France/Luxembourg/Netherlands/2024—directed by Wang Bing

Continuing the powerful documentary saga that began with Youth (Spring), filmmaker Wang Bing returned to the district of Zhili between 2015 and 2019 to create Youth (Hard Times)—the second chapter in his poignant exploration of a generation of Chinese youth navigating relentless factory work with little space for personal life 

The trilogy concludes with Youth (Homecoming), a deeply moving account of the Lunar New Year break, when millions of workers journey to their remote hometowns to reunite with family. This final chapter captures the emotional and symbolic culmination of their struggles, as workers Shi Wei and Fang Lingping use this rare moment of rest to marry.

The runtime for Youth (Hard Times) is 226 minutes. Youth (Homecoming) is 152 minutes. One ticket grants admission to both screenings.

In Mandarin and Chinese with English subtitles.

“Critic’s Pick! A riveting documentary.” –Nicolas Rapold, The New York Times

Australia/2024—directed by Sally Aitken | 93 min.

Wildlife rehabber and author Terry Masear has an extraordinary mission: to rescue every injured hummingbird in Los Angeles. But the journey toward healing, for both birds and humans, is rarely straightforward. In Every Little Thing, director Sally Aitken pairs Terry’s poignant story with stunning slow-motion photography, showcasing the awe-inspiring beauty and determination of these tiny, gravity-defying creatures. 

Through Terry’s efforts, viewers are introduced to the unique traits and personalities of her fragile yet mighty patients, turning their struggles into unforgettable tales of resilience. This heartfelt documentary reminds us that grace and heroism often come in the smallest forms.

“Deeply satisfying. A big celebration of tiny things and the special person who has made it all possible.” –Kate Erbland, IndieWire

Canada/2024—directed by Matthew Rankin | 89 min.

With Universal Language, Canadian director Matthew Rankin delivers a rare gem: a visionary comedy that is both profoundly humane and enchantingly inventive. Set in a frosty Winnipeg, the film follows the mystical journey of a banknote frozen in ice, touching lives in ways both whimsical and heartfelt. 

Much like Guy Maddin’s My Winnipeg(2007), the city becomes a dreamscape shaped by those who adore it—complete with French and Farsi as its official languages and a Tim Horton’s transformed into both a haven for wayfarers and an unlikely country club. 

This Canadian submission for the 97th Academy Awards® is a delicately crafted, soul-soothing work of art. In Farsi and French with English subtitles. 

“A magnificent film, one that feels warm and familiar even as we realize just how startlingly original it is.” –Bilge Ebiri, New York Magazine

Italy/2024—directed by Maura Delpero | 119 min.

Experience the breathtaking Alps in Vermiglio, Maura Delpero’s stunning new drama and Italy’s official submission to the 2025 Academy Awards® for Best International Feature.

Set in a remote village during the final days of WWII, the film tells the deeply personal story of a Sicilian soldier (Giuseppe De Domenico) who deserts the army and forms a life-changing bond with Lucia (Martina Scrinzi), the eldest daughter of a provincial family. Drawing from her own family history, Delpero crafts a poignant, contemporary tale inspired by Italian neorealist classics.

In Italian with English subtitles. Don’t miss this award-winning masterpiece!

“Breathtaking. The year’s most beautiful film.” –Nick Schager, Daily Beast

The Girl From Chicago (1932) is an early sound film by the legendary African American writer, director, and producer Oscar Micheaux. The film explores Micheaux’s career-long interest in the cultural divide between urban and rural life, contrasting criminal activity in Harlem, New York, and Batesburg, Mississippi. It also features Micheaux’s lively, trademark musical numbers, including a memorable scene set in a nightclub called the Radium Club.

Micheaux’s 1937 crime drama, Underworld, delves into similar themes. It tells the story of Sol Johnson, a young college graduate who moves from the South to Chicago, where he becomes emotionally entangled with a married singer (Bee Freeman) and a cunning gangster (Alfred "Slick" Chester).Total running time: 145 minutes.

The Friends of African and African American Art will present the 32nd Annual Alain Locke Awards to artist Titus Kaphar.

Kaphar will receive the Alain Locke International Award for his work as an artist, sculptor, and filmmaker, creating socially and politically powerful works that reflect on the experiences of Black Americans and his own life story. 

Kaphar "confronts history by dismantling classical structures and styles of visual representation in Western art, which, in turn, subverts centuries of art historical traditions." A Michigan native, Kaphar lives and works in New Haven, CT. 

He received an MFA from the Yale School of Art and is a distinguished recipient of numerous prizes and awards including a 2018 MacArthur Fellowship, a 2018 Art for Justice Fund grant, a 2016 Robert R. Rauschenberg Artist as Activist grant, and a 2015 Creative Capital grant.

The Alain Locke Recognition Award will be received by Detroit-based artist Rashaun Rucker, renowned for his drawings, sculptures, printmaking and installation art.

Free with registration. A reception will follow the awards event.

• 2 – 3:30 p.m. Awards, Lecture Hall
• 3:30 – 5 p.m. Reception, FJC Dining Rooms

In early America, education for girls primarily focused on reading, writing, and needlework. While few Black girls had the opportunity to attend schools where they learned fancy needlework, some did. Additionally, although most white girls' embroideries did not feature Black people, there are instances where these works subtly reflect the lives and experiences of people of color.

Emelie Gevalt, Curator of Folk Art and Curatorial Chair for Collections at the Museum of American Folk Art, will explore both explicit and implicit representations of people of color in early American needlework, highlighting pieces created by both Black and white makers. 

The lecture will be presented with live American Sign Language interpretation.

• 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. Cocktail reception in Rivera Court
• 7 – 8:00 p.m. Lecture in Lecture Hall

The lecture is supported by the Ida and Conrad H. Smith Fund, established by the Raymond C. Smith Foundation Fund of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

Image: Melancia Bowker (age 13), Sampler, 1817. Collection of Sharon and Jeffery Lipton

Founded in 2016 in Lviv amid the challenges of the ongoing conflict in Eastern Ukraine, Yagody is a Ukrainian group dedicated to performing both traditional and contemporary folk music from the East. Their debut album, released in 2020, features the song Kalyna-Malyna with an accompanying music video. 

The ensemble is composed of three vocalists, an accordionist, a bass guitarist, a drummer, and a cymbalist, blending rich folk traditions with modern sounds. Their performances bring to life the cultural heritage and resilience of Ukraine through music.

Lou Harrison: A Celebration highlights the pioneering composer’s groundbreaking contributions to 20th-century music. Known for his exploration of alternative tunings, world music influences, and innovative instruments, Harrison's work comes to life in this performance. 

Solo piano pieces will be performed by Sara Cahill, followed by chamber music in various configurations, featuring Cahill alongside musicians from the University of Michigan. This performance offers a unique opportunity to experience the eclectic and forward-thinking sounds of one of America’s most influential composers.

Cactus Concert is a tribute to John Cage and Detroit's avant-garde scene, presented by the Detroit Bureau of Sound, with special guests Sophiyah E. and Dominant Hand. The performance features Cage’s Child of Tree, which premiered in Detroit in 1975. 

In this innovative piece, an amplified cactus becomes the instrument, with contact microphones capturing the subtle vibrations produced by the plant and the performer. The result is a unique soundscape filled with rustling, creaking, and delicate spring-like noises, blurring the lines between natural sounds and music. 

True to Cage’s philosophy of indeterminacy, Child of Tree allows chance to shape the performance, creating a constantly evolving experience for the audience.