THE IFI OPERATES A FILM CLUB FOR OLDER PEOPLE—CALLED ‘WILD STRAWBERRIES’ AFTER THE INGMAR BERGMAN FILM—SCREENING A FREE MOVIE EVERY MONTH.
This film is so stunningly beautiful to look at—and such an uplifting story —that you can understand why it has won so many audience awards at festivals all over the world (including Sundance and Toronto). It’s a gorgeous fable from New Zealand about the balance between the old and new worlds, tradition and progress, superstition and faith. At the centre is Pai, a young girl whose life began with tragedy when her mother and twin brother died in childbirth. Her grandfather, the Maori chief Koro, had been pinning all his hopes for their tribe on this baby boy. His eldest son has turned his back on his God-given responsibilities, leaving New Zealand and leaving Koro and his wife to raise Pai. Koro is so blinded by disappointment and traditional sexism that he simply cannot see that Pai might be just what the tribe needs in a leader. So he looks in all the wrong places. —Rich Cline

REGIONAL: Also screening in the Tipperary Excel Centre (062 80520) in Tipperary Town on Sept 21st at 2pm. For more information click [here].