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Dir. Various - 2022 - 88m

After a two-year Covid hiatus, the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS returns to theaters and campuses across North America this fall. This 22nd edition comprises 10 films -- nine recent, along with one restored classic -- which deal with both the anxieties and hopes of a world faced with a seemingly endless series of existential crises. All are inventive, their tone ranges from the whimsical to the profound; their techniques, from stop-motion to hand-drawn to computer-aided. “Animation is a natural medium for dealing with abstract ideas and deeply felt concerns, and the ANIMATION SHOW OF SHOWS has always strived to scour the world for the most affecting and engaging films,” says founder and curator Ron Diamond. “While the recent films were conceived and some finished, before the Covid lockdowns, all but the most abstract display a concern with the ways in which we are all interconnected...or sadly alienated from our sense of human connection.” This general issue appears in many forms and styles: While "Beyond Noh" cleverly shows the prevalence of masks through all cultures, and "Rain” humorously explores the dangers of groupthink, "Ties" takes the notion of connectedness from the metaphorical to the actual.

The nine new films - plus one restored classic - come from Europe, Asia, and North America. The program culminates with a striking restored 4K digital remaster by the Academy Film Archive of Frederic Back's classic 1987 Oscar-winner, "The Man Who Planted Trees."

This year's films are:

Beyond Noh -- Patrick Smith/Kaori Ishida (U.S./Japan)

Empty Places -- Geoffroy de Crecy (France)

Beseder (Good and Better) -- Gil Alkabetz (Germany)

Zoizoglyphe -- Jeanne Apergis (France)

Rain (Deszcz) -- Piotr Milczarek (Poland)

Average Happiness -- Maja Gehrig (Switzerland)

Aurora -- Jo Meuris (U.S.)

Yes-People -- Gísli Darri Halldórsson (Iceland)

Ties -- Dina Velikovskaya (Germany/Russia)

The Man Who Planted Trees -- Frederic Back (Canada)

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Dir. Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine - 2022 - 115m - No Matinees

Featuring Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley, John Cale, Brandi Carlile, Eric Church, Judy Collins, Bob Dylan, Glen Hansard, Sharon Robinson, Rufus Wainwright and many others!

A definitive exploration of singersongwriter Leonard Cohen as seen through the prism of his internationally renowned hymn, “Hallelujah.” This feature-length documentary weaves together three creative strands: The songwriter and his times; the song’s dramatic journey from record label reject to chart-topping hit; and moving testimonies from major recording artists for whom “Hallelujah” has become a personal touchstone. Approved for production by Leonard Cohen just before his 80th birthday in 2014, the film accesses a wealth of never-before-seen archival materials from the Cohen Trust including Cohen’s personal notebooks, journals and photographs, performance footage, and extremely rare audio recordings and interviews.

"Makes for a riveting watch. As for those who are less familiar with the song or its original writer, this might prove to be a genuine eye-opener." - Linda Marric, The Jewish Chronicle

"... A layered portrait of Cohen’s life (from poet to rock star to monk to comeback king) while always returning to the song that defined him." - Kevin Maher, Times (UK)

"An engrossing portrait of an artist through the lens of his most famous and enduring work." - Adam Graham, Detroit News

"By focusing on the song rather than the man, the filmmakers create an arc that keeps viewers engaged." - Bridgette M. Redman, Chicago Reader

"Fans of Leonard Cohen, and there are millions of them, will be enthralled by this portrait of “a kind of modern minstrel”." - David Stratton, The Australian

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