as a part of the 40th annual Margaret Mead Film Festival
Aleksandra Maciuszek will be present at the screening
Presented by The American Museum of Natural History
The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York
ReelAbilities Film Festival and The Polish Cultural Institute New York
Friday, October 14, 2016
4:30PM (part of Program F6)
The American Museum of Natural History
The 77th St Entrance (between Columbus Ave & Central Park West), NYC
Tickets: $12
PURCHASE ONLINE
The Margaret Mead Film Festival, the longest-running premiere showcase for international documentaries in the United States, is held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The theme of this year’s 40th edition of this festival is “Re:Frame,” inviting viewers to probe their own perspectives and celebrate stories and art forms that allow us to see the world anew. In this way, the festival honors the legacy of Margaret Mead, whose groundbreaking approach to anthropology revealed how our histories, values, and points of view inevitably frame our encounters with other cultures and communities. An installation by Samoan artist Dan Taulapapa McMullin, a virtual reality showcase, and a host of new documentary films transport and connect viewers to communities around the world. As always, the Mead will feature intimate conversations with filmmakers and film subjects, as well as the presentation of the annual Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award.
Casa Blanca, 2015, 60 mins: Nelsa and her son Vladimir live in bustling multifamily home in a small port town in Cuba. Vladimir has Down syndrome and requires the full attention and care of his mother, the patient, elderly head of the household. But when she falls ill, Vladimir–a beloved member of his community who is gregarious and gets into trouble easily–is thrust into a new role. Forced to assume adult responsibilities for the first time and make his own way without his mother’s guidance and support, he struggles with the challenges and ultimately finds fulfillment in everyday chores and caretaking. A poignant coming-of-age film and an intimate family drama, Casa Blanca follows the long and universal arc of the mother-son relationship as it grows and changes. The film won a Best Documentary award at the 8th TRT Documentary Days in Turkey, and the Zloty Lajkonik and Srebrny Róg at the 55th Kraków Film Festival–one of Europe’s oldest documentary, animation, and short film events.
Aleksandra Maciuszek was born in Krakow, graduate of Cultural Studies at the Jagiellonian University and documentary film directing in the Escuela Internacional de Cine y Televisión de San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba. Before her studies she worked in NGOs and cultural institutions in Poland, Spain and Mexico. Her thesis film PREVIOUS SCENES (2012) won multiple awards at the international film festivals. CASA BLANCA is her debut feature documentary.
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