Celebrating Women's History Month: Distinguished Directors
The Decline Of Western Civilization
Penelope Spheeris' The Decline Of Western Civilization is a riveting, unflinching and hard-core film which adeptly captures the spirit of a major cultural phenomenon. Including performances by X, Circle Jerks, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Germs and Alice Bag Band. Breaking down barriers of expression and social mores, the Decline punks were against everything: They gave birth to an anti-establishment view of the world that permeates today's music, politics, social attitudes, styles and trends. The film documents their deliberate reaction to the mass commercialism of music; it is a blatant and angry rejection of the mainstream. Burgeoning at the time, many of the punk bands first seen here have become legendary. The effect of the film on current day music, styles and trends is immeasurable.
In pre-World War II Sicily, just as the fascists come to power, two men fall in love with the same woman. The changes in their country's politics ultimately take all three on a journey across the ocean to New York. Directed by Lina Wermuller.
The Islands are full of life, but the only other Europeans are the "sanctimonious, psalm-singing" brother-sister missionary team of Martha and Owen Jordans, and the Honourable Ted - a hard-drinking social outcast whose English family pays him to stay away. Directed by Muriel Box.
A documentary that explores the very unique trio union between Sam, Steven, and Samantha as they negotiate their living arrangements, fall in love and open one of the hottest wellness centers in New York City. Directed by Susan Kaplan.
Suburbia is director Penelope Spheeris's study of the Los Angeles punk rock scene in the early 1980s. Evan and his younger brother leave their broken home in an attempt to escape their alcoholic mother. They find family in a group of punks who live as squatters in an abandoned shack by the side of the highway
Following the break-up of his marriage after revealing his homosexuality, GP Martin Wyatt loses custody of his son Oliver to his now ex-wife Hannah and her new partner Frank. Directed by Angela Pope.
