tiff Ajax Film Circuit presents “The Divine Order”.

Straining under the confines of her traditional housewife duties and the pervasive conservatism of her small Swiss town, Nora (Marie Leuenberger) reluctantly becomes the local face of the fight for women’s suffrage in Switzerland. The Divine Order charts Nora’s journey as she bands together with a rag-tag group of local women and confronts the restrictions placed upon them in public, as well as the more complex restrictions she faces at home.

Despite the rallying political movements and sexual revolutions of the late 1960s, Swiss women in the early 1970s had yet to feel any reprieve from the conservative social mores of the post-war period; without the ability to vote, they had little opportunity to steer social change in their favour. Frustrated by her dependence on her husband Hans (Maximilian Simonischek), her domineering live-in father-in-law, and the monotony of her life as a housewife and mother, Nora sets her sights on getting a job. But when Hans refuses to give his permission, Nora is soon swept up in the burgeoning women’s movement after being given feminist literature on a trip into town.

With Hans away at military training, Nora connects with various women: Vroni (Sibylle Brunner), whose attempts at women’s suffrage were met with little support following the war; Graziella (Marta Zoffoli, To Rome with Love), a local restaurant owner whose Italian roots and status as an unmarried woman mark her as an outsider twice-over; and Theresa (Rachel Braunschweig), Nora’s sister-in-law who struggles to reconnect with her rebellious daughter, Hanna (Ella Rumpf), after her husband disowns her. Together, Nora and her comrades become the standard bearers of the women’s movement in their small town and connect with their own sexuality, proving the truism that the personal is political.

Winner of the Narrative Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival and chosen as Switzerland’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, The Divine Order offers an uplifting story of grassroots community activism set on a foundation of family ties and friendship.

German with English subtitles. Run time: 96 minutes. Watch the Trailer

Friday February 2nd, 7pm. Tickets available at the St. Francis Centre Box Office, the Ajax and McLean Community Centres, the Audley Recreation Centre, or online. For more information, call 905-619-2529, ext. 2787 (ARTS).

Audiences – prepare to be amazed and entertained by Brent and Sarah’s Comedy Magic Show on Feb. 3 at the St. Francis Centre for Community, Arts & Culture (78 Church St. S.) at 2 p.m. The show combines magic, music, comedy, mind reading, illusion, daring escape acts,  and interactive audience participation that’s enjoyable for the whole family.

Brent and Sarah have entertained thousands of guests aboard Disney Cruise Lines and have crafted a high energy act like no other. Their unique approach to magic, hilarious personalities and onstage chemistry keep audiences raving about this dynamic duo’s show.

Saturday February 3, 2pm. Tickets are available for $20 at the St. Francis Centre Box Office, the Ajax and McLean Community Centres, the Audley Recreation Centre and online. For more information call 905-619-2529, ext. 2787 (ARTS).

About the Author

Bryen writes about local Durham community news, including regional events, municipality updates, entertainment, lifestyle, and the great outdoors. Email him directly if you want your business profiled or know a community member that deserves recognition - bryen@thelocalbizmagazine.com