Independent Film Night - Thursday, June 14th @ 6:30 - King of Devil's Island

You won't want to miss next month's Independent Film Night at the Pollard (2nd Thursday of every month). On Thursday, June 14th @ 6;30PM we'll be showing King of Devil's Island a film by Marius Holst. Stellan Skarsgard stars in this stirring Norwegian film. (A perfect sentence for a pirate to arrr-ti-culate) The film is based on a true story of Norway's infamous Bastøy Boys Home correctional facility. The story begins with the arrival of a new inmate who immediately clashes with the administration and governor (Skarsgard) by refusing to accept their culture of constant abuse and torment. Ultimately, he leads the other boys to stand up for themselves on an ill-fated mission to reclaim their humanity from the corruption of unchecked power.

King of Devil's Island is in Norwegian with English Subtitles. Run time 116 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Snapshot Day - Preliminary Results

Here's a sampling of some of the candid snapshots we've taken during today's Snapshot Day festivities. You can also check out shots taken at libraries across the Commonwealth at the Massachusetts Snapshot Day Group Flickr Page. A big thank you to everyone who has filled out a survey and posed for a picture here at the Pollard. We wouldn't be the special place we are without your patronage. We're open til 9pm tonight (and showing a special Independent Film from Israel called Vasermil at 6:30pm) so it's not too late to come down and get involved.

April is the Crulest Month - but not for Film Fans!

First off, Wednesday the 11th @ 7pm the Lowell Film Collaborative and the Lowell National Historical Park are showing James Rutenbeck's documentary Scenes From a Parish. Filmed downriver in Lawrence, the film captures the ethnic tensions of a working-class Catholic parish. This free screening is happening over at the National Park Visitor's Center, 246 Market St.

Then on Thursday, April 12th @ 6:30pm, our Independent Film night continues with the 2007 film Vasermil. This is another film about immigration and assimilation, but set in Israel. Vasermil tells the story of three teenage boys, from separate marginalized communities, who are pinning their hopes on soccer as a way out of their misfortune. Each will have to overcome their differences to play as a team in order to win. But don't expect a Hollywood ending.

Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public.Made possible by the Friends of the Library

And, finally, in celebration of April being National Poetry Month, on Thursday, April 19th @ 6:30pm, we'll be screening the 2003 poetic biopic of Sylvia Plath and Ted Huges's tumultuous relationship. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Plath and Daniel Craig as Hughes, the movie is full of raw emotion and poetical insights. This screening is made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library. PLEASE NOTE: this film has been rated R by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.

Independent Film Night - Thursday, March 8th @ 6:30: The Piano in a Factory

What will one do for the love of music? For the love of one's child? For the loss of love? This month's independent feature film, The Piano in a Factory (Gang de qin) features some of the most basic geometric designs for coping with the human condition: hope, derangement, and beautiful music. The film centers on Chang, who is trying to prove his worth to his estranged wife and win custody of their young daughter by securing a piano for her. After a number of failed attempts to purchase, fake, and even steal one he recruits a rag tag bunch of sympaticos to help him build one from scratch in an disused factory. The dream sequences are wonderful to behold, and the contrast between the lovely music created in and among the industrial wasteland is a perfect metaphor for Chang's struggle to find the positive in his desperate situation. There's a lot of heart to this film, and a lot of love among the ruins.

The Piano in a Factory, a film by Zhang Meng. The film is in Mandarin with English Subtitles. Run time 105 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library

Three Films in Three Days

It's always exciting to see the jersey barriers go up on Arcand Drive, because then you know Winterfest is almost here. We just wanted to remind you the Pollard is joining the fun with our own little disparate film fest tonight, tomorrow and Saturday.

PROTEKTOR - TONIGHT 6:30PM

First up is our monthly independent film night (2nd Thursday of every month) featuring the WWII inspired film from the Czech Republic, Protektor. This film, by Marek Najbrt, is a winner of 9 Czech Lions (Czech Academy Awards) and tells an intimate story of a husband and wife torn apart by the limitations imposed by the occupying German Nazis. If nothing else, it's interesting to witness the effects of the WWII German occupation of Czechoslovakia from the perspective of a modern Czech filmmaker. Protektor has not been rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The run time is 102 min. and it is in Czech with English Subtitles.

GOING BLIND - TOMORROW 1:30PM

Then, tomorrow as part of our See What You've Been Missing! Low Vision Open House, we will be screening the documentary Going Blind by Joseph Lovett. After years of suffering from diminishing vision due to glaucoma, Mr. Lovett decided to reach out to investigate and document how people all over the world respond to vision loss. The Lowell Film Collaborative has written a nice piece about the film and Mr. Lovett we appreciate them helping spread the word. So, come on by to the Vision Station Open House and see the station Demo from 12pm-1 and stay for a facinating documentary at 1:30PM. Not Rated. Run time is 82 min.

THE SMURFS - SATURDAY 1PM

There's something winterly about the Smurfs. Not in the sense that they're cold and cheerless, quite the opposite. But there's something about them that smacks of winter. Not sure quite what. Perhaps it's their blue skin? Or their white pants? When it came time to pick our annual family Winterfest matinee it was clear that the little guys were going to get the nod. So, come on by if your downtown enjoying the arctic fun at this Saturday's winterfest and warm up for a spell in the library with a modern take on a cartoon classic. The Smurfs—directed by Raja Gosnell and starring Neil Patrick Harris, Sofia Vergara, and Hank Azaria—is rated PG. Run time is 103 minutes.

Independent Film Night - Thursday, February 9th @ 6:30: Protektor

Our Independent Film selection for February won 9 Czech Lions (Czech Republic's equivalent to the Academy Awards). Set in Prague at the outbreak of World War II, it tells the story of Emil, a radio reporter and Hana, his movie star wife who are at first oblivious to the Nazi threat but soon are forced to face the implications of Hana's Jewish heritage. As the story progresses the restrictions increase for Hana and Emil is forced to take drastic measures to protect her. This film is lush with period details and the taut plot will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The film is in Czech with English Subtitles. Run time 100 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library

Indpendent Film Night - Karen Cries on the Bus - Thursday, January 12th 6:30pm

Firstly, thank you Elvis fans for making this afternoon's 2nd annual birthday matinee a success! It was great to see the lasting impact he's had on the lives of so many.

Secondly, film lovers take note: our Independent Film Night continues this Thursday, January 12th @ 6:30pm with an audacious new Colombian film titled Karen Cries on the Bus.



We know, the title does not evoke the most cheerful connotations and you might be hesitant to subject yourself to this film especially during the dreary days of January, but trust us when we tell you that this movie is uplifting. It's about a woman rediscovering what's important in life after coming to a crossroads in her unfulfilling marriage. It is, in many ways, the perfect movie for January, which is after all, named for Janus the Roman god of beginnings and transitions.

The film is in Spanish English Subtitles. Run time 98 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Holiday Films & Storytime & Bake Sale!!! Read on!

This month's independent film selection is technically a Christmas movie, but with a few twists. First, it's set in Australia, so you can throw away your white Christmas expectations. And the primary drama involves a mother with terminal cancer saying her goodbyes to her daughters—also not the normal bubbly stuff of Christmas movies. But it is a truly beautiful film—and life affirming. The film proves that when you embrace loss you can appreciate what you have.



So come see this free screening of Little Sparrows at 6:30pm, Thursday, December 8th. The film is in English so there will be no subtitles. Run time 88 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library.

***

If you're looking for a more traditional Christmas movie, we've got you covered on that as well. In anticipation for the 2012 Dickens in Lowell celebration, and with a nod to the new Muppet Movie in theaters we're going to be showing The Muppet Christmas Carol on Saturday, December 10th at 1pm.



This showing will be part of a larger Holiday celebration from 11:30am-3pm, which includes a Bake Sale hosted by the Friends of the library (11:30-1pm) and a Holiday Storytime (11:30am-12:30pm). All free, thanks to the good work of the Pollard Library Friends group and our Youth Services Department.

The Human Resources Manager - Independent Film Night, Thursday, November 10th @ 6:30

Join us November 10th at 6:30PM for the next installment of our Film Movement Independent Film night (the 2nd Thursday of every month). October's film is The Human Resources Manager by Eran Riklis (Lemon Tree, The Syrian Bride). The film won 5 awards at the Isralei Academy Awards including Best Picture. The story is based on the novel "A Woman from Jerusalem" by A. B. Yehoshua which chronicles a physical and spiritual journey taken by the Human Resources Manager of Jerusalem's largest bakery. At the outset he is not a happy man. He is separated from his wife, estranged from his daughter and stuck in a job he hates. But when one of his his employees, a foreign worker is killed in a suicide bombing and the bakery is accused of indifference and he is sent to Romania, the victim's home country, to try and make amends. Along the way he discovers more about himself and his ability to affect others than he ever expected.

Interesting tidbit about the film from an interview with the the director in 2010:

No one in the film has a name but the dead woman, Yulia; instead, they are identified by titles: the Human Resources Manager, the Weasel, the Boy, the Driver, etc. This idea came from the source book, but Riklis decided to keep the convention because he felt it made the story more relatable. Additionally, “everybody is alive here but maybe dead inside, and the only dead person is actually alive. It’s out of respect in a way to her, both because she’s dead and the catalyst of the whole thing,” says Riklis. “The rest have to earn their names.

The film is in Hebrew, Romanian and English with English Subtitles. Run time 104 minutes. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Movies Movies

As our region slides back into autumnal weather this week we're glad we have some fun indoor activities for you to enjoy. And what is the best indoor activity? That's right, watching great films. We have not one, but two films for you to enjoy this week.


On Thursday, October 13th, at 6:30pm we'll be showing The Colors of the Mountain as part of our ongoing Independent Film night. This film's story is as poignant as its scenery is awe-inspring.


Picking up on the fall classic theme from September's showing of Casablanca, this Saturday October 15th, at 1pm we'll show another fall classic, this time starring Lowell's own Bette Davis. We've picked one of her more famous films, Dark Victory. This one gets a three handkerchief rating for it's tear-jerking capabilities so be prepared.

Independent Film Night Thursday, October 13th @ 6:30 - The Colors of the Mounatin

Join us October 13th at 6:30PM for the next installment of our Film Movement Independent Film night (the 2nd Thursday of every month). October's film is The Colors of the Mountain by Carlos César Arbeláez. Winner of the San Sebastian International Film Festival, the film chronicles the small desires of the smallest citizens of a mountainside Colombian village being torn asunder by gorilla warfare. A group of school children kick their soccer ball into what turns out to be a minefield and they scheme to get it back. While to the adults around them (their parents and teacher) struggle to maintain a sense of order amidst chaos. As the director said in a statement:

I didn’t direct a film that claims to explain the complex Columbian armed conflict or the political reality of my country. I focused, above all, on the drama of the civilian population. The film is more human and, in a way, destined for a more universal audience. In The Colors of the Mountain, it doesn’t really matter what one armed group or another does in the “La Pradera” district, as the focus is on the secret psychological drama that the main characters undergo...no matter how tragic the reality of the children, they’re always ready to defend games and laughter as fundamental parts of their lives.

The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs on the 2nd Thursday of every month. The events are free and open to the public. Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. Made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Non-Fiction Book Club: The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to our Brains by Nicholas Carr, Thursday, October 6, 2011 @ 6:30PM

Thank you book clubbers for last week's timely discussion of Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 by R.A. Scotti. We knew when we picked it we'd be reading it during hurricane season but we had no idea the region would still be reeling from Irene. That certainly made for some interesting conversation. It is time once again to reserve your copy of the next book up for discussion and this one looks really interesting: The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains by Nicholas Carr. Thursday, October 6th @ 6:30PM. A few years ago, Carr made a splash with his Atlantic cover story, "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" and he's back to try to answer that question with this timely discourse on the effects the internet has had on how we think. From the jacket:

Building on insights from Plato to McLuhan, Carr makes a convincing case that every information technology carries an intellectual ethic--a set of assumptions about the nature of knowledge and intelligence. He explains how the printed book served to focus our attention, promoting deep and creative thought. In stark contrast, the Internet encourages the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources. Its ethic is that of the industrialist, an ethic of speed and efficiency, of optimized production and consumption--and now the Net is remaking us in its own image. We are becoming ever more adept at scanning and skimming, but what we are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection.

Aren't you glad we have this book club to spend some time in thoughtful discussion over the loss of thoughtful contemplation? Now get offline, find a quiet place and see if you can finish this book.

Another tidbit before you go: Don't forget our Independent Film Series continues this week with A Screaming Man, 2010 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize Winner.

Independent Film Night Thursday, September 8th @ 6:30 - A Screaming Man -

Have you ever acted in a rash or spiteful manner and lived to regret your decision? Join us for our independent film night Thursday, September 8th at 6:30PM. We'll be showing the 2010 Cannes Film Festival Jury Prize Winner, A Screaming Man directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun. The film is set in the African nation of Chad during its civil war though the film isn't about war, moreso the effect war has on people. The protagonist, a 60 year old pool attendent, is trying to affirm his place in the world whist being surrounded by tumolt and in a moment of weakness he makes a decison he will forever regret. This is the stuff of drama. Don't miss it.

The Pollard Library Independent Film night occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences. Our Independent film nights are made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Non-Fiction Book Club: Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 by R. A. Scotti, Thursday, September 1, 2011 @ 6:30PM

Thank you book clubbers for last week's lip-smacking discussion of Cod by Mark Kurlansky—the cod on crackers and cod chowder were really something else—the donuts and cupcakes and cooikies were all stellar as well. But, I digress. The time has come to set our sights on a new Non Fiction gem. Our nautical theme continues onward for at least one more month as we will be discussing R.A. Scotti's book Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938. This, from the jacket:

The gripping and unforgettable story of the Great Hurricane of 1938, still remembered by all who survived it as the most terrifying moment of their lives...On September 21, 1938, the fastest hurricane on record caught the Northeast by surprise and left a wake of death and destruction across seven states. Traveling at record speeds, the storm raced up the Atlantic coast, reaching New York and New England ahead of hurricane warnings and striking with such intensity that seismographs in Alaska registered the impact.

Sounds like quite a story, don't miss out what sure to be a lively discussion Thursday, September 1st @ 6:30PM.

ALSO—Don't forget this week is Independent Film Night at the library. Come to our free screening of Illegal by Olivier Masset-Depasse tomorrow night at 6:30pm. Made possible by the Friends of the Library.

Independent Film Night Thursday, August 11th @ 6:30 - Illegal - a film by Olivier Masset-Depasse

Join us at 6:30PM on Thursday, August 11th for the latest installment of our Independent Film Series: Illegal - a film by Olivier Masset-Depasse (2010). This is an elegant little film about a former teacher from Russia living illegally in Belgium with her fourteen year old son. They are caught one day by the Belgian authorities. Her son escapes arrest but she is taken into custody and threatened with imminent deportation. What follows is her struggle to maintain her dignity while she attempts to gain freedom for her and her son. 95 mins. In French and Russian with English subtitles. This screening made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

The Pollard Library Independent Film series occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.

Independent Film Night Thursday, July 14th @ 6:30 - If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle - a film by Florin Serban

Join us Thursday, July 14th for the latest installment of our Independent Film Series: If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle by Florin Serban (2010). A Romanian love story of sorts. The story takes place in a prison where the inmate protagonist, Silviu has only two weeks left to go before he's released. But when his mother, who abandoned him long ago, returns and threatens to take his brother away -- his brother whom he was forced, by their mother's abandonment, to raise as a son -- the two weeks begin to feel like eternity. He can find no quarter for help and is driven to a surprising act of defiance in a desperate grasp for freedom. This is a nuanced psychological drama you won't want to miss. 93 mins. In Romanian with English subtitles. This screening made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

The Pollard Library Independent Film series occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.

Independent Film Night Next Thursday, June 9th @ 6:30 - Helena From the Wedding - a film by Joseph Infantolino

Join us next Thursday, June 9th for the latest installment of our Independent Film Series as we show Joseph Infantiolino's Helena From the Wedding (2010). This film is a bittersweet drama about love and commitment and features the beautiful Gillian Jacobs from NBC's Community as the eponymous Helena. A group of friends gather in a modernly rustic cabin in the woods of upstate New York to ring in the New Year and the tensions mount as they look to find reasons to celebrate the past and/or look forward to the future but they're essentially looking for peace in the present. This is a beautifully acted, deftly written drama, you won't want to miss. 89 mins. In English. This screening made possible by the Friends of the Pollard Library.

Independent Film Night This Thursday, May 12th @ 6:30 - How I Ended This Summer - a film by Aleksei Popogrebsky

How I Ended This Summer (2010) - a film by Aleksei Popogrebsky. 130 min. Unrated.

We have a special treat for you this Thursday, May 12th @ 6:30PM. We're taking a trip with us to a place where winter never ceases—The Arctic Circle—and you thought winter was over! This latest film in our Thursday Night Independent Film Series is a psychological drama set in an meteorological station on an island far in the Russian arctic. The station has a staff of two men who have been given the job of recording readings from their radioactive surroundings. One of the men is a gruff seasoned vet and the other a college kid complete with mp3 player. But when the college kid gets some disturbing news that he decides for a while to keep from the vet the consequences of his decision are startling. This is a compelling study in human nature and a stripped down, almost allegorical story for the human condition.

The Pollard Library Independent Film series occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.

Independent Film Night This Tursday, April 14th @ 6:30

"Bad Day To Go Fishing" a film by Álvaro Brechner.

Or in the original spanish "Mal Dia Para Pescar" un film de Álvaro Brechner.

Either way, you don't want to miss it. This Thursday, April 14th at 6:30PM as part of our independent film series. 

Independent Film Night - Thursday, April 14th @ 6:30: "Bad Day To Go Fishing" a film by Álvaro Brechner

Join us for our ongoing Independent Film Series in partnership with Film Movement. Up next is  Bad Day to go Fishing a film by Álvaro Brechner. Thursday, April 14th @ 6:30PM. Jacob van Oppen – formerly the “strongest man on earth,” now a washed up alcoholic—and his crafty manager, Orsini, make good money staging bogus wrestling matches in small South American towns. When this oddball duo arrives in the unassuming village of Santa Maria, crafty, Orsini, is sure he can find the right opponent to throw the fight, but fishing in Santa Maria yields a bigger catch than he’d hoped for. Jordan Mintzer in Variety said “Álvaro Brechner’s ambitious debut is something like a retro ‘The Wrestler’ by way of the Cohen Brothers.” The film is in Spanish with English subtitles. Brought to you by the Friends of the Library.

The Pollard Library Independent Film series occurs the 2nd Thursday of every month! Please note: These Independent films are not rated by the MPAA and should be considered for mature audiences.