Essential Cinema Archives

A Summer of Restoration: Selections from Milestone Films

June 5 – August 7, 2010

Because of their deep love and appreciation of cinema, Dennis Doros and Amy Heller created Milestone Films in 1990. They describe their mission: “We dedicated ourselves to discovering and distributing films of enduring artistry from both yesterday and today - films that we loved and wanted to share. Our collection now ranges from the earliest days of the cinema, to the golden age of the silents, to the postwar foreign film renaissance, to brand-new American independent features, documentaries and foreign films.” With a background in restoration and preservation, they insist on presenting films in “the best versions possible.” They “treat films old and new with the same meticulous care. Our 35mm prints always come from the best source materials and our video masters are painstakingly created at the best film-to-tape studios in the country. Our subtitles are carefully translated by native speakers and are proofread again and again (and again) – often with the cooperation of the filmmakers themselves.” So, with an emphasis on the physical restoration of classic films and a spiritual restoration of our 21st century souls, Austin Film Society presents a wide selection of films, old and new, from the wonderful Milestone catalog. – Chale Nafus, Director of Programming, Austin Film Society

	I’M GOING HOME (Je rentre a la maison) Sat 5 June 12 noon The life of an elderly but still successful theater actor, Gilbert Valence, is turned upside down when his wife, daughter, and son-in-law are killed in an automobile accident. More information & tickets >>
	VILLAGE OF DREAMS (Eno nakano bokuno mura) Sat 12 June 12 noon In what has been called “a hymn to childhood,” this film explores “the rich details of family life, the unintentional cruelty of youth, the mysteriously beautiful nature that envelops them, the strong emotional bond between the twins, and the fierce fights they enter into at the drop of a hat.” More information & tickets >>
	THE EDGE OF THE WORLD Sat 19 June 12 noon Two families living on a remote island off the coast of Scotland are united by friendship and the budding romance between a young man and woman. More information & tickets >>
	ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (Rocco e I suoi fratelli) Sat 26 June 12 noon This beautifully restored, uncut, and uncensored print of Visconti’s masterpiece tells the powerful story of the Parondi family of five boys and their mother, Rosaria. Leaving a hopeless life behind in southern Italy, the matriarch takes four sons to Milan in search of a better life with the fifth son who has already found a tiny bit of financial security. More information & tickets >>
	KILLER OF SHEEP Sat 3 July 12 noon Charles Burnett has given the world powerful stories and images from African-American life that would be ignored by more exploitative directors. Chosen as one of the first 50 films deemed a “national treasure” for the National Film Registry. More information & tickets >>
	IT HAPPENED HERE Sat 10 July 12 noon Future film historian Kevin Brownlow decided to delve into an alternative history and show England under Nazi occupation during World War II. Pauline, a nurse, accepts a job with the British fascist collaborators, but the more she sees of atrocities committed by the fascist groups, she begins to sympathize with the partisans struggling against the occupying army and the British turncoats. More information & tickets >>
	THE TRIAL (Le Proces) Sat 17 July 1 pm [Note change of starting time] In this powerful adaptation of Kafka’s nightmarish novel, Joseph K., an innocuous, young bank clerk, is inexplicably arrested. Just as innovative in story telling and camera technique as CITIZEN KANE, THE TRIAL was actually Orson Welles’ favorite of his many films. More information & tickets >>
	ARAYA Sat 24 July 12:30 pm [Note change of starting time] A lyrical feature documentary in the visual tradition of MAN OF ARAN and LA TERRA TREMA, Benacerraf's stunning ARAYA had been all but forgotten until rescued and restored by Milestone. More information & tickets >>
	SIDDHARTHA Sat 31 July 12 noon Siddhartha and his companion Govinda spend time with ascetics but also immerse themselves in carnal pleasures and business affairs. Only after experiencing so much of life and reflecting upon those experiences does Siddhartha achieve nirvana as a simple ferryman on an endlessly moving river. More information & tickets >>
	SOUTH: ERNEST SHACKLETON AND THE ENDURANCE EXPEDITION Sat 7 AUGUST 12 noon Anglo-Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton set sail on the Endurance in August 1914. While World War I was beginning in Europe, he and his crew planned to cross the entire continent of Antarctica via the South Pole, which had only recently been reached by Amundsen in 1911. Tragically, the Endurance became stuck in pack ice and drifted with ice floes for months. Finally, as the ship began breaking up, Shackleton left the rest of the expedition behind on an island and with five men made an 850-mile journey in a small boat through hazardous seas to find help. More information & tickets >>