French drama first up at library film festival

The 25th annual Summer International Film Festival at the East Brunswick Public Library, Jean Walling Civic Center, will begin on July 10 with 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. screenings of the French sociopolitical drama "Heading South." The 2005 movie, which is unrated, has a running time of 108 minutes.

The film stars Charlotte Rampling as one of several affluent, middle-aged women who flock to Haiti during the last days of "Baby Doc" Duvalier's regime. The women, who are there to buy the intimate companionship of readily available young native men, find their idyllic paradise interrupted by a rapidly changing society outside their resort gates.

All films in the library festival will be shown in their original languages, with English subtitles as needed. Admission is free of charge. Reservations are not required.

The remaining schedule is as follows:

+ July 17 - "Tsotsi," Zulu-Afrikaans-English, 2005, 94 minutes, rated R;

+ July 24 - "Fear and Trembling," Japanese and French, 2003, 102 minutes, not rated;

+ July 31 - "I'm Not Scared," Italian, 2003, 108 minutes, rated R;

+ Aug. 7 - "Noi," Icelandic, 2003, 93 minutes, rated PG-13;

+ Aug. 14 - "Volver," Spanish, 2006, 121 minutes, rated R.

The festival is sponsored by the Friends of the East Brunswick Public Library. Information services librarian Martha Hess will introduce each film.

For more information, call (732) 390-6767.