Susan Oxtoby is senior film curator at BAM/PFA

Tonight's program of German filmmaker Aurand's beautiful observed films features her most recent work. Five short films are intimate portraits of friends and her godchildren. The longer, meditative Young Pines resulted from several visits to Japan. “While the subjects in Young Pines are undoubtedly iconic, it isn't so much the content that captivates as the way in which the kinetic energy is carried from one shot to another, crafting a precise and purposefully rendered experience” (Aily Nash, Brooklyn Rail).

Young Pines Junge Kiefern, Ute Aurand, Germany/Japan, 2011, 43 mins, Color/B&W, 16mm, From the artist
Paulina, Franz, Maria, Susan, Lisbeth Ute Aurand, Germany, 2011, 20 mins, Silent/Sound, B&W/Color, 16mm, From the artist

Total running time: 63 mins