What Makes Us Tick? series to screen films Jan. 18-20

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society will present its popular What Makes Us Tick? series during the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend Friday to Sunday, Jan. 18 to 20.

This analytical film and discussion series explores aspects of the human condition. This year’s theme is Breaking Through: Stories of Hope and Inspiration.

In these times of division and turmoil, three films show a way up out of the darkness, through hope, determination and cooperation. A woman escaping from a suffocating marriage decides to fulfill her dream of climbing the tallest mountain in Scotland. A judge who puts people away for drug-related offenses dedicates himself to helping some of them out of poverty and addiction. And a community comes together to help a young girl fly, while she teaches them the power of imagination.

All of these stories show that the human spirit, collectively and individually, can overcome any challenge.

The series begins with the English film “Edie” at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 18. Edie (Sheila Hancock) has spent 40 years trapped in a colorless life, tending to her controlling husband (Donald Pelmear) after his stroke. When he passes away and her daughter (Wendy Morgan) tries to send her to a care home, she packs an old camping bag, leaves her life behind and embarks on an adventure she never got to have – climbing the imposing Mount Suilven in Scotland. The journey to the summit will be long and difficult, but Edie is determined to prove to herself and everyone else that it’s never too late. The film offers an immersive visual journey through the unspoiled wilderness of the Scottish highlands.

Moderators for this session are Ronnie Green and Mona Schwartz. Green recently retired after working as a career counselor for a Baltimore nonprofit for 15 years. She also has a lifelong love of film. After a career as a high school teacher in New York City, Schwartz spent the next 30 years as a senior business executive. She is a movie buff and participates on two of the mini-festivals’ planning committees.

The series continues with “Skid Row Marathon” at 1 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 19. When a criminal court judge starts a running club on LA’s notorious skid row and begins training a motley group of addicts and criminals to run marathons, lives begin to change. “Skid Row Marathon” follows four runners as they rise from the mean streets of LA to run marathons around the world, fighting the pull of homelessness and addiction at every turn. Their stories are about hope, friendship and dignity.

Moderators for this session are Ronnie Green and Saro Dedeyan. For 22 years, Dedeyan worked as a graphic designer in Baltimore and Washington, D.C., and he has spent the last 11 years working as a Realtor in Baltimore. He has a lifelong love of film.

The series closes with “Supa Modo” at 1 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 20. From first-time feature filmmaker Likarion Wainaina and co-producer Tom Tykwer comes this honest, inspiring story about the strength of young people in the face of adversity. Obsessed with Jackie Chan and action films, 9-year-old Jo dreams of being a superhero. However, Jo isn’t like other kids, and her mother insists she stay away from danger. Her sister, with the entire village's support, decides to turn Jo into the superhero they know she is. Newcomer Stycie Waweru delivers a captivating, earnest performance, imbuing her character with a subtle strength that ignites the screen. This film is a stunning reminder of the power of imagination. The film is in English, Kikuyu and Swahili with English subtitles.

The moderator for this session is Saro Dedeyan.

The film society extends special thanks to longtime series planning committee Chair Carolyn Walter for her valuable input. She is a PhD, LCSW, professor emerita of the Center for Social Work Education at Widener University, and an adjunct professor at University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work.

The screenings are open to the general public and film society members. Admission for each screening is $9 for RBFS members and $11 for nonmembers. Customers are encouraged to purchase tickets online. If seats are available, tickets can be purchased at the theater starting 30 minutes prior to each screening.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.rehobothfilm.com or call 302-645-9095.