Sedona Film Fest presents ‘A Call To Spy’ premiere Oct. 2-8
Sarah Megan Thomas and Stana Katic lead cast of new drama at Fisher Theatre
The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “A Call To Spy” showing Oct. 2-8 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
Ordinary women. Extraordinary heroes.
In the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency – “SOE” – to recruit and train women as spies. Their daunting mission: conduct sabotage and build a resistance.
SOE’s “Spymistress,” Vera Atkins (Stana Katic) recruits two unusual candidates: Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), an ambitious American with a wooden leg, and Noor Inayat Khan (played by Radhika Apte), a Muslim pacifist. Together, these women help to undermine the Nazi regime in France, leaving an unmistakable legac in their wake.
Inspired by true stories, “A Call To Spy” draws on SOE, OSS (pre-cursor to CIA), and CIA files, as well as interviews with living relatives.
“While I have enjoyed many films about the heroism of soldiers risking their lives in wartime, usually these films are focused on the men,” said writer, producer and star Sarah Megan Thomas. “Once I learned about the ‘lady spies’ in Churchill’s Secret Army, and realized that their stories are still “secret” to most of the world, I knew ‘A Call To Spy’ had to be made.”
“Through these women’s stories, I also wanted ‘A Call To Spy’ to explore the power of resistance — even in the face of failure,” continued Thomas. “This film largely takes place in the beginning of the war, when the Allies were losing. Women were recruited as an experiment, because it was thought that they would be inconspicuous. These “lady spies” put their lives on the line before there was an established spy circuit, and before anyone knew what they were doing. They were told they had no more than a 50/50 chance of survival. Yet these courageous women refused to accept the evil of the moment, understanding they must do something, even under the toughest circumstances. Individual actions can make a difference. This was true then and is true now.”
“A Call To Spy” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre Oct. 2-8. Showtimes will be 4 p.m. on Friday, Sunday and Monday, Oct. 2, 4 and 5; and 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 7 and 8.
Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.
Film Fest presents ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ Oct. 2-8
Oscar-nominee Dev Patel stars in the title role of Dickens’ classic at Fisher Theatre
The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Sedona premiere of “The Personal History of David Copperfield” showing Oct. 2-8 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
“The Personal History of David Copperfield” re-imagines Charles Dickens’ classic ode to grit and perseverance through the comedic lens of its award-winning filmmakers — giving the Dickensian tale new life for a cosmopolitan age with a diverse ensemble cast of stage and screen actors from across the world.
Emmy-winners and Oscar-nominees Armando Iannucci and Simon Blackwell lend their wry, yet heart-filled storytelling style to revisiting Dickens’ iconic hero on his quirky journey from impoverished orphan to burgeoning writer in Victorian England.
“The Personal History of David Copperfield” stars Oscar-nominee Dev Patel in the title role and features: Aneurin Barnard, Peter Capaldi, Morfydd Clark, Daisy May Cooper, Rosalind Eleazar, Hugh Laurie, Tilda Swinton, Ben Whishaw, Paul Whitehouse, Gwendoline Christie, Anthony Welsh and Benedict Wong.
“Joyous and crowd-pleasing!” — The Guardian
“Riotously funny! A treat for Dickens fans!” — Screen Daily
“It will make your heart sing.” — SlashFilm
“Imaginatively conceived and gloriously cast.” — BBC
A lifelong fan of Charles Dickens, director Armando Iannucci had a creative spark a few years ago while re-reading the author’s acclaimed eighth novel, “David Copperfield”, which was first published in 1850.
“I thought, ‘I want to make this as a movie,’” says Iannucci. “It felt so contemporary, but also because the past adaptations I’ve seen are all so serious and centered on the drama and the plot. There is a lot of plot and drama, but to me those are the least interesting things about the story.”
“The hilarious scenes in the book were the most exciting to explore. It’s a very surreal, yet very real book. I wanted to get that across in the movie.”
“The Personal History of David Copperfield” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre Oct. 2-8. Showtimes will be 7 p.m. on Friday, Sunday and Monday, Oct. 2, 4 and 5; 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3; and 4 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 7 and 8.
Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.
Film Fest presents ‘Hell of a Heartache’ encore return Oct. 3
Festival partners with Verde Valley Sanctuary for film, discussion and reception
The Verde Valley Sanctuary has been experiencing a “hell of a heartache”, missing our community for the past several months. After what seems like forever, we are coming back out of the shadows.
The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to partner with Verde Valley Sanctuary to present the one-day-only encore return of “Hell of a Heartache” on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4 and 7 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
Filmed entirely in the Verde Valley, using all local cast and crew, “Hell of a Heartache” premiered to rave audience reviews at the recent Sedona International Film Festival.
“Hell of a Heartache” is an epic tale of a family torn apart by domestic violence. It is returning to Sedona for this special event in observance of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
“We cannot allow this issue to remain in hiding as the need continues every day for the service we provide,” said Nicole Florisi, Executive Director of the Verde Valley Sanctuary. “We are hosting this as a fundraising event to provide for immediate needs of the Verde Valley sanctuary.”
About the film:
Bobby Thompson is a down-and-out, hard-partying country music singer. His wild and reckless ways are interrupted when he learns he might have a 12-year-old daughter. When she is dumped off unexpectedly at his motel room one day, Bobby’s life takes a sudden new turn.
An engaging Q & A with Rob Burson (the film’s director and star), Nicole Florisi (Executive Director of the Verde Valley Sanctuary) and Jerald Monahan (Chief of Police Yavapai College) will be held after both screenings.
The event will also feature a reception with catering and delightful delicacies will be provided by Phyllis Cline.
“Hell of a Heartache” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre at 4 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3. Tickets are $12, or $9 for Film Festival members, with proceeds benefiting the Verde Valley Sanctuary.
For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.
Film Festival hosts Matthew Bourne’s ‘The Red Shoes’ on Oct. 4
New production from Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London debuts on screen at Fisher Theatre
The legendary and award-winning dance production, Matthew Bourne’s “The Red Shoes”, will be screened at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m., presented by the Sedona International Film Festival.
Matthew Bourne’s gorgeous take on the film classic comes to cinemas for the first time. Winner of two Olivier Awards, “The Red Shoes” is an utterly enthralling tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world.
Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a battleground between the two men who inspire her passion.
Filmed live at Sadler’s Wells in London especially for cinemas, Matthew Bourne’s “The Red Shoes” stars Ashley Shaw as Victoria Page, Adam Cooper as Boris Lermontov and Dominic North as Julian Craster. This cinematic masterpiece re-Bourne on stage will dazzle your senses and break your heart.
Matthew Bourne’s magical adaptation of the classic Powell and Pressburger film is set to the achingly romantic music of golden-age Hollywood composer Bernard Herrmann, the production is orchestrated by Terry Davies, with stunning designs by Lez Brotherston.
“Utterly enthralling.” — Daily Express
“Sumptuous. Beautifully told, and full of vivid incident.” — Whatsonstage
“A gorgeous take on a film classic.” — The Times
“A cinematic masterpiece re-Bourne on stage.” — Evening Standard
“Simply magical.” — Metro
“Enthralling. Richly satisfying.” — The Guardian
“Matthew Bourne works his magic. Blissful.” — The Daily Telegraph
Matthew Bourne’s “The Red Shoes” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre one day only: Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. Tickets are $15, or $12.50 for Film Festival members. For tickets and more information, please call 928-282-1177. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona. For more information, visit: www.SedonaFilmFestival.org.
Exhibition on Screen ‘Lucian Freud: A Self Portrait’ premieres Oct. 6
Sedona Film Festival hosts big-screen presentation of art series at Mary D. Fisher theatre
Sedona International Film Festival presents the Exhibition on Screen series with “Lucian Freud: A Self Portrait”. The event will show in Sedona on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 4 and 7 p.m. at the festival’s Mary D. Fisher Theatre.
Exhibition on Screen’s intensely compelling film on Lucian Freud reveals the life and work of a modern master though a unique exhibition of his self-portraits at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. Freud made self-portraits for the whole of his life which intersected his controversial private life and reflected his shifting relationship with paint. His intense and unflinching gaze has produced a body of powerful, figurative works that places him in the forefront of great British painting. The film journeys through this landmark exhibition in which Freud turns his critical eye firmly on himself.
Notoriety followed the grandson of Sigmund Freud: he was a key figure in London’s radical post-war art scene and his work reveals a great story to be enjoyed on the big screen. Audiences will have a front row seat to view Freud’s powerful and intimate self-portraits.
In collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, the Royal Academy of Arts’ extraordinary exhibition will display more than 50 paintings, prints and drawings spanning nearly seven decades of Freud’s self-portraiture, brought together for the first time in history. They give a fascinating insight into both his psyche and his development as a painter from his earliest portrait painted in 1939 to the final one executed 64 years later. When seen together, his portraits represent an engrossing study into the dynamic of ageing and the process of self-representation.
Highlighting paintings such as Man with a Feather, Reflection with Two Children (Self-portrait), Hotel Bedroom, Interior with Plant, Reflection Listening and his masterpiece Painter Working Reflection, this film features key interviews with past sitters, friends and leading art experts such as Tim Marlow (Artistic Director, Royal Academy of Arts, London), Martin Gayford (Art Critic and Writer) and Catherine Lampert (Art Curator and Writer) among others.
Notably, the film includes access to Lucian Freud’s early works and a rare visit to Lucian Freud’s painting studio, which remains as it was when he died in 2011.
Along with insight and commentary by the exhibition curators Andrea Tarsia (Royal Academy of Arts, London), Jasper Sharp (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna) and David Dawson (Artist), this remarkable film is a must-see for anyone interested in discovering more about the man behind the some of the most talked about portraits in modern art history and, more broadly, the London artworld.
The festival is proud to be the official host of the Exhibition on Screen Series, joining hundreds of theatres around the globe for this special exhibition on screen. Cinema guests can now enjoy unprecedented high definition access into the lives of renowned artists, their art and the fabulous museums and galleries that are the custodians of such masterpieces.
The Exhibition on Screen Series is generously sponsored by Goldenstein Gallery.
“Lucian Freud: A Self Portrait” will be shown at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 4 and 7 p.m. Tickets are $15, or $12.50 for Film Festival members. Tickets are available in advance at the Sedona International Film Festival office or by calling 928-282-1177 or online at www.SedonaFilmFestival.org. Both the theatre and film festival office are located at 2030 W. Hwy. 89A, in West Sedona.
Photo caption: Can be used with any photo:
Exhibition on Screen’s intensely compelling film on Lucian Freud reveals the life and work of a modern master though a unique exhibition of his self-portraits at the Royal Academy of Arts, London. Freud made self-portraits for the whole of his life which intersected his controversial private life and reflected his shifting relationship with paint.
