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The Soul Lift We Need: Joyous Music Documentary SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) Opens July 2.

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In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary: part music film, part historical record, created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was never seen and largely forgotten–until now. SUMMER OF SOUL shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Ray Baretto, Abbey Lincoln & Max Roach and more. SUMMER OF SOUL won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for Feature Documentary at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Laemmle Theatres opens in July 2 at the Claremont, Glendale, Monica Film Center, Newhall, NoHo and Playhouse theaters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slFiJpAxZyQ&t=3s

Reviews have been rapturous:

“A joyous piece of filmmaking, something that I could have watched for literal hours, and contains quite simply some of the best concert footage ever put on film.” ~ Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com

“SUMMER OF SOUL is as thoughtful as it is rousing, a welcome shot of adrenaline to kick off not just a film festival but a new year.” ~ Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter

Sly Stone performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

“You can come for the music and stay for the politics, or vice versa; either way, it’s a vibrant document of an inspiring event that never loses sight of what that event meant for a community, a city and a culture.” ~ Steve Pond, TheWrap

Nina Simone performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

“SUMMER OF SOUL stirringly captures the moment when a sea of people in Harlem heard a grand series of voices and said, Yes.” ~ Owen Gleiberman, Variety)

Mavis Staples and Mahalia Jackson performing at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

“Seething through the entire documentary, against the backdrop of a racially turbulent 1960s, is an insistence on a new kind of racial pride and unity across the diaspora, which infuses “Summer” with an honesty and realism.” ~ Tambay Obenson, indieWire

Gladys Knight & the Pips perform at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

“The lack of awareness of this event is another tragic example of black history being ignored. Only this time the record survived, and now we all get to share in it.” ~ Jordan Hoffman, Guardian)

Hugh Masekela performs at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969, featured in the documentary SUMMER OF SOUL. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2021 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved

Brilliant German Auteur Christian Petzold Returns with UNDINE

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German filmmaker Christian Petzold is one of the most exciting — and perhaps underappreciated — auteurs in cinema today. Having completed his triumphant trilogy of Barbara (2012), Phoenix (2014) and Transit (2018) on the theme “Love in Times of Oppressive Systems,” his latest film Undine (pronounced oon-DEE-nuh) is a dark romance inspired by a fairy tale. Petzold boldly reimagines the ancient myth of Undine, the water nymph who becomes human when she falls in love with a man but is doomed if he is unfaithful to her. In Undine, the title character (Paula Beer, Frantz, Transit) works as a historian lecturing on Berlin’s urban development. When her lover leaves her, her namesake catches up with her. The mythical Undine has to kill the man who betrays her and return to the water. Will Undine defy fate when she meets a diver (Franz Rogowski, Transit) who offers her a chance at new love?

Undine was selected to compete for the Golden Bear in the competition section at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, where Beer won the Silver Bear for Best Actress.

Film critics have been rapturous:

INDIEWIRE: “Petzold remains a master of capturing frantic characters doomed by dark obsessions… Undine shows evidence of a master’s hand.”

MIAMI NEW TIMES: “A tremendous romance from one of contemporary cinema’s greatest and most underrated filmmakers… Undine feels as fresh as it does familiar for the filmmaker.”

SLANT MAGAZINE: “Undine is a striking change of pace that sacrifices none of the director’s intellect or ambition.”

DEADLINE: “Paula Beers dominates… she’s one of those fortunate and skilled actors who compels attention even when quiet and doing and saying nothing.”

In a recent interview, Petzold conveyed how essential it is to experience movies in theaters rather than at home, something especially clear because of something particular about Undine: “Underwater sequences have to be in a cinema. A cinema is a tank for our bodies. We’re with our bodies physically, but our mind is not in the room. When I was 11 and saw 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, it was as if the whole audience was underwater. But if you’re alone in front of a TV? I love underwater sequences because there’s no dialogue. The acoustics are based on gestures and sounds in your head. You hear things better in a cinema. It’s not good to see it on a TV with shit [speakers] from a supermarket.”

Filmmaker Christian Petzold. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Christian Schulz. An IFC Films Release.

 

Masking at the Movies.

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Now that Laemmle Theatres is fully reopened — all eight theaters at 50% capacity — now is a good time for a reminder that masks are still required in our lobbies and auditoriums by all managers, staff, and customers. The CDC issues recommendations but the state and county have jurisdiction and both the California and L.A. County health departments continue to require that masks be worn indoors regardless of vaccination status. The only exception for moviegoers: when seated in an auditorium while eating or drinking. We are doing our best to supervise with signage and polite verbal reminders when necessary, and fortunately most of our patrons are being very conscientious.

On an individual level, the vaccines are superbly effective and epidemiologists are saying that people who are fully vaccinated should feel really safe and confident being out in public.

On a community level, however, we still haven’t vaccinated a large enough percentage of the population. And that’s not just about the vaccine hesitant. There are also 12-16 year olds who only recently became eligible.

So for the sake of our community, and to really squelch the transmission of the virus, please stay masked up for the time being.

Hopefully, it will be just a few more weeks.

Back to the Movies: Laemmle Glendale Reopens May 21.

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Next Friday, May 21 we’ll be welcoming moviegoers back to our Glendale theater. We’ll have showtimes and tickets on sale here starting Friday, May 14. The opening slate includes two restorations, the sexy 1969 noir LA PISCINE, starring Alain Delon and Romy Schneider, and the 1973 horror movie GEORGE A. ROMERO’S THE AMUSEMENT PARK; plus the intense Australian mystery THE DRY starring Eric Bana, and the utterly charming, “unabashed crowd-pleaser” DREAM HORSE, starring Toni Collette.
With the opening of Glendale, all eight of our locations have reopened. And with the expansion of our hours of operation, we are essentially fully open. The films that have been held back from release, both arthouse and Hollywood films, are coming out. We really need the public to respond. Vaccination rates in L.A. County are super high. Testing shows that the incidence of the virus is extremely low. We’ve got socially distanced seating. It is safe. It is enjoyable. And it is time to demonstrate support for moviegoing.

L.A. Times Culture Columnist & Critic Mary McNamara just published a terrific personal essay on returning to moviegoing headlined “Vaccinated and Back at the Movies, Together.” Here’s a highlight but the whole thing is worth reading:

“Then the lights went down and for two hours it was as if the pandemic did not exist, had never occurred. TOGETHER TOGETHER was sweet and smart and funny enough, but even if I had hated it, I was at the movies. A haven from heartbreak, anxiety and bad weather of all sorts, a place of necessary solitude, romantic anticipation, friendly bonding and familial celebration.

“After a year of crowded isolation, there were no interruptions from kids needing something; no ambient distraction courtesy of nearby leaf-blower or power tool; no hitting pause to check and see if the meatloaf was done yet. Having committed to it, the experience was literally out of my hands. I couldn’t use this time to also sort laundry or check my emails or do the dishes; couldn’t carry this screen from one room to another to see what the dogs were barking at this time or balance it on the counter while I did the dishes.

“I was at the movies and for two glorious hours all I could do was watch and listen and be.”

Moviegoing is unlike anything else and it’s worth preserving, especially moviegoing at locally owned and operated theaters. L.A. cinephiles, we humbly ask for your support.

More Matinees, More Movies.

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We’re pleased to announce we are restarting daily matinee shows on May 14 at the Claremont 5, NoHo 7, Playhouse 7, Royal and Monica Film Center and daily prime evening shows at the Town Center 5. L.A. County’s reduced COVID-19 infection numbers and move into the yellow tier makes expanded hours possible, giving cinephiles more chances to see movies in public. We aim to have our Glendale theater reopened on May 21.
For the upcoming week, we have, as always, new films for whatever suits your mood and interests:
Comedies: HERE TODAY (Billy Crystal teams up with Tiffany Haddish) and THE PAPER TIGERS (goofy middle-aged dad martial artists out for revenge).
Restored classics: THE STORY OF A THREE DAY PASS, Melvin Van Peebles’ 1968 feature, his first.
Innovative dramas with gifted actors: Andrew Garfield in MAINSTREAM and Lily Taylor in PAPER SPIDERS.
Superb documentaries: STATE FUNERAL, an astonishing look at Stalin’s send off, and THE HUMAN FACTOR, a riveting look at a crucial moment in the Mideast peace process.
Much more: EMILY @ THE EDGE OF CHAOS, writer-comedian Emily Levine’s stand-up/animation hybrid, and ENFANT TERRIBLE, a fictionalization of the short, meteoric life of filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

“Omar is famous.” Enjoy this clip from LIMBO, Opening Friday at Laemmle Theatres.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLX2YwBvITY

TOGETHER TOGETHER: Ed Helms, Patti Harrison, and Writer-Director Nikole Beckwith Pre-Recorded Q&A.

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Purchase a ticket to #TogetherTogether at Laemmle starting April 23 and see an exclusive pre-recorded intro and Q&A with Ed Helms, Patti Harrison, and writer-director Nikole Beckwith on the big screen! Get your tickets today.

We’re Back and Our Cinematic Cup Runneth Over: Tickets Now on Sale!

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After more than a year of mandated closure, Laemmle Theatres is reopening on Friday. Tickets are up for sale and we have a bouquet of wonderful films to see and share as they were meant to be seen and shared …on the big screen! We can do this safely because we are following epidemiologist-approved #CinemaSafe protocols, including reserved seating to ensure physical distancing. We’ve revamped our ticketing system to allow for reserved seating, and you are now able to choose your seats on our site or, if you prefer, at our box offices beginning Friday. We have created step-by-step how-to instructions for those new to online ticketing. You can check out the guide here and we’ll have printed copies available at the theaters.

Friday also marks the opening (not reopening) of our brand-spanking-new Laemmle Newhall Theater, which was completed during the pandemic. We are thrilled to bring great movies to northern L.A. County, and happy for all the SCV residents who will no longer have to make the long drive to Encino or NoHo for non-mainstream films.   For those who would like to join in the opening, we will be livestreaming the ribbon cutting ceremony which is scheduled to take place at 11:00 AM on Friday morning.  You’ll also be able to see patrons coming for our first set of shows. For details, please join the theatre’s Facebook followers here (https://www.facebook.com/laemmlenewhall) for all updates on this new venue.

Among the films you’ll get to enjoy are many of the 2021 Oscar nominees, including three of the Best International Film nominees, ANOTHER ROUND with Mads Mikkelsen, QUO VADIS, AIDA? from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN from Tunisian-born director Kaouther Ben Hania.  COLLECTIVE, nominated for both Best International Film and Best Documentary is coming next week.  We also have two of the Best Feature Documentary nominees, MY OCTOPUS TEACHER and CRIP CAMP, five of the Best Picture nominees, NOMADLAND, MANK, MINARI, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN and SOUND OF METAL, and  all of the Oscar-nominated Live Action, Animated, and Documentary shorts.  We are also opening the magical WOLFWALKERS, nominated for Best Animated Feature. Among the non-Oscar contenders are FRENCH EXIT, featuring a never-better Michelle Pfeiffer; the gorgeous Italian-set documentary, THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS; the intimate portrait of the gifted pop star BILLIE EILISH: THE WORLD’S A LITTLE BLURRY; the intense gay-themed South African drama MOFFIE; and the French film SLALOM, a drama set in the world of downhill racing. And if you’re in the mood for some monster movie escapism, we’ve got that for you too with the spectacular GODZILLA VS. KONG.

For those who are still unsure about returning to indoor public spaces, I want you to know that we are still offering films for streaming via the Laemmle Virtual Cinema platform. In fact, a number of the films that we have in theatre this weekend will also be available for at-home viewing. But a few titles that are only available via VOD include MALNI – TOWARDS THE OCEAN, TOWARDS THE SHORE, GRANNY NANNY, THE MALI-CUBA CONNECTION/AFRICA MIA, IT’S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD, LOOKING FOR A LADY WITH FANGS AND A MOUSTACHE, and 15 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT BIGFOOT. I hope you’ll check them out.

The pandemic has been hard. Hard for businesses that had to be closed. Hard for the essential workers who kept things going while risking their health. And hardest for those who lost loved ones, had to endure illness, and are still dealing with lingering health issues caused by the virus. If we’re sounding upbeat, please know that we don’t want to paper over any of that pain and grief. But things really do seem to be improving here in L.A. Vaccinations are up. Infections are down. And by and large, people are still following guidelines about continuing to mask up and maintain social distancing. The time is right to slowly and safely begin to return to public spaces, and we aim to be part of that long-sought “return to normalcy.”

Thank you for all the support over the months of the pandemic, and I look forward to seeing you soon at the movies.

Sincerely,

Greg Laemmle