SITA SINGS THE BLUES!

That's right. THAT Sita. You know- Sita and Rama, the Ramayana.

Just in time for Diwali (Oct. 17), MTM is screening Nina Paley's amazing animated film

Sita Sings the Blues
October 16, 2009
Friday
Doors open at 7 pm. $7

Centro Cultural de la Raza

2004 Park Blvd, Balboa Park

Disclaimer: for purists (like M.) this is NOT the Ramayana exactly

Billed as the greatest breakup story ever told, Nina Paley has animated a parallel story. While in India with her husband, Dave, also an animator, Nina finds out (from Dave) her marriage is over...and discovers something in common with Sita from the Ramayana. Sita's singing voice is dubbed by a 20's singer while many of the other voices are dubbed by cast members from the film Loins of Punjab Presents.

To find out more about Nina, the film and the music go here. To find out what Sepia Mutiny thought about it and a great interview with Nina, go here

Disclaimer #2: We love cross-cultural stuff, but not the kind that appropriates for appropriation's sake - the ethnographic zoo and all that - so we carefully looked at what Sepia Mutiny and others have to say and we feel fairly confident that Sita passes the don't over-exoticize us test. Otherwise, we would not show it.

Sooooo, that said, there's more! More? Yes, more!

- Kirti of Cafe India will be dancing
- There might be food (but don't quote us just yet)
- and a raffle for tickets to a doc at the San Diego Asian Film Festival

and now we are going to clean the house (ok, let's honest, part of the house) for Diwali. It will takes us ALL week and then some.

See you October 16!

ARCHEOLOGY OF MEMORY: THE VILLA GRIMALDI

Movies that Matter is observing 9/11 - 1973 and post 9/11 with a screening of the amazing and moving documentary Archeology of Memory: the Villa Grimaldi, directed by Marilyn Mulford (Freedom on My Mind).

We're screening the festival version with a short and a roundtable discussion about human rights, civil rights and extraordinary rendition with Amnesty International, Survivors of Torture International and the ACLU.

Archeology of Memory is the extraordinary story of Bay Area-based
multimedia artist and musician Quique Cruz

who was arrested, disappeared and tortured under Pinochet shortly after the fall of Allende while still a teenager. He was later expelled to the US where he rebuilt his identity and slowly, painfully started to address what had happened to him.

Archeology of Memory "follows our major protagonist to Chile and the back to the U. S. in a unique journey as he navigates a landscape of state sponsored torture, forced exile, transformation and healing. We accompany Claudio as he visits former concentration camp sites and ruins, and talks to his mother about his disappearance and incarceration for the first time in thirty years. To help tell his story, he searches for artist friends who were incarcerated with him. In these intimate conversations—with writer Nubia Becker, poet Anita Moreira and painter Guillermo Nuñez—we see these artists, and their art, as they re-tell their experiences as political prisoners and talk of how they use their art for healing." (http://www.archeologyofmemory.org/the_film_synopsis.html)

Join us for a powerful story about the triumph of art and music over torture and government betrayal.

09/11/09
7 pm
$7

Centro Cultural de la Raza
2004 Park Blvd
Balboa Park

Y Chile Cuando?


September 11...hmmm. Dislike that day, dislike the hyper-patriotism around that day, However, no need to totally disregard it.

So, Movies that Matter is remembering September 11, on September 11- September 11, 1973, that is...

with Archeology of Memory: the Villa Grimaldi

here's the current tag line:

On September 11, 1973, the government of Chile was overthrown.
For Quique Cruz, life would change...forever.

Detained
Tortured
Disappeared
Exiled.

Join us on September 11, 2009, for a compelling story about the triumph of Art and Life.

Screening July 17:

Against the Grain: An Artist's Survival Guide to Peru

at the Centro Cultural de la Raza 2004 Park Blvd. Balboa Park.

Doors open at 7 pm, screening at 7:30 pm

$5

Director Ann Kaneko's award-winning new documentary
about 4 artists making art and social commentary in Fujimori's Peru. Ann Kaneko will be present9ng and leading a q/a/

After the screening, Mario Torero and friends will be holding a fabulous after party of spoken word and music. Donations welcome!

Invite:



Heads up!

August 14: Are you ready to party? Well, WE ARE!

We're kicking off India Independence in style.

Roots in the Sand:

Jayasri Hart's award winning POV doc on Sihks from the Punjab, India and their Mexican wives in the '20;s in the Imperial Valley. Jayasri Hart will be there and, if you're REALLY good, we'll have music from Black Mahal- the San Francisco-based Bhangera-Hop Hop group. Check them out!

Here is a trailer for Friday's main feature. Poets Without Borders is not on Youtube yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2KDtSct23Q

Screening June 19

Line up is Race is the Place with short Poets Without Borders. We open doors at 7:30. Race is the Place is AMAZING. A great documentary featuring incredible word artists and performers like Danny Hock, Kay Trask, Kate Riggs, Ahmed Ahmed, and San Diego's own James Luna.

Poets Without Borders is (modestly mine) abut the local Taco Shop Poets, who used to perform their spoken word art in taco shops and other places.

Come out and join us!

Community comes in All colors.

*ANNOUNCEMENT*

Tonight's Screening (May 22) is being dropped into a fundraiser (double-booking issue)
We will go on as planned but you need to come on time (7 pm)
The door is the same for both events, and your entry into MTM is your entry into the fundraiser fro Radio Xispa art collective, which promises food, border music and art. Doors open at 6:30, and our speakers will speak briefly with a q/a after the film which runs 80 mins.
Any questions, e-mail me at moviesthatmatter@ hotmail.com

Screening Friday, May 22 at 7 pm:

M vies That Matter
presents:



PALESTINE BLUES


The farmers of Jayous have 24 hours
before the Israelis raze their orchards...
Will they be able to save their beloved olive trees?

Join us for
Movies that Matter
Friday May 22, 2009, 7 pm, $5
Post-film Roundtable discussion with
Doris Bittar, Arab-American Painter, Activist
Miko Peled, Israeli Anti-Occupation Activist

Centro Cultural de la Raza
2004 Park Blvd, Balboa Park
For more info:moviesthatmatter@hotmail.com