Norte, The End of History

Nov 14 - Nov 20, 2014

(Lav Diaz, the Philippines, 2013, 250 min)

Acclaimed Filipino auteur Lav Diaz, who won best film for his latest at the 2014 Locarno Film Festival, has created a masterful rumination on the traumatic and transformative effects of global capitalism in his homeland. 

The saga follows Fabian, a student riled by the socioeconomic debris of the developing world left in the wake of advanced capitalism—what historian Francis Fukuyama referred to as “the end of history.” 

With a narrative tone evocative of Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Fabian’s revolutionary actions land Joaquin, an unwitting would-be shopkeeper, in jail. The two men’s life paths diverge but remain entangled through their souls’ journeys. Immaculate and densely detailed cinematography underscores powerful questions of morality and social critique.

"With a Dash of Dostoevsky and a Fistful of Fukuyama, the Arty, Four-Hour-Long Filipino Epic Norte, the End of History Actually Makes You Wish It Were Longer. . .has no bullshit arty moments. . .it's a monumental achievement: a four-hour film you wish could be longer." —The Stranger

"Magnificent and grim. . .akin to the humanist work of the great Japanese master, Kenji Mizoguchi. . .rather than testing our patience, Diaz invites our attention." —The Restless Critic

"a film to be savored—a slow, delicious, emotional, thought provoking masterpiece. . .film about the normalcy of morality in an abnormal time" —The International Examiner

This screening is part of Seattle’s Carlos Bulosan Centennial Celebration.

Carlos Bulosan is the United States’ most famous Filipino American author, poet, laborer and organizer, a longtime Seattle voice and influence on today’s civil rights, youth, immigration, labor and cross-cultural movements. To cement Bulosan’s place in Seattle history, and to share his struggle with a wider audience, the Carlos Bulosan Centennial Committee presents a series of public events, artistic showcases, an historic collection unveiling, academic gatherings and film screenings this fall to celebrate his life and works.

Partners include: Carlos Bulosan Memorial Exhibit, University of Washington, Wing Luke Museum, Inland Boatman’s Union Local 37, SEIU 775, Filipino Community of Seattle, LELO, Pinoy Words Expressed Kultura Arts, Northwest Film Forum, and Asian Pacific America Labor Alliance.

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