Margreth Olin’s film, “Songs of Earth,” is far more than a nature documentary, or family biography about her aging parents. It’s a meditation walk, shot with breathtaking cinematography and set against the backdrop of life-altering environmental changes. This was Mountain Shadow’s selection for May 2024. To read a brief review, click on the image above.

Set against the backdrop of the filmmaker’s quixotic quest to build an ark in a field in Maine, the film heads far afield – to pursue an answer to the question: What in this world, if anything, is worth saving or will endure? To read a Mountain Shadow review of our selection for April, 2024, click on the image above.

An annual Mountain Shadow tradition: The "Best" of the Oscar Shorts. From 15 nominees (5 animated, 5 live-action and 5 documentary), Mountain Shadow selected six wonderfully-creative short films for our March show, 2024. Click on the image above to read a bit about each one.

For our February show, Mountain Shadow snagged this pre-theatrical release from famed British filmmaker, Ken Loach. In a British town that’s fallen on hard times, the local pub becomes contested territory after the arrival of Syrian refugees who are placed in the village. Can they get along? Click on the image above to read a Mountain Shadow review of this moving film.

“Inshallah a Boy,” was Jordan’s Oscar submission for “Best International Feature Film,” and was Mountain Shadow’s film to launch our 11th Season in January, 2024. Nawal, a widow, struggles to provide a stable life for her daughter; resorting to deception and challenging long-standing cultural mores. A “Critics Pick” by the NY times, and overwhelming well-received by our audiences, you can read a brief review and filmmaker statement by clicking on the image above.

The farce is a type of comedy that exaggerates the improbable; sometimes to the point of silly absurdity. However, such comedy is often employed to lay bare and critique the kinds of serious social norms that may need to be brought to light for more than mere amusement. Such is the case with François Ozon’s new film, “The Crime is Mine.” To read a brief review of Mountain Shadow’s selection for December, 2023, click on the picture above.

Mountain Shadow snagged this pre-theatrical release for our November, 2023 film. Sara Nodjoumi’s documentary film and personal memoir, “A Revolution on Canvas,” could not be more timely.Her father, An Iranian artist, flees Iran decades ago; due to an exhibition of his paintings in Tehran that are deemed politically subversive to the regime at the time. A brief review and recorded Q&A with the filmmaker can be found by clicking on the image above.

In “Fremont,” a female Afghan translator for the U.S. immigrates to America, and settles in Fremont, California. There she ends up working in a Chinese fortune cookie factory. You might say you can’t make this stuff up. But then again, the human tale about displacement and longing of the heart for a home – this time filmed in black and white to perhaps suggest its timeless quality -- is a universal plot line that bears repeating and remembering. To read a brief review of Mountain Shadow’s selection for October,2023, click on the image above.

Mountain Shadow’s 9th Annual Short Film Competition was held at he Las Lomas Theater, Sept. 13, 2023. Nine Finalist’s films, selected by a 22-member volunteer jury from 466 submissions, were presented to a 300-member audience. Click on the image above to read more about it!

‘UNREST’New technologies are transforming a 19th-century watchmaking town in Switzerland. Josephine, a young factory worker, produces the unrest wheel, swinging in the heart of the mechanical watch. ‘UNREST’ was Mountain Shadow’s film selection for August, 2023. To read a review and reflection, click on the image above.

“Mountain Shadow’s film selection for July, 2023, “Scarlet” is an enchanting cinematic period fable based on a beloved 1923 novella by Russian writer Alexander Grin. Shortly after World War I, veteran Raphaël (Raphaël Thiery) returns home from the frontlines to find himself a widower, with his infant daughter placed in his arms to raise. Tracing Juliette’s journey throughout the 20 years of great invention between the world wars, Scarlet weaves together music and fantasy, history and folklore, to craft a magical realist fable of identity and emancipation.” To read a Mountain Shadow film review and filmmaker statement, click on the image above.

“Chilé ‘76” was Mountain Shadow’s film selection for June 2023. Set during the early days of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship, Chile ‘76 builds from quiet character study to gripping suspense thriller as it explores one woman’s precarious flirtation with political engagement. Carmen leads a sheltered upper middle-class existence. When the family priest asks Carmen to take care of an injured young man he has been sheltering in secret, she is inadvertently drawn into the real world of Chilean political opposition and must face real-world threats she is unprepared to handle. Drama Mystery-Thriller. To read more about the film and filmmaker, click on the image agove.

”AURORA’S SUNRISE” is an extraordinary documentary, historical drama and true life story of Aurora Mardiganian that includes stunning animation scenes, as well. At 14, Aurora loses everything during the 1915 Armenian genocide. Mountain Shadow snagged this film three months before its theatrical release, for our May 2023 selection; with a post-screening Q& A with the filmmaker. It was one of the highest-rated films by our audiences in the last ten years. To read more about the film, click on the image above.

Sometimes a little deception is needed in a world of tragedy and trickery, in order to save what is true and real. ‘The Forger’ tells just such a tale. To read a review of the film Mountain Shadow screened in April, 2023, click on the image above.

For those of us who may be unfamiliar with her work, the story of the Swedish artist, Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) is enlightening. She not only initiated ‘impressionism’ on canvas; but did so through various mediums that were highly unconventional for her time, To read few brief comments about Mountain Shadow’ s film selection for March, 2023, click on the image above.

 How should society deal with controversial works of art? Do the intentions of the artist matter? Or the impact on viewers? TOWN DESTROYER explores how to look at art and history at a time of polarized national debate over the power of images. To read a Mountain Shadow commentary on our film selection for January, 2023, click on the image above.

WHINA tells the story of a woman formed by the Mauri tradition in New Zealand, compelled by innovation, and guided by an instinct for equality and justice whose legacy as the “Mother of the Nation” was an inspiration to an entire country. To read a brief commentary of Mountain Shadow’s film selection for December, 2022, click on the image above.

Cinema has always presented us with a medium in which we’re presented with two divergent paths. One takes us briefly down a road of fleeting fantasy; imagining a world of glamor, stardom and, well, unreality. Such momentary escapism can be entertaining, of course; before leaving the theater and returning to our day-to-day lives. “Ali and Ava,” Mountain Shadow’s selection for November, 2022, is a perfect rendition of the latter. To read a brief review, click on the image above.

It’s true. Dog owners and dog lovers can be an odd bunch. Perfectly sane humans can willingly and deliberately imbue these 4-legged creatures with the best attributes we could ever hope to find in human relationships. Such is the case with Mountain Shadow’s film selection for October, 2022. To read a review of “Roise and Frank,” click on the image above.

Our September show was our 8th Annual Short Film Competition. This year’s volunteer Jury, consisting of sixteen Mountain Shadow members, previewed 460 submissions, in order to select 8 Finalists from far and wide, to present their works in person for audience balloting and cash awards! These outstanding short films include four live-action / narratives, two documentaries and two animated shorts. Read more about it by clicking the image above.