The Oscar-nominated “Mustang” and Orson Welles “Chimes at Midnight” open Feb. 5 at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center.
“Mustang,” an Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, is the début feature of Deniz Gamze Ergüven. Set in a northern Turkey village, the film tells the story of five free-spirited teenage sisters accused of illicit behavior because a neighbor sees them playing with male classmates on a beach.
The family overreacts to the reports, removing all “instruments of corruption,” like cell phones and computers. Essentially imprisoned, the girls are subjected to endless lessons in housework, preparing them to become brides. As the eldest sisters are married off, the younger ones bond together to avoid the same fate. The fierce love between the sisters empowers them to rebel and chase a future where they can determine their own lives.
Playing through Feb. 11 at the Ross, “Mustang” is rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual content and a rude gesture.
Called the crowning achievement of Welles’ later film career, “Chimes at Midnight” returns to screen after being unavailable for decades.
Drawn from elements of William Shakespeare’s “Henry IV” and other plays, the film plot centers on Sir John Falstaff — a recurring Shakespeare character — and his father-son relationship with Prince Hal. The core of the story delves into the betrayal of friendship as Prince Hal must choose between his loyalty to Falstaff (played by Welles) and his father, King Henry IV.
“People often ask me about my favorite movie. I usually reply that I don’t really have a favorite but if pressed it would be Jean Cocteau’s “La Bell et La Bête,” said Danny Lee Ladely, director of the Ross. “However, ‘Chimes at Midnight’ would definitely be a close second.
“I showed it at Sheldon years ago, but it has been unavailable for many years afterwards, so I’m very happy that it is now readily available in this restored version.”
The script contains text from five Shakespeare plays, including “Henry IV (Parts I and II),” “Richard II,” “Henry V.” Additional dialogue was drawn from “The Merry Wives of Windsor.”
“Chimes at Midnight” shows through Feb. 12.
For more information about films at the Ross, click here or call 402-472-5353.