NEWS

The Davidson Film Club is pleased to invite you to a screening and discussion of the Oscar-nominated British film, Dirty Pretty Things, on Saturday, February 18, at 7:00 p.m. in the Armour Street Theatre.  

“This hypnotic, chilling thriller deals with people living in the margins: in this case, London’s exploited immigrants…” David Ansen, Newsweek

Directed by Stephen Frears UK (2002, 1h37)

In English Discussion of the film will be led by Lawrence Toppman, award-winning arts critic for decades at The Charlotte Observer.  

Masks will be available at the door.  Walk-ins are welcome, $9 at the door, cash or check (no credit cards). Walk-ins must apply for a seat in advance at [email protected]. Walk-in seats are limited by availability. *DFC Members: Please let us know at [email protected] if you do not plan to attend this screening so we will know that your seats are available for walk-ins.

Film Summary: Okwe is an “undocumented alien” from Nigeria struggling to survive in London’s underground. He works as a cabbie during the day and a hotel employee at night, and, since he has a medical doctor’s degree, practices some medicine on the sly. However, he must constantly evade the attention of immigration officers. He shares living quarters with a Turkish émigré, Senay (Audrey Tautou, from Amelie). One day Okwe discovers by chance that a scheme of illegal transplant surgeries is being led by Juan (Señor “Sneaky”), his boss at the hotel. Juan comes up with a tempting proposal: if Okwe agrees to perform the illegal surgeries, he makes a lot of money and gets a U.K. passport. Can Okwe keep his ethical and moral values intact?

Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer 94%! Oscar-nominated for Best Original Screenplay and nominated for Golden Lion at Venice IFF. 17 wins, 26 nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Cinematography, and Best Actor at British Independent Film Awards.  

“A suspenseful, often funny, completely disturbing thriller, Dirty Pretty Things is a gripping film right out of the gate.” Jordan M. Smith, IONCINEMA.com  

“Fueled by gripping suspense, dark humor and outraged humanity, the film is a modern horror story that means to shake you, and does.” Peter Travers, Rolling Stone  

“A riveting and enthralling thriller about people who live secret lives, Dirty Pretty Things is one of the freshest and most haunting films of the year. [. . .]. Although the story is set in the underbelly of London, this melting pot of ‘people you don’t see’ emanating from all over the world, could equally be found in any major city.” Louise Keller, Urban Cinefile 

“It’s not your grandmother’s London that emerges in Dirty Pretty Things, a haunting drama from director Stephen Frears. [. . .]. One night while inspecting a hotel room, Okwe, a Nigerian doctor living illegally in London, finds a human heart in a toilet, which opens the door to a sinister black market in organ transplants.” Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle

“The real heart of this movie lies in its portrait of characters generally unnoticed by the international cinema. The central characters—indeed, the “dirty pretty things” of the title—are the illegal immigrants who live shadow existences in London by taking the jobs no one wants and the apartments without addresses. . .” Marjorie Baumgarten, The Austin Chronicle

Our updated website at www.davidsonfilmclub.com features the whole current series (Jan-June. 2023) and film descriptions. Have you Bookmarked it?  Please be reminded that members are always free to give their seats to a friend if they cannot make it to a given screening. Just email us at [email protected] to let us know the name of the friend(s) who will be using your seat(s).

We are a non-profit, tax-exempt organization run by volunteers that only exists to bring you fine international fiction films and engage in stimulating discussion about them. Hope that many of you will be at the February 18 screening of this gripping film!

Alan
Alan Singerman President, Davidson Film Club
[email protected]
(704) 231-6736