Cinema Series with Shelly Isaacs
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: February 12, 19, 26, March 5
This series explores how unexpected transitions—from a nation’s shift toward democracy to a sudden case of amnesia—compel individuals to reconcile their pasts with an uncertain future. As these characters navigate cultural revolutions and family secrets, they discover that identity is not fixed, but rather something continuously reshaped by the stories we tell and the "recipes" for life we choose to follow.
Feb 12 - The Monk and the Gun – Nepal – 2023 (Kanopy, Hulu, Hoopla)
In the country known throughout the world for its extraordinary beauty and its emphasis on Gross National Happiness, The King has announced that he would cede his power to the people via their vote and form a new type governing: Democracy. But he also has another request that seems out of character, for him and his country.
Feb 19 - Ramen Shop – Singapore/Japan – 2018 (Kanopy)
When his father suddenly dies, a young Ramen chef leaves his hometown in Japan to embark on a culinary journey to Singapore and to uncover the truth about his family past. What he uncovers is a lot more than family secrets and delicious recipes.
Feb 26 - Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress – China – 2002 (Kanopy)
Set in the early 1970's during the later stages of China's "Cultural Revolution," two city-bred teenage best friends are sent to a backward mountainous region for Maoist re-education, where they embark on a journey of self-discovery that will change the course of their lives.
Mar 5 - Key of Life – Japan – 2012 (Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex)
What do an earnest businesswoman in search of a husband, an amnesiac hitman, and a young actor who has been unlucky at life and love, have in common? Their paths collide in amusing ways in this award winning and critically acclaimed romantic comedy of errors built around mistaken identity.