The Road, Home

An unconventional French family lives a serene existence in the countryside, the most notable feature of the landscape being the never-finished highway that stretches just a few meters from their front door. Then in a shockingly brief amount of time, their idyllic lives are disrupted by the activation of the roadway. Thousands of cars race by all day, every day, and the noise and pollution take a psychic toll -- and yet they refuse to give up their way of life. Director Ursula Meier's black comedy Home is an allegory for the modern world's encroachment on traditional European lifestyles, but it's also about the value of fighting against urban sprawl and car culture with whatever tools are at hand. The Webster Film Series screens Home at 7:30 p.m. Friday through Wednesday (May 14 to 19) at Webster University's Moore Auditorium (470 East Lockwood Avenue; 314-968-7487 or www.webster.edu/filmseries). Admission is $5 to $6.
May 14-19, 2010