Cinema St Louis Announces Lineup For This Year’s Golden Anniversaries

Cinema St Louis Announces Lineup For This Year’s Golden Anniversaries

Films of 1973 spotlighted in online discussions and in-person screenings

The Golden Anniversaries film series — an annual presentation of Cinema St. Louis (CSL) — features classic films celebrating their 50th anniversaries. The sixth edition of the event highlights films from 1973.

This year, Cinema St. Louis will hold both virtual conversations and in-person screenings as part of Golden Anniversaries. Virtual conversations are presented free of charge.

The online conversations, with people watching the films on their own but gathering virtually to discuss them, will continue through December. The virtual programs will be available as livestreams through Eventive. Each online event has a link to register on the CSL website: cinemastlouis.org/golden-anniversaries.

This year’s series kicked off in April and will continue through December, with films playing on Sunday afternoons at the Hi-Pointe Theatre, 1005 McCausland Ave, 63117.

Tickets are required for the in-person screenings at the Hi-Pointe. Free parking is available at the Hi-Pointe Backlot or Lindell Bank across the street from the theater.

Ryan and Tatum O’Neal in “Paper Moon”

In addition, during the 32nd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival, which takes place from Nov. 9-19, CSL will offer a trio of free Golden Anniversaries screenings — Jack Hill’s “Coffy” (with Novotny Lawrence), Robert Clouse’s “Enter the Dragon” (with Daniel Yezbick), and Peter Bogdanovich’s “Paper Moon” (with Tom O’Keefe) — on the second Saturday and Sunday of the fest at the St. Louis Public Library – Central Branch, 1301 Olive St., 63103.

Whether the event is held online or in person, film critics, film academics, filmmakers, and writers will offer introductory remarks and participate in discussions about the films. In addition to St. Louis-based experts, Golden Anniversaries will again feature contributors from elsewhere, including returning presenter Novotny Lawrence (“Coffy” and “Cleopatra Jones”) and new participants such as freelance writer and film historian, Marya E. Gates (“Love & Anarchy”).

For full descriptions of the films, visit the Cinema St. Louis website.

In-Person Screenings

Sunday, April 1, at 1:00 PM

The Sting

George Roy Hill, U.S., 129 min.

With Chris Clark, artistic director of Cinema St. Louis.

Sunday, May 21, at 1:00 PM

Robin Hood

David Hand & Wolfgang Reitherman, U.S., 83 min.

With Jim Tudor, co-founder of ZekeFilm and adjunct professor of film studies at Webster University.

Sunday, June 18, at 1:00 PM

Live and Let Die

Guy Hamilton, U.K. & U.S., 121 min.

With Jim Tudor, co-founder of ZekeFilm and adjunct professor of film studies at Webster University.

Sunday, July 16, at 1:00 PM

The Three Musketeers

Richard Lester, Spain & U.S., 106 min.

With Robert Hunt, former film critic for The Riverfront Times.

Sunday, Aug. 20, at 1:00 PM

Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen in “Badlands”

Badlands

Terence Malick, U.K., 94 min.

With T.J. Keeley, Ph.D. student in contemporary American literature at Saint Louis University and teacher of English and film at college prep schools in the St. Louis area.

Sunday, Sept. 17, at 1:00 PM

The Long Goodbye

Robert Altman, U.S., 112 min.

With Calvin Wilson, theater, film, dance and jazz critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch/stltoday.com.

Sunday, Oct. 15, at 1:00 PM

F for Fake

Orson Welles, Gary Graver & Oja Kodar, France, Iran & West Germany, 89 min.

With Joshua Ray, film critic for KMOV and Co-Founder and Contributing Editor of The Take-Up.

Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand, The Way We Were

Sunday, Dec. 17, at 1:00 PM

The Way We Were

Sydney Pollack, U.S., 118 min.

With Lynn Venhaus, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic who reviews for the Webster-Kirkwood Times, KTRS Radio (Jennifer Blome and Wendy Wiese Show), and PopLifeSTL.com website, www.poplifestl.com

Virtual Discussions

Monday, June 12, at 7:30 PM

Love & Anarchy

Lina Wertmüller, Italy, 120 min., Italian

With Marya E. Gates, freelance film writer and historian who specializes in the work of female directors.

Monday, July 10, at 7:30 PM

The Spirit of the Beehive

Victor Erice, Spain, 98 min.

With Cait Lore, who holds a Master’s Degree in Film Theory from the University of Kent, teaches film studies at Websger University, and serves as a co-programmer of QFest St. Louis.

Monday, Aug. 14, at 7:30 PM

Day for Night

François Truffaut, France, 116 min., French

With Robert Hunt, former film critic for The Riverfront Times.

Randy Quaid and Jack Nicholson in “The Last Detail”

Monday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 PM

The Last Detail

Hal Ashby, U.S., 104 min., English

With Robert Garrick, attorney and former contributor to the davekehr.com film blog.

Monday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 PM

Amarcord

Federico Fellini, Italy, 122 min., Italian

With Cate Marquis, a Rotten Tomatoes certified film critic and film historian who writes for We Are Movie Geeks, the St. Louis Jewish Light, and the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, and a member of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists and the St. Louis Film Critics Association.

Monday, Dec. 11, at 7:30 PM

Cleopatra Jones

Jack Starrett, U.S.,  89 min.

With Novotny Lawrence, associate professor at Iowa State University.

Bruce Lee in “Enter the Dragon”

15th Annual QFest April 29-May 5 at The Galleria

15th Annual QFest April 29-May 5 at The Galleria

Get ready to get your Q on! 

The 15th Annual QFest St. Louis — presented by Cinema St. Louis (CSL) — will take place from April 29-May 5 at the Galleria 6 Cinemas, with a selection of programs also available online. The online programs can be streamed at any time during the festival’s dates. 

The St. Louis-based LGBTQ film festival, QFest will present an eclectic array of 35 films from 13 countries (20 shorts, nine narrative features, and six documentary features). The participating filmmakers represent a wide variety of voices in contemporary queer world cinema. The mission of the film festival is to use the art of contemporary gay cinema to spotlight the lives of LGBTQ people and to celebrate queer culture.

The fest is especially pleased to host the St. Louis premiere of “The Depths,” a rarely seen 2001 work by internationally acclaimed filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, and a reprise from SLIFF of Sebastian Meiser’s prison drama “Great Freedom.” Another highlight is this year’s Q Classic, Todd Hayne’s 1991 “Poison,” which was a part of the dawn of the New Queer Cinema movement of the early ’90s.

A special event, a two-film mini-festival and a panel discussion focused on Harvey Milk, takes place before QFest on the weekend of April 22-23 at Webster University. The event is presented in partnership with Opera Theatre of St. Louis in conjunction with its upcoming premiere of “Milk” in June. In addition, QFest features a “Poison”-themed dance party at Handlebar on Saturday, April 30.

QFest St. Louis begins on Friday, April 29, and runs through Thursday, May 5. Tickets go on sale April 1. Tickets are $15 general, $12 for Cinema St. Louis members and students with valid and current IDs. Passes are also available: Five-Film Passes are $65, and All-Access Passes are $200 ($50 and $150 for CSL members). Virtual screenings — limited to residents of Missouri and Illinois — will be offered through Eventive, CSL’s online presentation partner. Direct ticket links are available on the QFest website. 

QFest St. Louis is sponsored by AARP St. Louis, Arts & Education Council, Grizzell & Co., Missouri Arts Council, Bob Pohrer & Donnie Engle, CALOP, Just John Nightclub, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Regional Arts Commission, Deb Salls, St. Louis LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, St. Louis Public Radio, Cindy Walker, Webster U. Film Series, and Ted Wight.

For the full schedule of screenings, including trailers and descriptions of the films, visit the festival website at www.cinemastlouis.org/qfest. Advance digital screeners of the features and some of the shorts are available for press review on request. Please inquire with QFest St. Louis artistic director Chris Clark.

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

FILM PROGRAMS

Cut!

Marc Ferrer, Spain, 2021, 79 min., Spanish, narrative

The Depths

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, Japan/Korea, 2010, 121 min., Japanese & Korean, narrative

Great Freedom (Grosse Freiheit)

Sebastian Meise, Germany, 2021, 116 min., German, narrative

Mama Bears 

Daresha Kyi, U.S., 2022, 90 min., documentary

Poison 

Todd Haynes, U.S., 1991, 85 min., narrative

Queer Shorts Programs 1-4

Multiple countries, program runtimes range between 79 and 99 minutes

Rebel Dykes 

Harri Shanahan & Siân A. Williams, U.K., 2021, 89 min., documentary

Sirens 

Rita Baghdadi, Lebanon, 2021, 78 min., Arabic & English, documentary

The Swimmer (HaSahyan)

Adam Kalderon, Israel, 2021, 83 min., Hebrew, narrative

The Therapy 

Zvi Landsman, Israel, 2021, 85 min., English & Hebrew, documentary

Two Eyes 

Travis Fine, U.S., 2019, 107 min., narrative

The Unabridged Mrs. Vera’s Daybook 

Robert James, U.S., 2021, 81 min., documentary

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair 

Jane Schoenbrun, U.S., 2021, 86 min., narrative

Social media: Facebook: @QFestSTL | Twitter: @QFestSTL | Instagram: @QFestSTL

Golden Anniversaries: Best Films of 1970 in Cinema St. Louis’ Virtual Program Series

Golden Anniversaries: Best Films of 1970 in Cinema St. Louis’ Virtual Program Series

Golden Anniversaries, which is co-presented by Cinema St. Louis (CSL) and the St. Louis Public Library, features classic films celebrating their 50th anniversaries. This third edition of the event will highlight 14 films from 1970, including two double bills.

Because in-person screenings remain problematic during the pandemic, Cinema St. Louis will hold free online conversations on the films, with people watching the films on their own but gathering virtually to discuss them.

Film critics, film academics, and filmmakers will offer introductory remarks and then participate in discussions about the films. Those conversations will be offered as free live streams at 7:30 PM every Monday from Aug. 10-Oct. 26. Participants will need to register for the live streams on the CSL website.

Elliott Gould, Tom Skerritt, Donald Sutherland in “M*A*S*H”

In addition to a fine selection of St. Louis critics, Golden Anniversaries will feature a quartet of experts from elsewhere, including David Edelstein, chief film critic of New York magazine (“M*A*S*H” on Aug. 10); AJ Schnack, director of such documentaries as “Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns),” “Kurt Cobain About a Son,” “We Always Lie to Strangers,” and the recent “Long Gone Summer” (double bill of “Gimme Shelter” and “Woodstock” on Sept. 7); Charles Taylor, author of “Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s” (“Beyond the Valley of the Dolls” on Sept. 21); and Novotny Lawrence, author of “Blaxploitation Films of the 1970s: Blackness and Genre” (double bill of “Cotton Comes to Harlem” and “The Watermelon Man” on Sept. 28).

The discussions with the presenters will be facilitated by Cliff Froehlich, CSL’s executive director. Audience members will be able to ask questions and make observations on the films through the chat function of the live stream; those queries and comments will be relayed to the presenter by CSL.

The introductions and discussions will also be recorded and archived on CSL’s YouTube channel. Essays on many of the films will appear on The Lens, CSL’s blog.

For more information, please visit cinemastlouis.org/golden-anniversaries.

Husbands

FILMS

For full info on films, see CSL’s website.

7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 10

M*A*S*H

Robert Altman, U.S., 1970, 116 min.

Intro and discussion by David Edelstein, chief film critic for New York magazine (currently on furlough), commentator on “CBS Sunday Morning,” and former film critic for NPR’s “Fresh Air,” Slate, New York Post, Village Voice, and Boston Phoenix.

7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 17

Patton

Franklin J. Schaffner, U.S., 1970, 172 min.

Intro and discussion by Andrew Wyatt, editor of and film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ blog, The Lens.

7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 24

Husbands

John Cassavetes, U.S., 1970, 131 min.

Intro and discussion by Lynn Venhaus, film critic for the Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS (550 AM).

7:30 PM Monday, Aug. 31

The Conformist

Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy, 1970, 113 min., Italian

Intro and discussion by Diane Carson, professor emerita of film at St. Louis Community College at Meramec and film critic for KDHX (88.1 FM).

7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 7

Gimme Shelter

Albert Maysles, David Maysles & Charlotte Zwerin, U.S., 1970, 91 min.

Woodstock: The Director’s Cut

Michael Wadleigh, U.S., 1970, 224 min.

Intro and discussion by AJ Schnack, director of the documentaries “Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns),” “Kurt Cobain About a Son,” “We Always Lie to Strangers,” and “Long Gone Summer.”

7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 14

Claire’s Knee

Eric Rohmer, France, 1970, 105 min., French

Intro and discussion by Robert Garrick, attorney and former contributor to the davekehr.com film blog.

7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 21

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls

Russ Meyer, U.S., 1970, 109 min.

Intro and discussion by Charles Taylor, author of “Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s” and former film critic for Salon.

7:30 PM Monday, Sept. 28

Cotton Comes to Harlem

Cotton Comes to Harlem

Ossie Davis, U.S., 1970, 97 min.

The Watermelon Man

Melvin van Peebles, U.S., 1970, 100 min.

Intro and discussion by Novotny Lawrence, associate professor at Iowa State University, author of “Blaxploitation Films of the 1970s: Blackness and Genre,” editor of “Documenting the Black Experience,” and co-editor of “Beyond Blaxploitation.”

7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 5

Five Easy Pieces

Bob Rafelson, U.S., 1970, 98 min.

Intro and discussion by Calvin Wilson, theater critic and former film critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 12

The Traveling Executioner

Jack Smight, U.S., 1970, 95 min.

Intro and discussion by Kayla McCulloch, film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ blog, The Lens.

7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 19

Wanda

Barbara Loden, U.S., 1970, 102 min.

Intro and discussion by Cait Lore, film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ blog, The Lens.

7:30 PM Monday, Oct. 26

Performance

Donald Cammell & Nicolas Roeg, U.K., 1970, 105 min.

Intro and discussion by Robert Hunt, former film critic for The Riverfront Times.

Woodstock: The Director’s Cut

Cinema St. Louis Presents Virtual Robert Classic French Film Festival July 17-23

Cinema St. Louis Presents Virtual Robert Classic French Film Festival July 17-23

The 12th Annual Robert Classic French Film Festival — presented by TV5MONDE, sponsored by the Jane M. & Bruce P. Robert Charitable Foundation, and produced by Cinema St. Louis (CSL) — celebrates St. Louis’ Gallic heritage and France’s extraordinary cinematic legacy. 

Because of the Covid-19 health crisis, the fest will be presented virtually this year. CSL is partnering with Eventive, which also handles our ticketing, to present the Virtual Festival. Filmswill be available to view on demand anytime from July 17-23. Access to programs is limited to Missouri and Illinois. Once a ticket-holder begins watching a program, access to it remains available for 24 hours. 

Regrettably, streaming rights to most of the films we planned to feature at the 2020 Robert Classic French Film Festival were not available to us. But CSL is pleased that we’re able to offer a trio of works from the original lineup: Marguerite Duras’ rarely seen “India Song”; a new restoration of Jacqueline Audry’s “Olivia”; and René Clément’s “Rider on the Rain,” which is part of our year-long Golden Anniversaries programming that features films from 1970. All films are in French with English subtitles.

Although the films will be presented virtually, the programs will still feature recorded introductions by and post-film discussions with film or French scholars and critics. 

TV5MONDE serves as the fest’s presenting sponsor, and the Jane M. & Bruce P. Robert Charitable Foundation is the event’s title sponsor. The fest’s other sponsors are the Alliance Française de Saint Louis, American Association of Teachers of French,Arts & Education Council, Centre Francophone at Webster University, Les Amis, Missouri Arts Council, Regional Arts Commission, Washington University’s Film & Media Studies, and Webster University Film Series.

Films

Olivia 1951

Olivia

Jacqueline Audry, 1951, 96 min., B&W, new restoration

A remarkable work by Jacqueline Audry (1908-77), one of France’s groundbreaking female filmmakers, “Olivia” deserves rediscovery after being neglected for almost 70 years. Plunging the viewer — and the main character — into a true lion’s den, Audry depicts a 19th-century boarding school for young girls. The two mistresses of the house, Miss Julie (Edwige Feuillere) and Miss Cara (Simone Simon), are engaged in a turf war — and a war of the heart. Competing for the affections of their students, they rouse passion, hatred, and unexpected reversals of loyalties. Although “Olivia” does not address female homosexuality directly, the film sensitively explores the students’ discovery of love and attraction. With an introduction and post-film discussion by Cait Lore, film critic for Cinema St. Louis’ The Lens.

India Song 1975

India Song

Marguerite Duras, 1975, 120 min., color

Associated with both the nouveau roman literary and the Left Bank film movements, Marguerite Duras was a versatile polymath who worked as a novelist, playwright, essayist, short-story writer, screenwriter, and film director. From a cinematic perspective, Duras’ best-known work is her screenplay for Alain Resnais’ “Hiroshima, mon amour,” but she also directed more than a dozen of her own features. Because Duras’ films remain difficult to access in the U.S., the Classic French Film Festival is especially pleased to offer what many consider her masterpiece, “India Song.” Based on an unproduced play that adapted her novel “Le Vice-consul,” the film chronicles the discontent of the wife (Delphine Seyrig) of the French ambassador in 1930s India. Bored with her oppressive lifestyle, she compulsively sleeps with a series of men but refuses the advances of the entranced vice-consul of Lahore (Michael Lonsdale). With an introduction and post-film discussion by Jean-Louis Pautrot, professor of French and international studies at Saint Louis University.

Rider on the Rain 1970

Rider on the Rain/La Passager de La Pluie

René Clément, 1970, 118 min., color

René Clément — the legendary director of “Forbidden Games” and “Purple Noon” — delivers a stylish thriller starring screen legend Charles Bronson. When a beautiful young woman (Marlène Jobert) in the South of France is stalked and then assaulted by a mysterious masked assailant, she kills the man in self-defense and, in a moment of misjudgment, dumps his corpse over a cliff into the sea instead of calling the police. Trying to return to her life before the attack, her world is turned upside down when an American investigator (Bronson) shows up and, to her horror, seems to know everything about what she has done. “Rider on the Rain” is presented in the 118-minute French-language cut. With an introduction and post-film discussion by Tom Stockman, editor of the We Are Movie Geeks website.