Comrades in Dreams

German documentary filmmaker Uli Gaulke travels to four far-flung locations—India, Burkina Faso, North Korea, and small-town Wyoming—to explore the universal love of movies, telling the stories of dedicated individuals who operate cinemas under challenging circumstances. In Burkina Faso, three men acquire a roofless building from the government and face the seemingly impossible task of transforming it into a commercially viable endeavor. A young man in India sets up a circus tent in rural villages for his traveling shows, and a group of obsessed women in Big Piney, WY, volunteer to run a single-screen retro site where James Cameron's Titanic continues to attract viewers. The most intriguing account, however, involves Han Yong-sil, who oversees a North Korean venue used to promote the Communist regime's distinctive agenda to an audience with extremely limited entertainment alternatives. In some cases, this global quartet share common problems—especially in terms of securing the best productions (particularly problematic in North Korea). Also, there's no accounting for taste—Indian viewers are disinterested in Titanic, while Burkina Faso fans come out for the 2004 Kim Basinger flop Cellular. But above all, despite the financial hardships and assorted obstacles, it's the passion for the film-viewing experience that manages to keep each operator focused. DVD extras include outtakes and slideshows. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)