March 2017

Kosovo in the 1990s, before the Serbian attack and the war that followed: Ten-year-old Nori and his father Gezim make a living by illegally selling smuggled cigarettes. Gezim is determined to go to Germany, even if this means leaving his son behind with relatives. For a long time, Nori tries to stay with his father, but it’s all in vain. In the end, the boy embarks on a long and dangerous journey to find Gezim in Germany. They had both imagined their reunion rather differently.

With this screening, Villa Aurora continues its collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles. Under the label “Villa @ Goethe,” artists residing at the Villa Aurora have the opportunity to showcase their projects (past, present, and future) with the friends, patrons and guests at the Goethe-Institut.

CHERISH • CONSERVE • CONSIDER • CREATE

A LOU HARRISON CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

Beginning with Santa Cruz’s new American Gamelan the Lightbulb Ensemble to the 24-hour birthday bash at Harrison House in Joshua Tree, almost every one of this season’s one dozen concerts has music by Harrison, with many devoted entirely to his vision. The LA Phil presents Yuval Sharon’s re-imagining of Lou’s opera Young Caesar in an extraordinary melding of the first all gamelan version & the final orchestral re-write, while UCLA celebrates Harrison’s time as a 1940’s student of Schoenberg with an early piano work under his tutelage. Villa Aurora presents plucked music for harpsichord, shamisen, guitar, harp & mbiras, the Varied Trio (named after Lou’s delightful work for piano, violin & percussion) holds forth at Monk Space, and much, much more. Come celebrate the “notes between the notes,” and a double anniversary!

Program

Plucking Lou Harrison

Celebrate Lou Harrison’s Centennial with a bouquet of plucked delights by Grammy-winning musicians Gloria Cheng/harpsicord, John Schneider/guitars and TJ Troy/ percussion.

Writer-Director: Carolina Hellsgård, Germany, 2015, 87 min., German with English subtitles, digital

After a long period in prison, 40-year-old Wanja (Anne Ratte-Polle) is determined to avoid anything that might lead her back into addiction and the same lowlife circles as before. She takes innocuous jobs, first in a pet shop because she likes caring for animals, and then at an equestrian stable. She moves into social housing and meets regularly with her parole officer. During her work at the track she meets Emma (Nele Trebs), a somewhat rebellious 16-year-old.

Wanja soon starts feeling affection for the troubled girl who reminds her of herself before she went into prison – right down to the same excessive drinking, the drug-taking and the cool friends. At first the two keep out of each other's way, but little by little Wanja grows closer to Emma and a cautious friendship develops. When Emma lands in trouble, Wanja decides to take control and save her.

Source: www.berlinale.de

With this screening, Villa Aurora continues its collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles. Under the label “Villa @ Goethe,” artists residing at the Villa Aurora have the opportunity to showcase their projects (past, present, and future) with the friends, patrons and guests at the Goethe-Institut.

Niklas Goldbach will present and discuss the following video works

• HABITAT C3B 8:10 min., Full HD, Stereo, 2008  
• THE WORLD 7:15 min., HD Video, Stereo, 2012/2016 
• LAND OF THE SUN 11:35 min., HD Video, Stereo, 2015  
• FORM AND CONTROL: Boulevard De L’Europe 6:04 min., HD Video, stereo, 2016
• FORM AND CONTROL: Live at Revel 8:01 min., HD video, stereo, 2016
• FORM AND CONTROL: The Foundry 7:02 min., HD video, stereo, 2017

With this event, Villa Aurora continues its collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles. Under the label “Villa @ Goethe,” artists residing at the Villa Aurora have the opportunity to showcase their projects (past, present, and future) with the friends, patrons and guests at the Goethe-Institut.