Coming up in Philly film: The indies arrive on the scene in February

February kicks off with an eclectic selection of film screenings, making up for the typical quiet months of December and January. Lightbox Film Center returns with a new retrospective, the Troc is back to hosting its Movie Mondays, and University of Pennsylvania's Center for East Asian Studies teams up with the Japan America Society to bring about an anime apocalypse. Scribe Video Center and PhilaMOCA also lend a hand, warming up the Philadelphia film community as we hit the crest of midwinter.

A Lightbox Retrospective

Lightbox Film Center begins the month with one of their most esoteric retrospectives in recent years titled Double Vision: Jean Vigo/Ron Rice. The eight-film retrospective, taking place Friday, February 1, and Saturday, February 2, will contrast the works of two filmmakers whose lives were both cut tragically short in the prime of their careers at the age of 29. Despite his untimely demise in 1935, Frenchman Jean Vigo’s work is said to have influenced the development of the French New Wave during the post-World War II era. The contributions to cinema of Ron Rice, who lived from 1935 to 1964, were decidedly more obscure, although he was a member of the New American Cinema Movement. A singular quote from Lithuanian American filmmaker Jonas Mekas comparing the two appears to be the main source of association prior to this ambitious retrospective curated by Herb Shellenberger. My pick from this series is L’Atalante, Vigo’s debut and only feature film, about a young married couple’s tumultuous first months living together aboard a river barge. The British Film Institute’s magazine Sight and Sound cites it as one of the best films of all time. L’Atalante screens Saturday, February 2, at 5pm and will be introduced by Shellenberger. Admission for each program in the series is $8 to $10. Screenings will be at the International House (3701 Chestnut Street).

Movie Mondays at the Trocadero

Trocadero’s Movie Monday returns with some light fare on Monday, February 4, with a screening of The Addams Family. Inspired in part by cartoonist Charles Addams's time at the University of Pennsylvania (hecited College Hall as partial inspiration for the Addams Family's home), the 1991 live-action adaptation is that rare piece of nostalgia programming that holds up today. $3 cost of admission at the door includes a complimentary can of PBR or popcorn. Arrive dressed as a character from the film and get an additional $3 token for the bar. Doors open at 6:30pm and the film starts at 8pm for this 21+ event.

Anime Apocalypse at UPenn

University of Pennsylvania’s Center for East Asian Studies and Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia will host a free February film series titled Anime Apocalypse. The four-film series explores a selection of feature-length Japanese animations that imagine the destruction of Tokyo and the people who struggle to endure life under these circumstances. Titles include Akira, Patlabor 2: The Movie, Summer Wars, and Godzilla: City on the Edge of Battle. Screenings will take place each Wednesday in February at Annenberg Hall, room 111, starting at 7pm. While all of these are worth seeing (especially since the series is free and open to the public), Akira (screening on Wednesday, February 6) is my personal favorite. It tells an epic story set after World War III in Neo-Tokyo, where roving motorcycle gangs do battle in the streets against a backdrop of military/police corruption and large-scale antigovernment protests.

Crime + Punishment

On Tuesday, February 12, at 7pm, Scribe Video Center will host a screening of documentary feature Crime + Punishment as part of the Producers’ Forum series at Lightbox Film Center. The 2018 film highlights the experiences of a group of African American and Latinx New York City police officers who are fighting back against unfair policing practices that endanger communities of color. This whistleblowing documentary captures the tension between officers of color, the institutions they represent, and the communities they are meant to serve. Director Stephen Maing is expected in person for a post-film Q&A and discussion. Tickets range from $5 to $10 and can be purchased online or at the door.

Ursula K. Le Guin at PhilaMOCA

On Sunday, February 17, check out the feature documentary Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin at PhilaMOCA. Detailing the long and storied career of pioneering feminist science-fiction author Ursula K. Le Guin, best known for her Earthsea cycle (adapted into a feature animation by Studio Ghibli), the film’s production spans nearly a decade as the prolific writer winds down her final chapter. The film screens twice, at 4:30pm and 7:30pm, and tickets cost $10 online or at the door.