As part of its ongoing cultural events, Darb 1718 dedicates the second half of September to film and cinema with its "Cinema El-Fourn" programme, presenting a number of foreign short story and documentary films at its venue on Mondays and Wednesdays starting 19 September until 28 September.

The Cinema El-Fourn programme features the following:

Monday, 19 September 2011

The Proposition (2006), directed by John Hillcoat (Australia)
Set in the Australian outback of the late 19th century, the film tells the brutal story of a gang of brothers that kills not out of desperation, but because they can. Arthur Burns is a savage outlaw who shares little in common with his younger brother Charlie. When Charlie and their baby brother Mike are captured, Charlie is offered a proposition to save their necks from the gallows. "Suppose, Mr Burns, I was to give you and your young brother Mikey, here, a pardon," offers Captain Stanley. "Suppose I said that I could give you the chance to expunge the guilt beneath which you so clearly labour.... Now, suppose you tell me what it is I want from you." Without blinking, Charlie says, "You want me to kill my brother." For most people, this would be an unthinkable proposition. For Charlie, the answer's obvious. He'll do whatever he has to to spare his own life, even if that means trading his for Arthur's.
 

Wednesday, 21 September 2011

Pi (1999) directed by Darren Aronofsky (USA)
Patterns exist everywhere: in nature, in science, in religion, in business. Max Cohen is a mathematician searching for these patterns in everything. Yet, he's not the only one, and everyone from Wall Street investors, looking to break the market, to Hasidic Jews, searching for the 216-digit number that reveals the true name of God, are trying to get their hands on Max. This dark, low-budget film was shot in black and white by director Darren Aronofsky. With eerie music, voiceovers, and overt symbolism enhancing the sombre mood, Aronofsky has created a disturbing look at the world. Max is deeply paranoid, holed up in his apartment with his computer Euclid, obsessively studying chaos theory. Blinding headaches and hallucinogenic visions only feed his paranoia as he attempts to remain aloof from the world, venturing out only to meet his mentor, Sol Robeson, who for some mysterious reason feels Max should take a break from his research. This movie is complex, but the psychological drama and the loose sci-fi elements make this a worthwhile, albeit consuming, watch.


Monday, 26 September 2011

The Cow (1969) directed by Dariush Mehrjui (Iran)
Influenced by Italian Neorealism, The Cow has the beauty and simplicity associated with the great films of that movement. In a small village in Iran, Hassan cherishes his cow more than anything in the world, for both emotional and economical reasons. While he is away, the cow mysteriously dies, and the villagers protectively try to convince Hassan the cow has wandered off. Grief stricken, Hassan begins to believe he is his own beloved bovine. The story is Mehrjui's treatise on emotional attachment told in his characteristic simple and touching manner. Smuggled out of Iran, where it was banned, the film has since become a landmark of Iranian cinema.


Wednesday, 28 September 2011

The Sacrifice (1986) directed by Andrei Tarkovsky (Sweden/France)
Andrei Tarkovsky's final film, a visionary masterpiece, unfolds in the hours before a nuclear holocaust. Alexander, a retired actor, is celebrating his birthday with his friends and family when a crackly TV announcement warns of imminent nuclear catastrophe. Alexander makes a promise to God that he will sacrifice all he holds dear if the disaster can be averted. The next day dawns and, as if in a dream, everything is restored to normality but Alexander must keep his vow. 

Screenings will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8.00pm to 11.00pm

Darb 1718, Kasr El-Shame Street, Al Fakhareen, Behind Mary Gurguis Church, Old Cairo