Percy Adlon's global perspective

Published on October 19, 2007

Five films ranging from his first feature, "Celeste" in 1981, to this year's "Orbela's People", will be screened.

Throughout his career, the Munich-born director has criss-crossed the globe, making films. His latest work, "Orbela's People", is about his time with a Maasai family in Ngorongoro, Tanzania. His best known work, "Bagdad Cafe" from 1987, is a surrealistic comedy set in a run-down truck stop in the Mojave Desert of California. In "Celeste" (1981), Adlon crafted a compelling biography from the memoirs of Celeste Albaret, dedicated housekeeper to Marcel Proust, one of France's most celebrated literary figures.

"Rosalie Goes Shopping", a Palm d'Or nominee at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival, is about Rosalie Greenspace (Marianne Sagebrecht), a German bride raising a family in Stuttgart, Arkansas, who delights in providing a stream of gifts procured by her newly acquired talent of buying via "ze vonderful credit card".

Written by his son Felix Adlon, "Salmonberries" (1991) is a drama about a young woman who grew up in a small town in Alaska who goes to the public library to try and find out who her parents were.

Born in 1935, Adlon began working in theatre, leaving it to pursue editing. He also narrated literary programmes for German radio. In 1970 he made his first short film for Bavarian television, followed by 150 documentaries about art and the human condition.

In 1961, Adlon married Eleonore Adlon, with whom he co-produces and co-writes most of his films. Besides documentaries, shorts and music videos, the Adlons have made 10 theatrical features and four TV plays. They have won numerous national and international awards. They live in Santa Monica, California.

Orbela's People  (2007)

3.30pm October 26, Cineplex 6

Salmonberries (1991)

1pm October 27,

Cineplex 10

Bagdad Cafe (1987)

5.40pm October 28, Cineplex 10

Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989)

8pm October 29,

Cineplex 3

Celeste (1981)

1pm November 2,

Cineplex 6

Weekend Staff