Lantern documentary is a profile of courage

And at the Magic Lantern? Friday the theater will open two new films, one a premiere and the other a second-run Spokane showing:

“On Her Shoulders” : This documentary, told both in English and Arabic, tells the story of 23-year-old Nadia Murad, a genocide and rape survivor who escaped the clutches of ISIS and has become a tireless, if at times exhausted, representative of her people.

“Beautiful Boy” : Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name”) stars as the title character, a young man struggling with drug addiction. Also starring Steve Carell, Maura Tierney and Amy Ryan, this  story — based on not one but two memoirs — is a Lantern pickup.

Here are some critical comments regarding “On Her Shoulders”:

Vanessa H. Larson , Washington Post: ” ‘On Her Shoulders’ is a moving, sensitive portrayal of a woman - and a people’s - perseverance.”

Nell Minow , RogerEbert.com: “We see this movie to learn who the young Nobel Peace Prize winner is, but in the end, it is about her challenging us to learn who we are.”

Leah Pickett , Chicago Reader: “Director Alexandria Bombach avoids the details of Murad’s brutal captivity, showing instead the intense pressure and responsibility the 23-year-old feels as a spokesperson for her people.”

Again, I’ll update when the other area theaters finalize their listings.