Lynne Ramsay Early Shorts

7 pm
The director’s short films also explore themes of working-class Scotland and the brutalities of childhood, and they demonstrate her masterful ability to harness sound to articulate inner emotion. Small Deaths is a series of three vignettes of children grappling with familial realities and the repercussions of their actions. (1996, video, 11 minutes). Kill the Day captures a day in the life of an erstwhile junkie in jail, and in the process inventively probes the inner workings of memory (1996, 35mm, 17 minutes). In Gasman, a brother and sister attend a Christmas party with their dad, and encounter two other children who are strangely familiar with him. (1998, video, 15 minutes). Program length: 45 minutes.

Ratcatcher

8 pm
Characterized by director Mike Leigh as “capturing isolated, crystallized moments,” Ramsay’s debut chronicles the life of 12-year-old James in 1970s working-class Glasgow. Against the backdrop of a garbage strike that produced towering bags of refuse and the inevitable rats, the boy struggles with guilt about a terrible accident. This dreamy and lyrical story about the fragility of childhood manages to strike a hopeful note despite its bleak setting. “A gorgeous blend of beauty and squalor, packed with imagery that will play over and over in your head for weeks” (New York Times). 1999, 35mm, 94 minutes.

Audio Description and ASL Interpretation

Audio description and ASL interpretation is available for the double-feature screening of Lynn Ramsay’s Early Shorts and Ratcatcher. To sign up for these services along with your ticket purchase, contact Liz Tjepkema at 612.253.3555 or e-mail liz.tjepkema@walkerart.org. Advance registration required. In order to arrange services, please register by Friday, February 3.