Out this week on DVD is Michel Gondry's joyful ode to filmmaking, "Be Kind Rewind." I talked with Gondry in February for a feature about the film and its companion gallery installation at Deitch Projects in Soho.

"The zany film follows a magnetically charged Jerry (Jack Black), who inadvertently erases all of the VHS tapes in a video store run by Mike (Mos Def). The two set out to remake the lost films—albeit crudely—with neighborhood folks (including rising star Melonie Diaz as Alma), a camcorder, and whatever happens to be on hand."

Not me. Yuck. Especially not a fiction film. But it happened. In 2004 at the New York Film Festival I saw "Moolaadé" and it blew me away. In the director's words, "It's not a film about genital cutting; it's a film about freedom." 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and a must-see.

Senegalese Ousmane Sembene (1923-2007) is a key figure in world cinema history. On Tuesday night the French Institute paid tribute to the director with a work-in-progress documentary on his life, reminiscences, readings, and a screening of his 1964 short, "Borom Sarret" to a musical accompaniment by DJ Spooky. Afterwards, African food and drink were plentiful at a reception in "Le Skyroom."

Michael Pitt deserves his own film festival. From "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" to "The Dreamers" to "Last Days" to "The Hawk Is Dying," the 27-year-old actor comes with plenty of indie cred. Director Tom DiCillo ("Living in Oblivion") and co-star Steve Buscemi ("Ghost World") need no introduction. A highly enjoyable film about fame.

Street Date: May 6

In case you were wondering where the name of the blog comes from....

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

Czech symbolism rocks my world!!!