Coastside Film Society presents: A thought-provoking AND mind-numbing film.

"Should a film console us with its own brilliance when it aims to discomfort us with its content?" Kenneth Baker San Francisco Chronicle

Jennifer Baichwal’s gorgeous documentary about Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky and his attempt to document modern industrialization gone amuck in China and other hypergrowth hotspots.  Burtynsky is a master at finding beauty in dangerous industrial vistas. The opening tracking shot through the Chinese factory where 23,000 employees make most of the world’s iron is itself worth the admission price.

The film makes no attempt to scare the audience with statistics and charts. Instead Director Jennifer Baichwal chose to follow Burtynsky as he travels the world looking for mind blowing industrial vistas he can capture on film. Burtynsky throws in an occasional comment about his subjects, but for the most part he lets the images and the words of the people behind the images do all the talking.  It’s clear that the workers depicted in the film are profoundly grateful for the jobs that have lifted them out of poverty. At the same time they are fully cognizant and deeply concerned about the impact this rampant industrialization is having on the world they are going to pass on to their children.

Jenny Lau, an Associate Professor in the Department of Cinema at San Francisco State and a member of the Script Committee of the Beijing Olympics will introduce the film and lead the post screening discussion.

More info and a streaming clip at: www.HMBFilm.org

Copies of "A SEAL’S LIFE" are still available
The Film Society still has copies of last month’s film, A Seal’s Life, for sale on DVD at the bargain price of $15.00.  You can pick one up at this month’s screening or send a check made out to the "Coastside Film Society" to PO Box 94037-0588 and the Film Society will mail you a copy.

Fri. April 25,  2008, 7:30 pm
Methodist Sanctuary,  777 Miramontes, Half Moon Bay (corner of Johnston)
$6.00 for adults