Quaratine Film Society
This Week’s Selection
From the Archives
Discussion Notes
These are our most recently selected films. In each entry you will find our most recent mini essay invitations followed by some insights, observations and analysis from our virtual discussion about the film.
Note: Slowly but surely, we are adding all the QFS essays and analyses from our three years of selecting and discussing movies.
What This Is?
Psycho (1960) Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Quarantine Film Society is a collection of filmmakers (with a few non-filmmakers sprinkled in) who gather on a near-weekly basis to discuss a selected film. Based in Los Angeles, the group meets virtually with members across the country. Although not film scholars in the traditional academic sense, the members approach their critiques through personal lived experience and as artists working in the field. Meaning: we are filmmakers, we love movies, and we love talking about movies as fans and as people who work in the industry. The film entries provide an opportunity to share observations of and insights into the selected films viewed by QFS members. It’s our tiny contribution to the ever-evolving dialogue between artist and public, filmmaker and audience - and an opportunity for you to watch these films at your leisure and contribute to the discussion as well in the comments section after each film post.
Point Blank (1967) Directed by John Boorman
QFS is curated by filmmaker Sharat Raju and the movie selections range from art house independents to mainstream studio films, from contemporary to classic, American movies and international titles both large and small. The entries here are taken from the emailed invitations for that week’s selection, but have been adapted for the site. As part film journal and part chronicle of our times, what was happening in the world will often be included in the post to give addtional context for that week’s selection. After each discussion with the group, a general summary of the insights and thoughts about the film are added in the “reactions and analyses” section - written with the assumption that the reader has already seen the film so spoilers will abound. If for nothing else, please feel free to use this as your guide for what to watch.
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) Directed by Ang Lee
How Did This Come To Be?
Aguirre, The Wrath of God (1972) Directed by Werner Herzog
In 2020, with theaters closed and everyone sheltering in their homes, Sharat took his in-person filmgoing group of LA-based filmmakers and transformed it into the online Quarantine Film Society. When the film industry returned to work under safety protocols, Sharat continued to host QFS discussions between directing assignments and continues to do so. The membership and film discussions are private, but the blog strives to provide an insight into the conversations and give you an opportunity to weigh in as well. QFS continues its on-going meetings about films, current events, culture and society on a near-weekly basis, having passed the 100-film mark in early 2023.
In The Mood For Love (2000) Directed by Wong Kar-wai
Apur Sansar (1959) Directed by Satyajit Ray
QFS No. 139 - It’s been entirely too long since we’ve selected a Kurosawa film here at Quarantine Film Society. It was way back in July 2020 when we were young and terrified but watched the masterpiece Yojimo (1961, QFS No. 13. The offending parties to this nearly four-year gap have been reassigned to new minor roles within The Society.