International Film Festival
February 10th - February 27th, 2025
Come enjoy the best of international cinema! All films will be shown in the Sharwan Smith Theater (ST 161D). All films are subtitled, free, and open to the public.
Organized by International Cinema at Southern Utah University (ICSUU), with support from the Department of Languages and Philosophy.
Feb. 10 @ 5:30pm
Persian Lessons
(2020) – Germany, Russia, Belarus – Drama
Director: Vadim Perelman
Language: German
Synopsis: Based on an East German short story, Vadim Perelman’s Persian Lessons (Persischstunden) is an exploration of language and the urgency of storytelling under extreme duress. When Gilles, a young Belgian Jew, is captured by the Nazis and deported to a concentration camp, he saves himself by claiming to be Persian, not Jewish (he tries to falsify his identity by calling himself Reza to sound more “Persian”). In possession of a real Persian-language book by pure coincidence, Gilles convinces the camp commandant Koch that he can teach him Persian (Farsi). Koch longs to travel to Tehran when the war comes to a close, so he agrees to the arrangement, thus saving Gilles from hard labor for a time. Although Gilles knows no Persian at all, he makes up “Persian” words that will hopefully satisfy Koch’s demand to learn 2,000 words. What unfolds is a linguistic game of life and death as Gilles creates a system for learning and remembering his fake Persian. Will Koch’s eventual fondness for the prisoner translate into Gilles’ survival?
Feb. 11 @ 5:30pm
Ascenseur pour l’échafaud (Elevator to the gallows)
Director: Louis Malle
(1958) France – Drama/Thriller
Language: French
Synopsis: Louis Malle’s film Elevator to the gallows (Ascenseur pour l’échafaud) is notable for introducing many of the elements that would soon become familiar in the work of the French New Wave directors. Jeanne Moreau (Florence) recruits her lover, Julien, to murder her husband in his office. The man does the dirty deed eagerly but gets trapped in an elevator when he returns to remove a key piece of evidence. Julien’s unfortunate oversight will unintentionally provoke an ill-fated chain of events. Miles Davis's score for the film is considered by many to be groundbreaking.
Feb. 13 @ 5:30pm
Drunken Master II
Director: Lau Kar-leung
(1994) Hong Kong – Action/Comedy
Language: Cantonese
Synopsis: Legendary Hong Kong director, choreographer, and martial artist Lau Kar-Leung (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, 8 Diagram Pole Fighter) teams up with global superstar Jackie Chan for this action masterpiece. When Wong Fei-hung (Chan) stumbles across a plot by foreigners to steal a collection of priceless Chinese artifacts, Fei-Hong is forced to take matters into his own hands to ensure the safety of the ancient items. What follows is a series of jaw-dropping martial arts showdowns, intricately choreographed by Lau and featuring Chan performing seemingly impossible feats of athleticism. This seamless blend of action, slapstick comedy, and adventure demonstrates the artistry found in the Hong Kong action industry and the talent of one of martial-arts cinema’s most skilled performers at his creative peak.
Feb. 18 @ 5:30pm
Puan
Directors: María Alché and Benjamín Naishtat
(2023) Argentina – Comedy/Drama
Languages: Spanish, German, French
Synopsis: Marcelo, a philosophy professor at the University of Buenos Aires, experiences a turning point in his life after the unexpected death of his mentor, Professor Caselli. Hoping to take over his mentor's position, Marcelo faces an unexpected rival: Rafael Sujarchuk, a charismatic and ambitious academic who has just returned from a prestigious tenure in Germany. The ensuing clash between the two sparks a philosophical duel that reflects not only Marcelo's personal challenges, but also the broader chaos in Argentina. This comedy-drama explores themes of academia, ambition, and societal instability. It has earned critical acclaim, including awards for screenplay and acting at the San Sebastián International Film Festival.
Feb. 20 @ 5:30pm
The Zone of Interest
Director: Jonathan Glazer
(2023) UK, US, Poland – Historical drama
Language: German
Synopsis: Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest, which swept awards at both the Oscars and the Cannes Film Festival, has generated a wealth of discussion for asking the taboo question: what happens when we tell the history of the Holocaust from the perspective of the perpetrator rather than the victim-survivor? Glazer’s film follows the Höss family as they live a seemingly idyllic life right outside the walls of the concentration camp complex Auschwitz-Birkenau. Though we hear the victims, we can only see the Nazi perpetrators at work and play. Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss, his wife Hedwig, and their children enjoy domestic bliss despite – and also, because of – the atrocities committed on the other side of the garden wall. Glazer’s combination of innovative sound design and lighting (including scenes shot in infrared) invite us to confront the legacy of the Holocaust through radically new ways of looking and hearing.
Feb. 24 @ 5:30pm
As Bestas
Director: Rodrigo Sorogoyen
(2022) Spain – Drama/Thriller
Language: Spanish, Galician, French
Synopsis: As Bestas is a tense thriller and drama set in the rural Galician countryside. The story follows Antoine and Olga, a French couple who have relocated to a small village to lead a peaceful life. However, their relationship with the locals becomes fraught due to a land dispute with their neighbors, the Anta brothers. As Bestas has been lauded for its gripping storytelling and exploration of tension within a close-knit rural community. It won multiple Goya Awards, including Best Film and Best Director.
Feb. 25 @ 5:30pm
Red Sorghum
Director: Zhang Yimou
(1987) China – Drama/Romance
Language: Chinese
Synopsis: Adapted from one of the most famous works by Nobel laureate Mo Yan (2012), Red Sorghum explores themes of survival and the quest for freedom through the story of a woman named Jiu'er (literally "the ninth child" of the family). Despite facing numerous challenges—including a bandit attack on her wedding trip, the mysterious death of her husband, the collapse of his distillery, and the invasion of the Japanese army during World War II—Jiu'er, a woman from rural China, endures with resilience and thrives in the midst of a perilous environment. Released during China’s post-Mao era, the film profoundly addresses issues such as personal and physical freedom, the struggles of women in rural China, and the resilience of the country as it recovers from the violent years of the Cultural Revolution.
Feb. 27 @ 5:30 pm
Petite Maman
Director: Céline Sciamma
(2021) France – Drama/Fantasy
Language: French
In Céline Sciamma drama Petite Maman, eight-year-old Nelly worries that she didn’t say goodbye properly when her beloved grandmother dies. At the ever-so-slightly mysterious house by the woods where Grandma lived, the task begins of clearing away the past. While her parents pack up memories, Nelly ventures out among the autumn trees where her mother roamed as a child. There, she meets a strangely familiar girl her own age. Instantly forming a connection with this mysterious new friend, Nelly embarks on a fantastical journey of discovery which helps her come to terms with this newfound loss.