Sergei Parajanov: Centennial Celebration

Landrián

Introduction: Lázaro González

Nicolás Guillén Landrián, Cuba’s first Black filmmaker, faced censorship, imprisonment, and exile because his distinctive style clashed with the Cuban state. In 2019, efforts to restore his “cursed” films began, leading to this documentary. Join us for this special screening, which opens the series Cuban Cinema without Borders. 

Series: Cuban Cinema without Borders

Landrián Restored

Directed by Ernesto Daranas Serrano, 2023
Precorded Video Introduction: Dean Luis Reyes, Lázaro González

Despite the censorship and oblivion of the Cuban national film industry, Nicolás Guillén Landrián’s films survive as one of the most potent archives of Afro-Cuban lives. This program features the California premiere of new restorations, offering a rare glimpse into Landrián’s enduring legacy.

Series: Cuban Cinema without Borders

Now You See Love, Now You Don’t

Directed by Alex Law, Mabel Cheung, 1992
Introduction: Paul Fonoroff

Hong Kong megastar/action hero Chow Yun-fat (The Killer) shows off his Cary Grant-like romantic charm (trust us, it’s there) while chasing down his smalltown-turned-big-city crush (Carol “Dodo” Cheng). A breezy, old-school screwball romance.

Series: Hong Kong Cinema with Paul Fonoroff

Cuban Contemporary Short Films I: Dreaming of a Nation

In Conversation: Eilecer Jiménez Almeida, Nils Longueira Borrego, Lázaro González

Explore Cuba’s culture of resistance through powerful and intimate short films—from the political turmoil in Now! and Persona to the melancholic vision of Havana in Casa de la noche and the dystopian Tundra. The program ends on a humorous note, with Ana A. Alpizar’s piece, which introduces us to Miami as another landscape of Cuban imaginaries.

Series: Cuban Cinema without Borders

Lawyer Lawyer

Directed by Joe Ma, 1997
Introduction: Paul Fonoroff

It’s Chinese street smarts versus British rule when a fast-talking lawyer takes on a British courtroom in this manic screwball comedy starring Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle). Costarring Chingmy Yau (Naked Killer) and Karen Mok.

Series: Hong Kong Cinema with Paul Fonoroff

Wild Woman

Directed by Alán González, 2023
Introduction: Alán González, Lázaro Gonzáles

After premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival, Wild Woman became one of the most celebrated Cuban feature debuts in the past decade. Set in a Havana slum, the film follows a Cuban mother as she battles social prejudice, machismo, poverty, and violence to protect her son after a violent altercation goes viral.

Series: Cuban Cinema without Borders

Stop-Motion Storyteller Amanda Strong

In Person: Amanda Strong, Bracken Hanuse Corlett

BAMPFA and UC Berkeley’s Arts Research Center welcome Michif (Métis) stop-motion storyteller Amanda Strong to present her animated films. Depicting Indigenous realities, stories, and dreams, the works provide a compelling cinematic counterpoint challenging historical narratives of Indigenous peoples.

Series: Alternative Visions

Amanda Strong and Bracken Hanuse Corlett: Artists’ Talk

In Person: Amanda Strong, Bracken Hanuse Corlett

Award-winning multimedia Indigenous artists Amanda Strong (Michif) and Bracken Hanuse Corlett (Wuikinuxv and Klahoose) share insights on the creation of their films, including their current project, eight years in the making and now on the cusp of its world premiere.

Free for UC Berkeley students, staff, and faculty

Series: Alternative Visions