11’09”01 – September 11 (2002)

Eleven directors from 11 countries each contribute an 11-minute short reflecting on the events of 11 September 2001: A village teacher in Iran tries to explain to her young students what’s happened; city kids in Burkina Faso think they’ve spotted Osama bin Laden; a deaf Frenchwoman in Manhattan writes a Dear John letter to a man who left that morning for work at the World Trade Center; a Chilean remembers Allende; events recall other deaths; a mother endures more than her son’s death. The tones vary, as do the locales. Most stories are about others coming to terms with the events of the day, but at least one confronts the viewer with tragedy and death.

Directors: Youssef Chahine (segment “Egypt”), Amos Gitai (segment “Israel”), Shōhei Imamura (segment “Japan”), Alejandro G. Iñárritu (segment “Mexico”), Claude Lelouch (segment “France”), Ken Loach (segment “United Kingdom”), Samira Makhmalbaf (segment “Iran”), Mira Nair (segment “India”), Idrissa Ouedraogo (segment “Burkina Faso”), Sean Penn (segment “USA”), Danis Tanovic (segment “Bosnia-Herzegovina”).

Writers: Alain Brigand (original idea), Youssef Chahine, (segment “Egypt”), Sabrina Dhawan (segment “India”), Amos Gitai & Marie-Jose Sanselme (segment “Israel”), Alejandro G. Iñárritu (segment “Mexico”)

Paul Laverty (segment “United Kingdom”), Claude Lelouch & Pierre Uytterhoeven (segment “France”), Ken Loach (segment “United Kingdom”), Samira Makhmalbaf (segment “Iran”), Idrissa Ouedraogo (segment “Burkina-Faso”), Sean Penn (segment “USA”), Danis Tanovic (segment “Bosnia-Herzegovina”), Daisuke Tengan (segment “Japan”), Vladimir Vega (segment “United Kingdom”).

Stars: Maryam Karimi, Mohamad Dolati, Agelem Habibi, Esmat Vahedi, Ameneh Banizadeh, Razieh Jafari, Hassan Rezai, Najibeh Habibi, Emmanuelle Laborit, Jérôme Horry, Nour El-Sherif, Ahmed Haroun, Sanaa Younes, Ahmed Fouad Selim, Maher Essam, Eveline Sélim, Rafik Mohsen, Hesham Abd Elkhaleq, Alaa Mahgoub, Fadi Badour, Nadim Gargoura, Reem Bitar, Dzana Pinjo Haracic, Aleksandar Seksan, Tatjana Sojic, Ejla Bavcic, Ognjen Blagojevic, Lionel Zizréel Guire, René Aimé Bassinga, Lionel Gaël Folikoue, Rodrigue André Idani, Alex Martial Traoré, Hyppolite Ouangrawa, Justine Sawadogo, Haoua Ouatara, Saturnin Milla, Barou Oumar Ouedraogo, Vladimir Vega, Keren Mor, Liron Levo, Tomer Russo, Tanvi Azmi, Kapil Bawa, Taleb Adlah, Talat Hamdani, Robert Reardon, Nell Mooney, George R. Sheffey, Maryann Towne, Suleman Din, Ernest Borgnine, Tomoroo Taguchi, Kumiko Asō, Akira Emoto, Mitsuko Baishō, Ken Ogata

Composers: Michael Brook & Heitor Pereira (“USA” segment), Mohammad Reza Darvishi (“Iran” segment), Manu Dibango & Salif Keïta (“Burkina-Faso” segment), Osvaldo Golijov & Gustavo Santaolalla (“Mexico” segment), Tarô Iwashiro (“Japan” segment), Dusko Segvic (“Bosnia-Herzegovina” segment), Vladimir Vega (“United Kingdom” segment).

Subtitles: English, hard-coded.

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/16892723268262

The Pursuit of Happiness (Robert Mulligan, 1971)

A college student goes to prison for vehicular manslaughter and unpaid tickets. He escapes with his girlfriend, becoming fugitives. The narrative explores the sustainability and consequences of their life on the run.

Director: Robert Mulligan.

Writers: Thomas Rogers (book), Jon Boothe, George Sherman.

Stars: Michael Sarrazin, Barbara Hershey, Arthur Hill, Ruth White, E.G. Marshall, Robert Klein, Sada Thompson, David Boyle, Barnard Hughes, Peter White, Tom Rosqui, William Devane, Gilbert Lewis, Albert Henderson, Ralph Waite, Joseph Attles, Beulah Garrick, Jack Somack, Maya Kenin, Rue McClanahan, Ed Kovens, Charles Durning, Ed Setrakian, Ted Beniades.

Music by: Dave Grusin.

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/16638461545126

Subtitles: Optional English subtitles are available for this film, to enable them click on the subtitles icon (to the left of the cogweel icon), and they will be turned on.

Song of the Exile - Ke tu qiu hen - (1990)

Set in the early 1970s, it tells the story of a Chinese-Japanese student who returns to her native Hong Kong after graduating from a university in London. Once she arrives back home, she and her family begins to fight, largely due to cultural and societal conflicts between her mother and herself.

Director: Ann Hui

Writer: Nien-Jen Wu.

Stars: Maggie Cheung, Siu-Kwong Chung, Tan Lang Jachi Tian, Waise Lee, Zi Xiong Li, Hsiao-Fen Lu, Feng Tien, Xiany Xiao, Tinlan Yang, Quinzi Yinjian.

Subs: English.

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/2607548271270

Gam yuk moon tong - The Chinese Feast - (1995)

Within a few years, Chiu, a small-time crook, has become a gang leader. But his professional ambitions are actually quite different: he wants to leave illegality behind and make a career for himself and his lover in Canada – as a chef. However, this craft must first be learned and Chiu’s talent in the field of cooking leaves much to be desired.

Director: Hark Tsui

Writers: Philip Cheng, Man Fai Ng, Hark Tsui.

Stars: Kenny Bee, Leslie Cheung, Anita Yuen, Kar-Ying Law, Wenzhuo Zhao, Xiong Xinxin, Shu-Chun Ni, Shun Lau.

Subs: English.

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/16533416774310

Rupa u dusi - A Hole in the Soul (1994)

In A Hole in the Soul, director Dusan Makavejev’s free-form, autobiographical meditation on the nature of a place combines aspects of both physical place (the former Yugoslavia) and mental place (the cinematic avant-garde). Makavejev mixes styles and genres in order to explore his sense of himself and his physical environment. Makavejev’s bold contribution to BBC Scotland’s acclaimed TV series The Director’s Place allows audiences a highly personal look at the director as he explores his own hole in the soul.

Director: Dušan Makavejev.

Stars: Rambo Amadeus, Melodie Annis, Dennis Jakob, Dušan Makavejev, Paul Yamamoto.

Subs: English.

LINK FOR THE MOVIE: https://ok.ru/video/16599726361254

The Aquanauts - TV Series - (1960/61)

The Aquanauts (later known as Malibu Run) is an American adventure/drama series that aired on September 14, 1960 - September 27, 1961. The series stars Keith Larsen, Jeremy Slate and Ron Ely, who replaced Larsen on midseason.

The hour-long series focuses on the adventures of two Southern California divers, Drake Andrews (Larsen) and Larry Lahr (Slate), who made their living salvaging sunken wrecks. In January 1961, Larsen left the series due to health problems. His character rejoined the Navy and a new character, Mike Madison (Ron Ely), replaced him. Ron Ely, as you should know, was cast as Tarzan in a TV show and who made him famous.

Ron Ely and Jeremy Slate

A month later, the format of the series was also changed with the show's characters, Larry and Mike, opening up a dive shop in Malibu Beach. While still engaged in dangerous underwater salvage dives, the partners' youthful lifestyle and romantic encounters were given more emphasis. To reflect the changes in the format, the series was retitled Malibu Run, with a lively theme performed by pianist André Previn.

The program was broadcast on Wednesdays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time in competition with the short-lived Hong Kong on ABC and NBC's Wagon Train. Unable to compete with the latter show, the series was canceled after one season, which was a pity because I loved the show. 

The 60s was the golden era of TV shows. The competition was very fierce considering all the TV shows of that time, unlike today in the 2020s when most TV series are a bore, with bad writing and bad concepts. Hail the 1960s! 

James Coburn, our beloved Flint, on the beach as guest star

Notable guest stars: Dyan Cannon, Russ Conway, Donna Douglas, Peter Falk,  Carroll O'Connor, Susan Oliver, Burt Reynolds, Sue Randall, Madame Spivy, Inger Stevens, Jane Withers, Keenan Wynn, James Coburn, and Jim Davis

Episodes

Episode # Episode title Original airdate

1-1 "The Aquanauts: Paradivers" September 14, 1960

1-2 "The Aquanauts: Collision" September 21, 1960

1-3 "The Aquanauts: Rendezvous: 22 Fathoms" September 28, 1960

1-4 "The Aquanauts: Safecracker" October 5, 1960

1-5 "The Aquanauts: Deep Escape" October 12, 1960

1-6 "The Aquanauts: The Stowaway" October 19, 1960

1-7 "The Aquanauts: Disaster Below" October 26, 1960

1-8 "The Aquanauts: Arms of Venus" November 9, 1960

1-9 "The Aquanauts: Night Dive" November 16, 1960

1-10 "The Aquanauts: The Cavedivers" December 7, 1960

1-11 "The Aquanauts: The Big Swim" December 14, 1960

1-12 "The Aquanauts: Underwater Demolition" December 21, 1960

1-13 "The Aquanauts: River Gold" January 4, 1961

1-14 "The Aquanauts: Niagara Dive" January 11, 1961

1-15 "The Aquanauts: Killers In Paradise" January 25, 1961

1-16 "The Aquanauts: Secret At Half Moon Key" February 1, 1961

1-17 "The Aquanauts: Stormy Weather" February 8, 1961

1-18 "The Aquanauts: The Amored Truck Adventure" February 15, 1961

1-19 "The Aquanauts: The Defective Tank Adventure" February 22, 1961

1-20 "Malibu Run: The Jeremiah Adventure" March 1, 1961

1-21 "Malibu Run: Tidal Wave Adventure" March 8, 1961

1-22 "Malibu Run: The Radioactive Object Adventure" March 22, 1961

1-23 "Malibu Run: The Double Adventure" March 29, 1961

1-24 "Malibu Run: The Margot Adventure" April 5, 1961

1-25 "Malibu Run: The Rainbow Adventure" April 19, 1961

1-26 "Malibu Run: The Frankie Adventure" April 26, 1961

1-27 "Malibu Run: The Guilty Adventure" May 3, 1961

1-28 "Malibu Run: The Landslide Adventure" May 10, 1961

1-29 "Malibu Run: The Kidnap Adventure" May 17, 1961

1-30 "Malibu Run: The Stakeout Adventure" May 24, 1961

1-31 "Malibu Run: The Scavenger Adventure" May 31, 1961

1-32 "Malibu Run: The Diana Adventure" June 7, 1961

Source: Wikipedia.

Priceless Day - Ajándék ez a nap - (1979)

Thirty-year-old Irén dreams of a separate apartment so she can move in with her lover, the married Attila. Hope is sparked by one of the man’s acquaintances, the construction contractor Hevesi, but in order to apply for the larger apartment, she must first enter into a marriage of convenience with the young Gábor. Irén takes out a loan on her modest kindergarten teacher salary, wanders through the mazes of socialist bureaucracy, while Hevesi and her nominal husband harass her with sexual offers, and by the time the day of moving in is within reach, it turns out that Attila doesn’t want to leave his family after all.

A movie from Hungary.

Director: Péter Gothár

Writers: Péter Gothár (screenplay), Péter Zimre (novel).

Stars: Cecília Esztergályos, Pál Hetényi, Judit Pogány, Lajos Szabó, János Derzsi, Eszter Csákányi, Ignac Csoban, Mária Kovács, Tamás Major, Gábor Reviczky, Georgiana Tarjan, Hédi Temessy.

1980 Venice Film Festival – Winner Best First Work.

Subtitled in English.

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/16579609627302

Ceplis (1972)

Set during the first period of independence for Latvia (1918–1940), the film’s plot revolves around a shrewd business man Edgars Ceplis, who establishes a clay brick business with the aim of exporting and building on his already considerable wealth. At first a fantastic success he soon becomes aware that his empire is crumbling beneath him due to a contamination of the clay, which makes the bricks unstable. He narrowly escapes defeat, however, by manipulating those around him, successfully extracting himself from the business before anyone discovers that there is anything wrong and the company collapses under a new director.

Based on the 1928 novel by Pāvils Rozītis, in the Soviet era this film was perceived as an ironic, amusing critique of bourgeois society. However, behind the humorous façade, viewers felt a nostalgia for the bygone era of Latvian independence. The film is a vivid testament to the professionalism of the stable and ambitious Latvian film industry at that time. The creative group had set high goals for the film’s cinematography and its dramaturgy of colour, while composer Marģeris Zariņš skillfully arranged musical motifs from a variety of eras. An interesting detail: Ceplis was filmed in the same year as The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie by Spanish director Luis Buñuel (1972) and reveals a perhaps unconscious but logical affinity with global trends in the classical cinema of its day.

Director: Rolands Kalnins.

Writer: Viktors Lorencs.

Stars: Eduards Pavuls, Gunars Cilinskis, Helga Dancberga, Regina Razuma, Aivars Silins, Velta Straume, Rolands Zagorskis, Imants Adermanis, Modris Cers, Arturs Dimiters, Uldis Dumpis, Lidija Freimane, Harijs Gerhards, Rostislav Goryayev, Olgert Kroders, Edgars Liepins, Juris Strenga.

Subtitles: English (hard)

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/15040058165926

Shooting Gallery - Céllövölde - (1990)

After killing his abusive father, a troubled teenager becomes the focus of a police investigation that unravels the emotional scars, fractured family bonds, and shattered dreams that led to the shocking crime.

Director Árpád Sopsits shot his debut feature Shooting Gallery on the basis of a real-life incident, yet it is a thriller that does not simply reconstruct events as they happened. Nor is the dramaturgical structure typical: although the interrogation played out in the present frames the entire film, the recollections do not always follow in chronological order and in fact frequently instead of entire scenes we have just glimpses of brief memory traces.

Director: Árpád Sopsits

Writers: Gyula Elian, Árpád Sopsits.

Stars: Zoltán Lengyel, Judit Danyi, Lajos Kovács, Lili Monori, Feró Nagy, Attila Csuka, Árpád Kasza, Zoltán Kovács, Csaba Köfalvi, Ludwig Marcus, Vera Nagy, Katalin Orgován, Tibor Tatarek, Ferenc Trencsényi, Péter Tuza, Tamás Jordán, Jánosné Soltész.

1990 Chicago International Film Festival – Nominated for the Gold Hugo. A movie from Hungary.

Subs: English (hard)

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/16084691782310

Indian Summer - La prima notte di quiete - (1972)

In Italy, gambler and poetry professor Daniele Dominici arrives in the seaside town of Rimini and is hired to teach for four months at a high school, replacing another teacher. His relationship with his partner Monica is in crisis and he spends most of the time with his new acquaintances and gamblers Giorgio Mosca, Marcello, and Gerardo Pavani. In the classroom he meets 19-year-old student Vanina Abati, who is Gerardo’s girlfriend, and they fall in love. Their relationship leads to a tragic end.

Director: Valerio Zurlini.

Writers: Valerio Zurlini (story), Enrico Medioli & Valerio Zurlini (screenplay).

Stars: Alain Delon, Giancarlo Giannini, Sonia Petrovna, Renato Salvatori, Alida Valli, Adalberto Maria Merli, Nicoletta Rizzi, Salvo Randone, Lea Massari, Fabrizio Moroni, Patrizia Adiutori, Sandro Moretti, Carla Mancini.

Subs: English.

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/9858166033012

Limousine the Color of Midsummer’s Eve - Limuzins Janu nakts krasa - (1981)

As soon as Mirta Saknīte, an elderly country woman, wins a car in a lottery, relatives, who had never taken any interest in the elderly woman before, flock to her homestead. Until then the large Giluči family were Mirta’s only helpers. Her nephew Ēriks with his wife and son and her ex-daughter-in-law Olita with her second husband and daughter would love to get their hands on the car. Everyone tries to lure Auntie Mirta on their side but shortly before her death she reconnects with her former sweetheart Alfrēds Pigals. Based on a story by Māras Svīre.

A phenomenon of Latvian film history – this domestic comedy has been recognized as the best Latvian film of all time on several occasions, and various Latvian TV channels still broadcast it on Midsummer every year. This film has also made the contemporary Latvian folklore richer with several catchy phrases and dialogues.

Director: Jānis Streičs

Writer: Mara Svire.

Stars: Lilita Berzina, Olga Drege, Uldis Dumpis, Gundars Abolins, Baiba Indriksone, Boļeslavs Ružs, Diana Zande, Liga Liepina, Romualds Ancans.

Subs: English.

LINK: https://ok.ru/video/15687359728294