Panel Discussion on Film
Children of the Amazon

In the 1960s, the Brazilian government began work on the BR- 364, the highway that would open up the Amazon. Farmers, loggers and cattle ranchers descended on the tropical forest with devastating consequences for indigenous people and for the rubber-tappers who eked out a living from the trees. The Amazon quickly became Brazil ’s “Wild West,” and violence became commonplace among the factions competing for a livelihood. The panelists will examine how the road changed the forest and local communities and discuss efforts to protect land and traditions.

Denise Zmekhol is a film director and producer.
Elenira Mendes is the daughter of late rainforest preservation activist Chico Mendes.
Chief AlmirSurui is a village chief who has worked to protect Surui lands and culture.

Wednesday, October 1, 7:00 pm
160 Kroeber Hall

Film screening
Children of the Amazon
Directed by Denise Zmekhol ( United States, 2008)

“Children of the Amazon” follows Brazilian filmmaker Denise Zmekhol as she travels deep into the Amazon in search of the Indigenous Surui and Nega­rote children she photographed 15 years ago. Part road movie, part time travel, her journey tells the story of what happened to life in the largest forest on earth when a road was built straight through its heart.

“Beautifully filmed and compassionately told, ‘Children of the Amazon’ deftly uses the director’s relationship with the children of three Amazonian communities to show the history of the region as a whole.” — Victoria Langland, UC Davis

Wednesday, October 22, 7:00 pm
160 Kroeber Hall

Lost Embrace
Directed by Daniel Burman (Argentina, 2004)

Directionless and unsatisfied, Ariel dreams of escaping a life trapped behind the counter of his mother’s lingerie store in a shabby Buenos Aires shopping mall. He is angling to move to Poland , a land of opportunity to him but also the place his Jewish grandmother fled during World War II. Before he can convince her to hand over the documents he needs to secure a Polish passport, his long-lost father arrives on the scene bringing with him the answers to Ariel’s questions about the past. 100 minutes. Spanish with English subtitles.

“A film of unexpected, almost indescribable off-center charm that deepens as it goes on.” — Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

Wednesday, November 5, 7:00 pm
160 Kroeber Hall

The Judge and the General
Directed by Elizabeth Farnsworth and Patricio Lanfranco (United States, 2008)

When Chilean judge Juan Guzmán was assigned the first criminal case against the country’s ex-dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, no one expected much. After all, the conservative judge had supported Pinochet and believed the general’s version of events: that the tales of mass murder and systematic violations of human rights were mostly Communist propaganda and any excesses committed by the military were the unfortunate consequences of a dire struggle. The filmmakers trace the judge’s descent into what he calls “the abyss,” where he uncovers the past and his own role in the tragedy. 84 minutes.English and Spanish with subtitles.

Director Elizabeth Farnsworth will answer questions following the film.

“See the movie if you get a chance, even just for a break from the cynicism of everyday life.” — Phil Bronstein, San Francisco Chronicle

Co-sponsored with the Human Rights Center .

Monday, December 1, 7:00 pm
Pacific Film Archive Theater

Linha de Passe
Directed by Walter Salles (Brazil, 2008)

In the heart of São Paulo, one of the toughest, most chaotic cities in the world, four fatherless brothers struggle to earn respect and reales without turning to crime. “Linha De Passe” explores how the brothers — like the vast majority of young Brazilian men — instead seek refuge in soccer, religion or familial connections. The title, a Brazilian soccer term for players passing the ball from one to another without letting it touch the ground, poetically evokes both the structure of the film and the boys’ efforts to stay in the game. 108 minutes. Portuguese with English subtitles.

Walter Salles, the award-winning director of “Central Station,” “Midnight,” and “The Motorcycle Diaries,” will be on hand to discuss “Linha de Passe,” as well as “On the Road,” an upcoming film currently in production.

Date: TBD
Location: TBD