The program has been announced for the 41 North Film Festival and is now available online. The festival runs Nov. 2-5 in the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts and features four days of award-winning independent film from around the world, along with music, guests and special events.
The festival opens on Thursday, Nov. 2, with “Voices of Light: The Passion of Joan of Arc,” an evening of film and music in collaboration with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra and the ConScience Michigan Tech Chamber Singers.
Regarded as one of the most influential films in the history of cinema, the 1928 silent film by Danish director Carl Th. Dreyer will be presented with Richard Einhorn’s hauntingly beautiful composition for solo voices, chorus and orchestra performed live.
Film theorist and historian David Bordwell will present a public lecture on Dreyer and participate in a Q&A with Conductor Joel Neves and Choral Director Jared Anderson following the performance.
Tickets for this special events must be purchased separately here. Michigan Tech Students with the Experience Tech fee need only bring their ID to the performance. The rest of the festival is free and open to the public, although a ticket must be reserved.
Other featured events include:
- Friday, Nov. 3: The festival will feature “AlphaGo“ at 7:30 p.m., the story of Google Deepmind’s A.I. challenge match with the world Go champion, Lee Sedol. The film will be followed by a panel discussion and after party.
- Saturday, Nov. 4: The festival will honor Michigan Tech Professor Emeritus Joe Kirkish for his long-standing contribution to film appreciation and community in the Keweenaw. The Festival will pay tribute to Kirkish at 4 p.m. before the screening of film legend Agnès Varda’s new film “Faces Places“ and then gather for a reception following the film at 6 p.m. in the Rozsa lobby. At 7:30 p.m. the festival presents the critically-acclaimed “Sami Blood,” a drama about a 14-year-old Sámi girl who is subjected to racism and eugenic scrutiny in 1930s Sweden. The film will screen with the short film “Ogichidaa,” which features Jerry Jondreau of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in a story about his grandfather’s struggle for tribal rights. A panel discussion will follow these films.
- Sunday, Nov. 5. The festival’s closing night film, “Far Western,” tells the story of a dedicated group of Japanese country/bluegrass musicians and the unique bonds forged through music. Keweenaw Brewgrass will start off the final event with music at 7 p.m.
More a dozen additional new films will play during the festival. Visit the festival website for more information on films and events throughout the weekend. Festival patrons who would like to have dinner at the theater between films on Saturday, Nov. 4 will be able to reserve a picnic dinner box for $10 when they reserve their festival ticket.
Major sponsorship for the 41 North Film Festival is provided by the Department of Humanities, the Department of Visual and Performing Arts and the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts.