Minneapolis, MN, January 9, 2012— The Walker Art Center presents Lynne Ramsay: Rough and Tumble, part of the Walker’s In Context program, from February 10 to 15. Six of Ramsay’s films will be screened as part of the series.
Breaking onto the scene at age 30 with the riveting Ratcatcher, praised by the New York Times as a “brilliant directorial debut,” Scottish filmmaker Lynne Ramsay has received worldwide attention for the three features now under her belt. Born in Glasgow, Ramsay first studied photography, then focused on cinematography at England’s National Film and Television School; her subsequent filmography is renowned for its bold visual sensibility. Her final school project, Small Deaths, went on to win the Best Short Film prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival (as did her third short, Gasman). In fact, each of her features has premiered at Cannes, and she garnered a Palm D’Or nomination at the 2011 festival for her latest work, the haunting We Need to Talk About Kevin.
Ramsay’s films plumb the depths of childhood and young adulthood, unblinkingly tackling such difficult issues as grief, guilt, family dynamics, and the rippling repercussions of death. The “rough and tumble” moniker of this series articulates a defining quality of Ramsay’s: social realism that hits hard and hits home. But her work is also filled with vivid artistry and a rich poetry that blurs the line between dreams and reality—at turns both brutal and subtle.
Tickets to each film are $8 ($6 Walker members and students with valid ID) and are available at walkerart.org/tickets or by calling 612-375-7600. The Cinephile’s Package offers admission to all of the films in the series for $15 ($12).
Premiere
We Need to Talk About Kevin
Friday, February 10, 7:30 pm
Who is to blame when a child goes horribly wrong? Tilda Swinton is stunning as a mother who is caught in the crossfire when her son commits atrocities, and is left to ponder her own culpability. “A skin-peelingly intimate character study and a brilliantly nihilist, feminist parable” (Guardian). Print courtesy Oscilloscope Laboratories. 2011, 35mm, 112 minutes.
The Premieres series is made possible by generous support from Elizabeth Redleaf.
Media partner 89.3 The Current, Minnesota Public Radio
Double Feature
Lynne Ramsay’s Early Shorts
Saturday, February 11, 7 pm
The director’s early work in short films is the clear precursor to her features in their themes of working-class Scotland and the brutalities of childhood. Program includes: Small Deaths (1996, video, 11 minutes); Kill the Day (1996, 35mm, 17 minutes); Gasman (1998, video, 15 minutes). Running time: 45 minutes.
Ratcatcher
Saturday, February 11, 8 pm
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, 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.
Morvern Callar
Wednesday, February 15, 7:30 pm
Samantha Morton gives a masterful performance as Morvern, a young woman in small-town western Scotland who discovers her boyfriend’s body after he commits suicide on Christmas Day. Feeling left behind but given the prospect of a new existence, she keeps his death a secret and survives by any means necessary. “Mesmeric, startling…announces Ramsay as one of the most distinctive talents in British cinema” (Guardian). 2002, 35mm, 97 minutes.
Acknowledgments
In Context is made possible by generous support from Michelle and Bill Pohlad and Elizabeth Redleaf.