Tuesday 18^th July at 7:15pm, Eden Court Cinema

The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978) was written and directed by Italian Ermanno Olmi. This beautifully filmed work concerns the seasonal cycle of events in Lombard rural life on a farm in 1898. It has some similarities with the earlier Italian neorealist movement, in that it focuses on the lives of the poor, and the parts were played by real farmers and locals, rather than professional actors, speaking in a local dialect. The people's extreme poverty is emphasised, together with their cooperation and mutual respect.

Covering a period of twelve months, this film divides its time between three peasant families, all of whom work on the estate of an all-but-absentee landlord. Special emphasis is given the interrelationships between the various family members and their neighbours.

The Tree of Wooden Clogs won many awards including the Palme d'Or at Cannes. This is a rare chance to see this masterwork on the big screen.