Centre Film Festival
Hourly Schedule
The State Theatre - Monday, October 31st
- 6:00PM - 6:14PM
- Nalujuk Night
- Featured Short Film
- 6:15PM - 8:12PM
- Holy Spider
- Featured Fiction Film
Holy Spider
Arash Azizi in attendance, with a panel of local women from Iran, Afghanistan, and Nigeria hosted in conjunction with the Center for Global Studies
About The Film
Female journalist Rahimi (Zar Amir Ebrahimi) travels to the Iranian holy city of Mashhad to investigate a serial killer who believes he is doing the work of God, cleansing the streets of sinners by murdering sex workers. As the body count mounts, and Rahimi draws closer to exposing his crimes, the opportunity for justice grows harder to attain as the ‘Spider Killer’ is embraced by many as a hero. Based on the horrific true story of serial killer Saeed Hanaei, acclaimed writer-director Ali Abbasi (Border) unveils a gripping crime thriller, and a daring indictment of a society in which rough justice is routinely a fact of life. A journalist descends into the dark underbelly of the Iranian holy city of Mashhad as she investigates the serial killings of sex workers by the so called “Spider Killer”, who believes he is cleansing the streets of sinners.
About The Director
Ali Abbasi
ALI ABBASI (Director) is a writer and director. He was born 1981 in Iran and left his studies in Tehran to move to Stockholm, where he graduated with a BA in architecture. He then studied directing at the National Film School of Denmark, graduating with his short film M FOR MARKUS in 2011. His feature debut, SHELLEY premiered at the Berlinale in 2016 and was released in the US. He is best known for his 2018 film BORDER, which premiered in Cannes, where it won the Prix Un Certain Regard. The film was chosen as Sweden’s Academy Award® Entry, was widely released internationally, won the Danish Film Award and was nominated for three European Film Awards including Best Director, Best Screenwriter & Best Film. He is currently shooting the TV adaptation of “The Last of Us” for HBO in Canada.
Nalajuk Night
About The Film
Nalujuk Night is an up close look at an exhilarating, and sometimes terrifying, Labrador Inuit tradition. Every January 6th from the dark of the Nunatsiavut night, the Nalujuit appear on the sea ice. They walk on two legs, yet their faces are animalistic, skeletal, and otherworldly. Snow crunches underfoot as they approach their destination: the Inuit community of Nain.
Despite the frights, Nalujuk Night is a beloved annual event, showing that sometimes it can be fun to be scared. Rarely witnessed outside of Nunatsiavut, this annual event is an exciting chance for Inuit, young and old, to prove their courage and come together as a community to celebrate culture and tradition.
Inuk filmmaker Jennie Williams brings audiences directly into the action in this bone-chilling black and white short documentary about a winter night like no other.
About The Director
Jennie Williams is an Inuk visual artist and throat singer from Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. As a professional photographer, she creates powerful images that convey the cultural landscape and lived experience of Inuit. Her stirring photography has received national acclaim, was included in the travelling exhibition SakKijâjuk, and is curated as part of the Future Possible series at The Rooms Provincial Gallery and the Bonavista Biennale (2021). Jennie’s captivating photos have also been featured in established magazines such as Inuit Art Quarterly and Canadian Art. Her work has been recognized through honours such as the Elbow Room Residency and the Hnatyshyn Foundation’s REVEAL Indigenous Art Award (2017). Her longest-running project is a 12-year photographic series on the Labrador tradition entitled Nalujuk Night.
From Oct. 31 – Nov. 6, 2022, The Centre Film Festival will return for a weekend of the finest offerings in contemporary cinema at the State Theatre in State College and the Rowland Theatre in Philipsburg. In addition to internationally recognized films, we will highlight the work of Pennsylvania filmmakers and Penn State alumni.
Save the date and get an early bird discount on your All Access passes which includes all films, events, and discussions throughout the entire festival as well as special perks from local businesses. Early bird pricing will be available until October 7th!
Check centrefilm.org for more information.