'Ága'
In a yurt on the snow-covered fields of Yakutia, Russia, Nanook and Sedna live following the traditions of their ancestors. Their two children have long left the icy tundra. As they age, their way of life is changing as hunting becomes more difficult and ice begins melting earlier every year. 2018; Milko Lazarov; 96 min.; Bulgaria/Germany/France; subtitled; drama. Monday, Nov. 4, 6:30 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 8, 8:30 p.m.
'Anthropocene: The Human Epoch'
A cinematic meditation that takes us to 20 countries to bear witness to the massive re-engineering of the planet by humans. From concrete seawalls in China to the devastated Great Barrier Reef in Australia, this documentary offers a sobering close-up look at the horrific ecological damage wrought by modern civilization. 2018; Jen Baichwal, Ed Burtynsky, Nicholas de Pencier; 87 min.; USA; doc. Saturday, Nov. 2, 5:30 p.m.; Fri, Nov. 8, 6:30 p.m.
'Beanpole'
By 1945, World War II has devastated the city of Leningrad, demolishing its buildings and leaving its citizens in tatters, physically and mentally. Two young women search for meaning and hope in the slow struggle to rebuild their lives among the ruins. A powerful story and a carefully crafted film that moves to its own rhythms. 2019; Kantemir Balagov; 133 min.; Russia; subtitled drama. Sunday, Nov. 3, 3 p.m.; Thursday, Nov. 7, 6:30 p.m.
'The Chambermaid'
The monotony of long workdays, with quiet examinations of forgotten belongings and budding friendships, nourishes Eve's hopes, dreams, and desires. The Chambermaid is a salute to the invisible women caretakers who are the hard-working backbone of society, through the lens of a chambermaid in one of Mexico City's most luxurious hotels. 2018; Lila Avilés; 102 min.; Mexico; subtitled drama. Saturday, Nov. 9, 11 a.m.
'Gay Chorus Deep South'
Led by Conductor Tim Seelig and joined by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, the members of the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus decide to tour the South to bring a message of music, love, and acceptance to communities and individuals confronting intolerance in hopes of uniting folks with the soaring power of music, humanity, and a little drag. 2019; David Charles Rodrigues; 100 min.; USA; doc. Sunday, Nov. 3, 1p.m.
'Give Me Liberty'
Medical transport driver Vic is late, but it's not his fault. Roads are closed for a protest, and no one else can shuttle his Russian grandfather and friends to a funeral. The new route uproots his scheduled client, Tracy, a vibrant young woman with ALS. As the day goes from hectic to off the rails, their collective ride becomes a hilarious, compassionate, and intersectional portrait of American dreams and disenchantment. 2019; Kirill Mikhanovsky; 110min.; USA; drama. Friday, Nov. 1, 8:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Nov. 6, 6:30 p.m.
'The Human Element'
In this new documentary from the producers of Racing Extinction, The Cover, and Chasing Ice, environmental photographer James Balog captures the lives of everyday Americans on the front lines of climate change. With rare compassion and heart, the film inspires us to reevaluate our relationship with the natural world. 2018; Matthew Testa; 76 min.; USA; doc.
'Our Time Machine'
When influential Chinese artist Ma Liang (a.k.a. Maleonn) realizes that his father Ma Ke, an accomplished Peking Opera director, is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, he invites him to collaborate on his most ambitious project to date: a haunting, magical, autobiographical stage performance called “Papa's Time Machine,” featuring life-size mechanical puppets. The two men confront their mortality before memories are lost forever. 2019; S. Leo Chiang, Yang Sun; 86 min.; China/USA; subtitled; doc. Sunday, Nov. 3. 5:30 p.m.
'The Map to Paradise'
Beautifully filmed across six continents, this film sets out to challenge the mainstream narrative of hard-hitting environmental documentaries with a “doom and gloom” message and replace it with one of hope and courage. Along the way, we meet Prince Albert II of Monaco, President Tommy Remengesau of Palau, National Geographic explorer Enric Sala, and Sea Shepherd's captain Paul Watson, among others who play roles in the quest to protect the seas. 2018; Danielle Ryan; 95 min.; Australia; doc. Saturday, Nov. 2, 7:30 p.m.
'Midnight Family'
In a city where the government operates only 45 emergency ambulances for a population of more than nine million, the film follows the Ochoa family as they provide a crucial - but unregistered - underground lifeline. It is a thrilling ride that navigates between heroism and ethical questions. 2019; Luke Lorentzen; 90 min.; Mexico/USA; subtitled; doc. Sunday, Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m.
'The Pollinators'
The many challenges the beekeepers and their bees face en route to farms reveal flaws to our chemically dependent agriculture system. We also meet farmers, scientists, chefs and academics along the way to give a broad perspective about the threats to honey bees, what it means to our food security and how we can improve it.
Conversation after the film with the director, Peter Nelson, who has photographed a wide variety of feature films, commercials and documentaries in a multitude of film and video formats. His signature naturalistic style has taken him around the world to capture life as it happens for fiction and non-fiction films alike. 2019; Peter Nelson; 92 min.; USA; doc. Saturday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m.
'The River and the Wall'
Five friends set out on an adventure to document the borderlands and explore the potential impacts of a wall on the natural environment; but as the wilderness gives way to the more populated and heavily trafficked Lower Rio Grande Valley, they come face-to-face with the human side of the immigration debate and enter uncharted emotional waters. 2019; Ben Masters; 97 min.; USA; doc. Saturday, Nov. 2, 1:10 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m.
'Sorry We Missed You'
A hard-up delivery driver and his wife struggle to get by in modern-day England. Ricky and his family have been fighting an uphill struggle against debt since the 2008 financial crash. An opportunity appears with a shiny new van and a chance at self-employment. It's hard work, and his wife's job as a caregiver is no easier. When both are pulled in different directions, everything comes to a breaking point. Ken Loach; 102 min.; U.K.; drama. Tuesday, Nov. 5, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 9, 5:30 p.m.
'The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating'
A live-action story based on Elisabeth Tova Bailey's natural-history memoir. When a woman is bedridden by a mysterious pathogen, a snail takes up residence on her nightstand. Together, they share an intimate and meditative journey of survival and resilience, expanding the boundaries of the bedroom. 2019; Elisabeth Tova Bailey; 15 min.; USA; short drama. Filmmaker will be present for a conversation on Nov. 2. Plays after The Human Element on Saturday, Nov. 2, 3 p.m. Plays before The River and the Wall on Saturday, Nov. 9, 1 p.m.
'Synonyms'
Yoav, a young Israeli man, absconds to Paris to flee his nationality and military culture, aided by his trusty Franco-Israeli dictionary. He soon meets a lovely young French couple who take him under their wing, aiding him in his desire to become French. Somehow, life is just not that simple. 2019; Nadav Lapid; 123 min.; France/Israel/Germany; subtitled drama. Saturday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.
'Varda by Agnès'
Agnès Varda (1928–2019), the “Queen of French Cinema,” takes a seat on a theater stage. This professional photographer, installation artist, and pioneer of the Nouvelle Vague (New Wave) is an institution of French cinema but a fierce opponent of any kind of institutional thinking. In her final film, she turns her imaginative eye on herself, taking the audience on a journey through her world of unorthodox images, offering insights into her artistic visions, ideas and everything else. A warmly human, bittersweet parting gift from one of cinema's most luminous talents. 2019; Agnès Varda, Didier Rouget; 115 min.; France; subtitled; doc. Friday, Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 9, 3:10 p.m.