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A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN David Clare CHAIRMAN

Welcome to a new and expanded season – 16 films instead of the normal 14. We took this decision in the light of the need to make more room for specialist cinema in a climate where organisations such as Hollywood Cinemas, custodian of the Film Theatre, must look more than ever to crossover successes in order to survive. It is my fervent hope that in future years we – and our members, who select a good portion of the programme – will become more adventurous in our choice of films. The Members’ Choice component of our programme this year – London to Brighton, La Môme, Tell No One, No Country for Old Men, The Lives of Others, Away from Her, The Kite Runner – covers the most popular foreign language titles of 2007 and, happily, one or two less seen English language ones. Away from Her is a remarkable film, still more remarkable to come from a director as young and inexperienced as Sarah Polley (who played the girl survivor in The Sweet Hereafter). It tells of what happens to two people who have lived together for a long time and remained very much in love, when the wife decides that her condition (Alzheimer’s) means that a change is required. Films about growing old as subtle and honest as this are few and far between. London to Brighton made something of an impact on those who saw it but then quickly vanished from view. It will be interesting for members to see this tough British thriller for themselves. We have five revivals this year. Of older vintage are our silent double bill, The Last Laugh and Night Mail, films with nothing more in common save that the Committee thought they would be good to show, Passport to Pimlico, the Ealing classic, Some Came Running, Vincente Minnelli's star melodrama based on James Jones's doorstop novel of a demobbed soldier, and Antonioni’s colour follow-up to his Monica Vitti trilogy of incommunicability, The Red Desert, featuring our own Richard Harris. There is also a work of more recent provenance, The Magdalene Sisters, a polemical film from Peter Mullan with its own power to shock. Our make-weights are four arresting works of recent world cinema, the kind that any film society should in all conscience do its best to programme. Mountain Patrol is a gripping docu-drama based on the life-endangering work of patrolmen protecting the Tibetan antelope; 12:08 East of Bucharest a satirical look at the dividing line between revolutionary proactivity and opportunistic reaction; The Night of the Sunflowers a fragmented account of the disquiet caused by visitors from outside an isolated village; and The Yacoubian Building a momentous diagnosis of the ills at the heart of Egyptian society. In short, a season of powerful and challenging films, and with actually more foreign than English language titles, though The Kite Runner was American made. I think we should take our cue from Forster’s film and sweep aside old linguistic dividing lines! You will, I hope, let me know your feelings on this, and other aspects of programming, when we meet. As a dividend to our members after consecutive years of account surpluses, we are freezing subscriptions at £30 for full adult membership and £15 for students, despite the augmented programme and galloping inflation! Existing members will be mailed brochures at the end of July and these will be on public display two weeks later, in particular at the Hollywood Film Theatre and Tourist Information Centre. Get your applications in promptly, as space is limited. If you wish to be on the mailing list, please contact Trudi Keeble, Membership Secretary on 01473 787165. Membership £30.00 - Student £15.00 Guest £5.00 - Student £2.50 Ipswich Film Society acknowledges financial support from Ipswich Borough Council

© 2009 Ipswich Film Society
Registered Charity No 1033542
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