“Swan Song,” a sweet story of a retired hairdresser’s journey to complete one final look for an old friend, will be featured at Opening Night of the Dietrich Theater Fall 2021 Film Festival.
                                 Submitted photo

“Swan Song,” a sweet story of a retired hairdresser’s journey to complete one final look for an old friend, will be featured at Opening Night of the Dietrich Theater Fall 2021 Film Festival.

Submitted photo

<p>The documentary “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bordain,” an in-depth look at the life of renowned food critic, chef and traveler Anthony Bourdain, will be featured at Opening Night of the Dietrich Theater Fall 2021 Film Festival.</p>
                                 <p>Submitted photo</p>

The documentary “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bordain,” an in-depth look at the life of renowned food critic, chef and traveler Anthony Bourdain, will be featured at Opening Night of the Dietrich Theater Fall 2021 Film Festival.

Submitted photo

For the 18th year in a row, the Dietrich Theater, located in historic downtown Tunkhannock, will be presenting its Fall Film Festival.

Considered Tunkhannock’s Tribeca, the festival, showcasing 21 of the most acclaimed foreign, independent and art films on the market today, will run from Friday, Oct. 8, through Thursday, Oct. 28.

Included in the slate of films selected for the Fall 2021 Festival are “Asia,” “Cat Video Fest 2021,” “Confetti,” “Enemies of the State,” “Exhibitions on Screen: Frida Kahlo,” “The Hidden Life of Trees,” “Joe Bell,” “The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52,” “The Lost Leonardo,” “The Macaluso Sisters,” “Nine Days,” “On Broadway,” “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,” “Stillwater,” “Summer of Soul,” “Swan Song,” “Tango Shalom,” “Together,” “Undine,” “White as Snow,” and “Who You Think I Am.”

According to Dietrich Theater General Manager and Film Booker Ronnie Harvey, “If you are into thought provoking and inspirational documentaries about the human condition, our Fall Film Festival is just for you. This festival is chock full of documentaries that expand the mind and teach us about nature, art, food, and music. ‘The Hidden Life of Trees,’ ‘The Lost Leonardo,’ ‘Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,’ ‘Summer of Soul’ and many more expand our horizons and unite us in their unique depictions of life and all of the wonderful things our world has to offer.”

The Dietrich’s Fall Film Festival will launch with an Opening Night Gala on Friday, Oct. 8, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. Gala goers will enjoy food from Epicurean Delight, The Fireplace Restaurant, Ma Greenley’s BBQ, and Tioga Bistro; two films; beer; wine; desserts and good fun.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door while they last. The featured films of the gala are “Swan Song” and “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bordain.”

“Swan Song” is a sweet story of a retired hairdresser’s journey to complete one final look for an old friend. Along the way he discovers his zest for life.

The documentary “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bordain” provides us with an in-depth look at the life of renowned food critic, chef and traveler Anthony Bourdain.

Reserved seating is available, and reservations can be made by calling 570-836-1022 x3. Reservations are highly encouraged for Opening Night.

Another feature of this year’s festival is a Post-Festival Film Discussion on Friday, Oct. 29, at 1 p.m., at the Dietrich Theater. During this discussion, attendees will be able to discuss the meaning and significance of some of the festival movies with others who have seen them. The admission to the discussion is free. It will be facilitated by Ronnie Harvey, film buff extraordinaire.

Tickets to film festival movies excluding Opening Night are $8.50 each. Festival information can be found at www.DietrichTheater.com. The following are film festival movie summaries and show times:

Asia

Show times: Oct. 11 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 14 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 18 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 22 at 2:15 p.m.

Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m.

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 85 minutes

Language: in Hebrew & Russian with English subtitles

Directed by: Ruthy Pribar

Starring: Alena Yiv, Shira Haas, Tamir Mula

Winner of Best Actress and Best Cinematography at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, Asia is a touching and intelligent portrait of a family at odds. Asia’s motherhood has always been an ongoing struggle rather than an obvious instinct. Becoming a mother at a very early age has shaped her relationship with her teenage daughter. Despite living together, they barely interact with one another and spend most of their time apart. Their routine is shaken when one of their health deteriorates rapidly. What follows is an opportunity to find and nurture that great love between them that has been so deeply hidden under the surface.

Cat Video Fest 2021

Show times: Oct. 17 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 23 at 5:00 p.m.

Oct. 24 at 12:00 p.m

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 72 minutes

Language: in English

Cat Video Fest is a compilation reel of the latest and best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and classic internet powerhouses. Cat Video Fest is a joyous communal experience, only available in theaters, that raises money for cats in need through partnerships with local cat charities, animal welfare organizations, and shelters to best serve cats in the area.

Confetti

Show times: Oct. 11 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 14 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 at 12:00 p.m.

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 85 minutes

Language: in English & Chinese with English subtitles

Directed by: Ann Hu

Starring: Zhu Zhu, Amy Irving, Yanan Li

How far would a mother go to reverse her child’s fate? Based on writer/director Ann Hu’s life story, Confetti follows a mother and daughter who travel from their small town in China to New York City. Inflicted with a learning disability, she is considered a strange girl, an outcast in her school and community. What no one recognizes, however, is that she possesses a gift waiting to be unlocked. The world seen through her eyes is unique and filled with magic. Their pursuit of the impossible is a rollercoaster, impacted by the numerous people who come into their lives and affect their journey along

the way. What they discover, is that in a world where people are judged and often not seen, their courage to believe in themselves against all odds will eventually lead them to people who do see them for who they truly are.

Enemies of the State

Show times: Oct. 11 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 15 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 16 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 26 at 12:00 p.m.

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 103 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Sonia Kennebeck

Enemies of the State follows Matt DeHart who is targeted by the U.S. government for having confidential documents alleging misconduct by the CIA leading to an average American family becoming entangled in a bizarre web of espionage and corporate secrets. What follows is a fascinating and timely look at the erosion of trust and truth and the power struggle between who should have this information.

Exhibitions on Screen: Frida Kahlo

Show times: Oct. 9 at 2:15 p.m.

Oct. 12 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 23 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 90 minutes

Language: in Spanish & English with subtitles

Directed by: Ali Ray

Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo takes us on a journey through the life of a true icon of the art world. Using letters Kahlo wrote to guide us, this definitive film reveals her deepest emotions and unlocks the secrets and symbolism contained within her art. Making use of the latest technology to deliver previously unimaginable quality, we take an in-depth look at key works throughout her career. This personal and intimate film offers privileged access to her works, and highlights the source of her feverish creativity, her resilience, and her unmatched lust for life, politics, men and women.

The Hidden Life of Trees

Show times: Oct. 11 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 15 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 18 at 5:00 p.m.

Oct. 21 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 23 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 26 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated; PG

Runtime: 101 minutes

Language: in German, Korean & English with English subtitles

Directed by: Jörg Adolph, Jan Haft

Based on the renowned research of forester and author Peter Wohlleben, The Hidden Life of Trees explores the vivid world of trees that surrounds us on a daily basis. This documentary discusses the life, death and regeneration of trees and their ability to communicate with each other. Together with

scientists and committed private citizens, The Hidden Life of Trees shows what we do to our nature with our devastating forestry system and what we can and need to do, to stop the worldwide forest decline.

Joe Bell

Show times: Oct. 9 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 17 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 22 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 27 at 4:30 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 94 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Reinaldo Marcus Green

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Reid Miller, Connie Britton

From the Academy Award-winning writing team behind Brokeback Mountain and Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg, Joe Bell tells the intimate and emotional true story of an Oregonian father who pays tribute to his gay teenage son, embarking on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.

The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52

Show times: Oct. 11 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 14 at 5:00 p.m.

Oct. 19 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 26 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: PG

Runtime: 96 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Joshua Zeman

The Loneliest Whale: The Search for 52 is a cinematic quest to find the “52 Hertz Whale,” which scientists believe has spent its entire life in solitude calling out at a frequency that is different from any other whale. As the film embarks on this engrossing journey, audiences will explore what this whale’s lonely plight can teach us — not just about our changing relationship to the oceans, but to each other.

The Lost Leonardo

Show times: Oct. 10 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 14 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 18 at 7:15 p.m.

Oct. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 28 at 2:15 p.m

Rated: PG

Runtime: 96 minutes

Language: in English & French with English subtitles

Directed by: Andreas Koefoed

The Lost Leonardo tells the inside story behind the Salvator Mundi, the most expensive painting ever sold at $450 million, claimed to be a long-lost masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci. From the moment it is

purchased from a New Orleans auction house, and its buyers discover masterful brushstrokes beneath its cheap restoration, the fate of the Mundi is driven by a quest for fame, money and power. But as its price soars, so do questions about its authenticity. Is this multi-million dollar painting actually by Leonardo, or do certain power players simply want it to be?

The Macaluso Sisters

Show times: Oct. 12 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 16 at 5:00 p.m.

Oct. 20 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 24 at 7:00 p.m.

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 89 minutes

Language: in Italian with English subtitles

Directed by: Emma Dante

Starring: Alissa Maria Orlando, Susanna Piraino, Anita Pomario

Winner of Best Film at the 2020 Venice Film Festival, The Macaluso Sisters is the heartfelt and emotional story of five sisters who all live together in an apartment in Palermo. When one of the sisters tragically dies, the remaining sisters must grapple with the loss and figure out how to move forward with each other in unprecedented circumstances. What follows is a story of the bonds of sisterhood and the strength of a family unit during times of tragedy.

Nine Days

Show times: Oct. 11 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 15 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 22 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 124 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Edson Oda

Starring: Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong

Winner of the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival, Nine Days is an ethereal and evocative film about the meaning of life. A man spends his days in a remote outpost watching TV of people going about their lives, until one subject perishes, leaving a vacancy for a new life on earth. Soon, several candidates arrive to undergo tests determining their fitness. He soon faces his own challenges in the form of a candidate who is not like the others. What follows is a heartfelt and meditative vision of human souls in limbo, aching to be born against unimaginable odds, yet hindered by forces beyond their will.

On Broadway

Show times: Oct. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 15 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 19 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 82 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Oren Jacoby

As audiences prepare for the return of theater after an unprecedented absence, an all-star cast tells the inside story of the last time Broadway came back from the brink. On Broadway shows how this revival helped save New York City. Interviews with legends of the stage and screen, including Hugh Jackman, Helen Mirren, Sir Ian McKellen and more take us behind the scenes of Broadway’s most groundbreaking and beloved shows, from A Chorus Line to Hamilton. This documentary shows how Broadway led the way in the city’s great rebirth and provides a model of how it can come back again. For anyone who loves theater, this contemporary history of Broadway is a pure joy!

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain

Show times: Oct. 8 – Opening Night

Oct. 9 at 4:15 p.m.

Oct. 13 at 2:15 p.m.

Oct. 15 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 20 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 25 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 at 2:30 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 119 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Morgan Neville

It’s not where you go. It’s what you leave behind. Chef, writer, adventurer, provocateur: Anthony Bourdain lived his life unabashedly. Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain is an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at how an anonymous chef became a world-renowned cultural icon. This unflinching look at Bourdain reverberates with his presence, in his own voice and in the way he indelibly impacted the world around him.

Stillwater

Show times: Oct. 10 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 14 at 2:15 p.m.

Oct. 15 at 9:15 p.m.

Oct. 19 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 22 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 26 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 28 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 139 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Tom McCarthy

Starring: Matt Damon, Camille Cottin, Abigail Breslin

Starring Academy Award winner Matt Damon and Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin, Stillwater is the story of an unemployed father who travels to Marseille to see his estranged daughter. Imprisoned for a murder she claims she did not commit, she seizes on a tip that could exonerate her and presses her father to engage her legal team. Eager to prove his worth and regain his daughters trust, he takes matters into his own hands. He is quickly stymied by language barriers, cultural differences, and a

complicated legal system until he meets a French actress. Together, these unlikely allies embark on a journey of discovery, truth, love and liberation.

Summer of Soul

Show times: Oct. 9 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 14 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 18 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 22 at 9:30 p.m.

Oct. 26 at 7:15 p.m.

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 118 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Questlove

In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful documentary created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture and fashion. In the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park. The footage was never seen and largely forgotten—until now. Summer of Soul shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past and present. The feature includes never-before-seen concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and many more.

Swan Song

Show times: Oct. 8 – Opening Night

Oct. 13 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 16 at 9:15 p.m.

Oct. 19 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 24 at 2:15 p.m.

Oct. 28 at 12:00 p.m

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 105 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Todd Stephens

Starring: Udo Kier, Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans

Legendary actor Udo Kier stars in Swan Song, a film about a retired hairdresser, who escapes the confines of his small-town Sandusky, Ohio nursing home after learning of his former client’s dying wish is for him to style her final hairdo. Soon, he embarks on an odyssey to confront the ghosts of his past — and collect the beauty supplies necessary for the job. Swan Song is a comical and bittersweet journey about rediscovering one’s sparkle, and looking gorgeous while doing so.

Tango Shalom

Show times: Oct. 10 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 16 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 20 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 25 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m.

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 115 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Gabriel Bologna

Starring: Lainie Kazan, Renée Taylor, Joseph Bologna

From the people behind My Big Fat Greek Wedding and starring Lainie Kazan and Renee Taylor, Tango Shalom follows a Rabbi and amateur dancer who enter a big televised Tango competition to save his Hebrew school from bankruptcy. There is only one problem: due to his orthodox religious beliefs, he is not allowed to touch a woman. At odds with his wife, kids, and community, he asks a Catholic priest, a Muslim imam, and a Sikh holy man for advice. Together, they hash out a plan to help him dance in the Tango contest without sacrificing his sacred beliefs. Heart-pumping and heartwarming, Tango Shalom tests the bonds of family and community, and the bounds of tolerance and faith.

Together

Show times: Oct. 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 17 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 23 at 9:15 p.m.

Oct. 27 at 12:00 p.m.

Rated: R

Runtime: 91 minutes

Language: in English

Directed by: Stephen Daldry, Justin Martin

Starring: James McAvoy, Sharon Horgan, Samuel Logan

Academy Award nominee Stephen Daldry’s new comedy, Together, starring James McAvoy and Sharon Horgan, is the story of a family, like so many, who found a way to survive — together. This hilarious and heartbreaking story intimately shows two partners forced to re-evaluate themselves and their relationship through the reality of lockdown.

Undine

Show times: Oct. 10 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 19 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 24 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m.

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 91 minutes

Language: in German, English & Spanish with English subtitles

Directed by: Christian Petzold

Starring: Paula Beer, Franz Rogowski, Maryam Zaree

From the acclaimed director behind Phoenix and Transit, Undine boldly reimagines the ancient myth in this suspenseful tale of romance and betrayal in modern day Berlin. The film follows Undine who works as a historian lecturing on Berlin’s urban development. When the man she loves leaves her, the myth catches up with her. Undine has to kill the man who betrays her and return to the water. Will Undine defy fate when she meets a diver offering her a chance at new love or will she carry out her plan and face the consequences bestowed upon her?

White as Snow

Show times: Oct. 12 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 16 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 18 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 21 at 4:30 p.m.

Oct. 23 at 2:30 p.m.

Oct. 25 at 7:00 p.m.

Rated: not rated

Runtime: 112 minutes

Language: in French with English subtitles

Directed by: Anne Fontaine

Starring: Lou de Laâge, Isabelle Huppert, Charles Berling

Starring legendary screen star Isabelle Hupert, White as Snow is a modern interpretation of Snow White that follows a young woman of great beauty, who arouses the uncontrollable jealousy of her stepmother, who goes so far as to plan her murder. Rescued at the last moment by a mysterious man who takes her in on his farm, she decides to remain in the village, a decision that will awaken the emotions of its inhabitants. Soon seven men will fall under her spell. For her, it is the beginning of a radical emancipation that is both carnal and emotional.

Who You Think I Am

Showtimes: Oct. 9 at 9:30 p.m.

Oct. 13 at 5:00 p.m.

Oct. 17 at 12:00 p.m.

Oct. 21 at 2:15 p.m.

Oct. 28 at 7:00 p.m.

Rating: not rated

Runtime: 101 min.

Language: in French with English subtitles

Directed by: Safy Nebbou Starring: Juliette Binoche, Nicole Garcia, François Civil

Starring screen legend Juliette Binoche, Who You Think I Am follows a middle-aged professor and single mom who after being dumped by her young lover creates a fake Facebook profile to do a little undetected online snooping. When her “new identity” is friended by her ex’s equally attractive roommate, superficial correspondence quickly escalates towards intense intimacy and uncontrollable obsession. Adapted from Camille Laurens’ best-selling novel Who You Think I Am blends genres, bends reality and forces the viewer to take a look at who we really are online.