THE SLEEPING BEAUTY (Catherine Breillat) Kathryn Bigelow may have broken through the glass ceiling with her historic Best Director Oscar win last year for THE HURT LOCKER, but the door was not pushed wide open for women directors in the American film industry. Despite strong work by such American indie stalwarts as Lisa Cholodenko (THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT) and Nicole Holofcener (PLEASE GIVE), and the emergence of a number of debut directors (chief among them Debra Granik with WIN...

A surprisingly large number of films in the programme of the 41st Berlinale Forum revolve around family, relationships and identity. Although exploring the human psyche is the number one subject for independent filmmakers from the whole world, the majority of these films in this year's selection can also be read politically within the context of social change and political upheaval.   In this way, artist Kelvin K. Park's documentary Cheonggyecheon Medley places the threatened demolition of a tr...

The 41st Forum: Cracks in the Facade A surprisingly large number of films in the programme of the 41st Berlinale Forum revolve around family, relationships and identity. Although exploring the human psyche is the number one subject for independent filmmakers from the whole world, the majority of these films in this year’s selection can also be read politically within the context of social change and political upheaval. In this way, artist Kelvin K. Park’s documentary Cheonggyecheon Medley p...

 Friday, May 11------The BAMcinematek, located at the Rose Cinemas at downtown Brooklyn's estimable Brooklyn Academy of Music, is showcasing the work of three generations of France's most prolific acting and directing dynasties. GENERATION GARREL offers the work of veteran director Phillipe Garrel, a kind of Gallic version of American director John Cassavettes, and his father Maurice Garrel and son Louis Garrel, both accomplished actors. Following BAM's Philippe Garrel retrospe...