SFFS Screen Presents: Heart of Fire February 6, 2009

Heart of Fire (Feuerherz, Germany/Austria 2008), the heart-stopping story of an outspoken young girl caught up in the upheaval of Eritrea’s war of independence from Ethiopia, directed by Luigi Falorni, will open on SFFS Screen at the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas on Friday, February 6, 2009.

In this moving drama, ten-year-old Awet, played with expressiveness and power by Letekidan Micael, is swept into the Eritrean war for independence of the early 1980s. She and her sister are given over to the Eritrean Liberation Front, where they are immersed in the rhetoric of the faction and eventually become child soldiers. Awet constantly questions the rationale behind the force she is asked to fight for, and the film portrays her courageous evolution from willing combatant to fierce challenger of authority. The film has stirred some controversy, as it is based on Senait G. Mehari’s memoir, which has been challenged because some Eritrean government officials contend that no child soldiers were ever used by their country. But Heart of Fire, directed by Luigi Falorni (codirector of The Story of the Weeping Camel), is really about bringing to light the inhumane treatment of children in such circumstances and this young girl in particular. Stark and direct in its telling, and buoyed by its remarkable central performance, this is a cinematically and socially strong film not easily forgotten. Written by Gabriele Kister, Luigi Falorni. Photographed by Judith Kaufmann. With Letekidan Micael, Solomie Micael, Seble Tilahun, Daniel Seyoum, Mekdes Wegene, Samuel Semere. 94 min. In Tigrinya with English subtitles. Distributed by Seventh Art Releasing.

At the Sundance Kabuki all seats are reserved and an amenities fee is in effect for most shows. Tickets are available through the Sundance Kabuki Cinemas box office, at kiosks in the lobby and online at www.sundancecinemas.com with print-at-home capability. San Francisco Film Society members receive discounted admission to SFFS Screen programs at the box office only (not online or at the lobby kiosks).

For more info visit www.sffs.org

Official Website: http://www.sffs.org