SPOTLIGHT FILMS: Cave of Forgotten Dreams
By Contributor
A spellbinding, exclusive expedition into the nearly inaccessible Chauvet Cave in France, home to the most ancient visual art known to have been created by man is featured in Spotlight Films upcoming show. It will be a cinematic experience that provides a unique glimpse of the pristine artwork dating back to human hands over 30,000 years ago – almost twice as old as any previous discovery. This coming Tuesday, Oct. 25, Spotlight Films is very excited to be featuring their first 3-D film, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, a documentary by Werner Herzog. Synopsis by: Film Circuit “Werner Herzog is a wizard at conjuring unforgettable visions, from the ship dragged over the mountain in Fitzcarraldo to the Antarctic landscape inEncounters at the End of the World. Now he brings us the earliest known visions of mankind: the Chauvet-Pont-d’Arc cave art of southern France. Premiering at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival®, Cave of Forgotten Dreams brings these remarkable paintings to vivid life. “Sealed shut by a landslide for 20,000 years until it was finally discovered in 1994, the Chauvet Cave in southern France contains some of the oldest known examples of prehistoric art. By comparison, the famous cave art of Lascaux is roughly half as old. Since Chauvet’s discovery, access has been extremely restricted due to concerns that overexposure, even to human breath, could damage the priceless drawings. “This invaluable historic site had been open only to a select group of scientists until legendary director Werner Herzog obtained extraordinary permission to film these ancient artworks. With limited time, a skeleton crew and an improvised lighting system – the technical restrictions imposed on account of atmospheric fragility are severe – Herzog superbly conveys the mystery and the majesty of these paintings. “As usual, he complements his exploration of a mysterious environment with journeys into the human environment that has grown up around it, amusingly interviewing scientists and local residents and indulging in typically Herzogian philosophizing throughout. The result is a quiet and captivating documentary that not only raises questions about history and art, but the nature of creation and the eternal struggle of mankind to understand.” The film will be shown at 7:30 at the Gem Theatre in Grand Forks. On Nov. 29 the film, Beginners, directed by Mike Mills (Thumbsucker) features Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer. It was an audience favourite at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and at the 2011 Hollywood Film Festival where Plummer won the award for supporting actor of the year. As in years past, there will not be a Spotlight Film presentation in December. Stay tuned for our early 2012 line-up. Remember: if you are a member and can’t make a show, you can always lend your season’s pass to a friend.
PLEASE NOTE: There will be a $2 surcharge for this film due to the added cost of providing 3-D glasses. The door will be $9 for non-members. As a benefit to members, Spotlight Films will cover their surcharge.
