The Strand Theatre continues to present new release films to stream from their website. Five films will be available throughout the month of May.

Showing May 1 - 31:

High Ground

Short Synopsis:

In this Australian Western, a young Aboriginal man teams up with an ex-soldier to track down the most dangerous warrior in the Territory, his uncle.

Long Synopsis:

An Australian Western! An Aboriginal man, Gutjuk, teams up with ex-sniper Travis to track down the most dangerous warrior in the Territory, who is also his uncle. As Travis and Gutjuk journey through the outback they begin to earn each other’s trust, but when the truths of Travis’ past actions are suddenly revealed, it is he who becomes the hunted.

About Endlessness

Short Synopsis:

This new film by master Swedish director Roy Andersson is a reflection on human life in all its beauty and cruelty, its splendor and banality.

Long Synopsis:

A reflection on human life in all its beauty and cruelty, its splendor and banality.

We wander, dreamlike, gently guided by our Scheherazade-esque narrator. Inconsequential moments take on the same significance as historical events: a couple floats over a war-torn Cologne; on the way to a birthday party, a father stops to tie his daughter’s shoelaces in the pouring rain; teenage girls dance outside a cafe; a defeated army marches to a prisoner-of-war camp. Simultaneously an ode and a lament, About Endlessness presents a kaleidoscope of all that is eternally human, an infinite story of the vulnerability of existence.

A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

Short Synopsis:

Swedish director Roy Andersson takes up the theme of “being a human being” with this meticulously crafted, dreamlike black comedy from 2014.

Long Synopsis:

Like his previous features Songs From the Second Floor and You, The Living, master Swedish director Roy Andersson takes up the theme of “being a human being” with this meticulously crafted, dreamlike black comedy. Sam and Jonathan, a pair of hapless novelty salesman, take us on a kaleidoscopic tour of the human condition in reality and fantasy, unfolding in absurdist episodes: a sing-along at a 1940s beer hall, a randy flamenco teacher, a thirsty King Charles XII of Sweden en route to battle, and a diabolical metaphor for the horrors inflicted by European colonialism. It is a journey that unveils the beauty of single moments, the pettiness of others, life’s grandeur, and the humor and tragedy hidden within us all. 

The County

Short Synopsis:

Set in a small Icelandic farming community, The County tells the story of Inga, a middle-aged dairy farmer who rebels against the all-powerful local Cooperative.

Long Synopsis:

Set in a small Icelandic farming community, The County tells the story of Inga, a middle- aged dairy farmer who rebels against the all powerful local Cooperative. Inga tries to get other farmers to join her in rising up against the Co-op’s corruption, but encounters great resistance, forcing her to confront the community’s dependence and loyalty to this single, dominant enterprise. Inga must use her resourcefulness and cunning to break free of the Co-op’s grasp and finally live life on her own terms.

Showing May 7 - 31: 

This film opens nation-wide on Mothers Day weekend!

Duty Free

Short Synopsis:

This doc about a son who takes his 75-year-old mother on a bucket-list adventure to reclaim her life also explores the issue of economic insecurity her generation is experiencing.

Long Synopsis:

Duty Free is a feature-length documentary about an immigrant mother, who, after working every day of her life to support her two kids on one paycheck, is abruptly fired from her job at the age of 75. As she struggles to find new work to support herself, her son decides to repay her sacrifices by taking her on a bucket-list journey to do all of the things she was never able to do while she was working. From milking cows on a farm in Vermont to taking a hip-hop dance class to going to the gravesite of her sister, the pair unpacks the significance behind each of her bucket-list choices. In contrast, she is forced to face the reality of how significantly culture has changed in the 40 years she has been behind the hotel curtain: how paper applications have been replaced by web applications, how hand-delivered resumes have been by replaced by email attachments, and how pervasive ageism is in America’s job application process. The film will explore the layers of one mother’s life in hopes of shining a light on the millions of aging Americans who are being left behind by our society and our government.

More information about all the films can be found on the Strand Theatre website at  www.RocklandStrand.com. 

Tickets to stream each film are $12 and are available at the Strand Theatre website. The Strand receives 50% of ticket proceeds, so a viewer’s purchase is a simple and direct way to provide much-needed support for the theater, according to Strand, in a news release.

For more information, visit www.RocklandStrand.com, email: info@rocklandstrand.com, or call (207) 594-0070. Strand Theatre, 345 Main Street, Rockland, ME 04841