Wednesday, October 5, 2011Screening of The Way

The Camino de Santiago, otherwise known as "The Way of St. James," is a spiritual path across Spain that pilgrims have traversed for a thousand years. Two of those pilgrims were none other than movie stars Martin Sheen and his son Emilio Estevez who then went on to write, direct, and produce a film about the Camino and one father’s quest to reconnect with his son by walking along this historical route.

The Camino de Santiago has an extraordinary ability to bring strangers together and create a deep bond between them. It was a case of the Camino’s serendipity that led to the fortuitous encounter between the Walkabout Foundation and the film’s principal actors, Martin and Emilio. On a flight from London to Madrid, Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster met Emilio who explained he was traveling to Spain to screen his new film, "The Way," that tells the story of four strangers who walk the Camino to search for meaning in their lives. The hardships of the journey show the quartet the difference between “the life we live and the life we choose.”

Stunned by the synergy, Rolando explained to Emilio that the Camino also holds a special place in his heart. After all, it was along the Camino de Santiago that Luis and Carolina decided to launch the Walkabout Foundation. Over 31 days, the siblings walked and cycled the Camino’s 900 kilometers and Luis become the first person in the history of Spain to cross the entire country using only the strength of his two arms.

Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen were so moved by the parallels between the film’s script and the Walkabout Foundation’s story that they offered the film's New York premiere as an event to benefit the Walkabout Foundation.

Please visit the website here for more information about the film.

Thursday, January 13, 2011Creative Mornings
CreativeMornings is a monthly, free breakfast lecture series, started by swissmiss (swiss-miss.com) in NYC.

Each event includes a 20 minute lecture, followed by a 20 minute group discussion. The gathering begins at 8:30am with the topic presentation starting at 9:00am and everyone taking off for work at 10am. Zurich/CreativeMornings are free of charge!

Monday, November 8, 2011 6pmScreening of Biutiful followed by Q&A with Director Alejandro González Iñárritu

Born in México City, Mexico, in 1963, Alejandro González Iñárritu started his show-business career in 1984 as a DJ at top-rated Mexican radio station WFM. At the same time he studied filmmaking and theater. From 1988 to 1990 he composed music for six Mexican features, including Garra de tigre (1989). In the 1990s he became one of the youngest producers in Mexican TV when he was in charge of the production of Televisa, Mexico's most important TV company. After leaving Televisa he started Zeta Films, his own company. He began writing and shooting TV advertising for Mexican television (some of them can be seen in his first feature, Amores Perros (2000)). However, for him those commercials were just rehearsals for a future movie. At the same time he continued his studies of filmmaking in Maine and Los Angeles, under Polish director Ludwik Margules. His first half-length feature, "Detrás del dinero", was produced in 1995 for Televisa and starred Spanish actor Miguel Bosé.

Looking for good stories, he read a lot of scripts and one day was introduced to Guillermo Arriaga, a screenwriter, and they planned to make 11 shorts to show the contradictory nature of Mexico City. After three years and 36 drafts, they ended up settling on only three stories and expanding them. That movie, "Amores Perros", became a major hit at its release at the Festival de Cannes 2000, where it received the award of the best film by the Semaine de la Critique, and went on to huge worldwide success. It also earned an Oscar nomination for best foreign movie.

In 2002 González Iñárritu was one of the directors involved in the making of September 11 (2002), a film about the influence of the terrorist attack of 9/11 on the world. Also participating in the film were such major filmmakers as Wim Wenders, Ken Loach, Mira Nair, Amos Gitai and Sean Penn.

The success of those films opened the doors of Hollywood to Alejandro. His second feature, 21 Grams (2003), was also written by Arriaga, was shot in English and starred Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro and Naomi Watts. Del Toro and Watts received Academy Award nominations for their participation.

Continuous throughout the year, 6:15pm Ralph Appelbaum's Filmmakers Dialogue
Ralph Appelbaum's Filmmakers Dialogue is New York's premier film preview series. Now celebrating its 29th Anniversary year. For 10 weeks-without waiting in line (except maybe for popcorn)- you can preview important new studio and independent releases and meet the films' actors, directors, writers and producers. For more information visit the SVA website.

Throughout the year Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (LIM)
Fashion Survey classes and Open Houses are held at the theatre throughout the year. For more information about the school please visit limcollege.edu.

Tuesday, January 19, 2011 8:30pmSVA Film Society
SVA Film Society hosts screenings of classic films for the SVA Community.