After Hours Film Society to show 'Becoming Astrid'
The After Hours Film Society will show the 2018 drama "Becoming Astrid" from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at Classic Cinemas Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave. in Downers Grove.
Tickets are $10 or $6 for film society members. The film, directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen, is in Swedish and Danish with English subtitles.
Teenage Astrid Lindgren (Alba August), who later went on to write the "Pippi Longstocking" series, leads a carefree life with her family in the forests and fields of rural Sweden.
Restless and eager to break free from the confines of her conservative upbringing, she accepts an internship at a local newspaper, where she attracts the attention of its married editor, Blomberg (Henrik Rafaelsen).
After Astrid becomes pregnant, she leaves her childhood home and goes to Copenhagen to secretly give birth to a son, Lasse, whom she reluctantly leaves in the care of a foster mother, Marie (Trine Dyrholm).
Astrid goes into self-imposed exile in Stockholm, refusing Blomberg's offer of marriage and saving up her paltry salary for visits to see Lasse. When Marie falls ill, Astrid uses her imagination and flair for storytelling to reconnect with her son.
In spite of her struggles, Astrid emerges with a newfound courage that will later form the foundation of a vast and beloved body of work.
The film was an Official Selection at the Berlin International Film Festival 2018 and won the Audience Award for Best Foreign Language Film at the Chicago International Film Festival 2018.
Complimentary refreshments and group discussion will follow the film.
On Monday, March 4, Lee Chang-dong's 2018 film "Burning" will be shown at 7:30 p.m. The difficult life of Jongsu (Ah-in Yoo), a frustrated introvert, is complicated by the appearance of two people into his orbit: first, Haemi (Jong-SEO Jun), a spirited woman who offers romantic possibility, and then, Ben (Steven Yeun), a wealthy and sophisticated young man she returns with from a trip.
When Jongsu learns of Ben's mysterious hobby and Haemi suddenly disappears, his confusion and obsessions begin to mount, culminating in a stunning finale.
Established in 1989, the After Hours Film Society screens foreign, classic and specialty films on the second and fourth Monday of the month at the Tivoli Theatre. Each presentation is followed by a group discussion led by educators and film professionals.
For information, visit www.afterhoursfilmsociety.com or www.facebook.com/afterhoursfilmsociety1/.