Two European films, both from a similar era, will enjoy screenings soon, along the Wilshire corridor: “Goya” at the Goethe Institut and “Closely Watched Trains” at the Academy.
Having attained boundless wealth and iconic status as a painter in the court of King Carlos IV, Goya falls head over heels for a beautiful princess while becoming increasingly separated from the suffering of the Spanish people. Upon hearing singer Maria Rosario sing revolutionary ballads in a Madrid tavern, however, the detached artist finds becomes better acquainted with the popular singer while growing more reflective than ever before.
Dir.: Konrad Wolf, 1971, color, 131 min. digital, German w/English subtitles. Based on the novel by Lion Feuchtwanger.
GOYA | Goethe-Institut Los Angeles & Villa Aurora | Thurs Sept 19 | 7 pm
Set during World War II, the poignant film tells the story of Milos, a young railway man coming of age in troubled times. As he settles into the routine of his first job, Milos slowly learns to cope with the ups and downs of ordinary life. He discovers love when he falls for a female conductor who regularly passes through, but as the war looms larger, the railroad brings the realities of Nazi occupation to even his small station.
Dir: Jiří Menzel, Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, 1967. In Czech and German with English subtitles. 89 minutes.
A huge treat, director Philip Kaufman to lead discussion with filmmaker,Jiří Menzel, a major contributor to Czech new wave cinema.
CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS | Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences | Mon Sept 23