The Hope College Knickerbocker Theatre in downtown Holland is continuing its tradition of showing contemporary independent films through its 2011 spring film series.
The four films being featured are "Last Train Home," "WasteLand," "Another Year," and "The Illusionist." All films will be shown at 7:30 p.m.
° "Last Train Home" is running from Monday, Jan. 17, through Saturday, Jan. 22. "Last Train Home" explores the fractured lives of a migrant family in China caught up in a desperate annual migration. Sixteen years ago, the Zhangs abandoned their young children to find work in the city, consoled by the hope that their wages would lift their children into a better life. "Last Train Home" follows the Zhangs' attempts to change their daughter's course and repair their ruptured family. Intimate and candid, the film paints a human portrait of the dramatic changes sweeping China. The film is unrated with a runtime of 85 minutes.
° "WasteLand" will show on Monday-Wednesday, Jan. 31-Feb. 2; Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4-5; and Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 7-8. Filmed over nearly three years and directed by Lucy Walker, "WasteLand" follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world's largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of "catadores" - self-designated pickers of recyclable materials. Muniz's initial objective was to "paint" the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives. "WasteLand" is unrated and has a runtime of 98 minutes.
° "Another Year," showing Monday-Saturday, March 14-19, is about a married couple that has managed to remain blissfully happy into the pair's autumn years, but is surrounded over the course of the four seasons of one average year by friends, colleagues and family who all seem to suffer some degree of unhappiness. "Another Year" is rated PG-13 for some language and has a runtime of 129 minutes.
° "The Illusionist," showing Monday-Saturday, April 4-9, is about a French illusionist who finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever. "The Illusionist" is rated PG and has a runtime of 90 minutes.
Tickets for all of the films are $6 for regular admission and $5 for senior citizens and children. Updated information may be obtained by calling the Knickerbocker Information Line at (616) 395-7403 or visiting www.hope.edu/arts/knick. The Knickerbocker Theatre is located in downtown Holland at 86 E. Eighth St.