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Macario (Roberto Gavaldón, 1960)
Jan
22
National Poverty in America Awareness Month
Macario (Ignacio López Tarso) passes a Día de los Muertos altar, stacked high with candles, human skulls and bones, and cempasúchil (marigolds), whose fragrant and colour lead the Dead back to their family on this revered day. DP: Gabriel Figueroa.
Macario, poor and hungry, wishes to eat a whole turkey all by himself on Día de los Muertos. When he finally has the opportunity, he is interrupted three times: by the Devil, by God, and by Death. With one of them, he shares his meal.
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1. April 2000 [April 1, 2000] (Wolfgang Liebeneiner, 1952)
Jan
20
Inauguration Day
Austria's new Prime Minister (Josef Meinrad). DPs: Sepp Ketterer, Karl Löb & Fritz Arno Wagner.
Inaugurations for Inauguration Day (USA). In the future year 2000, on April 1, the newly-elected Prime Minister of Austria is inaugurated. Much to the shock of the Global Union, he declares Austria's independence!
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Egged On (Charles R. Bowers, Harold L. Muller + Ted Sears, 1926)
Jan
17
inventions
An invention for Benjamin Franklin's birthday. Inventor Charley (Charles R. Bowers) comes up with an ingenious method to make eggs break-proof for transport by rubberizing them.
“… as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.”
– Benjamin Franklin in his autobiography
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The Cameraman (Edward Sedgwick + Buster Keaton, 1928)
Jan
14
National Dress Up Your Pet Day
Buster (Buster Keaton) with Josephine the monkey on his shoulder. DPs: Reggie Lanning & Elgin Lessley.
– Now, see! You kill-a de monk!
– Pay him for that baboon… or I'll run you in!
After cameraman Buster accidentally knocks over a monkey, he has no choice but to take the sailor-suited simian along on his movie shoots.
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Kinoautomat: Člověk a jeho dům [Kinoautomat / One Man and His House] (Ján Roháč, Radúz Činčera + Vladimír Svitáček, 1967)
Jan
10
Representation of the People Act 1918
The audience about to vote for one of two scenes, with two presenters on stage.. DP: Jaromír Šofr.
Made for the Czechoslovak Pavilion at #Expo67 in #Montréal, Kinoautomat was the world's first interactive film. During nine moments in the story, a moderator would appear on the stage, and ask the audience where the story should go now. Depending on the votes, one of two reels would play.
“The Kinoautomat in the Czechoslovak Pavilion is a guaranteed hit of the World Exposition, and the Czechs should build a monument to the man who conceived the idea, Radúz Činčera.”
– The New Yorker
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The Book of Life (Hal Hartley, 1998)
Dec
31
1999
The “New York News” of December 31, 1999. The headline reads LAST DAY OF CENTURY BELIEVERS PRAY FOR END. DP: Jim Denault.
“It was the morning of December 31, 1999 when I returned, at last, to judge the living and the dead. Though still, and perhaps always, I had my doubts.”
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Auch Zwerge haben klein angefangen [Even Dwarfs Started Small] (Werner Herzog, 1970)
Dec
30
National Short Person Day
Some of the main cast members, with three women in focus. They're outdoors and several animals, including a kneeling dromedary, can be spotted in the background. DP: Thomas Mauch.
A short main character for National Short Person Day (USA).
“When we behave nobody cares. But when we are bad nobody forgets.”
– Hombré
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La noche de los Inocentes [Night of the Innocents] (Arturo Sotto Díaz, 2007)
Dec
28
The cast in the hospital. Lighting and stances appear theatre-like. DP: Ernesto Granado.
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Couro de Gato [Cat Skin] (Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, 1962)
Dec
27
Junkanoo
A man plays a small hand drum, the tamborim, with a cat skin head. DP: Mário Carneiro.
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Die Puppe [The Doll] (Ernst Lubitsch, 1919)
Dec
16
Stupid Toy Day
The doll (Ossi Oswalda) mischievously sticks out her tongue. DPs: Theodor Sparkuhl & Kurt Waschneck .
A ridiculous toy for Stupid Toy Day.
“She must have one complex mechanism!”
– Lancelot