MSPIFF Saturday 4/17: Pakistan, Ireland, and Finland
Saturday was Day 2 of the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Film Festival. I managed to get to these movies:
* “[Son of a Lion](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1198220/)” (Pakistan). If we hear about reluctance to send kids to school in Pakistan, it's more often that not about sending girls. This movie is a bit of Three Cups of Tea territory, from the view of the son (who wants to go to school and perhaps study music) and the gun-making father who sees school as useless ("Did I go to school?") or dangerous ("The Americans hate madrassas"). **Recommended**. Shows again on 4/21.
* "[The Secret of Kells](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485601/)” (Ireland). The theater was sold out for this single screening. Lots of families with kids. The film was beautiful to look at and frequently very funny. As someone who allegedly has more Norse heritage than Celtic, I suppose I should take offense at the portrayal of the vikings who'd raided and plundered Ireland for centuries ... but it's clear who the heroes are supposed to be, so if they don't portray the villans very nicely, well, it's their film. **Highly recommended**. Won't be showing again for the MSPIFF, but should be released in the USA finally sometime soon.
* "[The House of Branching Love](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1188992/)" (Finland). This was quite a silly, fun film. If you're freshly divorced but are still living in the same house and still hell-bent on making the other jealous, then consider most of the stuff in this film in the "don't do that" category. (Same category as "standing on swivel chairs".) **Recommended**. Shows again on 4/18.
News flash: Max Manus will be playing again for two nights, later in the MSPIFF. I didn’t get a close look at the posters hanging on the lower floor of the theater, but it’s good news. Louise and I concur that Max Manus deserves a wider audience. I’ll look tomorrow for the dates & times.