The 2009 Tribeca Film Festival announced today the return of its signature free community events - the Tribeca Drive-In, Family Festival Street Fair and Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day. These free events draw thousands of people downtown to enjoy top-notch talent and entertainment, and also serve to highlight the restaurants, merchants, schools and community organizations of Tribeca. During these tough economic times, the Tribeca Film Festival has increased its free offerings so that more people can partake in the Festival. As previously announced, this year’s panel series will feature two free discussion programs to provide audiences with a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs of movie-making: the newly created “Tribeca Talks: Pen to Paper,” hosted by Barnes & Noble, will feature conversations about the art of screenwriting, and “Tribeca Talks: Industry” will focus on the business of film. For the first time, all New Yorkers and visitors will have the chance to purchase discount Festival tickets at the free Tribeca Community Kick-off Party on Monday, April 20, at Barnes & Noble on Warren Street. Also new this year, Onsite Energy will provide bio-diesel “green power” to power all of the free outdoor events. This year’s Tribeca Film Festival, presented by American Express, the founding sponsor of the Festival, will take place from April 22 - May 3, 2009.
“Our free community events are a hallmark of the Tribeca Film Festival,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. “We were conceived to bring people and business back downtown and we did that through film and community events. We are proud to continue to be the heartbeat of our community and we look forward to once again highlighting all that Tribeca has to offer.”
The free events are as follows:
2009 TRIBECA COMMUNITY KICK-OFF PARTY
Monday, April 20, 2009 Barnes & Noble (97 Warren Street at Greenwich Street)
Join us to celebrate the kick-off of this year’s Festival. The free party will run from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., and will offer children’s entertainment, a book signing and a special program presented by the Tribeca Film Festival. New Yorkers and visitors will have the opportunity to purchase discount tickets onsite to Festival screenings.
TRIBECA DRIVE-IN OUTDOOR SCREENINGS
Thursday - Saturday, April 23 - April 25, 2009 World Financial Center Plaza
The following films will be featured at the Tribeca Drive-In, co-sponsored by Snapple, the Festival’s eagerly-anticipated outdoor screening series that entertains families and movie lovers of all ages. This free event is open to the public and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. The programs will begin at 6:30 p.m., with screenings starting at dusk, approximately 8:15 p.m. The Tribeca Drive-In is also proudly hosted by Brookfield Properties, Lower Manhattan Development Corporation / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Thursday, April 23
Tribeca will screen the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film in Shell-ebration of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 25th Anniversary.
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will make a special guest appearance along with reporter April O’Neil to show off their crime-fighting skills and take part in the Drive-In’s giant Pizza Party. New Yorkers will unite to attempt to smash the Guinness World Record of the largest gathering of people dressed as ninja turtles. To welcome the turtles, the plaza will be decorated with TMNT branded manhole covers and a new “lawn” will be installed in front of the screen. Families can climb inside the all-new Party Bus, a mobile TMNT treasure trove based on the original Party Wagon. Fans can get their face painted Turtle-style, take pictures at the photo-booth and pick-up new moves at the martial arts demos.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, directed by Steve Barron - After coming into contact with radioactive Ooze, four normal aquarium pets transform into the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The turtles use the secret techniques of their mentor Splinter (a mutated rat) to protect New York City from crime. When Splinter is captured by his longtime enemy, Shredder, the turtles must work together to save their teacher and the day. (1990) Rated PG. For ages 6 & up.
This screening is part of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ 2009 tribute to 25 years of Turtle Power, providing new and old fans alike with bodacious, multi-experiential opportunities to interact with this iconic brand.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid - Friday, April 24
Tribeca is proud to honor the work of legendary screenwriter William Goldman at this 40th anniversary screening of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Fellow film luminaries Scott Frank, Tony Gilroy, David Koepp and Aaron Sorkin will be on hand to help honor William Goldman at this special event.
Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid, directed by George Roy Hill - Legendary outlaws Butch (Paul Newman) and Sundance (Robert Redford) live a daring life as successful train robbers until they rob the same train twice. They are forced to run when a relentless posse begins to trail them. Tracked through mountains, rivers, and towns, the two outlaws end up in a barn in Bolivia, where they prepare for one final showdown. Rated PG.
This renowned film won four Academy Awards®, including Goldman’s first for best screenplay. One of the most respected screenwriters in history, Gold¬man is also responsible for classics such as All the President’s Men (which brought him his second Oscar®), The Princess Bride, Misery, and Marathon Man, among others.
P-Star Rising (with a performance by The Electric Company) - Saturday, April 25
The third and final night of the Drive-In will feature a new documentary film by a local New York filmmaker making its World Premiere at the Festival, P-Star Rising, which chronicles the inspirational climb to fame of talented young rapper P-Star. P-Star will join fellow cast members from the hip-hop-infused PBS series The Electric Company to showcase their skills.
P-Star Rising, directed by Gabriel Noble. (USA) - World Premiere, Documentary. In the early ’80s, Jesse Diaz was a rising star in the hip-hop world. Now a broke single father in Harlem with two children to support, Jesse finds a shot at redemption in his nine-year-old daughter Priscilla Star, a precocious and immensely talented rapper. Director Gabriel Noble follows four years of father-daughter ups and downs as they navigate the grit and the glamour of the music biz. For ages 12 and up.
The Electric Company, produced by Sesame Workshop, uses a hip urban format to teach kids to love reading. It airs on Fridays on PBS KIDS GO!
TRIBECA FAMILY FESTIVAL STREET FAIR
Saturday, May 2
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Greenwich Street between Hubert and Chambers Streets
The Tribeca Family Festival, presented by founding sponsor American Express, will feature the annual Street Fair on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. along Greenwich Street (between Hubert and Chambers Streets). The fair, a Festival favorite that drew crowds of more than 225,000 people last year, is free and open to the public and promises to be a day of family fun and lively entertainment. Throughout the Street Fair will be talented performers, dancers, stilt walkers, Broadway performances, clowns, jugglers, arts and crafts, face painters, sand sculptors and more. Families can even find a quiet corner to listen to a master storyteller. Students from local schools will also be at the fair with creative fundraising activities and vibrant student artwork. The Street Fair will host restaurants, merchants and organizations from the Tribeca neighborhood.
American Express will set up guest information centers on Greenwich Street during the Family Festival to provide festival attendees with event and screening details, neighborhood information and guides to make the most of the festival going experience. American Express will also be on hand to provide information for Cardmember-only benefits at area shops and restaurants that the entire family can enjoy.
Broadway shows SHREK THE MUSICAL and In the Heights, Broadway Kids Care and American Ballet Theatre’s ABT II featuring Irlan Silva will perform on the main stage. Special concerts include The Dirty Sock Funtime Band and Hot Peas ‘N Butter. Also performing along Greenwich Street will be The Next Big Broadway Musical and Chicago City Limits, along with local youth ballet schools and dance troupes, singers, storytellers, puppeteers and performance groups from downtown schools. Newcomers this year include the theater group Making Books Sing and Poets House, whose wordplay will inspire the budding poet.
The Street Fair offers a variety of activities for children of all ages, including the popular Kite Garden, where kids can make their own kites, and the Bubble Garden, courtesy of the off-Broadway hit Gazillion Bubble Show, where youngsters can create gigantic bubbles. Madame Tussauds will return with wax figures of everyone’s favorite stars while Kidville and the Playgarden will provide hours of active fun.
Kids can get their hands dirty and explore their creative side in the Arts and Crafts Tent with hands-on artistic activities such as creating an imaginative jungle mural with Alex Beard of the Alex Beard Studio. They can also sculpt clay, make crafts, and learn the secrets of pixilation from popular neighborhood art institutions including Children’s Museum of the Arts and Church Street School for Music and Art. Young hip-hop artists can make their own beats with the pros from Scratch DJ Academy.
Victorian Gardens Amusement Park at Wollman Rink in Central Park brings the magic downtown with performances of The Sammie and Tudie Show, Jenny’s Big Hula Hoop Show, King Henry’s Magic Show, and Johnny Lightning and Magic Pete. Shows encourage audience participation and will bring smiles and giggles to all faces.
In addition, the Tribeca Fun Squad will lead Hula Hoop Contests, Dance-Offs and other Wacky Street Games.
The Radio Disney AM 1560 ROAD CREW will host interactive games and activities, giveaways and fun for the entire family.
Fandango will offer the chance to create paper bag puppets and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day will provide the ingredients for everyone to make their own soap.
Other sponsors bringing great activities to the Street Fair include Bloomberg, 101.9 RXP, The New York Times, Onsite Energy, Snapple, and Maclaren.
The Tribeca Film Center’s screening room at 375 Greenwich Street will offer a sneak peek of Scholastic’s Fall 2009 release of the non-fiction picture book Winter’s Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again, about a remarkable dolphin with a prosthetic tail. This book is the fifth installment in the Turtle Pond Collection from Craig, Juliana and Isabella Hatkoff, the authors of Owen & Mzee. The event will include a Q & A with David Yates from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium where Winter lives and an abbreviated screening of Winter’s documentary film. An encore of Downtown Youth Behind the Camera, a series of short films, will also be shown. These emerging filmmakers are elementary and middle school students from downtown New York City. All screenings are non-ticketed and will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
TRIBECA/ESPN SPORTS DAY
Saturday, May 2
10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
N. Moore Street between Greenwich & West Streets
Back for its third season, Tribeca/ESPN Sports Day will be on Saturday, May 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., starting on N. Moore between Greenwich and West Streets. The event is free and open to the public. Sports fans will have the opportunity to participate in various interactive sports-related games, demonstrations and giveaways as part of the Family Festival Street Fair. Fans of all ages will enjoy the exciting X Games BMX Jams Tour*, special appearances by their favorite athletes, dance teams, mascots and sports personalities, along with a special broadcast from 1050 ESPN Radio.
The New York Knicks will provide the Knicks Groove Truck with three interactive basketball hoops, video gaming monitors and cool Knicks prizes. Also, fans can check out the Knicks Locker Room where they can try on official player uniforms. The Knicks City Dancers and Knicks City Kids will perform on the Main Stage, along with appearances by Knicks alum John Starks and others.
The New York Rangers will bring their Rangers Road Tour Truck featuring game and player highlights. Hockey fans will have a chance to play on a special street hockey rink, test the speed of their slap shot and pick-up pointers from the NYR Hockey Development Team.
Pro Bowl Cornerback Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets will make a special appearance, mingle with fans and take photos.
The New Jersey Nets will offer fans the chance to see the Nets Dancers and Nets Kids, a group of boys and girls ages 6-13 who perform at Nets weekend home games. The NETSationals, the NBA’s first senior citizen hip-hop team and the subject of the 2008 Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival documentary GOTTA DANCE will also perform. The Nets’ mascot Sly the Silver Fox will mingle with fans and sign autographs.
Mr. Met will be on hand to celebrate the New York Mets’ inaugural season at Citi Field. Fans of WNBA’s New York Liberty can meet Maddie the Mascot and alum Kym Hampton.
The Street Team from Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls will showcase their crazy freestyle soccer tricks and skills. The New York Islanders will host interactive slap shot booths, and their mascot Sparky will greet fans and sign autographs. Sandy the Seagull, mascot for the Brooklyn Cyclones, will also meet and greet fans.
Former NYU Softball Coach Susan Winthrop will be on hand to conduct pitching and throwing clinics on behalf of the New York Women’s Baseball Association. ESPN’s “Play Your Way” will set up an interactive play spot for the little ones to hop, jump, skip and soar.
New sports elements will be added throughout the weeks leading up to the Festival. Visit tribecafilm.com/espn for updates.
*BMX pending weather conditions.
TRIBECA TALKS: PEN TO PAPER
Hosted by Barnes & Noble
As Good as the Book?
As Good as the Book?, moderated by Dana Stevens, Slate Magazine film critic, and featuring a panel including Julian Kemp (My Last Five Girlfriends) and Dave Callaham (Tell Tale), will explore the daunting challenges facing a writer when translating a literary vision into the blueprint for a cinematic one. Is it ever possible to create a movie that the audience will think is better than the book?
DATE: Saturday, April 25
TIME: 12 PM
LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Union Square
Directors as Writers
The relationship between what is on the page and what is on the screen is the key to the success of any film. Critic and Flavorpill Film Editor Lisa Rosman will explore the challenges faced when you are the keeper of both flames with writer/directors Raymond De Felitta (City Island), Gloria LaMorte and Paola Mendoza (Entre Nos) and Jac Schaeffer (TiMER).
DATE: Sunday, April 26
TIME: 12 PM
LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Union Square
Writing Big and Small: A Conversation with Brian Koppelman and David Levien
Writing with a big budget is often perceived as different from writing with a small one. Does money affect the imagination of the writer? Join former Premiere film critic and current Some Came Running blogger Glenn Kenny as he discusses the intersection of production budgets and the creative process with Brian Koppelman and David Levien (The Girlfriend Experience, Ocean’s Thirteen).
DATE: Monday, April 27
TIME: 3 PM
LOCATION: Barnes & Noble Union Square
TRIBECA TALKS: INDUSTRY
Tools of the Trade: Alternative Distribution, Marketing 2.0, and Beyond
Sponsored by The Hollywood Reporter
Every filmmaker is looking for an audience. With the emergence of innovative and widely successful strategies such as marketing on Facebook or digitally distributing on YouTube, the old studio-driven business model of film distribution and marketing has been turned on its head. There are now multiple ways that filmmakers can control what happens to their film once they’ve made it, so how do they come up with the best formula for success? Does one size fit all? This panel will explore a number of key marketing and distribution strategies available to both short and feature filmmakers. Panelists include Sara Pollack, Entertainment Marketing Manager, YouTube; filmmaker Jon Reiss; and Cynthia Swartz, Partner, 42 West. Moderated by The Hollywood Reporter’s Steven Zeitchik.
DATE: Tuesday, April 28
TIME: 2 PM
LOCATION: SVA Theater 2
(Untitled): A Case Study for Digital Workflow
Sponsored by Panavision
With today’s quickly evolving technology, choosing the best resources and workflow for your project can be a challenge. Decisions made months prior to principal photography will impact the post-production process, back-end costs and ultimately, the success of your production. In this case study, Panavision and Merge Creative Media will review the workflow employed on the feature film (Untitled), directed by Jonathan Parker and starring Adam Goldberg and Marley Shelton. Panelists will explain the process from acquisition on the Panavision Genesis® camera system all the way through the end of the post process.
Panelists include Svetlana Cvetko, (Untitled)’s director of photography; Gavin Rosenberg and Jeremy Evans from Merge Creative; and Chris Konash and John Fishburn from Panavision.
DATE: Wednesday, April 29
TIME: 2 PM
LOCATION: SVA Theater 2
- Image from Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) Opening Film “Stone of Destiny”
The Palm Beach International Film Festival (PBIFF) announced its highly anticipated film line-up for the 14th edition, April 23-27, 2009. Executive Director Randi Emerman announced that more than 110 films will screen at this year’s event, which now spans five days. ”We’re a little shorter this year, yet we have added more venues, as well as a second weekend featuring the ‘Best of the Fest,” said Emerman. “The festival takes pride in our determination to bring Palm Beach County only the highest of quality in today’s independent film world!”
The 2009 Festival will present features, documentaries, shorts and student shorts from the U.S. and around the world, including Canada, Italy, England, Germany, Israel, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and India, and will play host to filmmakers, producers, and actors to represent and discuss their films. The festival also features a special Italian Cinema sidebar, curated by Veronica De Laurentiis.
Opening night kicks off with the charming comedy adventure “Stone of Destiny.” Charles Martin Smith (American Graffiti, The Untouchables) brings a fine wit and charm to this tale. The film stars Charlie Cox, Kate Mara, Robert Carlyle (Full Monty), Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings) and Ciaron Kelly and retells the true story of four young Glaswegian students who, in 1951, outwitted the British authorities in their successful attempt to take back the Coronation Stone -Stone of Scone, a beloved symbol of Scottish pride - from Westminster Abbey back to its country of origin. Writer/Director Charles Martin Smith will be in attendance.
Closing Night will feature the romantic comedy “500 Days of Summer.” Directed by Marc WebbZooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this is a story of boy meets girl, and a true-to-life and unique dissection of the unruly and unpredictable year-and-a-half of one young man’s no-holds-barred love affair. and starring
This year PBIFF is proud to honor some of the great talents in the industry. The first honorees to be recognized for their excellence in film are Academy Award-nominated actor James Cromwell, who will receive the Career Achievement Award. Cromwell’s expansive career includes such memorable films as Babe, The Green Mile, The Longest Yard, The Queen and most recently portrayed George H. W. Bush in Oliver Stone’s W. Director Joel Zwick will receive the Visionary Award. Zwick directed My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time - which also had an early debut at PBIFF! Zwick has success in every genre, from film to theater to television, having the direction of well over 500 episodes to his credit.
Additional honorees will soon be announced. The annual PBIFF black-tie Awards Gala celebration takes place on Friday, April 24 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club and ori will once again be hosted by the ever-popular and charming Tristan Rogers.
Other special events and features include:
- Enjoy a Conversation with Director Joel Zwick on Saturday, April 25, at 10 am at the Seagate Beach Club, Delray Beach. Meet the legendary director and enjoy a continental breakfast overlooking the sparkling Atlantic Ocean while partaking in an informal Q&A. The director will discuss how he launched his career in both television and film and offer insight into the industry. Joel Zwick directed My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time, produced by Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Gary Goetzman. Mr. Zwick is recognized as Hollywood’s most prolific director of episodic television, having the direction of five hundred and twenty-five episodes to his credit
- With continuous diligent support to the future of film, the PBIFF will be holding seminars throughout the festival. They will touch on topics such as Finding an Agent, and the 2nd Annual production finance conference, The Business of Film: From Idea to Audience, sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Film and Entertainment.
- PBIFF will present the Student Showcase of Films Screenings on Sunday, April 25, at Cobb Theatres Downtown at the Gardens honoring the student filmmakers and celebrating the artistic successes they have achieved in this field. The PBIFF is pleased to spotlight the talent of our youth and considers this investment in future filmmakers to be one of the most important features of the PBIFF.
- PBIFF presents a special “Sing-a-Long Screening Under the Stars” on Sunday, April 26 at 8pm.Gather your friends, bring a blanket, a nice bottle(s) of wine, and an evening picnic and enjoy a sing-a-long version of “Mamma Mia” under the stars along the Intracoastal Waterway in Boynton Beach.
- Following the screening of Roots Of Reggae - The Ernest Ranglin Story on Sunday night, April 26, 10 pm, continue jamming into the night with filmmaker and well-known Los Angeles DJ Native Wayne Jobson. This will be an opportunity to spend a music- and dance-filled evening with a reggae star and independent filmmaker at Delray’s hottest nightclub Delux.
- PBIFF presents the World Showcase of Italian Cinema curated by guest programmer Veronica De Laurentiis, best-selling author and actor, and the daughter of famed film star Silvana Mangano and legendary film producer Dino De Laurentiis. Sunday, April 26 at the Sunrise Cinemas Mizner.
- On Monday, April 27 PBIFF will present a Special Screening of Shout It Out at Boca Raton High School at 1pm. Directed by Bess O’Brien, Shout it Out tells the story of a group of teenagers making their way through high school. The film follows them through some of the more tumultuous moments of teenage hood. Shout it Out is based on eight months of research with Vermont teens, all songs written by VT teens and acted by local teens.
- And, of course, the ever-popular Weekend of Shorts and the Voices of Local Films.
- PBIFF presents the “Best of the Fest Weekend,” with encore screenings of the most popular films of the festival on Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 at the Cobb Theaters in Jupiter.
Screenings of this year’s films will be centered primarily at Sunrise Cinemas, Mizner Park in Boca Raton, with special presentations throughout the county, including Movies of Delray, Lake Worth Playhouse, FAU and Cobb Theaters Jupiter and Downtown at the Gardens.
Tickets and passes are on sale now! Platinum passes are available for $1,000, which includes unlimited admission to all films, parties and the Black tie Awards Gala; Premiere passes are available for $500, which provides admission to all films and select parties; Gold passes are available for $150, which includes unlimited admission to all films with the exception of opening and closing nights, and seminars; and a student pass is $25 with valid student ID, which allows students to see all films and seminars on a space-available basis. Tickets for all movies are regular theatre admission (may differ by theatre) and can be purchased at each theater’s box office, or in advance at www.pbifilmfest.org or www.brownpaperticket.com.
The Palm Beach International Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization supporting film programs in local schools and dedicated to making a difference in the lives of future filmmakers by helping them fulfill their dreams to one-day work in the world of film. For more information, please call (561) 362-0003 or visit the festival web site at www.pbifilmfest.org.
14TH PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
FILM LINE-UP
FEATURES
Adam, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Max Mayer
Cast: Hugh Dancy, Rose Byrne, Peter Gallagher, Amy Irving
Romance can be risky, perplexing and filled with the perils of miscommunication - and that’s if you aren’t ADAM, for whom life itself is this way. In this offbeat, decidedly unfamiliar romantic comedy, Hugh Dancy (The Jane Austen Book Club, Confessions of a Shopaholic) stars as Adam, a handsome but intriguingly odd young man who has all his life led a sheltered existence - until he meets his new neighbor, Beth (Rose Byrne, Damages, 28 Weeks Later, and the new box office hit Knowing), a beautiful, cosmopolitan young woman who thrusts him into the outside world, with funny, touching and entirely unexpected results. Their implausible and enigmatic relationship reveals just how far two people from different realities can stretch in search of an extraordinary connection.
American Violet, USA
Director: Tim Disney
Cast: Nicole Beharie, Tim Blake Nelson, Will Patton, Michael O’Keefe, XZIBIT, Charles Dutton, Alfre Woodard, Tim Ware
Based on true events, “American Violet” tells the story of Dee Roberts, a 24 year old African-American single mother of 4 living in a small Texas town, barely making ends meet. Based on the uncorroborated word of a single dubious police informant, Dee soon is charged as a drug dealer, in a sweeping drug bust in her housing project. Dee is offered a hellish choice: plead guilty and go home as a convicted felon or remain in prison and fight the charges. Joined in an unlikely alliance with an ACLU attorney and former narcotics officer, Dee risks everything in a battle that forever changes her life and the Texas justice system. Tim Ware, a So. Florida native, will attend.
And The Winner Is…, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Christina Grozik
Cast: Christina Grozik, Michael McClatchy, Jerry Springer, Mary Faktor
An American town elects its Mayor through a Beauty Pageant style event. Filmmaker attending.
Baby On Board, USA
Directors: Brian Herzlinger, Emilio Ferrari
Cast: John Corbett, Heather Graham, Lara Flynn Boyle, Jerry O’Connell
In the tradition of “Knocked Up” and “40 Year Old Virgin” comes a hilarious comedy “Baby on Board” about Angela an ambitious, beautiful, career-oriented woman, and her husband Curtis, and their unexpected pregnancy during the peak of Angela’s professional path and her over-demanding boss. From the hormonal and emotional mood swings to the comical physical changes taking over her once perfect body, this film chronicles the hilarious cause and effects of pregnancy on modern-day businesswoman. Filmmaker attending.
Baggage, USA
Director: Stephen Polk
Cast: Barry Bostwick, Cheryl Ladd
Baggage has the unique distinction of exploring the boundaries of intimacy and redemption alongside the oftentimes humorous journeys of parenthood, marriage and divorce within the context of a true American family. The story takes you by the hand and reveals each character’s layers and relationships via riveting performances by a stellar ensemble cast led by stars Barry Bostwick and Cheryl Ladd. The Murphy’s journey between Thanksgiving and Christmas leaves audiences with a sense of hope and reconciliation for their own families. Welcome sentiments for our tumultuous times. Filmmaker attending.
Dim Sum Funeral, Canada - EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Anna Chi
Cast: Bai Ling, Russell Wong, Kelly Hu, Talia Shire, Julia Nickson
Upon her death, a wealthy, “dragon lady” Chinese matriarch’s final wish is for her grown Americanized children, estranged from herself as well as from each other, to give her the seven-day traditional Chinese funeral with the underlying intention of bringing them together as a real family. The matriarch’s plan works, and the week ends with a shocking surprise. A funny and touching American comedy, “Dim Sum Funeral” is a contemporary multi-generational ethnic look into the cultural diversity of America that will “touch the heart,” which is the direct English translation of the Chinese words “dim sum.”
Dubble (Doppio), Italy - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Eric Alexander
Cast: Allessandro Sampaoli, Eric Alexander, Silvia Baldo, Camila Raznovich
Luca, a writer, dreams of making an independent film. In his struggle to live and pay the rent on his one room flat, which he shares with his brother Mickey, he is obliged to work as a script adaptor for the dubbing of soap operas. Mickey, an aspiring theatre actor, is persuaded by his brother to have a try at film dubbing, an activity which he does not enjoy but which, through a series of events, will change his life. Spite, malice, love affairs, revenge, dreams and delusions all take place in the space of three days within the dubbing complex.
For My Father, Germany/Israel - USA PREMIERE
Director: Dro (Dudu) Zahavi
Cast: Hili Yalon, Shredi Jabarin
A young man caught between his love and the bomb he carries.
Audience Award Moscow International Film Festival
Nominated 7 times by the Israeli Film Academy
How I Got Lost, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Joe Leonard
Cast: Aaron Stanford, Jacob Fishel, Rosemarie DeWitt, Nicole Vicius, Jill Flint
A reckless banker convinces his broken-hearted best friend to leave New York with him after 9/11 to look for the things they’ve lost. But when their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, the truth comes out about the real motivation for the trip. On the road and in small town Ohio, the friends discover that sometimes you have to get lost to figure out where you’re going. Filmmaker attending.
In My Pocket, USA
Director: David Lisle Johnson
Cast: Brendan Sexton III, Daphne Ramnath-Verdejo, Gregory Smith, Jamie McShane, Kaylee DeFer
Stephen Jameson has had his life planned out for him for quite some time. Problem is, he’s gone down the wrong path. Drugs have steadily taken over his life, he can’t stay sober and is now faced with telling his parents he’s about to fail out of school. Rob Vills is a true ‘Rock Star’. The decisions they both make over the course of one night land them both in Second Chances Rehabilitation Center. A journey into the lives of two fundamentally different people whom they share a very crucially commonality — addiction.
In Northwood, USA
Director: D.W. Brown
Cast: Dash Mihok, Nick Stahl, Olivia Wilde, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Shohreh Aghdashloo
“In Northwood” is about trying to be sane in an insane world– trying to connect with people who don’t want to be connected with –trying to do the right thing when the wrong thing feels so much better. It is a chilling, tour-de-force actor’s piece. The material is dark and compelling, but surprisingly humorous at times with a powerful message. Filmmaker attending
Lightbulb, USA
Director: Jeffery Balsmeyer
Cast: Ayelet Zurer, Dallas Roberts, Jeremy Renner
A true and timely rags-to-riches story of two friends - a small-time inventor and a sharky salesman - who hit rock bottom before coming up with a gizmo that becomes a worldwide phenomenon. It only takes one idea…
Long Weekend, Australia FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Jamie Blanks
Cast: Jim Caviezel, Claudia Karvan
Based on the 1978 Australian thriller of the same name, “Long Weekend” recounts the story of a vacationing couple that disregards their natural environment, until the wilderness starts to strike back out at them.
Machan, Italy, Germany, Sri Lanka
Director: Uberto Pasolini
Cast: Dharmapriya Dias, Gihan De Chickera, Namal Jayasinghe, Dharshan Dharmaraj, Mahendra Perera
Living on the margins of society, under impossible pressures, a group of desperate slum dwellers find an invitation to a handball tournament in Bavaria. The one-way ticket to the West could be the answer to their prayers and a solution to all their problems.
Jury Award for Best Film Venice International Film Festival
Audience Award Kerala International Film Festival
Nominated for International Jury Award São Paolo International Film Festival
The Merry Gentleman, USA
Director: Michael Keaton
Cast: Michael Keaton, Kelly Macdonald
Running away from a troubled marriage, Kate Frazier hopes to find anonymity with a new home and a new job in Chicago. Despite friendly flirtation from co-workers and others, the shy and reserved Kate keeps her distance, avoiding questions about her sudden arrival and her recent past. When Kate meets Frank Logan, the two discover unexpected satisfaction in their mutual, shared silence. Haunted by the troubling choices he has made, Frank finds a kindred spirit in the younger Kate, and for a moment the two seem destined to redeem and remake each other. Filmmaker attending.
Narciso, dietro i cannoni, davanti ai muli, Italy - USA PREMIERE
Director: Marcello Baldi, Dario Baldi
Cast: Roberto Herlitzka, Amina Syed, Alessandro Di Natale, Ayaz Mansha
Narciso is an ancient mountain worker since his birth, after twenty years his son is back in his strictly Catholic village, with a Muslim wife, and a Muslim son…and they’ll live together with several surprises and issues.
Poundcake, USA
Director: Rafael Monserrate
Cast: Deshja Driggs-Hall, Jay O. Sanders, Kathleen Quinlan, Kevin Logie, Troy Hall, Marisa Coughlan & Rob Bogue
Thanksgiving 1987. Buffalo, NY. Cliff and Carol Morgan take their three grown children to The Golden Buddha Chinese Restaurant for an announcement. After thirty years of marriage, they are getting a divorce. Now they must spend what may be their last Thanksgiving together as a family, in as civilized a manner as possible. Filmmaker attending.
Red Baron, Germany FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Nikolai Mullerschoen
Cast: Til Schweiger, Lena Headey, Joseph Fiennes, Matthias Schweighofer
Red Baron recounts the story of celebrated German Air Force Pilot, Baron Manfred von Richthofen. He struggles to deal with conflicting feelings of disgust for the war, responsibility to his peers, and love for a woman.
Shannon’s Rainbow, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Frank E. Johnson
Cast: Julianne Michelle, Carson Brown, Charles Durning, Claire Forlani, Daryl Hannah, Eric Roberts, George Lopez
A 17-year old girl faces and overcomes personal hardship and tragedy with the love of a horse and the mother she never knew she had.
Shout It Out, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Bess O’Brien
Cast: Andrew McDuff, Annalise Shelmandine, Caroline Bright, Jaci Laroque, Jonathan Reid
Shout it Out tells the story of a group of teenagers making their way through high school. The film follows them through some of the more tumultuous moments of teenage hood: academic pressure; friction with peers, teachers, teen pregnancy, sexuality, cutting, class issues, body issues, relationships with parents; trying to fit in, trying to find one’s self, fear of the future; nostalgia for the past; friendship; and first love. Shout it Out is based on eight months of research with Vermont teens, all songs written by VT teens and acted by local teens. Filmmaker attending.
Skin, United Kingdom/South Africa - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Anthony Fabian
Cast: Sophie Okonedo, Alice Krige, Sam Neill
Spanning the last 30 years of South Africa’s apartheid system, SKIN is based on the extraordinary true story of Sandra Laing (Sophie Okenodo), who was born black to two white Afrikaner parents, unaware of their black ancestry. She grows up in a sheltered environment on a rural farm, loved and nurtured by her father (Sam Neill) and mother (Alice Krige). Reality sets in when she is thrown out of the all-white boarding school her brother also attends, and is reclassified by the state as ‘coloured’: Sandra will not have the same opportunities as everyone else in her family. Her parents immediately seek to have her legally classified “white” again, setting in motion a battle that ultimately gives Sandra the strength and self-awareness to embrace her identity and cultural legacy as an African woman.
Santa Barbara International Film Festival Audience Award
Los Angeles Pan African Film Festival Audience Award & Jury Award
Stone Of Destiny, Canada/UK FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Charles Martin Smith
Cast: Charlie Cox, Kate Mara, Robert Carlyle, Billy Boyd, Ciaron Kelly
Stone of Destiny retells the story of the quest of four students to return the Stone of Scone back to Scotland, its country of origin. Writer/Director Charles Martin Smith attending
Audience Favorite, Victoria Independent Film and Video Festival
Nominated Best Feature Film, BAFTA Awards, Scotland
Tripping Forward, USA
Director: Marcus Nash
Cast: Chris Fogelman, William Gregory Lee, Amber Benson
Tripping Forward is an off-beat comedy about two partying roommates in Hollywood that make the unfortunate mistake of selling drugs to supermodels to make ends meet. While Ford struggles with the fact that his only success is in commercials and desperately tries to advance his career as a film actor, Tripp has given up on music in order to concentrate on drugs and sponging off of Ford. After a drug deal goes bad, Ford finds himself caught between his drugged-up idiot roommate and a mafia boss hell-bent on castrating him.
Documentaries
12 Stones, Nepal/USA
Director: Sandy Smolan
A beautiful and evocative film about the remarkable transformation of a group of illiterate women in southern Nepal.
Atomic! A Train Of Mad Italians In China, Italy
Director: Giovanni Piperno
Featuring: Olga Beccaluva, Andrea carlo Buzzi, Jacopo Guerrini, Vincenzo Pellecchia, Natasha Vispi
A mad journey: 77 mental patients along with 130 health care workers, psychiatrists, relatives and volunteers, take a train from Venice to Beijing, passing through Hungary, the Ukraine, Russia and Mongolia. Among these 200 passionate, pill-popping travelers, we meet a group of eight invincible - of different ages, roles, diagnoses - who are on a mission: they have to come up with a creative event that will involve the whole train and, once in Beijing, convey to the world the sense of this surreal but at the same time very concrete journey. Among them, we meet the protagonists of this story who talk about themselves, swap stories, fall asleep unexpectedly, fall in love, get lost, fall out of love and find themselves again; all of which merges to show in an entirely non-linear way, that, together, change is possible.
Autistic-Like: Graham’s Story, USA
Director: Erik Linthorst
Featuring: Erik Linthorst
AUTISTIC-LIKE: GRAHAM’S STORY is an intimate family portrait showing one dad’s determined quest to find the right therapies, the right doctors, and even the right words to describe his son. This short subject documentary is a startling report from the edge of the autism epidemic, and illuminates the medical, social and public health issues faced by families whose autistic-like children have no clear diagnosis, and are offered no specific treatment. The CDC says that one in every 150 children born has autism. Maybe not.
Classmates Of Anne Frank, Israel - US PREMIERE
Director: Eyal Boyers
Featuring: Nannete Konig-Blitz, Theo Coster
A game inventor from Israel returns to his childhood neighborhood in Holland to reunite with five of his and Anne Frank’s former classmates, only to discover s surprising truth about the village where he was hiding during World War II.
Connected C: The Spirit Is Listening, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Wade Glenn Whitworth, Anne V. Louise-Turgeon
A collaborative look at the impact of arts on society.
Courting Condi, USA
Director: Sebastian Doggart
Featuring: Devin Ratray, Adrian Grenier, Carol Connors, Condoleezza Rice, Jim Norton
“Courting Condi” follows a love-struck soul’s hilarious, emotionally engaging quest to woo Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. A spin on the Rapunzel-style fairy-tale, this unique romantic/political/biographic feature follows musician Devin Ratray as he travels across America to win her heart. On Devin’s journey to meet and court her, he discovers stories that he, and most viewers, never knew about Condi — including some shockingly dark revelations about how she has changed our lives. Throughout his odyssey, the biggest question remains: Can one man with a dream win the heart of the world’s most powerful woman? Filmmaker attending
Dreamriders, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: William S. Roulston
Featuring: Nico Roulston, William S. Roulston
Father and son try to rebuild their divorce-wracked relationship by trying something outlandish: a summer-long quest for adventure across America. 4,000 miles. On bicycles. With no previous experience.
Gimme A Hug, The Netherlands - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Geert Droppers
Featuring: Cristina Zenato
The amazing behavior of a top-predator.
Gotta Dance, USA
Director: Dori Berinstein
Featuring: Fanny, Marge, Deanna, Betty/Betsy and Joe B
“Gotta Dance” is “Bad News Bears” swirled into the flip side of “Mad Hot Ballroom.” The film chronicles the debut of the New Jersey Nets first-ever, senior citizen hip-hop dance team - 12 women and 1 man - all dance team newbies, from auditions and rehearsal through center court stardom. The New Jersey Nets Senior Citizen Hip Hop Dance Team will attend, along with director Dori Berinstein
Lady Kul El Arab, Israel - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Ibtisam Mara’ana
“Lady Kul el-Arab” sets out as a glamorous film about a beauty pageant, and turns into a moving story of a family caught between cultures. In her fifth film, director Ibtisam Mara’ana succeeds in delicately drawing the dramatic and touching portrait of a young woman who finds herself at the heart of a struggle which fascinates the whole country.
Best Directing Award- New Delhi International Women Film Festival
Special Jury Award - IDFA Silver Wolf Competition
Million Calorie March, USA
Director: Gary Marino
America. Land of opportunity - and calories. 397-pound food addict Gary Michael Marino has had enough and is about to attempt the comeback of a lifetime: losing over 150 pounds by walking 1200 miles from Florida to Boston to champion obesity awareness. This humorous and inspirational documentary will make you laugh, make you cry, and make you think about why so many kids and adults are struggling with obesity and empower you to find ways to help them with the fight. Filmmaker attending.
My Name Is Orphan, India/USA
Directors: Gene Rumley, Trevor Brown
Featuring: Gene Rumley
My Name is Orphan shows the plight of street kids and orphans in Mumbai, India and how Mission for Orphans joins the efforts of Vision Rescue to make a difference in the lives of these abandoned children.
Our Disappeared, USA
Director: Juan Mandelbaum
After learning that Patricia, a long lost girlfriend from Argentina, is among the thousands who “disappeared” during the 1976-1983 dictatorship, director Juan Mandelbaum embarks on a journey to find out what happened to her and others he knew who were kidnapped and never seen again.
Prom Night Mississippi, Canada/USA
Director: Paul Saltzman
Featuring: Morgan Freeman, Chasidy Buckley, Jessica Shivers, ‘Billy Joe’, Bucky Smith
On April 19, 2008, Charleston High School in Charleston, Mississippi, held its historic, first-ever integrated Senior Prom, ending a long tradition of segregated parent-organized White Proms and Black proms. Academy Award®-winning actor, Morgan Freeman, who lives in the community, stimulated this change by paying for the Prom. Some white parents still maintained their White Prom. Filmmaker attending.
Nominated for a Grand Jury Prize, Sundance Film Festival
Roots Of Reggae - The Ernest Ranglin Story, USA/Jamaica
Director: Christoffer Salzgeber
Featuring: Jimmy Cliff, Chris Blackwell, Wayne Jobson, Damian Marley, Ernest Ranglin
Telling the story of one of our most important musicians, “Roots of Reggae” parallels Ernest Ranglin’s career with the growth of Ska and Reggae music around the world. A unique piece of documentary filmmaking, it captures the humor, charm and virtuosity of a living legend. Wayne Jobson and Ernest Ranglin attending.
The Beetle, Israel
Director: Yishai Orian
Yishai Orian, the owner of an old Volkswagen Beetle, is about to become a father. His mechanic says that the car will not last long, while his wife complains that the car is unsuitable for a baby. Attempting to keep his beloved car, Yishai goes on a journey that begins with the previous owners of the Beetle, and ends with the birth of his first child. The exciting, funny, sad, and intimate memories of the Beetle’s previous owners blend with the director’s personal story.
Audience Top Ten Laurel choice, HotDocs International Film Festival
Nominated for the Israeli Oscar Awards for Best Documentary
The Boot Cake, Australia - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Kathryn Millard
It’s Charlie Chaplin’s birthday party and a desert town in India - home to the world’s largest population of Tramp impersonators - is throwing a party. A wonderful, mad, poignant story of resilience and hope.
Nominated for Best Documentary, Australian Writers’ Guild Awards
The Case For Israel: Democracy’s Outpost, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Michael Yohay
Featuring: Alan Durshowitz
Presenting a vigorous case for Israel - for its basic right to exist, to protect its citizens from terrorism, and to defend its borders from hostile enemies. Alan Dershowitz engages leaders from Israel and North America in discourse on critical challenges facing Israel and the West. Filmmaker attending.
The Day After Peace, United Kingdom - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Jeremy Gilley
Featuring: Angelina Jolie, Annie Lennox, Johnny Lee Miller, Jude Law, The Dalai Lama, Kofi Annan
“The Day After Peace” charts the remarkable 10-year journey of filmmaker Jeremy Gilley to establish a day of Peace on September 21st. During the course of his mission the camera follows Gilley as he galvanizes the countries of the world to recognize this as an official day of cease-fire and non-violence. Filmmaker attending.
The Invocation, USA
Director: Emmanuel Itier
Featuring: Desmond Tutu, The Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra, Oliver Stone
An exploration of the notion of God and World Peace around the world and through major leaders in Religion, Spirituality, History, Sciences, Politics and Arts. Film is a work-in-progress. Filmmaker attending.
The Legacy, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Andrés Faucher
Featuring: David Arben, Jennifer Colombani, Ludwig Colombani, Emilio Vicente Argento, Paule Marjolaine Bodson-Clermont, Gustavo Dudamel, Marcial Flores, Yaitza Lopez Valle, Maetro Ecberht Lucena, Mateus de Castro Machado Freire, Guillermo Alberto Marin, Jonathan Maxfield McCormick, Carlos Prieto, Jhoanna Sierralta, Francisco Velazquez Salinas, and The Youth Orchestra of the Americas.
Through the eyes of nine members of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas, an impoverished nine year-old from Margarita Island, and the survivor of seven concentration camps who went on to become the Associate Concert Master of the Philadelphia Orchestra, THE LEGACY explores the hope, dignity and joy that the pursuit of excellence engenders in a human being.
Viva Mandiba: A Hero For All Seasons, South Africa - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Catherine Meyburgh
Viva Mandiba: A Hero For All Seasons is a celebration of an icon, a titan of our times and a giant among men. In the year of his 90th birthday, Nelson Mandela remains a man at the centre of attention, not only in South Africa, but around the world as well. Behind the headlines and away from the public eye, he is a loyal friend, a dependable comrade, a trusted confidante and a respected mentor, and a man who touched and transformed countless lives. For the first time this story is being told, as a life of struggle, destiny and greatness is recalled and celebrated by those who knew him best and who worked with him in the quest to break the chains of oppression, taking us beyond the political and into the personal.
Waiting For My Real Life, Canada
Director: Geoff Bowie
Featuring: Jeremy Norman, Michael Harrison
“Waiting for My Real Life” is an American story about a young man’s courageous battle against incredible odds. Jeremy Norman is 23 years old. Bedridden for three years, Jeremy is trapped in the basement of his parents’ house. Three years ago, Jeremy went through gastric bypass surgery in an attempt to save his life. Unable to walk due to scar tissue and complications from his operation, Jeremy’s only hope is another surgery. If successful, he will be able to live a normal life. We journey through Jeremy’s life from childhood to today as he continues his fight and waits for his real life to begin.
Whiz Kids, USA
Directors: Tom Shepard
Featuring: Ana Cisneros, Hermain Khan, Kelydra Welcker
At a time when U.S. teens lag dangerously behind other countries in math and science, WHIZ KIDS is a coming-of-age documentary that tells the story of three remarkably different yet equally passionate 17 year-old scientists who compete in the nation’s oldest, most prestigious science competition. Whether they win or lose, they raise questions about class, courage, personal sacrifice, success and failure, and in the process, learn as much about themselves as they do about science.
Why Be Good? Sexuality And Censorship In Early Cinema, USA - EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Elaina Archer
Featuring: Diane Lane
“Why Be Good: Sexuality and Censorship in Early Cinema” is a documentary film that focuses on the tug-of-war between the artist/filmmaker and the censors during the years 1900-1935. Hugh Hefner produced. Filmmaker attending.
Short FILMs
8 Easy Steps, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Alain Hain
Cast: Jennifer Kim, Alyse Zwick, Anna Camp, Ben Mapp, Gabriel Chytry
A young woman struggles to follow the romantic advice of a popular talk-show therapist, who promises that true love can be found in eight easy steps.
A Bit Of Counseling, USA
Directors: Deb Hiett, Richard Kuhlman
Cast: Deb Hiett, Richard Kuhlman
A British couple seeks therapy for an unusual problem, and finds an unusual solution.
Alba, Italy
Director: Giorgia Farina
Cast: Sara D’amario, Tommaso Facchi, Vincenzo Bocciarelli
Alba is a beautiful ‘real’ fairytale.
Acting For The Camera, USA - EAST COAST PREMIERE
Director: Justin Nowell
Cast: Joe Urla, Mallory June, Eugene Barnes
An acting class. First up: the orgasm scene from “When Harry Met Sally.”
Against The Wind, USA
Director: Dan Masucci
In the twilight of his life, Ned reflects on his past, his remaining years, and discovers how his role in life has changed. Against the Wind is a sentimental film that shows the old truly are young at heart and that universal emotions live within us all.
Bodega, USA
Director: Brian Billows
Cast: Brandon Sornberger
An inexperienced robber picks the wrong convenience store to rob. He’s disappointed with the lack of loot in the cash register so he opts to tie up the cashier, stash him in the back room then work at the store to make more money. Customer after customer the man shows increasingly shrewd salesmanship. Bet you can’t guess what happens next.
Ciao Tesoro (Bye-Bye Darling), Italy
Director: Amadeo Procopio
Cast: Andrea Tibaldi
A nightclub with mysterious logos. The unusual adventure, described through the protagonist’s memories, will end up in unexpected way.
Dash, USA
Director: Natalia Leite
Cast: Alexandra Eitel, Tom Lipinski, Mike Keene
After leaving her boyfriend in a desolate gas station, an anguished woman stumbles into a moment of grace.
Di Chi é Ora la Citta? (Whose City Is It Now?), Italy
Director: Omar Pesenti
Cast: Alessandro Mucci, Jacopo Del Santo, Paolo Riva, Toni Pandolfo
A mafia war is destroying the two clans that own the city. An agreement between the bosses sees that just two chosen men, against them, will decide the result of the bloody fight.
El Tio Facundo, Cuba/Mexico
Director: Alejandro Cachoua
Cast: Jorge Ali, Rafael Lahera, Carlos E. Almirante, Monica Molinet
Having lived far away from the family for years, Uncle Facundo, brings back the temptations and vices from the big city, threatening to tear the family apart.
Finscéal Pháidí (Paídi’s Tale), Ireland - USA PREMIERE
Director: Colm Bairéad
Cast: Darragh Corcoran
When 9 year-old Páidi discovers his stepfather-to-be is the evil creature from Ireland’s most famous myth, there’s only one thing he can do. Spurred on by a mysterious Hooded Figure and the counsel of his adventurer Grandad, Páidí sets out to follow in the footsteps of the ancient Irish warriors and slay his foe, before his family is lost forever…
Fugue, USA
Director: Kaz Phillips
Cast: James Warke, Laine Rettmer, John Grady, Shannon Conley
Jane is recently sober and trying to get her life back together when her childhood habit of sleepwalking suddenly reappears, re-blurring the line between her waking and dreaming lives. As the divide between her two realities expands, her relationships as well as her sanity begin to suffer.
Gilles, Canada
Director: Constant Mentzas
Cast: Hélène Loiselle, Réjean Lefrançois
An old dying lady and her mentally deficient son go to their lake house. Facing her shortcoming, the lady tries to explain to her son that he needs to move to a foster home but he has a hard time accepting his faith.
Gone Fishing, United Kingdom
Director: Chris Jones
Cast: Bill Paterson, Devon Murray, James Wilson, Lin Blakley, Ruth Gemmell
Gone Fishing is the touching story of a boy and old man coming to terms with bereavement through their shared love of fishing, and the legend of Goliath, the biggest pike ever caught!
Heavy Petting, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Directors: Eshom Nelms, Ian Nelms
Cast: Keith Staley, Deborah Baker Jr., Jenn Fee, Michelle Lang, Tom Fugedi
Relationships are complicated, lucky we have friends to help us figure them out.
Il Male Assoluto, Italy
Directors: Francesco Colangelo
Cast: Angela Malfitano, Clemente Pernarella, Cristina Moglia, Eleonora Carola
A unique shot to narrate forty years of Francesco’ life, trough the elaboration of a suffered family violence that was then dominated.
In The Dark, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Alex Fazeli
Cast: Maz Jobrani
January 31, 1979. After being labeled a traitor by the new revolutionary government in Iran, a double agent agrees to exchange crucial information with the CIA in exchange for safe passage out of the country.
Interpretation, USA
Director: Lin Oeding
Cast: Ian Bohen, Cindy Chiu, Jay Giannone, Jeremy Luke, James Harvey Ward
A romantic couple’s brief encounter with several philosophical thugs unfolds in an unusual way.
Jim With a J, USA
Director: Brian Billows
Cast: Jim Jacob
Meet Jim. He lives in the moment, every single millisecond of it. Now listen to his unique brain as Jim goes out for a night on the town. And comes home at a reasonable hour.
Kai’s Place, Canada - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Albert Shin
Cast: Ji Soo, Ryan Krickow
Kai, a young Westerner teaching English in Korea finds himself feeling lost and isolated in his surroundings. Determined to break free from his uneasiness, Kai reaches out to a girl in his class, which leads to a day of self-discovery and potential romance.
Kärleksbarn (Love Child), Sweden - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Daniel Wirtberg
Cast: Tindra Nordgren, Cecilie Nerfont Thorgerson, Magnus Krepper
A young girl enjoys the perfect life of being the only child, when one day a new family member arrives.
Kidnapping Caitlyn, USA
Director: Katherine Cunningham-Eves
Cast: Gina Girl Dog, Jason Biggs, Jenny Mollen, Julie Benz, Rhys Coiro
Emily and Max are on their second date. Emily asks Max to help her retrieve some things from her ex-boyfriend’s house.
La Tangente, France
Director: Vincent Vesco
Cast: Aurélien Wiik, Grappin Sarah
A young man washing his car offers an attractive woman a ride wherever she wants to go. The two set off on a journey with no plans and no direction, but as their relationship grows can they continue living their life of the rock-and-roll aesthetic or will they have to compromise and settle down?
Laid Off By Lehman, USA
Director: Charles Divak, Jonathan Emmerling
Cast: Daniel Shafer
What does a Lehman Brothers’ broker do with his days now?
Land Gewinnen (Gaining Ground), Germany
Director: Marc Brummund
Cast: Radik Golovkov
A young illegal immigrant couple spends their time furtively avoiding the German authorities, until the wellbeing of their young son dictates that they resolve their untenable situation.
Me, You, A Bag & Bamboo, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Lara Everly
Cast: Ceciley Jenkins, Kirby Heyborne, Allan Havey, Bryce Hurless
Join Clifford and Chun Li, two melancholic strangers sharing a park bench, on their quirky journey as they work up the courage to say hello.
Miracle Fish, Australia - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Luke Doolan
Cast: Brendan Donoghue, Karl Beattie
After Joe’s friends tease him, he sneaks off to the sick bay, wishing everyone would go away. He wakes up to find his dream may have become a reality.
Mr. Brooklyn, USA
Director: JSOK
Cast: Al Thompson, Frank Page, Quinton Aaron
For a man with nothing, honor is everything.
My Dead Brain, USA
Director: Sarah Stuve
Cast: PJ Linden, Sarah Stuve, Alex Grunberg, Anais Blondet
A young woman’s satirical journey towards self discovery; traveling through surreal mindscapes, exploring gender roles, sexuality, and identity.
Narenjak, Australia
Director: Mark-Alexander Hartwin
Cast: Arash Sanaei, Arian Shahbazifar, Koosha Rafie
Three boys playing with toy guns are confronted with the reality of war when they find a real grenade.
One Tomato, Canada - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Semi Chellas
Cast: Beatriz Yuste
This is a short lyric film about the anguish and hilarity of being alone.
Only Love, USA
Director: Lev Polyakov
Cast: David Commander, Scott Johnston
‘Only Love’ is a tragicomedy about a Dictator, a Rebel, and Love. It is a darkly humorous tale of a dictator facing the ghosts of his past misdeeds, a man’s eternal search for love, and the terrible price one sometimes has to pay for it.
Open Air, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Shira-Lee Shalit
Cast: Lynn Cohen, Agata Domanshea, Eeva Semerdjiev
Two women, trapped in a brutal civil war, attempt to keep their friendship, daily routines and sanity, all the while an unseen sniper keeps the two within his target through the scope of his rifle.
On The Road To Tel-Aviv, Israel
Director: Khen Shalem
Cast: Amos Lavie, Dana Kabesa, Guy Arieli, Orit Fisher
‘On the Road to Tel-Aviv’ is a dramatic story (with comedic elements) that shows how, under the tense reality of war and terror, enemies can sometimes find themselves in the same boat (or in the same bus).
Out Of Step, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Eileen Connors
Cast: Gregory Jbara, Jamey Ketner, Christopher Atkins, Jonathan Fox, Ray Garcia
When a father goes to clean out his late daughter’s house and discovers she was gay, he rejects the truth. But after he befriends a lesbian who is struggling with coming out, he comes to accept who his daughter was.
Outsource, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Daniel Trezise
Cast: Judson Pearce Morgan, Kelly Overton
Max is about to awaken his long dormant desire for human contact. In his tiny cell of pure function and wall-to-wall screens, he performs menial tasks for the bourgeoisie through a robotic pod. When he discovers a way to communicate with Alice in a neighboring cell, he’ll stop at nothing to reach her.
Parental Guidance, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Meredith Scott Lynn
Cast: Ryan Ochoa, Rachel Hamilton, David Youse, Ashleigh Summer
Best friends Max and Ava go camping with their respective parents and remind each other of the mature high-road they are forced to take in light of the inadequacy of grownups.
Pawn, USA
Director: Jeremiah Friedman
Cast: Lionel D. Carson, Nick Hoffa, William Russ
A young federal agent must interrogate the gunman to learn the truth behind the Presidential assassination. But once the truth is discovered, who will be ready to hear it?
Penance, USA
Director: Ryan Gould
Cast: Michael Cullen, Charles Socarides, Kahn Baykal, Raymond McAnally
A story about a middle-aged, reclusive widower/owner of lawn company who’s second chance at life turns tragic when he over exerts control in the budding relationship with his Autistic employee.
Placebo, USA
Director: Henry Prince
Cast: Jon Prescott, Jamie Benge, Patrick Slevin
Derek doesn’t sell drugs, he sells the experience of buying drugs.
Rolling, USA
Director: Justin Dec
Cast: Carlos Vega, Gabrielle Anwar
Fresh out of film school, two best friends get their big break working on a hit TV show, but they quickly learn that, to get to the top, you’ve got to start at the way bottom.
Rosfeld, Germany - US PREMIERE
Director: Henning Ricke
Cast: Alice Esser, Frank Trunz, Jo Stock, Lutz Reichert
In 1972 NASA launches the Pioneer 10 satellite. On board it has a golden plaque with an engraved message for extraterrestrial intelligent life: The symbolic picture of our solar system and the image of a man and a woman. 36 years later in a small German village called “Rosfeld”, the world is suddenly turned upside down, as an alien spacecraft appears above the towns rooftops. Finally Major Bergers big time has come…
Second Guessing Grandma, USA
Director: Bob Giraldi
Cast: Kathleen Chalfant, Adam Grupper, Alex Organ, Lori Wilner
Set in 1982, true-life story of an important week in the life of a twenty-something gay man who finally comes out to his beloved grandmother in the Jersey City house he was raised in, in spite of mounting pressure from his mother and boyfriend.
Stealing Second, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Alex Richanbach
Cast: Cameron McCormick, Chris Courtney, Alex Richanbach, Sarah Christine Smith, Zuri Bella
A comedy about talking to girls . . . and touching a boob.
The Dreaming, Canada - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Anthony Green
Cast: Devon Bostick, Michael Greyeyes, Robbie Robertson
In a setting at once foreign and familiar, past and future generations converge as a dying man struggles to make sense of the world he’s leaving behind.
The Evening Journey, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Ye’ela Rosenfeld
Cast: Patrick Mapel, Lina Esco, Jack Kehler, Martin Spanjers, Malcolm McDowell
“This is the story of Fishberg. A small, desolate, hard working fishing town. This is the story of those of us who live in Fishberg, of our hopes, our dreams, our beliefs that someday life can get better. This is the story of that night. The night when the train finally did stop.”
The Heart Is A Hidden Camera, USA
Director: Gabriel Judet-Weinshel
Cast: Jamie Harding, Zulay Henao, Janelle Viscomi, Joshua Santiago
A young boy discovers at an early age that his heart is a camera, capable of capturing the beauty and horror of the world around him.
The Last Page, USA
Director: Kevin Acevedo
Cast: Andrew Burlinson, Emily Rose, Mark DeCarlo MeKenna Melvin, Megan Cavanagh, Michael Rivkin
A tortured author struggles to overcome writer’s block and is propelled into a bizarre series of events.
The Milagro Peanut Butter And Jelly Sandwich Throwdown, USA - WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Damian Fitzsimmons
Cast: The Children of Milagro After School Program
The story of a fantastic peanut butter and jelly sandwich told from the perspective of those involved in trying to eat it. Made by the 8 and 11 year olds of the Milagro After School Program’s film class in Delray Beach, Florida.
The Obolus, USA
Director: Mathias Roer
Cast: Jarrod Bailley, Eve Sigall, Tony Amendola
A fairy tale for adults as seen through the eyes of a child. The Obolus journeys with Michael, a boy who has lost his parents, to the mysterious world of the Bridgeman, the keeper of an ancient and beaconing lighthouse perched at the slopes of a shallow cliff.
Traveling In Circles, Norway/USA
Director: Katie Hetland
Cast: Linn Bjornland
Some people travel to leave and some to arrive. Some people travel to get their feet off the ground - and some to never have to put them back down.
True Beauty This Night, USA - US PREMIERE
Director: Peter Besson
Cast: Dustin Seavey, Meegan Michelle
Last night, Rhett Somers met the love of his life. Now all he has to do is convince her that she’s the one. Not an easy feat considering how they met.
Trunk, USA
Director: Christopher D’Elia
Cast: Kyle Gallner, Zachery Bryan
A deadly accident viciously spins the moral compass of two college students in this suspenseful thriller/dark comedy set in the California desert.
Viko, Canada
Director: Larysa Kondracki
Cast: Luke Treadaway, Sergej Trifunovic
Former Yugoslavia. 1997. Struggling to find a way out, 17 year-old Viko leaps at a rare opportunity for black market work. But it takes him to a darker place than he could have imagined. One where monsters are not born, but made.
VOICES OF LOCAL FILM
Elysium, USA/Phillippines - USA PREMIERE
Director: Jason B. Lopez
Cast: Sue Prado, Martin De La Paz
A man searches for a loved one while a woman re-discovers the essence of her life. Strange things happen as reality and surrealism cross paths in this never-ending drama of life and death.
F**K The Fed, USA
Director: Neal Fox
Cast: Neal Fox
A music video about the Federal Reserve System.
La Huerfana (The Orphan), Latin America-Spanish - US PREMIERE
Director: Afgen Sheikh
Cast: Ashley Nvaro, Maria Amador
Two girls, as close as sisters, escape from their orphanage to make it on their own. While saving up to come to the United States, one “sister” works to protect the other from the cold realities of life, including the work she must do to keep her “sister’s dream of a new life alive.
Pear, USA
Director: Jill Siegel
A little pear discovers his likeness
The Curse Of Micah Rood, USA - FLORIDA PREMIERE
Director: Alec Asten
Cast: Ron Palillo, Brian Ellsworth, Joe Gramm
Based on an old legend from Norwich, Connecticut…Micah Rood cherishes his privacy and his precious apple orchard. When a wily peddler stays the night, Rood accuses him of stealing his apples, and commits a violent deed that soon taints the fruit of his orchard with the blood of guilt.
Best of New England - Rhode Island Horror Film Festival
The Outlaw Emmett Deemus & The Porno Queen, USA
Director: Alex Ferrari
Cast: Academy Award Nominated Larry Hankin and MAD TV’s Jilly-Michele Melean
The story tells about Emmett Deemus, a crazy, outlaw biker and his adventures on the road. In this adventure, Emmett stumbles across a porno queen and all hell breaks loose.
Best Comedy Short at the Melbourne Independent Film Festival
The Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston) has announced the films that will be featured at the 2009 Independent Film Festival of Boston.
The seventh annual festival will be held April 22-April 28, 2009.
“THE BROTHERS BLOOM” directed by Rian Johnson and starring Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, and Rachel Weisz, will open the festival on Wednesday, April 22nd at the Somerville Theatre in Davis Square. Rian Johnson and selected cast will be in attendance for the Opening Night screening.
Some highlights of the 2009 festival include Ondi Timoner’s (”Dig!”) Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning documentary WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, Guillermo Arriaga’s (writer of “Babel”, “21 Grams”) directorial debut THE BURNING PLAIN starring Charlize Theron and Kim Basinger, 500 DAYS OF SUMMER starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, LA MISSION starring Benjamin Bratt, IN THE LOOP starring James Gandolfini, Hirokazu Koreeda’s STILL WALKING, Robert Siegel’s (writer of “The Wrestler”) BIG FAN starring Patton Oswalt and Kevin Corrigan, and Olivier Assayas’ SUMMER HOURS starring Juliette Binoche, and WORLD’S GREATEST DAD directed by Bobcat Goldthwait.
Numerous films with strong Boston ties will make their New England premieres at the festival this April, including Jonathan Hock’s THE LOST SON OF HAVANA, Bestor Cram’s JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON, Aron Gaudet’s THE WAY WE GET BY, Laura Longsworth’s LUCKEY, Gerald Peary’s FOR THE LOVE OF MOVIES: THE STORY OF AMERICAN FILM CRITICISM, Amy Grill’s SPEAKING IN CODE, Andrew Bujalski’s BEESWAX, Alex Karpovsky’s TRUST US, THIS IS ALL MADE UP, Ian McFarland’s CHIP ON MY SHOULDER, George Kachadorian’s SHOOTING BEAUTY, Al Ward’s BLOOD, SWEAT & CHEERS, and Tze Chun’s CHILDREN OF INVENTION.
Special guests attending the festival include Chris Cooper, Benjamin Bratt, Bobby and Peter Farrelly, Kevin Corrigan, Luis Tiant, and many more to be announced in the coming weeks.
INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL OF BOSTON 2009 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS:
Narrative Features
500 DAYS OF SUMMER, directed by Marc Webb
THE ANSWER MAN, directed by John Hindman
BEESWAX, directed by Andrew Bujalski
BIG FAN, directed by Robert Seigel
BIRDWATCHERS, directed by Marco Bechis
BRONSON, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
THE BROTHERS BLOOM, directed by Rian Johnson
THE BURNING PLAIN, directed by Guillermo Arriaga
CHILDREN OF INVENTION, directed by Tze Chun
THE ESCAPIST, directed by Rupert Wyatt
FROM INSIDE, directed by John Bergin
GRACE, directed by Paul Solet
HELEN, directed by Joe Lawlor & Christine Malloy
THE HIGHER FORCE, directed by Olaf De Fleur
IN THE LOOP, directed by Armando Iannucci
MAKE-OUT WITH VIOLENCE, directed by The Deagol Brothers
THE MISSING PERSON, directed by Noah Buschel
LA MISSION, directed by Peter Bratt
PONTYPOOL, directed by Bruce McDonald
STILL WALKING, directed by Hirokazu Koreeda
STINGRAY SAM, directed by Cory McAbee
SUMMER HOURS, directed by Olivier Assayas
THAT EVENING SUN, directed by Scott Teems
THE VICIOUS KIND, directed by Lee Toland Kreiger
THE WORLD’S GREATEST DAD, directed by Bobcat Goldthwait
Documentary Features
ART & COPY, directed by Doug Pray
AUTOMORPHISIS, directed by Harrod Blank
BEST WORST MOVIE, directed by Michael Stephenson
BLOOD, SWEAT & CHEERS, directed by Al Ward
CHIP ON MY SHOULDER, directed by Ian McFarland
CRUDE, directed by Joe Berlinger
FOOD, INC., directed by Robert Kenner
FOR THE LOVE OF MOVIES, directed by Gerald Peary
HERB AND DOROTHY, directed by Megumi Sasaki
I NEED THAT RECORD!, directed by Brendan Toller
INVISIBLE GIRLFRIEND, directed by David Redmon and Ashley Sabin
JOHNNY CASH AT FOLSOM PRISON, directed by Bestor Cram
KIMJONGILIA, directed by NC Heikin
THE LOST SON OF HAVANA, directed by Jonathan Hock
LUCKEY, directed by Laura Longsworth
MINE, directed by Geralyn Pezanoski
MONSTERS FROM THE ID, directed by David Gargani
NOLLYWOOD BABYLON, directed by Ben Addelman and Samir Mallal
OF ALL THE THINGS, directed by Jody Lambert
PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI, directed by Paul Saltzman
SHOOTING BEAUTY, directed by George Kachadorian
SHOUTING FIRE: STORIES FROM THE EDGE OF FREE SPEECH, directed by Liz Garbus
SPEAKING IN CODE, directed by Amy Grill
THE SWEET LADY WITH THE NASTY VOICE, directed by Joanne Fish and Vincent Kralyevich
TRIMPIN: THE SOUND OF INVENTION, directed by Peter Esmonde
TRINIDAD, directed by PJ Raval
TRUST US, THIS IS ALL MADE UP, directed by Alex Karpovksy
UNMISTAKEN CHILD, directed by Nati Baratz
UPSTREAM BATTLE, directed by Ben Kampas
THE WAY WE GET BY, directed by Aron Gaudet
WE LIVE IN PUBLIC, directed by Ondi Timoner
WILLIAM KUNSTLER: DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE, directed by Sarah and Emily Kunstler
WINNEBAGO MAN, directed by Ben Steinbauer
Short Films
THE ARCHIVE, directed by Sean Dunne
BEAN, directed by Giovanna Federico
THE BLINDNESS IN THE WOODS, directed by Martin Jalfen and Javier Lourenco
BOOB, directed by William Murnion and Jon Milott
FUNNY GUY, directed by Frank Rinaldi
HA’ AGAM (THE LAKE), directed by Boaz Lavie
THE HORRIBLY SLOW MURDERER WITH THE EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT WEAPON, directed by Richard Gale
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU, directed by Don Hertzfeldt
I KNEW IT WAS YOU, directed by Richard Shepard
THE INCIDENT AT TOWER 37, directed by Chris Perry
INSTEAD OF ABRACADABRA, directed by Patrik Eklund
JULIE, JULIE, directed by Liam Creighton
KANISZA HILL, directed by Evelyn Lee
KNIFE POINT, directed by Carlo Mirabella=Davis
I LIVE IN THE WOODS, directed by Max Winston
LOLLIPOP MAN, directed by Michael Axelgaard
MELANCHOLY BABY, directed by Sean Hood
NEXT FLOOR, directed by Denis Villeneuve
NO WIND, NO WAVES, directed by Julian Higgins
O.W. HOUTS AND SONS, INC., directed by Aaron Matthews and Richard Sherman
PRINCESS MARGARET BLVD., directed by Dan Montgomery
SHIKZIEN, directed by Jeremey Clapin
SHOCKWAVES, directed by Serge Ou
SHORT TERM 12, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton
THE SLEUTH INCIDENT, directed by Jason Kupfer
SMALL COLLECTION, directed by Jeremiah Crowell
THE SNAKE MOUNTAIN COLADA, directed by Calvin Reeder
TENDER AS HELLFIRE, directed by Jason Stone
THEO, directed by Georgi Banks-Davies
UNDONE, directed by Hayley Morris
WESTERN SPAGHETTI, directed by PES
WHAT IS SHE TO YOU?, directed by Aiden Burgess
