TUESDAY, APRIL 3

In Association with the Consul General of Switzerland

SALUTE TO FILMMAKER XAVIER KOLLER

The Cinema Society of San Diego is proud to be saluting Switzerland this season, and this evening we meet and salute their most honored filmmaker—Academy Award® winner Xavier Koller.

Born and raised in Switzerland, Xavier Koller followed high school by attending a four-year apprenticeship as a precision toolmaker and then, after three years of training at the Academy of Drama in Zurich, Switzerland, graduated as an actor/director.

The next several years he spent acting and directing at German and Swiss theatres. He did a number of TV-plays as an actor, directed commercials, acted in movies, and then started to write and direct feature films. In 1991 he received the Academy Award, Best Foreign Language Film, for "Journey of Hope".

This evening, the Cinema Society of San Diego is honored to present two feature films representing Xavier's work: JOURNEY OF HOPE, which won him the Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Category, and his latest directing effort SOMEONE LIKE ME, which has just been nominated for six Quartz Awards (Swiss Academy Awards). Members are invited to select whichever of the two films showcased (based on start time and seat availability).

All showings will be held at the Reading Town Square 14 Theatre, located at 4665 Clairemont Drive, San Diego, 92117.

Xavier will partake in introductions and post-screening discussions at each show. All films are in Swiss-German/German with English Subtitles.

Films screened this evening:

JOURNEY OF HOPE (1990)

Auditorium # 8

Showtimes:

On Screen 4:45pm and 7:45pm (Introductions begin 15 minutes prior, and discussions will follow screenings)

Xavier won the Academy Award for co-writing and directing JOURNEY OF HOPE.

In a village in eastern Turkey, tales of the economic success of Turks in Switzerland inspire Haydar to convince his wife Meryem that they must go. He sells their livestock and small plot of land in exchange for passage for two. He wants to leave their seven children in the care of the eldest and his parents; his father advises him to take one son to be educated in Europe, as economic insurance. The three set off for Istanbul, Milan, and Switzerland, stowing away on a ship. At Lake Como, they pay the rest of their money to unprincipled men who abandon them at an Alpine pass before a blizzard. Father and son are separated from Meryem. Will anyone reach the land of promise?

Running Time: 105 Minutes

SOMEONE LIKE ME (2012)

Auditorium # 14

Showtimes:

On Screen 4:15 and 7:15pm (Introductions begin 15 Minutes prior, and discussion will follow screenings)

Written and Directed by XAVIER KOLLER, SOMEONE LIKE ME is his latest film, nominated for six Swiss Quartz Awards (Swiss Oscars), including Best Picture.

Kari Tellenbach was born with a cleft palate. His mother takes care of him like a bird that has fallen out of the nest. As a young man Kari decides to become a barber and despite his handicap he wins the heart of Annemarie with his humor, charm and sensitivity. His happiness seems almost complete - but Annemarie's middle class parents have already made other plans for their daughter.

Running Time: 111 Minutes