The 2018 GFFF took place March 1-4, 2018
Citizen Jane: Battle for the City
Documentary, directed by Matt Tyrnauer, 92 mins.
Thursday, March 1st, 2018
Smith Theatre at Oakland Community College, 7:30 pm
Presentation of Citizen Jane is made possible by the generous support of Bill Brown Ford.
In 1960 Jane Jacobs’s book The Death and Life of Great American Cities sent shockwaves through the architecture and planning worlds, with its exploration of the consequences of modern planners’ and architects’ reconfiguration of cities. Jacobs was also an activist, who was involved in many fights in mid-century New York, to stop “master builder” Robert Moses from running roughshod over the city. This film retraces the battles for the city as personified by Jacobs and Moses, as urbanization moves to the very front of the global agenda. Many of the clues for formulating solutions to the dizzying array of urban issues can be found in Jacobs’s prescient text, and a close second look at her thinking and writing about cities is very much in order. This film sets out to examine the city of today through the lens of one of its greatest champions.
Join us for a panel-led community conversation following the film.
This event is co-sponsored by Oakland Community College, Orchard Ridge Campus
The Breadwinner
Animated, directed by Nora Twomey, 94 mins.
Friday, March 2nd, 2018
Farmington Civic Theater, 7:00 pm
Presentation of The Breadwinner is made possible by the generous support of David & Abigail Viane.
Parvana is an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. When her father is wrongfully arrested, Parvana cuts off her hair and dresses like a boy in order to support her family. Working alongside her friend Shauzia, Parvana discovers a new world of freedom–and danger. With undaunted courage, Parvana draws strength from the fantastical stories she invents, as she embarks on a quest to find her father and reunite her family. Equal parts thrilling and enchanting, The Breadwinner is an inspiring and luminously animated tale about the power of stories to sustain hope and carry us through dark times.
Nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature.
A Season in France
Drama (French, subtitled in English), directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, 100 mins.
Friday, March 2nd, 2018
Farmington Civic Theater, 9:15 pm
Presentation of A Season in France is made possible by the generous support of Bloom General Contracting.
Abbas, a high school teacher in the Central African Republic, has fled his war-torn country with his two children. They now live in France, where Abbas works at a food market, while applying for political asylum. A French woman, Carole, falls in love with him and offers a roof for him and his family. When Abbas’ application is rejected, they face a crucial decision.
The Best of the New York International Children’s Film Festival
Animated, various directors, 65 mins.
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018
Farmington Civic Theater, 10:30 am
FREE
Presentation of these films is made possible by the generous support of the Farmington Friends of the Library.
A diverse community must put aside their differences to enjoy a tasty meal in Stone Soup
(France/Belgium), a hungry creature devises a way to get his fill in Tiger (Germany), and a young croc enjoys a tasty treat in Crocodile (Germany). With visually innovative animation and many Audience Award winners from New York International Children’s Film Festival 2017, this selection is truly delicious for children of all ages.
Liyana
Animated/Documentary, directed by Amanda & Aaron Kopp, 77 mins.
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018
Farmington Civic Theater, 7:00 pm
Presentation of the Michigan premiere of Liyana is made possible by the generous support of Farmington/Farmington Hills Education Foundation.
A Swazi girl embarks on a dangerous quest to rescue her young twin brothers. This animated African tale is born in the imaginations of five orphaned children in Swaziland who collaborate to tell a story of perseverance drawn from their darkest memories and brightest dreams. Their fictional character’s journey is interwoven with poetic and observational documentary scenes to create a genre-defying celebration of collective storytelling.
Bending the Arc
Documentary, directed by Kief Davidson and Pedro Kos, 102 mins.
Saturday, March 3rd, 2018
Farmington Civic Theater, 9:15 pm
Presentation of Bending the Arc is made possible by the generous support of Laura & Ken Paulson.
A powerful documentary about the extraordinary team of doctors and activists - including Paul Farmer, Jim Yong Kim, and Ophelia Dahl - whose work thirty years ago to save lives in a rural Haitian village grew into a global battle in the halls of power for the right to health for all. Epic, yet intimate, the film is a compelling argument for the power of collective and personal vision and will to turn the tide of history.
Rebels on Pointe
Documentary, directed by Bobbi Jo Hart, 90 mins.
Sunday, March 4th, 2018
Holocaust Memorial Center, 2:30 pm
Presentation of Rebels on Pointe is made possible by the generous support of Dr. Charles D. Elias.
Exploring universal themes of identity, dreams and family, Rebels On Pointe is the first-ever documentary film celebrating the world famous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo. The notorious all-male, drag ballet company was founded over 40 years ago in New York City on the heels of the Stonewall riots, and has a passionate cult following around the world. The film juxtaposes intimate behind-the-scenes access, rich archives and history, engaging character driven stories, and dance performances shot in North America, Europe and Japan. Rebels on Pointe is a creative blend of gender-bending artistic expression, diversity, passion and purpose. A story which ultimately proves that a ballerina is not only a woman dancing—but an act of revolution in a tutu.