[ThisWeek] Tarnation at the Kenworthy

[thisweek at kenworthy.org]

This week at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre-

Tarnation (NR)
Saturday & Sunday, March 19 & 20
4:45 PM & 7:00 PM
$5 adults, $2 children 12 and younger
KFS passes accepted for Sunday shows
(See Review Below)
* * *

Also in March at the Kenworthy-

Sideways (R)
March 25, 7:00 PM
March 26 ­ 27, 4:15/7:00 PM

Esther
Showing of videotaped performance of this original family musical
March 26, 1:00 PM
FREE
(more information below)

University of Idaho presents
American Indian Film Festival
March 30 Ceremonial Opening
With Hearts & Hands & Bells
March 31 American Indian Graffiti
April 1 Moccasin Flats and Chiefs
April 2 The Films of Shelly Niro
All events begin at 7:00 PM
FREE
(more information below)
* * *
Coming in April to the Kenworthy-

Hotel Rwanda (PG13)
April 3, 1:30/4:15/7:00 PM

Sirius Idaho Theatre presents
Random Acts of Love, by Bruce Gooch
April 6 - 9, 7:30 PM
April 9, 2:00 PM
Tickets $15/adult, $9/senior or student
TicketsWest or BookPeople
(more information below)

The Life Aquatic (R)
April 10, 1:30/4:15/7:00 PM

An evening of Bluegrass with
Steptoe
Blackberry Jam
South Hill Ramblers
April 15, 7:00 PM
Tickets $10/adult, $7/child under 13

A Series of Unfortunate Events (PG)
April 16, 1:00/3:45/7:00 PM
April 17, 1:00/3:45

Borah Symposium presents
About Baghdad
April 17, 7:00 PM
FREE
(more information below)

A Very Long Engagement (R)
April 22, 7:00 PM
April 23 - 24, 4:15/7:00 PM

Born into Brothels (NR)
April 29, 7:00 PM
April 30 - May 1, 4:45/7:00 PM

Coming in May:  The Sea Inside, Hard Goodbyes My Father, Lost Embrace.

Regular Movie prices:  $5 adults, $2 children 12 and younger.
KFS passes accepted for Sunday movies

Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre
508 S. Main Street, Moscow, Idaho
For more information, call 208-882-4127 or visit http://www.kenworthy.org
* * *
Tarnation

Written, directed and edited by Jonathan Caouette
Running time: 1 hour, 28 minutes.
Documentary Film ­ Not Rated
Advisory: This film contains harsh language and intense depictions of mental
illness

As reviewed by Walter Addiego writing for the San Francisco Chronicle

Tarnation," an impassioned documentary about a damaged American family,
includes moments that seem to cross the line of what is emotionally
acceptable to show onscreen. In the end, you might be tempted to dismiss it
as an exercise in self-therapy and self-pity, since the family depicted is
the filmmaker's own.

That would be a mistake. Director Jonathan Caouette has put together a
remarkable film that's as full of pain and disorder as his Texas childhood
appears to have been. Caouette's mother, Renee, a child model, was diagnosed
as mentally ill and subjected to a long course of shock therapy. Young
Jonathan, who had a flair for histrionics and an early realization that he
was gay, was raised sometimes by his grandparents and at other times in
abusive foster homes.

The adult Jonathan, living in New York with his companion, learns in 2002
that his mother, living in their Houston hometown, has suffered an overdose
of lithium. Hoping to help her recover, he sets off for Texas, where he
decides to tell her story, and his own.

Caouette does so through a unique mixture of home movies (he started making
them at age 11), snatches of songs, phone messages, old photographs, bits of
'70s TV shows, audiotape diaries, printed text and other means, all edited
into a restless collage of personal and cultural memories, observations,
questions. The director has said that he suffers from depersonalization
disorder, a condition that has left him with a permanent sense of unreality,
and that "Tarnation" reflects his thought processes.

Caouette doesn't have all the answers, and he knows he's probably never
going to get them -- several times his insistent questioning drives his
mother and grandfather to flee from the camera, ordering him to stop
shooting. The mother lays a heavy burden of guilt on her father and he's
alternately defensive and in denial. The old man finally seems none too
stable himself. Caouette's family story, like everyone's, is full of
ambiguities and unknowns.

"Tarnation" was warmly received at Sundance and Cannes festivals, where much
was made of its budget ($218.32, Caouette says) and of the fact that it was
put together on a home computer using Apple's free movie-editing software.
That's interesting but it isn't what commended the film to the attention of
Gus Van Sant and John Cameron Mitchell (maker of "Hedwig & the Angry Inch"),
who were impressed enough with the work-in-progress to sign on as executive
producers. 

As reviewed by Marjorie Baumgarten writing for the Austin Chronicle

Sometimes people grow up sane despite the best efforts of society to drive
them mad. This is the case for filmmaker Jonathan Caouette, whose Tarnation
tells the jarring story of his young life, a life that has conspired to
impede his growth into sane, responsible adulthood, no less live to tell the
tale in remarkably daring and lucid strokes.

Watching Tarnation is like reading his video diary, so chock-full is it with
old photos, Super-8 and camcorder footage, answering machine tapes, and the
like. As well-stocked as he is with old images of himself and his family,
it¹s as if Caouette were preparing his entire life to eventually make this
document. His personal story makes for a thoroughly original debut ­ part
documentary, part fiction, part acid trip.

Despite the journey one takes through the horrendous episodes of his life,
Tarnation leaves the viewer in a positive state of mind. Not only has
Caouette emerged from his childhood amazingly unscarred, his movie renews
faith in the ability of art to carry us through the rough patches and
elevate the spirit. Jonathan Caouette's greatest testimony may be his
salvation from emotional ruin by his pure belief in himself and his art.
(See an interview with Jonathan Caouette online in this week's Web Extras.)

As reviewed by J. Hoberman writing for the Village Voice

Tarnation is its own resolution. Adrift in a selectively arranged saga of
breakdowns, foster homes, abuse, attempted suicide, and brain damage, the
artist clutches his camera as though it were a life raft, and apparently he
survives. Caouette recalls thinking as a teenager that his story was a
potential rock opera. Only time will tell, but Tarnation surely recounts an
American life‹grandiose fantasies amid pop detritus, success and celebrity
distilled from a miasma of pain.

As reviewed by A. O. Scott writing for the New York Times

Jonathan Caouette's ''Tarnation'' is a hard film to classify. It is
obviously a documentary, but it also demands to be described in terms not
ordinarily applied to movies -- as a memoir, as a diary, as a private,
poetic record of emerging consciousness.

It is unique, both in the mundane, Tolstoyan sense that every tale of family
unhappiness is different from all the others, and also because Mr.
Caouette's formal strategies are, out of necessity and inspiration, highly
unusual. 

But ''Tarnation,' also feels like the beginning of something, or perhaps
like the tip of an iceberg. Its arrival suggests that the confessional,
autobiographical impulse that emerged in American poetry in the late 1950's
and that has more recently produced a flood of prose memoirs has now found
an outlet on screen. Watching it, you feel a new possibility opening up, an
artistic direction at once unexpected and obvious.

''Tarnation'' is certainly one of the strangest and most interesting movies
of the year, and I suspect that in years to come a number of other strange
and interesting movies will show traces of its influence.

Film reviews researched and edited by Peter Haggart
* * *

FREE showing of videotaped performance of the family musical, Esther.
Saturday, March 26, 1:00 PM

ESTHER was performed by the Moscow Community Theatre in May of 2003.  It is
an original musical based on the biblical story, with script, music and
lyrics by Myron Schreck.  The musical was directed by Jerry Schutz and
produced by Cathy Brinkerhoff.  It stars Alice Bolin as Esther, Chris Eisele
as Haman, and Nick Henderson as the King.  The costumes were designed by Liz
Brandt, and the choreography was by Lorraine Person, of Festival Dance.  The
cast, crew, and musicians are filled with local residents.

The video of ESTHER is also a local production.  It was taped and edited by
Dan Moyer of After Image Visual Services, in Moscow.  An audio compact disc
was recorded by Joel M. Abbott of Audio Production Services, also in Moscow.
The performances were recorded live at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre.

ESTHER tells the story of young orphan in Persia who, either by fortune or
by divine intervention, becomes Queen.  The King of Persia, at the time, was
Achashvayrosh.  The biblical story begins with the King banishing his wife
for refusing to dance at one of his parties.  Then the King has a beauty
contest to select the new queen.  At the same time, Haman, one of the King's
ministers, is trying to increase his political power and remove his enemies,
which include the tribe of Yehudeem.  Esther captivates the King with her
beauty and her intelligence.  She has kept it a secret that she is a member
of the tribe of Yehudeem.  The plot reaches a crisis when Haman obtains a
royal decree to kill the Yehudeem, and Esther must find a way to save her
people.  The musical contains a dozen original songs that represent diverse
styles and convey the various themes of the story:  love, hope, freedom,
nostalgia, the nature of evil, and the power of faith.

The video is suitable for the entire family.  It runs for approximately 2
hours and 15 minutes.  The showing is free and open to the public.
* * *

UI American Indian Film Fest March 30-April 2
Includes Post-Screening Dialogues

MOSCOW, Idaho -- Northwest Native American writer Sherman Alexie's latest
film effort "49?" will be shown as part of the University of Idaho's
American Indian Film Festival March 30 through April 2 at the Kenworthy
Performing Arts Centre in Moscow.

All shows begin at 7 p.m.; admission is free and discussions follow the
shows.
            
The series is sponsored by UI American Indian Studies Program, Idaho
Humanities Council and UI President¹s Diversity Initiative Grant. The
ceremonial opening Wednesday, March 30, includes a welcome by a tribal elder
and keynote messages from UI Professor Georgia Johnson and Washington State
University Professor Michael Hays.

The schedule of films is:

-- Wednesday, March 30, 7:00 PM

"With Hearts, Hands and Bells: The Story of the Sister Building on the Coeur
d¹Alene Indian Reservation," documentary written by Georgia Grady Johnson,
directed and produced by Michael Hayes. It depicts life from the late 19th
century to the present at the Catholic missionary school in Desmet.
 
-- Thursday, March 31, 7:00 PM
"American Indian Graffiti," co-directed and written by Steven Judd (Choctaw)
and Tvli Jacob (Choctaw/Kiowa); set in contemporary Oklahoma, the ensemble
drama tells about the intertwining lives of four Native Americans. It¹s a
story about friendships that falter, dreams that come true, families that
fall apart, and the struggle to survive.
 
-- Friday, April 1, 7:00 PM
"Moccasin Flats," directed by Randy Redroad (Cherokee). A Native youth is
caught between his chance at a college education and his conflict with the
"home boys." This gritty drama depicts urban and rural Indian communities
across North America.

"Chiefs," directed by Daniel Junge, this documentary shows how basketball
provides youth with a sense of belonging and camaraderie, a means of
achieving victory, and an opportunity to explore life off the reservation.

"49?" directed by Sherman Alexie, a short six-minute film on the dance
tradition called the 49.
 
-- Saturday, April 2, 7:00 PM
The Experimental Films of Mohawk Filmmaker Shelly Niro, from Niagra Falls,
New York and currently living in Brantford, Ontario. Storytelling through
film and installation art, Niro creates roles for native women that give
them a voice of strength and community. Her work addresses questions of
identity. 

"It Starts with a Whisper" follows a young Iroquois woman who has grown up
on a reservation and her decision about which path to follow in life.
 
"Overweight with Crooked Teeth" frames issues of Native identity by
reversing Native stereotypes.
 
"Honey Moccasin," an all-Native comedy-thriller, is part of the Smoke
Signals new wave of films that examine native identity in the 1990s. Set on
the Grand Pine Indian Reservation, the melodrama, performance art, cable
access, and ³whodunit² unfold.
 
"The Shirt" is an experimental video featuring Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie that
uses the tee-shirt to express history and irony.
 
"Our mission is to bring Native-made films to our region in order to deepen
our understanding of contemporary Indian life and strengthen intercultural
relationships," said Janis Johnson, festival organizer and assistant
professor of American Indian Studies at UI. "One of the most compelling ways
to tell American Indian stories is through film. This year¹s festival
includes independent films with a focus on the challenges Native young
people face.²

Friday daytime showings are possible for school groups by arrangement with
Johnson, janjohn at uidaho.edu, (208) 885-6156 or (208) 743-1222.
* * *

Tickets now on sale-

Sirius Idaho Theatre
in conjunction with new fangled  stages,
presents the United States premiere of
Random Acts of Love by Bruce Gooch
Directed by Forrest Sears

April 6, 7, 8, & 9 at 7:30 pm
Matinee on April 9 at 2:00 pm

Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre
508 S. Main St.  Moscow, Idaho

Tickets available at BookPeople of Moscow or TicketsWest
(www.ticketswest.com <http://www.ticketswest.com/> 800-325-SEAT,
208-885-7212)
$15 adults and $9 seniors/students (plus applicable fees)

Forrest Sears, University of Idaho Professor Emeritus of Theatre, is working
with Sirius Idaho Theatre to bring this production to the Palouse. Sears, in
speaking about his former student Bruce Gooch, says, ³Bruce¹s new play,
Random Acts of Love, is the most romantic, gripping and compelling of all
his many fine scripts. For lovers of Shakespeare, it is a must. For those
new to the bard, it will lure you into his works like nothing else I know.²

Recognized as ³Outstanding New Play² at the Toronto Fringe Festival 2004,
Random Acts of Love features Bruce Gooch, a Uniontown native and University
of Idaho alum, and Lynn Vogt, co-founders of Toronto-based new fangled
stages.

Synopsis
Having had the audacity to age, Victoria Daniels, played by Vogt, has been
³let go² from her daytime drama. She ditches trash-for-cash television and
agrees to star in a two-character play of Shakespeare¹s greatest hits called
The Seven Ages of Love. Confident in this decision for herself and her
children, she runs head long into her co-star, Russell Thomas, played by
Gooch, an actor with whom she had a passionate affair fifteen years earlier.
They battle and brawl their way through rehearsals, threatening to ruin the
show. Random Acts of Love links the past and present into a love story about
the theatre, Shakespeare and second chances.

During their visit to the Palouse in April, Bruce Gooch and Lynn Vogt are
offering an audition workshop for actors on Thursday, April 7 from 2:30 ­
5:00 pm, at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre. Gooch and Vogt will work
with ten students. Additional seating is also available for observers.

Lynn and Bruce audition for their livelihood up to 10 times a week. They
know what casting directors are looking for in film, TV, stage and
commercials. They coach actors for individual auditions. They will teach
what you need to know about auditions, from walking into the room to walking
out. Observers of this workshop will gain almost as much as the participants
on stage. Anyone interested in learning more about the life and livelihood
of an actor should plan to attend.

For more information about the play or audition workshop, call Pam Palmer at
883-3741 or visit the web site of Sirius Idaho Theatre
http://www.siriusidahotheatre.com/
* * *

Borah Symposium presents ³About Baghdad²

The Borah Symposium this year, "Voices of Peace," is planned for April
17-April 20, 2005. The community kick-off event is a screening of the
documentary "About Baghdad" and meeting with the co-producer, Adam Shapiro.
The film is free and open to the public, 7:00 pm, April 17.  The
documentary, 'About Baghdad' is an hour and 30 minute documentary, shot in
totality in Baghdad in July 2003 (3 months into the occupation), and thus it
reveals a quite interesting place in time.

"About Baghdad" received numerous accolades and prestigious recognition; The
New York Times stated that it "manages to present a true diversity of
opinion. . . emotionally and intellectually challenging." It won Best
Documentary at the Big Apple Film Festival 2004 (NY), the Official Selection
of  IDFA 2004 (Amsterdam),  Montreal World Film Festival --Official
selection, Festival do Rio 2004 (Rio de Janeiro), International Film
Festival of Human Rights of Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao, Girona &
Viranoz) and now it will be showing in Moscow, Idaho.

About Baghdad is an independent film of eyewitness testimony about and from
Iraqi people.  The documentary portrays a yearning for peace, reflections on
the complexity of the conditions for peace, and in essence portrays a drama
that is still unfolding.  In July 2003, Sinan Antoon, an exiled Iraqi writer
and poet, returned to Baghdad to see what has become of his city after wars,
sanctions, decades of oppression and violence, and now presence of foreign
power.  

For more information about the film and to view the film trailer please
visit the website at www.AboutBaghdad.com <http://www.aboutbaghdad.com/>
* * *

Sign up for this weekly email on events and movies at the Kenworthy by
logging onto our website
http://www.kenworthy.org

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PAMELA PALMER, Volunteer
Mailto:ppalmer at moscow.com
Film and Events Committee
Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre

http://www.kenworthy.org
To speak with a KPAC staff member,
call (208) 882-4127
Mailto:kpac at moscow.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

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