Thursdays at the Theatre: A Film Series by
Arizona Western College Foundation
Spring 2011
Media partners: Yuma Sun and KAWC
Supported by the Historic Yuma Theatre and the AWC Academic Library

March 3, 2011 - How I Ended This Summer 7:00pm, Historic Yuma Theatre, $5 admission Russia | 2010 | Psychological Thriller | Russian w/English subtitles "A majestic drama... a terrific exploration of human fragility... Popogrebsky is shaping up into one of Russia's most talented, distinctive and potentially exportable directors." - Leslie Felperin, Variety Synopsis - On a desolate island in the Arctic Circle, two men work at a small meteorological station where they take readings from their radioactive surroundings and relay the data to headquarters—their only bridge to the outside world. For a seasoned pro like Sergei, a gruff man in his fifties, this job has become a serious responsibility. His new partner, the fresh-faced Pavel, is a college grad who sticks to the company of his MP3 player and video games as to avoid the imposing presence of Sergei. The balance tips one day when, while Sergei is out, inexperienced Pavel receives terrible news for Sergei from HQ. Intimidated and uneasy, Pavel is unable to bring himself to share the news. When the terrifying truth finally emerges, its inevitable consequences play out against a chilling backdrop of thick fog, sharp rocks, and the merciless Arctic Sea           April 7, 2011 - Helena From The Wedding 7:00pm, Historic Yuma Theatre, $5 admission USA | 2010 | Comedy-Drama | English | 89 minutes "Beautifully modulated! Full of both the ache and the joy of real life." - Jon Frosch, The Hollywood Reporter Synopsis Newlyweds Alex (Lee Tergesen) and Alice (Melanie Lynskey) are hosting a New Year's Eve party for their closest friends at a remote cabin in the mountains. But when the other couples arrive in various states of discord, their hopes for a relaxing weekend are quickly thrown out the window. The tensions in the cabin are compounded when Alice's friends bring along a surprise guest - the very young and very beautiful Helena (Gillian Jacobs). As the New Year creeps closer and closer, Alex and Alice must keep the evening from spiraling out of control, and their own marriage from coming unglued.                 May 5, 2011 - Illegal 7:00pm, Historic Yuma Theatre, $5 admission Belgium/Luxembourg/France | 2010 | Psychological Thriller | French & Russian w/English subtitles | 95 minutes "[A] fascinating study of perseverance in the face of subhuman treatment." - Boyd Van Hoeij, Variety Synopsis Tania is a former teacher from Russia, living illegally in Belgium with her 14-year-old son, Ivan. One day, they are stopped on the street for a routine check by the police; Tania is arrested and placed in an immigration detention center for women, while Ivan manages to escape. Threatened with imminent deportation and fearful for Ivan's fate, Tania embarks on a harrowing journey, determined to preserve her dignity and find her son.                 June 2, 2011- If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle 7:00pm, Historic Yuma Theatre, $5 admission Romania | 2010 | Thriller/Drama | Romanian w/English subtitles | 94 minutes "Outstanding! … fearlessly unpolished, lifelike performances, completely spontaneous and natural in every respect. A worthy addition to the new wave of Romanian cinema" - Dan Fainaru, Screen International Synopsis Silviu has only two weeks left before his release from a hostile juvenile detention center. But when his mother, who abandoned him long ago, returns to take his younger brother away - a brother Silviu raised like a son – those two weeks become an eternity. While his outcries for help fall on deaf ears, he finds himself mercilessly taunted and harassed by the other inmates. And just as Silviu's frustration evolves into full-throttled aggression, he is introduced to a beautiful social worker that he can only dream of being close to. Faced with a slew of conflicting emotions and wild with desperation, Silviu is driven to a surprising act of defiance as he makes a last grasp for freedom.               July 7, 2011 -A Screaming Man 7:00pm, Historic Yuma Theatre, $5 admission Chad, France, Belgium / 2010 / Drama / French & Arabic w/ English subtitles / 92 min "Directed with great confidence….this is pure-grade art cinema." – Robert Koehler, Variety Synopsis   Adam, a former swimming champion in his sixties, is a pool attendant at a hotel in Chad. When the hotel gets taken over by new Chinese owners, he is forced to give up his job to his son, Abdel, leaving Adam humiliated and resentful. Meanwhile the country is in the throes of a civil war. Rebel forces are attacking the government and the authorities demand the people contribute to the "war effort" with money or volunteers old enough to fight. Adam is constantly harassed for his contribution, but he is penniless. In a moment of weakness, Adam makes a decision that he will forever regret.               The Historic Yuma Theatre and Yuma Art Center at 254 S. Main St. will screen one award-winning film oneThursday of every month at 7:00 p.m., and every screening includes a short film, hosted discussions, and refreshments. For more information call AWC 982-314-9595 or The Historic Yuma Theatre at 373-5202.