has become symbolic of artist who hold on to their vision and never falter.

Saturday 5: Art Saturday

10:30 Meet on the balcony outside Metron overlooking Yerba Buena Park (on Mission between 3rd & 4th)
11:00 We'll go see galleries, followed by a picnic lunch and see a film in the afternoon.

Friday 11: Cine/Club: Randall

Yimou Zhang's JU DOU (1990, China)

An early masterwork from one of China’s most important filmmakers concerns an Illicit love affair between a woman married to the brutal owner of a dye mill and her nephew. Their son grows up to pass a terrible judgement on them. Visually powerful with stunning performances


 
WHY WE CHOSE THESE FILMS:

Yimou is one of the most important directors to come out of China (there are so many!) And this is one of his most beautiful film, so we thought you’d like to start here to discover him. All of his earliest films have severe themes—none of them turn out happily, but that shouldn’t discourage you, because you are given An astonishing array of color, visual imagery and fine performances to compensate.
   
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR:

As a young man Yimou was the victim of the Cultural Revolution, a period in Chinese history during which the new communist government, in order to prevent the "dangerous" bourgeois elements of society to reclaiming control, rounded up intellectuals, professionals and artists for persecution and “re-education.” Yimou was sent to work on a farm for two years, and spent another ten at a dye factory (an experience he drew upon for Ju Dou).
   
When the revolution ended, he was too old to enter film school, but persisted in applying and was finally accepted. His first film, Red Sorghum (based on the novel by Mo Yan) won the prize at Venice and his next two, Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern established him as one of the finest new directors in China.

He then became interested in another type of more popular film, and produced a number of films accumulating in Hero and the House of Flying Daggers. He also Has spent time directing for opera, and staged the programs for the Chinese Olympics.
Friday 17: Cine/Club: Randall Museum

Akira Kurosawa's RASHOMON (1950, Japan)

A husband and wife are traveling through a forest when they are set upon by a bandit. There are four versions of the story, from four different eye witnesses. What really happened? This is the film that brought Kurosawa international fame.

 
WHY WE CHOSE THIS FILM:

Rashomon is one of the most influential films in history. Its cyclical form has been adapted by so many filmmakers today: we have the same story told many different points of view, but Rashoman was the first time anyone had seen an idea like this. We think you should have this one under your belt, as they say.
   
ABOUT THE DIRECTORS:

The Japanese film industry has produced a number of fine directors, but few are as well known in the Wes as Kurosawat. Kurosawa was always influenced by western film. He was especially found of film noir and gangster films and in his work, made those genres his own.

He began as a painter and then worked in film as an assistant director and writer for years. He became a director during World War II, and started working with the actor Toshiro Mifune in 1947 with Drunken Angel. Roshoman won the Venice Film Festival in 1951 and Kurosawa continued to produce a series of classics—Iriku, Seven Samauri, Yojimbo. His final two epics Kagemusha and Ran were made in the 80’s. He is considered one of the most important and influential directors in film history. .

Saturday 19: Art Saturday

10:30 Meet on the balcony outside Metron overlooking Yerba Buena Park (on Mission between 3rd & 4th)
11:00 We'll go see galleries, followed by a picnic lunch and see a film in the afternoon.