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Monday, May 21

7 pm God Grew Tired of Us
“…a funny, trenchant, fish-out-of-water view of American life at the beginner level in a larger story about dislocation and community.” Los Angeles Times
Winner of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award, God Grew Tired of Us explores the indomitable spirit of three “Lost Boys” from the Sudan who leave their homeland, triumph over seemingly insurmountable adversity and move to America. The men build active and fulfilling new lives but remain deeply committed to helping the friends and family they have left behind. (Christopher Quinn, 2006, 89 min.)


9 pm Cautiva (Captive)
“Lombardo’s luminous performance puts a human face on a national tragedy that refuses to die.” Time Out New York
A typical Argentine teenager (Bárbara Lombardo) is unexpectedly informed that she is adopted and her biological parents “disappeared” in the early 1980s after criticizing military rule. Winner of the prestigious FIPRESCI International Critics Prize, Cautiva explores the consequences of political and psychological repression and the resilience of the human spirit. In Spanish with English subtitles. (Gastón Biraben, 2003, 113 min.)

7 pm Grbavica – The Land of My Dreams
“Žbanić’s script delicately intertwines the overwhelming hurt of the past with the quotidian details of her characters’ lives.” The Hollywood Reporter
Set in the Grbavica district in Sarajevo, an area used as an internment camp during the Yugoslav wars, the film explores a struggling single mother’s relationship with her daughter who learns her father may not have died as a war martyr, or shaheed. Winner of the Golden Bear Award at the 2006 Berlin International Film Festival and the official entry from Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award. (Jasmila Žbanić, 2006, 93 min.)
https://artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu/Details.aspx?PerfNum=718

9 pm Sacco and Vanzetti
“This is a wonderful film, as timeless as the struggle for human justice, as relevant as today’s headlines.” – Ken Burns
The heartbreaking story of two Italian immigrant radicals who were accused of murder and executed after a notoriously prejudiced trial in 1927 offers insights into present-day issues of civil liberties, the rights of immigrants and the death penalty. Bringing to life the personal, political, and legal aspects of their ordeal, the powerful prison writings of Sacco and Vanzetti are read by actors John Turturro (O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Good Shepherd) and Tony Shalhoub (Monk).
(Peter Miller, 2006, 80 min.)

7 pm Ghosts of Abu Ghraib
“In these troubled times, it should be required viewing for all thoughtful citizens.” The Hollywood Reporter
Through powerful interviews, photos and on-site footage, documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy explores the psychology of those involved in the infamous prisoner abuse scandal. From military intelligence and military police to inmates and legal experts, chilling accounts of human rights violations executed by U.S. soldiers at the notorious Iraqi prison are captured in a potent work that “creates a disturbing sense of two wars—one packaged for public consumption, the other subterranean, often illegal by international law” (Variety). (2007, 81 min.)


9 pm Enemies of Happiness
“A political docu with a difference.” Variety
Afghanistan’s first democratic parliamentary election in more than 35 years saw the historic appointment of a 28-year old woman to the National Assembly. This film chronicles Malalai Joya’s uncompromising conviction as she courageously redefines the role of women and fiercely champions reform in a war-torn nation. Winner of the World Cinema Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival, “this poetic portrait of a popular hero … is sure to inspire viewers from all backgrounds” (All Movie Guide). (Eva Mulvad and Anja Al-Erhayem, 2006, 58 minutes)

Call the UCSB Arts & Lectures Ticket Office (phone – 893-3535, Mon-Fri, 10 am to 5 pm) to place your advance purchase order. Tickets will also be available at the door each evening beginning at 6 pm the night of the screening. Or purchase tickets right now on-line at the Arts & Lectures website:

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Full Festival Pass is $25 general public and $20 UCSB students
Evening Pass (good for one night) is $10 general public and $8 UCSB students
Individual Film Ticket is $6 general and $5 UCSB students