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Fort Lauderdale, FL (September 25, 2006) The world-renowned Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF), will reel out over 200 films during their 21st Annual event held from October 16 through November 14, 2006. The fest begins with a pre-fest kick-off week of films from October 16-19, with October 20 as the Official Opening Night. Whether intense or light and funny, FLIFF’s 2006 line-up offers a diverse selection of feature films, documentaries, shorts and tribute films from the U.S. and around the globe.
This year the fest will present nine (9) World Premieres including: Mrs. Worthington’s Party, where everyone is welcome and anything is possible and Trust Me, a con-man comedy starring Shelley Long (Cheers) who is expected to attend.
Two (2) North American Premieres: an inspiring true story from South Africa, FAITH LIKE POTATOES; and from France, THE TALMUD, which enlightens us on the destiny of a mythical book at the basis of Judaism.
Sixteen (16) U.S. Premieres includes: Ventura Pons’ Animales Heridos from Spain, action comedy from Sweden Baba’s Cars, hip-hop drama from Finland Beauty and the Bastard; a fascinating story of healing and love from the Philippines, Donsol; collaborative Columbian/U.S. romantic comedy Gringo Wedding; and one of three (3) Official Closing Night films held November 12, Sharkwater, recently featured at The Toronto Film Festival, offers extraordinary underwater imagery, a compelling original soundtrack, and interviews with renowned experts about the shark industry that could harm the ecological balance of our oceans. Rob Stewart, expert diver and underwater photographer who faced numerous challenges in making this film will attend the screening. The filmmakers are also bringing a 17ft Shark for fun photo ops.
Three (3) Southeast Premieres: the festival’s Centerpiece Gala, Pittsburgh, directed by Chris Bradley and Kyle LaBrachea, is a mockumentary style comedy starring Jeff Goldblum as Jeff Goldblum, who has fallen Tom-Cruise-crazy in love with a young musical theatre actress on a work visa in the U.S. Flannel Pajamas, written and directed by veteran distribution exec Jeff Lipsky, stars Tom Bower, Justin Kirk & Julianne Nicholson, and chronicles the two-year arc of a couple's relationship. 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.
Seventy-two (72) Florida Premieres including: FLIFF’s Official Opening Night film on October 20, Pedro Almodovar’s Volver which just received the Best Film of the Year Award from the International Federation of Film Critics, as reported by The Associated Press. The film, which also walked away with Best Actress Awards for all five leading ladies and Best Screenplay at Cannes Film Festival, stars Pénelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, Blanca Portillo, Yohana Cobo. The film was written and directed by Almodóvar. Described as a meeting of Mildred Pierce and Arsenic and Old Lace, Volver (which means coming back) marks Almodovar’s return to comedy, the feminine world, working again with Carmen Maura and Penélope Cruz…and the theme of Volver.
FLIFF’s two of three Official Closing Night films, on November 12, are: Canvas shot in Hollywood Beach, Florida, is the heart-warming film that combines love and the magic of sailing. This character-driven story is about one family's struggle with mental illness. Canvas, filmed in 2005, survived two tropical storms and Hurricane Wilma during the four-week shoot. Film star Joe Pantoliano (Memento, The Sopranos, Matrix) will attend the screening. George Gallo’s Local Color (Midnight Run, Wise Guys,The Whole Ten Yards) is a beautiful bio-based story about a successful artist who reflects back to a time when he was 18 and a summer spent learning the craft from an elderly Russian artist. In addition to his talent as writer and director, Gallo, is also an artist with exhibits in galleries across the nation. The paintings featured in the film are his. Gallo and stars Samantha Mathis (Pump Up The Volume, Broken Arrow), and Trevor Morgan (The Patriot, The Sixth Sense) are scheduled to attend.
FLIFF’s week of pre-fest kick-off films, begins October 16 and culminates on October 19, with the highly touted film and the Florida Premiere of A Guide To Recognizing Your Saints. This coming-of-age drama was inspired by writer/director, Dito Montiel's, mid-eighties youth in Astoria, Queens. The film exudes the rawness and authenticity of the classic urban dramas Mean Streets, Saturday Night Fever, Do The Right Thing and Kids and received two awards at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. The film features exceptional performances by Robert Downey Jr., Chazz Palmenteri, Dianne Wiest, Rosario Dawson, Shia LaBeouf, and Channing Tatum.
There will be a Children’s Mini Fest offering classic films including The Sound of Music, and the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. The mini fest will also introduce the new animated comedy-adventure Happy Feet, with the voices of Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, and others.
Tribute films will celebrate the works of director Mel Stuart and film star/top recording artist Barbra Streisand. FLIFF will also present two films that benefit charitable organizations - Lunafest, offering 9 short films by, for and about women with proceeds going to The Breast Cancer Fund with a reception sponsored by WIFT (Women in Film & Television, Florida). And, the Southeast Premiere of Pianists Defining Chopin with a portion of the proceeds from this event going to The National Chopin Foundation of the United States. This event includes a reception and a live performance by Mei-Ting Sun (on a Yamaha Grand) winner of the 2005 competition in Miami and who is featured in the film.
FLIFF will also bring to the screen two powerful and controversial new documentary films: Tell Me Cuba, directed by Megan Williams and narrated by Gina Gershon, answers the question …”Why is Cuba off-limits to U.S. citizens?” And as part of the week-long pre-fest films, The Dixie Chicks: Shut up and Sing from two-time Academy Award® winning director Barbara Kopple (Harlan County USA, American Dream) and director Cecilia Peck who take us behind the scenes during a dramatic period of the best selling female group’s career. As bombs were falling on Iraq, lead singer Natalie Maines told a London audience, "We're embarrassed that the President is from Texas." With this remark the group made headlines all over the world in March 2003. Right-wing groups responded with radio boycotts, CD burnings and even death threats.
This year, FLIFF will present juried awards November 11 during The Awards Celebration to be held at the Westin Diplomat. Award-winning director, Mel Stuart (the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) will receive a Lifetime in Achievement Award for Directing. Awards for Best Film, Best Performer, Best Short, Best Documentary among others will also be presented.
FLIFF’s special guests include filmmakers and some of our favorite on-screen film stars who are scheduled for audience Q&As at screenings of their films. Other opportunities that provide time for more intimate chats with festival staff and guests include trendy parties and receptions at top area venues, aboard yachts, the Sundance Festival Café and Toast To Humanity Wine Lounge, and casual gatherings at the festival’s host hotel Gallery One Fort Lauderdale (a four-star guest suites hotel).
Expected to attend this year are:
Film star Ernie Hudson (Lackawanna Blues, Miss Congeniality 1&2 & Ghostbusters) at the Florida Premiere of the romantic comedy, Halfway Decent.
Actress Bridget Moynahan (I Robot, Sex and the City, Six Degrees) is expected to attend their Florida Premiere of the romantic comedy about a close, single brother and sister who, to their biggest surprise, end up finding love in the most unlikely place.
Shiva Rose (DysEnchanted, Woman at the Beach), co-star David Moscow (Big Honey with Jessica Alba, Nearing Grace) will attend the Florida Premiere of David and Layla, a Romeo and Juliet-esque romantic comedy with a political twist that send their families, one Jewish – one Muslim into a spin reminiscent of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Accompanying David Moscow is actress Kerry Washington (Ray).
Film & star Geri Jewell (Facts of Life) will be at the Florida Premiere of her new comedy NIGHT OF WHITE PANTS about the patriarch of a distinguished but crumbling family who is forced to hit the town with his daughter's (Selma Blair) punk rock boyfriend (Nick Stahl).
Award –Winning director Mel Stuart (the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory), will attend screenings of his films on November 9, including his outstanding documentaries - The Making of the President, Man Ray: Prophet of the Avant Garde, Billy Wilder: The Human Comedy, Wasstax, Sophia: A Portrait. FLIFF will present Stuart with a Lifetime Achievement Award in Directing on November 11, Awards Celebration beginning 7:00pm at Westin Diplomat.
Michelle Phillips (The Mamas & the Papas), will attend the screening of And The Sea Took Us, a documentary narrated by Phillips, that chronicles the devastating effects and wonderful relief efforts in one small fishing village community on the southern coast of Sri Lanka.
Artist Purvis Young and producer and owner of Gallery 721, Larry Clemons, will attend their showing of documentary Purvis of Overtown.
Robin Cowie, producer of the award winning, innovative and terrifying The Blair Witch Project will host a seminar titled Producing your first Indie Film at the October 21 High School Competition.
Writer and film star, Carl Andress will attend the showing of his film, A Very Serious Person, which is directed/co-written and stars Charles Busch (Die Mommie Die). The film is about a show tunes and old Hollywood-obsessed boy, his effete Danish mentor who bond and teach each other about self-acceptance over the course of one magical summer.
Popular actress from Columbia, Ana Lucia Dominguez (Te voy a enseñar a querer), will attend her U.S Premiere of Gringo Wedding, the hilarious, romantic comedy about finding true love through an international dating agency. Directed by Tas Salini (Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale) and Executive Producer Paul Lazarus (University of Miami) will also attend.
Stars of the U.S. Premiere of Donsol, Sid Lucero (TV series, Etheria: Ang ikalimang kaharian ng encantadia) and Angel Aquino (Crying Ladies) will attend this film from the Philippines about a young guide who swims with the whale sharks, and finds himself drawn to a woman as beautiful and mysterious of the sea.
Plus a host of actors from Sweden, Czech Republic, Croatia, Argentina, Colombia, Canada, UK, Philippines, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and … you never know who else may pay a surprise visit to the festival.
21st ANNUAL FORT LAUDERDALE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL OCTOBER 16 – NOVEMBER14, 2006
FILM 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 buying shoes, until one fateful day when she accidentally walks right into the shoe store ...
The Shovel /Short Film From the twisted mind of director Nick Childs, The Shovel portrays a crime of passion. A dangerous curiosity. And, a shallow grave. In a small town, some secrets are better left buried. A brief and abnormal film, the cast includes David Strathairn, Tim Guinee & Neal Huff.
SHUT UP AND SING / American Independent A group of guys who sang together in a college a cappella group reunite fifteen years later to perform at a friend's wedding and discover how their lives have progressed-and in some cases regressed- since their college heyday. Written and directed by Bruce Leddy; starring Chris Bowers, David Harbour, David Alan Basche, Elizabeth Reaser, Mark Feuerstein, Molly Shannon, Reg Rogers, Rosemarie Dewitt, & Sandy Chaplin
SOLUS /Short Film For Claudine Vincent, her Haitian roots are not a source of pride, but a source of pain she cannot run from fast enough. Despite her Americanized surface, Santa Monica home and improving American accent. Inside she is haunted by constant fear and memories just moments from bursting through the facade. As she finally begins to let a new friend in, it becomes increasingly more difficult to hide from her past. Eventually, she must face the history that troubles her in order to find peace and happiness in her adopted country. Directed by Richard Heller; starring Nadege August, Deidra McCord-Ware, Jourdan VanEman
Son of Man/Competition Film from South Africa A man's journey of love, deception and betrayal in contemporary South Africa is based on the New Testament. Directed by Mark Dornford-May and casting includes Andile Kosi, Pauline Malefane, Andries Mbali, Mvuyisi Mjali & Zorro Sidloyi.
SNAPSHOTS FOR HENRY/ Short Film from Canada Pent and Angie are party people. Tim and Joanne are a hard-working straight couple with a baby and a penchant for garden gnomes. The only thing these couples share is a duplex...until life throws a cruel curve. Sometimes being a neighbor means being an adult. Written and directed by Teresa Hannigan; starring Zoie Palmer, Allan Hawco, Daniel Petronijevic and Molly Atkinson.
Take Four / Sunshine Celluloid, Short Film A story of determination from the direction of Omar Chavez Jr. Four completely different people, in totally different situations, share an uncommon parallel drive to accomplish their goals despite any and all obstacles. Cast includes Nicholas Alexander, Candace Marie, Heather Carrol & Jeremy Mitchell.
TELL ME CUBA / Documentary – U.S. Why is Cuba off-limits to US citizens? A Miami based terrorist, a Mafia chauffeur, ambitious members of Congress and a secret negotiator unravel the complexities behind a punishing 45-year embargo. Through bombings to political strong-arming, this richly textured documentary, narrated by Gina Gershon (Showgirls) and impressively directed by Megan Williams, reveals how a determined exile community hijacked US foreign policy. Today’s conflict is traced from the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors, to US intervention in the Cuban Wars of Independence, through the 1959 Revolution. Exile veterans feeling betrayed by the US government then take matters into their own hands and fight Castro on all fronts, culminating in the 1976 mid-air bombing of a Cuban airliner. The film ends in conflict. Those fighting for peaceful resolution are louder and clearer than ever. Those in opposition…never more powerful.
Ten 'til Noon / American Independent Ten ‘TIl Noon is a thriller from director Scott Storm and written by Paul Osborne. A jet-lagged corporate businessman awakens to find two strangers in his bedroom. Over the next ten minutes, he will experience the most terrifying and possibly final moments of his life. These same ten minutes are then replayed several times, but in different places and with different people, all of whom are mysteriously connected to this unexplained conspiracy. A brilliant cast including Alfonso Freeman, Jenya Lano, Dylan Kussman, Thomas Kopache, Rick D. Wasserman, Rayne Guest & Paul J. Alessi delivers stunning performance that is sure to keep audiences clamoring for more.
Theda Bara: THE WOMAN WITH THE HUNGRY EYES /Senior Matinee In 1915, when William Fox started the Fox Film Corporation, his first star was Theda Bara, who created a sensation as the sexual vampire in A Fool There Was. Newspaper stories called her a tempting femme fatale from Egypt, whose name was an anagram for 'Arab Death.' It was all a lie. The Woman With The Hungry Eyes reveals the true story of Theda Bara, born Theodosia Goodman. From her Jewish childhood in Cincinnati through her film life as a sex goddess, and finally to her relatively contented retirement in Hollywood, Theda lived her life with style and humor. The documentary contains clips from every one of her few surviving films, including the few tantalizing scenes that survive from her lost masterpiece, 'Cleopatra,' (1917). Directed by Hugh Neely.
Two Players from the Bench (Dva igraca s klupe) / World Cinema - Serbo-Croatian Ante and Duško - two Dream Team players. Besides being a Croat and a Serb who fought on opposite sides in the war, both used to be volleyball players. Today, they live normal lives, one in a remote craggy region, the other in Banja Luka. There is little chance of them ever meeting again. The International War Crimes Tribunal in the Hague has indicted Colonel Skoko, a hero to some, a criminal to the others. The two main witnesses to his defense, Mato and Joso, have disappeared without a trace. Skoko's sponsor from the intelligence circles, Antiša, wants to find two men resembling Mato and Joso, to impersonate them before the Hague investigators, and hopefully bring down the indictments. Naturally, the two men he finds are none other than our heroes, Ante and Duško. Directed by Dejan Šorak and starring Goran Navojec, Borko Peric, Tarik Filipovic, Dora Lipovcan & Rene Gjoni.
VOLVER /Competition Film from Spain Written and directed by Pedro Almodovar, Volver is a meeting of “Mildred Pierce” and “Arsenic and Old Lace. Three generations of women survive the east wind, fire, insanity, superstition and even death by means of goodness, lies and boundless vitality. Starring Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Duenas, Blanca Portillo & Yohana Cobo.
WONTON /Short Film -USA Wonton is a story about a young Chinese woman and her witty escape during an Immigration Customs Enforcement raid of the US restaurant where she is illegally employed. Not only does Grace get away, she helps Armando, an underage Salvadorian dishwasher, to avoid the fate of the other illegal workers, who are subjected to humiliating treatment, capture, and possible deportation. The film gives a glimpse into the microcosm of life in a restaurant, and through a simple story, magnifies the need for human beings to have the right to pursue a better life. Written and directed by Wenhwa Ts'ao; starring Jennifer Shin,Roberto Carranza & D.J. Howard
Zen & Zero - An Austrian Surf Extravaganza /Documentary A surf trip from L.A. to Costa Rica is a classic, a free ride, executed by generations of surfers since the sixties. It’s a surf-pilgrimage and a business trip at the same time: Offroaders sell down south for double their price in L.A., making the journey pay for itself- so they say. When five landlocked Austrians get on that very road, it becomes a different thing: a comedy, a philosophical diversion, an investigation of the myth of the surfer dude itself. From the creative team of Michael Ginthör & Philipp Manderla. Cast includes Ginthör, Philipp Manderla, Jakob Polacsek, Edwin Steinitz, David Auerbach, Pablo Postigo, Markus Schalek & Allan Weisbecker.
Non-Premiere Films & Specialty Film Events
CALLBACK / American Independent The time has come for actor Jake Bannon to prepare for his final call. And that means to turn his journey inward and let his character lead the way, method acting at its height. The only problem is that he's lost himself. Or is he one of the few left alive? Hollywood will never be the same. Directed by Christopher Glatis; starring Richard Eden, Katie Barnes, Scott Satenspiel, Cheryl Dent, Mick Page and Fred Toma
DARE NOT WALK ALONE / Sunshine Celluloid Documentary Juxtaposing the untold story of the St. Augustine, FL civil rights movement which led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act, against the story of St. Augustine's African Americans still living below the poverty line, Dare Not Walk Alone asks how far have we come since 1964. At a time when most Americans feel that issues of race and equality were solved in the 1960's, the film reminds us that the war of poverty, education and justice, is still ours to fight. Directed by Jeremy Dean.
ELEVEN MEN OUT / Gay Interest from Iceland In the macho world of sports in a fishing town in Iceland, Ottar, the sexy star player of a premier soccer team, unexpectedly comes out while being interviewed for a local magazine and scores the cover photo and lead article. Of course, he hasn’t bothered to inform his ex-beauty queen wife, his father, his team or his troubled teenage son, none of whom are too happy with the news. Kicked off the team for being gay, Ottar ends up playing on an all-gay team in the minor league and begins a relationship with a hot younger player. When his new team plays his old team on the day of the gay pride festival, the game becomes the hottest ticket in town. Written and directed by Róbert I. Douglas; starring Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Lilja Nótt Þórarinsdóttir, Arnaldur Ernst, Helgi Björnsson & Sigurður Skúlason
LIFTING CORAZON / World Cinema from Argentina, Spain Pep Munne and Moro Anghileri light up the screen with their older man/younger woman romance, while Maria Baranco burns it up as the wife scorned in this "sexy and clever take on midlife crises" from Argentinean director Eliseo Subiela. Starring Pep Munne, Moro Anghileri, María Barranco, Rosario Pardo, Alfredo Casero, Arturo Bonin, Silvia Rey, Felix Lopez & Jean Pierre Noher.
M80/ Sunshine Celluloid, Short Film Just to spend time with him, Donnie asks his older brother AJ to teach him to throw the castnet. AJ challenges Donnie to a test of bravery: to hold a lit M-80 firecracker for four seconds and throw it before it blows at five. Donnie tries to decide whether or not his older brother's respect is worth the risk. Unable to learn to throw the castnet on his own, he confronts his brother, lights the M-80, and starts counting. Shot on location in the Florida Panhandle, stunning images were captured in true HD to tell a gritty story about growing up. Written & Directed by Travis Miller. Starring Repasky & Joshua Mikel.
MISSING PAGES / Short Film from Japan After developing a time machine, the inventor finds himself enwrapped in a war ignited by his creation. Written/directed and produced by Jerome Olivier . Starring Hatsunori Hasegawa Shinsuke K
MY BEST ENEMY (Il mio miglior nemico) / World Cinema From Italy. Achille De Bellis is the CEO of a major hotel chain owned by his wife Gigliola and brother-in-law Guglielmo. He seems to have everything a man could desire: a beautiful home, a sound marriage and an excellent professional position. However, as his silver wedding anniversary draws near, every certainty in his life is overturned when he meets – or bumps into – a 23-year-old good-for-nothing called Orfeo. Directed and co-written by Carlo Verdone and starring Agnese Nano, Ana Catarina Morariu, Carlo Verdone, Corinne Jiga, Leonardo Petrillo, Paolo Triestino, Sara Bertela and Silvio Muccino.
Olyver BRODY / Sunshine Celluloid A curse hangs over the head of Olyver Brody - he will die the next time he falls asleep. For years, he has stayed awake by squeezing the sap of a rare root into his eyes. But the only person who can locate the root is a murderous witch, and the only payment she will accept is a young child. For Olyver, luring children to their death has become part of a heartbreaking routine...until the day he is captured by a mob of villagers. Laura Johnson, Richard McNelis.
The Path of Most Resistance /Short Film New Year's Eve is always a tough night for Tom McKenna. To look at him, you wouldn't think it: he's in his late twenties, attractive, wealthy... but he's achingly lonely. For Tom guards a secret that keeps him from ever forming the kind of deep, meaningful relationship he so deeply desires. What Tom can never tell any woman in his life is that he's a thief - and for a master thief, New Year's Eve can be the safest, surest, most lucrative night of the year - and this New Year's Eve will be his biggest night ever. But on this night... on this job... cautious, meticulous Tom is confronted with an intruder he didn't anticipate and can't control. And his life is changed forever. Written and directed by Peter Kelley. Starring Tim Rouhana, Spencer Grammer, Nikki Walker, Amy Shea, Tamara Scott, Shawn Fitzgibbon, Steve Belanger.
POPSY/Sunshine Celluloid Brian Haynes directed this Stephen King tale, about a gambler that must pay back a debt by committing a crime that may be more dangerous for him than his intended victim. Starring: Keith Eyles, Navar Summers, Guido Roncallo, James Cheshire, Brewier Welch
PURVIS OF OVERTOWN / Documentary from the U.S. In a Miami ghetto, Purvis Young paints. Mountains of paintings. Walls of paintings. He paints about social injustice, racial inequity, and economic hardship. He painted for no one but himself and his neighbors until art dealers and gallery owners from across the globe “discovered” him. They wanted a piece of his raw, authentic creations. Purvis is now an Internationally known icon of black history and culture. Does art change us? Does fame change art? Does the price of art change the artist? What is the price of public adoration? Through interviews with Purvis, his neighbors, and the art world’s elite, a portrait of the artist emerges. Purvis is not quite as simple as he seems. Stunningly shot, this film presents a 30 year story about an obsessed soul who owns no property, has no driver’s license, and rarely travels outside his neighborhood. The film is as powerful as the man and his work. Directed by Shaun Conrad.
THE TESTED / Short Film The Tested follows Dre, 16, as he struggles with the possibility of joining a gang. It's the last day leading up to his initiation: to shoot a total stranger in broad daylight. Is it possible for him to make the right choice, or is the whole thing bigger than he is? Written and directed by Russell Costanzo ; starring Adepero Oduye & Michael Morris.
THINGS THAT HANG FROM TREES Directed by Ido Mizrahy, and written by Florida native, Aaron Louis Tordini, Things That hang From Trees stars Deborah Kara Unger (White Noise), Peter Gerety (Syriana),Daniel Von Bargen, Ray McKinnon, Laila Robins, Jason Antoon, Yul Vazquez & Mary Louise Burke in a film based on the novella. Its 1969 in St. Augustine, Florida. An eight-year-old boy's wish to see the fireworks from atop the city's lighthouse is complicated by his odd neighbors, abusive peers, and hopeless parents. The young boy's seemingly simple goal develops into a struggle in which his life, both internal and corporeal, hangs in the balance.
UNCONCIOUS (INCONCIENTES) From acclaimed Spanish director Joaquín Oristrell, Unconscious is a delightful period comedy that questions sexual taboos in Barcelona in the early 20th century, yet resonates with a modern sensibility. With the beginnings of psychoanalysis and a visit from Freud as a leitmotiv and background, brother and sister-in-law Salvador and Alma become involved in a search for her missing husband. Hypnosis, love, danger, and every imaginable taboo are intertwined.Leonor Watling (Bad Education) is simply outstanding as nine-months pregnant Alma, a neurotic yet lovable character. As the love-struck Salvador, Luis Tosar confirms himself as one of Spain's greatest actors. The couple's chemistry helps make this film a rare and special treasure. Also starring Luis Tosar, Alex Brendemühl,Mercedes Sampietro, Núria Prims, Ana Rayo, Juanjo Puigcorbé, Marieta Orozco.
A VERY SERIOUS PERSON Directed by and starring Charles Busch (Die Mommy Die), the film was also co-written by Busch and his co-star Carl Andress. A Very Serious Person follows Jan, an itinerant male nurse from Denmark (Busch), takes a new job with Mrs. A (Polly Bergen), a terminally ill Manhattan woman raising her parentless thirteen-year-old grandson, Gil (PJ Verhoest). Spending the summer by the shore, the emotionally reserved Jan finds himself oddly cast as a mentor to Gil and has to prepare the sensitive boy for life with his cousins in Florida after his grandmother's death. A deep friendship grows between these two solitary people. By the end of the summer, Gil has developed a new maturity and independence, while the enigmatic Jan has revealed his own vulnerability. Also starring Alexa Eisenstein & Julie Halston .
DIRECTOR, Mel Stuart Tribute Films Mel Stuart will these * screenings for Audience Q&A’s
Billy Wilder - American Masters: from 1983, the documentary celebrating the life and work of film maker Billy Wilder.
*The Hobart Shakespeareans: One teacher's uncommon commitment and resourcefulness opened up worlds of opportunity for his disadvantaged students and perhaps has demonstrated a way forward for America's beleaguered public education system. Cast: Ian McKellen & Michael York. Mel Stuart will attend this screening on November 10.
The Making of the President 1960: In this 1963 documentary, we view Kennedy and Nixon, and front-runners Stuart Symington, Nelson Rockefeller, Henry Cabot Lodge, Hubert Humphrey, and LBJ run for president. Some of the most interesting footage shows producer Don Hewitt (perhaps best-known for his later '60 Minutes' television documentary series) preparing the candidates for the important Nixon-Kennedy debate.
Man Ray: Prophet of the Avant Garde: Man Ray, famed Dada artist, expatriate, and innovator, is the subject of this PBS American Masters Series episode. Stockard Channing hosts this in-depth documentary from 1997, which includes several interviews with the artist himself and other archival footage.
*Sophia: A Self-Portrait: The 1968 documentary on the life and career of Italian actress Sophia Loren, with clips from her films and interviews with Sophia Loren, her friends and colleagues Joseph Campanella,Omar Sharif,Stanley Kramer,Mervyn LeRoy,Robert Fresson & Vittorio De Sica. Mel Stuart will attend this screening on November 11.
Wattstax: 1973 documentary with a selection from a non-stop 7-hour musical event at Watts, the Los Angeles Coliseum, August 20, 1972. It's a sort of Woodstock event but with black artists, namely the groups Dramatics, Staple Singers, Rance Allen Group, Emotions, Bar Kays and Mel & Tim.
*Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory: (Screening part of the Children’s Mini Fest/Adults Welcome) The 1971 original directed by Mel Stuart starring, the always interesting and wonderfully clever, Gene Wilder in this signature role. Mel Stuart will attend this screening on November 11, 10:00am at Cinema Paradiso.
Barbra Streisand Tribute Films FUNNY GIRL: Directed by William Wyler in 1968, Striesand stars as comedienne Fannie Brice, giving us a glimpse from her early days in the Jewish slums of the Lower East Side, to the height of her career with the Ziegfeld Follies, including her marriage to and eventual divorce from her first husband, Nick Arnstein. The film also stars Omar Sharif as her romantic interest. PRINCE OF TIDES: Directed by and starring Streisand in 1991, the story centers around Tom Wingo (Nick Nolte) who is unhappy with his life. His wife doesn't understand him and he also doesn't get along with his dominant mother. When his sister attempts suicide, her psychologist Susan Lowenstein (Streisand) consults him. Patiently and cautiously she uncovers the terrible secret hidden in Tom and Savannah's childhood. On the other side, she's unhappy too and so both help each other to find their way back to life. Also starring Blythe Danner.
WHAT’S UP DOC: From director Peter Bogdanovich (1971) Barbra Streisand & Ryan O'Neal star as Two researchers who go to San Francisco to compete for a research grant in music. He seems a bit distracted, but that was before he meets her; a strange woman that seems to have devoted her life to confusing and embarrassing him.
YENTL: Directed by Streisand Yentl this 1983 film a dramatization of the story the Yeshiva Boy, by Isaac Bashevis Singer and stars Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin & Amy Irving. In an Ashkenazic shtetl in Poland, Yentl Mendel is the boyishly klutzy daughter and only child of long widowed Rebbe Mendel, who teaches Talmud (a codification of Jewish Law) to local boys - and to Yentl, but secretly because girls were not allowed to learn the law in those days. When her father dies, Yentl is all alone in the world. She takes the momentous decision to leave the village and - disguised as a boy - seeks and gets admitted to a Yeshiva, to study the texts and traditions of the Jewish religion.
JM Family Back 50 – Academy Award Winning Films for the 1956 Around The World In 80 Days: In many ways, Around the World in 80 Days, based on the Jules Verner Novel and starring David Niven as Phileas Fogg and Cantinflas as Passepartout, typifies Hollywood’s competition with television in the mid-1950s and the film industry’s desire to lure ticket buyers back to movie theaters with epic-scale, star powered films utilizing the latest motion picture technologies. Mike Todd produced the film, which employed Todd-AO, a wide-screen photographic process designed to compete with CinemaScope, VistaVision and Cinerama. The film was one of the more elaborate large-scale productions of its era. The production ultimately cost six million dollars, a staggering sum for a film at the time. was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won five Oscars, including Best Picture, and it was the first color film to win the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film.
The King and I: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical classic stars Yule Brenner as the King of Siam and Deborah Kerr as a widowed English schoolteacher, Mrs. Anna Leonowens. The proud, arrogant king is unprepared for a teacher who is progressive, strong-willed and unafraid of him. As the story unfolds, the King and Anna develop a mutual respect for each other and the whole plot is aided musically by such Rodgers and Hammerstein standards as Getting to Know You, Shall We Dance and Hello Young Lovers. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards and took home five Oscars including one for Brynner as Best Actor in a Leading Role.
Giant: Giant, based on the 1952 novel by Edna Ferber, tells a Texas-size story that centers on the wealthy Benedict family who own a half-million acre ranch. The cast was headed by Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. Tragically, this would mark Dean’s last screen appearance. At the time of Dean’s death, the actor had completed his filming; however, the sound on one of his scenes (the banquet speech) was unusable and Dean’s friend, actor Nick Adams, dubbed Dean’s dialogue. In addition to the major stars, fine performances were turned in by the supporting cast which included Mercedes McCambridge, Carroll Baker, Sal Mineo, Dennis Hopper, Chill Wills, former child star Jane Withers, Earl Holliman and Rod Taylor. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, the film won one the Oscar, for George Stevens, as Best Director.
Children’s Mini Fest MARY POPPINS: The original 1964 film from director Robert Stevenson. Winner of five OSCARS (Best Actress – Julie Andrews, Best Song – Chim Chimerie, Best Special Effects, Best Musical Score, Best Film Editing…and nominated for 8 others!)…Mary Poppins is a classic in every sense. Julie Andrews stars as the prim, and practically perfect in every way nanny who descends out of the clouds to take care of two children, desperately seeking their father’s approval. Also starring Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynis Johns, Reginal Owen. Adults welcome …come sing along with the movie and celebrate one of the best movies Disney ever created. Saturday, November 4, 9:45am at Cinema Paradiso.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC: The 1965 film directed by Robert Wise, certainly was not conceived as a Children’s film, but there is no denying that kids loved watching kids and the von Trapp kids with perfect pitch, melodious harmonies and the ability to pick up simple choreography on the fly is one of their favorite things. Julie Andrews as Maria, Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp, Doris Lloyd as Baroness Eberfeld, and Richard Hadyn as friend and music impresario Uncle Max handle the adult roles wonderfully. Saturday, November 11, 9:45am at Cinema Paradiso.
WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY : The 1971 original directed by Mel Stuart offers as Willy Wonka says “Little surprises around every corner, but nothing dangerous.” The always interesting and wonderfully clever Gene Wilder is at his Wonka-best in this signature role. Special guest, director Mel Stuart joins us to take your questions following the screening. Saturday, November 11, 10:00am at Cinema Paradiso.
HAPPY FEET: A 2006 animated, comedy-adventure HAPPY FEET, is set deep within Antarctica. Into the Land of Emperor Penguins, where each has to have a heart song to attract a soul mate, a penguin is born who cannot sing. Our hero, Mumble, son of Memphis and Norma Jean, is the worst singer in the world; however, as luck would have it, he is a brilliant tap dancer! With the voices of Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, Brittany Murphy, Hugo Weaving.
Outdoor MOVIES EL PERRO presented at Bay Harbor Islands, October 21 is set in Patagonia, El Perro is the heartwarming story a mechanic who dreams of a different life starts to think big after his adopted pup wins first prize at a local dog show.
INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, just in time for Halloween, on October 28 as the sun sets, Maroone Moonlight Movies hosts the 50th Anniversary of the original Sci-Fi Classic at Huizenga Plaza, downtown Fort Lauderdale.
CLEOPATRA, an Argentine road comedy stars the fantastic Norma Allenandro and won Best Foreign Film at FLIFF in 2003 will be presented at sunset at Hollywood Anniversary Park, November 9.
CHILDREN OF HEAVEN, presented at Bay Harbor Islands, November 18 is about Zohre, whose shoes are lost by her older brother, Ali. The children are from a poor family and there are no shoes for Zohre until they come up with an idea…to share one pair of shoes, Ali's and School awaits.
MADAGASCAR, presented by the City of Weston presents the 5th Annual Outdoors Movie at Weston Regional Park, November 18 at 7:30pm. Great for the whole family this animated feature begins at the Central Park Zoo. A lion, a zebra, a giraffe, and a hippo are best friends. When one goes missing from their cage, the others break free to look for him, only to find themselves reunited ... on a ship en route to Africa.
LUNA FEST This year’s LUNAFEST program features nine short films by, for and about women and totaling 90 minutes. Films range from quirky animation to touching documentaries; all the films celebrate women in our local and global communities. Proceeds of the event benefit Breast Cancer Fund, a San Francisco based nonprofit working to identify and advocate for elimination of the environmental and other preventable causes of the Breast Cancer.
MANN KE MANJEERÉ
(5'15”) Singer Shubha Mudgal vocals portray the journey of a
courageous domestic violence survivor. The story of the music video
was inspired greatly by the life of a young Muslim women, Shameem
Paathan. Born into a well-to-do family and the daughter of 7 sons,
Shameem fell in love, and much against the wishes of her family
married the man of her choice. That she made the wrong choice soon
became apparent. When her son was three and a half years old,
Shameem finally decided to fend for herself. She went through a
series of businesses and finally she learned how to drive, an
unheard of occupation for a women in her society. She now driver her
own van in Ahmedabad, ferrying passengers.
PLUM FLOWER
(10") Plum Flower takes place in 1948 China. It was a time when
female infanticide was a normal occurrence for poor rural
communities. Females could not carry on the family name, so they
were less desirable when too many were born to one family. Plum
Flower is about a mother and father facing a staggering moral choice
when they have a fifth daughter. It is based on the true story of
the filmmaker’s family. Directed and Produced by Serena Moy.
BREACHED
(18' 10") A Mexican women is nearing delivery and is determined to
have her baby on American soil. Directed by Laura Richard.
DEAR TALULA
(34'30") Filmmaker Lori Benson is a quintessential downtown New
Yorker who was diagnosed with breast cancer just 14 months after the
birth of her daughter,Talula. With much grace and humor, Benson
brings us along as her friends and husband document an emotionally
charged year. We thus become part of Benson's inner circle and are
privy to her most intimate thoughts, vulnerabilities, and
discoveries. The profound experience makes the filmmaker confront
her own mortality and ultimately strengthens her connection to her
true self. Directed and Produced: Lori Benson.
DEAR TALULA
(34'30") Filmmaker Lori Benson is a quintessential downtown New
Yorker who was diagnosed with breast cancer just 14 months after the
birth of her daughter,Talula. With much grace and humor, Benson
brings us along as her friends and husband document an emotionally
charged year. We thus become part of Benson's inner circle and are
privy to her most intimate thoughts, vulnerabilities, and
discoveries. The profound experience makes the filmmaker confront
her own mortality and ultimately strengthens her connection to her
true self. Directed and Produced by Lori Benson.
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