Cinematheque . Film Schedule . The Guitar Mongoloid*
The Films of Ruben Östlund
Gitarrmongot
Sweden
| 2004 | Ruben Östlund
Ruben Östlund’s first feature is a deadpan pseudo-documentary that utilizes a fixed camera to record/re-create random aberrant human activities that he witnessed over a period of years in his hometown of Gothenburg. Among them: a young miscreant twists rooftop TV antennas to spoil people’s reception; punks destroy random bicycles; a young man with Down's syndrome shouts songs as he plays the guitar in the town square. The result is a group portrait of outsiders and misfits—one that evokes the work of Michael Haneke, Harmony Korine, Ulrich Seidel, and others. “One of the quirkiest Swedish films of recent memory…Has all the makings of a cult classic.” –Variety.
*The term “mongoloid,” referring to people with Down syndrome, was dropped by the World Health Organization in 1965 because it was and still is considered to be offensive to those of Mongol ethnicity. Dr. John Langdon Down, who discovered Down’s syndrome in the 1860s, used “mongolism” and “mongoloid” to describe the syndrome as he stated that there were similar physical characteristics of people with Down’s syndrome to people from Mongolia and Mongoloid race (those of Asian ethnicity). This phrase was used until the 1960s, when scientists petitioned to use “Down’s syndrome” instead of “Mongolism” or “Mongoloid.”
http://comebackcompany.com/rubenostlund
Cleveland premiere. Subtitles. 35mm. 89 min. Preceded by Östlund’s 9-min. Autobiographical Scene Number 6882 (Scen nr: 6882 ur mitt liv, Sweden, 2005), a tale of peer pressure and a stupid boast. Special admission $10; members, CIA I.D. holders, and those age 25 & under $8; no passes, twofers, or radio winners.
Buy advance tickets to Cinematheque films here.
Cinematheque
at the Cleveland Institute of Art
11610 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, OH 44106
216.421.7450
[contact]
Become a Cinematheque member and save off regular admission prices for one full year!
General Admission: $12
Member: $9 (includes CIA and CSU I.D. holders)
Age 25 & under: $9 (proof of age required)
Additional film on the same day: $9 (or the member price for that film)
Note: Certain films cost more. Exceptions are noted.
No refunds unless screening is canceled.