by Charger
"Beginning today, February 1st, one of the Market Arcade Film and Arts Centre's (MAFAC) eight screens will be devoted exclusively to programming by Emerging Cinemas, the New York-based digital cinema network, featuring independent art house fare. MAFAC will be the fifth in Emerging Cinema's expanding national network of partner venues.
Films provided by Emerging Cinemas are digitally encoded with both high definition sound and images, and then sent to local servers located in individual theaters. The technology creates an expansive film distribution system, one that is no longer limited in scope due to the cost of producing and shipping bulky film prints.
"We couldn't be more excited about this partnership," said Giovanni Cozzi, president and co-founder with Barry Rebo and Ira Deutchman, of Emerging Pictures and its consortium of digital projection theatres, Emerging Cinemas. "Buffalo's independent film enthusiasts will now have a downtown screen exclusively devoted to a broad variety of the best in independent, foreign language, and documentary films.
"Many of the films that will be shown here would never have been exhibited in Western New York for various reasons, the largest being the availability of actual prints to project on screen," he says. "This new digital projection system will allow more documentaries, independents, and other art house films to be shown in Buffalo at the same time as they're being seen in the top five markets. We normally have to wait several months for certain movies to arrive, but not any more!"
The first film coming to the new Buffalo screen is an hilariously unorthodox comedy, "Go for Zucker," about which "Variety" wrote: "Politically incorrect but good-natured entertainment...Modern German cinema finally gets its first all-out Jewish laffer." "Go for Zucker" opens Wednesday, February 1, and runs through Monday, February 6. Show times Weds/Thurs/Fri/Mon (5:30) 7:30, 9:30 Sat/Sun (1:30, 3:30, 5:30) 7:30, 9:30
The remainder of February's Emerging Cinemas offerings are as follows:
Tuesday, February 7: "Isn't This A Time" - A documentary that Film-Forward.com called "A must-see for folk fans," highlighting a 2003 Carnegie Hall evening honoring music impresario Harold Leventhal and featuring folk greats The Weavers, Pete Seeger, Theodore Bikel, Arlo Guthrie, Peter, Paul and Mary and many more. Show times (5:30) 7:30, 9:30
Wednesday, February 8 - Tuesday, February 14: "Cache" - A French language thriller, starring Juliette Binoche and Daniel Auteuil, which received the Best Director award for Michael Haneke at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. Show times Weds/Thurs/Fri/Mon/Tues (4:00) 7:00, 9:30, Sat/Sun (1:30, 4:00) 7:00, 9:30
Wednesday - Thursday, February 15 and 16: "Bubble" - Steven Soderbergh's return to his indie roots, this film examines an unlikely love triangle born in a doll factory in a small Midwestern town fallen on hard times. Show times Weds/Thurs (5:30) 7:30, 9:30
Friday - Monday, February 17 - 20: "Music from the Inside Out" - Hailed by "The New York Times" as "A crowd-pleaser --- musically, intellectually, emotionally! Profound and moving. A delight!" Groundbreaking in style and approach, and directed by Academy Award ? nominee Daniel Anker, this documentary explores music through the stories, passion and artistry of individual musicians drawn from a world-class American symphony orchestra. Show times Fri (4:00) 7:00, 9:30, Sat/Sun/Mon (2:00, 4:00) 7:00, 9:30
Tuesday, February 21: "The Passenger" - A suspense film by Michelangelo Antonioni, originally released in 1975, telling the story of a man trying to escape his own life. Starring film legend Jack Nicholson, the film was shot on location in Africa, Spain, Germany and England. Show times Tues (4:00) 7:00, 9:30
Wednesday - Tuesday, February 22 - 28: "Cowboy del Amor" - A comedic verite-style documentary about a cowboy-turned-matchmaker who can't manage his own love life: self-proclaimed "Cowboy Cupid" Ivan Thompson. Show times Weds/Thurs/Fri/Mon/Tues (5:30) 7:30, 9:30, Sat/Sun (1:30, 3:30, 5:30) 7:30, 9:30
Michael Clement reminds patrons, "It's very important that our audience members understand that in order for us to offer as many of these films as possible, some will be screened on a very limited and exclusive schedule at the MAFAC. A particular title will not have a traditional eight-week run. Some movies will only be at the theatre for a single day, others up to a week."
MAFAC will be mailing out a monthly calendar of Emerging Cinema screenings, as well continuing to send weekly e-mails with schedule and special screening information. To receive these mailing please e-mail msmith@buffaloplace.com.
awesome!