(90 Minutes | Photo by Richard Herskowitz, Ashland Independent Film Festival)
The Ashland Independent Film Festival is expanding Varsity World Film Week, its annual fall festival of new international films, into a two-week Varsity World Film Weeks – Virtual Edition. The festival will run online from October 2-15 via the organization’s website: ashlandfilm.org, and is co-sponsored with Coming Attractions Theatres. Thirteen film selections can be viewed throughout the United States, while two films (The End of Love and Kuessipan) are available only to Oregon viewers.
Erica Thompson, executive director of AIFF, released a statement addressing the organization’s response to the recent tragic fires in Ashland and neighboring towns: “We have questioned just how relevant a film festival is in a difficult time for our community that has endured such significant loss. We kept coming back to our core belief that art nourishes the individual spirit, creates common ground among people and helps illuminate a way forward in dark times. AIFF is committed to celebrating the diversity of human experience through the art of independent film. It is with that spirit we invite you to participate in the upcoming Varsity World Film Weeks — an opportunity to explore foreign lands, perspectives and experiences.”
Among the countries represented through the 15 selected films in the Varsity World Film Weeks are Chile, China, France, Israel, United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Iran, Hong Kong, Argentina and others.
“Since the pandemic has thrown a wrench in many people’s travel plans, we’re happy to provide these illuminating cinematic voyages to many foreign lands,” said Richard Herskowitz, the organization’s artistic director.
Several of the films are well-known on the festival circuit, having swept up awards ranging from the Golden Bear at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival (Mohamad Rasoulof’s There Is No Evil) to the World Cinema Documentary Audience Award (The Reason I Jump) and World Cinema Dramatic Jury Prize (Yalda, A Night for Forgiveness) at Sundance.
In addition to well-known directors — Iran’s Rasoulof and Chile’s Pablo Larrain — “The program is filled with adventurous gems from emerging talents such as Great Britain’s Mark Jenkin and Israel’s Keren Ben Rafael, whose films Bait and The End of Love, play with storytelling conventions in exciting ways,” said Herskowitz.
Herskowitz said he is also pleased to have films from countries making their World Film Week debuts, including Saudi Arabia (sending the feminist drama The Perfect Candidate), Honduras (the Tarantino-esque 90 Minutes) and, from Canada’s first nations, Kuessipan, whose screenplay is by Innu novelist Naomi Fontaine.
Tickets for Varsity World Film Weeks may be purchased at ashlandfilm.org. Each film will be available on the festival’s Eventive film channel for 48 consecutive hours, and several will be accompanied by filmmaker Q&As.
Individual tickets are $10 each, and are discounted for seniors, students and people experiencing economic hardship to $8 per film. A seven-film VWFW Passport is available for $60, discounted to $49 for eligible viewers, and an all-access pass to all 15 films is available for $100 or $80 discounted. (Viewers outside of Oregon should note that two of the 15 films are not available to them). All proceeds from these events benefit the nonprofit Ashland Independent Film Festival and Coming Attractions Theatres.
Synopses of the Varsity World Film Weeks films, along with trailers, and the film schedule can be found at ashlandfilm.org. Varsity World Film Weeks sponsors and community partners include Coming Attractions Theatres, Ashland Home Net, Rogue Creamery, The Earth and Humanity Foundation and Project A.
Complete Varsity World Film Weeks 2020 Roster
October 9-10: 90 MINUTES (Aeden O’Connor, Honduras, 92 min)
90 Minutes explores four stories of violence, romance and suspense united by the world’s greatest passion: soccer. Narrative
October 14-15: BAIT (Mark Jenkin, United Kingdom, 89 min)
With his childhood home in Cornwall now a get-away for wealthy Londoners, fisherman Martin’s struggle to restore his family to their traditional place creates increasing friction with tourists and locals alike. Narrative
October 7, 14: DUTCH ANIMATION CELEBRATION (Various, Netherlands, 74 min)
The New York Children’s International Film Festival crossed the Atlantic to join forces with Cinekid, The Netherland’s premiere film festival for children, to share a program of the very best of Dutch animation. Animated Shorts. Recommended Ages 8+ and adults who love whimsical and beautiful animation, too!
October 2-3: EMA (Pablo Larrain, Chile, 102 min)
After a shocking incident upends her family life and marriage to a tempestuous choreographer, Ema, a reggaeton dancer, sets out on an odyssey of personal liberation, in this incendiary drama from director Pablo Larraín. Narrative
October 10-11: END OF LOVE, THE (Keren Ben Rafael, France/Israel, 90 min) Available only in Oregon
Julie and Yuval live in Paris, are in love and have just had a baby. When Yuval needs to return to Israel to renew his visa, they start sharing their family routine via video call, watching each other obsessively through a screen. Narrative. Shown only in Oregon.
October 7-8: KUESSIPAN (Myriam Verreault, Canada, 117 min) Available only in Oregon
Two girls grow up as best friends in an Innu (First Nations) community. As they’re about to turn 17, their friendship is shaken when Mikuan falls for a white boy and starts dreaming of leaving the reserve that’s now too small for her dreams. Narrative. Shown only in Oregon.
October 5-6: MOTHER (Kristof Bilsen, Belgium/Thailand, 82 min)
In a small village in Thailand, Pomm works in a care center for Europeans with Alzheimer’s. Separated from her children, she helps Elisabeth during the final stages of her life. Documentary
October 12-13: MY REMBRANDT (Oeke Hoogendijk, Netherlands, 95 min)
Rembrandt rocks the art world; 350 years after his death, many people, even entire nations are obsessed with his paintings. The epic documentary MY REMBRANDT dives deep into the art world of Old Masters, exploring the motives of its elite. Documentary
October 11-12: ONCE YOU KNOW (Emmanuel Cappelin, France, 104 min)
This is the intimate journey of director Emmanuel Cappellin across the abyss of a world at the edge of climate-induced collapse. His voyage is that of a whole generation turning to climate scientists, grassroots initiatives and mass rebellion in a desperate search for an exit. Documentary
October 4-5: PERFECT CANDIDATE, THE (Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Arabia, 105 min)
When Maryam is prevented from flying to Dubai for a medical conference without a male guardian’s approval, she seeks help from a politically connected cousin but inadvertently registers as a candidate for the municipal council. Narrative
October 8-9: REASON I JUMP, THE (Jerry Rothwell, US/United Kingdom, 82 min)
An immersive cinematic exploration of neurodiversity through the experiences of non-speaking autistic people from around the world, drawing from Naoki Higashida’s revelatory insights into autism. Documentary
October 13-14: THERE IS NO EVIL (Mohammad Rasoulof, Germany/Iran, 152 min)
Every country that enforces the death penalty needs people to kill other people. Four men are put in front of an unthinkable but simple choice. Whatever they decide, it will directly or indirectly corrode themselves, their relationships and their entire lives. Narrative
October 3-4: TWILIGHT’S KISS (SUK SUK) (Ray Yeung, Hong Kong, 92 min)
Pak is a 70-year-old taxi driver who lives with his wife. Hoi lives with his devout Christian son and family. The two men, who have lived all their lives never revealing their sexual identities, meet by chance in the streets of Hong Kong and fall in love. Narrative
October 6-7: WEASELS’ TALE, THE (Juan José Campanella, Argentina/Spain, 129 min)
A beautiful actress from cinema’s golden age, an actor in the twilight of his life, a frustrated scriptwriter and an old director will do the impossible to try and preserve the world they have created in an old mansion. Narrative
October 2, 15: YALDA, A NIGHT FOR FORGIVENESS (Massoud Bakhshi, Iran, 89 min)
The reality TV show goes live. Tonight’s guest is Maryam, a young woman condemned to death. In front of millions of viewers, Maryam is supposed to beg for forgiveness and her life. Narrative