Mysterious Power Ezra Furman

[Jeff]

EzraFurman & the Harpoons charge the national music scene with a mysterious power as they tour with their latest album. The group released their third album Mysterious Power April 5. The album juxtaposes the past and present. Through his songs, lead vocalist and lyricist Ezra Furman blends the experiences of young, emotional people navigating the 21st century with musical inspiration from the bygone days of yesteryear.

Mysterious Power differs notably from previous releases. The Harpoons spent more time developing each track musically, attempting to create landscapes of sound by using different amps, guitars and effects. The lyrics also forward a crystallized nugget of emotion in each song.

Ezra Furman & the Harpoons' song 'Mysterious Power' delves into the profound and often inexplicable forces that shape our inner lives. The lyrics paint a picture of a young boy, alone in his room, feeling a deep connection to something greater than himself. This connection is symbolized by the moon, a timeless metaphor for mystery and the unknown. The boy's sense of something 'rising to another dimension' suggests a spiritual or transcendent experience, one that transcends the mundane aspects of everyday life. This feeling is not confined to his room; it follows him in cars, through music, and even while watching TV, indicating that this 'mysterious power' is a constant, pervasive presence in his life.

'Mysterious Power' is a poignant exploration of the ineffable forces that influence our lives. It captures the essence of youthful wonder and existential angst, wrapped in a sense of spiritual longing. The song's emotional depth is amplified by Furman's evocative lyrics and the haunting melody, making it a compelling piece that resonates on multiple levels. Whether it's the feeling of being 'nothing but a boy in my room' or the overwhelming sense of a 'mysterious power,' the song speaks to the universal human experience of searching for meaning and connection in an often bewildering world.

New to AFI FEST is the inaugural AFI Conservatory Showcase. This collection of 21 short fiction films from the AFI Conservatory features an array of voices and styles and the five 2019 Student Academy Award finalists, including all three winners in the Narrative (Domestic) category.

THE BODY REMEMBERS WHEN THE WORLD BROKE OPEN

Young, pregnant and barefoot in the street, Rosie is being accosted by her boyfriend when Aila comes to her aid. The two women immediately bond and the resulting unique afternoon is a cinematic wonder echoing the classic works of feminist cinema. DIR Elle-Mij Tailfeathers, Kathleen Hepburn. SCR Kathleen Hepburn, Elle-Mij Tailfeathers. CAST Elle-Mij Tailfeathers, Violet Nelson, Barbara Eve Harris, Charlie Hannah, Jay Cardinal Villenueve. Canada, Norway

FAMILY MEMBERS (LOS MIEMBROS DE LA FAMILIA)

After the death of their mother, siblings Gilda and Lucas reluctantly return to their quiet coastal hometown to scatter her remains in the ocean but are unable to make the quick retreat they had hoped for. With this sudden and unexpected reunion, they find boredom is more readily surmountable than grief and difficult conversations remain just out of reach. DIR Mateo Bendesky. SCR Mateo Bendesky. CAST Tomas Wicz, Laila Maltz, Alejandro Russek. Argentina

HALA

Writer/director Minhal Baig breathes new life into the classic American high school coming of age story. In the masterfully crafted story of Hala, a first-generation Pakistani-American teenager, brilliantly played by Geraldine Viswanathan (BLOCKERS), Hala navigates the treacherous terrain between religiously conservative parents and her own burgeoning sexuality and independence. DIR Minhal Baig. SCR Minhal Baig. CAST Geraldine Viswanathan, Jack Kilmer, Gabriel Luna, Purbi Joshi, Azad Khan, Anna Chlumsky. USA

IVANA THE TERRIBLE

Enlisting former lovers, family members and friends to portray semi-fictionalized versions of themselves, Ivana returns home to recover from a mysterious illness, but becomes the source of gossip when seen with a younger man. At once charming and combative, Ivana Mladenović is a pleasure to watch as she hurls insults at loved ones. DIR Ivana Mladenović. SCR Ivana Mladenović, Adrian Schiop. CAST Ivana Mladenović, Luka Gramić, Gordana Mladenović, Miodrag Mladenović, Kosta Mladenović, Zivka Sorejevic, Andrei Dinescu, Anca Pop. Romania, Serbia

THE LAST TO SEE THEM (GLI ULTIMI A VEDERLI VIVERE)

Dripping with menace and fraught with tension, this formalist film is a lovely and incredibly sad testimony to real people in the last moments of their lives. Being witness to the everyday and mundane, you get an honest sense of who they are, how they feel, just from sparse dialogue and simple unadorned actions. DIR Sara Summa. SCR Sara Summa. CAST Barbara Verrastro, Pasquale Lioi, Canio Lancellotti, Donatella Viola. Germany

MATERNAL

Teenage mothers, Lu and Fati, live in a Catholic-based shelter in Buenos Aires with their children. One day, novice Sister Paola, conflicted by her own unresolved desires, arrives before taking her final vows and soon the complexities and resilience of motherhood will be tested by each woman in this understated drama. DIR Maura Delpero. SCR Maura Delpero. CAST Lidiya Liberman, Denise Carrizo, Agustina Malale, Isabella Cilia, Alan Rivas, Livia Fernn, Marta Lubos, Renata Palminiello. Italy

PATRICK (DE PATRICK)

Patrick has lost his hammer (and also his father.) Now left at the helm of the family business, a naturalist camp, his stress is quickly multiplying. Obsessed, Patrick discovers that everyone is a suspect, while searching for his beloved tool. Below the absurd surface lies a humorous and touching story about loss and grief. DIR Tim Mielants. SCR Tim Mielants, Benjamin Sprengers. CAST Kevin Janssens, Pierre Bokma, Katelijne Damen, Hannah Hoekstra, Jemaine Clement. Germany

THE PLANTERS

Written, directed, produced and starring Alexandra Kotcheff and Hannah Leder, THE PLANTERS is a dark comedy about a reclusive telemarketer who befriends a homeless woman with multiple personalities. DIR Alexandra Kotcheff, Hannah Leder. SCR Alexandra Kotcheff, Hannah Leder. CAST Alexandra Kotcheff, Hannah Leder, Phil Parolisi, Pepe Serna. USA

JALLIKATTU

In the tropical Indian state of Kerala, a buffalo escapes. Soon, all hell breaks loose as an entire village tries to wrestle it under control. A teeming world of base human behavior is also unleashed in this unique, adrenaline-fueled, brilliantly assembled and highly experiential spectacle that pulsates with energy from start-to-finish. DIR Lijo Jose Pellissery. SCR S Hareeesh, R Jayakumar. CAST Anthony Varghese, Chemban Vinod Jose, Sabumon Abdusamad, Santhy Balachandran. India

ROMANTIC COMEDY

Take a trip through your favorite Romantic Comedies with artist and writer Elizabeth Sankey as she examines the common tropes of the genre and how they have shaped not only cultural conversations but the actual psychological makeup of the filmmaker herself. An outstanding intellectual and revealing debut, this film will be your next crush. DIR Elizabeth Sankey. SCR Elizabeth Sankey. FEATURING Jessica Barden, Cameron Cook, Anne T. Donahue, Simran Hans, Brodie Lancaster, Charlie Lyne, Eleanor McDowall, Laura Snapes. UK.

TALKING ABOUT TREES

A crash course in the history of Sudanese cinema and a delightful ode to lifelong friendships, TALKING ABOUT TREES features the irrepressible foursome of Ibrahim, Suliman, Manar and Eltayeb, filmmakers and members of the Sudanese Film Group. Winner, Documentary Jury Award and Panorama Documentary Audience Award, 2019 Berlin Film Festival. DIR Suhaib Gasmelbari. SCR Suhaib Gasmelbari. FEATURING Suleiman Ibrahim, Ibrahim Shaddad. France, Sudan, Chad, Germany, Qatar

VARDA BY AGNS

Concluding a series of insightful personal documentaries by French New Wave pioneer Agns Varda, this personally guided cinematic tour incorporates film, installations and photography, offering original concepts and anecdotes that will enrich their impact to those familiar and provide a welcome introduction to the uninitiated. DIR Agns Varda. SCR Agns Varda. France

16 DECEMBER

Luca, twenty-five years old, leaves handball training and sets off to pick up her brother under the lights of a city she thinks she knows. DIR lvaro Gago. SCR lvaro Gago. CAST Cris Iglesias, Javier Valcarce, Fran Prez, Diego Abal, Ruth Boente, Martn Dupl. Spain

ALIEN (REONGHEE)

When a company covers up the death of Reonghee, her fellow undocumented worker searches for her body in hopes of giving her the funeral she deserves. DIR Jegwang Yeon. SCR Jegwang Yeon, Park Woosang. South Korea

ANNA

Living in war-torn Eastern Ukraine, Anna is an aging single mother who is desperate for a change. Lured by a radio advertisement, she goes to party with a group of American men who are touring the country, searching for love. DIR Dekel Berenson. SCR Dekel Berenson. Ukraine

BLACK BUS STOP

Students reclaim a popular gathering spot on the campus of the University of Virginia. Under the glare of the moonlight, black fraternity and sorority members repossess hallowed grounds as they sway to the rhythms and memories of the past. DIR Kevin Jerome Everson, Claudrena N. Harold. FEATURING Jordan Maia, Tiara Sparrow, Kevin Adams, Zakia Alomari, Alexis Artis, Briana Bradham, Cordell Burgess, Kris Coachman, Raelo Edmund, Komi Galli, Nana Bilkisu Habib, Natasha Hallaran, Taji Harris, Nicole Jefferson, Maya Johnson, Kendall Jordan, Taylor Lamb, Jordan Maia, Morgan Miller, Tiffany Moore, Chelsea Ofori, Xhosa Scott, Erik Patton-Scott, Markiana Smith, Paige Taul, Victoria Tucker, Melvin Walker, Micah Watson, Allen Williams, Hidayah Williams, Jessica Williams, Jasmine Zollar. USA

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