27

MONDAY

Anno Saul’s 1999 film, The Green Desert, concludes “A Deeper Look,” a selection of movies by directors whose latest work was included in this year’s “New Films From Germany, Switzerland, and Austria” festival. Sometimes the matched movies are similar in tone, but they can also be as disparate as Saul’s Kebab Connection (key word: kebab) and The Green Desert (key word: leukemia). In the latter film, early-teen best buds Katja and Johann play in the remains of a castle, a verdant ruin that provides the drama’s title, and imagine they live in the age of chivalry. When Johann becomes very ill, Katja hopes that one of her imaginary knights will gallop to the rescue. Kebab also has fictional warriors, coming-of-age battles, and courtly romance (not to mention a Romeo and Juliet subplot). But while Kebab is hectic, Desert has been commended for “a beautiful quality of stillness.” The film shows at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the Goethe-Institut, 812 7th St. NW. $6. (202) 289-1200. (Mark Jenkins)