| Mark's List Florida: Accommodations «Bars & Nightclubs «Classifieds «Dining Guide & Reviews «Fashion, Style & Fitness «Home, Garden & Galleries «Real Estate | |||||||
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
||||
|
|
|
| Festival 2006 Event Calendar Events & Parties Show Times About Synopsis | |
|
Competition Films World Cinema Category The Aura Changement D’addresse Donsol Driving Lessons Every Other Week The Holiday Makers Leef! Local Color Son of Man Volver
All US & Canadian films compete for Best American Indie All Shorts (except Sunshine Celluloid) compete for Best Short All documentaries (except Sunshine Celluloid) compete for Best Documentary
World Premieres GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS / Sunshine Celluloid On December 26th 2004, the world's largest natural disaster wreaked havoc on the shores of Southeast Asia and has severely disrupted the lives of millions. Tim Gorski, writer/director, is a tsunami survivor. Take a journey with him to the Kingdom of Smiles and explore the human condition and the psychological aftermath of the 2004 Asian tsunami. This short documentary explores the unique ways that individuals are volunteering their time and services to aid in the recovery process. We visit the hardest hit areas and document the humanitarian efforts as well as the conflicts. It's an uplifting film promoting “Global Volunteering” as alternative travel.
THE GREEN ROOM / Short from the U.S. For the last fifteen years, Rex Welche has been singing his songs in any rock club that will have him. Always more of a critical darling than a chart topper, Rex has struggled lately to maintain an audience and his energy. Too many nights on the road, too many women with names he can't remember, too many half-empty clubs finally catch up with him one night before a concert. It's left to his tour manager, J.D., and his opening act, the up-and-coming Patty Danville, to do whatever it takes to force him onto the stage. Rex doesn't want to let down the several hundred waiting fans, but it becomes a monumental struggle for him just to leave the safety of The Green Room... Written and directed by Brent Boyd; starring Evans Forde, Carina Nilsson & Jim Loucks.
HAPPY TRAILS / Short Film from the U.S. Filmmaker Michael Goldburg's new comedy about a romantic weekend gone very bad. When Gareth and Sarah's car, as well as their relationship, breaks down on a remote country road, the last thing they need is to be picked up by the couple from hell. Soon, Gareth and Sarah are less concerned about fixing their car than they are about hanging on to their own relationship - and their lives! Starring Gareth Saxe, Sarah Franek, Barbara Miluski & George Spaventa.
LAST NIGHT / Short from the U.S. A hopeful young woman searches for love – one night stand at a time. Directed by Scott Patch; written by and starring Kathleen Rose Perkins
Mrs. Worthington’s Party / American Independent Father Jonathan Keene, a cold impatient Catholic priest, arrives in a tiny fishing village the week before Christmas to do what he does best - shut down a dying parish. But things take an unexpected turn as he becomes entangled in the various lives of the village’s eccentric characters, including the beautiful librarian and the childlike priest he is displacing. At Mrs. Worthington’s legendary Christmas Party, everyone is welcome and anything is possible. You should drop by… Written and directed by David Wall; starring David Wall, Kerry Wall, Sean Patrick Brennan, Brennan Wall & Jean Bates.
SHARK PARK / Documentary An international team of big wave surfers ride a newly discovered psycho wave on a remote offshore reef at the Santa Barbara Channel Islands. Directed by Greg Huglin.
SIMPLE JOYS / Short Film from the USA A story about a relationship between a young boy and older man brought together by their common love for musical theatre. Stephen is a teenage boy on the cusp of adulthood. Jerry is a crass theatre veteran who has isolated himself and given up what he used to love. From each other they learn that a good conversation and someone who understands you are a part of life's simple joys. Directed by Gary Entin; starring Barry Dennen and Thomas Dekker.
TRUST ME / American Independent Take a smart young con man and a talented but reluctant impressionist, let them loose among the natives in Hollywood and the result will amuse and amaze. A satire on celebrity, politics and the American Dream that proves you can fool all of the people all of the time.... trust Me! Written and directed by Andrew Kazamia; Starring Shelley Long, Cory Pendergast and Enn Reitel
TWILIGHT / Sunshine Celluloid, Short Film Echoing The Twilight Zone and the film classic The Incredible Shrinking Man, this is a tale about an affluent 37 year old stockbroker who contracts a strange virus that ages him in five short weeks to the age of 90.
North American Premieres FAITH LIKE POTATOES / World Cinema from South Africa One man's miracle journey to love, hope and faith. An inspiring true story. Directed by Regardt van den Bergh
THE TALMUD / From France This film tells the destiny of a mythical book at the basis of Judaism: the Talmud. More than two thousand years of intellectual adventures in the heart of a world which remains unknown untill now. Talmud had to bear the same fate as the Jewish people, which conditioned the Jewish mentality and spirit. Today, Jews, more and more, feel the need to go back to its study. Directed by Salfati Pierre Henry.
U.S. Premieres ANIMALES HERIDOS (Wounded Animals)/ World Cinema from Spain Acclaimed filmmaker from Spain, Ventura Pons, wrote, directed and produced this tragicomedy based on three stories in the book sad Animals (Animals tristos) by Jordi Puntí. The story follows Silvio Lisbon is a wealthy man who, a year ago, took a lover…the highly recognized interior decorator Claudia Riera. Silvio has a secret obsession; to remain hidden with her in room#1817 of the hotel Princess Sofía. But…Silvio also has a conventional life with his neurotic wife Marcia but, the tranquility of his family is about to be disrupted by a newspaper that plans a visit with Claudia for a story on Lisbon’s home. Starring José Coronado, Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Cecilia Rossetto, Marc Cartes, Cristina Plazas.
BABA’S CARS / World Cinema from Sweden Baba's Cars is a thrilling action comedy with ordinary people in absurd situations. Jojo and Anso love each other but, when Jojo, without telling Anso, spends their money to buy a gearbox to his old Cadillac, their love suffers. Directed by Rafael Edholm. Starring Andreas Wilson, Sara Sommerfeld, Jarmo Mäkinen, & Peter Franzen.
BEAUTY AND THE BASTARD / World Cinema from Finland Nelli's life is right on track. She lives in a pristine suburb with her parents, she's been dating the same guy for years, and in a few months she'll be graduating from medical school. But there's one problem: Nelli has suddenly decided that she wants to be a singer. She's even got the voice to make her dream come true, but what she doesn't have is a demo tape for music producers, so she jumps at the chance to work with talented hip-hop artist Sune. What Nelli doesn't know is that Sune has bet his friends, who think he's a bit weak in the girlfriend department, that he can woo Nelli. The two eventually create a killer demo, which lands Nelli a record deal. But soon Nelli and Sune's relationship begins turning into something more than just musical, and Nelli's long-term boyfriend is not amused. Karukoski's powerful and inspiring debut feature is a film that everyone will be able to identify with. Synopsis by Sara Nodjoumi (The Tribeca Film Festival) Directed by Dome Karukoski; starring Pamela Tola, Samuli Vauramo, Joonas Saartamo, Eero Milonoff, Mikko Leppilampi, Mikko Kouki, Anna-Leena Härkönen & Eero Saarinen
THE BORDER POST/ World Cinema from Croatia A flashback to the playfully tender East Euro cinema of yore … Rajko Grlic's Border Post marks a virile comeback for the Croatian veteran. In the last years of the old Yugoslav republic, soldiers comically breeze through enlistment in a remote outpost until tragedy senselessly intervenes. Humorous tone recalls the outrageous horseplay of "MASH" with more joyful innocence. This is the first film after Yugoslavia's bloody break-up to be co-produced by all its former republics: Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Macedonia. Grlic, the director of Croatia's Motovun Film Fest, brings an experienced storyteller's sensitivity to the tale. Starring Toni Gojanovic, Sergej Trifunovic, Emir Hadzihafizbegovic, Verica Nedeska-Trajkova
CHALK / American Independent A class act among mockumentaries, "Chalk" takes a lovingly exaggerated look at the frustrations and rewards of being a high school teacher. Filtering one school year through the eyes of three young instructors and a rookie administrator, this loosely scripted satire mostly steers clear of cheap shots and over-the-top gags, balancing its comic observations with a real measure of affection for teachers and students alike. Their pencil-sharp ensemble took top acting honors at the Los Angeles Film Festival. Though clearly influenced by the faux-verite comedies of Christopher Guest, "Chalk" looks and plays more like an actual documentary. It was shot on digital video at an Austin, Texas, high school and features a supporting cast of real-life students and teachers. And where Guest's films have tended to skewer eccentric performers and prima donnas (the theater company in "Waiting for Guffman," the folk musicians in "A Mighty Wind") scribe-helmer Mike Akel and co-writer Chris Mass draw on their own teaching experience to essentially poke fun at themselves.
DONSOL / Competiton Film from the Philippines Whale sharks, magnificent creatures of the deep, visit once a year the turquoise waters of Donsol. Daniel, the young guide who swims with the whale sharks, finds himself drawn to Teresa, a woman as beautiful and mysterious as the depths of the sea. Burdened by past heartaches and uncertain of the future, the two find sanctuary in each other as love surfaces anew. As the tide rises and recedes in a cycle of loss and renewal, Donsol provides the breathtaking backdrop to a story of heartbreak, and the healing power of love. Directed by Written and directed by Adolfo B. Alix, Jr.; starring Sid Lucero, Angel Aquino, Cherie Gil, Jaclyn Jose, Bembol Roco and Simon Ibarra.
GRINGO WEDDING / World Cinema from Columbia / U.S. A hilarious, romantic comedy about finding true love at an international dating agency. Rebecca and Matt meet through such a dating agency in Bogota, Colombia, run by a cast of misfits, geared to make love a reality for many loveless souls. Matt and Rebecca soon fall in love despite the fact that they do not have a common language. Javier steps in as the translator extraordinaire to bring the couple together through his over the top translations and hilarious encounters. The families of both Rebecca and Matt oppose their wedding plans as they can only see disaster but the two love birds armed with their flamboyant translator venture into the pursuit of happiness and a long life together. Gringo Wedding is full of laughter and is an unforgettable movie. Written and directed by Tas Salini. Starring Ana Lucia Dominguez, Justin Kane, Sebastian Boscan, Adriana Campos, Luis Javier Posada & Julio Del Mar.
HAPPY AS ONE / World Cinema from Germany Actress Meret Becker is outstanding as a blaspheming, fire-spitting vixen—the embodiment of an urban Tasmanian devil—in a wry but entertaining story that follows various characters as they stumble around Berlin, faltering but finding their way towards each other in the never-ending quest for love. Directed by Vanessa Jopp; starring Meret Becker, Hinnerk Schönemann, Stefanie Stappenbeck, Marek Harloff, Fritz Roth
LOSE YOURSELF / Short Film What would you do if your lesbian best friend hit on your bosses wife ? Director: Neil Israel; starring Jonathan Silverman, Dinah Manoff, & Saul Rubinek
MAROA / World Cinema from Spain-Venezuela In this moving and powerful film, eleven-year-old petty teen criminal Maroa lives with her violent grandmother Brígida in Caracas. After her boyfriend Carlos is involved in a shooting, Maroa is arrested and sent to a school where Joaquín conducts the youth orchestra. He asks the naturally talented Maroa to join. Her days now revolve around the classes that Joaquín, the shy and unconventional teacher, gives her. He is immediately interested in this talented young girl, who lacks all notion of discipline. Joaquín, the only person to offer hope in the midst of her rejection and finds that through Maroa, his world has also changed forever. Written and directed by Solveig Hoogesteijn; starring Tristán Ulloa, Yorlis Domínguez, Elba Escobar, Luke Grande & Engel Alejo
ONE DEAD INDIAN/American Independent One Dead Indian is a gripping and timely drama about one of the most politically charged events in Canadian history: the Ipperwash Crisis and the 10-year campaign to seek justice for the death of native protestor Dudley George. Directed by Tim Southam; starring Eric Schweig, Dakota House, Gabrielle Miller &Stephen Mchattie.
ROBERTO ROSSELLINI: FRAMMENTI E BATTUTE / Documentary Directed and narrated by Director: Carlo Lizzani, this fascinating documentary about master director Roberto Rossellini, follows his life and childhood, and visits the places where he has lived and shot some of his most famous movies; wth Isabella Rossellini, Martin Scorsese, Ingrid Bergman & François Truffaut.
SHARKWATER /Documentary Sharkwater is a feature documentary about the relationship between sharks and humans. In an epic visual display, Sharkwater follows photographer and biologist Rob Stewart on a journey across the world's oceans uncovering the billion-dollar shark fishing industry currently threatening shark populations.In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teamed up with renegade conservationist Paul Watson. Together, along with their team, they faced a series of life and death situations including pirate boat rammings, attempted murder charges, arrests, espionage, corruption and hospitalization. Through it all, Stewart discovers that the one creature feared the most is one of the most important animals for life on earth.
THIRTEEN AT THE TABLE / World Cinema from Italy Giulio, now a divorced middle-aged man, returns to the family villa in Tuscany. The place brings back bittersweet memories of his youth as the youngest of a large patriarchal family and of the beautiful Anna, relentlessly pursued by all his brothers but ultimately won over by him. The house that’s been a home to many, the walls that have witnessed the tide of three generations are presently just a costly object that the family wants to get rid of. Overcome with emotions, and now aware of the significance of the property, Giulio decides to buy all his relatives’ shares and move back to the villa with his family. Written and directed by Enrico Oldoini; starring Giancarlo Giannini, Gianna Giochetti, Alessandro Benvenuti, Maria Amelia Monti, Paolo Bonacelli, Angela Finocchiaro, Manuela Borlotti, Kasia Smutniak, Andrea Giuliano, Nicolas Vaporidis, Luca Angeletti, Silvia De Santis, Giada Miceli & Niccolò Enriquez
Una Causa Noble /Short from Mexico Ignacio and Marina, a young Mexican couple, have different perspectives on what's best for their young son's future. This conflict reaches a head when Ignacio, who has been working most of the time in the United States, learns of an executive order issued by President Bush in 2002 offering expedited citizenship to foreign nationals who agree to join the U.S. Military to fight against terrorism. Ignacio decides to join the U.S. Army and Marina is left behind with some heartrending decisions. Directed by Miles Merritt, Written and produced by Carlos Pascual; starring Montserrat De Leon,Marta Aura,Arnulfo Reyes,Sylvia Velazquez,Horacio Zeta,Fernando Guerra Elias
WHITE MAN’S BLUES / Short from Sweden A six-minute story set to a song by Sverige, Sweden's best country-pop group. It uses both old and new footage to tell the story of Jonas (Swedish star Michael Nykvist in one of his first roles) as he unravels the events leading up to his desertion by Karin (veteran Swedish actress Katarina Huldt), including a mysterious boy who may be his inner child. Images are sometimes intimate, sometimes startling and always thought-provoking as they explore the ways men and women idealize and objectify each other. Directed by Mikael Södersten Written and produced Cornelia Ravenal; starring Michael Nykvist, Katarina Huldt, Rickard Blom.
Southeast Premieres Flannel Pajamas / American Independent Written and directed by veteran distribution exec Jeff Lipsky, Flannel Pajamas is an American Scenes from A Marriage - honest, sexy, sad, comic and tragic in equal measures - just like life. The story chronicles the two-year arc of a couple's relationship. Written and directed by Jeff Lipsky; Starring Tom Bower, Justin Kirk & Julianne Nicholson
PITTSBURGH/American Independent Directed by Chris Bradley and Kyle LaBrache, this mockumentary style comedy stars Jeff Goldblum as Jeff Goldblum, Jennifer Antkowiak, Ed Begley Jr., Illeana Douglas, Moby, Craig Kilborn & Conan O'Brien. In the film, Goldblum has fallen Tom-Cruise-crazy in love with a young musical theatre actress in the U.S. on a work visa. To keep her stateside, Goldblum agrees to take a role in a regional theatre production of The Music Man … a role for which he is totally wrong.
PIANISTS DEFINING CHOPIN/American Independent From director Tomasz Magierski, a cinematographer at the prestigious Lodz Film School, Magierski’s began his career with, The Making of Pirates, the documentary about Roman Polanski's "Pirates" in Tunisia. Pianists Defining Chopin is a breathtaking piece of musical entertainment that follows the four winners of the 2005 National Chopin Piano Competition, during their 30 grueling days of competition, as they represent the U.S. at the 2005 International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. The subjects of the film include Mei-Ting Sun, Sean Kennard, Rachel Kudo and Esther Park
Florida Premieres 48 Shades/World Cinema from Australia Based on the Nick Earls novel 48 Shades of Brown, this coming of age story is about 16 year old Dan. He has to make a choice: go to Geneva with his parents for a year or move into a house with his aunt, Jacq, and her friend, Naomi. He picked Jacq's place. Now he's doing his last year at school, trying not to spin out of control, trying to be cool, and trying to pick up a few skills for surviving in the adult world. Problems occur when he falls for Naomi, and things become much, much more confusing. Directed by Daniel Lapaine, 48 Shades stars Richard Wilson, an up-and-comng new Aussie on-screen talents.
ACROSS THE HALL /Short Film A quiet night takes a dangerous turn when Julian receives a frantic phone call from his best friend Terry, who claims to have followed his unfaithful fiancée to a seedy hotel on the other side of town. To make matters worse, he's staked out the room across the hall from her with a gun in hand. Julian pleads with his friend to stay put while he rushes to avert disaster: but is Terry truly as desperate as he seems? Directed by Alex Merkin and starring Adrian Grenier, James Oliver, Natalie Smyka & Jamie Benge.
AND THE SEA TOOK US / Documentary Narrated by Michelle Phillips, this film chronicles the devastating effects and wonderful relief efforts in one small fishing village community on the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Shot by an American volunteer, William Prosser, this story is presented in three parts with the heart of this documentary showing the small concentrated work by individuals making a great difference in helping disaster-affected people get back on their feet. Directed by William Prosser.
THE ARCHITECT / American Independent Based on Scottish playwright David Greig's The Architect, director Matt Tauber's debut feature pits an architect against a female community resident who lives in a dangerous housing project that he designed. By contrasting two Chicago families in divergent economic circumstances, The Architect ably explores political, sexual, and class issues. Starring Anthony LaPaglia, Viola Davis, Isabella Rossellini, Hayden Panettiere, Sebastian Stan and Walt Goggins.
THE AURA / World Cinema from Argentina Espinoza is a shy taxidermist who secretly dreams of executing the perfect robbery. On his first ever hunting trip, in the calm of the Patagonian forest, his dreams are made reality with one squeeze of the trigger. Espinoza accidentally kills a man who turns out to be a real criminal and inherits his scheme: the heist of an armored van carrying casino profits. Caught up in a world of complex new rules and frightening violence, Espinoza's lack of experience puts him in real danger. And he has another more dangerous liability: he is an epileptic. Before each seizure he is visited by the aura: a paradoxical moment of confusion and enlightenment where the past and future seem to blend. These attacks appear without notice when he least expects them. Written and Directed by Fabián Bielinksy. Starring Ricardo Darín, Dolores Fonzi, Pablo Cedrón, Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Jorge D'Elía & Alejandro Awada
AVATAR / Short Film from U.S. Avatar is a stylish thriller about a beautiful wife’s resentment of her wheelchair-bound husband which is played out in their gorgeous black and white tiled bathroom. Written and directed by Lluis Quilez and starring Rosana Pastor, Sebastian Haro and Gerard Villegas.
BARNEY THE TERRIER / Short from Australia Barney, The White House Scottish Terrier, talks with his security guard about life in the White House. Written/directed/produced by Anny Slater. Starring Bonnie Slater and Simon Kennedy
THE BIG BAD SWIM /American Independent This hysterically funny ensemble comedy is about a group of people who bring their dysfunctional lives to an adult education swim class. Male and female, old and young, rich and poor, the one thing they have in common is a fear of the water and their desire to overcome that fear and learn to swim. Directed by Ishai Setton, the film stars Paget Brewster, Jeff Branson, Jess Weixler and Ricky Ullman.
BRATS: OUR JOURNEY HOME / Documentary The first non-fiction film about a little known subculture that is estimated to include 15 million Americans. There are 1.2 million children being raised in the military today. An estimated 15 million Americans are former BRATS. They include actors Jessica Alba and Robert Duvall, Senator John McCain, and basketball star Shaquille O'Neal. BRATS is the first cinematic glimpse into a global subculture whose journey to adulthood is a high-octane mixture of incredible excitement and enormous pain. Make no mistake - BRATS is not about the U.S. military - it's about their children. Directed by Donna Musil, the film is narrated by Singer/songwriter and Air Force brat Kris Kristofferson who leads us through the heart of their experiences, sharing intimate memories with fellow BRATS, including General Norman Schwarzkopf and author Mary Edwards Wertsch.
CANVAS /American Independent The love and the magic of sailing are interwoven in this character-driven story of one family's struggle with mental illness. Canvas" was shot in Hollywood Beach, Florida in October /November 2005. Our film is the proud survivor of two tropical storms and Hurricane Wilma during the four-week 35mm shoot. The true heroes of our film are the passionate cast and crew members who endured and sacrificed to bring "Canvas" to life. Written and Directed by Joseph Delgreco and starring Joe Pantoliano, Marcia Gay Harden, Devon Gearhart, Sophia Bairley, Marcus Johns and Antony Del Rio.
Changement d'aDdresse / Competition Film This delightful comedy from France is about a shy, awkward musician who has just moved to Paris and falls madly in love with his young student and tries everything to win her heart. Directed by Emmanuel Mouret, the film stars Frédérique Bel, Fanny Valette, Dany Brillant, Emmanuel Mouret & Ariane Ascaride.
Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars /Documentary Narrated By Susan Sarandon with songs by Carly Simon. Everyone knows how Christa McAuliffe’s story ended. Now see how this pioneering woman lived. For the first time, the heroic teacher’s family, friends, colleagues and even NASA speak candidly about the memories, the pain and events surrounding the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster that brought a nation to tears and tore a family apart. Written, directed and produced by Renee Sotile & Mary Jo Godges.
Christopher Brennan Saves The World / Short Film A young drive-thru attendant serves as a drive-thru counselor and gives advice to all his customers. Written and directed by Jesse Dykstra. Starring Andrew Seeley, Jamie Amaral and Evan Lee Dahl.
Chronicle of an Escape (Crónica de una fuga) /World Cinema A thriller from Argentina, the feature film is about the goalkeeper of a little-known soccer team who is kidnapped by an Argentinean government squad and sent to a detention center. After months of torture, he plots his escape with three other young men. Directed and co-writer by Adrián Caetano, the film stars Rodrigo De la Serna and Pablo Echarri.
CIVIL WAR /Short Puberty is poison. Written and Directed by C.C. Webster and starring Colby Minifie,Samantha Bilinkas, Miryam Coppersmith, Kimberly Parente, Samantha Zane, William Peden.
Comeback Season / American Independent A comedy about a cheating husband and an injured high school football star, who become court ordered roommates. Emotional carnage leads to unlikely alliances, as the two men scramble for a second chance at love and stardom. Directed by Bruce McCulloch the film offers wonderful performances by Ray Liotta, Glenne Headly, Shaun Sipos, Rachel Blanchard and Brooke Nevin.
Coming Home / Sunshine Celluloid Documentary This thrilling war documentary traces the experiences of Lt. Herbert Sennett, while he served as a MAT team leader in Vietnam. Herb Sennett shines as the director, writer, and producer of this insightful commentary about the war and the plight of Vietnam Vets. Herbert resides in Palm Beach County, FL and is production with other documentaries.
Con Lujo de Detalle / Short from Mexico As usual, Rita serves coffee at a restaurant. When her boyfriend Sergio shows up to demand an explanation for a dream she had, Rita can't help but drag him into a vivid narration, in which Gabriel is the helpless victim of her affectionate mischief. When seduction is about to consummate, a sudden intrusion fades the frontier between the characters' reality and Rita's fantasy. Directed by Héctor Falcón Villa. Starring Zamia Fandiño, Eduardo Ruy, Uriel Del Toro, Emilio Guerrero, Alain Kerriou.
The Consequences of Love /World Cinema from Italy Titta di Girolamo apparently has a regular and tedious life with nothing strange a part from his own name (as he uses to say). He lives in a Hotel in Lugano (Switzerland) since almost ten years, spending his days waiting for something we don't know. His life is too rigid, too detached following a flat routine. Titta ignore everyone and probably he has no emotions at all. Basically there is no story. But one day he decided, breaking all his personal rules, to exchange some words with Sofia, the hotel's barmaid. Incredibly all the situation change, emotions, love, mafia, death come back violently into Titta's life. Written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino; Starring Toni Servillo, Olivia Magnani, Adriano Giannini, Gianna Paola Scaffidi.
COUSINES /World Cinema from Haiti The latest drama from up and coming Haitian director Richard Senecal. Senecal portrays the harsh realities of being young and in a struggling country. Cousines proves to be nothing short of a movie with lots of heart and serves as a defining landmark film from the next generation of Haitian filmmakers. Spotlight performances by Jessica Geneus, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Rudolph Moise & Catherine Hubert.
Darfur Diaries: Message from Home /Documentary A provocative new documentary by U.S. filmmakers Adam Shapiro, Aisha Bain, and Jen Marlowe. This documentary goes behind the lines of the global social conscious and presents the real life stories of Darfurians and the terrible conflicts in Darfur.
DAVID & LAYLA / American Independent Inspired by a true story, David and Layla is a spicy “political romantic comedy”. Sparks fly when a Jew and a Muslim fall in love. David is a nice Jewish boy with a demanding mother and a Jewish American Princess fiancée. In a chance meeting he lays his eyes on Layla—a Kurdish refugee up for deportation—and the two immediately fall in love. Their families, however, are adamant about keeping them apart. The young lovers must decide whether to listen to their hearts or to let the constraints of family and politics run their lives. Directed by Jay Jonroy with sparkling dramatic performances by David Moscow, Shiva Rose, Callie Thorne, Peter van Wagner, Polly Adams, Will Janowitz, Ed Chemaly, Anna George, and Alexander Blaise.
DIXIE CHICKS: SHUT UP AND SING / Documentary – U.S A powerful documentary from two-time Academy Award(R)-winning director Barbara Kopple ("Harlan County USA," "American Dream") and director Cecilia Peck. The film travels with the Dixie Chicks, from the peak of their popularity as the national-anthem-singing darlings of country music and top-selling female recording artists of all time, through the now infamous anti-Bush comment made by the group’s lead singer Natalie Maines in 2003. The film follows the lives and careers of the Dixie Chicks over a period of three years during which they were under political attack and received death threats, while continuing to live their lives, have children, and of course make music. The film ultimately presents who the Dixie Chicks are as women, public figures, and musicians.
Driving Lessons /Competition from the U.K. This touching coming of age story, from director Jeremy Brock, is the tale of a shy teenage boy, Rupert Grint (Harry Potter), trying to escape from the influence of his domineering mother (Laura Linney). His world changes when he begins to work for a retired actress and finds himself on the journey of a lifetime.
Every Other Week (Varannan vecka) /Competition Film from Sweden In this wry Swedish comedy about two brothers, who try to deal with rocky relationships as they navigate their increasingly complex extended family. Standing in their way of clarity is an intricate whirlwind of divorced parents, live-in partners, and girlfriends—past, present and future. Directed by and starring Felix Herngren and Måns Herngren.
EXPIRATION DATE / American Independent Expiration Date is the romantic fable of Charles Silvercloud III. Charles, who is about to turn 25, is plagued with a bizarre family curse that caused the death of both his grandfather and father: death via milk truck on their 25th birthdays. Having accepted his fate, Charlie sets on to prepare for his death - buying a casket, selecting a grave plot, selling his furniture - when he meets a crazy girl who won't let him die in peace. Directed by the humorous mind of Rick Stevenson and starring Dee Wallace Stone, David Keith, Robert Guthrie, and Sascha Knopf.
Going With The Flow: Classic California Soul Surfing / Sunshine Celluloid Documentary An adventurous documentary, by director Arsen Brzostek, that provides a brief glimpse into the life of a surfer living in the United States. Join Mike Trzinski, the average joe surfer: he works a regular job, has a family and enjoys surfing to help him attain the much needed focus required to live a happy, balanced, and successful life. Kevin Connelly and Jesse Timm share their love and knowledge of surfing with him and discuss stylish, classic longboarding and great surf spots. Surfing Legends Linda Benson, Lance Carson, LJ Richards, Henry Ford, Hank Warner, and the son of Dewey Weber add to the unusually educational tale of discovery and love of surf.
GOLD DIGGER KILLERS / Sunshine Celluloid Feature Set the world of Hip Hop and poetry with cameos by some of HBO’s hottest poets and comics from BET. The story follows Imani who, after losing her job, finds the only type of man who is willing to support a woman, a Playa. Refusing to be a victim, she not only seeks revenge on the people that played her but, all Players! Directed by Roderick Giles. Starring Shatara Curry, Kareem Green, Erica Williams, Grei Booker, Tito Binett, Kalvin Cauthen, Tammy Carr, Flowmentalz
Gray Matters /American Independent A romantic comedy about a close, single, brother and sister who to their biggest surprise end up finding love in the most unlikely place. Set in New York, this witty, heartwarming tale has the style of a designer fashion show and the panache of a 1940's bantering comedy. Gray and Sam look like a couple in every way. They enjoy just about anything and everything together. The one thing they both don't have is that one right person. From director Sue Kramer. Starring: Heather Graham, Tom Cavanagh, Bridget Moynahan, Sissy Spacek, Alan Cumming,
Molly Shannon and Rachel Shelley
Guide Dog From director Bill Plympton, Guide Dog is a short film with a lot of bark.This twisted sequel to the Oscar-nominated film Guard Dog details the continuing adventures of an eager canine. This time he takes a job helping the blind, but still leaves a path of destruction in his wake.
A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS / American Independent Dito Montiel’s A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints, a coming-of-age drama inspired by Montiel's mid-eighties youth in Astoria, Queens, exudes the rawness and authenticity of the classic urban dramas Mean Streets, Saturday Night Fever, Do The Right Thing and Kids. Based on his memoir of the same name, GUIDE won both the Dramatic Directing Award and a Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Performance at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. By first-time director Montiel in collaboration with renowned director of photography Eric Gautier (The Motorcycle Diaries), A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints is an evocative and heartbreaking cinematic memory piece that packs an emotional wallop. The film features exceptional performances by Robert Downey Jr., Chazz Palmenteri, Dianne Wiest, Rosario Dawson, and Shia LaBeouf, as well as a breakout turn by Channing Tatum. The combined efforts of this cast of established talents and young, up-and-coming actors recalls the ensemble triumph of American Graffitti.
HALFWAY
DECENT
/ American Independent
Harnessing Speed /American Independent In 2002, Fast and the Furious and XXX Director Rob Cohen set out with his team of filmmakers to tackle the enormous process of creating the sci-fi action thriller Stealth. Documenting the overwhelming task of implementing cutting edge visual effects technologies with a 200 ton monstrous Gimble and live action shots aboard three fully operational Nimitz Class US Aircraft Carriers was no piece of cake. Harnessing Speed focuses on the truly unique characters behind the goal of creating a movie audiences have never seen. Harnessing Speed, as told through the eyes of Rob Cohen, is an introspective look at the emotional and physical challenges of filmmaking. With Oscar winning visual effects genius Joel Hynek, comedian/actor Jamie Foxx, and special effects wiz Jon Frazier, there is no doubt that the journey from Los Angeles to Sydney to Thailand to unchartered waters would bring about an entertaining and compelling tale. Also starring Jessica Biel.
Holiday Makers (Ucastnici zajezdu) / World Cinema from the Czech Republic In Holiday Makers a chance group of vacationers sets out by bus for the Adriatic Sea. The grueling journey provides ample time to get to know the individual characters: tense moments allow the travelers to reveal things about themselves that would have better remained hidden. As the kilometers roll by, the absurdities multiply. Not even the approach of their dream destination brings hope of improvement. Friendship, surprising situations, summer crushes, and wild vacation passions feature in a story full of humor and gentle irony. Things are indeed pretty hot by the sea! Holiday Makers is a timeless comedy about enjoying to the fullest even the most precarious vacation. It is also a lighthearted tale, full of hope, in which even the worst prognosis can turn itself entirely around. Directed by Jiri Vejdelek and starring Eva Holubova, Bohumil Klepl, and Anna Polivkova.
HUNTED /Sunshine Celluloid Short Film Emily wakes up to find herself in the middle of nowhere. Chased by a group of complete lunatics for reasons beyond her comprehension, instincts kick in as she tries to make sense of the mess she has stumbled into while surviving at the same time. From creative team Moe and Ahmad Charif, Hunted is a short thriller that stars Jessica Fuentes, John Trapani, David Peterson, Ahmad Haidar, Courtney Peterson and Leonard Krys.
In A Day / World Cinema from the U.K In a Day is a romantic comedy about life and all its unanticipated surprises. In this impulsive dialogue-driven character piece, Ashley Branstead, a young female musician, spends a curiously alluring and unpredictable day with a stranger named Michael, who's ulterior motive threatens to end their whirlwind romance once a mystery is revealed. Anything can happen in a day. Directed by Evan Richards; starring Finlay Robertson, Lorraine Pilkington, Rose Keegan, Jake Broder & Nolan Hemmings.
I Want Someone To Eat Cheese With Written and directed by Jeff Garlin, I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With is a romantic comedy about a man, the food he loves, and the woman who tortures him. Unsuspecting performances from an astonishing cast including Jeff Garlin, Sarah Silverman, Aaron Carter, Dan Castellaneta, Elle Fanning, Bonnie Hunt, Richard Kind, Amy Sedaris, and Joey Slotnick.
JEWS IN GERMANY / Documentary from This film takes viewers along a trip to explore Jewish history in Germany along with members of Hollywood’s Temple Solel, the first congregation to organize such a journey. Beautifully shot scenes take place in medieval hilltop towns such as Rothenberg as well as major cities including Munich, Leipzig and Berlin. Through images, narration, German experts and the group’s rabbi, stories are told about Jewish community, religious life, economic and cultural contributions Jews made to German society. Further, the film delves into periods of Jewish persecution from The Middle Ages through World War II. Particularly moving is the first hand account of the concentration camp Buchenwald as told by a member of the group who survived. His wife born in Nurenberg, the place of Hitler’s mass rallies and a newspaper which fostered anti-Semitism. She had lost her brother and her father in Buchenwald
JOHAN/World Cinemas from the Netherlands From the Netherlands, comes a romantic comedy from director Nicole van Kilsdonk. Johan is a heart warming tale of following ones heart. Johan is the story of a young man coming into his own while trying to live up to family expectations. In a family of soccer players, Johan becomes the outcast as his interests take him away from the field and into the world of music. Johan's life becomes increasingly more difficult when he meets his neighbor, Evy. The cast includes Michiel Huisman, Caro Lenssen & Johnny de Mol.
Joni's Promise /World Cinema from Indonesia Joni works as a film reel delivery man in Jakarta. One day, while waiting for the next pick-up, Joni meets a charming girl who is, ironically, going to catch a film with her boyfriend Otto. The girl will only reveal her name to Joni if he successfully delivers the reels on time. However, things do not turn out well on that day as Joni faces obstacles such as the city's notorious traffic and various people that may disrupt his task. Director Joko Anwar is supported by a cast that includes Mariana Renata, Nicholas Saputra, Rachel Maryam, Ria Irawan and Barry Prima & Surya Saputra.
JUST LIKE THE SON / American Independent Mark Webber, Rosie Perez, Antonio Ortiz and Brendan Sexton III star in this story directed by Morgan J. Freeman in this heartwarming drama about an unexpected journey and the lessons learned. While doing community service at a school Daniel, attempts to help a quirky little boy, Boone, who suffers from a broken home. When Boone ends up missing from class, Daniel learns that Boone has been placed in an orphanage, despite having family in Texas. The story then takes to the road as Daniel decides to break Boone out of foster care and head out to find Boone's sister in Dallas.
Karmma/World Cinema from Columbia Don Juan Diego Valbuena is a prosperous farmer and cattle breeder. His children are Diana, a lonely youngster, and Santiago, the elder son, who's dream is make a fortune by his own means, no matter where it may come from. It is precisely this young man's ambition that unleashes the tangled chain of events which make up Karmma. There is a party held at the ranch to celebrate Don Juan's birthday and Santiago receives some tragic news. Don Ricardo, a friend of the family, warns him that he is going to report him to the authorities for kidnapping people and selling them to illegal groups. Feeling shocked and caught, the young man submits himself to Don Ricardo's blackmail. For the family, this situation unleashes great personal tragedies in the midst of a country which lives in conflict and bloodshed. Karmma is a provocative tale from director Orlando Pardo and stars Julio Medina, Edgardo Román, Diana Angel, Luis Fernando Múnera & Juan Sebastián Mogollon
The Last Romantic / Sunshine Celluloid, Feature The Last Romantic is a comedy from director duo Aaron and Adam Nee. Young, self absorbed Calvin Wizzig travels to New York with the naive hope of being published and making his mark on the world. Unfortunately, the world is not particularly keen on having marks made on it. Adam Nee, Shalom Harlow, James Urbaniak, Jane Bradbury & Sarah Grace Wilson give make this romantic comedy a unforeseen pleaser
Le Couperet (The Axe)/World Cinema – Belgium/France/Spain From France, Le Couperet is the dramatic new work from renowned Grecian director Costa-Gavras and spouse Michele Ray-Gavras. Bruno, a hardworking and decent man in his 40s, loses his job at a large paper manufacturer and spends two years looking for work without success. His wife, Marlene, is supportive and wants to save the increasingly strained marriage. As he grows more desperate, Bruno is pushed to contemplate getting rid of the competition - by literally killing off the likely contenders for the job he wants. José Garcia, Karin Viard, & Ulrich Tukur give the film a necessary edge and a dazzling comedic touch.
LEEF! (LIVE!) /Competition Film from the Netherlands When Anna, a cheerful woman in her mid-forties devoted to her family and her work as a midwife, starts keeping a diary, she all at once becomes unhappy about her life. Things will have to change, but she hasn't the faintest idea where to start. In the mean time her listlessness does not miss its effect on the lives of her nearest and dearest, who have always depended on her. Her husband Paul and two teenaged daughters Robin and Isabelle start to turn away from her and her job seems to lose its meaning for her. Before losing everything she cherishes, she manages to pull herself out of the mess she's threatening to turn her life into. Through a series of unsettling and hilarious confrontations with herself and her environment she finally regains her grip on her life and rediscovers joy in life. Directed by Willem van de Sande Bakhuyzen, the cast includes Monic Hendrickx, Peter Blok, Sarah Jonker, Sophie van Winden, Anne-Wil Blankers, Petra Laseur, Tanja Jess, Jeroen Willems & Jeroen Krabbé.
The Life Of Reilly/American Independent The Life of Reilly is the tragic and hilarious true story from director Barry Poltermann. The documentary follows acting legend Charles Nelson Reilly as he tells the story of his complex and surreal life in and out of Hollywood.
A Little Light /Short Film Ernie, a Los Angeles Parking Enforcer extraordinaire, whose life is so simple, even gravity 'flaking out' and sucking random people into the sky doesn't throw Ernie off his stride. Directed by Ben Zlotucha and starring Marisa Petroro, Jon Southwell, Paul Hungerford & Alan Thicke.
Local Color /Competition Film From director, writer, and producer George Gallo (Midnight Run, Wise Guys, The Whole Ten Yards), Local Color is an unsuspecting tale about life and learning to embrace it—or re-embrace it. A successful artist looks back with loving memories on the summer of his defining year, 1974 when as a talented but troubled eighteen year old art student, he befriended an elderly Russian painter who had turned his back on not only art, but life. The two form what appears to be at first a tenuous relationship. The student wants to learn all the secrets the master has locked away inside his head and heart. Time has not been kind to the old master. His life appears pointless to him until the kid rekindles his interest in his work and ultimately gives him the will to live. Together, they give one another a priceless gift. The young man learns to see the world through the master's eyes and the master learns to see life through the eyes of innocence again. This story is based on a real life experience. The talent of Armin Muller Stahl, Trevor Morgan, Ray Liotta, Samantha Mathis, Charles Durning make this work a true masterpiece.
MILLION DOLLAR SALAD / Sunshine Celluloid Can Meryl Streep, Barbra Streisand and Johnny Carson help Julia, a nice girl from Salt Lake City, find fame, fortune and a Million Dollar Salad in New York City? The first two may be easy, but the third will prove a lot harder than expected for this modern day Doris Day! Directed by Michael Schiralla; starring Julia Stoddard
The Night of the White Pants /American Independent The Night of the White Pants is a comedic drama from director/writer Amy Talkington and producer Annie Harris. Dallas oil magnate Max Hagan (Tom Wilkinson) is being helped through yet another messy divorce by his record executive daughter Beth (Selma Blair). When his soon-to-be-ex forces him out of his mansion, he finds himself tangled in a wild night of sex, drugs and rock-and-roll with his daughter's boyfriend, the punk-rocker/computer programmer Raff (Nick Stahl), while trying to strengthen the bond with his dysfunctional family. A brilliant casts helps create a sexy comedy that is sure to exceed expectations.
NOBELITY /Documentary A look at the future and how to solve global problems such as poverty and the environmental degradation through a series of interviews with Nobel Prize winners. Director: Turk Pipkin
Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West / Documentary from South Africa Obsession is a film about the threat of Radical Islam to Western civilization. Using footage from Arab TV, it reveals an 'insider's view' of the hatred the Radicals are teaching, their incitement of global jihad, and their goal of world domination. The film also traces the parallels between the Nazis of WWII, today's Radicals, and the response to both threats. Written and directed by Director: Wayne Kopping
ONCE THEY WERE NEIGHBOURS /Documentary from Hungary Ghetto, brick factory, train station, mass graves - this time the neighbours of the Hungarian Jews remember. What did the bystanders see and what do they believe they saw in their small town community during the last days of WWII? The former lager-guard and the man who lived by the brick factory as a teenager, the lady who brought food in the ghetto as a young girl have similar memories. They speak admiringly of their former neighbors' business talent and say that the Germans were to blame for everything. But were they really...? The documentary Once They Were Neighbours is about the present as much as it is about history: the shadows cast by the failure to face the past during the last 60 years. Directed by Zsuzsanna Varga.
Pitch /Short Film From director Ian Gelfand, Pitch is about two NYU film grads who, hot off the success of their smash hit student film, prepare to pitch their big action movie to a film studio, in hopes of making the leap to “the next level”. Cast includes Jason Fuchs, Robin Taylor, Dylan Baker, John Shea Zak Orth, Roshumba Williams & Alexandra Daddario.
PUNK LIKE ME / Documentary from the U.S. Who doesn't grow up wanting to be a rock star? As a teenager, Rich Wilkes dreamed of being a frontman like David Lee Roth. Twenty years later, as a married 37 year-old dad with no singing ability, he finally decided to make it happen. Written and directed by Rich Wilkes
Recycled Life/Documentary A dramatic and touching journey into Central America's largest and most toxic landfill, the Guatemala City Garbage Dump, where thousands of adults and children and generations of families have been living, eating, and working over the last sixty years. Winner Best Short Documentary: Newport Beach FF, Human Rights Nights, Mendocino FF, San Luis Obispo FF. From directors Leslie Iwerks and Mike Glad, the documentary provides a thought-provoking look at life in Guatemala through the narrations of Edward James Olmos.
Road Rage/Short Film From director/writer Kate Duhamel, Road Rage is a classic tale of road rage and the consequences it can have on life. Dan struggles to check his road rage at the emergency room door. Cast includes Kevin Larson, Ruth Cox, & Tom Dryden
The Shape of Water /Documentary From director Kum-Kum Bhavnani, The Shape of Water is a exotic short film. Intimate stories and compelling footage of five women who abandon female genital mutilation, tap rubber trees to protect the rainforest, defend the biodiversity of the planet and oppose military occupations - in Senegal, Brazil, India, Jerusalem. Experience their conflicts as they create a more just world (narrated by Susan Sarandon).
The Shoe Fairy /World Cinema From Taiwan, The Shoe Fairy is the fantasy tale from director/ writer Yun Chan Lee about a little girl, Dodo cannot walk. Narrated by Andy Lau, Dodo associates herself with The Little Mermaid and wonders if she would give up something of her own in order to own a pair of feet. Fortunately, she gains a pair of feet after an operation, and hence is indulged in collecting and wearing beautiful shoes and heels even after she has grown up. She marries Smiley, a handsome but shy dentist. They live a happy life, except that Dodo still keeps buying shoes. Later, she reluctantly accepts Smiley's request to stop | |
