Silent Light, a Work of Remarkably Powerful Humanism, Opens On SFFS Screen at Sundance Kabuki Cinemas On February 27

Sublime Opening Sequence Sets the Pace for Contemplative, Yet Emotionally Moving Tale of Adultery and Spiritual Crisis in an Ascetic Community in Northern Mexico

January 22, 2009

San Francisco, CA – Silent Light (Stellet licht, Mexico 2007), the third feature from the audacious, award-winning director Carlos Reygadas (Japón, Battle in Heaven) will open on SFFS Screen at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas on Friday, February 27, 2009.

In Carlos Reygadas’s masterful film, light and sound make—and remake—the world. Bookended by extraordinary shots heralding a world of tumultuous existence, Silent Light tells a story of love, family and adultery in a Mennonite community in northern Mexico. Johan (Cornelio Wall Fehr), a farmer who has seven kids with his wife, Esther (Miriam Toews), has fallen in love with another woman in the community, Marianne (Maria Pankratz). This taboo relationship impacts everyone involved in a profoundly felt way not often depicted in cinema. Rather than resorting to emotional histrionics, Silent Light is much more concerned with the essential truths of the circumstances facing these three adults and their loved ones. Using mostly untrained actors from the culture he is depicting and a mesmerizing technique showcasing the miracles of the natural world and its interaction with sentient beings, the immensely talented Reygadas has made one of the finest films of the year. As Peter Bradshaw put it in the Guardian, “This is a deeply considered, formally accomplished, beautiful-looking and unexpectedly gripping film from a director making a giant leap into the first rank of world cinema.” Written by Carlos Reygadas. Photographed by Alexis Zabe. With Cornelio Wall, Miriam Toews, Maria Pankratz. 142 min. In Plautdietsch (a German dialect spoken in the Mennonite community) with English subtitles. Distributed by Palisades Pictures.

For screeners and interview requests contact Hilary Hart at 415.561.5022 or publicity@sffs.org
For photos and press materials visit: http://download.sffs.org/press/

At the Sundance Kabuki all seats are reserved and an amenities fee is in effect for most shows. Tickets are available through the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas box office, at kiosks in the lobby and online at sundancecinemas.com/kabuki with print-at-home capability. San Francisco Film Society members receive discounted admission to SFFS Screen programs at the box office only (not online or at the lobby kiosks).

Coming soon to SFFS Screen:
January 30: The Pope’s Toilet, a heartbreaking and deftly comical look at Uruguayan villagers preparing to make the most of a papal visit
February 6: Heart of Fire, the heart-stopping story of an outspoken young Eritrean girl caught up in the upheaval of war
February 13: The Owl and the Sparrow, a charming story of three lonely strangers who form a unique family, embedded in a thoughtful portrait of contemporary Vietnam
February 20: Just Another Love Story, a violent entertainment involving mistaken identities, adultery and Thai gangsters
March 6: Examined Life, a lively and engaging documentary profile of eight contemporary philosophers

For full, complete and up-to-date information on all SFFS Screen programming, including ticket purchasing, visit www.sffs.org. Information and tickets are also available at www.sundancecinemas.com.

The San Francisco Film Society is a nonprofit arts and education organization dedicated to celebrating film and the moving image.

SFFS Screen, the innovative exhibition partnership with Sundance Cinemas, enables the Film Society to present its acclaimed film programs and events at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas year-round on a daily basis.

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