Opening Day of Close-Up

2023

When We Fight

In the second largest school district in the United States, 98% of teachers vote to authorize a strike. Watch as one of the largest educator strikes in modern U.S. history unfolds in real-time, highlighting the stories and leadership of some of the women who led it, from union leaders to classroom teachers. From strike vote to contract vote, When We Fight goes behind the picket lines, documenting how and why teachers strike. "This powerful and beautifully crafted film is a must watch for anyone interested in the state of labor in America today." - Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor and Professor of Public Policy, UC Berkeley

1986

The Charles Pathé-Babies

The 13th short film as part of the Magica series dealing with pre-cinema. The Pathé-Baby, or ‘cinema at home’, the precursor to home cinema, was launched in 1922 and made it possible to watch comedy stars such as Max Linder, Laurel and Hardy, and Felix the Cat, as well as ‘big films’ such as Fritz Lang's Metropolis and Abel Gance's Napoléon, at home.

2024

Building the Dream

Young singer Dmytro creates the rock band "Shadows," but realizes that the other members are only slowing down his path to the big stage. He wants to turn his life around 180°, leaving the dangerous and depressing city of Sumy behind to find a successful music career in the capital.

1986

The Memory of the Eye E.J. Marey

The 11th short film as part of the Magica series dealing with pre-cinema. Documentary on the work of Etienne-Jules Marey. Marey is a doctor and is interested in movement. He first captures it graphically (the pulse of a man, the stride of a horse, the beating of a bird's wings).

1980

Magic Lanterns

The 15th short film as part of the Magica series dealing with pre-cinema. A magic lantern slide show.

Mahammoud's Mercedes

A father tells his son a story from his past, where he ventures through various African countries, with unexpected encounters, to the heart of the Congo jungle in a Mercedes Benz.

Shades

Five dancers explore shadeism/colourism in the Black community through a series of personal interviews, performance pieces, and dance vignettes leading up to a final performance.

2024

MILO

Milo sees a monster and starts chasing it while his owner, Ekin, is not taking care of him but with the character she designed.

6.0

2022

Mi reino

An elderly hoarder seeks to overcome time and memory to find closure and redemption in the twilight of his life.

After Two Hours, Ten Minutes Had Passed

Time as punishment — of juvenile inmates and bodies that become heavy in prescribed spaces.

4.6

2020

Sh_t Happens

The caretaker exhausted by everything, his frustrated wife and one totally depressed deer. Their mutual despair leads them to absurd events, because... shit happens all the time.

Condor

The July 2, 2019 solar eclipse, filmed in 100% totality, over the Chilean coast, in 16mm black and white. Condor is the national bird of Chile.

6.3

2016

Swell

Swell is a smartphone app that changes your mood through sound. When a young couple tries to control each other’s settings, they find their relationship threatened by an unintended cacophony of emotions.

9.0

1974

Sens Devant Derrière

An ordinary man wakes up in a world upside down! Illegible newspaper, people backing up, cars backing up: nothing is the same anymore, but everything seems to be going well.

7.0

Superheroes without Superpowers

The main (super)hero of Beatrice Baldacci’s documentary is a person depicted as the sum of her memories. The story of the director and her family is told in the first person, with home VHS recordings that show both Beatrice’s mother and Beatrice as a child taking on the role of an agent of memory. Outdated technology transforms the events of twenty years ago into an archaeological object.

BLUE

BLUE is a layered romantic dramedy about possibly finding love, maybe losing love, and stumbling across ourselves along the way, in an era ruled by devices and emojis. When a heart-on-her-sleeve woman (Imani Cheadle) has a surprise reunion with an old friend, the ensuing roller-coaster culminates in a chance encounter with the love of her life.

6.2

1967

Hakob Hovnatanyan

Exploring the art of Armenian portraitist Hakob Hovnatanyan, Parajanov revives the culture of Tbilisi of the 19th century.

Better Life

When a groundbreaking medical procedure promises to turn slackers into overachievers, an aging father sees it as his last chance to achieve the American Dream-through his unemployed adult daughter.

8.0

2016

Coerência

A clean story to tell. A coherent story.

Recommended Movies

2008

Valentino: The Last Emperor

Film which travels inside the singular world of one of Italy's most famous fashion designers, Valentino Garavani, documenting the colourful and dramatic closing act of his celebrated career and capturing the end of an era in global fashion. However, at the heart of the film is a love story - the unique relationship between Valentino and his business partner and companion of 50 years, Giancarlo Giammetti. Capturing intimate moments in the lives of two of Italy's richest and most famous men, the film lifts the curtain on the final act of a nearly 50-year reign at the top of the glamorous and fiercely competitive world of fashion. (Storyville)

6.2

2013

Seduced and Abandoned

SEDUCED AND ABANDONED combines acting legend Alec Baldwin with director James Toback as they lead us on a troublesome and often hilarious journey of raising financing for their next feature film. Moving from director to financier to star actor, the two players provide us with a unique look behind the curtain at the world's biggest and most glamourous film festival, shining a light on the bitter-sweet relationship filmmakers have with Cannes and the film business. Featuring insights from directors Martin Scorsese, 'Bernando Bertolucci' and Roman Polanski; actors Ryan Gosling and Jessica Chastain and a host of film distribution luminaries.

5.9

2014

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa .5

Bad Grandpa .5 gives you a whole new perspective on the world of Irving Zisman with bonus scenes and pranks also featuring Spike Jonze as "Gloria" and Catherine Keener as Irving's wife "Ellie", plus a look at the evolution of Johnny Knoxville's naughty alter-ego, the makeup effects, and a behind-the-scenes peek at the idiocy it takes to make a hidden camera movie in public.

7.2

Selfie

Naples, Trajan's district. Initially it was intended for the inhabitants of the shantytowns on the seafront of Naples, who were homeless after the war. But it soon became a kind of ghetto. Alessandro and Pietro are two teenagers who film with an iPhone to tell their difficult neighborhood, their daily life, the friendship that binds them.

6.2

Aquaman: Heroines of Atlantis

Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman discuss their characters Mera and Atlanna.

7.7

2021

Being James Bond

Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

7.0

2016

Extremis

A purely observational non-fiction film that takes viewers into the ethically murky world of end-of-life decision making in a public hospital.

7.2

2004

In the Realms of the Unreal

In the Realms of the Unreal is a documentary about the reclusive Chicago-based artist Henry Darger. Henry Darger was so reclusive that when he died his neighbors were surprised to find a 15,145-page manuscript along with hundreds of paintings depicting The Story of the Vivian Girls, in What is Known as the Realms of the Unreal, of the Glodeco-Angelinnian War Storm, Cased by the Child Slave Rebellion.

7.6

1999

42 Up

Director Michael Apted revisits the same group of British-born adults after a 7 year wait. The subjects are interviewed as to the changes that have occurred in their lives during the last seven years.

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story

7.5

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story

A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.

2009

Videocracy

In a country where bella figura is a national pastime, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is the maestro of media manipulation. Having risen to political primacy with the aid of his Mediaset empire, he now controls 90% of the bel paese’s television channels including the state-run RAI network. Quantity, it seems, does not equal quality. Fed on a diet of semi-naked dancing girls, inane competitions and rickety reality shows built around the most ridiculous of premises, is it any wonder that Italians are becoming a nation of fame-hungry wannabes?

6.0

2004

American Pie: Revealed

Documentary about the making of American Pie (1999), American Pie 2 (2001) and American Wedding (2003).

6.8

2022

Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return

This special explores the return of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to the screen, as well as Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen to their classic roles. Director Deborah Chow leads the cast and crew as they create new heroes and villains that live alongside new incarnations of beloved Star Wars characters, and an epic story that dramatically bridges the saga films.

8.0

2020

Joker: Put on a Happy Face

Featuring interviews with filmmakers and industry legends, discover the origins and evolution of The Joker, and learn why The Clown Prince of Crime is universally hailed as the greatest comic-book supervillain of all time.

6.8

2008

Tropic Thunder: Rain of Madness

A behind-the-scenes mockumentary of Tropic Thunder.

7.8

2014

Interstellar: Nolan's Odyssey

A look behind the lens of Christopher Nolan's space epic.

8.7

2026

Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition

With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the world’s biggest stadiums. Featuring exclusive interviews with band members and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, as well as all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot, Eddie, the film offers a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.

7.6

1999

My Voyage to Italy

World-renowned director Martin Scorsese narrates this journey through his favorites in Italian cinema.

7.4

2002

An Evening with Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith interacts in Q&A sessions throughout various college stops in the USA.

2021

Jonas Brothers Family Roast

Kevin, Joe and Nick face down quick wits and deep cuts in this comedy special featuring Pete Davidson, John Legend and more. Hosted by Kenan Thompson.