After a brief break due to the Algonquin Theatre’s run of Jesus Christ Superstar, Reel Alternatives is back with a varied line-up of critically acclaimed films.
First up on April 21st is Sing Sing starring Colman Domingo as a wrongly convicted inmate who finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men. Oscar nominee Domingo gives one of the most memorable and affecting performances of his career, bolstered by a cast made up almost entirely of formerly incarcerated actors and alumni of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts programme at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Sing Sing is sponsored by The Great Vine, a long-time supporter of Reel Alternatives.
Shifting gears, continents and cultures, the next screening on May 5th is The Seed of the Sacred Fig set in modern-day Iran. Nominated for the Best International Film Academy Award, this tensely paced subtitled drama was shot in secret in Iran and led to its director and cast having to flee the country after being sentenced to prison and lashing. The story takes place during a time of wide-spread protests (depicted through real-life footage of the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement that exploded following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who died in 2022 while in police custody), when a government lawyer becomes increasingly at odds with his own family. What follows is a social drama–turned–cat-and-mouse thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat.
On May 19th, Angelina Jolie will dominate the screen in Maria, Pablo Larraín’s drama about Maria Callas, one of the most revered performers of the 20th century. The film follows the American Greek soprano as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous career in the public eye, reimagining the legendary diva in her final days as she reckons with her identity and life.
Closing out the season on June 2nd is a documentary, So Surreal: Behind the Masks, which unveils the fascinating connection between the work of famed European Surrealist artists and Yupʼik and Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw ceremonial masks, and the quest to bring some of the masks back home. Part detective story and part illuminating history, Behind the Masks is a must-see for anyone who loves art, culture and entertaining docs. So Surreal is generously sponsored by Coles Art Market.
Tickets for all films are available for just $10 online at reelalternativeshuntsville.ca or algonquintheatre.ca, at the door or by calling the Algonquin Theatre box office at 705-789-4975. Reel Alternatives Huntsville gratefully acknowledges their partnership with Film Circuit, presented by the Toronto International Film Festival, and its sponsors and supporters.
Don’t miss out on Doppler!
Sign up here to receive our email digest with links to our most recent stories.
Local news in your inbox so you don’t miss anything!
Click here to support local news
0 Comments