Friday, Oct. 1 through Thursday, Oct. 7...... NO SHOW SUNDAY OCT 3!

FAHRENHEIT 9/11

One of the most controversial and provocative films of the year, Fahrenheit 9/11 is Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's searing examination of the Bush administration's actions in the wake of the tragic events of 9/11. With his characteristic humor and dogged commitment to uncovering the facts, Moore considers the presidency of George W. Bush and where it has led us. He looks at how - and why - Bush and his inner circle avoided pursuing the Saudi connection to 9/11, despite the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and Saudi money had funded Al Qaeda. Fahrenheit 9/11 shows us a nation kept in constant fear by FBI alerts and lulled into accepting a piece of legislation, the USA Patriot Act, that infringes on basic civil rights. It is in this atmosphere of confusion, suspicion and dread that the Bush Administration makes its headlong rush towards war in Iraq - and Fahrenheit 9/11 takes us inside that war to tell the stories we haven't heard, illustrating the awful human cost to U.S. soldiers and their families. For more info, march into fahrenheit911.com Showtimes: Nightly at 7:45. Sat & Wed matinees at (3:35).

ALSO SHOWING:
Friday, Oct. 1 through Thursday, Oct. 7...... NO SHOW SUNDAY OCT 3!

The Brown Bunny is both a love story and a haunting portrait of a lost soul unable to forget his past. After finishing a motorcycle race in New Hampshire, Bud Clay (Vincent Gallo) loads his racing bike into the back of his van and begins a cross-country odyssey to Los Angeles where he is to compete in another race. During his trip, he meets three very different women: Violet, a wholesome all-American gas station attendant; Lilly (Cheryl Tiegs), a fellow lost soul he connects with at a highway rest stop; and Rose, a Las Vegas prostitute. Though he can never escape his intense feelings for the love of his life, Daisy (Chloë Sevigny), he plans to reconcile with her when he reaches Los Angeles. Along the way, he also makes a series of unusual stops; at his childhood neighborhood (where he visits Daisy’s mother); at a pet shop in the Midwest; and at the surreal Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Arriving in Los Angeles, Bud checks into a motel before visiting the abandoned home he once shared with Daisy. He leaves a note, hoping she will turn up at his motel room . . . Building to a notorious climax, the film presents one of the frankest portrayals of male sexuality ever seen in American cinema. With Vincent Gallo, Chloë Sevigny, Cheryl Tiegs, Elizabeth Blake, Anna Vareschi & Mary Morasky. Written, Directed, Edited & Produced by Vincent Gallo. Director of Photography: Vincent Gallo. Official Site In English. 35mm 2004. Unrated. No one under 18 admitted. Running time: 92 Minutes Showtimes: Nightly at 6:00 & 10:00 Sat & Wed matinees at (2:00) NO SHOW SUNDAY, 10/3!.

MONUMENTAL offers a intimate look at the golden age of the environmental movement through the compelling and colorful life of David Brower, founder of the Sierra Club, and arguably the greatest environmentalist of the twentieth century. If you've ever wondered what a single person can do against the relentless onslaught of development, wait until you see the charismatic and enigmatic David Brower push the 1964 Wilderness Act through Congress, and then go on to save the Grand Canyon from damming and help establish the Redwoods National Park and Point Reyes National Seashore. Ahead of his time, Brower understood the power of the image to spread his message. He was an avid filmmaker, and was the first to use photographs by great artists such as Ansel Adams in hard-hitting lobbying and advertising campaigns to win over the hearts of the American public, and the minds of many Washington politicians. A self-made man who held the banner of environmental protection, Brower moved into the elite circles of John F. Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson, and Stewart Udall. An uncompromising idealist, Brower pushed the environmental movement to achieve unprecedented wins. With a playful visual aesthetic, an alt-country soundtrack, and 16 mm hand-held wilderness footage, largely shot by Brower himself between 1930-70, MONUMENTAL documents Brower's journey as he transforms the Sierra Club from a regional hiking group into a national political force. The viewer sees through Brower's own eyes a 1956 raft trip down Glen Canyon, before its damming that evokes the awful sadness of losing public land we've failed to protect. And in period footage of Brower's early rock-climbs--done in sneakers, with hemp ropes--and of his training of the 10th Mountain Division and participation in their victory against the Nazis in the high Alps, Brower emerges as an unlikely and inspiring national hero. For more info, climb into Loteriafilms.org. Produced & directed by Kelly Duane. 77 mins. 2004. USA. In English. Show times: Nightly at 6:00. Sat & Sun matinees at (2:00).

"Wild" -- Susan Gerhard, SF Bay Guardian

"An American hero," -- SF Chronicle

ALSO SHOWING
Friday, Oct. 1 through Thursday, Oct. 7

OUTFOXED
Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism

Outfoxed" examines how media empires, led by Rupert Murdoch's Fox News, have been running a "race to the bottom" in television news. This film provides an in-depth look at Fox News and the dangers of ever-enlarging corporations taking control of the public's right to know. The film explores Murdoch's burgeoning kingdom and the impact on society when a broad swath of media is controlled by one person. Media experts, including Walter Cronkite, Jeff Cohen (FAIR) Bob McChesney (Free Press), Chellie Pingree (Common Cause), Jeff Chester (Center for Digital Democracy) and David Brock (Media Matters) provide context and guidance for the story of Fox News and its effect on society. This documentary also reveals the secrets of Former Fox news producers, reporters, bookers and writers who expose what it's like to work for Fox News. These former Fox employees talk about how they were forced to push a "right-wing" point of view or risk their jobs. Some have even chosen to remain anonymous in order to protect their current livelihoods. As one employee said "There's no sense of integrity as far as having a line that can't be crossed." 77 mins Show times: Nightly at 7:40. Additional Sat, & Sun matinees at (4.00).

"What is a surprise are the smoking guns Greenwald digs up to show just how it's done. Fox's firees and escapees – producers, contributors, and newscasters – speak, sometimes under duress, about tortured tenures in Murdoch's mad, mad media world."
-- Susan Gerhard, SF Bay Guardian

"Capable of astonishing" -- SF Chronicle

"These are heady days for documentary filmmakers" -- SF Chronicle

ALSO SHOWING:
Friday, Friday, Oct. 1 through Thursday, Oct. 7

The Life and Times of Count Luchino Visconti

Legendary Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti's (THE LEOPARD) life, films and the politics of aristocracy are investigated in depth in a richly psychological portrait by documentary filmmaker Adam Low. Many of Visconti's colleagues and contemporaries are interviewed, including such luminaries as Claudia Cardinale, Charlotte Rampling, Franco Zeffirelli, Annie Girardot, Farley Granger, and Helmut Berger. "The Life and Times of Count Luchino Visconti is a broad-brush portrait of the aristocratic Italian director (1906-76) that is more a psychological and cultural picture of its subject than a nuts-and-bolts chronicle of his movie career... The documentary is both well researched and engrossing. Its major coup is testimonies from former lovers-cum-coworkers Franco Zeffirelli and Helmut Berger, both of whom describe Visconti as driven and ruthless... Claudia Cardinale recalls his aloof bearing on set and obsessive attention to detail. "Everything was real," remembers Cardinale, "even what I had inside my purse." Berger, who was the director's partner for the final 13 years of his life despite being 40 years his junior, is both frank and moving about their professional and private relationships. Berger's description of being sidelined at Visconti's funeral by the director's family is a highlight of the documentary... Film clips are well integrated and immaculately presented. Archive interviews with Visconti, in both colour and black and white, are extensively used, and music from the films, notably by Mahler and Nino Rota, makes a suitably lush and melancholic accompaniment to Dewald Aukema's cinematography in sumptuous locations."--Derek Elley, Variety . Visconti Filmography. Check out this excellent Visconti website at B.F.I..com. Written & Directed by Adam Low. Great Britain, 2002, 120 min. Show times: Nightly 9:15 only. Additional Sat & Sun matinees at 2:00 & 4:30.

Death in Venice Rocco and His Brothers The Leopard Ludwig II Bellissima White Nights La Terra Trema Conversation Piece Ossessione Senso The Intruder Of Life and Love

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Sunday, October 3 2004

Welcome to the 8th Annual Cinemayaat, the Arab Film Festival, an internationally recognized festival dedicated to providing the San Francisco Bay Area community with a unique opportunity to screen films from and about the Arab World - a world often misunderstood and misrepresented. In contrast to mass media's frequently negative portrayal of Arab culture, the Arab Film Festival showcases in depth perspectives and stories about and by Arabs and Arab Americans in an ever more complex world. We aim to bridge a gap through artistic expression and share the experience of history, humanity, love, and life in a time where the distance between American and Arab cultures ever expands.

11:30 am - WRITERS ON THE BORDERS - 80 min - Co-sponsored with Latino and Asian Film Festival.

1:20 pm - CHILDREN OF FIRE - 50 min - followed by PARADISE LOST - 56 min

3:30 pm - *TRAVAIL D'ARABE - 85 min

5:15 pm - GENERATION X-SADDAM - 45 min - with discussion following with retired Marine, Brian Beyer. Mr. Beyer studied Middle Eastern Studies before being stationed in Iraq. His battalion suffered more losses than any other US battalion in Iraq and was also responsible for rescuing Jessica Lynch's Battalion. He also has all the footage the embedded CNN reporter shot that traveled with him.

7:00 pm - THE KITE - 80 min

8:45 pm - SLEEPLESS NIGHTS -130 min

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Friday, October 8 - Thursday, October 14

Double Feature!

UNCONSTITUTIONAL: THE WAR ON OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES
UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

UNCONSTITUTIONAL: THE WAR ON OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES presents the real story behind the USA PATRIOT Act and other administration policies ushered in after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as important and seldom heard of stories behind those affected. It’s a story of the infringement, curtailment and undermining of our constitutional rights a reminder of what America has stood for in the past, and where America seems to be heading in the future. Directed by: Nonny de la Pena Executive Produced by: Robert Greenwald (OUTFOXED, UNCOVERED) 67 mins. 2004. USA.

UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. Narrated by Danny Glover, UNPRECEDENTED chronicles the debacle in Florida during the November, 2000 Presidential election and how the election was manipulated to secure the White House for George W. Bush. A disturbing picture is painted of sinister voter purges, electoral injustices and suspicious irregularities in a state governed by winning candidate’s brother. Directed by: Joan Sekler & Richard Ray Perez Narrated by Danny Glover. Executive Producer: Robert Greenwald 58 mins. 2004. USA.

Total Running Time: 125 mins. Showtimes for entire program: : Nightly at 7:00 & 9:30. Additional Saturday & Sunday matinees at (2:00) & 4:30

ALSO SHOWING
Friday, Oct. 8 through Thursday, Oct. 14

FAHRENHEIT 9/11

One of the most controversial and provocative films of the year, Fahrenheit 9/11 is Academy Award-winning filmmaker Michael Moore's searing examination of the Bush administration's actions in the wake of the tragic events of 9/11. With his characteristic humor and dogged commitment to uncovering the facts, Moore considers the presidency of George W. Bush and where it has led us. He looks at how - and why - Bush and his inner circle avoided pursuing the Saudi connection to 9/11, despite the fact that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis and Saudi money had funded Al Qaeda. Fahrenheit 9/11 shows us a nation kept in constant fear by FBI alerts and lulled into accepting a piece of legislation, the USA Patriot Act, that infringes on basic civil rights. It is in this atmosphere of confusion, suspicion and dread that the Bush Administration makes its headlong rush towards war in Iraq - and Fahrenheit 9/11 takes us inside that war to tell the stories we haven't heard, illustrating the awful human cost to U.S. soldiers and their families. For more info, march into fahrenheit911.com Showtimes: Nightly at 7:45. Sun & Wed matinees at (3:35).

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ALSO SHOWING:
Friday, Oct. 8 through Thursday, Oct. 14

The Brown Bunny is both a love story and a haunting portrait of a lost soul unable to forget his past. After finishing a motorcycle race in New Hampshire, Bud Clay (Vincent Gallo) loads his racing bike into the back of his van and begins a cross-country odyssey to Los Angeles where he is to compete in another race. During his trip, he meets three very different women: Violet, a wholesome all-American gas station attendant; Lilly (Cheryl Tiegs), a fellow lost soul he connects with at a highway rest stop; and Rose, a Las Vegas prostitute. Though he can never escape his intense feelings for the love of his life, Daisy (Chloë Sevigny), he plans to reconcile with her when he reaches Los Angeles. Along the way, he also makes a series of unusual stops; at his childhood neighborhood (where he visits Daisy’s mother); at a pet shop in the Midwest; and at the surreal Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Arriving in Los Angeles, Bud checks into a motel before visiting the abandoned home he once shared with Daisy. He leaves a note, hoping she will turn up at his motel room . . . Building to a notorious climax, the film presents one of the frankest portrayals of male sexuality ever seen in American cinema. With Vincent Gallo, Chloë Sevigny, Cheryl Tiegs, Elizabeth Blake, Anna Vareschi & Mary Morasky. Written, Directed, Edited & Produced by Vincent Gallo. Director of Photography: Vincent Gallo. Official Site In English. 35mm 2004. Unrated. No one under 18 admitted. Running time: 92 Minutes Showtimes: Nightly at 6:00 & 10:00 Sat, Sun & Wed matinees at (2:00).

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Friday, October 15 - Thursday, October 21

Ross McElwee's
Bright Leaves

North Carolina produces more tobacco than any other state in America. This film describes a journey taken across the social, economic, and psychological tobacco terrain of North Carolina by a native Carolinian whose great-grandfather created the famous brand of tobacco known as "Bull Durham." "Bright Leaves" is a subjective, autobiographical meditation on the allure of cigarettes and their troubling legacy for the state of North Carolina. It's about loss and preservation, addiction and denial. And it's about filmmaking - home movie, documentary, and fiction filmmaking - as the filmmaker fences with the legacy of an obscure Hollywood melodrama that is purportedly based on his great-grandfather's life. "Bright Leaves" explores the notion of legacy - what one generation passes down to the next - and how this can be a particularly complicated topic when the legacy under discussion is a Southern one and is tied to tobacco. For more info, light up 1st Run Features Directed by Ross McElwee. 105 minutes, 35mm, Color, 2003. Show times: Nightly at 7:00 & 9:00. Additional Wed, Sat & Sun matinees at (2:00) & 4:30.

"Like his other films, Bright Leaves is at once hilarious and poignant" -- Dennis Harvey, SF Bay Guardian

"Ross McElwee's 1986 film "Sherman's March'' paved the way for self- referential documentarians like Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock."
-- Carla Meyer, SF Chronicle.

"His best since Sherman’s March!" -- Phillip Lopate, Film Comment

"Reflective, wise, often hilarious... leaves you feeling invigorated by the boundless curiousity, humor and high spirits of its creator." -- New York Times

"Raw and lovely!" -- New York Magazine

"Bright Leaves is a fascinating diary -documentary by McElwee."
-Richard Corliss, Time Magazine

"Smartly entertaining ... if Bright Leaves sounds hard to summarize, it is, if only because McElwee takes us in so many pleasing, unexpected directions."
- Indiewire

ALSO SHOWING
Friday, October 15 - Thursday, October 21

Double Feature!

UNCONSTITUTIONAL: THE WAR ON OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES
UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

UNCONSTITUTIONAL: THE WAR ON OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES presents the real story behind the USA PATRIOT Act and other administration policies ushered in after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, as well as important and seldom heard of stories behind those affected. It’s a story of the infringement, curtailment and undermining of our constitutional rights a reminder of what America has stood for in the past, and where America seems to be heading in the future. Directed by: Nonny de la Pena Executive Produced by: Robert Greenwald (OUTFOXED, UNCOVERED) 67 mins. 2004. USA.

UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

UNPRECEDENTED: THE 2000 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. Narrated by Danny Glover, UNPRECEDENTED chronicles the debacle in Florida during the November, 2000 Presidential election and how the election was manipulated to secure the White House for George W. Bush. A disturbing picture is painted of sinister voter purges, electoral injustices and suspicious irregularities in a state governed by winning candidate’s brother. Directed by: Joan Sekler & Richard Ray Perez Narrated by Danny Glover. Executive Producer: Robert Greenwald 58 mins. 2004. USA.

Total Running Time: 125 mins. Showtimes for entire program: : Nightly at 7:00 & 9:30. Saturday & Sunday matinees at (2:00) & 4:30

Sunday, October 17.... 12:00 noon ONLY!

This stirring video document, by award winning filmmaker Marc Huestis is a compilation of footage shot during the week of resistance. Mr. Huestis will also be available for Q & A afterwards. Inspired by Haskell Wexler's 1969 title MEDIUM COOL, WAY COOL captures the compelling sights and sounds of the streets of New York during the Republican National Convention. While the mainstream media focused on the goings on inside Madison Square Garden, hordes of independent media documented the other side of the story. Huestis' camera is one of many capturing the power of people from New York, around the country and across the globe to say no to the Bush agenda.

From the rooftops in Brooklyn displaying tarps opposing Bush that could be seen by incoming flights, to the more than 500,000 people who took place in the largest street protest against a political convention; from the Fox "Shut Up A Thon" where more than 750 shouted out their feelings towards Fox TV, to a labor rally of over 10,000 featuring a rousing speech by Soprano's star James Gandolfini; from a "Pink Slip " with people standing in a symbolic unemployment line," stretching from Wall St to Times Square,to individual protesters confronting Republic Delegates at a party atPlanet Hollywood; this footage captures the hot, raw temperature of the streets of New York not witnessed from the air conditioned sky booths of media pundits.

This screening represents a 2 hour selection from the over 10 hours shot by Huestis (SEX IS...), co-edited by Ron Williams. Althought it by no means is a finished film, the director states " it is important to get this information out immediately. When people seethe police state ascendancy of our democracy , it is my hope that it will inspire folk in whatever small way to defeat George Bush." Admission is $7. For more information, please call 415 863-0611. Show time: 12:00 noon only. FILMMAKER IN PERSON AFTER THE SHOW!

Friday, October 22 - Thursday, October 28

It's a morning the mid-1960s, and six-year-old Josh Kornbluth is being woken by his father, Paul, in the usual manner: with Paul bursting naked into Josh's room and singing "The Internationale." So begins this raucous tale of a young American communist's coming-of-age -- the true story of a boy whose dream is nothing less than to lead a revolution. Quite a challenge, especially for such a shy, chubby kid. In Doug Pray's sensitive filming of Kornbluth's acclaimed autobiographical monologue, we follow Josh's rocky journey to young-adulthood -- and to a painful loss of both his political and sexual innocence. Along the way, we learn of his failed attempts to organize the "masses" among his kindergarten classmates; his shocking discovery that young Soviets would vastly prefer his blue jeans to his red politics; and his awkward attempts to understand orgasms in terms of political theory. But hovering over all the proceedings is Paul, Josh's larger-than-life dad, whose exuberant antics both delight and -- increasingly -- confuse his adoring son. Though "Red Diaper Baby" is filled with hilariously offbeat situations, ultimately it resonates deeply with all moviegoers who have ever found themselves searching for how to become their own person. Regardless of your political persuasion, that's a revolutionary challenge. Director: Doug Pray. Running Time: 93 mins. Show times: Nightly at 6:00, 8:00 & 10:00. Additional Sat, Sun & Wed matinees at (2:00) & 4:00. Josh Kornbluth in Person on Friday, 10/22 at the 6:00 & 10:00 shows!!.

"Hilarious!" -- SF Bay Guardian

Make your plans today for the triumphant return of Ben Franklin: Unplugged, one of Josh Kornbluth's most-requested monologues and the first developed with David Dower. The show returns for a limited engagement at Magic Theatre, co-produced with Jonathan Reinis Productions, beginning October 19th: Previews 10/17&18. For more info, log onto: Zspace.org. Magic Theatre - Fort Mason Center - S.F. Purchase Advance Tickets.

Also Opening
Friday, October 22 - Thursday, October 28

The World According To Bush

Based on investigative journalist Éric Laurent's extremely thorough book, William Karel's authoritative look at George Bush and his administration is more rigorous and objective--and far less demagogical--than Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. But it's no less damning. Featuring a wealth of original interviews with everyone from Norman Mailer and Hans Blix to Colin Powell and Richard Perle, Karel's film focuses on Bush from the Sept. 11 attacks to the quagmire of the war in Iraq; it delves deeply into Bush's checkered family history; it tells of the troubled links between the Saudis and the US; it delineates abuses of the Patriot Act in the name of combating terrorism; it illustrates the part played by the administration's fundamentalist religious beliefs in policy-making; and, above all, it chronicles the rampant corruption that the administration doesn't even feel the need to acknowledge. Ironically, politics--film festival politics, this time--kept Karel's film from playing at Cannes where it would have received the attention of the world. The story is that festival reps turned it down, telling Karel they had already accepted Michael Moore's film and didn't want to be perceived as anti-US. It's a shame, because even Variety--not known generally as a political periodical--said that, "Karel makes an extremely persuasive case that the executive branch of the US government has run roughshod over much of what America likes to think is stands for." THE WORLD ACCORKDING TO BUSH comes to you from at the Silver Lake Film Festival where if finally received its North American premiere in September. Directed By: William Karel. Written by: William Karel & Éric Laurent. With: Norman Mailer, Hans Blix, Richard Perle, Colin Powell, James Woosley. France. In English. 2004. 90 min. Color. DV. Showtimes: Nightly at 6:00, 8:00 & 9:45 with additional Saturday & Sunday matinees at (2:00) & 4:00.

Those who think Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" is diminished by his "liberal agenda," extensive use of pre-existing footage or failure to "show both sides" will have a much harder time discrediting the equally unflattering conclusions in "The World According to Bush." -- Lisa Nessleson, VARIETY

" .. an immediate tsunami of anti-Bush finger-pointing and hard-core facts that will make any Democrat want to rush out and vote." SF CHRONICLE

Sunday, October 24.... 12:00 noon ONLY!

This stirring video document, by award winning filmmaker Marc Huestis is a compilation of footage shot during the week of resistance. Mr. Huestis will also be available for Q & A afterwards. Inspired by Haskell Wexler's 1969 title MEDIUM COOL, WAY COOL captures the compelling sights and sounds of the streets of New York during the Republican National Convention. While the mainstream media focused on the goings on inside Madison Square Garden, hordes of independent media documented the other side of the story. Huestis' camera is one of many capturing the power of people from New York, around the country and across the globe to say no to the Bush agenda.

From the rooftops in Brooklyn displaying tarps opposing Bush that could be seen by incoming flights, to the more than 500,000 people who took place in the largest street protest against a political convention; from the Fox "Shut Up A Thon" where more than 750 shouted out their feelings towards Fox TV, to a labor rally of over 10,000 featuring a rousing speech by Soprano's star James Gandolfini; from a "Pink Slip " with people standing in a symbolic unemployment line," stretching from Wall St to Times Square,to individual protesters confronting Republic Delegates at a party atPlanet Hollywood; this footage captures the hot, raw temperature of the streets of New York not witnessed from the air conditioned sky booths of media pundits.

This screening represents a 2 hour selection from the over 10 hours shot by Huestis (SEX IS...), co-edited by Ron Williams. Althought it by no means is a finished film, the director states " it is important to get this information out immediately. When people seethe police state ascendancy of our democracy , it is my hope that it will inspire folk in whatever small way to defeat George Bush." Admission is $7. For more information, please call 415 863-0611. Show time: 12:00 noon only. FILMMAKER IN PERSON AFTER THE SHOW!

It's a morning the mid-1960s, and six-year-old Josh Kornbluth is being woken by his father, Paul, in the usual manner: with Paul bursting naked into Josh's room and singing "The Internationale." So begins this raucous tale of a young American communist's coming-of-age -- the true story of a boy whose dream is nothing less than to lead a revolution. Quite a challenge, especially for such a shy, chubby kid. In Doug Pray's sensitive filming of Kornbluth's acclaimed autobiographical monologue, we follow Josh's rocky journey to young-adulthood -- and to a painful loss of both his political and sexual innocence. Along the way, we learn of his failed attempts to organize the "masses" among his kindergarten classmates; his shocking discovery that young Soviets would vastly prefer his blue jeans to his red politics; and his awkward attempts to understand orgasms in terms of political theory. But hovering over all the proceedings is Paul, Josh's larger-than-life dad, whose exuberant antics both delight and -- increasingly -- confuse his adoring son. Though "Red Diaper Baby" is filled with hilariously offbeat situations, ultimately it resonates deeply with all moviegoers who have ever found themselves searching for how to become their own person. Regardless of your political persuasion, that's a revolutionary challenge. Director: Doug Pray. Running Time: 93 mins. Show times: Nightly at 6:00, 8:00 & 10:00. Additional Sat & Wed matinees at (2:00) & 4:00. NO SHOW THURSDAY, 11/4.

"Hilarious!" -- SF Bay Guardian

Make your plans today for the triumphant return of Ben Franklin: Unplugged, one of Josh Kornbluth's most-requested monologues and the first developed with David Dower. The show returns for a limited engagement at Magic Theatre, co-produced with Jonathan Reinis Productions, beginning October 19th: Previews 10/17&18. For more info, log onto: Zspace.org. Magic Theatre - Fort Mason Center - S.F. Purchase Advance Tickets.

Also Showing
Friday, October 29 - Thursday, November 3

The World According To Bush

Based on investigative journalist Éric Laurent's extremely thorough book, William Karel's authoritative look at George Bush and his administration is more rigorous and objective--and far less demagogical--than Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11. But it's no less damning. Featuring a wealth of original interviews with everyone from Norman Mailer and Hans Blix to Colin Powell and Richard Perle, Karel's film focuses on Bush from the Sept. 11 attacks to the quagmire of the war in Iraq; it delves deeply into Bush's checkered family history; it tells of the troubled links between the Saudis and the US; it delineates abuses of the Patriot Act in the name of combating terrorism; it illustrates the part played by the administration's fundamentalist religious beliefs in policy-making; and, above all, it chronicles the rampant corruption that the administration doesn't even feel the need to acknowledge. Ironically, politics--film festival politics, this time--kept Karel's film from playing at Cannes where it would have received the attention of the world. The story is that festival reps turned it down, telling Karel they had already accepted Michael Moore's film and didn't want to be perceived as anti-US. It's a shame, because even Variety--not known generally as a political periodical--said that, "Karel makes an extremely persuasive case that the executive branch of the US government has run roughshod over much of what America likes to think is stands for." THE WORLD ACCORKDING TO BUSH comes to you from at the Silver Lake Film Festival where if finally received its North American premiere in September. Directed By: William Karel. Written by: William Karel & Éric Laurent. With: Norman Mailer, Hans Blix, Richard Perle, Colin Powell, James Woosley. France. In English. 2004. 90 min. Color. DV. Showtimes: Nightly at 6:00, 8:00 & 9:45 with additional Saturday & Sunday matinees at (2:00) & 4:00.

Those who think Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" is diminished by his "liberal agenda," extensive use of pre-existing footage or failure to "show both sides" will have a much harder time discrediting the equally unflattering conclusions in "The World According to Bush." -- Lisa Nessleson, VARIETY

" .. an immediate tsunami of anti-Bush finger-pointing and hard-core facts that will make any Democrat want to rush out and vote." SF CHRONICLE

Sunday, October 31 .. ONLY

The California College of the Arts & The SF Cinematheque
presents a Halloween double bill:
Horror of Politics &
Politics of Horror

Remote Control Voting:
Antonio Muntadas & Marshall Reese's Political Advertisement 2004
Antonio Muntadas In Person!

Like Bruce Springsteen in "57 Channels and Nothing On," we channel-surf pointlessly. Then, just between Olympic diving and Pimp My Ride, we stop on a talking head in a blue serge suit saying something deadly serious about America, its friends and foes. Every four years, electioneers engineer promo spots that commercialize ideology as just another discount-shopper¹s object of desire. For an appropriately timed Halloween show, installation artist Antonio Muntadas and poet and video artist Marshall Reese present the latest version of their ever-expanding Political Advertisement, a series of campaign commercials stretching back more than fifty years, just as the medium and the message first became acquainted. By running these spots back-to-back without commentary, Muntadas and Reese allow their all-star cast (Eisenhower! Nixon! Ford! Reagan! Bush!) to dig their own graves (and ours) in primetime. "Feeling good about America," Ford's '76 spots promised. If only... (Steven Jenkins). Antonio Muntadas In Person! 72 mins. Showtimes: 2:00, 4:00 & 6:00.

The American Nightmare

Thursday, November 4 .... ONLY

Wave Fest & The Aqua Surf Shop present a Surf Movie Night featuring

a broke down melody

The Moonshine Conspiracy stays true to the roots of surf filmmaking in releasing the anticipated fourth and latest project, “A Brokedown Melody” . The film explores the times, travels and experiences of a tribe of surfers who search for the spark of life and look to pass it on to the younger generation. “A Brokedown Melody” takes a step back from the informative approach and allows the viewer to experience surfing in a different context. In a more traditional surf film format, “A Brokedown Melody” allows the visuals of the latest surfing combined with music, images and select commentary to tell the story of a surfer’s journey. Featured is the surfing of Kelly Slater, Tom Curren, Gerry Lopez, the Malloys, Rob Machado, CJ Hobgood, Jack Johnson and others. These surfers take us on their travels to Jamaica, Indonesia, Tahiti, Hawaii, Mexico and South America. Finally, in this age of big wave surf exploration, this film reveals Kelly Slater and the Malloys pioneering two new waves never before seen. The title track is written & performed by Moonshiner Jack Johnson. Directed by Chris Malloy For more info, go to abrokedownmelody.com ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE AT AQUA SURF SHOP!! Showtimes: 7:15 & 9:15.