On August 8th, the Providence Performing Arts Center will be showing Complicit at 2:30pm as part of the Rhode Island International Film Festival.
Complicit explores the controversial topic of Franklin D Roosevelt and the US State Department’s response to the Holocaust. The film reveals the deeper political motivations of Roosevelt’s refusal to help the Jewish refugees desperate to escape theclutches of Nazi terror. The film contains rare archival footage of the refugee ship, SS St Louis, that was refused safe harbor in the US when 908 Jewish passengers anchored off the coast of Miami Beach in early June, 1939. The film also contains footage of the first event apology by the US State Department for its failure to assist the Jewish refugee during the wartime period. Excerpts of the Trial of Franklin D. Roosevelt are also included. Movies include:
“Load (משא)“: A man is sinking under the weight of his own memories. To survive, he must confront the question: Is our past more important than life? What would we give up in order to keep on going?
“From the Sky“:
Hakeem and his son Abbas live in poverty. They also live in a region frequently targeted by drone strikes. Camp is set for the night; a pause in the middle of a journey to make a crucial sale. During their humble meal, Abbas struggles to manage his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, aggravated by the presence of drones overhead. Soon, two men visit the camp of Hakeem and Abbas, and conflict ensues. Drawing inspiration from the films of Werner Herzog and Peter Weir, ‘From the Sky’ tells a minimalist story in an atmosphere that blends eerie tension with ethereal cues. It is a film about rites of passage, the cycle of retaliation, and the cost of peace.
Now in its 18th year, FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival™ (RIIFF) will take place August 5-10, 2014. The Festival has become a leading juried competition showcase for international independent filmmakers and their work. In 2013, Flickers screened 216 cinematic works in six days to large and appreciative crowds.
The films screened came from 65 countries, and 36 states in the United States. During the 2013 Festival, there were 55 World and US/North American Premieres. A total of 21 Narrative Feature, 43 Feature/Documentaries and 152 Short Films were screened. Following months of adjudication and review, Festival films were selected from over 5,114 submissions.
