Cinema Series with Shelly Isaacs Via Zoom

NOTE: This series includes four (4) live, virtual post-discussions for the term. If you will not be able to attend all discussions, we send the video recording of the session, so you don't miss the conversation!

 This course will take place on 4 THURSDAYS, please mark your calendars:  January 15, 22, 29, February 5, 2026

Series Theme: The Uncharted Map of the Heart:  In this series, we explore the lives of individuals standing at a crossroads. Whether haunted by the ghosts of history, navigating the pressures of a modernizing city, or crossing oceans for the promise of a new start, these characters remind us that it is never too late to rediscover who we are. We will examine how memory shapes our present and how unexpected connections can illuminate the path forward.

1/15 -  Facing Windows (La Finestra di Fronte) - Italy | 2003 | - Available on Amazon                                                                                                                          Set against the sun-drenched backdrop of present day Rome, Facing Windows is a lush, emotional mystery that intertwines two very different lives and eras: A young mother feeling trapped by her domestic routine, and an elderly man she encounters who has seemingly lost his memory, concerning an event that occurred during WWII. As she helps him piece together his past, she begins to consider her own life and how to move forward 

 1/22 - Belén - Argentina | 2025 | Available on Amazon Prime 

 A powerful drama based on a landmark true story that captivated Argentina. A young woman’s life is suddenly derailed by a legal system that fails to see her humanity. As she fights for her freedom from within a prison cell, the story becomes a profound exploration of resilience and the reclaiming of one's identity. 

1/29 - All We Imagine as Light – India 2024 – Available on Amazon, Kanopy 
 Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes, this luminous film takes us into the heart of Mumbai through the lives of two nurses sharing an apartment. Trying to navigate their desires and constraints in a city that never sleeps, they eventually travel to a coastal town, where they realize a new direction in life.

2/5 - Bride Flight - Netherlands |2008 Available on Amazon, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex
Inspired by true events, this epic historical drama begins in 1953 during the "Last Great Air Race" from London to Christchurch. Following the lives of three young Dutch women who board the flight to join their fiancés in New Zealand, the story spans several decades, facing their intertwined lives as they face the harsh realities of pioneering in a new land. It is a sweeping exploration of immigration, the weight of secrets, and the enduring strength of the bonds formed during a journey into the unknown.