The Contenders 2011
Event on 2011-11-08 00:00:00
November 8, 2011–January 30, 2012

View related film screeningsEvery year there are films that resonate far beyond a theatrical release—if they manage to find their way to a commercial screen at all—or film festival appearance. Their significance can be attributed to a variety of factors, from structure to subject matter to language, but these films are united in their lasting impact on the cinematic art form. For this recurring series, the Department of Film combs through major studio releases and the top film festivals in the world, selecting influential, innovative films made in the past 12 months that we believe will stand the test of time. Whether bound for awards glory or destined to become a cult classic, each of these films is a contender for lasting historical significance, and any true cinephile will want to catch them on the big screen.Organized by the Department of Film.

The exhibition is supported by BNP Paribas.

Related Film Screenings

Upcoming Film Screenings & Events Two Years at Sea. 2011. Great Britain. Directed by Ben Rivers” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57966.jpg?1324331522″ width=165>

Two Years at Sea

2011. Great Britain. Directed by Ben Rivers. Winner of the critics’ prize at the Venice Film Festival, a highlight of the New York and Toronto film festivals, and topping many best-of-the-year lists, Two Years at Seaconfirms British filmmaker and installation artist Ben Rivers as a considerable new talent. Employing seemingly obsolete handcrafted and hand-processed film techniques, including 16mm CinemaScope, Rivers alludes to and critiques a tradition of poetic ethnography that dates back to the 1930s and 1940s. The paradox of his first feature-length film is its portrait of a man who might conventionally be regarded as marginal or eccentric, yet who nonetheless seems more at home in his landscape—the wilds of Scotland—than we are in our own. As Rivers writes, “A man called Jake lives in the middle of the forest. He goes for walks in whatever the weather, and takes naps in the misty fields and woods. He builds a raft to spend time sitting in a loch. He sleeps in a caravan that floats up a tree. He is seen in all seasons, surviving frugally, passing the time with strange projects, living the radical dream he had as a younger man, a dream he spent two years working at sea to realize. I made a short film about Jake five years ago, and as time has passed and other films have been made, I have had a continual feeling that I should go back—to make another film where I, and then the audience, can spend more time hanging around Jake’s place in the forest. I want the film to embrace the different perception of time that Jake and his environment have, which is much more patient and relaxed than my own urban living. The film will have at its core the relationship between a person and the place they have chosen to live out their life, and the deep connection there is between them.” 86 min.

Saturday, January 21, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2 (Introduced by Rivers) Film Screenings & Events Young Adult. 2011. USA. Directed by Jason Reitman” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57994.JPG?1324334397″ width=165>

Young Adult

2011. USA. Directed by Jason Reitman. Screenplay by Diablo Cody. With Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson. The promotional tag line for Reitman’s Young Adult is, “Everyone gets old. Not everyone grows up.” It’s difficult to summarize this biting, acidic character study more succinctly than that. Theron plays Mavis Gary, a young-adult book series ghostwriter (think Sweet Valley High) who returns to her hometown of Mercury, Minnesota, in a severely misguided attempt to win back her high school boyfriend, Buddy, a happily married new father. There is not one ounce of vanity in Theron’s outstanding performance, as she compulsively pulls hair from her scalp, downs copious amounts of booze, and is generally awful to everyone in Mercury except Buddy and, occasionally, Matt Freehauf (Oswalt, in a breakout performance), a crippled former classmate with a sad history. Cody’s script is lean, mean, and cynical, and in Theron, Reitman has found the perfect performer to bring it to life. Print courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2 Film Screenings & Events Pina. 2011. Germany/France/Great Britain. Directed by Wim Wenders” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55404.jpg?1319231279″ width=165>

Pina

2011. Germany/France/Great Britain. Directed by Wim Wenders. “Shot in 3-D with the ensemble of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, this feature-length dance film portrays the exhilarating and inimitable art of the great German choreographer who died in the summer of 2009. Inviting the viewer on a sensual, visually stunning journey of discovery into a new dimension right onto the stage of the legendary ensemble, the film also accompanies the dancers beyond the theatre, into the city and the surrounding industrial landscape of Wuppertal—the place that was the home and centre of Pina Bausch’s creative life for more than 35 years” (Berlin Film Festival). Print courtesy of IFC Films.

Thursday, January 26, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Return. 2011. USA. Directed by Liza Johnson” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57980.jpg?1324331674″ width=165>

Return

2011. USA. Directed by Liza Johnson. Johnson’s stunning feature debut recasts the familiar narrative of a soldier coming home from war as an ode to a woman’s journey of self-discovery and her attempts to fit into the life she thought she was fighting for. As the central figure, Kelli, actor Linda Cardellini is a revelation—a hero without a grand story to tell, a mother without a connection to her children, a wife who doesn’t recognize the love her husband (a sweet, vulnerable Michael Shannon) is so ready to give her. This is a story of and for our time, luminously shot and honestly told. Print courtesy of Required Viewing.

Monday, January 30, 2012, 7:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1

Past Film Screenings & Events J. Edgar. 2011. USA. Directed by Clint Eastwood” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55824.jpg?1320253604″ width=165>

J. Edgar

2011. USA. Clint Eastwood. 138 min.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events My Week with Marilyn. 2011. Great Britain. Directed by Simon Curtis” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55838.jpg?1320253827″ width=165>

My Week with Marilyn

2011. Great Britain. Simon Curtis. 101 min.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 (Simon Curtis will be present for a post-screening Q&A) Film Screenings & Events The Artist. 2011. France. Directed by Michael Hazanavicius” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55922.jpg?1320260650″ width=165>

The Artist

2011. France. Michael Hazanavicius. 100 min.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 8:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1 (Post-screening discussion with Dujardin) Film Screenings & Events Bridesmaids. 2011. USA. Directed by Paul Feig” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55866.JPG?1320255290″ width=165>

Bridesmaids

2011. USA. Paul Feig.

Monday, November 21, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 (Post-screening discussion with Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne, and Paul Feig) Film Screenings & Events
The Tree of Life

2011. USA. Terrence Malick.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events
Anonymous

2011. Great Britain/Germany. Roland Emmerich. 130 min.

Friday, November 25, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Drive. 2011. USA. Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55880.jpg?1320255473″ width=165>

Drive

2011. USA. Nicholas Winding Refn.

Saturday, November 26, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Midnight in Paris. 2011. Spain/USA. Directed by Woody Allen” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55908.jpg?1320259173″ width=165>

Midnight in Paris

2011. Spain/USA. Woody Allen. 94 min.

Sunday, November 27, 2011, 2:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events
The Descendants

2011. USA. Alexander Payne.

Sunday, November 27, 2011, 5:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1 (Post-screening discussion with Alexander Payne) Film Screenings & Events
Moneyball

2011. USA. Bennett Miller.

Monday, November 28, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events A Dangerous Method. 2011. Canada/Germany/Great Britain/Switzerland. Directed by David Cronenberg” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55852.jpg?1320255141″ width=165>

A Dangerous Method

2011. Canada/Germany/Great Britain/Switzerland. David Cronenberg. 93 min.

Friday, December 2, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events
Rise of the Planet of the Apes

2011. USA. Rupert Wyatt.

Saturday, December 3, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Hugo. 2011. USA. Directed by Martin Scorsese” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56146.jpg?1320948293″ width=165>

Hugo

2011. USA. Martin Scorsese.

Sunday, December 4, 2011, 4:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events O Abismo Prateado (The Silver Cliff). 2011. Brazil. Directed by Karim Ainouz” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56160.jpg?1320948426″ width=165>

O Abismo Prateado (The Silver Cliff)

2011. Brazil. Karim Aïnouz. 83 min.

Monday, December 5, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. 2011. France/ Great Britain /Germany. Directed by Tomas Alfredson” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56174.jpg?1320948651″ width=165>

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

2011. France/Great Britain/Germany. Tomas Alfredson.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Rango. 2011. USA. Directed by Gore Verbinski” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56188.jpg?1320948734″ width=165>

Rango

2011. USA. Gore Verbinski.

Friday, December 9, 2011, 5:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 (Followed by a Q&A with Verbinski) Film Screenings & Events Beginners. 2010. USA. Written and Directed by Mike Mills” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56874.jpg?1323202052″ width=165>

Beginners

2010. USA. Mike Mills.

Friday, December 16, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2 Film Screenings & Events The Help. 2011. USA. Directed by Tate Taylor” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56202.jpg?1320948879″ width=165>

The Help

2011. USA. Tate Taylor.

Saturday, December 17, 2011, 7:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Women Art Revolution. 2010. USA. Directed by Lynn Hershman-Leeson” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56216.jpeg?1320949299″ width=165>

!Women Art Revolution: A Secret History

2010. USA. Lynn Hershman-Leeson. 83 min.

Sunday, December 18, 2011, 4:30 p.m., Theater 2, T2 Monday, December 26, 2011, 4:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2 Film Screenings & Events A Separation. 2011. Iran. Directed by Asghar Farhadi” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56230.jpg?1320949595″ width=165>

A Separation

2011. Iran. Asghar Farhadi. 123 min.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 7:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events The Muppets. 2011. USA. Directed by James Bobin” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56244.jpg?1320949900″ width=165>

The Muppets

2011. USA. James Bobin.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 4:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events La Fille de Montreal. 2010. Canada. Directed by Jeanne Crépeau” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56258.jpg?1320953732″ width=165>

La Fille de Montréal (A Montreal Girl)

2010. Canada. Jeanne Crépeau. 92 min.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Miss Bala. 2011. Mexico. Directed by Gerardo Naranjo. With Stephanie Sigman, Noe Hernandez” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57070.jpg?1323702800″ width=165>

Miss Bala

2011. Mexico. Gerardo Naranjo.

Thursday, December 29, 2011, 4:30 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Melancholia. 2011. Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany. Directed by Lars von Trier” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/55894.jpg?1320255620″ width=165>

Melancholia

2011. Denmark/Sweden/France/Germany.

Thursday, December 29, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Margin Call. 2011. USA. Directed by J.C. Chandor” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56272.jpg?1320954079″ width=165>

Margin Call

2011. USA. J.C. Chandor. 109 min.

Friday, December 30, 2011, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Happy, Happy. 2010. Norway. Directed by Anne Sewitsky” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/56286.jpg?1320954163″ width=165>

Sykt lykkelig (Happy, Happy)

2010. Norway. Anne Sewitsky. 85 min.

Saturday, December 31, 2011, 2:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2 Film Screenings & Events Pariah. 2011. USA. Directed by Dee Rees” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57910.jpg?1324330863″ width=165>

Pariah

2011. USA. Dee Rees.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Albert Nobbs. 2011. Great Britain/Ireland. Directed by Rodrigo García” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57924.jpg?1324331027″ width=165>

Albert Nobbs

2011. Great Britain/Ireland. Rodrigo García.

Thursday, January 5, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Film Screenings & Events Le Havre. 2011. Finland/France/Germany. Directed by Aki Kaurismäki” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57938.jpg?1324331200″ width=165>

Le Havre

2011. Finland/France/Germany. Aki Kaurismäki. 93 min.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Theater 2, T2 Film Screenings & Events Into the Abyss. 2011. Germany/Canada. Directed by Werner Herzog” height=80 src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_small_promo/57952.jpg?1324331375″ width=165>

Into the Abyss

2011. Germany/Canada. Werner Herzog.

Thursday, January 19, 2012, 8:00 p.m., Theater 1, T1 Pina. 2011. Germany/France/Great Britain. Directed by Wim Wenders” id=”placeholder” src=”http://www.moma.org/images/dynamic_content/exhibition_page/55404.jpg?1319231281″>

Pina. 2011. Germany/France/Great Britain. Directed by Wim Wenders

at Museum of Modern Art
11 West 53 Street
New York, United States