“It’s difficult to imagine a more affecting account of the Nazi extermination of the Jews than this mother’s missive to her son. Ace documenter Wiseman’s first foray into fiction gets at the truth through thoughtful staging, superb black-and-white lensing and an overriding intelligence in the service of emotion. The cumulative effect is quietly, decisively magnificent.” - Lisa Nesselson, Variety
Monday, February 3, 6:15 p.m. | THE LAST LETTER (LA DERNIÈRE LETTRE) is based on a chapter of Vasily Grossman’s novel Life and Fate. It is 1941. A Ukrainian ghetto has fallen to the Nazis and all of its Jewish residents are slated to be murdered. In the midst of the impending horror, the town’s physician, a woman named Anna Semionova, dictates one final letter to her son, who is safe outside of enemy lines. The letter, with its detailed observations of daily life in a ghetto, reveals the fear, courage, frailty, compassion and dignity of this woman as she reviews her life and faces her death. (Zipporah Films)
The Worlds of Wiseman: Don’t let anyone ever tell you a Frederick Wiseman film is simple. Despite their matter-of-fact titles and just-the-facts descriptions, Wiseman’s documentaries are complicated, messy, demanding, rich, and always rewarding. 33 of his films, using original 16mm negatives and sound elements, with materials personally reviewed and approved by Wiseman, have been recently restored in 4K. The Film Center is proud to be the exclusive home for the Chicago premiere of the complete restored collection. Restorations made possible by Zipporah Films, the Library of Congress, Harvard Film Archive, DuArt Labs, and Goldcrest Post Production. Read more
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu