38th Seattle International Film Festival (2012)

“The meticulousness and personal attention is absolutely unparalleled, and this means an enormous amount to me as an artist.”

Lynn Shelton, Writer/Director YOUR SISTER'S SISTER

“The work was top notch. I could not be more proud of the look of our finished film, and Alpha Cine played a huge part in that.”

Megan Griffiths, Writer & Director EDEN Audience Award Winner SXSW

“Alpha Cine is a terrific creative and technical partner.”

Ben Richardson, Director of Photography BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD Grand Jury Prize Winner Sundance

“Working with Alpha Cine is a true highlight of the filmmaking process.”

Colin Trevorrow, Director & Co-Writer SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED

You can’t see us, but we’re in every frame

GREETINGS

FROM SIFF’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

There are so many things to be excited about this year, from the opening of our SIFF Film Center, to the re-opening of the historic Uptown Theater.

SIFF, the non-profit arts organization that produces the Festival now reaches more than 250,000 attendees annually (and growing) through our three main programs SIFF Cinema, SIFF FutureWave Education and the annual Seattle International Film Festival. And now, with this year’s Seattle International Film Festival, we will screen 273 features and 187 shorts, representing 75 countries chosen from more than 5,676 submissions worldwide.

While it was never our focus to secure a set number of premieres, we will debut a record 24 World Premiere Features. There will be 180 features at this year’s Festival arriving without U.S. distribution in place and 85 films by female filmmakers, up from 62 last year.

This is the first time in SIFF’s history that we will have the opportunity to show films on multiple screens in a single location, allowing us to present the most wide-ranging and diverse selection of films possible, with more than 700 screenings over the 25 days of the festival. It is another first to open and close with bona fide Seattle productions; Your Sister’s Sister on Opening Night and the World Premiere of Grassroots on Closing Night.

This year’s films feature an impressive lineup of celebrities and directors, including not only our tribute guests—Sissy Spacek and William Friedkin—but also featuring a roster of international talent.

We strive to offer the most wide-ranging and diverse selections of films possible. There are films for every kind of movie lover, and to help moviegoers navigate the myriad of choices and to easily select a film that suits their mood we have once again organized the films into Pathways. Instead of using traditional categories, SIFF Pathways easily connect the audience with films by organizing them into areas that help answer the question, “What sort of film do I feel like seeing tonight?”

Let the festivities begin!

Carl Spence, SIFF Artistic Director

FROM SIFF’S MANAGING DIRECTOR

As I was reviewing a proof of this catalog, I was struck by the passion and generosity of spirit represented on every page. You can see it in the amazing art created by our talented filmmakers, in our talented staff and volunteers who commit their time and talents toward making this festival possible, and in the extraordinary number of supporters and sponsors believing in the festival and in making our community the best it can be.

We all have our individual reasons we choose to be involved with SIFF, but I believe that underlying all of them is the recognition that cultural celebrations like this are essential. Now, more than ever, we need to resist the temptation to stay at home and attempt to numb ourselves to the outside world. We need opportunities to come together and be challenged and inspired by stories from around the world and right here in our own backyard.

SIFF provides just such an opportunity. Our mission is to foster a community that is more informed, aware and alive through the art of cinema. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of thousands—artists, staff, volunteers, and supporters—we are able to make this mission a reality. It is my dearest wish that in these next 25 days we fulfill that mission for each and every one of you.

Enjoy the festival! Deborah Person, SIFF Managing Director

SIFF’S YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMS

We are dedicated to fostering an informed, aware, and vibrant city of film lovers.

Film is a powerful art form, and it is the experiences we have with film that can transform our lives. SIFF does just that: our mission is to create experiences that bring people together to discover extraordinary films from around the world. It is through the art of cinema that we foster a community that is more informed, aware, and alive.

DESTINATION FOR DIVERSE FILM EXPERIENCES.

SIFF has been bringing great film experiences to the Northwest for 37 years! Our year-round programming has three core programs, consisting of:

FUTUREWAVE

• Providing free access to more than 10,000 students a year, SIFF FutureWave expands cinema through education.

• Including a classroom and additional screening room, the SIFF Film Center is a venue for lectures and SIFF educational programs.

SIFF CINEMA

• An innovative year-round film organization that highlights new discoveries from around the world alongside established filmmakers and talent.

• SIFF Cinema reaches more than 90,000 attendees annually, and has recently moved into its flagship SIFF Film Center and SIFF Cinema Uptown.

SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

• The largest and most highly-attended film festival in the United States, with more than 150,000 attendees in 2011.

• The 25-day festival is the region’s most accessible and highly publicized film event and is renowned for its comprehensive programming with more than 450 features, short films, and documentaries from over 70 countries annually.

COMMUNITY.

We connect the wide interests of our audience with the passion and craft of filmmaking artists. Partnerships with small businesses, international consuls, nonprofits, and community organizations throughout Seattle are vital to SIFF’s mission. We collaborate with over 50 different organizations that sponsor and promote films directly impacting their interests and passions in this community.

We create events in which film and leisure intertwine in the presence of special guests and lively entertainment.

EXCELLENCE.

We provide an outstanding film-centered experience while expanding the model of passionate film presentation.

INNOVATION

We infuse our programs with original ideas that connect our audience to new means of experiencing film.

RESPECT

We have unconditional appreciation for our stakeholders as well as the extended communities we serve.

SUSTAINABILITY

We recognize that sound financial accounting and management are vital to our vision of long-term organizational health.

MEMBERSHIP

SIFF membership offers film lovers discounted ticket prices to our regular year-round programming, as well as deep discounts to the Seattle International Film Festival. Since SIFF has become a yearround presence, membership numbers have increased by over 65 percent and grown to 3,478 members.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers are an essential part of the SIFF community. SIFF engages more than 1,000 year-round volunteers, who have contributed over 16,000 hours of work during our 2010-2011 fiscal year.

GREETINGS FROM SIFF’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS

On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff of SIFF, welcome to the 38th Seattle International Film Festival. While festival time is always a chance for us to celebrate, rarely have we had such a fantastic year to look back on!

us is more

Our mission remains anchored in fostering a community that is more informed, aware, and alive through shared film experiences. Over the past few years, that has included developing year-round programming, expanding our educational programs, supporting and even growing the Festival’s reach to Renton, Kirkland, and Everett. Even with all this growth, it was truly a high point for the organization to move into the SIFF Film Center located at Seattle Center. Gaining a permanent home is a milestone we’ve dreamt of for years, and with the successful completion of the Capital Campaign that supported this move, we must say a heartfelt thanks to you—staff, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and/or audience—for your support.

What’s great about having tremendous support is that it allows us to dream even bigger. This year, we were presented with an unprecedented opportunity to give back to the community that’s given us so much. It’s hard to imagine a more quintessential shared film experience than watching a film in a classic setting, and we were incredibly happy that we could reopen the historic Uptown Theater as SIFF Cinema Uptown. This historic theater will allow us even more flexibility in the programming we can offer, and also restores a first class venue for this year’s Festival.

As you can see, we’ve had a busy year, but also a year that now culminates in a mutual celebration with all of you at this year’s Festival. We remain grateful for your support, and hope that you too are excited about the promising future for Seattle’s film community.

We hope to see you at the movies!

OFFICERS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Carl Tostevin, President, SIFF Board of Directors

Carl Tostevin, President

Ian G. J. MacNeil, Vice President

Michelle Quisenberry, Vice President

Brian LaMacchia, Treasurer

Billy O’Neill, Secretary

A. Michael Adams William Belickis

Kyle Cable Katherine De Bruyn Keith M. Henrickson Sean Kreyling

Mary Metastasio Keith Simanton John W. Comerford

Rich Fassio Scott Lipsky

Richard Meyer Aron Michael Thompson Sharon Conner

Craig Friedson Darryl Macdonald

Charlie Nordstrom Edwin Weihe

Christopher Conrad Gary Grina Kraig L. Marini-Baker

Rick Rasmussen Lance Rosen Dan Ireland Deborah Person Tom Skerritt Rick Stevenson BOARD EMERITI

GREETINGS

FROM THE GOVERNOR

I am delighted to welcome you to the 2012 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF). Congratulations to the entire SIFF family on 38 extraordinary years of cinema!

At 25 days, SIFF is the largest film festival in the United States and offers more than 450 feature films and shorts from dozens of countries. Attracting many visitors from around the world, attendance continues to reach unprecedented numbers, growing each and every year.

Cinema is more than entertainment; it is also a wonderful medium for exploring the human condition and the world around us. This celebration of the international language of film can only serve to enlighten us and enhance the diversity of our people, and I applaud the participating filmmakers and the many SIFF organizers and volunteers who have worked hard to make this special event possible.

Thank you all for being part of this year’s Festival, and please accept my best wishes for a memorable event.

Sincerely,

Christine O. Gregoire, Governor of Washington

FROM THE MAYOR

Greetings,

On behalf of the City of Seattle, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 38th Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF).

I am honored to serve as mayor of the city with the largest film festival in the nation. It speaks to Seattle’s values that even in these challenging economic times, we have never lost sight of the tremendous value that the cinema brings to our community. In fact, this year the city worked with legislative leaders and community groups to pass a bill that encourages jobs and economic development by extending incentives for film production here in Washington State.

Seattle is a film town. This is a wonderful place to enjoy the best that the world’s cinema community has to offer. This year, as always, hundreds of volunteers, staff, sponsors, organizers, and filmmakers came together to make SIFF a reality. I hope you will take advantage of the Festival—from films and musical performances to speakers’ panels and forums—and to engage and support SIFF’s efforts year-round.

Welcome to SIFF. Enjoy the show!

Michael McGinn, Mayor of Seattle

GREETINGS

FROM THE MAYOR OF RENTON

We are thrilled that the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) is returning to Renton. On behalf of the Renton Community Marketing Campaign—which includes the Renton Chamber of Commerce/Renton Visitors Connection, Renton School District, Renton Technical College, Valley Medical Center, and the City of Renton—it is my pleasure to welcome you to SIFF-Renton.

SIFF-Renton is hosting a weeklong screening of films at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center from May 18-24, 2012. SIFF is the longest-running, largest, and most-highly attended film festival in the United States. Hosting SIFF gives us the opportunity to showcase Renton as a city with a thriving arts and culture scene, and a diverse community that fosters cross-cultural understanding. Renton is truly a great place to live, work, learn, and play.

We would like to thank the SIFF-Renton Host Committee as well as the numerous volunteers and generous donors for all their help in making your Renton cinema experience a memorable one. We hope you will take advantage of Renton’s affordable hotels, diverse dining opportunities, entertainment, and shopping options while you are here. For more information about exploring Renton, the city that is “Ahead of the Curve,” please visit rentonwa.gov.

Let’s raise the curtain on what is sure to be another fabulous festival!

Denis Law, Mayor of Renton

FROM THE MAYOR OF KIRKLAND

FROM THE MAYOR OF EVERETT

Dear Friends,

On behalf of the City of Everett, it’s my great pleasure to welcome you to the 38th Seattle International Film Festival.

The City of Everett is proud to be a host city for the largest film festival in the U.S. Congratulations to all the filmmakers who have been selected to be a part of this exciting celebration of film.

Everett has been home to several luminaries in the film industry, including screenwriter Max Miller, producer and Oscar®-winning screenwriter Seton Miller, and actors Robert Osborne, Nancy Coleman, and Patrick Duffy.

This year’s Festival continues a long and rich history of quality entertainment in the Puget Sound Region. We are so proud that our community can enjoy all that SIFF has to offer right here in Everett.

We appreciate this year’s filmmakers, sponsors and event organizers, volunteers, and staff who worked so diligently to bring the 2012 Seattle International Film Festival to us all.

Ray Stephanson, Mayor of Everett

The City of Kirkland is happy to welcome the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) to the Kirkland Performance Center for the fourth year. It is a treat for our community and an opportunity for friends across the lake and around the region to sample downtown Kirkland. New restaurants and coffee shops have opened recently, adding to the potpourri of special shops and dining places within walking distance of the Kirkland Performance Center.

For over a century, Kirkland’s lake frontage has added to its allure. Consider an Argosy excursion boat to transport your party from Seattle to the downtown dock at Marina Park. Enjoy sensational views along waterfront parks and trails dotted with Kirkland’s extensive public art collection. Walk up the hill to the festival through a village with vestiges of the past as well as new and exciting 21st century architecture. For more information on Kirkland amenities, to request a visitor’s or dining guide, or to view sample itineraries, please visit ExploreKirkland.com.

Welcome back SIFF!

Sincerely,

Joan McBride, Mayor of Kirkland

Thank You

SIFF — it’s been incredible working with you over the last decade. From online ticketing to the iPhone app, we’ve enjoyed crafting digital experiences that help celebrate the community’s favorite festival.

www.pop.us

Dale and Leslie Chihuly applaud SIFF and offer their congratulations for 38 years of excellence in film.

Glass Forest #3, 2008

Photo by Teresa Nouri Rishel chihuly.com

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

PARTNER SPONSORS

CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTERS

MEDIA SPONSORS

HOSPITALITY SPONSORS

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

25 Cent Camera

Alliance Française de Seattle

Apple Computer

Arts West

Consulate General of Poland in Los Angeles

Dante Alighieri Society of Washington

Department of Slavic Language & Literature - UW Ellison Center

EverGreen Escapes Cascadia & International

FrancePress

Goethe-Institut

Greater Seattle Vietnam Association

Seattle - Hai Phong Sister City Organization

Icelandair

Jaipur Avenue

Keeney’s Office Plus

Kenmore Air

Kirkland Cultural Council

Koerner Camera Systems

LAWDESK Computers

Maelstrom Int’l Film Festival

MIFF

Nantes - Seattle Sister City Association

Nuge Production Rentals

One Reel

Pécs - Seattle Sister City Association

Reykjavik - Seattle Sister City Association

Seattle Christchurch Sister City Association

Seattle-Perugia Sister City Association

Silver Cap

Silver Platters

Streamline Tavern

Tashkent - Seattle Sister City Association

The British Consulate-General

The FilmSchool

The Hyogo Business and Cultural Center

The Seattle-Kobe Sister City Association

Tumbleweed Film Festival

MEDIA SPONSORS

Art Access

Crosscut Media

Film Courage - The Radio Show

GSBA

Ingeniux

International Examiner

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WHERE Seattle

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7 Salon

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Inn at Port Gardner

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Ivar’s & Kidd Valley Restaurants

Jonboy Caramels

Kamibashi

Kaspar’s Special Events and Catering

Kathy Casey Food StudiosLiquid Kitchen

Kimpton Hotels

KuKuRuZa Lark

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Little Water Cantina

The Lobby Bar at Pan Pacific

Lombardi’s Neighborhood Italian Restaurant

Lynn’s Bistro

MarQueen Hotel & Inn at Queen Anne

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Seattle Center| Next Fifty

MEET THE PROGRAMMERS

SIFF is made up of more than just great films. It’s a communityofpeoplewholovecinemaallyearlong. Here’s your chance to meet the people behind the scenes at SIFF who work tirelessly to find the best films from around the world, and from your own backyard. We polled our programming staff about what they love about working for film festivals, their earliest movie memories, and some of their favorite moments at SIFF.movie

KEITH BACON Film Programmer

“My favorite guilty pleasure is Showgirls, with David Schmader’s hilarious commentary; the worst movie ever made becomes the best thing ever.”

FOCUS: Short Film, LGBTQ film

JUSTINE BARDA Film Programmer

“What I enjoy about programming for SIFF is finding work by promising new filmmakers and being supportive of their careers. Some of my 2012 favorites: Yahya Al Abdallah (The Last Friday ), Sally El Hossaini (My Brother the Devil ), Guido Lombardi (Là-bas: A Criminal Education).”

FOCUS: Middle East, North Africa, Western Europe

MARYNA AJAJA

Film Programmer

“My earliest experience was being carried away screaming from Disney’s Pinocchio when Monstro opened his mouth wide to inhale a wooden boy. My best, at 10, was being utterly engrossed by Peter Brook’s adaptation of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. “

FOCUS: Eastern/Central Europe, Russia and Central Asia

CARL SPENCE

Artistic Director

“I grew up on Star Wars, Disney movies and the video store but was awakened by seeing Apartment Zero in a converted mortuary. In the early ’90s I dreamt my perfect job would be to work at SIFF after seeing Zentropa and King of the Hill.”

BETH BARRETT

Director of Programming

“My favorite SIFF moment is when the Topp Twins took the stage to introduce their film, and welcomed a packed house at the Egyptian with an a capella Maori introduction song. I still get goosebumps when I think about that.”

FOCUS: Scandinavia, Australia/ New Zealand, Short films

CLARE CANZONERI Film Programmer

“A few small things I enjoy about being a part of something so big: the color-coded wonder of the scheduling board, 17 short film packages and a sold-out ShortsFest Opening Night, and the traditional postfest programmers’ dinner (borscht and vodka shots!)”

FOCUS: Face the Music, Shorts

DAN DOODY Film Programmer

“Lately, I’ve been raving about Son of Kong, the original King Kong’s little known sequel featuring Kong’s 12-foot tall son, a giant bear, and more dinosaurs; it may lack the dramatic heft of its predecessor, but it’s way more fun.”

FOCUS: Midnight Adrenaline, United Kingdom & Ireland

EDDY DUGHI

Programming Intern

“My most memorable cinematic experience is the time my parents snuck me in to see The Dreamers (I was 16, it is NC-17.) That film ignited my interest in film into an obsession.”

RUTH HAYLER

Film Programmer

“My best filmgoing experience was watching Abel Gance’s Napoleon with the director present, outdoors at the Telluride Film Festival, with the three-screen-wide triptych finale.”

FOCUS: Foreign films, archive

DUSTIN KASPAR Film Programmer/Education Programs Manager

“I will never forget the look in the eyes of the filmmakers of ReGENERATION (SIFF 2010) as they took the stage to a standing ovation from 1,200 inspired students at Everett High School.”

FOCUS: Films4Families, FutureWave, and African Cinema

MEGAN LEONARD Programming Intern

“My favorite guilty pleasure movie is Tommy Boy. I start laughing when Tommy runs into the glass door, and never stop.”

SARAH LORITZ Programming Coordinator

“My earliest filmgoing experience was sneaking up from my bedroom late at night to watch movies from the stairs that my mom was watching. I specifically remember watching and loving A Fish Called Wanda and Bram Stoker’s Dracula this way.”

FOCUS: Face the Music, New American

DALE NASH Film Programmer

“The experience of seeing Road Warrior at SIFF for the first time was extraordinary. The film and the audience’s response: ‘I never dreamed that any mere physical experience could be so stimulating!’”

FOCUS: Documentaries

TIMOTHEE SALZE-LOZAC’H Programming Intern

“Going to the Berlin Film Festival and watching films at work are two really cool things about working for programming and are probably what I enjoyed the most.”

STAN SHIELDS Film Programmer

“My first memorable film-going experience was at eight years old, when we went to the Drive-In to see Star Wars I brought three friends—all of whom had seen it already—but $20 worth of concessions kept their mouths shut.”

FOCUS: Canada, Face the Music, South America

ANDY SPLETZER

Film Programmer

“It’s fun to go to festivals to find great films. It’s even more satisfying to discover great films in our stacks and stacks of random submissions, like jury awardwinning Austrian documentary Out Of Time (2007) or this year’s City World.”

FOCUS: Alternate Cinema

CLINTON MCCLUNG

SIFF Cinema Programmer

“Opening night at the Uptown this past October was a magical evening: Klieg lights, a classic film [The Artist ], a full house, and— in the other theater—manic fans beating tambourines along with Hedwig. The future of SIFF Cinema and our year round programming never looked brighter!”

BRAD WILKE

Film Programmer

“My earliest filmgoing experience was rolling up to the local drive-in with my family to see double features. My favorite pairing was Clash of the Titans and Raiders of the Lost Ark on a warm Wisconsin summer night.”

FOCUS: New American, Catalyst

Director: Lynn Shelton

Producer: Steven Schardt

Screenwriter: Lynn Shelton

Cinematographer: Benjamin Kasulke

Editor: Nat Sanders

Music: Vinny Smith

Cast: Emily Blunt

Rosemarie DeWitt

Mark Duplass

Mike Birbiglia

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Submarine Entertainment

Print Source: Sundance Selects

Selected Filmography: Humpday (2009)

My Effortless Brilliance (2008)

We Go Way Back (2006)

Your Sister’s Sister USA 2011

MAY 17 7:00 PM MCCAW HALL

Hometown heroine Lynn Shelton triumphantly returns with her fourth feature and the follow-up to the SIFF 2009 favorite Humpday with this engaging, humor-infused relationship drama, shot entirely in the Northwest. Your Sister’s Sister marks the first time in the history of SIFF that work by a Seattle-based filmmaker has opened the festival. A year after his brother’s death, Jack (Mark Duplass) is alternately emotionally wobbly and outright volatile. When he makes a scene at a memorial party, good friend Iris (Emily Blunt) arranges for Mark to take a solitary retreat at her father’s cabin on a Puget Sound island, theorizing this isolation will offer closure and spiritual relief. When he arrives at the cabin, however, he finds not solitude but Iris’ sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), herself nursing a wounded heart and a bottle of tequila. After several shots and some slurred commiseration, romantic complications unfurl, growing in complexity when Iris arrives at the cabin unannounced the next morning. Shelton’s maturation as a filmmaker is on full display here; the stellar cast excels under her signature method of marrying improvisation and scripted dialogue, resulting in a pitch-perfect comedy of errors. Though ripe for lovetriangle trappings, Your Sister’s Sister offers an uncontrived navigation of romantic rivalry and sibling relationships, rendered with equal parts pathos, humor, and intelligence.

Director: Daniel Cohen

Producer: Sidonie Dumas

Screenwriters: Daniel Cohen

Olivier Dazat

Cinematographer: Robert Fraisse

Editors: Magalie Magnan

Elodie Mittet

Music: Nicola Piovani

Cast: Jean Reno

Michaël Youn

Raphaëlle Agogue

Julien Boisselier

Salomé Stévenin

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Gaumont

Print Source: Cohen Media Group

Film Website: comme-un-chef.gaumont.fr

Selected Filmography: Les deux mondes (2007) Une vie de prince (1999)

COMME UN CHEF The

Chef

France 2012 North American Premiere

SATURDAY JUNE 2 6:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Jean Reno (The Professional) stars as chef Alexandre Lagarde in Daniel Cohen’s latest—an odd-couple comedy that bubbles with the frisson of kitchen life. Keeping his multi-starred restaurant afloat is of paramount importance to the stubborn Lagarde. But his operation is slipping—and the CEO of Cargo Lagarde, the restaurant’s owner, insists that he find a way to cut costs while also updating the menu. If he loses a Michelin star for the restaurant, Lagarde will lose his title. At the outset, his menu is impervious to cultural whimsy, like the unfortunate fad of molecular gastronomy—turning liquids into caviar-like spheres and fanciful foams, for instance. But a passionate arbiter of such tricks, Jacky Bonnot (comedian and TV personality Michaël Youn) crosses paths with Lagarde in a coincidence that could prove fortuitous for both. Bonnot keeps getting fired from diners for trying to liberate fritesfilled menus, much to the dismay of his pregnant girlfriend. An opportunity working with Lagarde could be the very thing that turns his life around—if he can turn Lagarde around to haute cuisine. As both Bonnot and Lagarde feel the financial pinch and prepare for a visit from the critics, they compromise and spar in hilarious turns.

Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal

Producers: Matthew Brady

Peggy Rajski

Michael Huffington

Brent Stiefel

Peggy Case

Screenwriters: Stephen Gyllenhaal

Justin Rhodes

Cinematographer: Sean Porter

Editor: Neil Mandelberg

Music: Nick Urata

Cast: Jason Biggs

Joel David Moore

Lauren Ambrose

Cedric the Entertainer

Cobie Smulders

Christopher McDonald

Tom Arnold

Emily Bergl

DC Pierson

Todd Stashwick

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: MRB Productions

Print Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Film Website: grassrootsthefilm.com

Selected Filmography: Homegrown (1998) Losing Isaiah (1995) A Dangerous Woman (1993) Waterland (1992) Paris Trout (1991) Certain Fury (1985)

Grassroots USA 2012 World Premiere

SUNDAY JUNE 10 5:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

“Monorail.” When Grant Cogswell hears that word in 2001, he sees an inexpensive, elegant form of mass transit, a Jetsonian future of silent public transportation and unclogged streets. In order to make his dream a reality, Grant needs to run for City Council. But there’s one problem: Grant is a loud, obnoxious, sometime music critic for The Stranger, with no connections and no voice in Seattle politics. How can Grant campaign for office? Enter Phil Campbell. Recently fired from the same paper, Phil initially comes on board because he doesn’t have anything better to do, but Grant’s enthusiasm wakes up something new inside him. Soon, Phil’s shrewdness and emerging political savvy, coupled with Grant’s Monorail-mania, attract a ragtag army of young volunteers. The crew is just smart enough, just arrogant enough, and just idealistic enough to believe they can change the world. Together, they wage an energizing, hilarious campaign. Along the way, Grant and Phil both learn that one person really can make a difference, and that some things in life are worth fighting for.

Director: Matthew Lillard

Producers: Nick Morton Rick Rosenthal

Matthew Lillard

Screenwriters: Michael M.B. Galvin

Peter Speakman from the novel by K.L. Going

Cinematographer: Noah Rosenthal

Editor: Michelle M. Witten

Music: Mike McCready

Cast: Jacob Wysocki

Lili Simmons

Matt O’Leary

Billy Campbell

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Paradigm Agency

Print Source: Whitewater Films

Film Website: fatkidmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Fat Kid Rules the World USA 2012

FRIDAY MAY 18 7:00 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

ENCORE SCREENINGS: SATURDAY MAY 19 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

MONDAY MAY 28 6:00 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Actor-turned-director Matthew Lillard successfully translates K.L. Going’s novel into a hilarious and deeply touching cinematic examination of two societal outcasts who have all but given up on the world. Troy, an overweight teen, lives in his fantasies and decides to end it all by stepping in front of a bus. Marcus, a druggie and high school dropout, saves Troy at the last moment and begins using him for occasional money to buy food or drugs. When Marcus eventually invites the musically challenged Troy to join his new punk rock band, Troy discovers that banging on the drums unleashes a confidence that forever alters his reality. As Troy, Jacob Wysocki (Terri, SIFF 2011) continues to display a remarkable seriocomic range, humanizing a teen who is always looking for an escape from every social interaction. Matt O’Leary’s performance as Marcus is no less complex, demonstrating tightropetreading precision in crafting a sympathetic character that teeters between friendship and mean-spirited derision. Lillard confidently demonstrates that his acting achievements are not his only talent, as his direction elevates Fat Kid Rules the World into the epic experience that high school feels like when you are living it. Filmed in Seattle by the first-time director.

Awards: SXSW Film Festival 2012 (Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature)

Director: Jake Schreier

Producers: Lance Acord

Jackie Kelman Bisbee

Sam Bisbee

Galt Niederhoffer

Screenwriter: Christopher D. Ford

Cinematographer: Matthew J. Lloyd

Editor: Jacob Craycroft

Music: Francis Farewell Starlite

Cast: Frank Langella

Susan Sarandon

James Marsden

Liv Tyler

Peter Sarsgaard (voice)

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Robot and Frank USA 2012

SATURDAY MAY 19 7:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

ENCORE SCREENING: SUNDAY MAY 20 6:00 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Set in the not-so-distant future, this sweet and utterly charming buddy comedy is the story of cantankerous oldtimer Frank (Frank Langella), a retired “second story man.” Estranged from his adult children, Frank lives alone, but finds that increasing memory loss is making life difficult. Rather than put his father into a home, Frank’s son brings him the ultimate in state-of-the-art home care: the VGC-60L humanoid robot caretaker. Much to Frank’s chagrin, this robot is designed not just for housekeeping and nutritious meal preparation, but to engage its subject mentally, encouraging household projects and new hobbies. But Frank has other ideas, and coerces his new friend into helping him to not only charm the local librarian (Susan Sarandon), but to pull off one final heist as well. The legendary Frank Langella gives a wry and heartfelt performance, making the chemistry between Frank and his electronic friend (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard) palpable. Director Jack Schreier’s feature debut includes touches of a technological future that feel completely realistic, helping to make Robot and Frank a unique science fiction story––one that uses technology to show the importance of family.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Alfred P. Sloan Award)

TV5MONDE presents exclusive screenings of the most recent and classic French films with notable actors and directors – all subtitled in English!

TV5MONDE is available on cable and satellite in your area.

FOLLE ENVIE

Olivia Bonamy (Rose) et Clovis Cornillac (Yann)

2011 Les Films du Kiosk / SND Groupe M6

Director: Daryl Wein

Producers: Michael London

Janice Williams

Jocelyn Hayes-Simpson

Screenwriters: Daryl Wein

Zoe Lister-Jones

Cinematographer: Jacob Ihre

Editor: Suzy Elmiger

Music: Fall On Your Sword

Cast: Greta Gerwig

Hamish Linklater

Zoe Lister-Jones

Bill Pullman

Debra Winger

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Fox Searchlight

Selected Filmography: Breaking Upwards (2009)

Sex Positive (2008)

Lola Versus USA 2012

THURSDAY MAY 24 7:00 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

ENCORE SCREENING: FRIDAY MAY 25 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

At age 29, Lola (Greta Gerwig) thinks she’s right where she ought to be: finishing her dissertation and cozily nested with her longtime boyfriend, who surprises her one morning with a proposal. But just as all the details get settled, the prospective groom gets cold feet, forcing Lola to restructure her life and reconsider the men of New York City. Helping her get back in the saddle are her two best friends, the obviously lovelorn Henry (Hamish Linklater) and the randy, consummate single gal Alice (Zoe Lister-Jones), who brings Lola down to earth by sharing her own relationship struggles and search for romance. Bill Pullman and Debra Winger play Lola’s hippie parents, who have a looser view on relationships than their daughter. Navigating the advice from so many angles, Lola haphazardly weaves her way through entanglements with a variety of (often hilarious) suitors. The ensemble cast of rising indie stars delivers true-to-life, deadpan dialogue courtesy of cowriters and Zoe Lister-Jones and Daryl Wein, the reallife couple behind 2009’s Breaking Upwards.

Director: Alex de la Iglesia

Producers: Andres Vicente Gomez

Ximo Peréz

Screenwriter: Randy Feldman

Cinematographer: Kiko de la Rica

Editor: Pablo Blanco

Music: Joan Valent

Cast: Salma Hayek

José Mota

Santiago Segura

Carolina Bang

Blanca Portillo

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: 6 Sales

Print Source: 6 Sales

Film Website: lachispadelavida.es

Selected Filmography: The Last Circus (2010)

The Oxford Murders (2008)

El Crimen Perfecto (2004) 800 Bullets (2002) La Comunidad (2000) Muertos de Risa (1999)

Perdita Durango (1997)

The Day of the Beast (1995) Mutant Action (1992)

As Luck Would Have It Spain 2011

SATURDAY MAY 26 6:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

ENCORE SCREENINGS: THURSDAY MAY 24 6:30 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

TUESDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Former ad man Roberto (José Mota) is down on his luck. Jobless and abandoned by former friends and colleagues, he drags himself from one doomed interview to another, with only his loving wife, Luisa (Salma Hayek), to lean on. After a particularly humiliating episode, he drives to Cartagena, the city where he and Luisa spent their honeymoon. But the hotel has been torn down and replaced by a new museum adjoining a Roman amphitheater. Arriving during the press launch, Roberto wanders around on the site and, in a bizarre accident, falls from a scaffold and ends up with an iron rod embedded in the back of his skull. Instantly, he finds himself transformed from a pariah into the center of a media frenzy—and sets out to make the most of it. Part satire, part high-concept melodrama, the latest from maverick filmmaker Alex de la Iglesia (The Last Circus) is a tale for our media-saturated times.

Awards: Goya Awards 2012 Nominated (Best Actress, New Actor)

Director: Ken Scott

Producer: Andre Rouleau

Screenwriters: Ken Scott Martin Petit

Cinematographer: Pierre Gill

Editor: Yvann Thibaudeau

Music: David Lafleche

Cast: Patrick Huard

Antoine Bertrand

Julie le Breton

David Michael

Patrick Martin

Running Time: 109 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: eOne Films US

Print Source: eOne Entertainment International

Film Website: starbuck-lefilm.com

Selected Filmography: Sticky Fingers (2009)

Starbuck Canada (Québec) 2011

THURSDAY MAY 31 8:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

ENCORE SCREENINGS: FRIDAY JUNE 1 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE THURSDAY JUNE 7 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

A massive box office success in Québec, Ken Scott’s comedic Starbuck tracks a likeable middle-aged loser as he wrestles with regret and responsibility. Hapless deliveryman David Wozniak gets parking tickets at every single stop along his route, has thugs on his tail for massive overdue loans, and his girlfriend announced that she was pregnant just before dumping him. These, however, are the least of David’s concerns when he returns home to find a lawyer in his kitchen. The past is back to haunt him in the form of a class-action lawsuit, launched by 142 of the 533 children who resulted from the 648 sperm donations he deposited over 20 years ago. David turns to his best friend Paul, a lawyer and father of an unruly brood, who is eager to defend David’s right to privacy in this landmark case. But a package of photos of David’s progeny arrives, inspiring a clandestine search for his children and a poignant attempt at anonymous fatherhood.

Spacious, Elegant Ships

Gracious, Award-Winning Service

Worldwide Itineraries

Extensive Activities and Enrichment Programs

Sophisticated Five-Star Dining

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE congratulates the Seattle International Film Festival on its 38th Anniversary

Director: Jonathan Lisecki

Producers: Zeke Farrow

Laura Heberton

Amy Hobby

Anne Hubbell

Screenwriter: Jonathan Lisecki

Cinematographer: Clay Liford

Editor: Ann Husaini

Music: Giancarlo Vulcano

Cast: Jenn Harris

Matthew Wilkas

Mike Doyle

Anna Margaret Hollyman

Jonathan Lisecki

Alycia Delmore

Charlie Barnett

Adam Driver Dulé Hill

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: The Film Collaborative

Print Source: The Film Collaborative

Film Website: gaybyfilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 7:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

ENCoRE SCREENINGS: FRIDAY JUNE 8 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE SUNDAY JUNE 10 2:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPToWN

When Jenn asks her gay friend Matt to help her get pregnant, he finds sex with a woman is surprisingly easy. Their journey from pals to parents of a “gaymazing” child gets hilariously complicated as they try to maintain their normal dating lives in this irreverent comedy. Jonathan Lisecki’s Gayby is a full-length version of the celebrated short film of the same title, which has played to acclaim at more than a hundred festivals. In this modern age of dating and romance (or lack thereof), how long does a girl with a dream have to wait? Jenn (Jenn Harris) wants a baby. Tired of trying to find Prince Charming in Manhattan, the 30-something yoga instructor asks her gay best friend Matt (Matthew Wilkas), a comic book store employee who just broke up with his longtime love, to help her get pregnant. It turns out that even though the old college buddies can actually have sex, they still need a little help, which comes in the form of their bitchy friend Nelson (a scene-stealing Lisecki). A script plentiful with zingers, and featuring deft physical comedy from Harris’ increasingly restless and randy Jenn, give this comedy the spark of life.

SIFF congratulates Dale and Leslie Chihuly on the opening of the Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum

Director: Jacob Aaron Estes

Producers: Mark Gordon Hagai Shaham

Bryan Zuriff

Screenwriter: Jacob Aaron Estes

Cinematographer: Sharone Meir Editor: Madeleine Gavin Music: Tomandandy Cast: Tobey Maguire

Laura Linney

Elizabeth Banks

Sam Trammell

Dennis Haysbert Ray Liotta Running Time: 91 minutes Presentation Format: DCP Print Source: The Weinstein Company Selected Filmography: Mean Creek (2004)

The Details USA 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN

THEATRE

ENCORE SCREENINGS:

SATURDAY JUNE 9

8:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

In his follow-up to the chilling Mean Creek, writer/director Jacob Aaron Estes blithely mixes infidelity, death, and wry observations about domestic obsessions with surprisingly effective levity. Jeff Lang (Tobey Maguire), an environmentally correct obstetrician, and his beautiful wife, Nealy (Elizabeth Banks), present the image of the picture-perfect Seattle couple in this dark comedy about the fragility of the American dream (filming took place in Seattle, Redmond, and Kirkland). The Langs drive a Prius and reside in a newly renovated home, but beneath the surface, their marriage is hanging by a thread. Similarly, the domestic diva and cat fancier, Lila (Laura Linney), who lives next door, has issues of her own. When the Langs, who have one child, embark on a landscaping project in preparation for another, a ravenous raccoon takes over their backyard to feast on the worms beneath the sod, unleashing an avalanche of suburban drama. In trying to take care of the problem, Jeff ends up ensnaring friends and neighbors (played by Ray Liotta and Dennis Haysbert) into his increasingly unhinged plans. In his impossible quest for perfection, the doctor ends up revealing more than he had ever intended about the past that made his present possible.

Directors: Mark Andrews

Brenda Chapman

Steve Purcell

Producer: Katherine Sarafian

Screenwriters: Mark Andrews

Steve Purcell

Brenda Chapman

Irene Mecchi

Editor: Nicholas C. Smith

Music: Patrick Doyle

Voices: Kelly Macdonald

Emma Thompson

Billy Connolly

Julie Walters

Kevin McKidd

Craig Ferguson

Robbie Coltrane

John Ratzenberger

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: Digital 3D

Print Source: Disney•Pixar

Film Website: disney.go.com/brave

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Brave USA 2012

SUNDAY JUNE 10 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Set in the rugged and mysterious Scottish Highlands, Disney Pixar’s Brave follows the heroic journey of Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), the skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Determined to change her fate, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the unruly and uproarious lords of the land—massive Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane)—and unleashes chaos in the kingdom. When she turns to an eccentric Witch (Julie Walters), she’s granted an ill-fated wish and the ensuing peril forces Merida to harness all of her resources—including her mischievous triplet brothers—to undo a beastly curse and discover the meaning of true bravery. Directed by Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews and produced by Katherine Sarafian, Brave is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters, and signature Pixar humor.

Director: Daniele Vicari

Producer: Domenico Procacci

Screenwriters: Daniele Vicari

Laura Paolucci from a story by Daniele Vicari

Cinematographer: Gherardo Gossi

Editor: Benny Atria

Music: Teho Teardo

Cast: Elio Germano

Jennifer Ulrich

Claudio Santamaria

David Jacopini

Ralph Amoussou

Running Time: 127 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Italian, German, French, English, and Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Fandango Portobello

Print Source: Fandango Portobello

Selected Filmography:

The Past is a Foreign Land (2009)

The Horizon of Events (2005)

Maximum Velocity (2002)

Diaz–Don’t Clean Up This Blood

Italy/Romania/France 2012 North American Premiere

FRIDAY JUnE 1 6:00 PM SIFF CInEMA UPToWn

EnCoRE SCREEnInGS: SATURDAY JUnE 2 3:00 PM SIFF CInEMA UPToWn

TUESDAY JUnE 5 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

As the 2001 G8 summit in Genoa drew to a close, brutal actions ensued between Italian police and anti-globalization protestors. Daniele Vicari’s ferocious fictional recreation shows the aftermath of a night raid on the DiazPascoli School, a dormitory for exiting protestors. Tensions were high at the 27th G8 summit, where leaders including George W. Bush, Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin, and Silvio Berlusconi represented, with four others. For five days, a dramatic protest movement drew an estimated 200,000 demonstrators to the area; police quickly corralled the marching protestors, opening fire, and shooting 23-year-old Carlo Giuliani dead. At the same time, the police broke into the Diaz-Pascoli School, indicating they had information that armed anarchists were hiding inside. Their methodically brutal treatment of these young men and women from all over Europe—an incident largely forgotten after the 9/11 attacks a few weeks later—is effectively dramatized in Diaz. Vacari’s gripping recreations put the viewer in the middle of the protestors’ point of view, capturing the spirit of these people who dared to gather under the idea that “a different world is possible.”

Opening Night Gala CATERING PARTNERS! THANK YOU PARTNERS!

Directors: Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas

Producers: Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas D.J. Roller

Don Kempf David Marks

Screenwriters: Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas

Cinematographer: D.J. Roller

Music: Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas

Running Time: 39 minutes

Presentation Format: IMAX

Film Website: thelastreef.co.uk

Print Source: Giant Screen Films

Selected Filmography: Luke Cresswell: The Liberty of Norton Folgate (2009) Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas: Wild Ocean 3D (2008) Vacuums (2003) Pulse: a Stomp Odyssey (2002)

The Last Reef 3D USA 2012

JUNe 3 7:00 PM PACIFIC SCIeNCe CeNTeR IMAX

The Last Reef 3D is an uplifting, giant-screen journey that explores the beauty and mysteries of the world’s reef ecosystems: a distant yet parallel world, with living cities undeniably connected to our own human communities. Vanishing at five times the rate of rain forests, the world’s coral reefs are under siege. Through vivid 3D visuals, music, and narration, the film reveals the teeming life of these underwater cities, and their crucial role in the ocean’s survival—and our own. Fly across iridescent tropical corals, brush through a cloud of a million jellyfish, visit an alien world where the closer you look, the more you see, and where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. As these ancient, exotic havens face the threat of extinction, The Last Reef inspires audiences with a vision of the reef’s fragility but also its incredible power to rebuild. Like cities, reefs possess a dizzying bustle of sea creatures that rivals mankind’s most populated regions, and outpace tropical rainforests in their wealth and variety of life. Journeying to the reef’s center using new macro-underwater cinematography, The Last Reef unveils a remarkable world never before seen on this scale and in three dimensions.

Awards: Montana International Wildlife Film Festival 2012 (Best Music, Underwater Cinematography, environmental Film, Marine Conservation Message)

Director: Alex Kurtzman

Producers: Roberto Orci

Bobby Cohen

Clayton Townsend

Screenwriters: Alex Kurtzman

Roberto Orci

Jody Lambert

Cinematographer: Salvatore Totino

Editor: Robert Leighton

Cast: Chris Pine

Elizabeth Banks

Olivia Wilde

Michael Hall D’Addario

Philip Baker Hall

Mark Duplass

Michelle Pfeiffer

Running Time: 115 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Dreamworks SKG

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

People Like Us USA 2012

MOnDAY JUnE 4 6:30 PM SiFF CinEMA UPTOWn

EnCORE SCREEninG: TUESDAY JUnE 5 4:00 PM EGYPTiAn THEATRE

“My father always said to ‘lean into it’…it means that the outcome doesn’t matter, but you were there for it. Whatever it is.” This affirmation comes from Sam (Chris Pine), a smooth-talking young salesman, as his life becomes increasingly unpredictable. People Like Us is the feature directorial debut by Alex Kurtzman, a prolific producer/screenwriter behind many sci-fi blockbusters. People, on the other hand, is down-to-earth, dealing with universal issues of honor and responsibility on a smaller scale. Sam’s latest deal-in-the-making is a bust on the same day his father unexpectedly dies. Although the two weren’t close, Sam is tasked with fulfilling his father’s last wishes—delivering an inheritance to a sister he never knew he had. Desperately in debt, can he be trusted to give Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) and her son the sudden windfall of $150,000? Do fractured families have a duty to help each other? Olivia Wilde and Michelle Pfeiffer star as Sam’s girlfriend and mother, with Michael Hall D’Addario, Philip Baker Hall, and Mark Duplass rounding out the strong cast.

Sponsored by Craig Friedson & Craig Brown

Director: Michael Winterbottom

Producers: Michael Winterbottom Melissa Parmenter

Screenwriter: Michael Winterbottom from the novel by Thomas Hardy

Cinematographer: Marcel Zyskind

Editor: Mags Arnold

Music: Shigeru Umebayashi Amit Trivedi

Cast: Freida Pinto

Riz Ahmed

Running Time: 113 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Bankside Films

Print Source: Sundance Selects

Film Website: ifcfilms.com/films/trishna

Selected Filmography: The Trip (2010)

The Killer inside Me (2010)

The Road to Guantanamo (2006)

Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005) 9 Songs (2004) Code 46 (2003) in This World (2002)

24 Hour Party People (2002) Wonderland (1998)

Welcome to Sarajevo (1997)

Jude (1996) Go now (1995) Butterfly Kiss (1995)

Trishna United Kingdom 2011

FRiDAY MAY 18 6:30 PM SiFF CinEMA UPTOWn

EnCORE SCREEninGS: SUnDAY MAY 20 3:30 PM SiFF CinEMA UPTOWn

With Trishna, BAFTA-Award winning director Michael Winterbottom (Welcome to Sarajevo, The Trip) cleverly places Thomas Hardy’s 1891 tragedy “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” in contemporary Rajasthan, India. The tragic romance stars Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) as Trishna, the daughter of an auto rickshaw owner, and Riz Ahmed (The Road to Guantanamo) as the wealthy Jay, the son of a British property developer. Offering Trishna a lucrative job with his father’s hotel in Jaipur, Jay begins a methodical seduction. He tells her that the Kama Sutra indicates the three types of heroines who are free to make love: the maid, the single lady, and the courtesan. Which one is Trishna? More than the sum of those stereotypes, she’s a modern, educated woman who feels torn between her personal dreams and the traditions of her family life. As their relationship grows, the couple feels the conflicting pressures of a rapidly changing rural society. The cinematography by Marcel Zyskind (28 Days Later, Dancer in the Dark) offers glowing morning and evening light in the fields, cities, and by the riverbank. Cineastes will swoon over Shigeru Umebayashi’s (In the Mood For Love) original score, with songs by famed Bollywood composer Amit Trivedi.

Barneys

siFF 2012 tributes e

How do we get there from here?

Filmmakers ask that of their crews, actors ask that of their scripts, and audiences ask that of their entertainment. How does an idea, a vision, go from its earliest stages of incubation all the way to a completed work of art, which touches and informs? Those filmmakers and actors who get their point, their intent, and, most of all, their passions across on screen are those who inspire new generations to keep watching and making films. These are the charismatic, magnetic screen personalities and auteurs that keep us in the only place where it’s OK to be in the dark: the theater.

Each year, the Seattle International Film Festival welcomes honorees for our annual Tribute presentations. These people exemplify what’s great about filmmaking, and their visits offer SIFF audiences a chance to connect with the industry for an evening of merriment and celebration. In recent years, we’ve been thrilled to host appearances by actor Ewan McGregor and adventure director Warren Miller (2011); actor Edward Norton (2010) and visionary director Spike Lee (2009); Sir Ben Kingsley (2008) and Sir Anthony Hopkins (2007). We’re proud to present them with awards recognizing their achievements and excellence in the field. This year is no different, as we host the inimitable actress Sissy Spacek and the groundbreaking director William Friedkin. Please join us in our Tribute festivities in honor of these two cinematic greats.

…the charismatic, magnetic screen personalities and auteurs … keep us in the only place where it’s OK to be in the dark: the theater. “ ”

tribute sissy spacek

Sissy Spacek is a fearless actor with a deft grasp of the potency found in details.

a n evening with sissy spacek

The special tribute event for actress Sissy Spacek will include the presentation of the Seattle International Film Festival Award for Outstanding Achievement in Acting, an onstage interview with film clips from her career, and the opportunity for answering questions from the audience, followed by a screening of Terrence Malick’s broodingly beautiful Badlands, on Thursday, June 7, at 7:00pm at SIFF Cinema Uptown.

Whether portraying a grieving mother consumed by revenge (In the Bedroom) or a honky-tonk angel transcending adversity on the road to stardom (Coal Miner’s Daughter), Sissy Spacek is a fearless actor with a deft grasp of the potency found in details. Minor movements of her eyes or a quiver in vocal inflection can convey an avalanche of emotions, and throw into even stronger relief large-scale moments of pathos, fury, or joy. Rare is the entry in her filmography bereft of awards or critical accolades, and her tenure as a standard-bearing example of powerful, humanely rendered performances appears indefinite.

Born on Christmas Day in Quitman, texas, Spacek moved to New York City after high school with aspirations of becoming a singer. After playing the Greenwich coffeehouse circuit and securing periodic gigs writing

commercial jingles, she fell in with the cinematic, subversive scene at Andy warhol’s Factory, appearing in a non-credited role in his 1970 film, Trash. with the help and encouragement of her cousin and fellow actor, Rip torn, she enrolled in the prestigious and rigorous Lee Strasberg Institute. After some bit film parts and a recurring television guest star role on The Waltons, she landed the role of 15-year-old holly, the naïve narrator and inadvertent accomplice to Martin Sheen’s murderous bad boy in terrence Malick’s Badlands. Along with proving to be what she called the “most incredible” experience of her career, her time on the Badlands set led to meeting her future husband, art director Jack Fisk.

Spacek’s breakout role arrived in the form of 1976’s Carrie, Brian De Palma’s searing horror opus. her portrayal of a teenaged social outcast wielding fatal telekinetic powers earned her the first of six Oscar® nominations for Best Actress, an honor she eventually scored in 1980 with Coal Miner’s Daughter, in which she embodied First Lady of Country Loretta Lynn in both spirit and voice, singing all of the icon’s legendary hits herself. In between those pivotal career highlights, she also established herself in the world of independent cinema when Robert Altman cast her alongside Shelley Duvall and Janice Rule in his 1977 sleeper hit, 3 Women

throughout the ’80s, Spacek continued to garner respect for her remarkable ability to convey oceans of emotion with subtle, effective grace, earning Oscar® nods for the political thriller Missing, rural drama The River, and the black comedy Crimes of the Heart. her notable moments in the ’90s included a supporting role as Jim Garrison’s wife in Oliver Stone’s JFK, a turn as the evil Verena talbo in the 1995 ensemble piece The Grass Harp, and an affecting portrayal of a beleaguered daughter in her then-brother-in-law David Lynch’s film, The Straight Story

Spacek delivered one of her career’s most beautifully devastating performances in 2001, playing a mother laboring under an avalanche of grief after her son is violently murdered, in todd Field’s In the Bedroom New York Times film critic Stephen holden summed up the quiet strengths of her talent specifically, noting that “with the slight tightening of her neck muscles and a downward twitch of her mouth, she conveys her character’s relentlessness, then balances it with enough sweetness to make [her] entirely human.” For this role, she received both the New York and Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards for Best Actress.

Most recently, she appeared in a multi-episode arc of hBO’s acclaimed series Big Love, portraying a powerful washington, D.C. lobbyist, and in a minor, but memorable role in last year’s Oscar®-winning ensemble, The Help. She remains married to Fisk, with whom she has two daughters. Spacek’s close-knit family accompanied her to the ceremony for the unveiling of her star on the hollywood walk of Fame in August 2011.

SElECTED FIlMOGRAPhY

The Help (2011)

Big Love (2010-2011)

Get Low (2009)

Gray Matters (2007)

Nine Lives (2005)

Tuck Everlasting (2002)

In the Bedroom (2001)

Affliction (1997)

The Grass Harp (1995)

JFK (1991)

Crimes of the Heart (1986)

The River (1984)

Missing (1982)

Raggedy Man (1981)

Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980)

3 Women (1977)

Carrie (1976)

Badlands (1973)

Badlands

USA 1973

a n evening with sissy spacek

ThURSDAY, JUNE 7, 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Set in 1958 against the breathtaking backdrop of the titular South Dakota formation, Terrence Malick’s broodingly beautiful debut feature chronicles the murderous journey of an ill-fated couple, portrayed unforgettably by Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen. Their story is narrated by Holly (Spacek), a naïve and malleable teenage girl living in a small, dead-end plains town. An encounter with a charming, rebellious young greaser— who has a sociopathic appetite for grisly violence—takes Holly down a dark spiritual path and eventually into a harrowing, homicidal road trip that has life-altering consequences for them both. Cited by Spacek as an experience that would forever change her perspective on the art of filmmaking, and perennially hailed as a landmark achievement in how cinematography can drive storyline, Badlands was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1993

Awards:

San Sebastián International Film Festival 1974 (Best Film, Actor)

Director: Terrence Malick

Producer: Terrence Malick

Screenwriter: Terrence Malick

Cinematographers:

Tak Fujimoto

Stevan Larner

Brian Probyn

Editor: Robert Estrin

Music: George Tipton

Cast: Sissy Spacek

Martin Sheen

Warren Oates

Ramon Bieri

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: Warner Brothers

Selected Filmography:

The Tree of Life (2011)

The New World (2005)

The Thin Red Line (1998)

Days of Heaven (1978)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 10:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Brian De Palma’s classic, supernatural horror film was based on Stephen King’s first novel and resulted in Sissy Spacek earning an Oscar® nomination for her portrayal of a teenaged social outcast wielding fatal telekinetic powers. Carrie White (Spacek) is a shy, friendless teenager perpetually at the mercy of her Mean Girls-esque peers, who taunt and deride her on a daily basis. Her blind panic at her first menstruation— a result of her sheltered existence and the conservative, religious guilt drummed into her by her fanatical mother—only causes her classmates’ vicious harassment to escalate. Despite the well-intentioned interference of her protective gym teacher (Betty Buckley), Carrie’s fate as a bullying victim seems sealed. When Queen Bee Chris Hargenson (Nancy Allen) engineers a humiliating prank at the school prom, Carrie lashes out in a horrifying and vengeful display of her violent powers. One of the first mainstream films to focus on the special brand of cruelty unique to teenage girls, and a truly chilling horror film, Carrie endures as one of De Palma’s strongest achievements.

Director: Brian De Palma

Producer: Paul Monash

Screenwriter: Lawrence D. Cohen

Cinematographer: Mario Tosi

Editor: Paul Hirsch

Music: Pino Donaggio

Cast: Sissy Spacek

Piper Laurie

Amy Irving

William Katt

John Travolta

Betty Buckley

Nancy Allen

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: BluRay

Print Source: Park Circus LLC

Coal Miner’s Daughter

USA 1980

FRIDAY JUNE 8 DUSk

MURAl AMPhIThEATRE AT SEATTlE CENTER FREE

Selected Filmography: Redacted (2007)

The Black Dahlia (2006)

Femme Fatale (2002)

Mission to Mars (2000)

Snake Eyes (1998)

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Carlito’s Way (1993)

Raising Cain (1992)

The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)

Casualties of War (1989)

The Untouchables (1987)

Wise Guys (1986)

Body Double (1984)

Scarface (1983)

Blow Out (1981)

Dressed to Kill (1980)

Home Movies (1980)

The Fury (1978)

Carrie (1976)

Sisters (1973)

The Wedding Party (1969) Carrie USA 1976

Handpicked by Ms. Lynn herself to embody “The First Lady of Country Music,” Sissy Spacek’s age-defying performance is at the core of what makes this much more than a stock rags-to-riches story. Ted Webb (played by the late, great Levon Helm, drummer for The Band) is a beleaguered father raising a family under grueling poverty while toiling in the coal mines of West Virginia. His daughter Loretta marries Oliver Vanetta “Mooney” Lynn, Jr. (aka Doolittle) at the tender age of 13 and becomes a mother of four by age 19. In her early 20s, she begins performing in local honky-tonks and occasionally on the radio, moves which eventually catch the attention of a record label and help forge a career path littered with the expected trials and tribulations, including flirtations with drug abuse and a temporarily paralyzing nervous breakdown. Her relationships with manager/ husband Doolittle and ill-fated mentor Patsy Cline (Beverly D’Angelo) are instrumental in her commercial success, but also important factors in her evolution from shy child to confident woman. Through it all, Spacek not only sings all her own songs, but seamlessly ages from a rural ingénue into a commanding country music superstar, delivering the tour de force performance that earned her the Academy Award® for Best Actress.

Director: Michael Apted

Producer: Bernard Schwartz

Screenwriters: Tom Rickman

George Vecsey from the autobiography of Loretta Lynn

Cinematographer: Ralf D. Bode

Editor: Arthur Schmidt

Cast: Sissy Spacek

Tommy Lee Jones

Levon Helm

Phyllis Boyens

Bill Anderson Jr.

Running Time: 125 minutes

Presentation Format: DVD

Print Source: Universal

Selected Filmography:

The Chronicles of Narnia:

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Amazing Grace (2006)

49 Up (2005)

Enough (2002)

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Me & Isaac Newton (1999) (codirector)

42 Up (1998)

Nell (1994)

35 Up (1991)

Gorillas in the Mist (1988)

28 Up (1985)

21 (1977)

7 Plus Seven (1970)

tribute wiLLiaM FrieDkin

The new millennium has brought on an artistic renaissance for the director.

a n evening with wi LL ia M F rie D kin Director William Friedkin arrives at SIFF this year with a screening of his new, provocative black comedy, Killer Joe , where he will be presented with the Seattle International Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award. The evening will include an onstage interview and film clips from his career preceding the film, with a Q&A session following the film screening on Saturday, June 9, 7:00PM at the Egyptian Theatre.

He directed what’s widely considered to be the scariest horror film of all time (The Exorcist). He was at the helm—and literally in the backseat—for one of the best car chase sequences ever committed to celluloid (The French Connection ). And he returns this year with Killer Joe, a provocative black comedy adapted from the play by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts, and starring Matthew McConaughey and Emile Hirsch. We tip our hat to a man that wears many: director, producer, and screenwriter William Friedkin.

william Friedkin fell in love with movies after watching Citizen Kane as a boy. After high school, he immediately began working for Chicago’s wGN-tV, and quickly moved into directing live television and documentaries. A move to hollywood soon after launched a burgeoning art-house career—but Friedkin set his sights on bigger, brighter lights.

Friedkin wanted his films to reflect changing American social mores, encapsulating cultural tensions and seismic shifts in attitude brought about in the aftermath of the Vietnam war, the Sexual Revolution, and watergate. Crime, hypocrisy, and the occult were topics of the day, and ones ripe for rich drama.

From these sources sprang Friedkin’s greatest critical and commercial successes, 1971’s The French Connection and 1973’s The Exorcist the former stars Gene hackman and Roy Scheider as New York City detectives on undercover assignment to untangle a narcotics ring. Friedkin created a gritty, fast-paced, and exhilaratingly dangerous world for his characters,

brimming with unbridled energy. Its adrenalized, landmark car chase remains one of the action genre’s greatest examples. These details added up to five Academy Award® wins, including for Best Picture and Best Director.

Revolutionizing the horror genre by tapping into some of our deepest fears and anxieties about the nature of good and evil, The Exorcist became Friedkin’s next cinematic triumph. Based on William Peter Blatty’s best-selling novel, it stars Linda Blair as a possessed young girl and Ellen Burstyn as her long-suffering mother. Driven to the edge by the increasingly psychotic behavior of her once-sweet daughter, Burstyn resorts to the seemingly archaic measures of calling in a priest, who specializes in casting out demonic forces. One viewing, and you’ll never forget this film. The verdict was unanimous: The Exorcist was nominated for 10 Academy Awards®, including Best Picture and Best Director, and won Best Screenplay.

Following these successes, Friedkin was deemed one of the most important directors in the 1970s “New Hollywood” landscape. He, Francis Ford Coppola, and Martin Scorsese were greatly influenced by the French New Wave and Italian neo-realist films, bringing their qualities to American audiences through their own imaginatively audacious works. Friedkin has continued to push boundaries ever since.

Since the 1970s, he’s had an Odyssey of a career, marked by the difficulties and triumphs that such a journey entails. 1977’s Sorcerer was a big-budget remake of the French classic Wages of Fear; a favorite project of Friedkin’s, the underrated thriller has only recently found a cult following on DVD. Following this was Cruising, 1980’s controversial gay-themed crime thriller, starring Al Pacino as a cop investigating serial murders in the S&M scene. Its legacy has also been in flux, with ongoing debate on the nature of its intent and the subsequent cultural effects. And, in 1985, Friedkin scored with the action romp To Live and Die in L.A., the story of two secret service agents tracking down a counterfeiter.

The new millennium has brought on an artistic renaissance for the director. In 2000, The Exorcist was re-released in theaters, with extra footage, and grossed $40 million in the U.S. The same year, Friedkin released the military drama The Rules of Engagement, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Tommy Lee Jones. The latter also starred with Benicio del Toro in 2003’s lean and brutal thriller The Hunted, which was filmed in Portland and featured realistic hand-to-hand combat and knife fighting particular to Filipino Martial Arts.

Friedkin continues to work with incendiary and culturally relevant subject matter. In 2007, he released Bug, a psychological horror film starring Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon as damaged paranoiacs who may or may not have been the subject of government testing. It won the FIPRESCI Award at Cannes. During this year’s Festival, enjoy our tribute screenings of The French Connection, The Exorcist, and Killer Joe, honoring this prolific and exciting director, whose influence has touched so many.

SElECTED FIlMOGRAPhY

Killer Joe (2012)

Bug (2007)

The Hunted (2003)

Rules of Engagement (2000)

Jade (1995)

Blue Chips (1994)

The Guardian (1990)

Rampage (1987)

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)

Deal of the Century (1983)

Cruising (1980)

The Brink’s Job (1978)

Sorcerer (1977)

The Exorcist (1973)

The French Connection (1971)

The Boys in the Band (1970)

The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968)

The Birthday Party (1968)

KPLU

Killer Joe USA

an evening with wiLLiaM FrieDkin

SATURDAY, JUNE 9, 7:00 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Academy Award® winning Director William Friedkin’s second collaboration with playwright Tracy Letts is an intoxicating, Pulitzer Prize-winning thriller about a desperate young man looking to escape his drug debts and the sinister hit man he hires to execute an ill-conceived insurance scam. Auto mechanic Ansel Smith (Thomas Haden Church) and his waitress wife Sharla (a sensually direct Gina Gershon) share their cramped Dallas household with Dottie (Juno Temple), Ansel’s daughter from a previous marriage. Ansel’s troubled, alcoholic ex-wife Adele and their son Chris (an appropriately doltish Emile Hirsch) live elsewhere, but their fiscal woes soon bleed into the lives of the Smith family, both literally and figuratively. Desperate to pay off a $6,000 drug debt, Chris decides to bump off Adele for her insurance. He hires murderous lawman Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), and when he’s unable to afford the fee, the swarthy, sinister Cooper offers to accept sexual access to the virginal Dottie as a “retainer.” Fortified by strong, balanced performances, driven by a brazen blend of gallows humor and noir-ish tone, this provocative black comedy ends proceedings with a highly satisfying bang.

Sponsored by:

Aron Michael Thompson

Director: William Friedkin

Producers:

Nicolas Chartier

Scott Einbinder

Screenwriter: Tracy Letts

Cinematographer: Caleb Deschanel

Editor: Darrin Navarro

Music: Tyler Bates

The French Connection USA 1971

TUESDAY MAY 29 7:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

William Friedkin’s Oscar®-winning NYC police drama pits an unlikeable cop (Gene Hackman) against a suave, gentlemanly heroin supplier (Fernando Rey)—and features one of cinema’s best-ever car chases. Hackman and Roy Scheider play detectives on undercover assignment to untangle a narcotics ring. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the nonfiction book by Robin Moore. Hackman’s “Popeye” Doyle is an outrageously un-P.C. character, a shorttempered alcoholic who stands in contrast to Rey’s suave French criminal, Alain Charnier. Popeye’s partner, Buddy “Cloudy” Russo, is played by Scheider. The two detectives’ reallife inspirations make cameo appearances in the film as different characters. Together they inhabit Friedkin’s gritty, fast-paced, and exhilaratingly dangerous underworld. The surveillance and eventual bust of Charnier features an adrenalized, landmark car chase in which Friedkin was literally directing from the backseat. It remains one of the action genre’s greatest examples of producing propulsive thrills through images and sound. The French Connection was a smash, resulting in five Academy Award® wins, including for Best Picture and Best Director.

Awards:

Academy Awards® 1972 (Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role, Director, Film Editing, Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium)

BAFTA Awards 1973 (Best Actor, Film Editing)

Cast: Matthew McConaughey

Emile Hirsch

Juno Temple

Gina Gershon

Thomas Haden Church

Running Time: 103 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Voltage Pictures

Print Source: Liddell Entertainment

Directors Guild of America 1972 (Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures)

Golden Globes 1972 (Best Director, Motion Picture, Actor)

Director: William Friedkin

Producer: Philip D’Antoni

Screenwriter: Ernest Tidyman

Cinematographer: Owen Roizman

Editor: Jerry Greenberg

Music: Don Ellis

Cast: Gene Hackman

Roy Scheider

Fernando Rey

Running Time: 104 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Twentieth Century Fox

Exorcist

FRIDAY JUNE 8 10:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Praised by the Catholic News, damned by the Rev. Billy Graham, The Exorcist remains to this day one of the most terrifying and controversial films ever released from a major Hollywood studio. Inspired by a 1949 case of alleged demonic possession, William Peter Blatty wrote both the novel and an extensive screenplay adaptation. However, when director William Friedkin became attached to the picture fresh from winning the Academy Award® for The French Connection, he refused to work from the first-draft script, favoring a more streamlined plot, and in the process developing a quarrelsome relationship with Blatty, who also served as the film’s producer. Friedkin’s tactics on set proved equally contentious with cast and crew: dangerous stunt work that resulted in injuries to both his lead actresses (their injured yelps were promptly included in the film’s sound design), the slapping of a Catholic priest, and, famously, the building of the bedroom set in a freezer so the actors’ breath would appear on camera. But the resulting film, in which a mother frantically attempts to save her daughter from a malevolent entity, and the two priests—one fragile in faith, the other fragile in frame—confront diabolic forces, still possesses a timeless power to chill, thrill, and horrify.

Director:

William Friedkin

Producer: Willam Peter Blatty

Screenwriter: Willam Peter Blatty, from his novel

Cinematographer: Owen Roizman

Editor: Norman Gay

Evan Lottman

Music: Steve Boeddeker

Cast: Linda Blair

Ellen Burstyn

Max von Sydow

Lee J. Cobb

Kitty Winn

Running Time: 120 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Warner Brothers

Can’t decide on a film?

With our handy Pathway groupings, we’ve made it easy to find the type of cinematic experience you’re in the mood for. Instead of using traditional categories, which require a bit of work to figure out, we’ve aimed to connect films with you, the audience, by organizing them into 10 areas that help answer the question

“What sort of fi lm do I feel like seeing tonight?”

QUICK GUIDE TO PATHWAYS

CREATIVE STREAK

The exploration of artistic endeavors from all disciplines: literature, film, art, dance, and performance.

FACE THE MUSIC

Films that intersect the world of music on all fronts: from biopics and concert films, to musicals and live events.

GIVE ME DRAMA!

Mesmerizing dramas and documentaries that explore thought-provoking questions, realities, and topics.

I DIDN’T KNOW THAT!

Revealing films and documentaries revolving around history, politics, and contemporary events from around the world.

LOVE ME, DO!

Romance and love in all its forms, pleasures, and idiosyncrasies.

MAKE ME LAUGH

SCI-FI AND BEYOND

Films that make you chuckle and tickle your funny bone.

Science, technology, environment, the future—and beyond!

SHOW ME THE WORLD

Prepare to be taken to another place—from exotic, far-off lands to vibrant experiences outside of everyday life.

THRILL ME

Suspense, thrills, and action. Films with a faster pace that might also surprise you when you least expect it!

TO THE EXTREME

Explore the outer limits with films that go beyond the edge.

CREATIVE STREAK

Beth Barrett DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING

Painting, dance, film, art, theater, fashion, culinary design…to many of us, each of these things are as necessary to a well-lived life as food and water. This collection of films brilliantly celebrates artistic aspirations and achievements from around the world, with gusto. Mark Cousins’ sprawling 15-hour documentary The Story of Film is an epic contrast to the ambitious, “keep it under 10 minutes” structure of the Fly Filmmaking Challenge. The stages of the onceremoved stars of Broadway in The Standbys are just as emotional—but in different ways—than that of the young actress undergoing a Black Swan-like transformation in Cracks in the Shell. Sing along with the teenaged Welsh drama students who go crazy for David Bowie in Hunky Dory, and marvel at the power of a photograph in The Mexican Suitcase. And whatever you do, let iconic stylist Diana Vreeland help you embrace your passions with “pizzazz!”

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

ALT Shorts Masters: Bruce Conner and Abigail Child

Bestiaire

The British Guide to Showing Off Cracks in the Shell

Crulic - The Path Beyond

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel

Fly Filmmaking Challenge (Shorts Program)

FutureWave Shorts

Golden Slumbers

Hunky Dory

I Am Not a Hipster

Joan and the Voices

Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean Liberal Arts

Marina Abramović

The Artist is Present

The Mexican Suitcase

My Dad is Baryshnikov

The Painting

SeaTown Shorts (Shorts Program)

Short Life

The Standbys

Step Up to the Plate

The Story of Film: An Odyssey SuperFly (Shorts Program)

Tatsumi

The Woman in the Septic Tank

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines

FACE THEMUSIC

Marco Collins FILM PROGRAMMER

From D.C. to Doe Bay, the films of this year’s Face the Music offer a revealing glimpse into the stories behind some of the world’s most talented musicians.

Follow the extraordinary journey of a singer who found notoriety later in life in Charles Bradley: Soul of America, or brave the turbulent world of enigmatic Cream drummer Ginger Baker in Beware of Mr. Baker

The controversial influence of Paul Simon’s 1986 album Graceland is thoughtfully explored in Under African Skies. We’ll also peer into our own backyard at the bourgeoning grassroots festival documented in Welcome to Doe Bay and engage in a lively reimagining of The Wiz, as curated by Don’t Talk to the Cops leader Larry Mizell, Jr. and executed by some of the Northwest hip-hop scene’s fastest rising stars.

Bad Brains: A Band in DC

Beware of Mr. Baker

Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best

Charles Bradley: Soul of America

Coal Miner’s Daughter

El Gusto: The Good Mood

Emerald City Visions (A hip hop reinterpretation of The Wiz)

Paul Williams Still Alive

The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music

That Changed America

Silence: All Roads Lead to Music

Under African Skies

Welcome To Doe Bay

Othe r s to an audience of on e .

Magnolia Audio Video® salutes those who make and enjoy movies, big and small. With roots in Seattle, we’ve been recreating the very best cinematic experience in homes for over 55 years. Visit one of our Seattle area locations today to see how our System Designers can help you turn the home theater of your dreams into the home theater in your living room. From in-home consultation to installation, you’ll experience the best.

Visit our Roosevelt location at 6308 Roosevelt Way NE • 206-525-1961 or find us online @ MagnoliaAV.com

GIVE MEDRAMA!

Maryna Ajaja FILM PROGRAMMER

Give me drama! Excite me with mesmerizing features and documentaries that cause an emotional reaction. Force me to build a house with you (The House) or be unfair and cheat me (Elena), and you’ll see what passions erupt. Wound me with a haircut (Nosilatiaj.Beauty) and the offense will cut deeply. Bring my dear ones close to death and see how a funny neurotic can react with grace under pressure (Best Intentions). Put me in enemy territory, with my back against the wall during wartime, and there’s bound to be serious tension (4 Days in May, Trial on the Road). It is through drama that we feel some of life’s most heightened emotions and intense experiences—and what happens in the end is sometimes less important than the journey itself.

4 Days in May

Alois Nebel

Any Day Now

Badlands

Best Intentions

A Better Life

Breathing

Camilla Dickinson

Can Choked

The Crown Jewels

Eden

Elena

Everything and Everyone

The Eye of the Storm

Four Suns

Future Weather

Guilty

The House

How to Survive a Plague

Kill Me

Lipstikka

Little Toys

LUV

Madrid, 1987

Mirage

My Brother the Devil

Nosilatiaj.Beauty

Oslo, August 31st

Otelo Burning

People Like Us

Polisse

Red Road

Rose

ShortsFest

Closing Night (Shorts Program)

ShortsFest

Opening Night (Shorts Program)

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Tey

Trial on the Road

Unforgivable

Welcome to Pine Hill

Wetlands

White Camellias

Sarah Loritz PROGRAMMING COORDINATOR

KNOW THAT!

Watching a film, you can experience so many things: inspiration, love, rapture, escape, empowerment, anger, and even enlightenment. This eclectic section of films has one thing in common: discovery. Each story digs deeper giving the viewer an unexpected perspective on the world around us and even ourselves. What really happens when big business decides to makes decisions about our health (Pink Ribbons, Inc. and American Addict)? How can basketball transform your life and community (Free Throw and The Other Dream Team)? What does it take for a small group to band together and revolutionize the world (We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists and The Last Christeros)? Discovering these revelations through films opens our minds to possibilities and sheds light on a world that no longer seems uncharted.

11 Flowers

5 Broken Cameras

The 5,000 Days Project: TWO BROTHERS

American Addict

The Blindfold

Characters Wanted (Shorts Program)

Daas

Ethel

Family Portrait in Black and White

Finding North

Free Throw

The Imposter

The Invisible War

Justice For Sale

The Last Christeros

The Law In These Parts

The Long Ride Home

Lost Years

Love Free or Die

The Other Dream Team

Pink Ribbons, Inc.

Putin’s Kiss

Rent-a-Cat

The Revisionaries

The Revolutionary

Rouge Parole

The Tall Man

Wiebo’s War

LOVE ME DO!

Carl Spence ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Whether it is between siblings, best friends, parents, or unrelated individuals, love can manifest itself in many different ways: romance, friendship, lust, adultery, threesomes, and even platonic—this selection of films covers the entire territory. Michelle Williams stars as a young married woman who falls for her next door neighbor (Take This Waltz). Frieda Pinto is seemingly swept up into a better life by a property owner’s son (Trishna). Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney relive their past (courtship, marriage, infidelity, and parenthood) over an exhilarating road trip in a recently restored classic film (Two For the Road ). If you are looking to have a good cry, find your inner romance, or just live vicariously through the fascinating lives on the big screen, you will be sure to find something satisfying in our Love Me, Do! offerings.

170 Hz

2 Days in New York

360

6 Points about Emma

The Art of Love

Bel Ami

Bonsái

A Checkout Girl’s Big Adventures

Cloudburst

Coming Home

Duck Beach to Eternity

The First Time

Growing Up Gay (Shorts Program)

Hello I Must Be Going

Hemel

Keep the Lights On

Kiss Me

Lola Versus Loverboy

Moonrise Kingdom

Mosquita y Mari

North Sea Texas

Romancing In Thin Air

Salt White

The Sex of the Angels

Starry Starry Night

Strange Relations (Shorts Program)

Take This Waltz

Teddy Bear

Trishna

Two For the Road

Volcano

Wuthering Heights

Your Sister’s Sister

MAYOR’S AWARD 2012

Benjamin Kasulke is an award winning Director of Photography based in Seattle, and the cinematographer for the 2012 SIFF Opening Night Film, Your Sister’s Sister

Kasulke has lensed over a dozen local feature length and short films including Lynn Shelton’s Humpday (2009 Sundance Special Jury Prize Winner), and Megan Griffiths’ The Off Hours, where he was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography.

IN FILM OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT FOR IS PROUDLY PRESENTED TO BENJAMIN KASULKE

Touchy Feely

Your Sister’s Sister

Treatment

Safety Not Guaranteed

The Catechism Cataclysm

The Off Hours

$5 Cover Seattle

Wheedle’s Groove Humpday

Calimari Union (remake)

We Go Way Back

My Effortless Brilliance

Brand Upon The Brain!

In 2012, Kasulke was profiled by Variety Magazine as one of “Ten Cinematographers To Watch.”

Kasulke’s work has screened at film festivals worldwide including Toronto, Berlin, SXSW, Sundance, and Cannes Film Festival Director’s Fortnight. In addition to his impressive body of cinematography, Kasulke has mentored burgeoning filmmakers through his work at SIFF and Northwest Film Forum classes and events.

Award Criteria and Process:

The Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film is made to an individual or entity which has raised the profile of the City of Seattle and its film industry through an outstanding film-related achievement, or major contribution to the growth, advancement and reputation of Seattle as a filmmaking city. The five Seattle film industry representatives on the Nomination and Selection Committee reached a unanimous decision on the 2012 nomination.

Benjamin Kasulke Local Feature Filmography

Photo

MAKE ME LAUGH

Clinton McClung SIFF CINEMA PROGRAMMER

The most classic formula for great humor is “tragedy plus time equals comedy,” but there are many other equations that tickle our funny bones, and the films in our Make Me Laugh pathway represent a virtual textbook of laughter. The sum of commitment phobia and random acts of sleepwalking is the verbal wit of Mike Birbiglia’s Sleepwalk With Me. A bumbling anti-hero multiplied by an obsession with an obscure sport leads to the deadpan Norwegian hilarity of King Curling. Tally a clueless sperm donor plus 533 illegitimate children and you get the outlandish Québécois comedy Starbuck. And raise disgust with modern pop culture to the power of Bobcat Goldthwait and the result is the pitch-black absurdity of God Bless America. No matter how you add it up, the films of Make Me Laugh will leave you feeling exponentially delighted.

As Luck Would Have It

The Chef

Coteau Rouge

Cousinhood

The Details

The Do-Deca-Pentathlon

The Family Picture Show (Shorts Program)

Fat Kid Rules the World

The First on the List

Fuck My Wedding

Fugly!

Gayby

God Bless America

Grassroots

The Intouchables

King Curling

Klown

Kryptonite!

Legends of Valhalla: Thor

My Sucky Teen Romance

Price Check

Roller Town

Save the Date

Sin Bin

Sleepwalk With Me

Starbuck

Sunny

Superclásico

War of the Buttons

Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods

Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas

Year of Grace

SCI-FI ANDBEYOND

Brad Wilke FILM PROGRAMMER

Film is a powerful tool that can help convey the emotional (and physical) truths that lies behind scientific accomplishments. Who can forget the indelible image of the bone floating through space that transformed into a space station in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey? Film can be transformative, and when coupled with truly compelling subject matter, the experience can be deeply enlightening. Whether you’re interested in the effects of global warming (Chasing Ice) and nuclear power (The Atomic States of America), or how birds can thrive in metropolitan green spaces (The Central Park Effect), or the “living cities” of ocean life (The Last Reef 3D), our eye-opening documentaries have you covered. We also have engaging narrative films about time travel (Safety Not Guaranteed and Easton’s Article), human-robot relationships (Robot and Frank), and fantastic creatures—real, imagined, and mythical (Thale and Earthbound).

All

Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace

The Atomic States of America

The Central Park Effect

Chasing Ice

Dreams of a Life

Earthbound

Easton’s Article

Extraterrestrial

Five Star Existence

The Last Man on Earth

The Last Reef 3D

Robot and Frank

Safety Not Guaranteed

The Substance: Albert Hofmann’s LSD

Thale

True Wolf

We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists

SHOW ME THE WORLD

Justine Barda FILM PROGRAMMER

Ready to get out of town? Your ticket to SIFF buys you the easiest trip you’ll ever take. Hop in with Luca and Gustav for a Tuscan tour in their Fiat 500 (Italy: Love It or Leave It). Board the bullet train from Kagoshima to Hakata to reunite Koichi with his brother (I Wish). Go on the lam with Amanda and Dora as they flee from São Paulo to Rio (Prime Time Soap). Or join a shepherd and his 800 sheep for their yearly trek across the Swiss countryside (Winter Nomads). Explore the high Qinghai plains of Tibet (Old Dog), the azure waters of the Wakatobi archipelago (The Mirror Never Lies), the upper rainforest of Central Brazil (Xingu), or the Negev desert in Israel (Sharqiya). The choice is yours … in 25 days and more than 450 films, you can cover an awful lot of ground.

Abu, Son of Adam

The Ambassador

Around the World (Shorts Program)

Beasts of the Southern Wild

The Beautiful Game

Bol

Chapiteau-Show

¡Cinema Fantastico! (Shorts Program)

City World

A Cube of Sugar

Either Way

Goodbye I Wish

The Invader

Italy Love It or Leave It

Keep Calm & Carry On (Shorts Program)

L’Afrance

Là-bas:

A Criminal Education

Las Acacias

The Last Friday

Lost in Paradise

Mourning

Old Dog

Only Yesterday

The Orator

Prime Time Soap

Sharqiya

Simon and the Oaks

Six Million and One

Three Quarter Moon

Toomelah

Valley of Saints

Winter Nomads

Lucky

The Mirror Never Lies

The Empty Home

Found Memories

Future Lasts Forever

The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had With My Pants On

Wrinkles

Xingu

Cinema & the City.

LINK

After spending hours in the dark, shed some light on shopping, dining, entertainment, and attractions. The best of Seattle, online or an any smartphone.

Where you are. Where you're going.

THRILL ME

Andy Spletzer FILM PROGRAMMER

You have to believe the protagonists in the Thrill Me pathway would rather be in Love Me, Do! or Make Me Laugh. In fact, as their movies begin they probably believe they are. Alas, it’s not to be, much to our enjoyment. In these movies good deeds do not go unpunished, desire leads toward death, and corruption can be found everywhere. Fasten your seatbelt because you’re about to hurtle down through a gauntlet of backstabbing and betrayals, never knowing who you can trust. It’s like you’re thrown into the streets of Pamplona as the bulls are released. The pace can vary from the slow burn of a film noir classic to the kinetic frenzy of a Hong Kong action film, but the result is the same: Pure cinematic pleasure.

38 Witnesses

419 Brave

Bull Runners of Pamplona

Bunohan: Return To Murder

The Chase

The Convoy Countdown

Diaz—Don’t Clean Up This Blood

Dragon

Dragon Pearl

ELIMINATE: Archie Cookson

The Fourth State

The French Connection

Gimme The Loot

The Glass Man

The Great Bear

Headshot

High Ground

How to Steal 2 Million

Innocence

John Dies At the End

The Monk

Over the Edge

Overheard 2

Policeman

Rebellion

Recalled

Sacrifice

The Sorcerer and the White Snake

The Student

Unit 7

The Woman in the Fifth

The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake

TO THE EXTREME

Dan Doody FILM PROGRAMMER

Ever felt like your heart was about to burst from your chest?

Films in To The Extreme relish the challenge of providing a high-octane, visceral experience within the “safe” confines of the cinema. When a savage gang kidnaps his infant daughter, Tommy must rescue her from an abandoned tower block in Citadel. Master surrealist Guy Maddin returns with Keyhole his phantasmagorical mixture of noir, ghost story, and Homer’s “The Odyssey.” V/H/S revisits the days of video nasties, while a prank phone call goes horribly wrong in Compliance. William Friedkin’s newest, Killer Joe, serves up a brutal, black comedic slice of Texas gothic. Driven by psychosexual surgical urges, Pauline tries to make a heaven of her hellish high school existence in Excision, while an infernal prom provides the climax for Carrie, still one of cinema’s all-time great horror shockers.

ALT Shorts: Beyond Narrative (Shorts Program)

Animations For Adults (Shorts Program)

Carrie Citadel Compliance

Excision

The Exorcist Game of Werewolves

Hail

Keyhole

Killer Joe

L

The Legend of Kaspar Hauser

Long Night’s Journey Into Hell (Shorts Program)

Queen of Versailles

Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings

The Source

The Squad

V/H/S

WTF (Shorts Program)

Ripped jeans and flannel shi R ts ba R ely sc R atch the su R face. Witness the world’s most extensive exhibition of memorabilia celebrating the music and history of Seattle grunge luminaries, Nirvana, featuring rare and unseen artifacts, photography, and oral histories from the band, their crews, family members, and key figures in the independent music scene of the late 80s and early 90s.

let theRe be R ock. One of the highest grossing bands of all time, these headbangin’ Australians in short pants and school boy caps paved the way for heavy metal with blues-based riffs, power driven performances, and oodles of onstage antics. Don’t miss the only North American venue to give hard rock props to some of the greatest performers in music history. save Money. save tiMe. buy online.

SIDEBARS S

For more than three decades, SIFF has been bringing you a broad cross-section of cinematic experiences. These Sidebar pages will help organize the movies you want to see.

Asian Crossroads takes you into the Far East, where the filmmakers of China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Japan offer their visions, while the New Directors Showcase honors the visionaries of the future. We’ll peer into the past with our Archival Films series, and recognize the renegades utilizing alternative funding sources and progressive filmmaking techniques with our new SIFF Catalyst program. Explore the avant-garde options in Alternate Cinema, or slip inside the seductive world of Ambiente: New Spanish Cinema. Non-fiction filmmakers get their due during the Documentary Competition and the inside crowd will flock to the Secret Festival (but they’ll only get in if they sign the Oath of Silence!). Pursue a pulse-pounding good time with Midnight Adrenaline, or dig into the fertile soil of our own backyard via Northwest Connections. Succinct and sweet defines the challenging parameters the winners of our Shorts Competition must successfully negotiate, and the honorees in Emerging Masters will set the bar higher for the next generation of aspiring directors.

And of course,

it all comes down to you

in the end, when you cast your vote for the festival’s best feature, documentary, and short films, deciding who will take home the rightly coveted Golden Space Needle.

ALTERNATE CINEMA

It’s easy to find people in Seattle who claim to hate country music.

When pressed, though, they’ll admit to liking Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, old Hank Williams, or maybe even that new Taylor Swift song. In that respect, experimental films are the “country music” of the festival world. It’s easy to say you don’t like them, and that there’s nothing worse than a bad country song or experimental film, but you shouldn’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Alternate Cinema is for those who want to look beyond the traditional forms, whether it’s a zoo documentary without words, a film noir that is completely unhinged, an existential comedy with its own inner logic, or an essay about the landscapes and history of theme park capitol Orlando, Fla.

Those who want a sampler platter of short-form experimental cinema should buy tickets to ALT Shorts: Beyond Narrative, new works and strange animations from around the world. And those who want to see films from two of the greatest and most influential found footage collage artists should see Alt Shorts Masters: Bruce Conner and Abigail Child

ALT Shorts: Beyond Narrative (Shorts Program)

ALT Masters: Bruce Conner and Abigail Child (Shorts Program)

Bestiaire

City World

Keyhole

The Legend of Kaspar Hauser

AMBIENTE: NEW SPANISH CINEMA

It’s a warm summer night. People are gathered on a verandah to hear a Brazilian guitarist play a Mexican love song. Crickets buzz and a breeze touches bare shoulders, as ripples from the nearby pool throw shadows on the patio.

That’s ambience. As Pedro Almodóvar showed (not told) us in 2002’s Talk to Her, a mood is everything. When it’s just right, viewers long to fall into the scene. They long to be on that verandah.

This year we’re pleased to highlight an exciting crop of new and provocative films from Spain. The region has long been known as ripe for producing delicious cinematic experiences. During SIFF, we’re transported from our sun-deficient locale to a country that, with each viewing, can seem more and more like paradise.

Our selection of films reflects the broad spectrum of life in modern Spain, from the idyllic seaside resort town in Cousinhood, to the hovels of inner-city drug trafficking and prostitution confronted by Unit 7. We shift into the realm of Spanish fantasy with an ancient, dark curse (Game of Werewolves) and the effects of alien invasions on the sexual dynamics of young Madrileños (Extraterrestrial ). Elsewhere, relationships are examined when a professor is trapped in a bathroom with the object of his affection (Madrid, 1987), while a blind woman attempts to start a family with no relationship whatsoever (6 Points About Emma). These new cinematic achievements from Spain give us emotion, excitement, ambience, and then some.

036

6 Points About Emma

8

As Luck Would Have It

Bull Runners of Pamplona

¡Cinema Fantastico! (Shorts Program)

Cousinhood

Doomed

Extraterrestrial

Free Kick

Game of Werewolves

The Hidden Smile

The Hijra

Madrid, 1987

Matador on the Road

The Mexican Suitcase

The Runaway

The Sex of the Angels

Unit 7

Wrinkles

Year of Grace

ASIAN CROSSROADS

The Seattle International Film Festival has a rich history of presenting a broad range of cinematic voices from Asia, and 2012 is no exception. This year, our selection highlights 24 films from 13 countries, including China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Tibet, the Philippines, and Cambodia.

From low-budget indie gems that showcase seldom-seen worlds (contemporary Tibet in Old Dog; Indonesia’s Bajo tribe in The Mirror Never Lies) to the nail-biting action only Hong Kong can provide (Alan Mak’s Overheard 2, Peter Ho-Sun Chan’s martial arts noir Dragon), our selections touch on all of the styles and strengths of visionary modern Asian filmmakers

Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine) presents a powerful reinterpretation of the Chinese opera “Orphan of Zhao,” in dazzling classic wuxia style in the new epic, Sacrifice. In the percolating and imaginative thriller Countdown, South Korean director Huh Jong-ho’s debut feature, a debt collector with 10 days to live fights to keep his pledged liver donor alive and well. Japan’s Naoko Ogigami brings us the unique story of Rent-a-Cat, about a lonely woman who rents cats out as companions; will she find unexpected happiness of her own?

From Singapore’s Eric Khoo, Tatsumi is a tribute to groundbreaking Japanese geikiga (adult manga) artist Tatsumi Hoshihiro. Another wonderful window into the Asian art world is documentarian Davy Chou’s Golden Slumbers, which celebrates the golden era of Cambodian cinema, from 1960 to 1975. Ngoc Đang Vu’s drama Lost in Paradise is considered by many critics to be the first Vietnamese film to treat homosexuality with empathy. On the other end of the spectrum, Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings pits a Filipino man with very bad fortune against tyrannical undead drag queens! In Asian Crossroads, there’s something to satisfy everyone.

11 Flowers

Abu, Son of Adam

The Blindfold

Bol

Bunohan: Return To Murder

Choked

Countdown

Dragon

Golden Slumbers

Headshot

I Wish

Lost in Paradise

The Mirror Never Lies

Old Dog

Overheard 2

Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings

Rent-a-Cat

Romancing in Thin Air

Sacrifice

Sunny

Tatsumi

Valley of Saints

The Woman in the Septic Tank

The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake

ARCHIVAL FILMS ARCHIVAL SHORTS

Celebrating the preservation of classic cinema for a new generation

Each spring in Seattle, it’s all about the movies (we can’t count so much on sunshine). Whether it’s your first or 50th time, there’s nothing like watching your favorite classic films on the big screen. The Northwest is blessed to foster a community of card-carrying film enthusiasts, whose support keeps one-off and cyclical presentations possible year-round. Popular programs like the annual “Noir City” series rescue buried narratives, director’s visions and seldom-seen performances from the margins of mid-century cinema. In bringing them back to the screen, SIFF remains committed year-round to reviving our celluloid heritage with a full program of archival presentations. Fringe and pop favorites alike appear weekly at SIFF Cinema Uptown, as well as the new SIFF Film Center, located in Seattle Center’s Northwest Rooms. This year’s Archival Film selections represent the bounty of enduring cinematic treasures from around the world.

ALT Shorts Masters: Bruce Conner and Abigail Child

When it comes to found footage, rhythmic editing, and a sly sense of humor, legendary experimental filmmakers Bruce Conner and Abigail Child are two of the most influential of all time.

The Avant-Garde Masters grants were created in 2003 by the National Film Preservation Foundation and The Film Foundation to preserve American avant-garde cinema. Funded by The Film Foundation, the program has helped save more than 100 films in its first decade, making many works available to audiences for the first time since their creation. This Seattle International Film Festival presentation celebrates the program’s 10th anniversary with classics by Abigail Child and Bruce Conner.

BRUCE CONNER (1933 - 2008)

Cosmic Ray (1961)

Ten Second Film (1965)

Mea Culpa (1981)

America is Waiting (1981)

Preserved by: Anthology Film Archives

ABIGAIL CHILD (1948 - )

Peripeteia I and II (1977-78)

Pacific Far East Line (1979)

Prefaces (1981)

Preserved by: Harvard Film Archives

The Chase

Directed by Arthur Ripley (USA 1946)

Little Toys

Directed by Sun Yu (China 1933)

Only Yesterday

Directed by Isao Takahata (Japan 1991)

The Story of Film: An Odyssey

Directed by Mark Cousins (United Kingdom 2011)

Trial on the Road

Directed by Alexei Guerman (Russia 1971)

Two for the Road

Directed by Stanley Donen (USA 1967)

SIFF CATALYST

This year, we’re pleased to launch a brand-new subsection of New American Cinema named SIFF Catalyst.

SIFF Catalyst describes the role of the filmmaker in the evolving creative landscape from which these selected films emerged. As much as we love the romantic idea of filmmaker as maverick auteur, we’re moving in a new cultural direction that will find the next wave of independent filmmakers thriving thanks to the collaborative support of their peers and the financial support of hundreds of fans. In this new creative dynamic, the filmmaker exists as the catalyst of the creative process, tapping into vast, emerging networks to build a community around a body of work.

All films will be eligible for the FIPRESCI award (the New American Cinema juried prize), as well as audience awards including Best Film, Director, Actor, and Actress. In addition to the screenings, we’ll be hosting a variety of special events that will offer Seattle audiences an opportunity to participate in conversations with filmmakers and special guests, including representatives from creative community startups such as Kickstarter, Prescreen, and others.

In this inaugural year, we will feature six carefully selected feature film debuts that represent this exciting creative vanguard, including three world premieres and three emerging festival favorites.

We’re extremely proud of our new SIFF Catalyst program and invite you to join us as we celebrate, support, and further the efforts of those individuals who make great films happen.

419 (World Premiere)

Easton’s Article (World Premiere)

Future Weather

I Am Not a Hipster

Recalled (World Premiere)

Welcome to Pine Hill

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

Unscripted and uncut, the world around us is a perennial resource of unexpected, informative, and altogether absorbing storytelling.

For years, documentary filmmakers have brought these untold stories to life and introduced us to a vast array of fascinating topics we may have never known existed, let alone known were so intriguing. From the secret lives of famous faces, to hardnosed exposés culled from the latest headlines, the truthtelling nature of the documentary makes it arguably the bravest form of filmmaking.

SIFF is proud to present the 12 documentaries below in this year’s competition, which explore everything from the institution of addiction and greed fostered by the pharmaceutical industry (American Addict) to the impassioned activism of hackers redefining civil disobedience in the digital age (We Are Legion). Whether analyzing how a sport can be an escape from poverty and hardship (The Beautiful Game), or reflecting on the fortuitous value of discovering long-lost images from past conflicts (The Mexican Suitcase), this year’s competition films are sure to stimulate your senses, emotions, and imagination through a broad spectrum of bold lenses.

American Addict

Director Sasha Knezev (USA)

The Beautiful Game

Director Victor Buhler (USA/ United Kingdom/Ghana/South Africa)

Duck Beach to Eternity

Directors Stephen Frandsen, Hadleigh Arnst, Laura Naylor (USA)

Five Star Existence

Director Sonja Lindén (Finland/Sweden)

Free Throw

Jury

Kathy A. McDonald

Veteran journalist Kathy A. McDonald specializes in examining the intersection of Hollywood and lifestyle for Variety and numerous other outlets; on the business side, she has reported on independent film, documentaries, and film festivals for 15 years. She is also a contributing editor to Documentary, the International Documentary Association’s print and online publication. Previously, she worked in film marketing (Hammer Creative and New World Pictures) and in international film distribution at New Line Cinema.

Rob Williams

Rob Williams is Vice President of Acquisitions for Indomina Media, a theatrical distributor in North America, a foreign sales agent, and producer. Indomina is partnered with Pinewood Studios to operate, manage, and market a new state-of-the-art film and television facility in the Dominican Republic. Recent and upcoming Indomina releases include Ice T’s Something From Nothing: The Art of Rap, a new live action Afro Samurai with Samuel L. Jackson, and Cabin Fever: Patient Zero.

Dan Berger

Dan Berger runs marketing, distribution, and acquisitions at Oscilloscope Pictures, the film distribution arm of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch’s Oscilloscope Laboratories.  Berger has been with O-Scope since its inception in early 2008. Previously he worked at THINKFilm. He is a graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His favorite food is pizza and his favorite Golden Girl is Roz.

Director Court Crandall (USA)

Italy Love It or Leave It

Directors Gustav Hofer, Luca Ragazzi (Italy/Germany)

The Mexican Suitcase

Director Trisha Ziff (Mexico/Spain)

Rouge Parole

Director Elyes Baccar (Tunisia/Qatar/Switzerland)

The Source

Directors Jodi Wille, Maria Demopoulos (USA)

The Standbys

Director Stephanie Riggs (USA)

We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists

Director Brian Knappenberger (USA)

Winter Nomads

Director Manuel von Stürler (Switzerland)

NEW AMERICAN CINEMA COMPETITION

American film is in a constant state of flux, continually redefining itself relative to the culture, trends, and values of the present time. 2012 is no different, and we are proud to present a selection of New American Cinema that is certainly a bold step forward for U.S. independent filmmakers.

This year, we’ve attended countless festivals, scoured the web, hit up our connections and worked tirelessly to ensure that our Seattle audiences will be treated to the best of the best that American independent cinema has to offer. We’ve lined up a number of world premieres (seven, in fact!), while continuing to offer a strong slate of festival favorites that are big hits with critics and audiences alike.

Whether you’re looking for character-driven indie dramas, laugh-out-loud comedies, or films to make you think, we have something for you in the New American Cinema section. Featuring star turns from perennial independent favorites Parker Posey (Price Check), Julie Delpy (2 Days in New York) and Alan Cumming (Any Day Now), as well as head-turning debuts from Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) and Perla Haney-Jardine (Future Weather), this section offers an incredible opportunity to sample an array of eclectic characters who find themselves in interesting (and sometimes harrowing) situations.

As in previous years, these films will all be eligible for a variety of competitive awards, including the FIPRESCI prize, selected by the International Federation of Film Critics, and a number of audience awards that often help launch a film following its SIFF debut.

Join us this year as we explore the best new American films and offer you a prime seat for the newest and most interesting stories that we can’t wait to share.

419 (2012)

Directed by Ned thorne

Easton’s Article (2012)

Directed by tim Connery

Eden (2012)

Directed by Megan Griffiths

Fugly! (2012)

Directed by Alfredo de Villa

Future Weather (2012)

Directed by Jenny Deller

I Am Not a Hipster (2012)

Directed by Destin Cretton

Directed by Matthew Mishory

FIPRESCI Jurors

Emma Gray Munthe

Emma Gray Munthe is a Swedish freelance film critic, writing mainly for Scandinavia’s largest newspaper, Aftonbladet She has previously cohosted a film program on Swedish public service TV, been a programmer for events run by the SFI aimed at young filmmakers, and appeared in magazines including Variety and Glamour

Pascal Grenier

After earning a degree in cinema from Montreal University in 1995, Pascal Grenier worked as a film programmer for the Fantasia Film Festival from 1999 to 2004. He has also been a jury member for many Canadian and International film festivals. Grenier is currently writing a movie blog for the daily Métro in Montreal. Since 2000, he has been a faithful contributor to the film magazine Séquences

Henry Sheehan

Henry Sheehan has worked as a professional film critic for 35 years in Chicago, Boston, and, for the last 26 years, in Los Angeles. His articles on Steven Spielberg in Film Comment and Sight and Sound have been widely cited as seminal works, while other pieces—on Douglas Sirk, Vincente Minnelli and Clint Eastwood— have been used in university courses. Since 1988 he has been heard on KPCC-FM’s “Film Week.”

Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean (2012)

The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had With My Pants On (2012)

Directed by Drew Denny

Recalled (2012)

Directed by Michael Connors

Sin Bin (2012)

Directed by Billy Federighi

Welcome To Pine Hill (2012)

Directed by Keith Miller

White Camellias (2012)

Directed by Russell Brown

NEW DIRECTORSCOMPETITION

Discovering a new favorite filmmaker can

be one of the most rewarding cinematic experiences of the festival.

This year, 12 new international voices have been selected for our New Directors Competition, which presents the freshest and most exciting perspectives in global cinema. These films have been chosen for their original scripts, innovative cinematography, and unique insights into people, places, experiences, and moods unknown. To qualify for this competition, films must be a director’s debut or second feature, and be without U.S. distribution at the time of SIFF selection. A New Directors Competition Jury of film industry professionals and journalists will choose the winning filmmaker during the Festival’s final weekend. The winner will be announced at the Golden Space Needle Awards and receive a cash prize of $2,500.

170 Hz (Netherlands 2011)

Directed by Joost van Ginkel

6 Points About Emma (Spain 2012)

Directed by Roberto Pérez Toledo

Chapiteau-Show (Russia 2011)

Directed by Sergey Laban

The Empty Home (Kyrgyzstan/Russia 2012)

Directed by Nurbek Egen

Jurors

Winnie Lau

Winnie Lau was born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She attended numerous schools and received a Master in Cultural Studies from Erasmus University. Lau has extensive experience programming for film festivals, and has worked at the Hong Kong film studio Golden Harvest as distribution manager. She joined Fortissimo Films in 2001 in Amsterdam and Hong Kong, moving in 2007 to New York City to head the U.S. office as Senior Vice President of International Sales and Acquisitions. She works with various distributors on a library of 300+, with experience working with directors Wong Kar-wai, Martin Scorsese, Julian Schnabel, and John Cameron Mitchell.

Mark Olsen

Mark Olsen writes about movies from Los Angeles. He currently produces the regular feature “Indie Focus” for The Los Angeles Times, is a contributing editor to Film Comment magazine and a member of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, LA Weekly, Sight & Sound, Interview and other publications. He is from Kansas.

Michael Tuckman

A veteran of the independent film industry for nearly 15 years, Michael Tuckman began his career at The Cinema Guild, where he was hired to start the company’s theatrical distribution division. Tuckman went on to serve as vice president of theatrical sales for THINKFilm, handling the planning and implementation of all theatrical release strategies. He now operates his own distribution services company, mTuckman media, which provides theatrical booking services to independent film distributors.

media,

The Invader (Belgium 2011)

Directed by Nicolas Provost

L (Greece 2012)

Directed by Babis Makridis

Là-bas: A Criminal Education (Italy 2011)

Directed by Guido Lombardi

The Last Friday (Jordan 2011)

Directed by Yahya Alabdallah

Lipstikka (Israel 2011)

Directed by Jonathan Sagall

Mirage (South Korea 2011)

Directed by Jung-ho Yang

Nosilatiaj.Beauty (Argentina 2012)

Directed by Daniela Seggiaro

Otelo Burning (South Africa 2011)

Directed by Sara Blecher

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION FI

Not just apprentice works or warm-ups to feature films, short films have their very own strengths, a lot of charm—and often pack just as powerful a punch.

Think of some of your life’s most riveting conversations. Think of those moments when you know things have irrevocably changed, and will never again be the same. Think of that “single serving friend” you spent 10 minutes with on public transit. You see where we’re going. Whether they feature the start of an idea or the crystallization of one, shorts are one of the most consistently intriguing cinematic forms. Each year, SIFF is proud to present a collection of short films that require minimal time commitments but offer maximized returns in pleasure.

Every short film at the Seattle International Film Festival is eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and Jury Award. The Golden Space Needle prizewinner will be determined by audience balloting, and will receive the latest Mac computer loaded with filmmaking software The Mac Store, and $1,000 worth of motion picture film from Kodak.

Our Shorts Competition jurors will choose winners in the Narrative, Animation, and Documentary categories. Each jury winner will receive $1,000; the Narrative and Animation winners may also qualify to enter their respective Short Film category of the Academy Awards®.

Jury

Anna Sampers

Anna has been curating the Shorts programs for the Milwaukee Film Festival for the past three years. She’s also an accomplished, award-winning filmmaker whose work has screened at the Wisconsin Film Festival and the Ivy Film Festival, among others.

Eliaichi Kimaro

Eliaichi Kimaro is an activist turned filmmaker who brought a lifetime of personal and professional experience examining culture, identity, race, class, and gender to her award-winning directorial debut, A Lot Like You, which premiered at SIFF in 2011.

Alonso Duralde

Alonso is the author of “Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas” (Limelight Editions) and “101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men” (Advocate Books). He is the film critic for The Wrap/Reuters and has written about film for Movieline, Salon, MSNBC.com, and HitFix, among many other publications. He also co-hosts the Linoleum Knife podcast and regularly appears on “What the Flick?! “(The Young Turks Network). Duralde also serves as Senior Programmer for the Outfest Film Festival in Los Angeles and as a pre-screener for the Sundance Film Festival.

COMPETITIONS AND AWARDS

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE SECRET FESTIVAL

Who Do You Choose?

SIFF audiences are filmgoers on a continuum from curious to voracious—so of course they’ve predicted these commercial and critical smashes over the years: Winter’s Bone, The Hurt Locker, Half Nelson, Trainspotting, The Cove, Murderball, Waste Land, and many more. These are just some of the past Golden Space Needle Award winners that have gone on to be nominated for or bestowed Academy Awards®!

We hope that this year you’ll have the unique and exciting experience of finding yourself in a screening where the audience is rapt and the air is electric. Listen to your gut, follow your heart, and peer into your crystal ball to help us predict this year’s statue front-runners!

For the past 27 years, the Seattle International Film Festival has celebrated its most popular films and filmmakers with the Golden Space Needle Audience Award. Created to recognize audience members’ favorite films, awards are given to the Festival’s Best Feature Film, Documentary Film, Director, Actor, Actress, and Short Film.

Ready to cast your votes? For Best Film, Documentary Feature, or Short Film, just take a ballot from an usher as you enter the theater. Once the film is over, tear your ballot at the appropriate grade (from 1 to 5, the latter being “best”) and return your completed ballot to an usher as you exit. Ballots for each film are tallied throughout the Festival. Each venue will also have blank ballots next to the ballot boxes; complete these to vote for Best Director, Actor, or Actress. Simply write your choice in each category and place your completed ballot in the box. Winners will be announced on June 10.

We value your participation!

SIFF 2011 Golden Space Needle Audience Award Winners:

BESt FILM Paper Birds

Directed by Emilio Aragón (Spain 2010)

BESt DOCUMENtARY

To Be Heard

Directed by Roland Legiardi-Laura, Amy Sultan, Deborah Shaffer, Edwin Martinez (USA 2010)

BESt DIRECtOR

Larysa Kondracki the whistleblower (Canada/Germany 2010)

BESt ACtOR

Bill Skarsgård

Simple Simon (Sweden 2010)

BESt ACtRESS

Natasha Petrovic

As If I Am Not there (Ireland/ Macedonia/Sweden 2010)

BESt ShORt FILM

The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Directed by william Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg (USA 2011)

Carpe Diem! But Keep it Quiet!

The first rule of the SECRET FESTIVAL is: DO NOT TALK about the Secret Festival. Ever.

Here’s what’s up: Our annual festivalwithin-a-festival isn’t a Dangerous Liaisons kind of secret thing. It’s a Dead Poet’s Society kind of secret thing. Consider the Egyptian Theatre your cave and the hundreds of fellow Secret Festival-goers your comrades in Extreme Artistic Adventuring.

Each of the four Secret Festival screenings is held at 11:00 AM every Sunday. Your ceremonial offering of $53 ($43 for SIFF members) allows you to see screenings of one-of-a-kind, coming-soon, unreleased, forgotten, altered, found, private collection, rare, really rare, and exceedingly rare films. But only you will know what they are—and we want to keep it that way.

What does Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’s Li Mu Bai have in common with Weird Science’s Gary Wallace? They both knew how to keep a secret!

Poison darts? Missiles plowing through your bedroom?

Hold fast, and take these secrets to your grave!

BCSR SIF11 1_2h.pdf

EMERGING MASTERS

Unforgettable images, compelling and powerful stories, and innovative perspectives are the hallmarks of great filmmaking. Displaying the early marks of mastery in their craft, it’s our pleasure to introduce SIFF audiences to 2012’s Emerging Masters, Andrea Arnold and Alain Gomis.

Each year, the Seattle International Film Festival spotlights directors whose outstanding work deserves special attention. The bar has been set high by past honorees including Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run, 3), Michael Winterbottom (Welcome to Sarajevo and SIFF 2012 selection Trishna) Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Last Life in the Universe and SIFF 2012 selection Headshot), François Ozon (8 Women), Fatih Akin (The Edge of Heaven), Takashi Miike (Audition), and 2011 Oscar®-Winner Susanne Bier (In A Better World).

This year, we’ve chosen Andrea Arnold and Alain Gomis as our honorary visionaries, whose films speak with an original voice that sets them apart from their contemporaries. During the Festival, enjoy our programming of Arnold’s and Gomis’ 2012 selections, as well as previously released films that have contributed to these directors’ cultural import. Simply put, they’ve set the stage for greatness.

Andrea Arnold OBE

Andrea Arnold was born in 1961 in Dartford, Kent, England. She got her start as a dancer and actor on childrens TV shows, and later studied directing at the AFI Conservatory in Los Angeles. In addition, she acquired experience in screenwriting at the PAL Labs in Kent. After producing two well-received short films, Arnold’s third, WASP, won the 2005 Academy Award® for Live Action Short. She made her feature debut in 2006 with the Dogme-inspired thriller Red Road. It received the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, among many other honors. Arnold completed her moving and bold adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights in 2011; the same year, she was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to the film industry.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:

Wuthering Heights (2011) Wasp (Short, 2003)

Fish Tank (2008)

Red Road (2006)

Dog (Short, 2001)

Milk (Short, 1998)

Alain Gomis

Alain Gomis was born in Paris in 1972 to a French mother and Senegalese father. He directed several short films before shooting his debut feature L’Afrance in 2001, which won awards including the Ecumenical Jury Prize and the Silver Leopard in Locarno. The film focuses on the character El-Hadj Diop, a Senegalese student whose residency in Paris is nearing its expiration. Tey is Gomis’ third feature, and premiered to great acclaim at the Berlin Film Festival 2012. The elegiac story follows Satché, a man of great vitality who nonetheless must accept that today is the last day of his life.

SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY:

Tey (2012

Andalucia (2008)

Ahmed (Short, 2006)

Little Light (Short, 2003)

L’Afrance (2001)

Eddies (Short, 1999)

MIDNIGHT ADRENALINE

OCCUPY MIDNIGHT!

A Manifesto

Fellow denizens from the dark, twisted corners of midnight movies: Unite! Too long have the “purveyors of quality cinema” and the so-called “defenders of good taste” dictated what is “acceptable” to the masses. We acknowledge their place in the world of cinema, but they have long sneered at our late-night screenings of visceral thrills, pulse-pounding action, and unsettling dread. In appropriating films as a purely cerebral experience, they ignore at their peril film’s long-proven ability to induce adrenalized feelings of fear, paranoia, and sheer terror.

As we gather together in solidarity to express a feeling of mass injustice, we must not lose sight of what brought us together: Werewolves and video nasties; raunchy sex comedies; hallucinogenic cosmic trips; disturbing adolescent fantasies; panic-driven supernatural thrillers; and bloody, black-comedic crime sprees.

As one audience, united, we acknowledge this vision of cinema to be controversial; that Midnight Adrenaline films may be “harmful” to the general populace. For those unwilling to take such risks, SIFF provides a wide selection of “benign” films. However, for those willing to toe cinema’s razor-edged extremes, we urge you to assert your power and join the Occupy Midnight Movement.

Long live the new Adrenaline!

Citadel Excision

Game of Werewolves

God Bless America

John Dies at the End

Long Night’s Journey Into Hell (Shorts Program)

Klown

The Squad

V/H/S

NORTHWEST CONNECTIONS

Discovering a treasure trove of cinema in our own backyard.

SIFF is international in scope, but has never forgotten its roots in the fertile Pacific Northwest film community. Each year, the Puget Sound region makes its presence felt at SIFF, whether as a moody location, a source of inspiration for local filmmakers, or even as a character in its own right.

With eight narrative features, six documentaries, and 34 short films screening, this is a fruitful year for the Northwest filmmaking community. Hometown heroine Lynn Shelton will make history at the Opening Night Gala with Your Sister’s Sister, her fourth feature and the first Seattle film ever to open the festival. Rising star Megan Griffiths offers a harrowing, poignant look into the world of sex trafficking with her sophomore effort, Eden. Writer/director Sue Corcoran delivers a smart, subversive family comedy with Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas (whose “Christmas Town, USA” was filmed in Leavenworth), and director Colin Trevorrow’s debut feature, Safety Not Guaranteed, takes us on the hilarious adventures of three journalists investigating the riddle of time travel. We also close out the Festival with Grassroots, Stephen Gyllenhaal’s comedic take on Grant Cogswell’s quixotic run for Seattle city council in 2001.

In addition to half a dozen intriguing short films, the rich selection of documentaries this year includes a look inside a small-scale, thoughtfully curated music festival held annually on Orcas Island (Welcome to Doe Bay) and a chronicling of Mercer Island resident and Iraq War veteran Kevin Mincio’s 4,200 mile journey to keep a promise to a fallen soldier (The Long Ride Home).

REEL NW AWARD

New this year, the Reel NW Award will be awarded to a feature-length film in the Northwest Connections section. To be eligible for consideration, a film must not have a distribution deal in place when reviewed by the Reel NW Award jury. Selection as a SIFF Reel NW Award winner will indicate excellence in storytelling as reflected in the writing, character development and story structure, production values that enhance the story being told, and a creative spirit emblematic of independent filmmaking.

The winning film will receive a $2,500 cash prize from KCTS 9 and an offer to be broadcast on KCTS 9’s “Reel NW” series, contingent on meeting broadcast requirements. The Jury is comprised of: Randy Brinson, Executive Director for Programming for KCTS, Scilla Andreen, co-founder of IndieFlix, and Robert Horton, who covers film for the Everett Herald and KUOW-FM. Eligible films are noted with an asterisk.

The 5,000 Days Project: TWO BROTHERS*

Camilla Dickinson

The Details

Eden*

Emerald City Visions (A Hip Hop Reinterpretation of The Wiz)

Fat Kid Rules the World Grassroots

Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas*

The Long Ride Home*

Lost Years*

The Revolutionary*

Safety Not Guaranteed

SeaTown Shorts Program

Short Life*

Welcome to Doe Bay*

Your Sister’s Sister

EDUCATION EDUCAT

Expanding Cinema Through Education

SIFF FutureWave offers youth and educators a direct link both to the Festival and the local filmmaking community. Celebrating two complementary activities—film viewing and filmmaking— FutureWave includes compelling, relevant, and enjoyable films alongside meaningful workshops for youth. Together, these components advance SIFF’s leadership role in creating an audience that is more informed, aware, and alive.

FutureWare school programs include: Filmmaker Artist Residencies in Kindergarten to College classrooms, School Screenings of schoolappropriate films, Professional Development Workshops for school teachers about using film and filmmaking.

FutureWave youth programs include: SIFF FutureWave Committee who fosters community through film and filmmaking creating programming, events, and publicity for their peers, Youth Juries with multiple groups of students bestowing awards to their favorite SIFF films, and FutureWave Shorts showcasing the talents of filmmakers under 19 years of age.

The SIFF Film Center provides a year-round space to expand our Festival Forums into year-round offerings for filmmakers, audience, and youth. Visit siff.net throughout the year to explore our regular education offerings.

In 2012, SIFF FutureWave expects to serve over 12,000 students and more than 100 teachers and youth media teaching artists statewide.

FILMS 4FAMILIES FEATURES

Join SIFF each weekend morning throughout the Festival for extraordinary matinee experiences of both international and new American films created for children and the young at heart.

Films4Families is a celebration of the whole family coming together to share the movie-going experience. We are proud to present our outstanding 2012 line-up, featuring some of the best children’s features and shorts from around the world, in both live action and animation. Seattle families will be among the first audiences to enjoy a select few of these creative treasures.

SIFF is also delighted to have the Films4Families Youth Jury back again. Comprised of five elementary and middle school youth, the jury will watch all of the features to determine their favorite, and crown the winner with the Youth Jury Award for Best Films4Families Feature at the Golden Space Needle Awards on June 10, 2012.

THE 2012 FILMS4FAMILIES YOUTH JURY IS COMPRISED OF:

Andrew Lee, 6th Grade, Issaquah Middle School

Dashiell Barnett, 3rd Grade, Homeschool

Isaiah Lenoue, 4th Grade, Homeschool

Jaden Rials, 6th Grade, Arrowhead Elementary School

James Merrill, 4th Grade, Adams Elementary School

Brave (USA 2012)

Directed by Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews

In English. Rated PG

Dragon Pearl (Australia 2011) North American Premiere

Directed by Mario Andreacchio

In English and Mandarin with English subtitles.

Recommended for all ages.

The Famiily Picture Show

Family short film program featuring 12 films from around the world. Recommended for all ages.

The Great Bear (Denmark 2011)

Directed by Esben Toft Jacobsen

Dubbed in English. Recommended for ages 6+ (contains hunting violence and some scenes may be scary for younger viewers)

Legends of Valhalla: Thor (Iceland 2011) US Premiere

Directed by Óskar Jónasson, Gunnar Karlsson, and Toby Genkel

In English. Recommended for ages 6+ (cartoon violence)

The Painting (France 2012)

Directed by Jean-Francois Laguionie

In French with English subtitles.

Recommended for ages 7+ (one character is an animated painting of a topless woman)

War of the Buttons (France 2011)

Directed by Christophe Barratier

In French with English subtitles.

Recommended for ages 8+ (kids playing war during WWII era)

Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods (Germany/Malta 2011) US Premiere

Directed by Christian Ditter

Dubbed in English. Recommended for all ages.

FUTUREWAVE FEATURES

In 2010, SIFF formed the SIFF FutureWave Committee, comprised of 20 students aged 15 to 20 from 18 different schools across the Puget Sound region. They have defined themselves as a group of young adults from the Seattle area who foster a community of young film enthusiasts by making film accessible, planning events, promoting awareness, and empowering the next generation. The Committee has been working to create year-round programming targeted to young adults as well as spreading the word about special events to their communities. “Like” SIFF FutureWave on Facebook for more information on upcoming FutureWave Events and email futurewave@siff.net for an application to join the 2012/13 SIFF FutureWave Committee.

For the fourth year, SIFF has selected a jury of seven high school students to view all eight FutureWave films and award their favorite film with the Youth Jury Award for Best FutureWave Feature.

THE 2012 FUTUREWAVE YOUTH JURY IS COMPRISED OF:

Gabe Maher-Callen, 8th Grade, Billings Middle School

Khyree Smith, Junior, Cleveland High School

Lusihui “Landyn” Pan, Sophomore, Bothell High School

Nathaniel J. Livingston, Freshman, West Seattle High School

Naveed Goudarzi, Junior, O’Dea High School

Stella Heekin, Junior, Woodinville High School

Virginia “Hana” Peoples, Senior, Holy Names Academy

Fat Kid Rules the World (USA 2012)

Directed by Matthew Lillard

Appropriate for teens 15 and up. Contains strong language, partial nudity and drug use.

The First Time (USA 2012)

Directed by Jonathan Kasdan

Appropriate for teens 15 and up. Contains strong language and sexual situations.

Gimme The Loot (USA 2012)

Directed by Adam Leon

Appropriate for teens 15 and up. Contains strong language, frank sexual dialogue, and sexual situations.

My Sucky Teen Romance (USA 2011)

Directed by Emily Hagins

Appropriate for teens 13 and up.

Otelo

Burning (South Africa 2011)

North American Premiere

Directed by Sara Blecher

Appropriate for teens 15 and up. Contains violence.

Sin Bin (USA 2012)

World Premiere

Directed by Billy Federighi

Appropriate for teens 15 and up. Contains frank sexual dialogue and situations.

Starry Starry Night (Taiwan 2011)

US Premiere

Directed by Tom Shu-Yu Lin

Appropriate for teens 13 and up.

We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists (USA 2012)

Directed by Brian Knappenberg

Appropriate for teens 17 and up. Contains strong language and images of nudity.

The FutureWave Committee is Lia Abrams, Haley Budigan, Tulha Chaudhry, Matt Dahl, Kimberly Dinehart, Amelia Elizalde, Coco Harlan, Jacob Lichty, Iva Loukanova, Gabey Lucas, Devon Palmer, Scotland Scheiber, Kevin Schilling, Ani Schroeter, Erin Smith, Austin Sveilis, Geoff Tabor, Clark Travaglini, Caroline Turner, and Matthew Wolf.

SIFF is proud to present FutureWave Shorts 2012, a program of new films created by filmmakers younger than 19 years old whose talents celebrate the creative possibilities of the art form.

143

Puerto Rico 2011 (8 minutes)

Director: Mariana Emmanuelli

FUTUREWAVE SHORTS

These inspiring original short films represent some of the best short filmmaking from around the world. Also included in the program will be the J. Michael Award winner from the Seattle Times Three-Minute Masterpiece digital film contest, and the 2012 MOHAI “History Is…” Competition Youth Winner.

The WaveMaker Award for Excellence in Youth Filmmaking will be presented to a film chosen in recognition of its artistic and technical achievement. In addition to the recognition award, TheFilmSchool will also be providing a scholarship to their Prodigy Camp, a weeklong, immersive overnight film camp for youth ages 12-18 held in late July.

The Face of Facebook

USA 2012 (4 minutes)

Director: Alexis Lee

Onion Skin

Canada 2011 (10 minutes)

Director: Joseph Procopio

Two anonymous-to-each-other graffiti artists converse back and forth through their mutual manipulation of an image as an artistic romantic courtship.

3-Minute Masterpieces

Youth Winner

USA 2012 (3 minutes)

World Premiere

How hard could it be to make a three-minute film? We challenged you to find out.

Before The Music Ends

USA 2011 (10 minutes)

Directors: Ashley Armitage, Gina Mattassa

Internationally acclaimed Jazz singer Greta Matassa shares her life, both on and off stage.

Bullies in Uniforms

USA 2011 (6 minutes)

Director: Montel Liggins

Montel responds to a time when he was wrongly accused of a crime by the Baltimore City police.

Burn Spark

USA 2011 (10 minutes)

Director: Maqui Gaona

In the future, the basis for our decision making has evolved. Ethan chooses to live his life not like the others

Facebook (personified) deals with the pointless banter of teenagers, competing social networks, and an overwhelming feeling of insignificance.

History is…Heart Stopping

USA 2012 (5 minutes)

Director: Megan Maronde

The history of Seattle’s Medic One, and why it is still so important today.

Invisi Bill

USA 2012 (9 minutes)

Director: Nicholas Smit

Bill struggles with bullies in high school but when he inadvertently turns himself invisible he learns a valuable lesson about standing up for what’s right.

My American Life

USA 2011 (7 minutes)

Director: Mohammed Yakub

Mohammed struggles with the pressures of living a life his parents could be proud of, a life of Islam, and a life that he wants to lead with friends and fun.

My License

USA 2011 (3 minutes)

Director: Elizabeth Herrick

A young girl receives her new license, much to her father’s dismay.

A high school student avoids texting in a romance about the power of letter writing.

Skate and Scratch

USA 2012 (2 minutes)

Director: Sean Christ

Not your typical skateboard movie!

This Is My Life, Brother

USA 2011 (6 minutes)

Director: Jawara Drigo

In a video letter, Jawara Drigo tells his brother, who lives on the island of Dominica, about his life in New York City.

This is What Struggle Looks Like

USA 2012 (2 minutes)

Director: Keristian Farra

A young woman struggles with the influences of three different cultures.

The Unorthodox

USA 2012 (3 minutes)

Director: DJ McCoy

Young Toby wakes up to crack of thunder, and discovers a strange light illuminating from downstairs.

Zartha

USA 2012 (2 minutes)

Director: Carleigh Ellwood

An alien gets her own spaceship and explores the solar system for the first time in this claymation coming-of-age tale.

Within budget. Beyond imagination.

Introducing the PMW-F3 Super 35mm camera.

A breakthrough in cost performance, the Sony PMW-F3 starts at $16,000 MSRP. Here’s a true Super 35mm image sensor designed from the ground up for moving pictures. So you’ll get gorgeous images without gotchas like aliasing and moiré. The PL mount works directly with the 35mm cinema lenses you love. The on-board XDCAM EX ™ recording takes advantage of Sony’s well-established post workflow. Even RGB output is an option. With all the facilities of a true camcorder, the F3 is everything you expect. And beyond.

FILMMAKING CHALLENGE 2012

SIFF and presenting partner KCTS 9’s Reel NW offer this year’s Fly Filmmaking Challenge with a Next 50 focus, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair, for which Seattle Center was created.

WORLD PREMIERE SCREENING : MONDAY MAY 28 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

ENCORE SCREENING: WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

C.B.

Producer: Gevin Booth

Cinematographer: Jacob Rosen

Editor: Amy Enser

Music: Matt Menovcik

Cast: Conner Marx

Leah Pfenning

Tessa Archer

Alison Monda

Jesse Keeter

Mark works at a deli and talks too much. C.B. works at a science museum and doesn’t talk at all. When C.B. invites Mark into her carefully protected world, unexpected consequences follow.

NATHAN WILLIAMS, director

Nathan Williams is a Seattle-based filmmaker. He grew up in Virginia and attended the University of Washington. His narrative short films include Circled Wagons, Night Stand, The Dinner Table, and Things Left Behind.

SAM GRAYDON, writer

Sam Graydon is a Seattle director of photography, director, and writer. He has worked on past SIFF presenThe Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle and Dear Lemon Lima. Sam wrote and directed the upcomJenny, starring Gary Busey and the IFP Spotlight and Green My Eyes. He is slated to direct his The Going Away Party in the summer of 2012.

D.C.I.

Producer: Mel Eslyn

Cinematographer: Nathan M. Miller

Editor: Celia Beasley

Music: Kevin Cox

Cast:

Alycia Delmore

Eric Riedmann

Galen Osler

Two astronomers whose love is on the wane engage in a radical experiment in hopes of finding passion for more than just science.

LACEY LEAVITT, director

As a producer, Leavitt’s first two narrative features, The Off Hours and The Catechism Cataclysm, premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Lacey co-produced Safety Not Guaranteed, which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance 2012. She also co-directed and produced the documentary Blood on the Flat Track. Lacey is a Sheila C. Johnson Sundance Creative Producers Lab Fellow with her upcoming project, Sadie, written and directed by Megan Griffiths.

BROOKS PECK, writer

Brooks Peck is a curator at EMP Museum, specializing in fi lm, television and popular culture. His recent exhibitions include Avatar: The Exhibition , Battlestar Galactica: The Exhibition , and Spaced Out: The Final Frontier in Album Covers . He is the co-author of two feature fi lms that aired on the Syfy Channel in 2011: Rage of the Yeti  and  Zombie Apocalypse

Each year, the Fly productions test the skills of Seattle’s up-and-coming cinematic talent in an intense race to the big screen. This 2012 Challenge called for 12 writers to draw inspiration from the Next 50 Focus Areas for an original script pitch. The directors heard the 12 pitches and, after selecting the four script ideas, had seven days to collaborate

with the writers on the shooting script. The productions shot for three days on the Seattle Center campus and had only five days to edit. The cooperative spirit of the Fly Filmmaking Challenge is embodied in the supportive filmmaking community, facilitating a creative synergy that is a joy to behold on the big screen.

The Return Reviens Moi

Producer: Mel Eslyn

Cinematographer: T.J. Williams Jr.

Editor: Sean Donovan

Music: James Richter

Cast: Marv Rosand

Conner Marx

John Ulman

Laura Kenny

When a techie college grad gets a job with the maintenance crew of the Seattle Center, they endeavor to orient him to the job and the Center’s slightly spooky history.

JEREMY MACKIE, director

Filmmaker Jeremy Mackie has directed, shot, lit, and edited projects in the local film community for more than seven years. In 2011, he directed the short film While You Weren’t Looking, and he’s served as a chief lighting technician on more than a dozen features and series, many of them appearing at Sundance and other prestigious

HEATHER HUGHES and KATE WHARTON, writers

Heather Hughes and Kate Wharton are award-winning screenwriters and have enjoyed working for Disney, Sony, Lifetime, and Hallmark. They are currently co-producing two features for Fixed Point Films: their teen comedy Catholic School Rocks and a family comedy, Amazing Gracie. Heather and Kate are represented by Nethercott Agency in Los Angeles.

Producer: Lou Karsen

Cinematographer: Lars Larson

Editor: Lou Karsen

Cory Kelley

Music: Eric Goetz

Cast: Solomon Calvert-Adera

Leila Guilhemotonia

Dyami Thomas

Autumn Thomas

A young man wakes to a profound memory from his past, which ignites a yearning for his childhood sweetheart.

TRACY RECTOR, director

Tracy Rector is the Executive Director and Co-founder of Longhouse Media. With her first feature projects (Teachings of the Tree People, March Point), Tracy learned how to bring indigenous traditions into a contemporary storytelling format. In 2009 Tracy received the National Association for Media Literacy Award for outstanding contributions made in the field of media education. A recent Sundance Institute Lab Fellow, Rector is the recipient of the Horace Mann Award for her work in utilizing media for social justice.

NIK PERLEROS, writer

Recently Perleros directed and co-wrote the raunchy, intellectual short comedy How to Get Laid (2011), as well as three episodes of the web series #nitTWITS. He is a freelance producer for the EMP Museum in Seattle, and has taught filmmaking at the Tacoma School of the Arts and Seattle Children’s Theatre.

Snoqualmie Tribe

Proud to Invest in the Pacific

Northwest Community and the Seattle International Film Festival

Over $3 million donated in the past 2 years

National Parks Conservancy Association | KUOW

Seattle Aquarium | Seattle Arts Museum

Pacific Northwest Ballet | Woodland Park Zoo

Swedish Hospital | University of Washington

Seattle Symphony | Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust

Visit the Tribe’s website at www.snoqualmienation.com

to learn more about the Tribe’s community healthcare services, community investment efforts, and ways you can be involved.

SUPERFLY AND NATIVE SHOWCASE SHORTS

SIFF FutureWave empowers youth to work collaboratively, communicate ideas, exercise potential, and take positive action in their communities. This mission is embodied in the SuperFly Filmmaking Experience, in which young filmmakers are asked to collaboratively comment on their world using multimedia and digital tools. Each year the program is a partnership with Longhouse Media, which bases the project within a different Pacific Northwest Native American community.

The mission of Longhouse Media is to catalyze indigenous people and communities to use media as a tool for self-expression, cultural preservation, and social change. Longhouse Media draws from both traditional and modern forms of artistic expression, storytelling, teaching, and inquiry.

NATIVE SHOWCASE SHORTS:

Because of Who I Am

USA 2012, 4 minutes

Director: Marcella Ernest

Photographs of regalia and art animate a young woman’s challenge to become a men’s traditional powwow dancer, opposing notions of what a woman is supposed to be.

Beginning on May 31, 50 young filmmakers from around the country will convene in Seattle to participate in SuperFly 2012, the 7th annual 36-hour filmmaking workshop organized by Longhouse Media. The filmmakers will be divided into five teams and provided with an original script crafted by Sierra Teller Ornelas. In 2010, Sierra started writing on the premiere season of the ABC sitcom Happy Endings, where she was invited to return for the second season. Sierra is an awardwinning, sixth generation Navajo weaver and currently resides in Los Angeles. This year’s script is comedic in nature, exploring the theme of “spectacular.” Each SuperFly team will have less than two days to storyboard, shoot, and edit their films, which will then premiere four hours after completion at the SuperFly and Native Showcase Shorts Program screenings on June 2nd.

Previous SuperFly films (based on scripts by Sherman Alexie, Sterlin Harjo, Peter Bratt, and Andrew Okpeaha MacLean) have played at festivals around the country, inspiring other communities to use digital media for education and social activism. SuperFly has caught the attention of many youth media organizations and national media centers, including the Smithsonian Museum’s New Media Initiatives, Sundance programmers, and National Geographic’s All Roads Film Festival. Join us for the SuperFly 2012 premiere on June 2nd at 4:00pm at the Harvard Exit, as we celebrate the 7th Anniversary of this unique program.

Hoverboard

USA 2012, 6 minutes

Director: Sydney Freeland

World Premiere

After watching Back to the Future 2, an imaginative young girl and her stuffed teddy bear try to invent a real, working hoverboard.

Visionary Insight

USA 2012, 35 minutes

Director: Tracy Rector, Lou Karsen

As part of a unique Longhouse Media internship program, Visionary Insight, follows the adventures of eight Native American interns from across the West as they embark on their first feature filmmaking experience.

photo by Chanel F. ’12

SIFF IN THE SCHOOLS

Filmmaker Visits

SIFF sees the arrival of more than 150 international filmmakers to the Festival each year. Whenever possible, SIFF FutureWave invites these artists into classrooms and community organizations around Puget Sound to share their realworld experience. These visits are integrated into a multitude of school subjects and provide professional role models for every age group. In all cases, students get a first-hand opportunity to talk directly with filmmakers who will meet with students, sometimes offering constructive suggestions on student projects, using their expertise as a catalyst for discussion, or bringing clips from their film to the school for a candid Q&A.

School Screenings

Films are carefully selected by the SIFF programming team to reach a broad range of learning levels and interests for students and teachers all the way from elementary through high school. Content areas include foreign films produced in countries whose languages are taught, as well as motion pictures that enhance learning in classrooms for world cultures, civics, science, nature, and the arts. School Screenings are offered free of charge and transportation is provided when possible for schools in need.

Festival Forums and Digital Media Lab

Students of all ages may attend free workshops through SIFF’s Festival Forums and Digital Media Lab. In the Forums, filmmakers and interested audiences may explore a variety of topics from family documentation filmmaking to major fundraising. Digital Media Lab classes afford students of all ages with “hands-on” experience with computers and filmmaking as well as skill-building in editing and even the opportunity to create your own film with filmmaker mentorship. There is plenty of time to work with instructors, ask questions, and get more immersed in the world of filmmaking through panel discussions with industry professionals. See page 141 for class times and course descriptions.

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: A Professional Development Workshop for Teachers

SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 9:00AM – NOON, SIFF FILM CENTER CLASSROOM

In this workshop participants will get an overview of best practices in teaching digital media in the classroom. You will be introduced to the Adobe Youth Voices online curriculum and get hands-on practice doing a “media mash-up” using Adobe Photoshop Elements. Everyone will leave with sample curriculum as well as a DVD of films made by youth from around the globe. Taught by instructors from Reel Grrls. Clock hours will be available for participating educators. Email futurewave@siff.net to reserve a seat at this Workshop.

For more information or to participate in these programs, please contact Educational Programs Manager Dustin Kaspar at 206.464.5830 or via email at dustin.kaspar@siff.net.

FESTIVAL FORUMS

Our Festival Forums set the stage for engaging discussions, extraordinary demonstrations, and hands-on workshops for a variety of ages and experience levels. Visit siff.net for expanded information on these and additional Forums events.

The Mac Store will be stocking the new SIFF Film Center Classroom with computer workstations for the Digital Media Lab weekend. All Forums are free of charge, with a few requiring advance email reservations.

Saturday, May 19

Washington Filmworks presents We Did It! Now What?!?!

4:00PM – 5:00PM SIFF FILM CENTER AUDITORIUM

With the summer shooting season in sight, there is no time for legislative hangovers!  Join the Staff and Board of Washington Filmworks to learn how the film office, the production incentive, and the statewide industry can work together to make the most of the future of filmmaking in Washington State.

Sunday, May 20

The 5000 Days Project Family Workshop

1:00PM – 3:00PM SIFF FILM CENTER AUDITORIUM

The 5000 Days Project is a personal time capsule for children 8-18, made up of annual interviews and video footage that capture children’s views of themselves and their world. Filmmaker / 5000 Days Project Creator Rick Stevenson will engage with parents and other interested attendees about starting the 5,000 Days Project with your family. Topics will range from interviewing questions to facilitating the multi-year storage of footage.

Sunday, May 20

Get Animated: Animation Workshop for Kids (ages 8-14)

1:00PM – 3:00PM SIFF FILM CENTER CLASSROOM

It’s time to stop watching cartoons and start making them. Learn the basic elements of animation in this amazing two-hour workshop. See examples of fun and easy stopmotion animation techniques from flipbooks to claymation. Create your own character and learn how to animate it. Using various media, participants will learn the basics of stop-motion and get animated!

Friday, May 25

Short Filmmaker Happy Hour & Panel: Making the Most of Any Festival

4:30PM – 6:00PM, SIFF FILM CENTER

Join us for libations and important tips from fellow filmmakers that will make your experience at any festival an exceptional one. Discussion will include maximizing your films profile, expanding your networking ability, and more. Happy Hour mingling begins at 4:30PM and the Panel will begin at 5:00PM. Panelists TBA.

Saturday, May 26

Women in Film Seattle and Northwest Screenwriters Guild presents Navigating the Brave New World of Independent Filmmaking

1:00PM – 3:00PM, SIFF FILM CENTER CLASSROOM

Independent film veterans provide a nuts and bolts overview of the business of independent film, now that the entire process, from production though distribution, has been so markedly transformed. Learn new entrepreneurial, legal, finance, distribution and marketing strategies and tactics filmmakers in all disciplines need to know to navigate the new normal.

VISIT SIFF.NET FOR PANELIST INFORMATION.

FESTIVAL FORUMS

Digital Media Lab

Saturday, June 2

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: A Professional Development Workshop for

9:00AM – NOON, SIFF FILM CENTER CLASSROOM

Teachers

In this workshop participants will get an overview of best practices in teaching digital media in the classroom. See SIFF in the Schools on page 137 for more information.

Saturday, June 2 – Sunday, June 3

SIFF Crash Cinema: Beginner Filmmaking Challenge

Never made a movie before but have always wanted to? This is a hands-on movie production challenge, taking beginning participants (teens and up) from preproduction to screening in two days. Local filmmakers will act as mentors for each group to support throughout the process. SIFF 2011’s workshop was a huge hit and we can’t wait to see what creativity the groups bring this year. Pre-registration is required and we expect it to fill up. Email futurewave@siff.net to reserve your space in this exciting filmmaking workshop.

Saturday, June 2

SIFF Crash Cinema Part I:

PRE-PRODUCTION Introduction/Screenwriting/Editing

12:30PM – 3:00PM, SIFF FILM CENTER

3:00PM – 4:30PM GETTING TO KNOW FINAL CUT X (OPEN TO PARTICIPANTS OUTSIDE OF CRASH CINEMA)

Sunday, June 3

SIFF Crash Cinema Part II: PRODUCTION Shooting/Editing/Screening

9:00AM – 3:30PM, SIFF FILM CENTER

3:30PM – 4:00PM FREE PUBLIC SCREENING AT SIFF FILM CENTER AUDITORIUM.

Sunday, June 3

Vulcan Productions Presents Films That Make a Difference

1:00 – 3:00PM

SIFF FILM CENTER AUDITORIUM

Join us for a panel discussion about the promise and perils of social impact campaigns centered around film.

PANELISTS: Bonnie Benjamin-Phariss, Director, Vulcan Productions

Meredith Blake, President, Cause & Affect

Holly Gordon, Executive Director, 10x10, a multiplatform initiative about girls’ education Additional panelists TBD

Sunday, June 9

SIFF Catalyst Panels

VISIT SIFF.NET FOR SPECIFIC PANELS AND TIMES

As part of this year’s inaugural SIFF Catalyst program, we are offering a full day of public panels and dynamic, thought-provoking discussions around the dual themes of co-creation and community in the new digital space. Featuring the people who are forging new paths in this space each day, including Kickstarter, Prescreen, IndieFlix, and others, SIFF Catalyst will offer Seattle a glimpse of the next wave of independent film as it takes shape.

Saturday, June 9

What’s Your Style: High School Filmmakers Scene Workshop

2:00PM – 4:00PM

SIFF CENTER CLASSROOM

Ever wonder why some films have a style all their own? In this workshop young actors and directors will review different filmmaking styles and learn how to ensure a scene captures your distinctive vision. This interactive workshop will give participants a scene to shoot within creative constraints while working with local filmmakers and actors. Email futurewave@siff.net to reserve your spot in the workshop.

shorts fest WeeKeND shorts films

ShortsFest Weekend

For the past five years, SIFF’s ShortsFest has presented the finest short cinema on offer to an ever-growing, enthusiastic audience. This year, ShortsFest Weekend will run from Thursday, May 24, through Monday, May 28th, at SIFF Cinema Uptown.

In fact, many of SIFF’s current crop of feature filmmakers began in the short form. Midnighter Excision began life as a short film that screened SIFF 2009, where audiences also had the opportunity to see the astounding Love, directed by Cristian Solimeno, whose feature film debut The Glass Man screens at this year’s festival. Nacho Vigalondo (Extraterrestrial) was nominated for an Academy Award®, while Emerging Master Andrea Arnold’s Wasp won the 2005 Oscar for Best Short Film.

More than just heralding new talent, short films offer audiences a wonderfully varied spectrum of stories, genres, and filmmaking techniques that are, more often than not, free from commercial restraints, offering an uncompromised and reinvigorating portrait of contemporary cinema, each in under 30 minutes.

…short films offer audiences a wonderfully varied spectrum of stories, genres, and filmmaking techniques…

LOUDMOUTH EVEN THE NEXT TO YOU WOULD SOUND BETTER WITH A

ACCENT.

GOURMET BURRITO

SUSTAINABLE, SUPERIOR INGREDIENTS SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES

XFINITY®

ShortsFest Opening Night

tHursday May 24 7:00 PM

It is our great pleasure to open our shortsFest weekend with this collection of superb short films from around the world that exemplify the art of storytelling in all its variety. Comedy and drama, live action and animation—these films prove that short is truly sweet.

Bear

Australia 2011, 10 minutes, Director: Nash Edgerton Jack means well, but sometimes good intentions have horrible consequences.

Fishing Without Nets

Kenya/Somalia 2011, 17 minutes, Director: Cutter Hodierne

A harrowing portrait of the calm before the crime, told from the perspective of Somali Pirates.

Friend Request Pending

United Kingdom 2011, 12 minutes, Director: Chris Foggin Dame Judi Dench discovers the wonders and aggravations of flirting via Facebook.

Honor the Treaties

USA 2012, 12 minutes, Director: Eric Becker

World Premiere

A portrait of photographer Aaron Huey’s powerful advocacy work for Native American rights on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Libertas

Singapore/Australia 2011, 3 minutes, Directors: Megan Wonowidjoyo, Kan Lumé

The story of a girl who travels to Uluru in the aftermath of a tragedy.

The Return

Kosovo 2011, 21 minutes, Director: Blerta Zeqiri

A man comes back from a Serb prison to his wife and son. Continuing where they left off four years ago may not be as easy as it seems.

Romance

Canada/Switzerland 2011, 8 minutes, Director: Georges Schwizgebel

A dazzling visual transcription of a Rachmaninoff Scherzo finds two plane passengers lost in their romantic thoughts.

Solipsist

USA 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Andrew Huang

An orgasm of craft and color by way of experimental fantasy.

Sponsored by Chris Newell

ALT Shorts Masters: Bruce Conner and Abigail Child

saturday june 2 5:00 PM sIFF FILM Center

sunday june 3 7:00 PM sIFF FILM Center

When it comes to found footage, rhythmic editing, and a sly sense of humor, legendary experimental filmmakers Bruce Conner and abigail Child are two of the most influential of all time.

this archival presentation is courtesy of the national Film Preservation Foundation’s avant-Garde Masters grants, with funding from the Film Foundation. Founded in 2003, the program has helped save more than 90 films in its first decade, making many works available to audiences for the first time since their creation. the seattle International Film Festival presentation celebrates the program’s 10th anniversary with classics by Bruce Conner and abigail Child.

BRUCE CONNER (1933-2008)

Cosmic Ray

USA 1961, 15 minutes

Sex and war and Mickey Mouse, with Ray Charles singing “What’d I Say” on the soundtrack.

Ten Second Film

USA 1965, 10 seconds

Commissioned by the New York Film Festival and then rejected for being “too fast.”

America is Waiting

USA 1981, 4 minutes

War propaganda punctuates another music video for David Byrne and Brian Eno.

Mea Culpa

USA 1981, 5 minutes

In his first collaboration with David Byrne and Brian Eno, Conner used educational film footage for his visual rhythms.

ABIGAIL CHILD (1948- )

Peripeteia I and II

USA 1977, 27 minutes

Explorations of nature and light on the Oregon coast, with the movement of forest and body.

Pacific Far East Line

USA 1979, 15 minutes

A fast-moving celebration of the urban landscapes of San Francisco.

Prefaces

USA 1981, 10 minutes

Both rhythmic and asynchronous, this is the first chapter of her seven-part series Is This What You Were Born For?

sIFF CIneMa uPtOWn

ALT Shorts: Beyond Narrative

tHursday May 24 8:30 PM

strange animations, cinematic explorations, and some formal experiments that work on a purely emotional level.

Aornos

USA 2012, 4 minutes, Director: Steve Demas

World Premiere

Impressionistic take on our modernday energy production battlefield.

A to A

Austria 2011, 5 minutes, Director: Johann Lurf

US Premiere

Spinning around traffic circles, looking in toward a variety of art installations.

Atomic Theory and Chemistry

USA 2012, 6 minutes, Director: Jon Behrens

World Premiere

An old educational film lays the foundation for this new, hand-painted art film.

Cassini Mission

USA 2011, 3 minutes, Director:

Chris Abbas

NASA footage re-imagined as an ode to man’s unyielding desire to explore the great unknown.

Conference:

Notes on Film 05

Austria 2011, 8 minutes,

Director: Norbert Pfaffenbichler

Compendium of 65 actors playing Hitler, mostly serious, but including Chaplin and Cleese.

Erasable Cities

USA 2011, 12 minutes, Director: Salise Hughes

World Premiere

Based on Italo Calvino’s translation of conversations between Marco Polo and Kublai Khan.

Animation for Adults

saturday May 26 9:30 PM

From intergalactic transformations to the food wars in your fridge, this year’s animation package reveals astonishing new worlds.

Heavy Eyes

Austria 2011, 10 minutes,

Director: Siegfried A. Fruhauf

An old movie is abstracted, doubled, and distressed, questioning the very fabric of film.

INTERMEZZO

(Notes on Film 04)

Austria 2011, 3 minutes,

Director: Norbert Pfaffenbichler

North American Premiere

Loops of Charlie Chaplin running down an escalator cut to a driving guitar soundtrack

Places Other People

Have Lived

USA 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: Laura Emel Yilmaz

World Premiere

Old photos and family interviews echo in the newly animated rooms of an old family house.

Recess

USA 2011, 5 minutes,

Director: Craig Snyder

World Premiere

A turn-of-the-century Montana schoolhouse inspires reflections on childhood, time, and loss.

Sandland: Summer’s Kiss

USA 2011, 11 minutes,

Director: Adam Petke

An animated, existential portrait of love and family in the place they call home.

Three Fragments of a Lost Tale

USA 2011, 12 minutes,

Director: John Frame

Award-winning sculptor John Frame animates 35 characters into a surreal world of wonder.

Abiogenesis

New Zealand 2011, 5 minutes,

Director: Richard Mans

A strange mechanical device lands on a desolate world and uses the planet to undergo a startling transformation.

Animated Amusements

USA 2011, 4 minutes,

Director: Bob Venezia

Finally, you can ride all the rides at the state fair in one day.

Body Memory

Estonia 2011, 9 minutes,

Director: Ülo Pikkov

Our body remembers more than we imagine. It remembers the sorrow and pain of our ancestors.

Bon Voyage

Switzerland 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: Fabio Friedli

What does it really take to get from there to here?

Caldera

USA 2011, 12 minutes,

Director: Evan Viera

A young girl leaves a bleak metropolis to immerse herself in a vibrant oceanic cove.

Hietsuki Bushi

Japan 2011, 4 minutes,

Director: Ryo Hirano

A traditional Japanese folk song meets psychedelic animation and electronic beats in a story of quantum physics across time.

The Monster of Nix

Belgium/France/Netherlands 2011, 30 minutes, Director: Rosto Life is good in the idyllic fairytale village of Nix...until a ravenous monster appears, devouring everything in its path. Young Willy must fight it. Alone.

Mulvar is Correct Candidate!

Canada 2011, 1 minute,

Director: Patrick Désilets

Mulvar’s shallow understanding of human politics does not keep him from running for office. This is his campaign ad.

Summer Bummer

USA 2012, 2 minutes,

Director: Bill Plympton

A man daydreams about what terror could be lurking in his backyard pool.

The Whale Story

USA 2012, 3 minutes,

Director: Tess Martin

North American Premiere

A fisherman experiences a moment of connection with a female humpback whale in the waters off of San Francisco.

Zergüt

USA 2011, 6 minutes,

Director: Natasha Subramaniam, Alisa Lapidus

It’s moldy food vs fresh food. Warning: eggs lose their lives.

sIFF CIneMa uPtOWn

sIFF CIneMa uPtOWn

Around the World

SATURDAY MAY 26 6:00 PM

From Ethiopia to Iceland, six films that look at how we live today.

Asad

South Africa/USA 2011, 18 minutes, Director: Bryan Buckley

A coming of age fable of a Somali boy as he struggles to survive in his war-torn land.

Brainy

Denmark/New Zealand 2011, 26 minutes, Director: Daniel Joseph Borgman

US Premiere

An imaginative boy copes with the loss of his grandfather by constructing a fantastic series of rituals.

Jesus Was a Commie

USA 2011, 15 minutes, Directors: Terence Ziegler, Matthew Modine

Matthew Modine muses on the history of government and religion, and wonders if we’ve lost sight of the real revolution Jesus proposed.

My Name is Feker

Ethiopia/United Kingdom 2011, 13 minutes, Director: Orlando von Einsiedel

North American Premiere

The story of three Ethiopian girls who have been trapped in the sex trade, and a fourth who got away.

The Queen of My Dreams

USA 2011, 3 minutes, Directors: Fawzia Mirza, Ryan Logan

Bollywood heroines promised love and feminine perfection. Years after being cast under their spell, a queer young adult looks back.

Revolution Reykjavik

Iceland 2011, 19 minutes, Director: Isold Uggadottir

As the Icelandic economy collapses, Gudfinna struggles to retain her dignity.

Characters Wanted

FRIDAY MAY 25 6:30 PM

These shorts are driven by strong performances and personalities, including a depressed mall Santa, a contemporary cowboy, and a pot-smoking synchronized swimmer. They prove it takes all kinds.

Aquadettes

USA 2011, 10 minutes, Directors: Drea Cooper, Zackary Canepari

What does synchronized swimming have to do with medical marijuana?

Both of them vastly improve the life of Margo Bouer, an Aquadette.

Bella Fleace Gave a Party

United Kingdom 2011, 15 minutes, Director: Leonora Lonsdale

The glamorous Lady Fleace doesn’t get as many visitors as she used to, but a Christmas Ball may change all that.

Brightwood

USA 2012, 19 minutes, Director: L. Gabriel Gonda

World Premiere

A little girl named Sparrow learns some uncomfortable lessons about family while caring for two baby mice.

A Finger, Two Dots Then Me

USA 2012, 8 minutes, Directors: David Holechek, Daniel Holechek

Derrick Brown’s spoken word poem cinematically takes a dramatic look at death, life, and love.

I Am John Wayne

USA 2011, 18 minutes, Director: Christina Choe

Taco, a young urban cowboy, takes his horse to the streets in the wake of his friends death.

Santa’s Little Helper

Iceland 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Ragnar Snorrason

Klaus wanders into an apartment complex, dressed as Santa Claus, with the intention to jump off the balcony but wasn’t counting on meeting a young girl that happens to still believe in Santa.

Superfly

USA 2011, 8 minutes, Director: Anthony Blasko

World Premiere

Clad in leopard print and weathered with age, the wrestler Superfly proves he can still dominate with his signature move.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

¡Cinema Fantastico!

FRIDAY MAY 25 4:00 PM

036

Spain 2011, 5 minutes, Directors: Juanfer Andrés, Esteban Roel

North American Premiere

Please make sure you have all your forms filled out completely.

8

Spain 2011, 14 minutes, Director: Raul Cerezo

At his eighth birthday party, a boy has a simple choice to make: good or evil?

Doomed

Spain 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Guillermo García Carsí

US Premiere

The nature of these creatures seems to condemn them to an absurd and comical extinction.

Free Kick

Spain 2011, 12 minutes, Director: Bernabé Rico

Sixty-year-old Adele has the chance to leave her dull life behind and win 300,000 euros if she can make a goal at a Spanish fútbol match.

The Hidden Smile

Spain 2011, 15 minutes, Director: Ventura Durall

A ten-year-old runaway imagines a realistic society formed by children that take to the Ethiopian streets.

The Hijra

Spain, 2011, 19 minutes, Director: Liteo Deliro

North American Premiere

Noor and Mohammed are in love, but it’s not easy for the two young teens, as the boy’s father says Allah has other plans for the family.

The Runaway

Spain, 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Victor Carrey

North American Premiere

Chewing gum, a dog leash, an Australia-shaped wall stain, and a bent traffic light—each of these elements has its own story, but together they create a new plot.

The Family Picture Show

SUNDAY MAY 27 11:30 AM

Gather your family around the flickering glow of the big screen for this magical set of animation, live action, and documentary short films the whole family will enjoy.

Behind

Canada 2011, 3 minutes,

Director: Gayoung Back

A young girl discovers that her backpack has her back.

The Big Brother

Switzerland/Germany 2011, 6 minutes, Director: Dustin Rees

A girl and boy stick figure find new company in an incomplete third figure who they find fun to push around, but the artist isn’t quite finished with him yet.

Brad & Gary

France/USA 2012, 4 minutes,

Director: Pierre Coffin

A goofy tale about friendship, its ups and downs, ins and outs...

Catch and Release

USA 2011, 7 minutes, Director: Barbara Mones

World Premiere

A fish thrower and a flower vendor discover budding romance at Pike Place Market.

Fresh Guacamole

USA 2012, 2 minutes, Director: PES

Need some culinary inspiration? Try some vintage ingredients.

Koyaa–The Extraordinary

Slovenia 2011, 3 minutes,

Director: Kolja Saksida

Koyaa wants to tie his shoes but the naughty laces won’t listen.

The Kumquat Kwadruplets

USA 2011, 13 minutes,

Director: Mr. Lawrence

When the Quadruplets work together they become nature’s perfect machine. When they don’t work together things fall apart.

The Last Marble

India 2012, 8 minutes,

Director: Manjari Makijany

World Premiere

Sometimes children teach us what we can never learn from adults. True happiness is when one can create joy in another’s life.

A Martian Picnic

USA 2012, 5 minutes,

Director: Patrick Neary Ollie and his dog go for a picnic on Mars and find some very pesky inhabitants.

Metro

USA 2011, 5 minutes,

Director: Jake Wyatt

A young girl chases a mysterious fox through a secret door and into a subterranean wonderland to retrieve her stolen train ticket.

The Vacuum Kid

USA 2011, 12 minutes,

Director: Katharine Mahalic Kyle stands up for what he believes in—his love for the vacuum cleaner.

Zebu and the Photo Fish

Uganda/Kenya 2011, 13 minutes,

Director: Zipporah Nyaruri

To the disbelief of his father, Zebu embarks on an adventure to rid his dad of debt, have his mother’s illness treated, and stabilize his family for good.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN THEATER

From fútbol and the foibles of office bureaucracy to the ecology of bizarre alien creatures—come witness the excellent, eclectic range of work found in Spanish short cinema today.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN THEATER

FutureWave Shorts

MONDAY MAY 28 3:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Celebrate the extraordinary voices of the future wave of filmmaking talent. Just because these filmmakers are all 18 or under doesn’t mean these aren’t some of the best and most personal films in the Festival.

143

Puerto Rico 2011, 8 minutes,

Director: Mariana Emmanuelli

Two anonymous-to-each-other graffiti artists converse back and forth through their mutual manipulation of an image as an artistic romantic courtship.

3 Minute Masterpieces Youth Winner

USA 2012, 3 minutes

World Premiere

How hard could it be to make a three-minute film? We challenged you to find out.

Before The Music Ends

USA 2011, 10 minutes,

Directors: Ashley Armitage, Gina Mattassa

Internationally acclaimed Jazz singer Greta Matassa shares her life, both on and off stage.

Bullies in Uniforms

USA 2011, 6 minutes, Director: Montel Liggins Montel responds to a time when he was wrongly accused of a crime by the Baltimore City police.

Burn Spark

USA 2011, 10 minutes, Director: Maqui Gaona

In the future, the basis for our decision making has evolved. Ethan chooses to live his life not like the others

The Face of Facebook

USA 2012, 4 minutes, Director: Alexis Lee Facebook (personified) deals with the pointless banter of teenagers, competing social networks, and an overwhelming feeling of insignificance.

History is…Heart Stopping

USA 2012, 5 minutes,

Director: Megan Maronde

The history of Seattle’s Medic One, and why it is still so important today.

Invisi Bill

USA 2012, 9 minutes,

Director: Nicholas Smit

Bill struggles with bullies in high school but when he inadvertently turns himself invisible he learns a valuable lesson about standing up for what’s right.

My American Life

USA 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: Mohammed Yakub

Mohammed struggles with the pressures of living a life his parents could be proud of, a life of Islam, and a life that he wants to lead with friends and fun.

My License

USA 2011, 3 minutes,

Director: Elizabeth Herrick

World Premiere

A young girl receives her new license, much to her father’s dismay.

Onion Skin

Canada 2011, 10 minutes,

Director: Joseph Procopio

A high school student avoids texting in a romance about the power of letter writing.

Skate and Scratch

USA 2012, 2 minutes, Director: Sean Christ Not your typical skateboard movie!

This Is My Life, Brother

USA 2011, 6 minutes,

Director: Jawara Drigo

In a video letter, Jawara Drigo tells his brother, who lives on the island of Dominica, about his life in New York City.

This is What Struggle Looks Like

USA 2012, 2 minutes,

Director: Keristian Farra

A young woman struggles with the influences of three different cultures.

The Unorthodox

USA 2012, 3 minutes, Director: DJ McCoy

World Premiere

Young Toby wakes up to crack of thunder, and discovers a strange light illuminating from downstairs.

Zartha

USA 2012, 2 minutes,

Director: Carleigh Ellwood

An alien gets her own spaceship and explores the solar system for the first time in this claymation coming-of-age tale.

Growing Up Gay

SATURDAY MAY 26 4:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

From the early inklings of desire to negotiating adult relationships, every gay man can relate to these particular rites of passage.

33 Teeth

USA 2011, 8 minutes, Director: Evan Roberts

The shy boy next door wants a piece of his sexy neighbor.

Happy Father’s Gay

USA 2011, 4 minutes, Director: Clay Weiner

There’s always been something funny about Dad.

Little Ones

USA 2011, 24 minutes, Director: Marc Parees

World Premiere

Never deny the nurturing instincts of a gay man, especially at a dinner party with the neighbors.

Love is Not Enough

USA 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Bryan Darling

North American Premiere

He’s found the perfect partner—but his man wants more than monogamy.

The Men’s Room

USA 2011, 15 minutes, Director: Jane Pickett

Desire and fear mix to create a dramatic encounter for a young man in a seedy cruising spot.

Out

USA 2011, 10 minutes, Director: Blaine Ludy

World Premiere

Released from prison after 15 years, a man fights to reconnect with his estranged son.

Steam is Steam

Canada 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Etienne Desrosiers

In the baths, exposure comes with the risk of being revealed.

Keep Calm & Carry On

sunday May 27 6:30 PM

Visit

while enjoying some of the best short films the British Isles has to offer.

Analogue Love

United Kingdom 2011, 8 minutes, Director: Stuart Drennan

Maggie loves her TV. And it loves her.

Friday

United Kingdom 2012, 18 minutes, Director: Seb Edwards

A teenager in London struggles to come to terms with his mother’s death on the one-year anniversary of the tragic event.

The Mapmaker

United Kingdom 2012, 18 minutes, Director: Stephen Johnson

World Premiere

An elderly couple return to the seaside town where they spent a blissful summer fifty years before to create one last fleeting memory.

The North London Book of the Dead

United Kingdom 2011, 15 minutes, Director: Jake Lushingon

Just as he’s come to terms with the death of his mother, a man discovers her living quite happily in a suburb of London.

Nudist Beach

United Kingdom 2012, 11 minutes, Director: Stephen Trumble

World Premiere

Ewan and Lucy meet for the first time on a chilly and deserted nudist beach.

Robots of Brixton

United Kingdom 2011, 6 minutes, Director: Kibwe Tavares

When the police invade Brixton—home to London’s robot workforce— the resulting outbreak violently echoes that of 1981.

Young Souls

United Kingdom 2011, 10 minutes, Director: Dean Chalkley

Scully recalls the night before—an epic night on the dance floor in Britain’s contemporary Northern Soul scene.

Long Night’s Journey Into Hell

FrIday May 25 9:30 PM

take a fiendish road trip into the cinematic heart of darkness that you won’t soon forget.

Chilly

USA 2012, 6 minutes,

Director: Dylan Kohler

World Premiere

As the heat rises in stuffy hotel room, talking ice cube Chilly explains the wonders of refrigeration to a strangely distracted man.

Dr Grordbort Presents: The Deadliest Game

New Zealand 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: James Cunningham Lord Broadforce and his loyal manservant, Caruthers, have returned to Venus to gather more exotic wildlife specimens, much to the horror of young reporter, Miss Middlesworth.

Foxes

Ireland 2012, 16 minutes,

Director: Lorcan Finnegan

Isolated and alone in a barren suburb, Ellen begins to photograph the foxes that rummage through her garbage, until their spectral shrieking lures her into a twilit, feral world.

Frankie Rulez!!!

USA 2011, 5 minutes,

Director: San Charoenchai

A narcissistic space alien attempts to claim a series of planets through the dogged use of flags.

Incubator

USA 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: Jimmy Weber

When he awakes in a motel bathtub, a young man finds his problems have only just begun.

Muta

Italy 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: Lucrecia Martel

North American Premiere

Entombed aboard a Mediterranean yacht, a crew of 40s femme fatales emerge to complete a strange metamorphosis.

My Bow Breathing

Italy 2011, 10 minutes,

Director: Enrico Maria Artale

A girl attunes her breathing to the movements of her bow, arrow after arrow, but her sporting talent hides a primitive, violent instinct.

Perished

Australia 2011, 16 minutes,

Director: Aaron McCann, Stefan A. Radanovich

Isolated, alone, and low on supplies, a zombie-pocalypse survivor seeks relief in a storage shed only to trap himself inside.

Plush

USA 2011, 11 minutes,

Director: Ryan Denmark

When in a woman’s bedroom, always be careful to treat her teddy bear with care and respect.

PostHuman

USA 2011, 6 minutes,

Director: Cole Drumb

A genius hacker and his dog help an enigmatic young woman free the remaining test subjects from a sinister laboratory.

sIFF CIneMa uPtOWn

sIFF CIneMa uPtOWn

No matter your lifestyle. No matter your occupation. No matter what you do with your Mac®, iPad®, iPhone® or iPod®, we’ve got it covered. Our newly remodeled Seattle location is chock-full of every Apple® product you can imagine, and then some. Drop by today or visit any one of our ten Northwest owned and operated locations.

Over the Edge

SeaTown Shorts

sunday May 27 3:00 PM

seven short films about what obsession, desperation, and money can make us do.

Bobby Ellis is Gonna Kick Your Ass

USA 2012, 11 minutes, Director: Craig Packard

World Premiere

Mark Buckley strikes out at a school bully and spends the day experiencing the classic Kubler-Ross stages of grief as he awaits the inevitable retribution.

Kubrick Project

France 2011, 5 minutes, Director: Olivier Jagut

North American Premiere

An animated immersion into Stanley Kubrick’s obsessive fascination for Napoleon Bonaparte and the movie that he might have made about the emperor’s life.

Narcocorrido

USA 2011, 24 minutes, Director: Ryan Prows

The ballad of a border cop’s reckless heist of a cartel shipment.

Paradise

USA 2012, 10 minutes, Director: Nadav Kurtz

Window washers in Chicago consider otherworldly ideas from their lofty perspective.

Peekaboo

Australia 2011, 10 minutes, Director: Damien Power

North American Premiere

When a toddler goes missing in a car park, her mother fears she has been abducted.

The Runner

Germany/South Africa 2011, 9 minutes, Director: Parker Ellerman

A young boy learns the hard way that you cannot do something bad to achieve something good.

Up the Valley and Beyond

USA 2011, 16 minutes, Director: Todd Rosken

US Premiere

Ever wonder when and where Russ Meyer got inspired to make his movies?

MOnday May 28 1:00 PM

From presidents to pie, seattle filmmakers really shine in this selection of shorts from right here at home.

3 Minute Masterpieces Winner

USA 2012, 3 minutes

How hard could it be to make a three-minute film? We challenged you to find out.

All My Presidents

USA 2012, 15 minutes, Director: Connor Hair

World Premiere

When young Franklin loses his father at war, he grabs a hold of the only thing left, the ideology of the US Presidents. Years later he finds himself questioning who he follows.

Bunker

USA 2012, 12 minutes, Director: Kim Voynar

World Premiere

On the eve of their anniversary, a late-20s couple dare to imagine what could happen if the unthinkable happens. Are they prepared for the possibility of a zombie apocalypse?

Coffee & Pie

USA 2011, 16 minutes, Director: Douglas Horn

A couple must come to term with the fact that theirs is a love that could never be.

History Is... Shooting With Reckless Abandon

USA 2012, 3 minutes, Director: Ed Bronson

Armed with a camera always around his neck, this film is a personal history of shooting with reckless abandon.

Senior Showcase

USA 2012, 11 minutes, Director: Lindy Boustedt, Kris Boustedt

World Premiere

Grace finds a presentation that is more her style.

Spinning

USA 2011, 13 minutes, Director: John Jacobsen

Sometimes you’re so busy in the past, you stop paying attention to the present.

Things Left Behind

USA 2012, 10 minutes, Director: Nathan Williams

World Premiere

Two humans from different tribes meet at a stream in a small canyon. The encounter will change the course of their lives.

Typecast Dragon

USA 2012, 8 minutes, Director: The Last Quest

US Premiere

One woman wrestles with her past public access fame as she transitions into her 40s and a new cycle in her life.

sIFF CIneMa uPtOWn

sIFF CIneMa uPtOWn

Strange Relations

saturday May 26 12:00 PM

you can’t choose your family…this collection of snapshots zooms in on how we find our place in relation to people and communities we love and live with.

Confidante

USA 2011, 18 minutes, Director: Lisa Melodia

A young cleaning woman is confronted with an unusual request when her elderly employer asks her to spy on her long lost brother.

Future Days

USA 2012, 10 minutes, Director: Clay Zimmerman

World Premiere

Denizens of Los Angeles—a city known for cultivating and crushing dreams— consider their future in uncertain times.

Little Horses

USA 2011, 18 minutes, Director: Levi Abrino

Dave, a divorced small town postal worker, tries to win his family back by getting his son a pony for his eighth birthday.

Living Tiny

USA 2011, 7 minutes, Directors: Paul Donatelli, Paul Meyers

Three Californians who seek an alternative to traditional construction explore a new vision of home.

PORK...a short film

USA 2011, 7 minutes, Director: Devon Gummersall

US Premiere

Scott enlists the help of his inept brother to document his surprise marriage proposal—now if he could just find the perfect moment.

Prima Donna

USA 2011, 13 minutes, Director: Laurie Thomas

13-year-old May hopes to win a singing competition, but a pit stop on the road trip with her father turns into an endless detour.

Rolling on the Floor Laughing

USA 2011, 19 minutes, Director: Russell Harbaugh

Two grown brothers return home for their widowed mother’s birthday, only to find themselves competing with a strange man for her affection.

To R.P. Salazar, with Love

USA 2011, 3 minutes, Director: The Rauch Brothers

Rachel P. Salazar and Ruben P. Salazar were once complete strangers living 9,000 miles apart until an accidental email changed everything.

WTF

suNday May 27 9:30 PM

think you know where you’re going? Guess again. these quick flicks pack unexpectedly powerful punches.

Dear Hunters

Czech Republic/USA 2011, 10 minutes, Director: Zack Bornstein, David Shuck, Eric Binswanger

You may never eat venison again.

Forced Entry

USA 2012, 7 minutes,

Director: Joe Jacobs

World Premiere

Within the confines of a sunny American neighborhood, an unexpected visitor interrupts a couple’s afternoon.

French Quesadillas

Czech Republic/USA 2012, 7 minutes, Director: Michael Lukk Litwak

Garbageman Pavel finds poetry in other people’s trash. But when he finds a used condom in his girlfriend’s garbage, he re-evaluates their relationship, for better or worse.

FTW

Canada 2011, 5 minutes,

Director: Tyler Funk

US Premiere

Mallory is determined to win the local 100 meter qualifier, even though no one believes in her, not even her mom.

Hello Caller

USA 2011, 6 minutes,

Director: Andrew Putschoegl A suicidal woman’s call for help is met with anything but.

The House

Germany 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: David Buob

A little girl and her pet fish care for her grandmother as her days and house spin around her.

Meaning of Robots

USA 2012, 4 minutes,

Director: Matt Lenski

Mike’s been shooting a stop-motion robot sex film in his apartment for the past 10 years.

Pass the Salt, Please

USA 2011, 13 minutes,

Director: Tatjana Najdanovic

Stimulating conversation over a home-cooked dinner has never been so stimulating.

The Secret of Goat

Canada 2011, 15 minutes,

Director: Park Bench

A dangerous and darkly comic tale about love and lust, nature and nurture, man and animal.

Thumb Snatchers From the Moon Cocoon

USA 2011, 7 minutes,

Director: Brad Schaffer

A short tempered Texas sheriff uses his cowboy logic to recklessly defeat a race of condescending, cocoon dwelling critters.

sIFF CINEMa uPtOWN

sIFF CINEMa uPtOWN

ShortsFest Closing Night

MONDAY MAY 28 6:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF’s annual celebration of the short form finishes off with this wonderfully varied program examining the breezy joy and tremendous complexity found in the best short films.

The Extraordinary Life of Rocky

Belgium 2011, 14 minutes, Director: Kevin Meul

Everyone Rocky loves dies in a freak accident, turning him into a pariah; then, he meets the suicidal Angie.

Jim & Frank

USA 2011, 4 minutes, Director: Tony Borden

Jim doesn’t want to hire anyone but his wife, Frank doesn’t want to work for anyone but himself, but fate is pulling the strings to bring them together.

Joy

Ireland 2011, 10 minutes, Director: Colm Quinn

When her school friend Tess comes to visit, Nicola is pressed by her mother to introduce her newborn daughter Joy.

The Last Virgin

USA 2011, 26 minutes, Director: Shawn Telford

Sex, drugs, rock’n roll. This is what it means to be a man... right?

One Minute Puberty

Germany 2011, 2 minutes, Director: Alexander Gellner

If only those awkward teen years could pass by so quickly.

ORA

Canada 2011, 15 minutes, Director: Philippe Baylaucq

A dance film unlike any other—shot using thermal imaging technology to capture the performance using the heat given off by the dancers’ bodies. Mesmerizing.

The Paris Quintet in Practice Makes Perfect

Canada 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Benjamin Schuetze

US Premiere

Sharply dressed and exquisitely choreographed, five men go about their daily routine in a cramped apartment.

Superman, Spiderman, and Batman

Romania 2011, 11 minutes, Director: Tudor Giurgiu

On a journey with his worried father, 5-year-old Aron wishes he could be a superhero to save his ailing mother.

SIFF is pleased to once again partner with The Seattle Times for the sixth annual 3-Minute Masterpiece contest. Each year we challenge filmmakers around Seattle to create short, family-friendly films that last no longer than a mere three minutes. Any subject matter may be explored as long as there is no sex, violence, or obscenities. there are several opportunities for awards and recognition for contest participants. Filmmakers under 18 are eligible for he J. Michael Rima Award, celebrating young Seattle directors. the winner of this award will have his or her film featured during the Festival’s Futurewave Shorts Program. Other winning films will be featured on The Seattle Times website as well as at the Festival. the Grand Prize winner will also receive one full Series pass to this year’s Festival. here is a list of last year’s winners:

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Ty Huffer for Ego Boost

J. MICHAEL RIMA WINNER

Luca Rose (10 years old) for Our Grass is Always Greener

OTHER WINNERS

3 Little Space Pigs–The Silent (Puppet) Movie), directed bt Vikram Madan, Jawahar hadan, and Jahnvi Madan

9 Pound Trout, directed by Cassady O’Neal Ballsy, directed by Ian Knippel

The Egg Hunt, directed by Cameron Clark Smith

Forced Out, directed by John Dobrosielski,  Jeffrey Posadas, Jeffrey Posadas,  Chris Rudy, Olivia Rudy and Arianne Garden Vazquez

Goldfish, directed by Steven Land Smith

Piggiepalooza, directed by Ellie Dynes

Secret Club, directed by Ben Kadie

Something Special, directed by Kristi Simkins

short films before features

The 5,000 Days Project: ONE AMERICA

USA 2012, 15 minutes, Directors: Rick Stevenson, Kevin Klar

World Premiere

ONE AMERICA is a fascinating story about fear, prejudice and the power of forgiveness shown through the experiences of a growing young man named Prottush. Screens with The 5,000 Days Project: TWo BroThers

After Shock

USA 2011, 5 minutes, Director: Arenessa Gutierrez

A personal story from a young filmmaker who bravely shares her journey through coming out to her family. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with Mosquita y Mari

Bad Moon Rising

Australia, 2010, 8 minutes, Director: Scott Hamilton

During a bruising interrogation, a young man waits till moonrise to turn the tables on his captors. Screens with Game of Werewolves

CatCam

USA 2012, 16 minutes, Director: Seth Keal

When his newly adopted cat Mr. Lee disappears for days at a time, his owner Jurgen designed a camera to fit on his cat’s collar, opening a fascinating window into feline existence. Screens with The Central Park effect

Change–Mosco Espacial

USA/Argentina/Costa Rica/Colombia 2011, 3 minutes, Directors: Various Worldwide Youth artists show us that change begins with imagination and being open to the magic and potential that surrounds us. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with extraterrestrial

Eli the Invincible

Australia 2011, 15 minutes, Director: Miranda Nation North American Premiere

Eli is a young wrestling fan, trying to make sense of the racial violence surrounding him. When the time comes, he must choose between brutality or betrayal. Screens with The Tall Man

Finale

Hungary 2011, 8 minutes, Director: Balázs Simonyi

Two men in the night are waiting for their greatest hit... Screens with The standbys

Girls Can Do Anything

USA 2012, 4 minutes, Director: Deanna Garcia, Cecilia Sit

Discover the lessons learned by a group of middle school girls on their trip to the New York Stock Exchange. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with Wonder Women! The Untold story of American super heroines

Graffiti

USA 2011, 5 minutes, Director: Mia Favela, Destiny Orozco, Martiza Carillo Graffiti isn’t just something you see on the streets or something you see people going to jail for. It’s a way that people express themselves. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with Gimme the Loot

History of Writing

USA 2012, 6 minutes, Director: Students at the Seattle World School

A creative story which explores how writing developed in different parts of the world. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with The revisionaries

The Ice Pond

Norway 2011, 6 minutes, Director: Egil Pedersen Long after refrigeration made harvesting ice obsolete, the Høvik family of Norway kept their business thriving until it just melted away. Screens with Chasing Ice

The Immigrant

Canada 2011, 20 minutes, Director: Josh Levy

After being deported back to his native Canada, once-famous comedian Bob London attempts a Hollywood comeback by enlisting human smugglers to sneak him across the Mexico-US border. Screens with roller Town

Life Challenges

USA 2012, 4 minutes, Directors: Sharon Lou, Vivian Chen, Molly Zhong, Xin Yi Li

A young woman discusses her first experiences arriving in the United States. Adobe Youth Voices.

Screens with 11 Flowers

Matador on the Road

Spain 2011, 16 minutes, Director: Alexis Morante

On the way to Las Vegas, a Cadillac runs over something in the middle of the desert, breaking the car... Screens with Bull runners of Pamplona

MLK 2010

USA 2011, 4 minutes, Director: Tam Duong

A young man reflects on the meaning of a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. Adobe Youth Voices.

Screens with LUV

A Nourishing Journey

USA 2012, 6 minutes, Director: 5th Grade Students at South Shore K-8

Recipes and family stories are woven to create a beautiful statement about taking time to nourish one’s body, mind, and spirit. Adobe Youth Voices.

Screens with Finding North

OVO

France 2012, 18 minutes, Director: Alban Sapin World Premiere

With a fascist regime on the rise, a man is forced to look at the relationships in his life. Screens with Italy Love It or Leave It

Pain Within

Canada 2011, 2 minutes, Director: Christina Kay

The illusory high from drugs is described as ultimately painful and hurtful. Adobe Youth Voices.

Screens with American Addict

Paths of Color

USA 2011, 4 minutes, Director: Various Worldwide

A short film about the choices we make that can lead two people that start out in relatively the same place, to very different destinations. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with Lipstikka

Right Where We Left Off

USA 2012, 4 minutes, Director: Ivan Reyes, Antonette Paviera

Original music video piece about a young person’s relationship and forgiveness. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with My sucky Teen romance

Say Stop

USA 2011, 2 minutes, Director: Oleg Schutsky

If you see a person who is in trouble help him! Next time maybe you will be the one needing help. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with War of the Buttons

Shattered Dream

USA 2011, 5 minutes, Directors: Hualian Xu, Yin Jiang, Weiming Ma, Rongshan Zhao

A young woman illustrates some of the extreme cases of parents who don’t allow their children to follow their interests. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with starry starry Night

Still Playing

USA 2012, 6 minutes, Director: Dacia Saenz

World Premiere

Players at the Seattle Pinball Museum unveil their passion for this American pastime. Screens with Wonder Women! The Untold story of American super heroines

The Third Floor

USA 2012, 11 minutes, Directors: Adam Sekuler, Shannon Stewart

World Premiere

Shannon Stewart’s dance stirs up ghosts and memories in an old, abandoned hotel. Screens with City World

The Violet Hour

Netherlands/Sweden 2011, 17 minutes,

Director: Felix van Cleeff

World Premiere

Two young lovers leave the modern city and enter the wilderness in this lyrical poem on pure love and death. Screens with Joan and the Voices

A Visit from the Queen

USA 2012, 3 minutes, Director: Janay S., Destiny M. Young women explore the history of African queens, done through spoken word as a call to action for their ancestors. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with otelo Burning

Wasp

United Kingdom, 2003, 26 minutes,

Director: Andrea Arnold

A struggling single mother is determined not to let her four young children prove an obstacle as she pursues rekindling a relationship with her ex-boyfriend. Screens with red road

Water Problem

India 2011, 2 minutes, Director: Students at the American India Foundation

This youth-made photo essay illustrates the challenges of getting fresh water in rural India. Adobe Youth Voices. Screens with Valley of saints

FEATUREFILMS

FROM A TO Z

In this era of increasing interconnectedness,

siFF-goers know there’s a whole cinematic world out there beyond the standard multiplex. you understand the value of other experiences, other perspectives, and other stories. this is the way we live now, and cinema, as an art, is uniquely suited to reflect this life. With a camera and a projector, an audience can be transported across tens of thousands of miles in just a few minutes.

elsewhere in this catalog, we have broken down our feature film listing by genre (see Pathways, page 75) and grouped them in traditional subject categories (see sidebars, page 97). on the following pages, however, we’re offering you the whole world of cinema at once with our listing of alphabetized feature films. With a program that literally spans the globe, each page allows you to leap across borders, from the countryside of iceland to the jungles of Brazil, from the streets of hong Kong to a remote Polish village. take a trip to the georgian coast, the Welsh coast, the samoan coast, or the swedish coast. experience life in the slums of caracas or at the court of the tang dynasty, on a Québecois farm or the curling ice of Norway. Visit a Brazilian discotheque, or a wealthy family in sydney, or the center of Parisian crime. From a Japanese bullet train to a chilean Facebook page, from the south Korean underworld to the Brazilian spirit world, from the distant past to the near future. and, of course, we still have lots of films from american filmmakers, including many from right here in the Pacific Northwest.

With more than 270 films from 75 countries, for three weeks every spring (and more at siFF cinema!), we bring you the whole wide wonderful world, from a to z!

With a camera and a projector, an audience can be transported across tens of thousands of miles in just a few minutes.

11 Flowers

chiNa/FraNce 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 4:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 21 6:00 PM

In the waning years of China’s Cultural Revolution, 11-year-old Wang Han and his family live in a tiny riverfront village in Guizhou province. Forced to relocate by the government, his father, a former actor, yearns for their old life in Beijing, and works to instill a sense of art and culture in his son. Conscious of the anxious whispering of adults, who tell stories about warring gangs and police clashes, Wang and his friends still spend their days in carefree play. But when Wang has a strange encounter near the river and discovers a teenager hiding in the woods who is wanted for crimes against the state, he and his friends decide to keep the fugitive’s presence a secret. This is sure to be considered among the finest films by director Wang Xiaoshuai (Beijing Bicycle, Shanghai Dreams), who based the film on his own experiences growing up during a time of momentous historical change. Brimming with youthful energy and featuring lovingly detailed evocations of time and place, 11 Flowers combines Wang’s deep engagement with mainland China’s complex cultural history with a stirring evocation of childhood.

Awards:

Asia Pacific Screen Award 2011 Nominee (Best Children’s Feature Film) Asian Film Awards 2012 Nominee (Best Editor, Supporting Actress)

P RECE d E d B y: Life Challenges

USA 2012, 4 minutes, Directors: Sharon Lou, Vivian Chen, Molly Zhong, Xin Yi Li. A young woman discusses her first experiences arriving in the United States. Adobe Youth Voices

Director: Wang Xiaoshuai

Producers: Wang Xiaoshuai

Isabelle Glachant

Didar Domehri

Lü Dong

Laurent Baudens

Gaël Nouaille

Screenwriters: Wang Xiaoshuai

Lao Ni

Cinematographer: Dong Jinsong

Editor: Nelly Quettier

Music: Marc Perrone

Cast: Liu Wenqing

Wang Jingchun

Yan Ni

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Mandarin, with English subtitles

International Sales: Films Distribution

Print Source: First Run Features

Selected Filmography: Shanghai Dreams (2005)

Drifters (2003)

Beijing Bicycle (2000)

So Close to Paradise (1997)

Frozen (1995)

Suicides (1994)

The Days (1993)

170 Hz

NetherlaNds 2011 North americaN Premiere

THURSDAY MAY 31 9:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

THURSDAY JUNE 7 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 9 2:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

170 Hz is the volume of a whisper, a sound almost too faint to be heard. Sixteen-year-old Evy has a common high school existence and caring parents, but her deaf reality has always made her an outsider. All this changes when she meets Nick, a far more rebellious 19-yearold who is also deaf, and ignites in her a vision of their coexistence. When Evy’s interest in school and home life deteriorate, Nick whisks her away to an abandoned Soviet submarine where they plan a family life together. Joost van Ginkel’s debut feature commands the audience from its first frames with a cinematic vocabulary that plays off the extrasensory perception that Nick and Evy bring to their world. Their love is shown not through what they say, but in every gaze and touch, enhanced by close-ups and unique camera angles. The ambient sound design perfectly captures the psychology of their world, especially in the second half, where their underwater metallic home creates sonic tremors they cannot hear, speaking volumes about their young lives. 170 Hz is an invigorating film that transcends cinema’s ability to merely tell a story and immerses the audience in an emotional space that can only be created by great art.

Director: Joost van Ginkel

Producers:

Gijs van de Westelaken

Ellen Havenith

Screenwriter: Joost van Ginkel

Cinematographer: Rogier den Boer

Editor:

Bob Soetekouw

Music: Pascal Plantinga

Cast: Gaite Jansen

Michael Muller

Eva van Heijningen

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP, in Dutch Sign

Language and Dutch, with English subtitles

Print Source: Column Film

Film Website: 170hz.nl

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

2 Days in New York

Usa/FraNce 2012

MONDAY MAY 21 4:15 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 9:00 PM

In the sequel to the 2007 rom-com 2 Days in Paris, Marion (Julie delpy) has split from her partner Jack, and now raises their son in New york City. When her outrageous father and sister, Rose, come for an ill-timed visit, cultural clashes are the order du jour. Can new boyfriend Mingus (Chris Rock) keep up? 2 Days In New York is a cheerful romp that fans of delpy’s sparkling humor will enjoy. It follows her body of work, both as a writer/ director and an actor (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset), in dissecting male-female relationship dynamics and the actions of fish who are way out of water. As in Paris, delpy’s real father, Albert delpy, portrays a caricatured version of himself: obnoxious and socially tonedeaf as he barges in on Marion and Mingus’ relaxed home life. Joining him in the siege on decency is Marion’s spitfire of a sister, Rose (Alexia Landeau), and her vaguely racist, stoner boyfriend Manu (Alex Nahon, delpy’s co-writer). Not that Marion and Mingus don’t have any quirks: as part of an art project, she sells her soul to Vincent Gallo (playing himself), and Mingus talks to a cardboard cutout of Barack Obama. delpy’s and Nahon’s dialogue is peppered with the Woody Allen-esque moments of candor, neurosis, intelligence, and awkwardness that can only come from New york.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director:

Julie Delpy

Producer:

Christophe Mazodier

Screenwriters:

Julie Delpy

Alex Nahon

Cinematographer: Lubomir Bakchev

Editor:

Isabelle Devinck

Cast:

Julie Delpy

Chris Rock

Albert Delpy

Alexia Landeau

Alex Nahon

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in English and French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Rezo

Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Film Website: magpictures. com/2daysinnewyork

Selected Filmography: Le Skylab (2011)

The Countess (2009)

2 Days in Paris (2007) Looking for Jimmy (2002)

UNited KiNgdom/aUstria/FraNce/Brazil 2011 Us Premiere

SUNDAY MAY 27 9:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 4:00 PM

A seductive, unnerving look at relationships amid cultural boundaries, the latest film from Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener, City of God) takes the director’s mastery of interconnected stories and whirling world views to new dimensions. Adapting Arthur Schnitzer’s play “La Ronde,” screenwriter Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon) sets up a series of already compelling narratives — a lonely English businessman (Jude Law) being blackmailed for a future transgression; a married woman (Rachel Weisz) trying to break things off with her younger lover; a recovering alcoholic (Sir Anthony Hopkins) searching for his long-missing daughter; a Brazilian student (Maria Flor) returning to Rio after her love affair with London sours; a paroled sex offender (Ben Foster) stuck in a denver airport — and then explores what happens when these stories begin to bump and slide into one another. Boasting a stellar, multicultural soundtrack, and exotic locations, including Vienna, Paris, London, Bratislava, and Rio de Janeiro, 360 is a polished, steadily escalating study of the human condition.

EGYPTIAN

Director: Fernando Meirelles

Producers: Andrew Eaton

David Linde

Emanuel Michael

Danny Krausz

Chris Hanley

Screenwriter: Peter Morgan

Cinematographer: Adriano Goldman

Editor: Daniel Rezende

Cast: Rachel Weisz

Jude Law

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Ben Foster

Moritz Bleibtrau

Maria Flor

Running Time: 115 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Wild Bunch

Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Film Website: magpictures.com/360

Selected Filmography: Blindness (2008)

The Constant Gardener (2005)

City of God (2002) Maids (2001)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

THEATRE

38 Witnesses

FraNce/BelgiUm 2012

MONDAY MAY 21 6:30 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 8:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 9:15 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Inspired by the 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens, Lucas Belvaux weaves a grim tale of social responsibility, or the lack thereof. One small neighborhood is ripped asunder by a brutal murder beneath their windows—one that evidently no one heard—causing Pierre (yvan Attal) to question his own inaction. When brazen journalist Sylvie (Nicole Garcia) breaks the story of the murder’s “silent witnesses,” the reality of this broken social construct emerges and lives are shattered. Backed by poignant sound design that shifts effortlessly between subtle and all-consuming, Attal’s potent portrayal of guilt’s slow destruction of the human spirit haunts his every expression. The washed-out, bleak city provides backdrop to a story that starkly depicts the parts of ourselves we’d prefer hidden, but manages in the end to inspire hope for redemption.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director: Lucas Belvaux

Producers: Patrick Sobelman

Patrick Quinet

Yvan Attal

Screenwriter: Lucas Belvaux, based on a novel by Didier Decoin

Cinematographer: Pierric Gantelmi d’Ille

Editor: Ludo Troch

Music: Arne Van Dongen

Cast: Yvan Attal

Sophie Quinton

Natacha Regnier

Nicole Garcia

Running Time: 104 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm in French, with English subtitles

Print Source:

Films Distribution

International Sales:

Films Distribution

Selected Filmography:

Rapt (2009)

The Right of the Weakest (2006)

After the Life (2002)

An Amazing Couple (2002)

On the Run (2002)

419

Usa/soUth aFrica 2012

World Premiere

THURSDAY JUNE 7 6:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 10:30 AM

When a struggling American actor loses everything through a South African-based Internet scam, he and his friends fight back in a dangerous way, flying to Cape Town to hunt down his deceiver. In Seattle-native Ned Thorne’s standout debut feature film, the characters capture their escapade documentarystyle, creating an enthralling firsthand account of the daring gamble. Referencing the scam that befalls the lead, the title 419 is taken from the Nigerian Criminal Code which outlaws obtaining property by false pretenses. Though a familiar premise, this story goes beyond the habitual crimes. In an attempt to uncover the corruption in mysterious Cape Town, we’re taken on a chase through back alleys, nightclubs, ghettoes, and townships. Behind every turn, the characters discover more about the myths and cover-ups of the scams, and the hypocrisy in their own lives. The security of those most trusted seems to fail and their homeland has never seemed so far. Part travel adventure, part mystery caper, 419 will keep your heart thumping and your mind questioning until the last frame.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Ned Thorne

Producers: Anthony Moody

Stephen Hays

Screenwriter: Ned Thorne

Cinematographer: Ned Thorne

Editor: Ned Thorne

Music:

Gingger Shankar

Cast: Mike Ivers

Scott Kerns

Ned Thorne

Ezra Mabengeza

Cara Loften

Emilea Wilson

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in English and Xhosa, with English

subtitles

Print Source: 419 SA LLC

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

4 Days in May

germaNy/rUssia/ UKraiNe 2011 North americaN Premiere

THURSDAY MAY 31 4:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY JUNE 7 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 9 4:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

It’s four days before the end of World War II in Germany. Berlin has just fallen and time stands still when those fighting realize they might survive after all. This transition—soldiers going from civilian to beast and back again— fascinates director Achim von Borries. The true story of 4 Days in May takes place on the German-Baltic coastline in May 1945. The Germans have lost, and soldiers as well as the German populace flee for safety. Others go on rampages and just can’t stop fighting. Meanwhile, a German orphanage is being used as a base camp for occupying Russian soldiers led by Captain Kalmykov (Aleksei Guskov). He befriends young Peter (Pavel Wenzel), the nephew of the Baroness (Gertrud Roll) who runs the orphanage from her mansion. The orphanage shelters dozens of young people of various ages. A secret love begins to bloom between a Russian and a German. With the Nazi defeat only hours away, a large troop of Nazi soldiers is spotted on the nearby beach, leading to a tense, protracted standoff and ending in an ironic twist of loyalties.

Director:

Achim Von Borries

Producer:

Stefan Arndt

Screenwriter:

Achim von Borries

Cinematographer:

Bernd Fischer

Editor:

Antje Zynga

Cast:

Pavel Wenzel

Aleksei Guskov

Ivan Shvedoff

Andrey Merzlikin

Sergey Legostaev

Gertrud Roll

Running Time:

97 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in German and Russian, with English

subtitles

International Sales: The Match Factory

Print Source: The Match Factory

Selected Filmography:

Love In Thoughts (2004) England! (2000)

The 5,000 Days Project: TWO BROTHERS

Usa 2012

SATURDAY MAY 19 12:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY MAY 21 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN SATURDAY MAY 26 1:00 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Ten years ago, Seattle filmmaker Rick Stevenson had a vision of capturing the stories of children throughout their young lives. He began systematically meeting with several elementary students throughout the year for short interviews asking similar universal questions every time. Over time, their answers illuminate their growing maturation and sometimes frustrations.

TWO BROTHERS is the first completed feature from Stevenson’s marathon project, exploring the lives of Sam and Luke, two kids from Shoreline. Starting when they were 10 and 8, the film efficiently charts their childhood before it focuses on the boy’s experiences over the past two years as Sam leaves on his Mormon mission to Chile and Luke works to win a football scholarship to ByU. The stories of Stevenson’s 5,000 Days Project capture the blossoming youth in their own words and document their experiences impartially across economic and ideological lines. On Sunday, May 20, director Rick Stevenson will lead a workshop for parents and interested filmmakers about creating your own 5,000 days Project to document your children’s development. See page 139 for more information on reserving a seat at that workshop.

P RECE d E d B y:

The 5,000 Days Project: ONE AMERICA

USA 2012, 15 minutes, Directors: Rick Stevenson, Kevin Klar World Premiere

ONe AMeRICA is a fascinating story about fear, prejudice and the power of forgiveness shown through the experiences of a growing young man named Prottush.

Directors: Rick Stevenson

Kevin Klar

Producers: Rick Stevenson

Kevin Klar

Screenwriter: Rick Stevenson

Cinematographers: Rick Stevenson

Kevin Klar

Editor: Kevin Klar

Music: Adam Dierdort

Running Time: 80 minutes

Presentation Format: Digital

Print Source: 5000 Days Project Production

Film Website: 5000daysproject.com

Selected Filmography: Expiration Date (2006)

Dinosaur Hunter (2000)

Question of Privilege (1999)

Magic in the Water (1995)

5 Broken Cameras

paleStine/France/iSrael 2011

THURSDAY MAY 24 6:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 3:30 PM

5 Broken Cameras opens with an introduction to the titular recording devices, each lined up on a table to represent a chapter in cameraman Emad Burnat’s amazing documentation of a microcosm of the Palestinan/Israeli conflict. The first camera was purchased for the birth of Gibreel, one of his sons, in 2005. This was the same time that Bil’in, his hometown just west of Ramallah in the West Bank, saw Israeli bulldozers tear up the town’s olive trees to make way for a wall that was to surround an advancing Jewish settlement. Outraged, the town peacefully protested and became engaged in a six-year resistance. As the situation intensifies, a series of cameras are damaged beyond repair and systematically replaced as Burnat captures the personalities and passions involved in the conflict. As the resistance continues, Gibreel grows from an infant into an aware young boy, becoming part of the struggle. He’s a sobering reminder that children who are raised in conflict are inevitably shaped by it. Burnat and co-director Guy Davidi have taken a single, specific context, and illuminated the universally harrowing effects that any conflict brings to the lives of its participants.

Awards: International Documentary Film Festival of Amsterdam 2011 (Special Jury Award, Audience Award)

Sundance Film Festival 2012 (World Cinema Directing AwardDocumentary)

International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival 2011 (Best Director)

Directors: Emad Burnat

Guy Davidi

Producers: Christine Camdessus

Serge Gordey

Emad Burnat

Guy Davidi

Cinematographer: Emad Burnat

Editors: Veronique LagoardeSegot

Guy Davidi

Music: Le Trio Joubran

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Arabic and Hebrew, with English subtitles

International Sales: Cats and Docs

Print Source: Kino Lorber

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

6 Puntos s obre e mma

6 Points About Emma

Spain 2012 north american premiere

FRIDAY JUNE 1 7:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 3 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

MONDAY JUNE 4 6:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Emma is a blind woman who wants nothing more than to be a mother but rejects the idea of falling in love with anyone but her yet-to-be conceived baby. Thanks to a therapy group she joins in the hopes of being told, “It’s all going to be okay,” Emma finds that it’s not so easy to avoid romantic love and the pain it can bring. The disintegration of her carefully constructed mask of cheery disconnection is enrapturing thanks to Verónica Echegui’s adroit portrayal of a young woman coming to grips with the knowledge that life is just not fair. Director Roberto Pérez Toledo’s light touch on his own well-crafted script allows the story to be driven by the rich characterizations of standout supporting actors in the cast— especially Mariam Hernandez, who is remarkable as Lucia, a wheelchair-bound woman who comes out of a self-imposed shell to find love with a gigolo. The film’s extended ensemble of troubled characters shows not only how we’ve all got our own “disabilities,” but how everyone needs the help of others to overcome them.

Director: Roberto Pérez Toledo

Producer: Ana Sánchez-Gijón

Screenwriters: Roberto Pérez Toledo

Peter Andermatt

Cinematographer: Juan A. Castaño

Editor: José Manuel Jiménez

Music: David Cordero

Cast: Verónica Echegui

Álex García

Fernando Tielve

Nacho Aldeguer

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DigiBeta, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Imagina International Sales

Print Source: Imagina International Sales

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

ADAMINT e MAKAN A bu

Abu,

Son of Adam

iNdia 2011

THURSDAY MAY 24 8:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Abu and his wife Aisu live in the rural Southwest Indian state of Kerala, on the Malabar coast. They share the dream of devout Muslims to go for Hajj, the once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage to Mecca. Neglected by their only son while in the twilight of their lives, the couple’s mutual goal and supportive community are sources of vitality. Abu and Aisu register their names with a travel agent but soon realize that their ambition will require severe sacrifice. Gradually, they sell off every valuable possession, including the jackfruit tree in front of their home. Abu will only accept money for the journey according to the principles of Islam, so he must turn down his neighbors’ offers of financial help. Abu wants to fulfill his family’s dream but struggles to maintain integrity on his wellintentioned path. Meanwhile, his compassionate nature is reflected in the kindness of others in the community. Warm-hued cinematography captures Kerala’s natural beauty in this directorial debut, which has won the most coveted awards in Indian filmmaking.

Awards:

Indian National Film Awards 2011 (Best Feature Film)

Kerala State Film Awards 2011 (Best Film, Actor)

Official Oscar® Submission 2011 (Foreign Language Film)

Director: Salim Ahamed

Producers: Salim Ahamed

Ashraf Bedi

Screenwriter: Salim Ahamed

Cinematographer: Madhu Ambat

Editor: Vijay Shankar

Music:

Isaac Thomas

Kottukappally

Cast: Salim Kumar

Zarina Wahab

M.R. Gopakumar

Mukesh

Kalabhavan Mani

Running Time: 101 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Malayalam, with English subtitles

Print Source: Eqis Pty Ltd.

Film Website: abuthemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

Usa/chiNa 2012

FRIDAY MAY 18 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY MAY 19 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Ai Weiwei is China’s most famous and compelling contemporary artist, whose fiercely original work includes filling a warehouse-sized sandbox full of sunflower seeds, consulting on the design of the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Summer Olympics, and crafting an impressively large sculpture made entirely of colorful school backpacks. He’s also one of the country’s most controversial figures, frequently harassed by the authorities for conveying criticism through his works––the backpack sculpture being a protest of the Sichuan earthquake of 2008, where thousands of school children were killed due to shoddily constructed buildings that the government had failed to make earthquake-proof. Journalist Allison Klayman gained unprecedented access to the artist, painting an intimate portrait of his creative process and showing that Ai Weiwei’s greatest ability is his melding of art and activism. He uses social media not just to express his concerns about life in a country that’s rapidly changing yet still heavily censored, but also to connect his followers and create mass digital art happenings. Even though Chinese authorities have shut down his blog, brutalized him, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention, Ai Weiwei refuses to suppress his instincts.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Special Jury Prize)

Director: Allison Klayman

Producers: Adam Schlesinger

Colin Jones

Cinematographer: Allison Klayman

Editor: Jen Fineran

Music: Illan Isakov

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Sundance Selects

Film Website: aiweiweineversorry.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace

UNited KiNgdom 2011

SUNDAY JUNE 3 2:00 PM

MONDAY JUNE 4 7:00 PM

“I like to think/(it has to be!)/of a cybernetic ecology/where we are free of our labors/and joined back to nature/returned to our mammal/ brothers and sisters/and all watched over/by machines of loving grace.” Tacoma-born poet and counterculture figure Richard Brautigan wrote perhaps his most famous lines in 1967. Their near-prophetic meaning—foreshadowing mankind’s now unshakable dependence on computer technology—is the subject of BAFTA Award-winning documentarian Adam Curtis’ latest film. The BBC Current Affairs filmmaker has deconstructed advertising in 2002’s The Century of the Self and The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear in 2005. His new three-part work, produced for BBC 2 television, looks at the integration of technology and daily life and its effects on the human psyche. Subjects range from the invention of video games to more esoteric examples, such as what Silicon Valley owes to Ayn Rand’s philosophy of Objectivism. As Film Comment’s Nico Baumbach writes regarding Curtis’ probing critique of our digitized humanity, “the fantasy that self-interest will lead to a more harmonious and just society is patently false, and its effects continue to be devastating.”

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Adam Curtis

Producer: Lucy Kelsall

Screenwriter: Adam Curtis

Running Time: 180 minutes

Presentation Format: Digital

Print Source: BBC

Selected Filmography: The Trap: What Happened to our Dreams of Freedom (2007)

The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear (2005)

The Century of the Self (2002)

Alois Nebel

czech rePUBlic/germaNy 2011

TUESDAY JUNE 5 6:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY JUNE 7 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Inspired by classic film noir and rendered in mesmerizing black-and-white rotoscope (à la Richard Linklater’s Waking Life), this darkhearted Czech film traces the haunted memories and mysterious visions of a troubled train dispatcher through the shifting cultural and political landscape at the close of the Cold War. It’s the summer of 1989, shortly before the Berlin Wall comes down, and Alois Nebel is working as a train dispatcher at a small railway station in the mountainous region of Sudetenland on the Czechoslovakian border. Nebel, a loner who suffers from troubling hallucinations, is psychically stalked by ghosts from the dark past of this region, where harsh revenge was exacted on the German population after World War II. Unable to shake these nightmares, he eventually ends up in a sanatorium. When he recovers and is allowed to leave, Nebel finds things have changed dramatically outside. The Berlin Wall is gone, the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia has fallen, and he is without a job or a place to stay. Initially seeking help at the Prague railway headquarters, Nebel ultimately returns to the mountains to fight through the ghostly miasma that has haunted him for so long.

Awards: Official Oscar® Submission 2011 (Foreign Language Film)

Director: Tomás Lunák

Producer: Pavel Strnad

Screenwriters: Jaroslav Rudiš Jaromír 99

Cinematographer: Jan Baset Strítežský

Editor: Petr Ríza

Music: Petr Kružik

Cast: Miroslav Krobot

Marie Ludvíková

Karel Roden

Leoš Noha

Alois Švehlík

Running Time: 84 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Czech, with English subtitles

International Sales: The Match Factory

Print Source: The Match Factory

Film Website: aloisnebel.cz

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Ambassador

TUESDAY MAY 29 6:00 PM

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

FRIDAY JUNE 1 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 3 6:15 PM HARVARD EXIT

The Ambassador may read like Borat in concept, but Mads Brügger’s fictitious persona entertains and devastatingly illuminates the real world of corrupt African commerce. Via hidden cameras and an underestimated Canon 5d, Brügger documents how he bought himself a diplomatic passport, established a fake match factory business in the Central African Republic, and developed the connections to obtain and smuggle blood diamonds out of the country in his diplomatic pouch. Initially striking a comedic tone, Brügger’s alter ego is dressed like an absurd colonial overlord (including riding boots and smoking accessories) and tosses around inane anecdotes, naïve questions, and a host of racist unpleasantries. Erroneously perceived as a malleable moron by the politicians and businessmen around him, he is able to manipulate the system undetected. Of course, these are not fictitious characters, but the real high-level politicians of the Central African Republic with whom Brügger is interacting. With the assassination of one of Brügger’s political contacts and his diplomatic papers unable to be verified, The Ambassador sobers into a suspenseful, real-life thriller that attains a deeper understanding of governmental corruption than ever documented.

Director:

Mads Brügger

Producers: Peter Engel

Carsten Holst

Screenwriters: Maja Jul Larsen

Mads Brügger

Cinematographer: Johan Stahl Winthereik

Editors:

Carsten Søsted

Kimmo Taavilla

Leif Axel Kjeldsen

Running Time:

97 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Danish, French, English, and Sango, with English

subtitles

International Sales: TrustNordisk

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Film Website: theambassador.dk

Selected Filmography: The Red Chapel (2010)

American Addict

Usa 2012

World Premiere

FRIDAY MAY 18 7:00 PM

EXIT SATURDAY MAY 19 3:00 PM SIFF

The United States comprises 5 percent of the world’s population but consumes 80 percent of its pharmaceutical narcotics. This startling statistic opens American Addict, documentarian Sasha Knezev’s in-depth examination of the corporatization of America’s drug dependency and its impact on both capitalism and public health. He supports his case with disturbing statistics and emotional first-person accounts from addicts, their families, noted doctors, scientific researchers, and police. Archival news footage recounts the frequent role of prescription narcotics in celebrity deaths—from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger—to illustrate how this $64 billion industry has shaped social and political policies. A thorough indictment, American Addict leaves no facet of the pharmacological industry’s influence unexplored. Noting historical examples such as the government’s Bush-era revamping of the Medicaid program to benefit big business and its staggering contributions to political candidates, the film exposes The pharmaceutical industry’s sway on politics and education. This hard-to-forget film will leave you questioning medical practices and the place of “legal” drugs in our society.

P RECE d E d B y:

Pain Within

Canada 2011, 2 minutes, Director: Christina Kay

The illusory high from drugs is described as ultimately painful and hurtful. Adobe Youth Voices

Director: Sasha Knezev

Producers: Gregory Smith

David Prok

Screenwriters: Sasha Knezev

Gregory Smith

Cinematographer: David S. Bouza

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: GS Medical/CPRG

Film Website: americanaddictthemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Fragments of Daniela (2006)

HARVARD

CINEMA UPTOWN

Any Day Now

SATURDAY MAY 26 6:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY MAY 27 2:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Rudy donatello (Alan Cumming) is the last person you’d expect to want to be a parent. A drag performer given to narcissism, his flippant manner backstage with his fellow performers seems to indicate Rudy is definitely not interested in anyone but himself. But when he and his partner, Paul (Garrett dillahunt), look after an abandoned teen with down Syndrome, Marco (the excellent Isaac Leyva), Rudy slowly begins to understand what it means to come together as a family. As the three men grow closer, Rudy and Paul decide to officially adopt Marco, but find they must contend with an increasingly confrontational legal system that stands in the way of their goal. As Paul, a closeted district Attorney, fights for the couple in court against Judge Meyerson (Frances Fisher), he risks both his career and reputation, upping the emotional stakes even further. Writer/director Travis Fine and a superb cast make an indelible emotional impression. Set in the late 1970s and inspired by actual events, the story is just one skirmish in a much larger human rights struggle that continues to be fought today.

Awards: Tribeca Film Festival 2012 (Audience Award)

Director: Travis Fine

Producer: Travis Fine

Screenwriter: Travis Fine

Cinematographer: Rachel Morrison

Editor: Tom Cross

Music: Joey Newman

Cast: Alan Cumming

Garret Dillahunt

Frances Fisher

Isaac Leyva

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Preferred Content

Print Source: PFM Pictures

Selected Filmography: The Space Between (2010)

The Others (1997)

L’A RT D’A IM e R

The Art of Love

FraNce 2011

SATURDAY MAY 26 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 2 6:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Nothing comes naturally to the would-be romantics of this fanciful French farce, despite living in the world capitol of amour. Isabelle hasn’t had sex in a year and reluctantly lets herself be set up by a friend, but insists on pretending to be someone else. Ladies’ man Achille thinks he’s in luck when his sexy new neighbor knocks on his door, only to be driven mad by her mixed signals. A middleaged couple finds their marriage threatened when wife Emmanuelle starts lusting after every strange man she meets. And a pair of young lovebirds, William and Vanessa, insist that they trust one another absolutely—until they don’t. Star-crossed lovers abound and bourgeois bed-hopping has never been so complicated. But with the aid of a topnotch cast, including François Cluzet and Juliette depardieu, SIFF favorite Emmanuel Mouret (Shall We Kiss?, Please, Please Me) is back to teach us The Art of Love

Awards: Montreal World Film Festival 2011 (Best Screenplay)

Director: Emmanuel Mouret

Producers: Georges Bermann

Frédéric Niedermayer

Screenwriter: Emmanuel Mouret

Cinematographer: Laurent Desmet

Editor: Martial Salomon

Cast: François Cluzet

Frederique Bel

Elodie Navarre

Gaspar Ulleil

Julie Depardieu

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Kinology

Print Source:

Kinology

Selected Filmography:

Please, Please Me! (2010)

Shall We Kiss? (2007)

Change of Address (2006)

Venus and Fleur (2004)

L

As Luck Would Have It

sPaiN 2011

THURSDAY MAY 24 6:30 PM

SATURDAY MAY 26 6:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM

RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Former ad man Roberto (José Mota) is down on his luck. Jobless and abandoned by former friends and colleagues, he drags himself from one doomed interview to another, with only his loving wife, Luisa (Salma Hayek), to lean on. After a particularly humiliating episode, he drives to Cartagena, the city where he and Luisa spent their honeymoon. But the hotel has been torn down and replaced by a new museum adjoining a Roman amphitheater. Arriving during the press launch, Roberto wanders around on the site and, in a bizarre accident, falls from a scaffold and ends up with an iron rod embedded in the back of his skull. Instantly, he finds himself transformed from a pariah into the center of a media frenzy—and sets out to make the most of it. Part satire, part high-concept melodrama, the latest from maverick filmmaker Alex de la Iglesia (The Last Circus) is a tale for our media-saturated times.

Awards:

Goya Awards 2012 Nominated (Best Actress, New Actor)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director: Alex de la Iglesia

Producers: Andres Vicente Gomez

Ximo Peréz

Screenwriter: Randy Feldman

Cinematographer: Kiko de la Rica

Editor: Pablo Blanco

Music: Joan Valent

Cast: Salma Hayek

José Mota

Santiago Segura Carolina Bang

Blanca Portillo

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: 6 Sales

Print Source: 6 Sales

Film Website: lachispadelavida.es

Selected Filmography:

The Last Circus (2010)

The Oxford Murders (2008)

El Crimen Perfecto (2004)

800 Bullets (2002)

La Comunidad (2000)

Muertos de Risa (1999)

Perdita Durango (1997)

The Day of the Beast (1995)

Mutant Action (1992)

The Atomic States of America

Usa 2012

SATURDAY JUNE 2 1:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

THURSDAY JUNE 7 3:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

The people who had SIFF audiences flicking their lighters in the air with Rock School are back to turn up the volume on a significantly more serious topic: the disturbingly laissezfaire treatment of nuclear power production in modern America. Inspired by Kelly McMasters’ memoir, directors don Argott and Sheena Joyce focus on the alarming rise of health problems befalling the townspeople of Shirley, N.y., a Long Island community nestled under the shadow of a nuclear research facility. Through interviews with town residents, people involved with the nuclear power industry, and informed activists (including actor Alec Baldwin), the filmmakers cast a cleareyed, frightening light on a country where the steadily increasing need for power outpaces the realities of safe delivery. Both pointed and admirably even-handed, The Atomic States of America convincingly encapsulates the history of this allegedly clean source of energy, as well as the collective denial of a potentially looming disaster in our midst. As McMasters states, “We all live downstream from something.”

Directors: Don Argott

Sheena M. Joyce

Producer: Sheena M. Joyce

Screenwriter: Kelly McMasters, based on the original memoir

Cinematographer: Don Argott

Editor: Demian Fenton

Running Time: 92 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: 914 Pictures

Selected Filmography: Last Days Here (2011)

The Art of the Steal (2009)

Two Days in April (2007) Rock School (2005) (The above directed by Don Argott and produced by Sheena M. Joyce.)

Bad Brains: A Band in DC

Usa/UNited KiNgdom 2012

SUNDAY MAY 20 9:00 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

despite the troubles of their eccentric front man and an unbelievable run of bad luck, the widely influential, d.C.-based punk band Bad Brains has endured for 30 years, alternately inflaming and inspiring their fanbase. Stretching back to the mid-’70s, when the four teens met in middle school in Washington, d.C., the film shows their evolution from jazzfusion enthusiasts to lightening-fast punk players. All the while they endured a tragicomic series of misfortunes from record label woes, to equipment theft, and the more sinister manifestations of frontman H.R.’s battles with mental illness and unflattering homophobic tendencies. Featuring commentary by Henry Rollins, Ric Ocasek, Ian MacKaye, Adam yauch, and don Letts, this documentary weaves together archival footage and current interviews with the band, while artful animation by comic book artist Rita Lux and animator Grant Nellessen fills in the narrative gaps and underscores both the transcendent moments and the brutal truths about the band’s backstory.

Directors: Mandy Stein

Benjamen Logan

Producers: Mandy Stein

Tyler Hubby

Cinematographer: Benjamen Logan

Editor: Tyler Hubby

Music:

Bad Brains

Running Time: 104 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

Palin Jane Productions

Film Website: facebook.com/BadBrainsDocumentary

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Badlands Usa 1973

THURSDAY JUNE 7 7:00 PM SIFF

Set in 1958 against the breathtaking backdrop of the titular South dakota formation, Terrence Malick’s broodingly beautiful debut feature chronicles the murderous journey of an ill-fated couple, portrayed unforgettably by Sissy Spacek and Martin Sheen. Their story is narrated by Holly (Spacek), a naïve and malleable teenage girl living in a small, deadend plains town. An encounter with a charming, rebellious young greaser—who has a sociopathic appetite for grisly violence—takes Holly down a dark spiritual path and eventually into a harrowing, homicidal road trip that has life-altering consequences for them both. Cited by Spacek as an experience that would forever change her perspective on the art of filmmaking, and perennially hailed as a landmark achievement in how cinematography can drive storyline, Badlands was added to the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 1993.

Awards: San Sebastián International Film Festival 1974 (Best Film, Actor)

Director: Terrence Malick

Producer: Terrence Malick

Screenwriter: Terrence Malick

Cinematographers: Tak Fujimoto

Stevan Larner

Brian Probyn

Editor: Robert Estrin

Music: George Tipton

Cast: Sissy Spacek

Martin Sheen

Warren Oates

Ramon Bieri

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: Warner Brothers

Selected Filmography: The Tree of Life (2011)

The New World (2005)

The Thin Red Line (1998) Days of Heaven (1978)

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

CINEMA UPTOWN

Beasts of the Southern Wild

USa 2012

THURSDAY MAY 31 6:30 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SATURDAY JUNE 2 12:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Hushpuppy is a little girl with big problems living in the forgotten backwaters of New Orleans with her father, Wink (Dwight Henry). As an epic storm begins to gather, the eclectic residents of their small community, affectionately named “The Bathtub,” prepare for the worst. Following the deluge, Hushpuppy and Wink, along with other misfits and outsiders, take to the water, navigating the submerged city in a makeshift houseboat. When Wink falls ill, Hushpuppy sets out on a journey to find her mother, in hopes that she might offer a cure for the mysterious illness. Filled with poetic imagery and charged with an emotional intensity seldom seen onscreen, Beasts of the Southern Wild is the feature-length debut of Benh Zeitlin (SIFF 2008 short film Glory at Sea), establishing him as an important new voice in American film. It also marks the arrival of newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis, who holds her own against the forces of nature unleashed by Zeitlin in his beautifully realized tour-de-force.

Awards:

Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Best Dramatic Film, Excellence in Cinematography: U.S. Dramatic)

Director:

Benh Zeitlin

Producers: Josh Penn

Dan Janvey

Michael Gottwald

Screenwriters: Lucy Alibar

Benh Zeitlin

Cinematographer: Ben Richardson

Editors:

Crockett Doob

Affonso Gonçalves

Music:

Dan Romer Benh Zeitlin

Cast:

Quvenzhané Wallis

Dwight Henry

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Court 13 International

Print Source: Fox Searchlight

Film Website: beastsofthesouthernwild. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Beautiful Game

USa/United Kingdom/ ghana/SoUth aFrica 2012 World premiere

THURSDAY MAY 31 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 2 12:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

“Soccer has a following larger than any one religion,” says Archbishop Desmond Tutu in this dynamic portrait of six Africans whose lives are impacted by the sport. And like a religion, football unifies and uplifts. For some, it provides an intense cultural bond, gluing African cultures together. For others, the sport creates opportunities to escape crippling poverty and hardship, to gain scholarships and a chance to choose their own fates. The Beautiful Game showcases young players from Nigeria, Ghana, The Ivory Coast, South Africa, Egypt, Cameroon, and Togo, their stories told with scenic backdrops as unique as each player’s life. Director Victor Buhler, himself from a country obsessed with football (the United Kingdom), explores the sport in Africa from its humblest roots—barren fields and a ball made from plastic bags—all the way to the World Cup. In one moving sequence, he illustrates the intensely direct communication that soccer can engender: prior to the 2006 World Cup, Ivorian footballer Didier Drogba effectively halted a civil war by speaking out for peace. Drogba’s continued political influence eloquently speaks to The Beautiful Game’s message: that football is indeed the world’s most powerful sport.

Director: Victor Buhler

Producers: Julian Cautherley

Tom Mickel

Jason Mercer

Cinematographer: Nic Hofmeyr

Editor: Joel Plotch

Running Time: 88 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in French, English, with English

subtitles

Print Source: Good ‘n Proper

Film Website: beautifulgamefilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Bel Ami

SUNDAY MAY 20 9:00 PM

THEATRE

SUNDAY MAY 27 12:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Following his military service in North Africa, ex-soldier George duroy (Robert Pattinson) returns penniless to a bleak existence in the suburbs of Paris. However, a chance meeting with his former mentor, Charles Forestier, soon provides duroy with employment on Forestier’s newspaper, La Vie Francaise. Meanwhile, the seductive charms of Mme. Forestier (Uma Thurman) furnish him with a passport into the upper echelons of the city’s nouveau riche, where he soon earns the nickname “Bel Ami.” From there, duroy unscrupulously exploits his friends, colleagues, and, most importantly, their women—chief among them, the lusty Clotilde (Christina Ricci) and the constrained Mme. Rousset (Kristin Scott Thomas)—to further his growing appetite for fortune and power. Adapted from Guy de Maupassant’s classic novel, Bel Ami succeeds as a sumptuously rich costume drama, fully capturing the Parisian belle epoque. But beneath the film’s gorgeous façade, co-directors declan donnellan and Nick Ormerod fashion an alluring yet acerbic comedy of bourgeois manners, in which sex, influence, and celebrity provide the currency for a hypocritical society bankrupting itself with decadence.

Directors: Declan Donnellan

Nick Ormerod

Producer: Uberto Pasolini

Screenwriter: Rachel Bennette based on the novel by Guy de Maupassant

Cinematographer: Stefano Falivene

Editor: Masahiro Hirakubo

Music:

Rachel Portman

Lakshman Joseph de Saram

Cast:

Robert Pattinson

Christina Ricci

Uma Thurman

Kristin Scott Thomas Colm Meaney

Running Time: 102 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Website: magpictures.com/belami

International Sales: Protagonist Pictures

Selected

Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Bestiaire

caNada (QUéBec)/FraNce 2012

FRIDAY MAY 18 7:00 PM SIFF FILM CENTER

SATURDAY MAY 19 6:00 PM SIFF FILM CENTER

In medieval times, the only way most people could see exotic animals was through a “bestiary,” an illustrated book of real and imagined animals that also contained moral or religious lessons. Now anyone can see exotic animals at zoos and “safari parks,” but it’s the act of seeing that French-Canadian auteur denis Côté examines with Bestiaire. His documentary is as much about looking as it is about the animals, zookeepers, taxidermists, and the visitors in Québec’s “Parc Safari” that are observed. The movie opens with a girl, and then others, staring at something and sketching. Eventually it’s revealed that they are sketching a stuffed deer. Côté repeats this pattern at the park, sometimes showing bits and pieces of animals or cages, or a taxidermist stuffing a duck; other times showing us wider shots that provide a more spatial context. As winter thaws to the tourist days of summer, more people are added to the mix, and Côté starts watching the people who are watching the animals. Unlike the medieval bestiary, Côté’s bestiaries don’t moralize. He’s more concerned with finding a beautiful frame, showing fascinating animals, and looking at the people who are looking at them.

Director: Denis Côté

Producer: Sylvain Corbeil

Cinematographer: Vincent Biron

Editor: Nicolas Roy

Running Time: 72 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: FiGa Films

Print Source: FiGa Films

Selected Filmography: Curling (2010)

Carcasses (2009)

All That She Wants (2008)

Our Private Lives (2007) Drifting States (2005)

EGYPTIAN

Best Intentions

romania/hUngary 2011

MONDAY MAY 21 8:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 9:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 2 2:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Alex (Bogdan Dumitrache) is a successful man afflicted with obsessive-compulsive disorder. When his beloved mother (Nataşa Raab) has a stroke, his attempts to control the uncontrollable get out of hand, and he jumps on a train to hold vigil at his mother’s bedside. All the people who converge to care for his mother are well meaning—but as the old saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Shot from outside Alex’s point of view, the director spies on his admittedly autobiographical character, providing a deeply amusing analysis of his world. “I had this idea of never showing the film from Alex’s perspective, but always from an observational third perspective,” says Sitaru. Alex’s behavior is somehow guided by his well-meaning naïveté. The long hours he waits at the hospital, the tense moments of doctor reports, the empty nighttime hallways—each element adds to the semi-surreal hospital scenes, where patients watch over visitors and where visitors watch over patients, alternatively masked or exposed by their concerns.

Awards: Locarno Film Festival 2011 (Best Director, Actor)

Director:

Adrian Sitaru

Producer:

Ada Solomon

Screenwriter: Adrian Sitaru

Cinematographer: Adrian Silisteanu

Editor:

Andrei Gorgan

Cast:

Bogdan Dumitrache

Nataşa Raab

Marian Râlea

Alina Grigore

Running Time: 105 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Romanian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Films Boutique

Print Source: Films Boutique

Selected Filmography: Hooked (2008)

A Better Life

France 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 9:00 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 8:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 3 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Trained chef Yann (Farewell’s Guillaume Canet) can’t find restaurant work in Paris due to his lack of practical experience. But during one interview, he does find a girlfriend, the ethereally beautiful Nadia (Leïla Bekhti), and the two quickly fall into a family unit, along with Nadia’s young son, Slimane (Slimane Khettabi). Newly inspired by this sudden stroke of luck, Yann sets his sights on a decrepit building in a Paris suburb, deciding to renovate it and start his own fine-dining outfit. But the debt required to get off the ground starts to pile up, and eventually the financing proves insurmountable. When Nadia must go to Montréal to accept a more lucrative job, she leaves Slimane in Yann’s care. Once Nadia disappears from her Canadian outpost, the desperation of each individual’s situation is ratcheted higher and higher. Now Yann must find Nadia while keeping his own life, and that of his new charge, safe. Cédric Kahn’s taut look at life on the fringes arrives at a poignant historical time, when one man’s necessity is another’s luxury.

Awards:

Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival 2011 (Special Jury Award, Cineuropa Award) Rome International Film Festival 2011 (Marc’Aurello Jury Award for Best Actor)

Director: Cédric Kahn

Producers: Kristina Larsen

Gilles Sandoz

Denise Robert

Daniel Louis

Screenwriters: Cédric Kahn

Catherine Paillé

Cinematographer: Pascal Marti

Editor: Simon Jacquet

Music: Akido

Cast: Guillaume Canet

Leïla Bekhti

Slimane Khettabi

Running Time: 118 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French and English, with English

subtitles

Print Source: Wild Bunch

International Sales: Wild Bunch

Film Website: wildbunch.biz/films/a_ better_life

The Plane (2005)

Railway Bar (1991) une

Selected Filmography: Regrets (2010)

Red Lights (2004)

Roberto Succo (2001)

L’Ennui (1998)

Too Much Happiness (1994)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Beware of Mr. Baker

Usa 2012

SUNDAY MAY 27 8:30 PM

THURSDAY MAY 31 6:30 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 4:00 PM

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Ginger Baker is an angry man: that fact becomes apparent when he smashes the film’s director in the nose in the opening scene. The legendary drummer, best known for his work with Cream and Blind Faith, is one of the most notorious musicians in rock history.

From the South African compound he shares with his 29-year-old internet bride and 39 polo ponies, Baker reflects back on his wild life, all while chain-smoking and ingesting copious amounts of morphine. Filmmaker Jay Bulger’s rollicking documentary also features interviews with the wide range of famous musicians who have worked with Baker, including percussive peers Stewart Copeland, Charlie Watts, Lars Ulrich, and Carmine Appice, as well as fellow provocateur John Lydon and the iconic Eric Clapton. Intimate insights from his family and the onscreen antics of the flamboyant subject himself help paint a colorful portrait of an unforgettable and controversial rock legend.

Awards:

SXSW 2012 (Jury Prize - Documentary Feature)

MATA TeRTuTuP

Blindfold

THURSDAY MAY 31 6:00 PM

Director: Jay Bulger

Producers: Andrew Karsch

Fisher Stevens

Erik H. Gordon

Screenwriter: Jay Bulger

Cinematographer: Eric Robbins

Editor: Abhay Sofsky

Music: Bill Laswell

Featuring: Ginger Baker Eric Clapton

Charlie Watts

Running Time: 92 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Greenberg Traurig

Print Source: Insurgent Media

Film Website: bewareofmrbaker.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

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MONDAY JUNE 4 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY JUNE 5 7:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Indonesian filmmaker Garin Nugroho’s deeply empathetic entry offers a striking contrast to his celebrated musical Opera Jawa (SIFF 2007). In The Blindfold, three interlocking stories illustrate the often-tragic consequences that result from the aggressive recruitment techniques of the banned Indonesian Islamic State (NII) and the powerful pull that religious radicalization has on the country’s disenfranchised youth. Jabir (M. dinu Imansyah) joins NII in order to lift his family out of poverty, Rima (Eka Nusa Pertiwi) graduates from “valuable member” to “leading player” in the organization, and Asimah (Jajang C. Noer) launches a desperate search for her daughter, a new recruit. Even for Jabir and Rima, NII offers only a brief reprieve from their limited prospects when he faces financial problems and she encounters NII’s deeply ingrained sexism. In constructing his narrative, Nugroho drew from the research of the Maarif Institute, Indonesia’s leading moderate Islamic organization, which aims to promote pluralism, tolerance and active dialogue in understanding the religion. due to the threat of attacks and under the watchful eye of the head of counter-terrorism, Nugroho finished principal photography in nine days using non-professional actors, with the exception of veteran actress Noer.

Director: Garin Nugroho

Producers: Garin Nugroho

Asaf Antariska

Endang Tirtana

Screenwriter: Tri Sasongko

Cinematographer: Anggi Frisca

Editor:

Achmad Thaoviek

Music: Fahmi

Cast: Jajang C. Noer

Adriani Isna

Eka Nusa Pertiwi

M. Dinu Imansyah

Kedung Darma R.

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Indonesian, with English subtitles

Print Source: SET Film Workshop

Selected Filmography: The Blue Generation (2009)

Under the Tree (2008)

Opera Jawa (2006) Of Love and Eggs (2004)

Bird Man Tale (2002)

Layar hidup: Tanjang

priok/Jakarta (2001) A Poet (2000)

Leaf on a Pillow (1998)

My Family, My Films and My Nation (1998) ...and the Moon Dances (1995)

Letter to an Angel (1994)

Love in a Slice of Bread (1992)

Water and Romi (1991)

Bol

SUNDAY MAY 20 8:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 22 3:00 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 11:00 AM

In Urdu, the word “bol” means “say,” and in the latest feature by Shoaib Mansoor (In the Name of God), speaking out is a difficult and often dangerous thing to do. Narrated by a young woman who has been condemned to death, and set in Punjab’s capital, Lahore, this hard-hitting and epic story takes place in a house full of sisters. They’re individuals but are still controlled by a domineering father who adheres to the strictest orthodox Muslim values. Making matters worse, he feels shame that his long-awaited son is born a hermaphrodite. Unable to submit to his tyrannical ways, the eldest daughter, Zainab, rebels against the family’s oppressive patriarch, with tragic results. A daring hit in Pakistan, Mansoor’s film tackles numerous social taboos, notably Islamic orthodoxy and the treatment of women. Pakistani pop star Atif Aslam plays an enlightened neighborhood doctor who loves music (and one of Zainab’s sisters), offering interesting nuances to this often intense and provocative melodrama. Bol is an impressive achievement, and one of the most acclaimed films to emerge from Pakistan.

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Director:

Shoaib Mansoor

Producers:

Shahid Jamal

Shoaib Mansoor

Screenwriter:

Shoaib Mansoor

Cinematographer: Salman Razzaq

Editor:

Armaghan Hassan

Music:

Baqir Abbas

Cast:

Humaima Malick

Atif Aslam

Iman Ali

Mahira Khan

Manzar Sehbai

Shafqat Cheema

Running Time: 165 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Urdu, with English subtitles

International Sales: Eros International LTD

Print Source: Eros International LTD

Film Website: bolthemovie.com

Selected Filmography:

In the Name of God/ Khuda Kay Liye (2007)

Bonsái

chile 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 1:30 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 8:30 PM

Love, lies, and literature form the framework of Bonsái, the masterful new film by Cristián Jiménez. Julio, a struggling, 20-something editor-for-hire interviews with Gazmuri, a veteran author who needs someone to type up his handwritten manuscript for his latest novel. Julio doesn’t get the job, but instead of confessing his failure to Blanca (his equally bookish neighbor-with-benefits), he decides to write his own novel and pass it off to her as Gazmuri’s. Like many first-time novelists, he chooses a story from his own life: the story of his first love, Emilia, whom he met when he was a 20-year-old literature student. His novel’s couple is young and inquisitive, and passionate about love, literature, and passion itself. By interweaving these present and past romances, Jiménez skillfully puts each relationship into relief as Julio begins to see his current life through the eyes of his past. With deadpan humor and cool sarcasm, Bonsái tackles twin themes: how we all become different people as the years pass and how any fabrication—a lie, a novel, a film—can become an authentic container for powerful emotional truths.

Awards:

Miami Film Festival 2012 (Best Feature Film, Screenplay)

Director: Cristián Jiménez

Producers: Bruno Bettati

Nadia Turincev

Julie Gayet

Hernan Mussalupi

Screenwriter: Cristián Jiménez

Cinematographer: Inti Briones

Editor: Soledad Salfate

Music: Eduardo Henriquez

Caroline Chaspoul

Cast: Diego Noguera

Natalia Galgani

Gabriela Arancibia

Trinidad González

Hugo Medina

Running Time: 92 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Rezo

Print Source: Strand Releasing

Selected Filmography: Optical Illusions (2009)

PaKistaN 2011

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

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SUNDAY JUNE 10 6:30 PM

Set in the rugged and mysterious Scottish Highlands, Disney • Pixar’s Brave follows the heroic journey of Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), the skilled archer and headstrong daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson). Determined to change her fate, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the unruly and uproarious lords of the land—massive Lord MacGuffin (Kevin McKidd), surly Lord Macintosh (Craig Ferguson), and cantankerous Lord Dingwall (Robbie Coltrane)—and unleashes chaos in the kingdom. When she turns to an eccentric Witch (Julie Walters), she’s granted an illfated wish and the ensuing peril forces Merida to harness all of her resources—including her mischievous triplet brothers—to undo a beastly curse and discover the meaning of true bravery. Directed by Brenda Chapman and Mark Andrews and produced by Katherine Sarafian, Brave is a grand adventure full of heart, memorable characters, and signature Pixar humor.

Directors:

Mark Andrews

Brenda Chapman

Steve Purcell

Producer: Katherine Sarafian

Screenwriters: Mark Andrews

Steve Purcell

Irene Mecchi from a story by Brenda Chapman

Editor: Nicholas C. Smith

Music: Patrick Doyle

Voices: Kelly Macdonald

Emma Thompson

Billy Connolly

Julie Walters

Robbie Coltrane

Kevin McKidd

Craig Ferguson

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: Digital 3D

Print Source: Disney•Pixar

Film Website: disney.go.com/brave

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Breathing

AUStriA 2011

SUNDAY MAY 20 8:00 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 3:30 PM

The remarkably assured directorial debut from veteran Austrian actor Karl Markovics (best known for The Counterfeiters) negotiates an intriguing interplay between the perilousness of youth and the inevitability of death. Roman is an inmate at a juvenile detention center whose last hope of parole rests on his ability to hold down a job, in this case, as an assistant in a Vienna morgue. A chance observation of a body bag sparks the first bit of initiative in a previously aimless life, but a brief reunion with his wayward mother further stymies his search for a sense of purpose. Markovics’ artful use of widescreen compositions and sparse dialogue helps articulate Roman’s spiritual catharsis. As the young man attempts to connect with a life hanging in the balance, his work leads to remorse, horror, and ultimately a glimmer of illumination.

Awards:

Cannes Director’s Fortnight, 2011 (Best European Film) Official Oscar® Submission, 2011 (Foreign Language Film) Sarajevo Film Festival 2011 (Best Film, Actor)

Director: Karl Markovics

Producer: Dieter Pochlatko

Screenwriter: Karl Markovics

Cinematographer: Martin Gschlacht

Editor: Alarich Lenz

Music:

Herbert Tucmandl

Cast: Thomas Schubert

Karin Lischka

Gerhard Liebmann

Georg Friedrich

Running Time: 93 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in German, with English subtitles

International Sales: Austrian Film Commission

Print Source: Kino Lorber

Film Website: breathing-the-movie.at/

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

The British Guide to Showing Off

THURSDAY MAY 31 4:00 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 3 8:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FRIDAY JUNE 8 4:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Sculptor Andrew Logan, who won his first costume prize on Coronation day in 1953, founded the “Alternative Miss World Contest” in 1972 and has reigned over this unique and fabulous event ever since. Each contest is a performance art piece in its own right, a celebration of the sexually subversive spirit of the times, and a showcase of the extravagant, the groundbreaking, and the eccentric. Stupendously attired contestants such as “Miss Tuna Turner” and “Miss Placed Enthusiasm” parade alongside hosts and judges, including outsider icons like divine and derek Jarman. Using the 12th show in the series as the primary pivot point, the film follows Logan and his motley crew as they mount the show in the Roadhouse, with Ruby Wax presenting. The footage of past shows alone is enough to captivate and charm, and director/animator Jes Benstock’s playful mixed-media collage and animation are perfectly in tune with the spirit of its subject.

Directors: Jes Benstock

Dorigen Hammond

Producer:

Dorigen Hammond

Cinematographers: Denzil Armour-Brown

Andrew David Clark

Johnny Cocking

Editor: Stephen Boucher

Music:

Mike Roberts

Featuring: Andrew Logan

Brian Eno

Richard O’Brien Zandra Rhodes

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Living Cinema

Print Source: Living Cinema

Film Website: britishguidetoshowingoff.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Brooklyn

Brothers

Beat the Best Usa 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 1 9:30 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 2 4:00 PM

Some of the world’s greatest songs have been created by perfectly paired weirdos. Ryan O’ Nan’s directorial debut not only explores this premise, it celebrates it. Alex (O’Nan, who also wrote the screenplay and music) is an emotional and professional mess whose life is on a steep downward slide. Jim (Michael Weston) is a socially awkward misfit who lives with his grandfather. After being dropped by their respective bands, the two have no choice but to join forces. Enter Cassidy (Arielle Kebbel) a bored rock ’n’ roller who offers to manage the bumbling duo. Love, heartfelt hijinks, and yes, a “Battle of the Bands” ensues. Featuring a resonant original soundtrack, Brooklyn Brothers explores the complexities of music and of the people who make it in the business with a fresh, unflinching perspective. Unexpected cameos from Andrew McCarthy, Wilmer Valderrama, Melissa Leo, and veteran character actor Christopher Mcdonald add zing to this warm, enjoyable comedy.

Director: Ryan O’Nan

Producers: Jason Michael Berman

Kwesi Collisson

Screenwriter: Ryan O’Nan

Cinematographer: Gavin Kelly

Editor: Annette Davey

Music: Rob Simonsen

Cast: Ryan O’Nan

Michael Weston

Jason Ritter

Wilmer Valderrama

Arielle Kebbel

Melissa Leo

Andrew McCarthy

Christopher McDonald

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Oscilloscope Laboratories

Film Website: brooklynbrothersmovie. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

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PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Bull Runners of Pamplona

UNited KiNgdom/sPaiN 2011

THURSDAY MAY 24 6:30 PM

SATURDAY MAY 26 11:00 AM

Every July, thousands of men and women travel to Spain and risk their lives in the streets of Pamplona to run with the fighting bulls. Hundreds are injured, but some, despite the mounting danger of the overcrowded event, participate year after year. First-time runners armed with equal parts bravado and drunken courage are contrasted with the seasoned veteran runners in Aubrey Powell’s celebratory and revealing documentary. An exploration of the mentality of thrill-seekers, as well as a reasoned description of the art and technique of a successful run, are illustrated with slow-motion footage of the carnage that takes place inside the encierro (as the run is referred to in Spain). Made famous by Ernest Hemingway in his novel The Sun Also Rises, the annual running of the bulls is as divisive as that author’s macho persona. The film also chronicles the attempts of animal rights activists to put an end to the 600-year-old tradition. The organized anarchy of the event has never been so intimately dissected and brought to life, with handheld cameras racing along with the runners. Powell’s film may be the definitive portrait of this intensely controversial rite of passage.

P RECE d E d B y:

Matador on the Road Spain 2011, 16 minutes, Director: Alexis Morante

On the way to Las Vegas, a Cadillac runs over something in the middle of the desert, breaking the car...

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Director: Aubrey Powell

Producers: Fiz Oliver

Chris Cary

Cinematographer: Brett Turnbull

Editor: David Fairhead

Running Time: 58 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish and English, with English subtitles

Print Source: San Fermin Films Ltd.

International Sales: Journeyman LTD

Selected Filmography: It Could Never Happen to Me (2010)

Robert Plant: Nine Lives (2006)

Jean-Michel Jarre: Making the Steamroller Fly (2003)

The Krays: the Final Word (2001)

The Gumboots Story (2000)

Francis Bacon: 7 Reece Mews (1999)

Dein Perry’s Tap Dogs (1996)

Paul McCartney: Movin’

On (1993)

Paul McCartney: Going Home (1991)

Bunohan: Return to Murder

malaysia 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 1 9:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 11:30 AM

Kickboxing mixes with family drama, blood, and mysticism in this revenge tale with echoes of “King Lear.” Although it contains scenes of disturbing violence, genre-bending indie director dain Said’s thriller also serves up a feast of haunting archetypes amid gorgeous natural scenery. Adil is a young Malaysian kickboxer who fights in a club just across the border in Thailand. deep in debt to the club’s owner, he agrees to a fight to the death. But when things look bad for Adil, his friends pull him out of the ring and run off with him. The club manager then hires a Malaysian assassin named Ilham, who tracks Adil to their mutual hometown of Bunohan. The name of this rural village also means “murder” in Malay, a sinister coincidence apparently not lost on the characters. But when lham discovers that Adil is actually his stepbrother and their ailing father still lives in Bunohan things become more complicated. This dark and densely layered film about deception, betrayal, and the ties that bind is wondrously shot in a style that combines the gritty and the elegiac amid a landscape of stunning beauty.

Director:

Dain Said

Producer: Nandita Solomon

Screenwriter: Dain Said

Cinematographer: Charin Pengpanich

Editor: HK Panca

Music:

Tan Yan Wei

Cast: Faizal Hussen

Zahril Adzim

Pekin Ibrahim

Bront Palarae

Namron

Wan Hanafisu

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Malaysian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Arclight Films

Print Source: Oscilloscope Laboratories

Film Website: bunohan.com

Selected Filmography: Dukun (2007)

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Camilla Dickinson

Usa 2012

World Premiere

SUNDAY MAY 20 5:30 PM

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WEDNESDAY MAY 23 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Camilla dickinson (Adelaide Clemens) is a 15-year-old astronomy enthusiast whose own universe is in disarray, as she senses her parents (Cary Elwes and Samantha Mathis) drifting farther and farther apart. While she attempts to find a way to hold her family together, her sheltered life is expanded by the attentions of her best friend’s older brother (Gregg Sulkin), whose kindness comes with rumors of a troubled past. Before long, Camilla realizes that even the best of intentions can sometimes spin into unexpected directions. Both warm and wise, this adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s celebrated 1951 novel expertly captures the pangs of adolescence, anchored by Clemens’ beautifully modulated central performance. Blending drama, humor, and an intriguing dash of spirituality, director Cornelia duryée Moore (returning to SIFF after 2008’s The Dark Horse) gives her talented cast plenty of room to move, populating a New york of the past with performances and emotions that feel freshly minted. Optimistic even at its cloudiest moments, this is the rare young-adult film that captures the story’s considerable sentiment without ever dipping into sentimentality.

Director:

Cornelia Duryée Moore

Producer:

Larry Estes

Screenwriters:

Cornelia Duryée Moore

Madeleine L’Engle

based on the novel by Madeleine L’Engle

Cinematographer: Mike Vukas

Editor:

Ben Dobyns

Music:

BC Smith

Cast:

Adelaide Clemens

Samantha Mathis

Gregg Sulkin

Cary Elwes

Camryn Manheim

Robert Picardo

Running Time: 117 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Kairos Productions

Film Website: thecamillamovie.com

Selected Filmography: Dark Horse (2008)

SATURDAY MAY 26 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY MAY 29 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 3 8:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

After eloping to Istanbul to escape the objections of their families, Cemal and Ayşe are happy in their marriage. The only thing missing in their lives is the baby they would both like to have. Unable to get pregnant, they eventually consult a doctor, who reveals to Cemal that he’s infertile. Frustrated and ashamed, he embarks on a face-saving scheme to have Ayşe fake a pregnancy, while they adopt a baby who will arrive nine months later. But when the baby does arrive, under dubious circumstances, Ayşe finds herself unable to summon any maternal feeling whatsoever. As she and Cemal grow increasingly resentful of one another, the marriage begins to crumble under the strain and, appalled at the mess he’s made, Cemal flees. In this 2012 Sundance Special Jury Prize winner, set against the backdrop of a city with a thriving market in the human trafficking of children, director Rasit Çelikezer has created a complex and surprising exploration of what it means to be a parent.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Special Jury Prize)

Director: Rasit Çelikezer

Producers: Rasit Çelikezer

Burak Akidil

Umman Küçükyilmaz

Screenwriter: Rasit Çelikezer

Cinematographer: Ali Ozel

Editor: Ahmet Can Çakirca

Music: Tamer Çiray

Cast: Selen Uçer

Serdar Orcin

Yusuf Berkan Demirbag

Erkan Avci

Serhat Nalbantoglu

Running Time: 106 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Turkish, with

English subtitles

Print Source: Defne Film Production

Film Website: canfilmi.com

Selected Filmography:

Three Apples Fell From the Sky (2008)

Carrie USA 1976

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 10:00 PM

Brian De Palma’s classic, supernatural horror film was based on Stephen King’s first novel and resulted in Sissy Spacek earning an Oscar® nomination for her portrayal of a teenaged social outcast wielding fatal telekinetic powers. Carrie White (Spacek) is a shy, friendless teenager perpetually at the mercy of her Mean Girls-esque peers, who taunt and deride her on a daily basis. Her blind panic at her first menstruation—a result of her sheltered existence and the conservative, religious guilt drummed into her by her fanatical mother—only causes her classmates’ vicious harassment to escalate. Despite the well-intentioned interference of her protective gym teacher (Betty Buckley), Carrie’s fate as a bullying victim seems sealed. When Queen Bee Chris Hargenson (Nancy Allen) engineers a humiliating prank at the school prom, Carrie lashes out in a horrifying and vengeful display of her violent powers. One of the first mainstream films to focus on the special brand of cruelty unique to teenage girls, and a truly chilling horror film, Carrie endures as one of De Palma’s strongest achievements.

Awards:

Oscar® Nominee 1977 (Best Actress)

Director: Brian De Palma

Producer: Paul Monash

Screenwriter:

Lawrence D. Cohen

Cinematographer: Mario Tosi

Editor: Paul Hirsch

Music: Pino Donaggio

Cast: Sissy Spacek

Piper Laurie

Amy Irving

William Katt

John Travolta

Betty Buckley

Nancy Allen

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: BluRay

Print Source: Park Circus LLC

Selected Filmography: Redacted (2007)

The Black Dahlia (2006)

Femme Fatale (2002)

Mission to Mars (2000)

Snake Eyes (1998)

Mission: Impossible (1996)

Carlito’s Way (1993)

Raising Cain (1992)

The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)

Casualties of War (1989)

The Untouchables (1987)

Wise Guys (1986)

Body Double (1984)

Scarface (1983)

Blow Out (1981)

Dressed to Kill (1980)

Home Movies (1980)

The Fury (1978)

Carrie (1976)

Sisters (1973)

The Wedding Party (1969)

The Central Park Effect USA 2012

FRIDAY MAY 25 6:00 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 12:30 PM

Nearly 38 million people visit Central Park every year. How many bring binoculars? Jeffrey Kimball’s debut documentary introduces New York City’s birders, with a backdrop of spectacular wildlife footage from this unlikely locale. On a good day, more than 100 different species of birds can be found in the vast green space of Central Park. According to the amateur ornithologists Kimball interviews— from author and birder Jonathan Franzen to a devoted high school girl to a septuagenarian who leads tours almost daily during springtime—urban parks are a major attraction for migrating birds. Move away from the din of cars and people and into the park, where birdsong is audible, and you’ll find an equally diverse array of people who love the sound and sight of birds. High-definition photography precisely captures birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. This lyrical documentary captures the changing seasons and a dazzling, oftunnoticed microcosm.

P R e C e D e D BY: CatCam

USA 2012, 16 minutes, Director: Seth Keal When his newly adopted cat Mr. Lee disappears for days at a time, his owner Jurgen designed a camera to fit on his cat’s collar, opening a fascinating window into feline existence.

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Director: Jeffrey Kimball

Producer: Jeffrey Kimball

Cinematographers: Tony Pagano

Jeffrey Kimball

Editor: Daniel Baer

Music: Paul Damian Hogan

RUNNING Time: 60 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Submarine Entertainment

Print Source: Submarine Entertainment

Film Website: centralparkbirdfilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Chapiteau-Show

FRIDAY JUNE 8 8:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 9 3:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Mixing cabaret-style musical numbers, a labyrinthine structure, and a healthy dose of playful surrealism, Chapiteau-Show tells four interconnected short stories about relationships, all emerging from within a mysterious circus tent on the coast of the Black Sea. In the first story, “Love,” a young woman comes face to face with a solemn friend whom she met online. In “Friendship,” a young deaf man finds that it’s difficult to connect with his new friends. “Respect” follows a famous actor attempting to reconnect with his estranged son. And an ambitious theatrical producer tries to stage an outlandish production in the final tale, “Cooperation”. Characters from the foreground of one story end up in the background of another, and between chapters they gather in a colorful cabaret to expose their true feelings with pop songs performed in the style of Elvis, Michael Jackson, and Freddie Mercury. “All the characters in this film are beautiful losers,” says director Sergey Loban, who’s crafted a fiercely inventive and light-hearted epic that gleefully breaks all the rules. Already a huge hit in its native Russia, Chapiteau-Show is a postmodern delight that defines Marshall McLuhan’s famous aphorism “the medium is the message.”

Director:

Sergey Loban

Producer:

Ekaterina Gerasicneva

Screenwriter: Marina Potapova

Cinematographers: Ivan Mamonon

Yevgeniy Tsvetkov

Editor:

Sergey Loran

Music:

Zhak Polyakov

Cast:

Alexey Podolsky

Pyote Mamonov

Dmitry Bogdan

Vera Strokova

Alexey Zhamensky

Jin Avignon

Running Time: 207 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Russian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Organic Films

Print Source: Organic Films

Film Website: sh-sh.ru/en

Selected Filmography: Pyl (2005) SHAPITO-SHOU

Charles Bradley: Soul of America

USA 2012

TUESDAY MAY 29 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Opening with his 62nd birthday, Charles Bradley: Soul of America follows the extraordinary journey of singer Charles Bradley during the electrifying and transformative months leading up to the release of his debut album No Time for Dreaming. Abandoned as a child and nearly shattered by the senseless murder of his brother, Bradley has spent his itinerant life in constant poverty. But from Florida to Seattle to New York, he never gave up on his dream to be a professional singer. Discovered while moonlighting as “Black Velvet,” a James Brown impersonator, Bradley teams with musician Tommy Brenneck and record producer Gabriel Roth. Together, they shed the James Brown covers and focus on finding Charles’ unique voice. Charles’ heartfelt songs and impassioned performances take him from the projects to an opening slot on a national tour, and eventually to the crafting of a debut album that will become one of the most celebrated albums of the year. Braiding together interviews, rehearsal and performance footage, and the daunting realities of Bradley’s struggle, Poull Brien reveals a deep appreciation for the spirit of this remarkable man. Bradley may call himself “The Screaming Eagle of Soul,” but this film proves he’s actually a phoenix, rising from the ashes to live again.

Director: Poull Brien

Producer: Alexander Brough

Cinematographer: Stuart McCardle

Editors: Adriana Pacheco

Stuart McCardle

Poull Brien

Music: Charles Bradley and the Menahan Street Band

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Sum Of Us

Film Website: charlesbradleyfilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Awards: Moscow International Film Festival 2011 (Special Jury Prize)

The Chase

PM

Every February, hard-boiled cinephiles haunt the streets of SIFF’s weeklong Noir City Festival. Most, if not all, would be content to stay put in the asphalt jungle, set themselves up as a gun for hire, and enjoy the sweet smell of success with a phantom lady named Gilda. It never works out, of course. At SIFF 2012, take a detour back into the naked city with Arthur Ripley’s noir classic The Chase. Unemployed World War II vet Chuck Scott hasn’t seen better days in ages. When he comes across a lost wallet, he decides to track down its owner, vicious gangster Eddie Roman. Well, no good deed goes unpunished. Roman hires Scott to be his chauffeur, but not before testing him with a wicked little device in his car. Soon, Scott starts to fall for Roman’s suicidal young wife Lorna. However, when the couple decides to flee together, they discover just how difficult it is to escape the sadistic Roman’s web of murder and mayhem.

Featuring Peter Lorre as Roman’s top lieutenant Gino, The Chase is a nightmarish journey into fear, terror, and paranoia—with a surprising twist.

Restoration Credit:

Restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, with funding provided by The Film Foundation and the Franco-American Cultural Fund, a unique partnership between the Directors Guild of America (DGA); the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA); Societe de Auteurs, Compositeurs et Editeurs de Musique (SACEM); and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW).

Director: Arthur Ripley

Producer: Seymour Nebenzal

Screenwriter: Philip Yordan, based on the novel by Cornell Woolrieh

Cinematographer: Frank F. Planer

Editor: Edward Mann

Music: Michel Michelet

Cast: Robert Cummings

Michele Morgan

Steve Cochran

Peter Lorre

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: UCLA Film and Television

Archive

Selected Filmography: Thunder Road (1958)

Voice in the Wind (1944)

I Met My Love Again (1938)

Chasing Ice USA 2012

SATURDAY JUNE 9 6:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 1:00 PM SIFF

In 2005, National Geographic photographer James Balog set out for the Arctic to document the effects of climate change on the planet’s northern ice cap. A skeptic of the science behind global warming at the time, Balog wanted to see with his own eyes whether a warming planet really posed dire consequences for life on Earth. Seven years later, the shocking evidence he’s seen of rapid glacier shrinkage and ice shelf disintegration has made him a passionate convert, leading him to launch the extreme Ice Survey project to record the polar ice retreat. Balog and director Jeff Orlowski created Chasing Ice as a clarion call to the rest of the world about what Balog calls “the biggest story in human history.” To capture these starkly beautiful, jaw-dropping images, Balog and Orlowski battled sub-zero temperatures using largely untested technology. Using the tack-sharp images from Balog’s lens and cutting-edge time-lapse photography showing mountains of ice disappearing over the course of a few months, Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of climate change. This film stands as a warning that these fantastical icescapes may be gone forever if nothing is done.

Awards: SXSW 2012 (Audience Award)

P R e C e D e D BY:

The Ice Pond

Norway, 2011, 6 minutes, Director: Egil Pedersen

Long after refrigeration made harvesting ice obsolete, the Høvik family of Norway kept their business thriving until it just melted away.

Director: Jeff Orlowski

Producers: Jerry Aronson

Paula DePré Pesmen

Jeff Orlowski

Screenwriter: Mark Monroe

Cinematographer: Jeff Orlowski

Editor: Davis Coombe

Music: J. Ralph

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCam

Print Source: Oscilloscope Laboratories

Film Website: chasingice.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

SUNDAY JUNE 3 6:00

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Image from the collections of the Margaret Herrick Library

HARVARD EXIT

CINEMA UPTOWN

A LARGER NETWORK MAKES A SMALLER WORLD.

Size alone isn’t the only measure of an airline (or even the best one), but when it makes the world easier to access, we believe it’s a sign of progress. Delta is the number one U.S. airline to Europe, Asia, and Africa. We have nine hubs and seventeen international gateways – the most of any airline. And we fly to over 330 destinations across six continents, including nonstop service from Seattle to Tokyo–Narita, Osaka, Beijing, Amsterdam and Paris.

DELTA.COM

A Checkout Girl’s Big Adventures

FraNce 2011 North americaN Premiere

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 4:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 8 7:00 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 12:30 PM

Anna Sam’s bestselling memoir inspired this enchanting yet reality-grounded romantic fable. Anyone who’s spent time in retail will empathize with her heroine, Solweig (déborah François), a literature graduate who dreamed of becoming a teacher, but became a checkout girl in a big box store. With their father in a coma, she looks after her 10-year-old brother and vents her frustrations through an anonymous blog. “Who’d be a checkout girl by vocation?” concludes one entry. When managers and customers are cruel, she leans on co-workers, like Marie (Elsa Zylberstein), for support. Her blog’s surprising popularity has led an imperious magazine editor to make her exposure his business, even hiring a mole to track her down. Meanwhile, Solweig develops a romantic interest with Charles (Nicolas Giraud), a handsome actor, although she later learns he has some secrets of his own. Little does Solweig know that clerks across Paris take inspiration from her entries and strike for better working conditions. Thanks to her tireless, anonymous efforts, each of her fellow cashiers feel less invisible and alone in this charming modern fairy tale.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Pierre Rambaldi

Producers: Michel Siksik

Pierre Rambaldi

Screenwriters: Michel Siksik

Joelle Keyser

Morgane Aubert

based on the novel by Anna Sam

Cinematographer: Thomas Hardmeier

Editor: Cyril Besnard

Music: Emmanuel Rambaldi

Cast:

Déborah François Elsa Zylberstein

Nicolas Giraud

Gilles Cohen

Firmine Richard

Running Time: 102 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Kinology

Print Source: Kinology

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

COMMe uN CheF

The Chef

FraNce 2012

North americaN Premiere

SATURDAY JUNE 2 6:00 PM

Jean Reno (The Professional) stars as chef Alexandre Lagarde in daniel Cohen’s latest— an odd-couple comedy that bubbles with the frisson of kitchen life. Keeping his multi-starred restaurant afloat is of paramount importance to the stubborn Lagarde. But his operation is slipping—and the CEO of Cargo Lagarde, the restaurant’s owner, insists that he find a way to cut costs while also updating the menu. If he loses a Michelin star for the restaurant, Lagarde will lose his title. At the outset, his menu is impervious to cultural whimsy like the unfortunate fad of molecular gastronomy— turning liquids into caviar-like spheres and fanciful foams, for instance. But a passionate arbiter of such tricks, Jacky Bonnot (comedian and TV personality Michaël youn) crosses paths with Lagarde in a coincidence that could prove fortuitous for both. Bonnot keeps getting fired from diners for trying to liberate frites-filled menus, much to the dismay of his pregnant girlfriend. An opportunity working with Lagarde could be the very thing that turns his life around—if he can turn Lagarde around to haute cuisine. As both Bonnot and Lagarde feel the financial pinch and prepare for a visit from the critics, they compromise and spar in hilarious turns.

Director: Daniel Cohen

Producer: Sidonie Dumas

Screenwriters: Daniel Cohen

Olivier Dazat

Cinematographer: Robert Fraisse

Editors: Magalie Magnan

Elodie Mittet

Music: Nicola Piovani

Cast: Jean Reno

Michaël Youn

Raphaëlle Agogue

Julien Boisselier

Salomé Stévenin

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Gaumont

Print Source: Cohen Media Group

Film Website: comme-un-chef. gaumont.fr

Selected Filmography: Les deux mondes (2007) Une vie de prince (1999)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Choked

soUth Korea 2011

SUNDAY JUNE 3 5:45 PM

THURSDAY JUNE 7 4:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 8:30 PM

director Kim Joong-hyun’s remarkably assured, richly textured debut begins lightly enough, as a middle-aged woman named Hui-su invests in a get-rich-quick vitamin scheme. Once the goods arrive, however, she disappears from the scene, leaving her desperate fellow investor to pressure Hui-su’s son youn-ho to make good on the debt. As the waves of creditors come crashing down, the increasingly harried youn-ho discovers that his mother’s lending history is deeper and murkier than he could have imagined. A movie truly of the times, Choked presents a South Korea on the brink of financial collapse, where seemingly every resident is one bill away from bottoming out. Intimate in tone and expansive in concept, Kim’s exceedingly well-acted film can be viewed, in equal parts, as a pitch-black comedy (youn-ho’s own job involves evicting unlucky tenants), a morality tale where there’s no clear path, and a horror movie without a monster. Money changes everything.

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Kim Joon-hyun

Producer: Park Eun-ji

Screenwriter:

Kim Joong-hynn

Cinematographer: Lee Jin-keun

Editor:

Park Young Sam

Music:

Kim Mok-in

Cast:

Um Tae-goo

Park Se-jin

Kil Hae-yeon

Yoon Chaep-young

Lim Hak-soon

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM, in Korean, with English subtitles

International Sales:

CJ E&M Entertainment

Print Source:

CJ E&M Entertainment

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Citadel

irelaNd/scotlaNd 2012

FRIDAY MAY 18 MIDNIGHT

EGYPTIAN THEATRE MONDAY MAY 21 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

despite its name, the blighted Edentown housing estate is far from paradise. Abandoned by the police, the few residents who remain are plagued by brutal gangs of hoodiewearing, feral children that seem to feed on fear. When Tommy’s pregnant wife Joanne is viciously attacked and ends up in a coma, it turns his world upside down. In the wake of this trauma, Tommy suffers crippling agoraphobia, rendering him housebound and barely able to look after their infant daughter, Elsa. To make matters worse, the same mysterious hooded gang appears intent on kidnapping Elsa, while tormenting Tommy at every turn. In order to save his daughter and his own sanity, Tommy must team with a blind boy and a renegade priest, who understands the gang’s true horrific nature, and return to the Citadel— the abandoned tower block tenement where this nightmare began. drawing upon his own experience with unprovoked urban violence, writer-director Ciarán Foy sustains a mood of dark, gothic foreboding throughout his feature film debut, creating an intensely suspenseful, paranoid horror-thriller.

Awards: SXSW 2012 (Midnighters Audience Award)

Director: Ciarán Foy

Producer: Katie Holly

Brian Coffey

Screenwriter: Ciarán Foy

Cinematographer: Tim Fleming

Editor:

Tony Kearns

Jake Roberts

Music: Tomandandy

Cast: Aneurin Barnard

James Cosmo

Wunmi Mosaku

Jake Wilson

Amy Shiels

Running Time: 84 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Cinedigm

Film Website: facebook.com/citadelfilm

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

City World

Usa 2012 World Premiere

SATURDAY MAY 19 8:00 PM

SIFF FILM CENTER

SUNDAY MAY 20 6:30 PM SIFF FILM CENTER

There’s a post-apocalyptic feeling that permeates Brent Chesanek’s City World thanks, in no small part, to the fact that we never see any people. We only see things that people have built, and places where they couldn’t. Shot in and around Orlando, in swamps and suburban landscapes, everything’s empty. These images are filtered through the narration of a young boy, who presents the history and legends of the founding of Orlando. He also imagines an apocalyptic future full of devastating natural disasters. “Maybe the Earth was taking the land back, people first,” he ponders. The narration takes on a heartbreaking tone. Could the descriptions of these historically aggressive acts and of forces beyond the control of humankind be somehow related to growing up with a single father in a broken home? Through it all, the theme of humanity’s attempts to overcome or even replace nature comes through loud and clear, like with the air conditioning units that make the summer climate bearable, or the artificial waterfalls and mountains of the theme parks that lie at the heart of the Orlando tourism industry. And yet, despite the conflicts of mankind vs. nature, truth vs. legend, and father vs. son, there may be room for reconciliation.

P RECE d E d B y:

The Third Floor

USA 2012, 11 minutes, Directors: Adam Sekuler, Shannon Stewart World Premiere

Shannon Stewart’s dance stirs up ghosts and memories in an old, abandoned hotel.

Director:

Brent Chesanek

Producers: Brent Chesanek

Yvette Granata

Justin Strawhand

Screenwriter: Brent Chesanek

Cinematographer: Brent Chesanek

Editors:

Brent Chesanek

Stacey Foster

Music: Chris Zabriskie

Cast: Sean Kaufman

Running Time: 70 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Law Offices of George M. Rush

Print Source: Auxerrine

Film Website: cityworldfilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Cloudburst

caNada 2011

TUESDAY MAY 22 6:30 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

THURSDAY MAY 24 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

director Thom Fitzgerald (The Wild Dogs, The Hanging Garden) evokes virtuoso performances from Oscar®-winning actresses Olympia dukakis and Brenda Fricker in this dramedy about two lifelong lovers who must go on the run in order to stay together. dukakis portrays Stella, a salty curmudgeon who lives in a bucolic seaside home with her longtime lover, the near-blind and slightly dotty dot (Fricker). When dot’s neurotic granddaughter, Molly, shows up and announces that she’s putting dot in a retirement home, Stella angrily throws her out. Undeterred, Molly returns with a police escort and takes dot away, leaving Stella bereft, but not beaten. Stella soon breaks dot out of the home, and the couple head for Canada to get married, picking up an impressionable young hitchhiker along the way. Alternately poignant and riotous, Cloudburst gains its traction via a touching examination of the true nature of love and commitment.

Awards: Atlantic Film Festival 2011 (People’s Choice Award, Best Screenplay) Sudbury International Film Festival 2011 (Audience Award)

Director: Thom Fitzgerald

Producers: Thom Fitzgerald

Doug Pettigrew

Screenwriter: Thom Fitzgerald

Cinematographer: Thomas M. Harting

Editor: Angela Baker

Music: Jason Michael MacIsaac

Warren Robert

Cast: Olympia Dukakis

Brenda Fricker

Kristin Booth

Ryan Doucette

Running Time: 93 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Sierra Affinity

Print Source: eMotion Pictures

Film Website: cloudburstmovie.com

Selected Filmography:

3 Needles (2005)

The Event (2003)

The Wild Dogs (2002) The Hanging Garden (1997)

Coal Miner’s Daughter Usa

1980

FRIDAY JUNE 8 DUSK MURAL AMPHITHEATRE AT SEATTLE CENTER

Handpicked by Ms. Lynn herself to embody “The First Lady of Country Music,” Sissy Spacek’s age-defying performance is at the core of what makes this much more than a stock rags-to-riches story. Ted Webb (played by the late, great Levon Helm, drummer for The Band) is a beleaguered father raising a family under grueling poverty while toiling in the coalmines of West Virginia. His daughter Loretta marries Oliver Vanetta “Mooney” Lynn, Jr. (aka doolittle) at the tender age of 13 and becomes a mother of four by age 19. In her early 20’s, she begins performing in local honky-tonks and occasionally on the radio, moves which eventually catch the attention of a record label and help forge a career path littered with the expected trials and tribulations, including flirtations with drug abuse and a temporarily paralyzing nervous breakdown. Her relationships with manager/ husband doolittle and ill-fated mentor Patsy Cline (Beverly d’Angelo) are instrumental in her commercial success, but also important factors in her evolution from shy child to confident woman. Through it all, Spacek not only sings all her own songs, but seamlessly ages from a rural ingénue into a commanding country music superstar, delivering the tour de force performance that earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Awards: Oscar® 1980 (Best Actress)

Director: Michael Apted

Producer: Bernard Schwartz

Screenwriters: Tom Rickman

George Vecsey from the autobiography of Loretta Lynn

Cinematographer: Ralf D. Bode

Editor: Arthur Schmidt

Cast:

Sissy Spacek

Tommy Lee Jones

Levon Helm

Phyllis Boyens

Bill Anderson Jr. Beverly D’Angelo

Running Time: 125 minutes

Presentation Format:

DVD

Print Source: Universal

Selected Filmography: The Chronicles of Narnia:

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)

Amazing Grace (2006)

49 Up (2005)

Enough (2002)

The World Is Not Enough (1999)

Me & Isaac Newton (1999) (co-director)

42 Up (1998)

Nell (1994)

35 Up (1991)

Gorillas in the Mist (1988)

28 Up (1985)

21 (1977)

7 Plus Seven (1970)

Seven Up (1964)

Coming Home

FraNce 2012 North americaN Premiere

SATURDAY MAY 26 6:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 12:00 PM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 9:00 PM

A young woman named Gaëlle (the bewitching Agathe Bonitzer) sits at a remote bus stop looking at the image of a missing girl. The photograph is her own. Told in an arrestingly jagged fashion, director Frédéric Videau’s powerful drama travels back eight years, documenting Gaëlle’s abduction and imprisonment in a windowless cellar. As the initially sporadic and chaste encounters with her kidnapper increase in frequency, the balance of power begins to shift. The young captive girl begins complaining about his long working hours and demands to be taken out on trips by car at night. After her release, Gaëlle finds herself in a world that has moved on without her, as well as some lingering emotions that refuse to remain buried. Fueled by Bonitzer’s powerhouse performance and eschewing formula at every turn, Videau’s ingeniously shifting, seriously disturbing film invites a number of different interpretations on the nature of Stockholm syndrome. Whatever your take, prepare for it to linger.

Awards: Berlin 2012 (Prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas)

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Frédéric Videau

Producer: Laetitia Fèvre

Screenwriter: Frédéric Videau

Cinematographers: Marc Tévanian

François Quiqueré

Editor: François Quiqueré

Music:

Florent Marchet

Cast:

Agathe Bonitzer

Reda Kateb

Hélène Fillières

Noémie Lvovsky

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Pyramide International

Print Source: Pyramide International

Selected Filmography: Varieté française (2003)

Compliance

Usa 2012

SATURDAY MAY 19 9:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 24 9:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

After receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be a police detective, Sandra, the manager of a ChickWich fast-food restaurant, sets into motion a series of events that will call into question the moral and ethical limits of her authority over the course of one very intense day. When Sandra calls Becky into her office to discuss the charges of theft leveled by the caller, Becky vehemently denies the accusation. Using just enough facts to raise doubt, the caller insists that Sandra detain her young employee in the supply room until he is able to execute a search warrant at her home. Somewhat reluctantly, Sandra complies with the order. As the ordeal continues, the demands from the caller become increasingly invasive; though they attempt to question his authority, the employees continue to do as they are told. Compliance leaves no line uncrossed as it tells the story, based on actual events, of one intense night in the back room of a restaurant. Exploring the boundaries of power and ethics with an unflinching eye, writer/director Craig Zobel (Great World of Sound) delivers a powerful film about the limits of authority and the relative ease with which it can be abused.

Director: Craig Zobel

Producers: Sophia Lin

Lisa Muskat

Tyler Davidson

Theo Sena

Craig Zobel

Screenwriter: Craig Zobel

Cinematographer: Adam Stone

Editor: Jane Rizzo

Music: Heather McIntosh

Cast: Ann Dowd

Dreama Walker

Pat Healy

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Film Website: magpictures.com/ compliance

Selected Filmography: Loudermilk (2012)

Great World of Sound (2007)

The Convoy

rUssia 2012 North americaN Premiere

SUNDAY MAY 27 9:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

THURSDAY JUNE 7 9:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

In this hard-hitting, apocalyptic portrait of the police and army in today’s Russia, Captain Ignat (played flawlessly by Oleg Vasilkov) is traumatized by the death of his daughter. Along with a regular soldier, he is ordered to find a deserter to stand before a military court. Although they eventually find the young, rogue soldier, Ignat’s journey with his companion to wintry Moscow is frought with tension. The addition of the deserter (Azamat Nigmanov) makes for an unlikely trio who find themselves in a chaotic swirl of corruption, criminality, and degradation. A Mafia boss looking for revenge sidetracks the trio briefly and they enter into a lair of violence. Part suspense drama and part crime story, The Convoy digs deep into the psychology of a damaged anti-hero whose journey is both a nightmare and a lesson in tolerance and forgiveness. In his third feature, socially minded director Alexey Mizgirev graphically and atmospherically portrays a world of power and subjugation that, in the final analysis, makes a profound statement about the perilous nature of rage.

Director: Alexey Mizgirev

Producer: Pavel Lungin

Screenwriter: Alexey Mizgirev

Cinematographer: Janis Eglitis

Editor: Natalya Kucherenko

Cast: Oleg Vasilkov

Azamat Nigmanov

Dmitry Kulichkov

Running Time: 81 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Russian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Intercinema Agency

Print Source: Intercinema Agency

Selected Filmography: Buben Baraban (2009) Hard-Hearted (2007)

Coteau Rouge

caNada (QUéBec) 2011 Us Premiere

SATURDAY JUNE 2 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 3 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 8:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

André Forcier’s hilariously heartbreaking and fairy-tale like story of four generations of the Blanchard family shows that eccentricity is genetic. This warm-hearted film is giddily propelled by the characters who inhabit Coteau Rouge, a neighborhood on Montréal’s South Shore. It opens on father Honoré (Paolo Noël) and son Fernand (Gaston Lepage) as they prepare to dump a body in the river. The work turns Fernand’s stomach; his humble aspirations include opening an “Econogaz” station and marrying his paramour, Mimi. Flash-forward to the present day: Fernand and his father play pétanque (similar to bocce) in between servicing motorists at their gas station, and Fernand is indeed wedded to Mimi. Now in her 50s, she’s the surrogate mother for their daughter, Hélène, who psychologically commiserates by wearing a fake baby bump and “suffering” from morning sickness. Forcier’s keen observations on working-class life and strong familial bonds are filtered through absurdist humor in this crowd-pleasing parable.

Director: André Forcier

Producers: Linda Pinet

André Forcier

Screenwriters: André Forcier

Linda Pinet

Georgette Duchaîne

Cinematographer: Daniel Jobin

Editor:

Linda Pinet

Music: Michel Cusson

Cast: Roy Dupuis

Céline Bonnier

Paolo Noël

Mario Saint-Amand

Gaston Lepage

Maxime DesjardinsTremblay

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Atopia

Print Source:

Les Films du Paria Inc

Selected Filmography: Je me souviens (2009)

Acapulco Gold (2004)

La Comtesse de Baton Rouge (1997)

Wind From Wyoming (1994)

Une Histoire inventee (1990)

Kalamazoo (1989)

Au Clair de la Lune (1982)

Countdown

SoUth KoreA 2011

US Premiere

SATURDAY MAY 19 4:30 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY JUNE 2 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY JUNE 4 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Huh Jong-ho’s freshman thriller percolates with the presence of great veteran lead performances and energetic pacing. Tae Gun-ho (Jeong Jae-young) is a debt collector who one day passes out and awakens to doctors informing him he has 10 days before his liver fails. Tae lost his young son five years earlier in an event that he has repressed, and his son’s organs saved the lives of five people. In an admittedly absurd yet surprisingly delightful set-up, Tae figures these people owe him their lives and sets out to convince them to share their liver. The only one who agrees is Cha Ha-yeon (Jeon Do-youn) who is about to be released from prison. She wants revenge on the gangster who put her there; once Tae helps her achieve that, the liver is his. When Cha is released and it becomes evident that many parties are out to get her, Tae realizes he’s in for much more than he expected. Jeong and Jeon throw themselves brilliantly into the twisting allegiances of the plot and Huh maintains a brisk, compelling pace, thanks to a witty script and an effervescent visual style.

Director:

Huh Jong-ho

Producer:

Oh Jungwan

Screenwriter: Huh Jong-ho

Cinematographer: Kim Tae-kyung

Editor:

Shin Min-kyung

Music:

Jang Young-gyu

Cast:

Jeong Jae-young Jeon Do-youn

Running Time: 120 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Korean, with English subtitles

International Sales: People in Communications

Print Source: People in Communications

Film Website: countdown2011.co.kr

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Cousinhood

SPAin 2011

THURSDAY MAY 24 6:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY MAY 26 12:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY MAY 28 8:30 PM

How do you deal with a really bad breakup? Like, cancel-the-wedding bad? Diego and his fiancée called it quits as the ceremony neared, but he couldn’t bring himself to disinvite his share of the guests. Instead, they become witnesses in Diego’s marriage to denial. In this raucous comedy of bad manners, the jilted 20-something is whisked away by his cousins—playboy Julian and henpecked José Miguel—to the idyllic seaside town of their childhood. There, they hope to engineer Diego’s reunion with his first love, Martina. But much has changed in the village. Diego has grown handsome but remains immature, while Martina is now a single mother with grown-up responsibilities. The vulnerabilities of modern men are revealed as the guys try to keep pace with the women they encounter. Daniel Sánchez Arévalo, one of Spain’s most beloved directors, brings a humanistic touch to this edgy comedy. Cousinhood reunites the stars of his Goya Award-winning 2006 film DarkBlueAlmostBlack, Quim Gutiérrez and Antonio de la Torre, to deliver Arevalo’s trademark blend of raunchy comedy, expertly timed dialogue, and fully developed characterization.

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Daniel Sánchez Arévalo

Producers: Fernando Bovaira

Jose Antonio Felez

Screenwriter: Daniel Sánchez Arévalo

Cinematographer: Juan Carlos Gomez

Editor: David Pinillos

Music: Julio de la Rosa

Cast: Quim Gutiérrez

Inma Cuesta

Raúl Arévalo

Antonio de la Torre

Adrian Lastra

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Film Factory

Entertainment

Print Source: Film Factory

Entertainment

Selected Filmography: Fat People (2009)

DarkBlueAlmostBlack (2006)

Profilaxis (2003)

DIE UNSICHTBARE

Cracks in the Shell

Germany 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 9:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY MAY 22 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

FRIDAY MAY 25 9:30 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Perpetually tardy and chastised for being “invisible” by her drama teacher, Josephine “Fine” Lorenz (Stine Fischer Christensen) is a naïve-but-determined actress trying to land a role in a play while juggling her emotionally exhausting responsibilities at home. Everyone around her is stunned when Machiavellian theatre director, Kaspar, chooses the shy Fine as the lead in his new play—over her best friend who seemed destined for the role. Fine must now rise to the daunting challenge of portraying a character, Camille, who is sexually hyperactive and self-destructive. To prepare for the off-type role, Fine dons a blonde wig and experiments with her “Camille” identity, which soon attracts the affections of a kind and attractive tunnel builder. While she navigates this burgeoning romance, Fine falls deeper under the spell of the Camille persona and struggles to control her increasingly selfdestructive behavior. Following up her impressive work in After the Wedding, Christensen gives another compelling performance in Christian Schwochow’s accomplished second feature. In a psychological drama reminiscent of Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, Fine and the increasingly demanding Kaspar weave a tangled web of trust and betrayal, leading both characters down dangerous paths.

Awards:

Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2011 (Best Actress, Jury Award) Hamptons International Film Festival 2011 (Breakthrough Actress Award)

Director: Christian Schwochow

Producers: Jochen Laube

Fabian Maubach

Screenwriters: Heide Schwochow

Christian Schwochow

Cinematographer: Frank Lamm

Editor: Jens Klüber

Music: Can Erdogan Sus

Cast: Stine Fischer Christensen

Ulrich Noethen

Ronald Zehrfeld

Anna Maria Mühe

Running Time: 113 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP, in German, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Global Screen

Print Source: Global Screen

Selected Filmography: Novemberkind (2008)

The Crown Jewels

Sweden/denmark 2012

US Premiere

MONDAY MAY 28 3:00 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 2 8:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 4:30 PM

Two families from opposite sides of the tracks have a profound effect on each other in this imaginatively shot murder mystery. Fragancia (Alicia Vikander), a small-town beauty of Spanish descent, sets the plot in motion when she plans to take revenge on besotted neighbor Richard (Bill Skarsgård), who she blames for the death of her younger brother. The son of a shoe manufacturer, Richard grew up rich, while Fragancia, the daughter of a warehouse worker, grew up poor, yet the two families become intricately enmeshed over many years. Fragancia falls for hockey virtuoso PetterssonJonsson (Björn Gustafsson), which makes Richard jealous. After Pettersson-Jonsson takes off in search of NHL glory, Fragancia’s world falls apart. Director Ella Lemhagen weaves plenty of terrible and miraculous plot twists for the two families in this engrossing melodrama. Throughout, there are mysterious keys, secret hiding places, and gloriously gothic atmosphere to spare.

Awards:

Berlin 2012 (Special Mention: Generation Section)

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director: Ella Lemhagen

Producers: Lars Blomgren

Tomas Michaelsson

Gabija Siurbyté

Screenwriters: Carina Dahl

Ella Lemhagen

Cinematographers: Anders Boman

Rolandas Joneliükstis

Audrius Budrys

Editor: Thomas Lagerman

Music: Fredrik Emilson

Cast:

Alicia Vikander

Bill Skarsgård

Bjorn Gustafsson

Michalis Koutsogiannakis

Alexandra Rapaport

Jesper Lindberger

Loa Falkman

Running Time: 120 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Swedish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Swedish Film Institute

Print Source: Swedish Film Institute

Selected Filmography: Patrik 1.5 (2008) Tur Och Retur (2003)

Tsatsiki, morsan och polisen (1999)

Welcome to the Party (1997)

Dromprinsen (1996)

YE HABE GHAND

Crulic–The Path to Beyond

romania/Poland 2011

TUESDAY MAY 22 8:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 24 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY MAY 26 1:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

This visually inventive, animated documentary combines hand-drawn, watercolor, stopmotion, and cut-out techniques to reveal the facts––or lack thereof––behind the Kafkesque story of Claudiu Crulic, a 33-year-old who died while on a hunger strike in a Polish prison. When a judge of the high court of Poland had his wallet stolen, young Romanian drifter Crulic was identified as the suspect. Arrested and held in prison with no hard evidence, he waited for his case to come to trial. Weeks stretched in to months, and letters to the Romanian consul proved futile, leading Crulic to stage a hunger strike in protest. Authorities ignored his demonstration, and after losing over 60 pounds, Cruilc died, his body so ravaged that his mother and half-sister couldn’t recognize him. Acclaimed Romanian actor Vlad Ivanov provides the voice of Crulic, narrating from beyond the grave with a certain detached irony. Filmmaker Anca Damian gradually reveals the story using stunning animation, like a breathtaking graphic novel writ large, with varying artistic styles representing the levels of confusion, fear, and injustice of this living bureaucratic nightmare. One conclusion is crystal clear: Claudiu Crulic did not have to die.

Awards:

Warsaw International Film Festival 2011 (Special Jury Prize)

Locarno Film Festival 2011 (Special Mention)

Copenhagen International Documentary Film Festival 2011 (Amnesty Award)

Director:

Anca Damian

Producer:

Anca Damian

Screenwriter:

Anca Damian

Editor: Catalin Cristutiu

Music: Piotr Dziubek

Voices: Vlad Ivanov

Jamie Sives

Running Time: 73 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Romanian and English, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wide Management

Print Source: Wide Management

Film Website: crulic.ro

Selected Filmography: Crossing Dates (2008)

A Cube of Sugar

TUESDAY MAY 22 6:00 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

FRIDAY JUNE 1 6:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 9:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

The youngest daughter of large Iranian family, Pasandide, is getting married. The day before the wedding, her sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and grandparents all gather at the family compound of Uncle Ezzatolah. The location, with its lush garden courtyards and labyrinthine parlors and passageways, is an ideal site for this multigenerational summer reunion—erratic electrical system notwithstanding. The women cook, sew, gossip, and tease; the nephews try to frighten each other with ghost stories; one uncle digs for buried treasure while another worries about bad news from his doctor. In honor of the happy couple, there are presents, music, and a lavish feast. Yet before the ceremony can take place, a single sugar cube transforms the event into something quite different, if no less suffused by this family’s love for one another. Director Reza Mirkarimi captures the proceedings with imagery that is a celebration in its own right; vibrant with light and color, sometimes slipping into slow motion as if to linger in the beauty of these moments—some special, some quite ordinary—that make up the fabric of life itself.

Director: Reza Mirkarimi

Producer: Reza Mirkarimi

Screenwriters: Reza Mirkarimi

Mohammad R. Gohari

Cinematographer: Hamid Khozooei Abianeh

Editor: Hassan Hassandoost

Music: Mohammedrezza Aligholi

Cast: Negar Javaherian

Saeed Pooorsmaimi

Reza Kianian

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Iranian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Soureh Cinema

Print Source: Soureh Cinema

Selected Filmography: As Simple As That (2008)

So Close, So Far (2005)

Under the Moonlight (2001)

The Child and the Soldier (1999)

Daas

PolAnd 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 4:00 PM

SUNDAY MAY 20 6:30 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 2 3:00 PM

This visually stunning period drama explores the life of Jacob Frank, the 18th century Polish mystic who believed that he was the Messiah. Frank’s unique faith combined aspects of Christianity and Judaism, and he claimed he could heal people and bestow immortality. After Jewish authorities proclaimed Frank a heretic, he spent many years in prison and later left Poland to live in Vienna. This examination of his life and times, revealed through the perspectives of former disciple Goliński and Viennese court investigator Klein, is marked by intrigue and conspiracy. When Goliński initiates an inquiry about Frank in Vienna, Klein doesn’t understand a key point that Frank and his daughter are already deeply involved with Austria’s Kaiser Joseph II. Both men will have to focus their attention on other matters than “Frankists.” This polished and visually austere treatise on power and corruption is the auspcious feature debut of writer/ director Adrian Panek.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Adrian Panek

Producer: Lambros Ziotas

Screenwriter: Adrian Panek

Cinematographer: Arkadinsz Tomiak

Editor: Witold Chomínski

Cast:

Andrzej Chyra

Magdalena Czerwinska

Ditto Berkley

Mariusz Bonaszewski

Olgierd Łukaszewicz

Running Time: 102 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Polish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Movie Mates

Print Source: Argomedia Production

Film Website: daas-film.pl

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Details

USA 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:30 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SATURDAY JUNE 9 8:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

In his follow-up to the chilling Mean Creek, writer/director Jacob Aaron Estes blithely mixes infidelity, death and wry observations about domestic obsessions with surprisingly effective levity. Jeff Lang (Tobey Maguire), an environmentally correct obstetrician, and his beautiful wife, Nealy (Elizabeth Banks), present the image of the picture-perfect Seattle couple in this dark comedy about the fragility of the American dream (filming took place in Seattle, Redmond, and Kirkland). The Langs drive a Prius and reside in a newly renovated home, but beneath the surface, their marriage is hanging by a thread. Similarly, the domestic diva and cat fancier, Lila (Laura Linney), who lives next door, has issues of her own. When the Langs, who have one child, embark on a landscaping project in preparation for another, a ravenous raccoon takes over their backyard to feast on the worms beneath the sod, unleashing an avalanche of suburban drama. In trying to take care of the problem, Jeff ends up ensnaring friends and neighbors (played by Ray Liotta and Dennis Haysbert) into his increasingly unhinged plans. In his impossible quest for perfection, the doctor ends up revealing more than he had ever intended about the past that made his present possible.

Director: Jacob Aaron Estes

Producers: Mark Gordon

Hagai Shaham

Bryan Zuriff

Screenwriter: Jacob Aaron Estes

Cinematographer: Sharone Meir

Editor:

Madeleine Gavin

Music:

Tomandandy

Cast: Tobey Maguire

Laura Linney

Elizabeth Banks

Sam Trammell

Dennis Haysbert

Ray Liotta

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP

Print Source: The Weinstein Company

Selected Filmography: Mean Creek (2004)

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel

FRIDAY MAY 18 1:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 7:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

“Never fear being vulgar, just boring.” Not only is this one of Diana Vreeland’s classic aphorisms, it could be her own epitaph. The Parisian-born, New York-based stylist and editor, who lived from 1903 until 1989, shaped 20th century fashion at Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, and later as a consultant at the Met’s Costume Institute. The fashion icon’s life is examined in this revealing documentary, co-directed by her granddaughter-in-law, Lisa Immordino Vreeland. The two never met, but the younger Vreeland vividly illustrates the self-addressed D.V. through archival material, animation, and talks with luminaries, including David Bailey, Veruschka, Richard Avedon, Diane von Fursternberg, Anjelica Huston, Oscar de la Renta, and Ingrid Sischy. In 1937, Harper’s editor Carmel Snow discovered Vreeland and asked her to write the column “Why Don’t You?” (for example: “wear violet velvet mittens with everything?”), which ran for 25 years. In turn, Vreeland discovered actress Lauren Bacall and model/actress Edie Sedgwick. She championed animal prints, Balenciaga’s “delicious” clothes and the importance of “pizzazz.” Her uncanny ability to gauge the moment was matched only by her unfailing irreverence. Perpetually wearing a tusk necklace and accented by primary red, Vreeland embodied the innate elegance that she ultimately believed had little to do with clothes.

Awards: Chicago International Film Festival (Best Documentary)

Diaz–Don’t Clean Up This Blood

ItAly/RomAnIA/ FRAnce 2012 noRth

FRIDAY JUNE 1 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 2 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

TUESDAY JUNE 5 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Directors: Lisa Immordino Vreeland

Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt

Frederic Tcheng

Producer: Lisa Immordino Vreeland

Screenwriters: Lisa Immordino Vreeland

Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt

Frederic Tcheng

Cinematographer: Cristobal Zanartu

Editors: Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt

Frederic Tcheng

Music: Paul Cantelon

Featuring: Ali McGraw

Anjelica Huston

Manolo Blahnik

Lauren Hutton

Diane von Furstenberg

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Submarine Entertainment

Print Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Film Website: samuelgoldwynfilms.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

As the 2001 G8 summit in Genoa drew to a close, brutal actions ensued between Italian police and anti-globalization protestors. Daniele Vicari’s ferocious fictional recreation shows the aftermath of a night raid on the Diaz-Pascoli School, a dormitory for exiting protestors. Tensions were high at the 27th G8 summit, where leaders including George W. Bush, Jacques Chirac, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin, and Silvio Berlusconi represented, with four others. For five days, a dramatic protest movement drew an estimated 200,000 demonstrators to the area; police quickly corralled the marching protestors, opening fire, and shooting 23-year-old Carlo Giuliani dead. At the same time, the police broke into the Diaz-Pascoli School, indicating they had information that armed anarchists were hiding inside. Their methodically brutal treatment of these young men and women from all over Europe—an incident largely forgotten after the 9/11 attacks a few weeks later—is effectively dramatized in Diaz. Vacari’s gripping recreations put the viewer in the middle of the protestors’ point of view, capturing the spirit of these people who dared to gather under idea that “a different world is possible.”

Director: Daniele Vicari

Producer: Domenico Procacci

Screenwriters: Daniele Vicari

Laura Paolucci from a story by Daniele Vicari

Cinematographer: Gherardo Gossi

Editor: Benny Atria

Music: Teho Teardo

Cast: Elio Germano

Jennifer Ulrich

Claudio Santamaria

David Jacopini

Ralph Amoussou

Running Time: 127 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Italian, German, French, English, and Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Fandango Portobello

Print Source: Fandango Portobello

Selected Filmography: The Past is a Foreign Land (2009) The Horizon of Events (2005)

Maximum Velocity (2002)

The Do-Deca-Pentathlon

USA

FRIDAY MAY 18 7:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

TUESDAY MAY 22 4:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Filmmakers Jay and Mark Duplass take the archetypal tale of sibling rivalry to hilarious, near-Olympic levels with The Do-DecaPentathlon. Character Mark (Steve Zissis) plans on a peaceful birthday weekend with his wife (Jennifer Lafleur) and son at his childhood home when his estranged brother Jeremy (Mark Kelly) arrives uninvited. Old rivalries boil to the surface and the two decide to resurrect a childhood competition, The Do-DecaPentathlon This 25-event game features Ironman versions of childish challenges like arm wrestling, skeeball, laser tag, and pingpong. Their side-splittingly self-destructive games escalate from adolescent competitiveness to full-fledged athletic warfare as their true jealousies come to the surface: Jeremy, a poker-playing bachelor, longs for his brother’s stability, while Mark covets Jeremy’s freedom. Filmed shortly after the Duplass’ indie hit Baghead but placed on the backburner while they worked on studio films, this passion project features the beloved stripped-down Duplass flair: improvisational, awkwardly funny, and low-budget. Zissis and Kelly’s natural chemistry helps elevate their conflict to pandemonium while still grounding it in sloppy realness. In the end, the hyper-competitive duo must choose between their desire to best each other and the respect of their family.

Directors:

Jay Duplass

Mark Duplass

Producers:

Jay Duplass

Mark Duplass

Stephanie Langhoff

Screenwriters:

Jay Duplass

Mark Duplass

Cinematographer: Jas Shelton

Editor:

Jay Deuby

Music:

Julian Wass

Cast:

Mark Kelly

Steve Zissis

Jennifer Lafleur

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Red Flag Releasing / Fox Searchlight Pictures

Selected Filmography:

Jeff Who Lives At Home (2011)

Baghead (2008)

The Puffy Chair (2005)

Wu Xia

Dragon

hong Kong 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 9:30 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY JUNE 2 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

THURSDAY JUNE 7 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Liu Jinxi (Donnie Yen), a quiet papermaker and father of two sons, lives a seemingly normal, uneventful life in a remote village. But his placid way of life is disrupted with the arrival of two bandits. As they attempt to rob the general store, Liu comes to the defense of the shopkeeper, killing both of the thugs in the skirmish. Liu is proclaimed a local hero, but Xu Baijiu (Takeshi Kaneshiro), the detective dispatched to investigate the incident, has his suspicions. Employing unconventional techniques such as phrenology and acupuncture, Xu discovers that one of the bandits is an infamous criminal on the government’s 10 Most Wanted list. Skeptical that a mere papermaker could possess the advanced martial-arts techniques needed to overcome two vicious thugs, he begins digging into Liu’s past, determined to bring him to justice. Originally intended as a remake of the Shaw Brothers’ classic, One-Armed Swordsman, director Peter Ho-Sun Chan instead chose to reshape the material, creating in the process an exhilarating hybrid of noir-mystery and thrilling martial-arts action.

Awards:

Asian Film Awards, 2012 (Best Composer, Cinematographer, Production Designer) Hong Kong Film Awards, 2012 (Best Cinematography, Original Score)

Sponsored by FOOL Serious

Director: Peter Ho-Sun Chan

Producer: Peter Ho-Sun Chan

Screenwriter: Aubrey Lam

Cinematographers: Yiu-Fai Lai

Jake Pollock

Editor: Derek Hui

Music:

Kwong Wing Chan

Peter Kam

Chatchai Pongprapaphan

Cast: Donnie Yen

Takeshi Kaneshiro

Wei Tang

Jimmy Yu Wang

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Mandarin, with English subtitles

International Sales:

We Distribution Limited

Print Source: The Weinstein Company

Film Website: sousakan-x.com

Selected Filmography: Warlords (2008)

Perhaps Love (2005)

The Love Letter (1999)

Comrades: Almost a Love Story (1996)

Who’s the Man, Who’s the Woman (1996)

Tom, Dick and Harry (1993)

Alan & Eric: Between Hello and Goodbye (1991)

Dragon Pearl

AUStRAlIA 2011 noRth AmeRIcAn PRemIeRe

MONDAY MAY 28 1:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 11:00 AM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 1:00 PM

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Children from two different cultures find themselves on an unexpected adventure full of ancient mystery. While their archaeologist parents are knee-deep in the discovery of an emperor’s tomb, Josh and Ling become easy friends, exploring the countryside and stumbling upon a historical temple guarded by Wu-Dong (in a lively performance from prolific Chinese actor Jordan Chan). When Ling opens a magical passageway, Wu-Dong believes she possesses mystical powers that have awakened an ancient Chinese dragon, previously held captive while separated from the titular pearl. Josh and Ling’s parents (Sam Neill and Wang Ji) don’t believe their stories, but a fellow archaeologist with sinister intentions takes heed and aims to steal the pearl for himself. Popular Australian children’s filmmaker Mario Andreacchio has crafted Dragon Pearl as a fantastical epic in the Spielbergian tradition, effectively capturing the exoticism of both the Chinese scenery and the culturally significant dragon lore. Before the credits roll, family audiences will be treated to a cinematic rollercoaster of awesome creatures, magical rides across the sky, and thrilling martial arts. Recommended for all ages.

Director: Mario Andreacchio

Producer: Alice Fries

Screenwriter: Philip Dalkin, based on an original script by John Armstrong from a story by Ron Saunders

John Armstrong

Mario Andreacchio

Cinematographer: Geoffrey Simpson

Editor: Suresh Ayyar

Music: Frank Strangio

Cast: Sam Neill

Jordan Chan

Wang Ji

Li Lin Jin

Louis Corbett

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in English and Mandarin, with English

subtitles

Print Source: Fries Film Group, Inc.

Film Website: thedragonpearl.com.au

Selected Filmography:

Elephant Tales (2006)

Young Blades (2001)

Sally Marshall Is Not an Alien (1999)

The Real Macaw (1998)

Napoleon (1994)

The Dreaming (1989)

Fair Game (1985)

Dreams of a Life

UnIted KIngdom/IRelAnd 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 11:00 AM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY MAY 20 5:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

In December 2003, Joyce Carol Vincent died while wrapping Christmas gifts and watching television in her north London flat. The cause of her death remains unknown to this day, as her remains were not discovered until three years later, sitting on the couch with her television set still running. In this “dramatized documentary,” director Carol Morley asks, how could this happen in Europe’s largest, most populous city? Taking out ads in newspapers and on the side of London taxicabs, Morley tracked down Joyce’s former friends and colleagues, and assembled their filmed recollections into a compelling, multilayered portrait of an attractive, vivacious, and popular young woman with a quiet, secretive side. Morley interweaves this interview footage with dramatic reconstructions from Joyce’s life, as well as conjectural scenes of her final days, in hopes of comprehending how such a person could literally disappear from so many people’s lives—a mystery that baffles even those who were closest to Joyce. By exploring Joyce Vincent’s death, and life, Dreams of a Life probes larger questions of urban alienation and the all-too-delicate fabric of interpersonal relationships, even in our modern, hyper-networked society.

Director: Carol Morley

Producers: Cairo Cannon

James Mitchell

Screenwriter: Carol Morley

Cinematographers: Mary Farbrother

Lynda Hall

Editor:

Chris Wyatt

Music:

Barry Adamson

Cast: Zawe Ashton

Jonathan Harden

Daren Elliott Holmes

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales: eOne Entertainment

International

Print Source: eOne Entertainment

International

Film Website: dreamsofalife.com

Selected Filmography: Edge (2010)

Duck Beach to Eternity

USA 2012

WoRld PRemIeRe

THURSDAY JUNE 7 6:00 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 11:00 AM

Every Memorial Day weekend, nearly a thousand Mormon singles flock to Duck Beach, N.C., for a spring break gathering. They assemble in rental houses and host parties (without alcohol), hook up (without sex), and strut their stuff for three days on the beach. The weekend has been referred to in the media as, variously, the “Mormon Jersey Shore” and “Mormon Singles Gone Mild.” Duck Beach to Eternity follows four singles in their 20s and 30s who are all feeling the pressure of finding the right person. After all, at their age, according to Mormon culture, they should have been married years ago. The film explores the many distinctive aspects of Mormon single life— primarily the paramount pursuit of an eternal companion to fulfill their purpose on earth. The filmmakers handle the topic gracefully and treat their subjects respectfully, with compelling and entertaining results. Duck Beach to Eternity deals with the complexities, contradictions, struggles, and confusion that are a part of being a single person of Mormon faith in modern America.

HARVARD EXIT

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Directors:

Stephen Frandsen

Hadleigh Arnst

Laura Naylor

Producers:

Stephen Frandsen

Hadleigh Arnst

Laura Naylor

Screenwriter: Stephen Frandsen

Editor: Victoria Lesiw

Music:

Michael Freeman

Running Time: 82 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Big Iron Productions

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Earthbound

SATURDAY JUNE 2 9:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 3 2:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY JUNE 7 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Like most people, Joe Norman just wants the ordinary things in life: a well-paying job he doesn’t hate, an affordable place to call home, and a nice girl to settle down with. But an ordinary life is hard to come by when you’re the sole surviving son of Zalaxon, a world embroiled in endless rebellion against the planet Xalador. Charged by his dying father to continue their species, Joe searches continuously for a “compatible” human mate. So when he meets Maria, Joe believes his quest might finally be nearing its end. However, the course of true love never did run smoothly, particularly when intergalactic bounty hunters are involved. After Joe reveals his extraterrestrial origins to her, Maria believes it to be nothing more than an unhealthy obsession with old Battlestar Galactica reruns, until she, too, starts seeing the signs of an interstellar conspiracy at play. Redefining the concept of star-crossed lovers, writer/director Alan Brennan approaches his sci-fi rom-com with a witty, inventive playfulness that keeps his characters, and audiences, guessing as to the film’s ambiguous truth.

Director:

Alan Brennan

Producers:

Heidi Madsen

Jaqueline Korrin

Dominic Wright

Screenwriter: Alan Brennan

Cinematographer: P.J. Dillon

Editor:

Barry Moen

Music:

Liam Bates

Cast: Rafe Spall

Jenn Murray

David Morrissey

Stephen Hogan

Rory Keenan

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Ripple World Pictures

Limited

Film Website: rippleworld.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Easton’s Article

USA 2012

WoRld PRemIeRe

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:30 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 11:30 AM

Easton Denning is a computer programmer in 1997, who has been tracking the growth of the World Wide Web since the beginning. When he discovers his future obituary buried in a cryptic Internet file, he’s forced to confront his troubled past in order to prevent his predicted demise. Unlike Hollywood sci-fi, Easton’s Article makes the most of its limited budget by packing it full of big ideas. Stylistically it resembles Shane Carruth’s Primer or Darren Aronofsky’s Pi, both indie science fiction hits that make the story itself the primary special effect. Director Tim Connery moved back to his hometown of Dubuque, Iowa, in order to make this movie, which he funded through a Kickstarter campaign and the help of friends, family, and the people of Dubuque. The result is a character-driven drama fused with thrilling science fiction schema.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Tim Connery

Producers: Tim Connery

JEB Metzger

Joe Scherrman

Screenwriter: Tim Connery

Cinematographer: Jackson Cooper Gango

Editor:

Michael Zak

Cast: Chad Meyer

Kristina Johnson

Dan Flannery

Charlene Hinderman

Francis Henkels

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Flood 93 Films

Film Website: eastonsarticle.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

SATURDAY MAY 19 9:15 PM

MONDAY MAY 21 4:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 8:30 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

After accepting a late night ride home from a young firefighter, Hyun Jae finds herself abducted and imprisoned in Las Vegas as a sex slave for more than two years. Renamed “Eden” by her captors, she learns to survive by building the trust of the boss’ right hand man, Vaughan (Matt O’Leary) who rules over the operations at the compound but has a weakness for his crack pipe. Local filmmaker Megan Griffiths shares the horrific discovery of this forced underground lifestyle and effectively maintains its unsettling tone as Eden rises in stature, revealing the machinations of this disgusting operation. Jamie Chung portrays Eden as no simple victim, particularly as her ascension requires her to betray her fellow inmates. To Chung’s and Griffiths’ credit, much of Eden’s journey is internal, and her eyes tell what her stoic exterior doesn’t dare reveal. Eden also features uncharacteristically dark performances by Native American actress Tantoo Cardinal and Beau Bridges as a federal Marshall who has been successfully operating the prostitution ring. Griffiths (The Off Hours, SIFF 2011), confirms her promise as an artist and solidifies her place as one of the most exciting new voices in filmmaking.

Awards:

SXSW 2012 (Audience Award, Emergent Narrative Director Award) (Special Jury Recognition for Performance: Jamie Chung)

Director: Megan Griffiths

Producers: Colin Harper Plank

Jacob Mosler

Screenwriters: Richard B. Phillips

Megan Griffiths

Cinematographer: Sean Porter

Editor:

Eric Frith

Music: Jeramy Koepping

Matthew Emerson Brown

Joshua Morrison

Cast:

Jamie Chung

Matt O’Leary

Beau Bridges

Tantoo Cardinal

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Cinema Management Group

Print Source: Cinetic Media

Film Website: theedenfilm.com

Selected Filmography: The Off Hours (2011)

First Aid For Choking (2003)

Á

Way

THURSDAY MAY 31 6:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 4:00 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 2 11:30 AM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Finn and Alfred are summer employees of the Icelandic Road Administration in the 1980s, spending days painting yellow lines on a rural highway with only each other for company. The roads receive little to no traffic; the only frequent passerby is a jolly farmer who rewards them with bottles of booze for their good work. Finn is older and seemingly wiser than skirt-chasing Alfred, his girlfriend’s brother, for whom sex is constantly on the brain. The two men barely tolerate each other at first, but ultimately share—during a comical, drunken night—their deepest questions and possible answers about life and love. Director Hafsteinn Sigurđsson uses the isolated countryside of northern Iceland to highlight the nuances of Finn and Alfred’s colorful dialogue and behavior, their Sisyphean work mirroring the difficulties of human connection. With its beautiful ocean vistas and barren plains, the landscape suggests both the splendor and the severity of life as Finn and Alfred’s relationship unfolds. Sigurđsson, who began his career making skateboarding films, has an eye for the subtleties of body language. This endearing comedy, his feature film debut, announces him as a talented director to watch.

Awards:

Torino Film Festival 2011 (Best Film) Edda Awards 2012 (Best Supporting Actor, Cinematogrpahy)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Hafsteinn Gunnar

Sigurđsson

Producers: Davíd Óskar Ólafsson

Árni Filippusson

Hreinn Beck

Tobias Munthe

Theo Youngstein

Sindri Pay Kjartansson

Screenwriters: Hafsteinn Gunnar

Sigurđsson

Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson

Cinematographer: Árni Filippusson

Editor: Kristján Lodmfjörd

Cast: Hilmar Gujónsson

Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Icelandic, with English subtitles

Print Source: Icelandic Film Centre

Film Website: eitherwaythemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Elena RUSSIA 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

THURSDAY MAY 24 7:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Winner of Cannes’ Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize, Andrei Zvyagintsev’s quietly powerful Elena centers on cruel class differences and the misdeeds of a tenuous marriage. Middle-aged spouses Vladimir and Elena uneasily share his palatial Moscow apartment—he’s a still-virile, wealthy businessman; she’s his former nurse and recent wife. Estranged from his own wild-child daughter, Vladimir despises Elena’s freeloading son and family. When Vladimir gets sick and draws up a hotly contested will, dutiful housewife Elena is pushed beyond her limits to hatch a desperate plan. Masterfully crafted by award-winning filmmaker Andrei Zvyagintsev (Golden Globe nominee The Return), this modern twist on a Dostoevsky-style exploration of human nature shows Zvyagintsev’s deep understanding of unpredictability, and the extremes people can go to when under duress. Featuring a gripping, evocative score by Philip Glass, Elena is a subtly stylish exploration of crime, punishment, and the will to survive.

Awards:

Cannes Film Festival 2011 (Special Jury Prize, Un Certain Regard)

Ghent International Film Festival 2011 (Best Film) Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2011 (Best Actress)

Director: Andrei Zvyagintsev

Producers: Alexander Rodnyansky

Sergey Melkumov

Screenwriters: Oleg Negin

Andrei Zvyagintsev

Cinematographer: Mikhail Krichman

Editor: Anna Mass

Music: Philip Glass

Cast: Andrey Smirnov

Nadezhda Markina

Elena Lyadova

Alexey Rozin

Running Time: 109 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Russian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Pyramide International

Print Source: Zeitgeist Films

Film Website: zeitgeistfilms.com/elena

Selected Filmography: The Banishment (2007) The Return (2003)

El Gusto: The Good Mood

IRelAnd/AlgeRIA/FRAnce/UnIted ARAB emIRAteS 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 1:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY MAY 27 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 6:00 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

While traveling through the narrow streets of Algiers, director Safinez Bousbia walked into a little shop, drawn to a hanging mirror for sale. The shopkeeper sat her down and began relating stories of his lost friends. Before long, she found herself discovering an Algerian music form called chaâbi (“of the people”), a genre that emerged out of Arabian-Andalusian music being played in the casbahs. The legendary El Hadj Mohamed El Anka popularized the genre in the 1950s through a chaâbi orchestra at the Algiers Conservatory, in which Arab and Jewish students played together. Bousbia soon discovered that members of the orchestra had been out of touch for more than 50 years, since the War of Independence had sent many of the Jewish members fleeing to France. This film is the story of these spirited men—now aged between 72 and 98—whom she brought together from Algiers, Paris, and Marseilles to form a touring orchestra they named El Gusto. They may have aged, but their passion for their beloved music clearly remains in this emotionally stirring documentary that covers an important piece of Algeria’s history, and shows how music can transcend all differences.

Director: Safinez Bousbia

Producers: Philippe Maynial

Heidi Egger

Safinez Bousbia

Screenwriter: Safinez Bousbia

Editor:

Françoise Bonnot

Running Time: 88 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French and Arabic, with English subtitles

International Sales: Fortissimo Films

Print Source: Fortissimo Films

Film Website: quidam.ie/projects/ elgusto

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

ELIMINATE: Archie Cookson

UnIted KIngdom 2011

SATURDAY MAY 26 9:00 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

MONDAY MAY 28 11:00 AM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

TUESDAY MAY 29 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Translator/analyst Archie Cookson’s life has reached a dead end, personally and professionally. He has a tiresome job in one of the dankest corners of the British Secret Service, an unloving marriage, and an oddly detached son. But when a set of stolen secret tapes mysteriously get sent to Archie, senior MI6 officials target his office for liquidation. Archie unwittingly survives the purge of his departmental colleagues only to be confronted by his longtime friend and ex-CIA “brother-in-arms,” Ennis Miller. Initially appearing to be his salvation, Ennis is soon revealed to be a reluctant assassin hired to finish the job, magnanimously granting Archie a stay of execution to reconcile with his estranged family. As the grim reality of the next 48 hours begins to dawn on him, a chance encounter with an alluring young woman fires up the long-lost passion and fight he once possessed. Filled with dry, sardonic wit, ELIMINATE: Archie Cookson is a blackly humorous delight for audiences craving cinematic espionage thrills a lá Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Director: Rob Holder

Producers: Ioanna Karavela

Screenwriter: Rob Holder

Cinematographer: Stein Stie

Editor: Valentina Riva

Music: David Hamill

Cast: Paul Rhys

Claire Skinner

Paul Ritter

Georgia King

Philip Manikum

Running Time: 87 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

Agent Pictures

Film Website: eliminatearchiecookson.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Emerald City Visions (A Hip Hop Reinterpretation of The Wiz)

FRIDAY JUNE 1 7:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 9:30 PM

Curated by The Stranger music columnist and KEXP “Street Sounds” DJ Larry Mizell Jr., this reimagining of The Wiz will feature OC Notes, Mizell’s own ribald trio Don’t Talk To The Cops, and some of the hottest names in Northwest hip-hop collaborating to infuse the classic musical with a fresh flavor in a way that’s never been done. An award-wining Broadway production that opened on Broadway in 1975, The Wiz won seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The 1978 silver screen adaption was directed by Sidney Lumet, produced by Motown head Berry Gordy, and featured musical arrangements by the legendary Quincy Jones, and performances by Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, and Richard Pryor. Retrospectively revered as a culturally significant, urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” The Wiz is ripe for reinterpretation by contemporary artists.

TRIPLE DOOR

TRIPLE DOOR

Director: Sidney Lumet

Producers: Rob Cohen

Berry Gordy

Screenwriters: Joel Schumacher

William F. Brown

Based on the novel by L. Frank Baum

Cinematographer: Oswald Morris

Editor: Dede Allen

Composer: Charlie Smalls

Cast: Michael Jackson

Diana Ross

Nipsey Russell

Lena Horne

Richard Pryor

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format:

DVD

Print Source: Universal Pictures

Selected Filmography:

Before the Devil Knows

You’re Dead (2007)

Gloria (1999)

Deathtrap (1982)

Equus (1977)

Network (1976)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

The Deadly Affair (1966)

12 Angry Men (1957)

The Empty Home

KyRgyzStAn/RUSSIA

THURSDAY JUNE 7 9:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 9 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

This well-paced production opens on Ascel, a girl on a country road in Kyrgyzstan, who sells apricots from a bucket with her brother. Self-determined, practical, and energetic, Ascel avoids the advances of one man, marries another, and runs off on her wedding night, vowing to make her way to the big city. “They’re tough in Moscow, too,” a relative warns Ascel; indeed, her first residence in the city is an underground shelter inside a factory, which she enters through a mythical hole in the wall. Ascel tries, with her small bag of tricks, to “make it,” but soon finds that, for all her resourcefulness and adaptability, she is severely lacking in street smarts. Though she’s no innocent, she’s barely a mature individual and doesn’t comprehend that dreams of success can come at a high price. Director Nurbek Egen, who was raised in Kyrgyzstan, weaves a surprising and touching micro-odyssey of a woman’s first step into the intersection of village life and modernity.

Director: Nurbek Egen

Producers: Evgenia Tridatova

Ilya Neretin

Screenwriter: Ekaterina Tirdatova

Cinematographer: Dmitry Ermakov

Editor: Alexei Volndn

Cast: Maral Koichukaraeva

Atal Omurbekov

Bolot Tentimyshov

Asan Amanov

Cecile Plage

Denis Sukhanov

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Kyrgyz, Russian, and French, with English subtitles

Print Source: Kinoglaz

Film Website: dom-film.com

Selected Filmography: The Wedding Chest (2006)

Sunday June 3 3:30 pm

KirKland performance center tueSday June 5 4:00 pm Siff cinema uptoWn

WedneSday June 6 6:00 pm HarVard eXit

The youngest of Robert and Ethel Kennedy’s 11 children, acclaimed documentarian Rory Kennedy, directs this affectionate portrait of her mother, who supported Robert’s political ambitions while never losing her quirky, independent spirit. The Kennedy brood provides context and color in many reflections on growing up in the ’60s. Rory Kennedy has produced and directed dozens of TV documentaries on social issues and earned several Emmys, but convincing the camera-shy Ethel to sit for her might have been her biggest challenge to date. Ethel is known for being proud and private, and yet a humorous person who has always fascinated admirers of Camelot. Her devotion to her husband is as legendary as the zoo they kept in the basement of their Hickory Hill mansion, and the eclectic, starstudded parties they held there. Rory largely leaves the latter day out of the picture, focusing more on the most momentous historical events of the ’50s and ’60s. Rory was born six months after Robert’s assassination, and so uses her siblings’ reminiscences along with home movie, archival, and newsreel footage to construct a memento of her parents’ courtship, political achievements, and enduring legacy.

Director:

Rory Kennedy

Producers:

Rory Kennedy

Jack Youngelson

Nancy Abraham

Screenwriter: Mark Bailey

Cinematographer: Buddy Squires

Editor:

Azin Samari

Music:

Miriam Cutler

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Moxie Firecracker Films

Film Website: ethelmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Ghosts of Abu Ghraib (2007)

A Boy’s Life (2003)

Pandemic: Facing AIDS (2003)

American Hollow (1999)

Everything and Everyone

CAnAdA 2011

US Premiere

Sunday may 27 6:00 pm HarVard eXit monday may 28 1:30 pm pacific place cinemaS WedneSday may 30 8:30 pm HarVard eXit

Full of love, laughter, and loss, Tracy D. Smith’s feature debut is a funny and moving portrayal of a circle of family and friends as they each arrive at important crossroads in their lives. When young Ben is dropped off in his grandmother’s driveway by social services, he walks into a unusually complex situation: Grandma Rose is showing early signs of dementia, his father Noah is a struggling actor who’s beginning to realize that his dreams may never come true, and the school bully has chosen Ben as his favorite new target. Noah is too self-absorbed to notice his mother’s progressing illness, and too self-conscious to relate to his newly discovered son. Meanwhile, family friends Eric and Amanda are each pursuing unwise crushes, with humorous, touching, and devastating results. Smith uses Ian Tang’s twisty, surprising script and some of Canada’s premier actors to create a kaleidoscopic array of fully realized human characters wrestling with the unpredictability of life. As Grandma Rose, Gabrielle Rose gives a Best Actress-worthy performance: a graceful, inspiring portrait of a woman trying to impart her wisdom before it melts away.

Awards: Vancouver Women in Film Festival 2012 (Best Feature Drama, Best Director)

Director: Tracy D. Smith

Producer: Ian Tang

Screenwriter: Ian Tang

Cinematographer: Brendan Uegama

Editor: Cameron Glegg

Music:

Dennis Law

Cast:

Ryan Robbins

Gabrielle Rose

Chad Willett

Lane Edwards

Chelah Horsdal

Sean Michael Kyer

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Take a Bow Entertainment Inc.

Film Website: everythingandeveryonemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Taming Tammy (2007)

Excision

USA 2012

SATURDAY JUNE 9 miDNighT

EgYPTiAN ThEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 10 8:30 Pm KiRKLAND PERFORmANCE CENTER

Despite infuriating her demanding mother (Traci Lords) and disgusting her high school peers, Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord) goes far beyond being your typical teenage outsider. She revels in her dark psychosexual surgical fantasies, which she can barely suppress from performing. Nearly friendless, she draws comfort for her sister Grace, who suffers from ever worsening cystic fibrosis. However, Pauline enjoys her pariah status, doing whatever she can to subvert her more popular rivals. So when she finally decides it’s time to lose her virginity to studly athlete Adam, the boyfriend of her arch-nemesis Natalie, the weirdness really begins—and no one will be safe from the ensuing carnage. Featuring Ray Wise, Malcolm McDowell, Marlee Matlin, and John Waters as Reverend William, Pauline’s pastor-therapist, Excision is a chilling exercise in adolescent alienation in the vein of Carrie and Scream. Expanding his short film (which screened at SIFF 2009), writer-director Richard Bates Jr. shows a flair for Grand Guignol, perfectly blending teen sex comedy elements with uniquely nightmarish horror visions to create a twisted midnight delight.

Director: Richard Bates Jr.

Producer: Dylan Hale Lewis

Screenwriter: Richard Bates Jr.

Cinematographer: Itay Gross

Editors: Yvonne Valdez

Steve Ansell

Music: Mads Heldtberg

Steve Damstrall

Cast: AnnaLynne McCord Traci Lords

John Waters

Malcolm McDowell

Marlee Matlin

Ray Wise

Running Time: 80 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Film Website: excisionmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Exorcist USA 1973

FRiDAY JUNE 8 10:00 Pm

Praised by the Catholic News and damned by the Rev. Billy Graham, The Exorcist remains to this day one of the most terrifying and controversial films ever released from a major Hollywood studio. Inspired by a 1949 case of alleged demonic possession, William Peter Blatty wrote both the novel and an extensive screenplay adaptation. However, when director William Friedkin became attached to the picture fresh from winning the Academy Award® for The French Connection, he refused to work from the first-draft script, favoring a more streamlined plot, and in the process developing a quarrelsome relationship with Blatty, who also served as the film’s producer. Friedkin’s tactics on set proved equally contentious with cast and crew: dangerous stunt work that resulted in injuries to both his lead actresses (their injured yelps were promptly included in the film’s sound design), the slapping of a Catholic priest, and, famously, the building of the bedroom set in a freezer so the actors’ breath would appear on camera. But the resulting film, in which a mother frantically attempts to save her daughter from a malevolent entity and the two priests—one fragile in faith, the other fragile in frame—confronting diabolic forces, still possesses a timeless power to chill, thrill, and horrify.

Director: William Friedkin

Producer: Willam Peter Blatty

Screenwriter: Willam Peter Blatty, from his novel

Cinematographer: Owen Roizman

Editor: Norman Gay

Evan Lottman

Music: Steve Boeddeker

Cast: Linda Blair

Ellen Burstyn

Max von Sydow

Lee J. Cobb

Kitty Winn

Running Time: 120 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Warner Brothers

Selected Filmography: Killer Joe (2012) Bug (2006) Rules of Engagement (2000)

Jade (1995)

The Guardian (1990) To Live and Die in L.A. (1987)

Cruising (1980)

The French Connection (1971)

The Boys in the Band (1970)

The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968)

SiFF CiNEmA UPTOWN

E

Extraterrestrial

SPAIn 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 9:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY MAY 27 2:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 31 8:30 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

After an epic drunken night, Julio and Julia wake up together in her bed, so severely hungover they can’t remember if they had sex or not. But what should be just be another routine, though still awkward, morning-after becomes infinitely more complicated when they notice colossal alien spaceships hovering over the Madrid skyline. While most of the city’s populace has evacuated, Julia’s creepy, stalkerish neighbor, Ángel, has unfortunately chosen to remain behind. And then Julia’s live-in boyfriend, Tipo, returns home, so hellbent on surviving the inevitable alien invasion that he fails to notice his girlfriend’s possible infidelity—a little detail Ángel is more than eager to share with him. Caught in between, Julio and Julia endeavor to keep Tipo oblivious and Ángel silent as their budding attraction builds. As he did with his previous feature Timecrimes, director Nacho Vigalondo ingeniously subverts classic science-fiction conventions, this time creating a romantic, screwball comedy of errors that brilliantly examines how the intimate concerns of love, jealousy, and betrayal prove greater than even a world-shattering alien apocalypse.

P RECEDED BY:

Change–Mosco Espacial USA/Argentina/Costa Rica/Colombia 2011, 3 minutes, Directors: Various Worldwide. Youth artists show us that change begins with imagination and being open to the magic and potential that surrounds us. adobe Youth Voices

The Eye of the Storm

AUStRAlIA 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 6:30 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY MAY 26 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY MAY 27 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director:

Nacho Vigalondo

Producers: Nahikari Ipiña

Nacho Vigalondo

Screenwriter: Nacho Vigalondo

Cinematographer: Jon D. Dominguez

Editor: Jon D. Dominguez

Music:

Jorge Magaz

Cast: Julian Villagran

Michelle Jenner

Raul Cimas

Carlos Areces

Miguel Noguera

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wild Bunch

Print Source: Tugg

Film Website: tugg.com/extraterrestrial

Selected Filmography: Timecrimes (2007)

Based on the novel by Nobel laureate Patrick White, Charlotte Rampling is wonderful as dying matriarch Elizabeth Hunter, who maintains a manipulative grip on her estranged would-be heirs (Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis). Like drama queen mother, like children: Elizabeth’s son, Basil Hunter, is a knighted stage actor living in London. Her daughter, Dorothy, is now called “Princess de Lascabanes,” the title being all that remains of a failed marriage into French nobility. Despite their lifelong efforts to leave their loveless Australian upbringing behind, the siblings rush to Elizabeth’s bedside to settle affairs at the end of her life. Actually, she’s chosen the end. And she’ll also choose who receives her inheritance—luxuriating on her deathbed, Elizabeth doles out trinkets and promises to her loyal staff of servants. Helen Morse (Picnic at Hanging Rock) plays housekeeper Lotte, a Holocaust survivor who entertains with Weimar cabaretstyle routines. Director Fred Schepisi’s daughter, Alexandra, plays young nurse Flora, one of a handful of characters who ultimately reflect the Hunter family’s bourgeois silliness back at them. Meanwhile, it’s a battle of wits and old resentments as this family struggles to discover what they mean to each other and what their legacy will be.

Awards:

Rome Film Festival 2011 (Special Jury Prize)

Melbourne International Film Festival 2011 (Best Australian Feature)

Director: Fred Schepisi

Producers: Antony Waddington

Gregory Read

Fred Schepisi

Screenwriter: Judy Morris, based on the novel by Patrick White

Cinematographer: Ian Baker

Editor: Kate Williams

Music: Paul Grabowsky

Cast: Charlotte Rampling

Geoffrey Rush

Judy Davis

Helen Morse

Alexandra Schepisi

Running Time: 114 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: The Little Film Company

Print Source: Sycamore Entertainment Group

Film Website: theeyeofthestormthemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Empire Falls (2004)

Last Orders (2001)

Six Degrees of Separation (1993)

Evil Angels (1988)

Roxanne (1987)

Plenty (1985)

Iceman (1983)

Barbosa (1981)

The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)

The Devil’s Playground (1976)

Family Portrait in Black and White

SUNDAY MAY 20 12:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 21 6:30 PM

In a small village in racially charged Ukraine, headstrong Olga Nenya is foster-mom to 16 Ukrainian-African orphans. Despite hardships caused by their lack of money and the racist society that surrounds them, these abandoned kids function as a family unit under Olga’s relentless dictatorial guidance. The children are eloquent and mature beyond their years, speaking perfect Russian and Ukrainian and openly discussing their concerns about their futures. Even though they are grateful for Olga, her strong character causes rifts with some of the kids. Over three summers, director Julia Ivanova visited Olga and her family in their farmhouse on the outskirts of Sumy, Ukraine, where they live with no indoor toilet and raise livestock, grow vegetables, and deal with local officials who are no help at all. “The film’s concept changed from the initial idea,” says Ivanova. “I thought I would make a film about the issues related to racism in Eastern Europe. Instead, I ended up making a multilayered complex exploration of a family.” In fact, it’s both, offering deep insight into a fraught community and into the passions, hopes, and hardships of a unique homemade family.

Awards:

Hot Docs International Documentary Festival 2011 (Best Canadian Documentary)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Julia Ivanova

Producers: Boris Ivanov

Sally Jo Fifer

Screenwriter: Julia Ivanova

Cinematographers: Julia Ivanova

Stanislav Shakhov

Editor: Julia Ivanova

Music: Boris Sichon

Running Time: 106 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM in English, Russian, and Ukrainian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Interfilm Productions Inc.

Print Source: Interfilm Productions Inc.

Film Website: familyportraitthefilm.com

Selected Filmography: Love Translated (2010)

Fatherhood Dreams (2007)

Fat Kid Rules the World USA 2012

FRIDAY MAY 18 7:00 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY MAY 19 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

MONDAY MAY 28 6:00 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Actor-turned-director Matthew Lillard successfully translates K.L. Going’s novel into a hilarious and deeply touching cinematic examination of two societal outcasts who have all but given up on the world. Troy, an overweight teen, lives in his fantasies and decides to end it all by stepping in front of a bus. Marcus, a druggie and high school dropout, saves Troy at the last moment and begins using him for occasional money to buy food or drugs. When Marcus eventually invites the musically challenged Troy to join his new punk rock band, Troy discovers that banging on the drums unleashes a confidence that forever alters his reality. As Troy, Jacob Wysocki (Terri, SIFF 2011) continues to display a remarkable seriocomic range, humanizing a teen who is always looking for an escape from every social interaction. Matt O’Leary’s performance as Marcus is no less complex, demonstrating tightropetreading precision in crafting a sympathetic character that teeters between friendship and mean-spirited derision. Lillard confidently demonstrates that his acting achievements are not his only talent, as his direction elevates Fat Kid Rules the World into the epic experience that high school feels like when you are living it. Filmed in Seattle by the first-time director.

Awards:

SXSW Film Festival 2012 (Audience Award, Best Narrative Feature)

Director: Matthew Lillard

Producers: Nick Morton

Rick Rosenthal

Matthew Lillard

Screenwriters: Michael M.B. Galvin

Peter Speakman from the novel by K.L. Going

Cinematographer:

Noah Rosenthal

Editor: Michelle Witten

Music: Mike McCready

Cast: Jacob Wysocki

Lili Simmons

Matt O’Leary

Billy Campbell

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Paradigm Agency

Print Source: Whitewater Films

Film Website: fatkidmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

HARVARD EXIT

Finding North

USA 2012

SUNDAY MAY 20 3:00 PM

RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

FRIDAY JUNE 1 7:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 3 2:30 PM

This touching yet troubling documentary takes on the complex issue of hunger in America. Co-directors Kristi Jacobson and Lori Silverbush meet with the working poor from coast to coast, including extended families and single parents facing the problem of food insecurity, which affects as many as 50 million people. Actor Jeff Bridges, who co-founded the End Hunger Network, believes it’s a problem that people are ashamed of acknowledging and has only gotten worse since the 1980s. Rose, a charismatic fifth grader from rural Colorado, says she gets so hungry that she feels nauseated. Fortunately, her church steps in to provide a weekly meal, but that’s one night out of seven. Tremonica, a Mississippi second grader, skips meals or eats junk food, which doesn’t bode well for her future. Ree, a Mississippi mother, has to drive 45 minutes just to buy vegetables, since stores in her remote location only carry canned goods. Sadly, poverty and obesity go hand in hand when processed foods cost less than fresh produce, due largely to farm subsidies to agribusiness. Jacobson and Silverbush also look at developmental disabilities, public assistance, and school lunches, while taking time to single out individuals making a positive impact in ways both big and small.

PRECEDED BY:

A Nourishing Journey

USA 2012, 6 minutes, Director: 5th Grade Students at South Shore K-8. Recipes and family stories are woven to create a beautiful statement about taking time to nourish one’s body, mind, and spirit. adobe Youth Voices

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Directors:

Lori Silverbush

Kristi Jacobson

Producers:

Julie Goldman

Ryan Harrington

Kristi Jacobson

Lori Silverbush

Cinematographers:

Daniel B. Gold

Kirsten Johnson

Editors:

Madeleine Gavin

Jean Tsien

Andrea B. Scott

Music:

T Bone Burnett and The Civil Wars

Running Time: 84 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Participant Media

Print Source: Participant Media

Film Website: takepart.com/findingnorth

Selected Filmography:

Kristi Jacobson:

Toots (2006)

Lori Silverbush:

On the Outs (2004) American Standoff (2002)

i PriMi DELLa Lista

The First on the List

ItAly 2012 noRth AmeRIcAn PRemIeRe

SATURDAY MAY 26 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN SUNDAY JUNE 3 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Based on actual events, director Roan Johnson’s sly debut takes aim at Italy in the 1970s—a time when the constant threat of terrorism had everyone looking over their shoulders. As rumors of a military coup run rampant, aspiring musicians Renzo and Fabio go to transgressive ballad composer Pino’s house for an audition. After a mysteriously garbled phone call tweaks his already paranoid sensibilities, a frenzied Pino persuades the others that they have to flee the country immediately. Saddling up in Renzo’s father‘s old Fiat, they begin a not-so-epic journey, eventually landing themselves in an Austrian prison. As an embarrassed Italian government finds itself forced to intervene on behalf of the misfit trio, the full satirical impact of the film comes into bold relief. Blending broadly comic characterizations with subtle dramatic nuances, Martin’s film evokes how even the wildest rumors can take on a rambling life of their own. If this wasn’t a true story, nobody would believe it.

Director: Roan Johnson

Producers: Carlo degli Esposti

Nora Barbieri

Conchita Airoldi

Patrizia Massa

Screenwriters: Davide Lantieri

Roan Johnson

Cinematographer: Tommaso Borgstrom

Editor: Marco Guelfi

Music: Ratchev & Carratello

Cast: Claudio Santamaria

Francesco Turbanti

Paolo Cioni

Sergio Pierattini

Daniela Morozzi

Fabrizio Brandi

Capovilla

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Italian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Intramovies

Print Source: Intramovies

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The First Time USA 2012

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 6:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

FRIDAY JUNE 1 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Featuring a young cast of familiar television faces, The First Time, Jonathan Kasdan’s coming-of-age dramedy, perfectly makes the jump to the big screen. Set over the course of an eventful weekend, Aubrey (Britt Robertson) and Dave (Dylan O’Brien) meet in the alley behind a teen party that has not maintained their interest. They are from different schools, but quickly strike up a conversation that will last long into the night. Thus begins a weekend where the two teens, both involved in other less-engaging relationships, begin to circle each other amorously through a sort of conversational waltz. Kasdan populates the supporting world with memorable young characters, but it is the two young leads, marching toward the event of the title, who carry the film with their flirting glances and soul-searching chatter. Ultimately they discover a deeper experience in love than they have words to explain as The First Time takes the ordinary rhythm of life and extols what makes it extraordinary.

Director: Jonathan Kasdan

Producers: Martin Shafer

Liz Glotzer

Screenwriter: Jonathan Kasdan

Cinematographer: Rhet Bear

Editor: Hugh Ross

Cast:

Britt Robertson

Dylan O’Brien

Craig Roberts

James Frecheville

Victoria Justice

Christine Taylor

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Selected Filmography: In the Land of Women (2007)

Five Star Existence

FInlAnd/SWeden 2011

TUESDAY JUNE 5 7:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

FRIDAY JUNE 8 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 10 1:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

With the world at our fingertips, does technology make us freer? Amidst all the hurry and worry of the modern information society, are we happier? These are the core questions of Finnish filmmaker Sonja Lindén’s contemplative look at our wired existence. Our communication habits have changed drastically in the past 20 years. As the pace of technological innovation accelerates daily, expectations intensify in the workplace, where hectic multitasking and 24/7 availability are the norm. Lindén also notes how our relationship to movement has changed; it is now possible to live a life entirely sitting down. But while the sedentary nature of playing video games results in spine problems for some young people, a computer mouse stuck to the forehead of a disabled woman has given her a new independent life. How does machinery affect our physical, emotional, and mental well-being? How can we rediscover a balance between our natural rhythm and the rapidly escalating demands of modern society? Beautifully shot and poetically paced, Lindén’s sensitive, nonjudgmental treatment of these questions creates a heavily thought-provoking cinematic essay on the intertwining of machine and human being.

Director: Sonja Lindén

Producer: Sonja Lindén

Screenwriter: Sonja Lindén

Cinematographer: Peter Flinckenberg

Editor: Samu Heikkilä

Music:

Rebekka Karijord

Running Time: 84 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Finnish and English, with English subtitles

Print Source: Finnish Film Foundation

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

H

Found Memories

TUESDAY MAY 22 9:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

THURSDAY MAY 24 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

In a fictitious, overgrown village in Brazil’s Paraíba Valley, where coffee plantations used to flourish, a few surviving elderly inhabitants live out their lives. Surrounded by nature and elaborate decaying architecture, this village has its own tempo. Every morning, Madalena makes bread and Antonio opens his café, where they spar and argue with each other over coffee. At night, all the residents gather together for dinner. Then Madalena goes home and writes letters to her dearly departed husband. One day, a lovely young photographer, Rita, follows some rural train tracks that lead to the village. Entranced with the scenery, she begins to look for a place to stay and Madalena takes her in. Rita is a serious photographer with cameras, new and old-fashioned, hoping to capture the village and its inhabitants realistically. A delicate and respectful connection develops between the visitor and the villagers as Madalena teaches Rita how to make bread. This astonishingly beautiful and daring first film from Julia Murat elegantly conveys the confluence of generations and cultures in a forgotten time and place.

Awards: San Sebastian International Film Festival 2011 (Special Mention) Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2011 (New Horizon: Best Film, Actress)

Director: Julia Murat

Producers: Lucia Murat

Julia Murat

Christian Boudier

Julia Solomonoff

Felicitas Raffo

Juliette Lepoutre

Marie-Pierre Macia

Screenwriter: Fabienne Vonier

Cinematographer: Lucio Bonelli

Editor: Maria Meliande

Music: Lucas Marcier

Cast:

Sonia Guedes

Lisa E. Favero

Luiz Serra

Joslas Ricardo Merkin

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Portuguese, with English subtitles

International Sales: MPM Film

Print Source: Film Movement

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Four Suns

czech RePUBlIc 2012

SATURDAY MAY 19 11:00 AM

MONDAY MAY 21 6:00 PM

SATURDAY MAY 26 9:00 PM

Jára (Jaroslav Plesl) is stuck in never-ending puberty. He’d be the first to admit that he’s not the best provider for his family, even though he loves them dearly. He and Jana (Aňa Geislerova), a post office worker, live together in a small flat in a small town with little Anicka and Jára’s adolescent son from his first marriage, Véna. Jára tries to live up to his family duties, but then he loses his job. His peace of mind is troubled further by seeing his son making the same mistakes he did. Meanwhile, he spends time with his best friend Karel (Karel Roden), a kind of shaman, always dressed in the same shabby sweater and looking a bit crazed. Jana’s patience is wearing thin and their son is running wild. Family fights, family secrets, and mutual misunderstandings begin to multiply. Bohdan Sláma (The Country Teacher, Wild Bees), a SIFF 2009 Emerging Master, shows his sensitive and tender attitudes toward ordinary people. Most people have suffered from crises or have followed some illusive trail of pathways they sensed but were unable to explain; Sláma celebrates this humanity with a wry sense of humor and empathy.

Something Like Happiness (2005) Wild Bees (2001) White Acacias (1999) Č

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Bohdan Sláma

Producers: Pavel Strnad

Petr Oukropec

Screenwriter: Bohdan Sláma

Cinematographer: Divis Marek

Editor: Jan Danhel

Music: Vypsaura Fixa

Cast: Jaroslav Plesl

Aňa Geislerová

Karel Roden

Jiří Mádl

Klára Melíšková

Running Time: 102 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Czech, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Films Boutique

Print Source: Films Boutique

Selected Filmography: The Country Teacher (2008)

The Fourth State

geRmAny 2012 noRth AmeRIcAn PRemIeRe

THURSDAY MAY 24 9:00 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY JUNE 2 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY JUNE 4 9:45 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

In the wake of his stylish vampire film, We Are the Night, writer/director Dennis Gansel returns to the land of the living for this Russiaset thriller. SIFF favorite Moritz Bleibtreu (Das Experiment) plays journalist Paul Jensen, who embraces both romance and risk-taking after a move from Berlin to Moscow following a divorce. With his experience tracking the moves of the rich and famous, Paul becomes a society-page editor for a once-popular tabloid under the editorship of Alexei Onegin (Rade Serbedzija), an associate of his East German father. With Paul’s expertise, circulation figures soar. Then, amidst the wining, dining, and fashion shows, he falls in love with Katja (Kasia Smutniak), a beautiful activist, who encourages him to inject some politics into his writing. A comfortable situation soon turns precarious after he witnesses the murder of a particularly outspoken reporter. In trying to identify the culprit, Paul finds himself up against a secret service operation behind a nefarious terrorist plot. Through his ordeal, he will get a taste of Russia’s infamous penal system, as well as a family past that had long remained hidden. Though Gansel uses fictional names, the allusions to real-world developments in the former U.S.S.R. are downright chilling.

Director:

Dennis Gansel

Producers:

Nina Maag

Thomas Peter Friedl

Nico Hofmann

Screenwriter: Dennis Gansel

Cinematographer: Daniel Gottschalk

Editor:

Jochen Retter

Music:

Heiko Maile

Cast: Moritz Bleibtreu

Kasia Smutniak

Max Riemelt

Mark Ivanir

Rade Serbedzija

Running Time: 115 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Celluloid Dreams

Print Source: Celluloid Dreams

Film Website: celluloid-dreams.com

Selected Filmography:

We Are the Night (2010)

The Wave (2008)

Before the Fall (2004)

Girls on Top (2001)

The Dawn (2001)

FRIDAY JUNE 1 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 2 2:30 PM

With admiration and respect, ad-executiveturned-director Court Crandall documents the inspiring journey of eight students from Compton High School in Los Angeles, who compete in a high-stakes free-throw basketball match devised by Crandall himself. The prize? A $40,000 college scholarship. The competition between these young men and women, who hail from different racial and cultural backgrounds, illustrates their hopes, dreams, and obstacles, while illuminating the South Central community that produced them, in both its positive and negative aspects. Using a lottery system, the filmmaker and his team selected the players from approximately 80 seniors at Compton High with a 3.0 or better GPA. The father of a Manhattan Beach, Calif., high-school hoops player, Crandall turned to his colleagues and to Kickstarter to fund the contest and the film. As one contestant puts it, “The best part about living in Compton, I think, is it makes you want to succeed, it makes you want to become a better person.” His statement anticipates the surprising way in which each student, win or lose, will end up benefiting just by participating.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Court Crandall

Producer: Andrew Silver

Cinematographer: Daron Keet

Editor: Marc D’Andre

Music: David Grow

Running Time: 78 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: WDCW

Film Website: freethrowmovie.com

QUE PENA TU BODA

The French Connection

USA 1971

TUESDAY mAY 29 7:00 Pm

William Friedkin’s Oscar®-winning NYC police drama pits an unlikeable cop (Gene Hackman) against a suave, gentlemanly heroin supplier (Fernando Rey)—and features one of cinema’s best-ever car chases. Hackman and Roy Scheider play detectives on undercover assignment to untangle a narcotics ring. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the nonfiction book by Robin Moore. Hackman’s “Popeye” Doyle is an outrageously un-P.C. character, a shorttempered alcoholic who stands in contrast to Rey’s suave French criminal, Alain Charnier. Popeye’s partner, Buddy “Cloudy” Russo, is played by Scheider. The two detectives’ reallife inspirations make cameo appearances in the film as different characters. Together they inhabit Friedkin’s gritty, fast-paced and exhilaratingly dangerous underworld. The surveillance and eventual bust of Charnier features an adrenalized, landmark car chase in which Friedkin was literally directing from the backseat. It remains one of the action genre’s greatest examples of producing propulsive thrills through images and sound. The French Connection was a smash, resulting in five Academy Award® wins, including for Best Picture and Best Director.

Awards:

Academy Awards® 1972 (Best Picture, Actor in a Leading Role, Director, Film Editing, Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium)

BAFTA Awards 1973 (Best Actor, Film Editing)

Directors Guild of America 1972 (Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures)

Golden Globes 1972 (Best Director, Motion Picture, Actor)

SiFF CiNEmA UPTOWN

Director: William Friedkin

Producer: Philip D’Antoni

Screenwriter: Ernest Tidyman

Cinematographer: Owen Roizman

Editor: Jerry Greenberg

Music: Don Ellis

Cast: Gene Hackman

Roy Scheider

Fernando Rey

Running Time: 104 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Twentieth Century Fox

Selected Filmography: Killer Joe (2012)

Bug (2006)

Rules of Engagement (2000)

Jade (1995)

The Guardian (1990)

To Live and Die in L.A. (1987)

Cruising (1980)

The Exorcist (1973)

The Boys in the Band (1970)

The NIght they Raided Minsky’s (1968)

Fuck My Wedding

Chile 2011 North AmeriCAN Premiere

mONDAY mAY 28 9:00 Pm

SATURDAY JUNE 2 8:30 Pm

SiFF CiNEmA UPTOWN

SiFF CiNEmA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 3:30 Pm hARVARD EXiT

Über-hot Chilean director Nicolás López is back with Fuck My Wedding, an engaging sequel to last year’s Fuck My Life. This time, Javier’s finally got his life back together. His career is going great, and he and Angela are still together as a happy couple. So happy, in fact, that Javier sees no reason to get married and mess up a good thing. But when Angela unexpectedly gets pregnant, he decides to do the honorable thing and propose. Temptation arrives in the form of his boss’ precocious daughter, Lucia, who becomes Javier’s new intern. She clearly wants more from him than just a little guidance, and soon the cracks in Javier’s non-committal commitment begin to show. Once again, López shows how social networking has become woven into the ups and downs of modern relationships, while still using the romantic comedy to portray the Chilean 20-something generation as they wrestle with maturity. A Westernized version of Fuck My Wedding is already in the works, and this spring López is shooting a Chilean earthquake thriller with Eli Roth, so don’t miss what may be your last chance to see this talented director making the kind of films that put him on the map.

Director: Nicolás López

Producers: Miguel Asensio

Nicolás López

Screenwriter: Guillermo Amoedo

Cinematographer: Antonio Quercia

Editor: Diego Macho

Music: Manuel Riveiro

Cast: Ariel Levy

Andrea Velasco

Nicolas Martinez

Ramon Llao

Paz Bascuñan

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: BluRay, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

BF Distribution

Print Source: Sobras

Film Website: quepenatuboda.com

Selected Filmography: Fuck My Life (2010) Santos (2008) Promedio rojo (2004)

Fugly!

USA 2012 WoRld

SATURDAY JUNE 9 6:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 11:00 AM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Producer and co-writer John Leguizamo stars as screwed-up comedian Jesse Sanchez in this “un-romantic comedy.” Within the oblivion induced by Jesse’s ill-conceived suicide stunt on New Year’s Eve, his life’s highs and lows flash colorfully by. On the last day of the year, Sanchez gives the performance of his life. Accidentally knocking himself out, he sinks into the bathtub, where he then unconsciously reflects on the great mistakes, adventures, and loves of his madcap life. The audience is taken on a ride through his life’s story, including his quest for fame and personal connection. The big questions tumble around and around his mind—illustrated here with unique visual storytelling techniques, voiceover, and meta-narrative—like rough rocks that may never be fully polished. Will he get a second chance at life? Leguizamo’s Jesse is supported by a fantastic cast of characters played by Radha Mitchell, Rosie Pérez, Ally Sheedy, Perrey Reeves, Ioan Gruffudd, Yul Vasquez, and Tomás Milián.

Director:

Alfredo de Villa

Producers:

Danny Bigel

Laura Knight

John Leguizamo

Screenwriters: Kathy DeMarco

John Leguizamo

Cinematographer: Nancy Schreiber

Editors:

John Coniglio

Jaime Valdueza

Music:

Paul Oakenfold

Cast:

John Leguizamo

Radha Mitchell

Rosie Pérez

Ally Sheedy

Perrey Reeves

Ioan Gruffudd

Tomás Milián

Yul Vasquez

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

David Dinerstein

Film Website: thefuglymovie.com

Selected Filmography: Nothing like the Holidays (2008)

Adrift in Manhattan (2007)

Yellow (2006)

Washington Heights (2002)

Future Lasts Forever

tURKey/FRAnce/geRmAny 2011

MONDAY MAY 28 8:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY JUNE 4 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Sumru, an ethnomusicology student from Istanbul, is traveling the Turkish countryside collecting folk elegies for her thesis. Seeking out survivors of the anti-Kurdish violence that has plagued the country in recent decades, she records their testimonies—some spoken, some sung—with patience and deep empathy. Along the way she meets Ahmet, the local head of an improvised cinematheque who shares her interests and, smitten with this pretty stranger, helps her in her search. But the results of the quest, far from leading her back to Istanbul, instead propel her on toward Hakkari, the mountainous hometown of the former boyfriend, whose mysterious disappearance she can’t forget. Set against a captivating natural landscape, the beauty of which is only slightly marred by the unsettling presence of army trucks and helicopters, Özcan Alper’s film takes the viewer on an emotional journey driven by the power of collective memory.

Awards:

Kerala Film Festival 2012 (FIPRESCI Award)

Director: Özcan Alper

Producers: Ersin Celik

Soner Alper

Screenwriter: Özcan Alper

Cinematographer: Feza Caldiran

Editors:

Ayhan Ergursel

Thomas Balkenhol

Özcan Alper

Umut Sakallioglu

Music: Mustafa Biber

Cast: Gaye Gürsel

Durukan Ordu

Sarkis Seropyan

Osman Karakoc

Erdal Kirik

Running Time: 108 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Turkish, Kurdish, Armenian, and Hemshince, with English subtitles

International Sales: Arizona Films

Print Source: Arizona Films

Film Website: gelecekuzunsurer.com/en

Selected Filmography: Autumn (2008)

Future Weather

USA 2012

SATURDAY JUNE 9 5:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 10:00 AM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Thirteen-year-old Lauduree has become accustomed to being a grown-up, always mothering her own mother. However, she’s unprepared when, in the midst of her work on a carbon sequestration experiment for her school’s science fair, her mother runs away to become a makeup artist to the stars. Lauduree redirects her disappointment and aggression over her fractured family into a deep concern for the environment. After she’s caught shoplifting a fluorescent light bulb, Lauduree is turned over to her jaded grandmother, Greta, and must finally come to terms with her mother’s absence. Greta, meanwhile, begins to use Lauduree to drive a wedge between her and her new boyfriend, Ed, who is trying to convince Greta to sell her home and move with him to Florida. As the science fair approaches, both women must reconcile their differences and make important decisions that may have far-reaching consequences for both. Jenny Deller’s multigenerational drama explores the intricacies of both climate change and the equally complex dynamics between three generations of women.

Director: Jenny Deller

Producers: Kristin Fairweather

Jenny Deller

Screenwriter: Jenny Deller

Cinematographer: Zak Mulligan

Editor: Shelby Siegel

Music:

Erik Friedlander

Cast:

Perla Haney-Jardine

Amy Madigan

Lili Taylor

William Sadler

Marin Ireland

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

Print Source:

Future Weather

Productions

Film Website: futureweathermovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Game of Werewolves

SPAIn 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 MIDNIGHT

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

TUESDAY MAY 29 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 2 9:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

In 1901, in the Spanish village of Arga, the wicked Marchioness of Mariño seduced a gypsy to produce an heir. Fearful that the secret of her child’s true parentage might become known, she leads her men in slaughtering the gypsy camp, but not before her family falls victim to a powerful curse. Some hundred years later, Tomás Mariño returns to Arga to be awarded a literary prize, which is a bit odd considering his readership is significantly less than the village’s population. However, he soon learns things are not quite as they seem: although he is still the guest of honor, the award ceremony is actually more of an arcane ritual in which the last male descendent of the Mariño family needs to be sacrificed in order to end the century-long reign of the local werewolf. Now, with the help of his grandmother and friends Mario and Calisto, Tomás must elude both villagers and said werewolf if he hopes to survive till morning. Doing for lycanthropes what Shaun of the Dead did for zombies, Game of Werewolves is a hair-raisingly funny horror-comedy.

P RECEDED BY:

Bad Moon Rising Australia, 2010, 8 minutes, Director: Scott Hamilton During a bruising interrogation, a young man waits till moonrise to turn the tables on his captors.

Director: Juan Martinez Moreno

Producers: Tomás Cimadevilla

Emma Lustres

Screenwriter: Juan Martinez Moreno

Cinematographer: Carlos Ferro

Editor: Nacho Ruiz Capillas

Music: Sergio Moure

Cast: Gorka Otxda

Secun De La Rosa Carlos Areces

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Vertice Sales

Print Source: Vertice Sales

Film Website: gameofwerewolves.com

Selected Filmography: A Good Man (2009) Dos Tipos Duros (2003)

Gayby

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 7:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 8 4:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 2:00 PM

When Jenn asks her gay friend Matt to help her get pregnant, he finds sex with a woman is surprisingly easy. Their journey from pals to parents of a “gaymazing” child gets hilariously complicated as they try to maintain their normal dating lives in this irreverent comedy. Jonathan Lisecki’s Gayby is a fulllength version of the celebrated short film of the same title, which has played to acclaim at more than a hundred festivals. In this modern age of dating and romance (or lack thereof), how long does a girl with a dream have to wait? Jenn (Jenn Harris) wants a baby. Tired of trying to find Prince Charming in Manhattan, the 30-something yoga instructor asks her gay best friend Matt (Matthew Wilkas), a comic book store employee who just broke up with his longtime love, to help her get pregnant. It turns out that even though the old college buddies can actually have sex, they still need a little help, which comes in the form of their bitchy friend Nelson (a scene-stealing Lisecki). A script plentiful with zingers, and featuring deft physical comedy from Harris’ increasingly restless and randy Jenn, give this comedy the spark of life.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director:

Jonathan Lisecki

Producers:

Zeke Farrow

Laura Heberton

Amy Hobby

Anne Hubbell

Screenwriter:

Jonathan Lisecki

Cinematographer:

Clay Liford

Editor:

Ann Husaini

Music:

Giancarlo Vulcano

Cast:

Jenn Harris

Matthew Wilkas

Mike Doyle

Anna Margaret Hollyman

Jonathan Lisecki

Alycia Delmore

Charlie Barnett

Adam Driver

Dulé Hill

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales:

The Film Collaborative

Print Source:

The Film Collaborative

Film Website: gaybyfilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Gimme The Loot

USA 2012

SATURDAY MAY 26 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

MONDAY MAY 28 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Bronx teens Malcolm and Sofia are the ultimate graffiti artists, tagging rooftops with their own unique logos. After a rival gang defaces their recent masterpiece, the determined teens fixate on achieving a 20-year-old challenge to tag the Home Run Apple at Shea Stadium. Filmmaker Adam Leon immerses the audience in their world, allowing the extraordinary young actors to riff on the dialog, creating between them a playful, complex, and platonic friendship. Taking place over two blazing summer days, Leon makes Gimme The Loot as much about the details of the city as it is about its characters, creating an epic urban adventure that observes the flavor of NYC street culture. While there’s no denying its microbudget roots, the actors carry the material marvelously, alternating between moments of almost slapstick comedy and genuine sensitivity.

Gimme The Loot is a tremendous portrait of lives seldom captured with authenticity, and a debut that marks Leon as a future star of independent filmmaking.

Awards: SXSW 2012 (Best Narrative Feature)

P R e C eded BY: Graffiti

USA 2011, 5 minutes, Director: Mia Favela, Destiny Orozco, Martiza Carillo

Graffiti isn’t just something you see on the streets or something you see people going to jail for. It’s a way that people express themselves. Adobe Youth Voices

Director: Adam Leon

Producers: Natalie Difford

Dominic Buchanan

Jamund Washington

Screenwriter: Adam Leon

Cinematographer: Jonathan Miller

Editor: Morgan Faust

Music: Nicholas Britell

Cast: Tashiana Washington

Ty Hickson Meeko

Zoe Lescaze

Sam Soghor

Running Time: 81 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Sundance Selects

Film Website: gimmethelootmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Glass Man

United Kingdom 2011 north AmericAn Premiere

FRIDAY JUNE 1 9:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 11:00 AM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 9:15 PM

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

every morning, Martin Pyrite gets dressed, takes breakfast, kisses his wife Julie goodbye, and then sets off for work. Only Martin isn’t going anywhere. Having lost his high-paying financial services job, he is sinking fast into near-insurmountable debt. To make matters worse, Martin’s former employer has made him the fall guy for a disastrous business decision, essentially blacklisting him from other firms. determined not to let his wife know, Martin strives to maintain the couple’s posh standard of living by stretching their credit to its very limits. Then, late one night, a sinister debt collector knocks on his door with a proposition: help him carry out one task, and he’ll wipe Martin’s financial slate clean. However, the simplicity of this ominous request belies the chilling journey ahead. Martin quickly finds himself descending into his own private hell, where he must confront his worst fears made real. Writer/director Cristian Solimeno, whose short film Love astonished SIFF audiences in 2009, crafts a tense psychological thriller that’s topical in its subject matter and all the more terrifying for its realism.

Director: Cristian Solimeno

Producers: Bruce Melhuish Cristian Solimeno

Screenwriter: Cristian Solimeno

Cinematographer: Bruce Melhuish

Editor: Cristian Solimeno

Music: Oli Newman

Cast: Andy Nyman James Cosmo Neve Campbell

Running Time: 108 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Traction Media

Print Source: Tiger Moth Motion Pictures Ltd.

Film Website: theglassmanmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

God Bless America USA 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 MIDNIGHT

TUESDAY MAY 22 9:30 PM SIFF

Bobcat Goldthwait’s previous tales of alcoholic clowns (Shakes the Clown) and postsuicide fakery (World’s Greatest Dad) were just warm-ups for God Bless America, an ultraviolent and ultra-hilarious tirade against the increasingly vapid, downward spiral of pop culture. everyman Frank (Joel Murray) is sick of the “constant cacophony of stupidity” that he sees around him every day—from banal office banter to insufferably trashy neighbors to the idiocy of cable television. After the one-two punch of losing his job and discovering he may have terminal cancer, Frank is ready to end it all. But a moment of televised nastiness leads him to realize that, rather than killing himself, he should rid the world of cruel, intolerant, and ignorant people, starting with a bratty reality TV princess. Frank’s bloody revenge is witnessed by 16-year-old highschool outcast Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr), who shares his passion for homicidal judgment. Together, this unlikely duo embark on a crosscountry killing spree of dim-witted celebrities, hateful evangelists, and––in a particularly cathartic scene––people who talk in movie theatres. Part Heathers, part Bonnie and Clyde, and all Bobcat, God Bless America is a bloody salve for the ailments of the collapsing American empire.

Director: Bobcat Goldthwait

Producers: Sean McKittrick

Jeff Culotta

Sarah de Sa Rego

Jim Goldthwait

Screenwriter: Bobcat Goldthwait

Cinematographer: Bradley Stonesifer

Editors: David Hopper

Jason Stewart

Music: Matt Kollar

Cast: Joel Murray

Tara Lynne Barr

Larry Miller

Geoff Peirson

Melinda Page Hamilton

Running Time: 99 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Magnet Releasing

Print Source: Magnet Releasing

Film Website: magpictures.com/ godblessamerica

Selected Filmography: World’s Greatest Dad (2009)

Sleeping Dogs Lie (2005) Shakes the Clown (1991)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

CINEMA UPTOWN

Golden Slumbers

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 6:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 31 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Davy Chou

Producer: Jacky Goldberg

Cinematographer: Thomas Favel

Editor: Laurent Leveneur

Music: Jérôme Harré

Running Time: 96 minutes

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film L

From the golden age of Cambodian cinema— which led to the creation of four hundred movies between 1960 and 1975—not much remains. A handful of films, some aged pictures, and memories of nights and afternoons spent watching films as the Khmer Rouge regime approached Phnom Penh. Benefiting from incredible insights from some of the most influential directors and actors of the time, filmmaker Davy Chou takes us through some of the many tales of the once-magnificent industry. From the folkloreinspired romance of some of its biggest films to the tragic fate of those filmmakers and actors forced to leave the country, no stones have been left unturned in this documentary that favors reenactment over archival footage. Chou’s film proves that despite years of oppression and cultural ostracism, memories of films and stars live on. And as a new generation of filmmakers is emerging, Cambodian cinema seems to be slowly waking up from its golden slumber.

Awards: Cinemanila International Film Festival 2011 (Best ASEAN Film)

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Khmer and French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Doc & Film International

Print Source: Doc & Film International

Goodbye

IRAn 2011

SUNDAY MAY 20 11:30 AM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY MAY 21 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY MAY 26 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Drawing from incidents of injustice in his own life, Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof (White Meadows)—who in 2010 was imprisoned along with Jafar Panahi for “propagandizing against the regime”—depicts the experiences of a pregnant woman who must lead a double life in this carefully controlled, quietly indignant drama. Noora (Leila Zare, a soulful, steely presence), a civil rights lawyer, has lost her license due to her political activities. Her husband, Mehrdad, an activist and journalist, has been forced to go underground and is in only intermittent contact. In a world where it can be difficult to tell allies from enemies, Noora is lonely and isolated; with just a pet turtle for company, she is regularly harrassed by surveillance agents. And on top of everything, she’s pregnant. But she’s also strong and resourceful, and determined to make her escape from her oppressive circumstances, before they close in on her altogether.

Awards: Cannes 2011 (Un Certain Regard Directing Prize)

Director: Mohammad Rasoulof

Producer: Mohammad Rasoulof

Screenwriters: Mohammad Rasoulof

Shargh Tamasha Media

Cinematographer: Arastoo Givi

Editor: Mohamadreza Muini

Cast: Leila Zare

Hassan Pourshirazi

Behname Tashakor

Sima Tirandaz

Roya Teymorian

Running Time: 104 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Farsi, with English subtitles

International Sales: Fortissimo Films

Print Source: Fortissimo Films

Selected Filmography: The White Meadows (2009)

Head Wind (2008)

Iron Island (2005)

The Twilight (2002)

Grassroots

USA 2012

WoRld PRemIeRe

SUNDAY JUNE 10 5:30 PM

“Monorail.” When Grant Cogswell hears that word in 2001, he sees an inexpensive, elegant form of mass transit, a Jetsonian future of silent public transportation and unclogged streets. In order to make his dream a reality, Grant needs to run for City Council. But there’s one problem: Grant is a loud, obnoxious, sometime music critic for The Stranger, with no connections and no voice in Seattle politics. How can Grant campaign for office?

Enter Phil Campbell. Recently fired from the same paper, Phil initially comes on board because he doesn’t have anything better to do, but Grant’s enthusiasm wakes up something new inside him. Soon, Phil’s shrewdness and emerging political savvy, coupled with Grant’s Monorail-mania, attract a ragtag army of young volunteers. The crew is just smart enough, just arrogant enough, and just idealistic enough to believe they can change the world. Together, they wage an energizing, hilarious campaign. Along the way, Grant and Phil both learn that one person really can make a difference, and that some things in life are worth fighting for.

Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal

Producers: Matthew Brady

Peggy Rajski

Michael Huffington

Brent Stiefel

Peggy Case

Screenwriters: Stephen Gyllenhaal

Justin Rhodes

Cinematographer:

Sean Porter

Editor: Neil Mandelberg

Music: Nick Urata

Cast:

Jason Biggs

Joel David Moore

Lauren Ambrose

Cedric the Entertainer

Cobie Smulders

Christopher McDonald

Tom Arnold

Emily Bergl

DC Pierson

Todd Stashwick

Running Time:

97 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales:

MRB Productions

Print Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Film Website: grassrootsthefilm.com

Selected Filmography:

Homegrown (1998)

Losing Isaiah (1995)

A Dangerous Woman (1993)

Waterland (1992)

Paris Trout (1991)

Certain Fury (1985)

DEN KaENPEstOrE BJOrN

The Great Bear

denmARK 2011

SUNDAY MAY 20 11:00 AM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 4:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FRIDAY JUNE 1 11:00 AM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

During a countryside visit to see their grandfather, 12-year-old Jonathan follows his younger sister, Sophie, into the forbidden forest beyond the backyard, where a wild animal seemingly abducts her. After a frantic search, Jonathan finds her in the company of a 1,000-year-old bear with an uncanny knack for camouflage. Given the beast’s ferocious appearance, Jonathan agrees to help a crazed hunter capture him using Sophie as bait. But Sophie’s care for and friendship with the bear eventually persuades Jonathan to change his allegiance, and The Great Bear develops into a fight to save both the bear and his forest habitat. Esben Toft Jacobsen’s sophomore feature is a thrilling example of the new wave of Scandinavian animated films that combine strong characters and storytelling with a creative visual palette. While his film has a decidedly ecological message, Jacobsen stays off the soapbox, focusing instead on the developing connection between the siblings and crafting an adventure that the whole family can enjoy. Recommended for ages 6+ (contains hunting violence and intense sequences).

Director: Esben Toft Jacobsen

Producer: Petter Lindblad

Screenwriters: Esben Toft Jacobsen

Jannik Tai Mosholt

Cinematographer: Andreas Normand

Grøntved

Editor: Elin Pröjts

Music: Nicklas Schmidt

Voices of: Markus Rygaard

Alberte Blichfeldt

Flemming Quist Møller

Elith Nulle Nykjær

Running Time: 73 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in English

International Sales: Copenhagen Bombay

Print Source: Danish Film Institute

Film Website: copenhagenbombay.com

Selected Filmography: Carsten & Gitte’s Film Hullabaloo (2008)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

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SUNDAY MAY 27 8:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 4:30 PM

MONDAY JUNE 4 9:30 PM

Veteran French stage actor Philippe Torreton gives a powerhouse performance as Alain Marécaux, who was arrested along with his wife Edith and 15 others for pedophilia in 2001 in what came to be known as the “Affaire d’Outreau,” a tragic miscarriage of justice that played out over four grinding years. Despite the lack of evidence, Marécaux is given no presumption of innocence. He is incarcerated, separated from his son and daughter, and subjected to the wrath of heavy-handed police officers. For this principled, hard-working, and devoted family man, it’s a descent into the worst ordeal of his life. Before an unresponsive judicial system, false testimonies, and an ambitious young judge who believes that he’s landed the trial of a lifetime, Marécaux sinks further into a Kafkaesque nightmare as he’s slowly abandoned by his loved ones. Based on his memoir and filmed with a “you-arethere” immediacy, Vincent Garenq’s disturbing and riveting film chronicles Marécaux’s determination to overcome despair and rebuild his shattered life.

Awards:

Cesar 2012 Nominee (Best Actor, Best Adaptation)

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Vincent Garenq

Producers: Christophe Rossignon Philip Boeffard

Screenwriter: Vincent Garenq

Cinematographer: Renaud Chassaing

Editor:

Dorian Rigal-Ansous

Music:

Klaus Badelt

Cast: Philippe Torreton

Wladimir Yordanoff

Noémie Lvovsky

Running Time: 102 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Films Distribution

Print Source:

Films Distribution

Film Website: presumecoupable-lefilm. com

Selected Filmography: Baby Love (2008)

MONDAY MAY 21 9:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 9 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Variously described as “staggering,” “cataclysmic,” and “gut-wrenching,” Hail is a semifictional narrative chronicling a middle-aged ex-con’s attempt to return to society (and his longtime girlfriend) while somehow recovering from his past. In this experimental docudrama, director Amiel Courtin-Wilson casts ex-prisoner Daniel P. Jones and his partner, Leanne Letch, in the leading roles as Danny and Leanne. The project evolved from 500 pages of memories recorded by Jones documenting his former involvement in the criminal world. A few of Jones’ real-life associates also have roles, as sympathetic and terrifying personalities in a world that’s always on the verge of violence. After Danny is released from prison in Melbourne, a reunion with Leanne brings laughter and lovemaking, but the afterglow doesn’t last. Leanne’s friend, a heroin dealer, has a job for Danny, and the twin demons of booze and repressed memories begin to pull his internal strings. He warns, “If I told you what was in my head, you’d run a thousand miles.” Courtin-Wilson visually portrays Danny’s mental maelstrom in images of horrifying beauty, like the metaphor of a horse falling to earth from 4,000 feet. Wildly creative and viscerally acted, Hail is a cinematic torrent of considerable strength.

Director: Amiel Courtin-Wilson

Producers: Michael Cody

Amiel Courtin-Wilson

Screenwriter: Amiel Courtin-Wilson

Cinematographer: Germain McMicking

Editor: Peter Sciberras

Cast: Daniel P. Jones

Leanne Letch

Dario Ettia

Running Time: 104 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Level K

Print Source: Level K

Film Website: hailmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Catch My Disease (2011) Bastardy (2008) Chasing Buddha (2000)

Headshot

THURSDAY MAY 24 9:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY MAY 27 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

A police officer named Tul (Nopporn Chaiyanam) takes on the roles of assassin, vigilante, and even Buddhist monk as he struggles to find himself on the right side of justice in this snappy Thai thriller by veteran director Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Last Life in the Universe, Sawasdee Bangkok). First introduced as an assassin, Tul suffers the titular headshot on an assignment to kill a corrupt and powerful businessman. He awakens from a coma months later, suffering from upside-down vision—a “gift” that allows him to see the world for what it really is. His story unfolds in a series of flashbacks and forwards, effectively composed to slowly reveal just how deeply he’s mired in an underworld where society’s worst have climbed to the top. In response, Tul turns assassin for a secret organization, outside the law, formed to fight corruption and drug and human trafficking. As right and wrong grow harder to decipher, and paths and allegiances are called into question, Ratanaruang develops a rich and suspenseful world.

Director:

Pen-ek Ratanaruang

Producers: Pawas Sawatchaiyamet

Raymond

Phathanavirangoon

Screenwriter: Pen-ek Ratanaruang

Cinematographer: Chankit Chamnivikaipong

Editor:

Patamanadda Yukol

Music:

Vichaya Vatanasapt

Cast:

Nopporn Chaiyanam

Sirin Horwang

Chanokporn

Sayoungkul

Apisit

Opasaimlikit

Krerkkiat Punpiputt

Running Time: 105 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Thai, with English

subtitles

International Sales: Memento Films

International

Print Source:

Kino Lorber

Film Website: headshotmovie.com

Selected Filmography:

Sawasdee Bangkok (2009)

Nymph (2009)

Ploy (2007)

Invisible Waves (2005)

Last Life in the Universe (2003)

Mon-Rak Transistor (2002)

6ixtynin9 (1999)

Fun Bar Karaoke (1997)

Hello I Must Be Going USA 2012

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:00 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 3:00 PM

Jobless and facing a divorce, 30-something

Amy Minsky (Two and a Half Men’s Melanie Lynskey) moves back in with her self-absorbed parents, Ruth and Stan (Blythe Danner and John Rubinstein) in suburban Connecticut. They provide four walls but not much in the way of emotional support; their lives have been “set” for so long, that they simply can’t relate. Ruth compares Amy to more successful peers and openly lists her faults. Executive Stan is focused on landing his last big client before retirement. It’s a tenuous situation made even more so by the burgeoning attraction between Amy and the client’s 19-year-old son, Jeremy (Christopher Abbott). This collaboration between director Todd Louiso (Love Liza) and screenwriter Sarah Koskoff offers a blend of melancholy and humor in Amy’s journey back toward not only loving herself but also accepting love from others. A sweet soundtrack by Portland-based folk singer/songwriter Laura Veirs perfectly underscores Amy’s growing pains and redemptive moments.

Director:

Todd Louiso

Producers: Hans Ritter

Mary Jane Skalski

Screenwriter: Sarah Koskoff

Cinematographer: Julie Kirkwood

Editor: Tom McArdle

Music:

Laura Veirs

Cast: Melanie Lynskey

Blythe Danner

Christopher Abbott

John Rubinstein

Julie White

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Oscilloscope Laboratories

Selected Filmography: The Marc Pease

Experience (2009)

Love Liza (2002)

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

HARVARD EXIT

Hemel

NetherlaNds/spaiN 2012

SUNDAY MAY 20 8:30 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 4:00 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 9:30 PM

A sexy electronic score and star-making performance from Hannah Hoekstra as Hemel (“Heaven”) highlight a young hedonistic woman’s relationship with her bachelor father, and her tempestuous route to emotional maturity. More than the Dutch version of Shame with a female protagonist, Sacha Polak’s debut film is a psychologically illuminating look into promiscuous behavior that’s thorny, but not without pleasure. What makes Hemel approach strangers so boldly? Why does she prefer her lovers to be “like lions,” falling asleep quickly after the conquest? In some ways, it’s a case of like father, like daughter. Gijs (Hans Dagelet) is an elegant, cultured man who works at Christie’s. His serial relationships don’t threaten the one he cherishes with Hemel, who speaks to her father as an equal. But when Gijs begins to woo his colleague Sophie (Rifka Lodeizen) with the intention of something more than a quick fling, Hemel’s romantic searching becomes even more Odyssean. Polak’s episodic story is both dream and nightmare as Hemel navigates perilous emotional waters on her journey to both authentic intimacy and letting go.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HArvArD ExIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Sacha Polak

Producer: Stienette Bosklopper

Screenwriter: Helena van der Meulen

Cinematographer: Daniël Bouquet

Editor: Axel Skovdal Roelofs

Cast: Hannah Hoekstra

Hans Dagelet

Rifka Lodeizen

Running Time: 80 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Dutch, with English subtitles

International Sales: Media Luna

Print Source: Media Luna

Film Website: medialuna.biz/films/ descr_hemel

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

High Ground Usa 2011

SATUrDAY MAY 19 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY MAY 20 2:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FrIDAY MAY 25 4:00 PM EvErETT PErFOrMING ArTS CENTEr

The 11 military veterans featured in this remarkable documentary come from wildly different walks of life and display an array of physical and mental scars from their combat experiences, including post-traumatic stress disorder, blindness, and loss of limbs. What unites them is both a desire to rise above their handicaps and a common mission on the horizon: namely, to scale the 20,075-foot Himalayan mountain called Lobuche. Director Michael Brown lets his people do the talking, creating a moving confirmation of human resilience without ever reducing the subjects to mere ideals or figureheads. By turns profane and profound, the people featured here tell their various stories without a hint of artifice, painting a vivid image of carrying on after trauma. Beautifully shot and honestly inspirational, High Ground works as both an action movie, and a moving, true story of triumphing over the most towering odds. Getting there isn’t even half the story.

Awards: Boulder International Film Festival 2012 (People’s Choice Award, Best Call 2 Action Film)

Director: Michael Brown

Producer: Don Hahn

Screenwriter: Michael Brown

Cinematographer: Michael Brown

Editor: Scott McElroy

Music:

Chris Bacon

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Red Flag Releasing

Film Website: highgroundmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Human Hearts on Half Dome (2009)

3 Peaks 3 Weeks (2008) The Endless Knot (2007)

The House

THUrSDAY MAY 31 8:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY JUNE 4 4:30 PM HArvArD ExIT

TUESDAY JUNE 5 8:30 PM HArvArD ExIT

Small in scale yet perfectly proportioned in tone, pace, and character development, this contemporary family drama marks talented Slovak writer/director Zuzana Liová’s impressive debut. Within the setting of a remote Slovak village, a stubborn patriarch is in conflict with his rebellious offspring. Ambitious teen Eva, about to graduate from high school, is prone to taking romantic risks and eager to forsake her bleak hometown for glamorous London. Meanwhile, her dour, controlling father is painstakingly building her a house on the family property—his modest effort to quietly hold onto his family. After Eva meets a handsome new neighbor, she is tempted, like her now-disowned older sister before her, to leave the family nest sooner than later. Liová’s tightly constructed viewpoint makes meaningful looks and repeated gestures speak louder than words about expectations and desires. Remarkable for its depth of characterization, this is a sensitively observed realist tale of generational conflict.

Awards:

Art Film Festival 2011 (Best Film, Actress)

Slovak National Film Awards 2012 (Best Film, Script, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress)

Director:

Zuzana Liová

Producers:

Michal Kollár

Viktor Tauš

Screenwriter:

Zuzana Liová

Cinematographers:

Jan Baset Strítežský

Juraj Chlpík

Editor:

Anna Johnson Ryndová

Music:

Walter Kraft

Cast:

Judit Bárdos

Miroslav Krobot

Marian Mitas

Tat’jana Medvecká

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Czech, with English subtitles

Print Source: Negativ Film Production

Film Website: domfilm.sk

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

How to Steal 2 Million

SUNDAY MAY 27 8:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

TUESDAY MAY 29 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THUrSDAY MAY 31 8:30 PM HArvArD ExIT

After five years in prison, Jack is released to discover that his loyalty to his ex-partnerin-crime has been rewarded with betrayal, a jarring blow that leads him down criminal paths in pursuit of one last lucrative heist in this South African noir thriller. Twala, his best friend and co-conspirator on past heists managed to escape arrest on their last job, while Jack ended up imprisoned. When he finally gets out, he learns that Twala has married his former fiancée. Despite his efforts to go legit and start a construction business, Jack ends up being pulled back into the game, engaging in a home-invasion robbery rife with complicating double-crosses and personal landmines. Intricately plotted, yet focused primarily on the troubled mind of our protagonist, How to Steal 2 Million is a slow-burn heist movie that resonates with strong performances and classic noir ambience.

Awards:

Africa Movie Academy Awards 2012 (Best Film, Director, Supporting Actress, Editing)

Director: Charlie Vundla

Producers: Mfundi Vundla

Michelle Wheatley

Karen E Johnson

Jeremy Nathan

Screenwriter: Charlie Vundla

Cinematographer: Nicolaas Hofmeyr

Editors: Mick Audsley

Garreth Fradgely

Music: Trevor Jones

Cast:

John Kani

Hlubi Mboya

Menzi Ngubane

Rapulana Seiphemo

Terry Pheto

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in English and Zulu, with English

subtitles

International Sales: Indigenous Film

Print Source: XYZ Films

Film Website: howtostealtwomillion.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

How to Survive a Plague

SUNDAY MAY 20 12:00 PM

MONDAY MAY 21 9:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

By definition of its title, investigative journalist David France’s debut documentary is the hopeful next chapter in the story of AIDS, taking viewers behind the scenes of activism which led to clinical breakthroughs that ended the darkest days of the then-epidemic. France was there when AIDS treatment activism took hold in New York City, circa 1987, penning the first feature story about the organization ACT UP (AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power), which fought for visibility and support in the face of an indifferent Reagan administration. With TAG (Treatment Action Group), they worked to turn a death sentence into a manageable condition. Facing their own mortality, they took on Washington and the medical establishment by helping to move new drugs from trials to patients in record time. But before the breakthrough of combination therapy in the mid-1990s, fear and moral condemnation prevailed. For three years, France combed for archival footage of a forgotten time, when young AIDS sufferers were in wheelchairs on the streets of NYC. France’s film shows the controversial actions, heated meetings, heartbreaking failures, and exultant breakthroughs of these radical warriors. This verité documentary of a quintessentially American struggle—outsiders organizing to solve an insurmountable problem—is a commanding archetype for modern activism.

Director: David France

Producers: David France

Howard Gertler

Screenwriters: David France

T. Woody Richman

Tyler Walk

Editors:

T. Woody Richman

Tyler Walk

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Sundance Selects

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Hunky Dory

UnIted KIngdom 2011

THURSDAY JUNE 7 6:00 PM

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

SATURDAY JUNE 9 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 1:30 PM

The setting is Wales in the blistering summer of 1976—a time to explore one’s needs and desires, especially if you’re a high school student in summer school, or if you’re the teacher of that summer school class. The young teacher Vivienne, played adeptly by Minnie Driver, has dreamed up the perfect way to let her young, apathetic charges explore life, love, and art: her production of “The Tempest” will be a rock musical, using contemporary pop songs. Rehearsals, she says, will be a safe place for them to do whatever they want. “Out there doesn’t matter,” she says. “Explore what you like.” Since the cast is all high school students, their explorations are as tempestuous as Shakespeare’s plot, which Vivienne spices up with an injection of popular songs from the likes of David Bowie and ELO. Both sweetly funny and emotionally satisfying, Hunky Dory is a charming, nostalgic mash-up of Glee and American Graffiti

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director: Marc Evans

Producers: Jonathan Finn

Dan Lupovitz

Screenwriter: Laurence Coriat

Cinematographer: Charlotte Bruus Christensen

Editor: Mali Evans

Music: Joby Talbot

Cast: Minnie Driver Aneurin Barnard Danielle Branch

Tom Harries

Robert Pugh

Running Time: 106 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Independent Film Company

Print Source: Independent Film Company

Film Website: independentfilmcompany. com/films/hunkydory.php

Selected Filmography: Patagonia (2010)

In Prison My Whole Life (2007)

Snow Cake (2006) Trauma (2004)

My Little Eye (2002) Beautiful Mistake (2000) Resurrection Man (1997) House of America (1996)

I Am Not a Hipster

USA 2012

THURSDAY JUNE 7 9:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FRIDAY JUNE 8 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

After scoring a major success with his debut album, San Diego indie rocker Brook (Dominic Bogart) finds that the attendant notoriety does not suit him very well. From a prickly interview with a local radio host to an increasing egotistical attitude toward friends and acquaintances, Brook does everything he can to sabotage his early success and keep the rest of the world at arm’s length. Before his self-absorption becomes terminal, he receives a visit from his three sisters and father, whom he hasn’t seen since a death in the family more than two years ago. As he rekindles these familial relationships, he slowly emerges from his emotional echo chamber, finding strength in the very things he has taken for granted. Destin Cretton’s (Short Term 12, SIFF 2008 Grand Jury Winner for short film) feature-length debut skillfully uses Brook’s music to chart his emotional ups and downs as he comes to terms with loss, grief, and a better understanding of his own place in the world.

Director:

Destin Cretton

Producers:

Destin Cretton

Ron Najor

Screenwriter: Destin Cretton

Cinematographer: Brett Pawlak

Editor:

Destin Cretton

Music:

Joel P. West

Cast: Dominic Bogart

Alvaro Orlando

Tammy Minoff

Kandis Erickson

Lauren Coleman

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales:

Paradigm Agency

Print Source: Uncle Freddy Productions

Film Website: iamnotahipster.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Imposter United Kingdom 2012

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 8:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN TUESDAY MAY 29 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Director Bart Layton’s astonishing multipurpose documentary works as a gripping thriller, a compellingly chilly rumination on the nature of identity, and, above all, a believe-itor-not story that would have even Ripley doing a double take. The facts: In 1994, a 13-yearold boy disappeared from his home in San Antonio, Texas. Three and a half years later he is found alive thousands of miles away in Spain, describing a shocking story of kidnap and torture. His family is understandably overjoyed to bring him home, but among friends and neighbors, questions begin to percolate. Why does he have a French accent? Didn’t he used to be blonde? And what’s with the fiveo’clock shadow? As a private eye digs into the layers of deception surrounding the case, the story becomes increasingly bizarre, culminating in a reveal that would do Patricia Highsmith proud. Buoyed by eye-catching dramatizations and an enthralling structure that crisscrosses time and place, The Imposter stands as a real-life mystery that becomes even more perplexing once everything has been revealed. To say that it will generate discussions after viewing is an understatement.

Awards: Miami Film Festival 2012 (Best Documentary)

Director: Bart Layton

Producer: Dimitri Doganis

Cinematographers: Erik Alexander Wilson

Lynda Hall

Editor: Andrew Hulme

Music: Anne Nikitin

Running Time: 99 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Indomina Media, Inc.

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

NEVINNOST Innocence

CzeCh RepUbliC 2011

MONDAY JUNE 4 8:30 PM

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 6:30 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 8 4:00 PM

Tomas, a highly esteemed physician, finds himself embroiled in a scandal when Olinka, a 14-year-old patient, accuses him of sexual impropriety. Though the disturbed girl has taken liberties with the truth in the past, there are some damning details contained in her allegations that make them impossible to dismiss. As his once-idyllic professional and personal lives descend into chaos, Tomas must also contend with a police detective who has a personal interest in putting him away. This unsettling and propulsive thriller marks a successful creative departure for the team of director Jan Hřebejk and screenwriter Petr Jarchovský, previously best known for comedies such as the Oscar-nominated Divided We Fall. The long-time collaborators prove equally accomplished at genre filmmaking, crafting a dark, provocative thriller that is aided and abetted by an exemplary cast. Through layers of intrigue, they assemble a morally complex puzzle in which unearthing one answer only begets more troubling questions.

Awards: Czech Lions 2011 (Best Actress, Supporting Actress)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Jan Hřebejk

Producer: Rudolf Biermann

Screenwriter: Petr Jarchovský

Cinematographer: Martin Šácha

Editor: Vladimír Barák

Music:

Vladivojna La Chila

Cast: Ondrej Vetchý

Aňa Geislerová

Anna Linhartová

Ludek Munzar

Hynek Cermák

Zita Morávková

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Czech, with English subtitles

International Sales: Le Pacte

Print Source: Le Pacte

Selected Filmography: Kawasaki’s Rose (2009)

Beauty in Trouble (2006)

Divided We Fall (2000)

Cosy Dens (1998)

The Intouchables

FRIDAY MAY 18 6:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 20 4:00 PM

France’s second-highest grossing film of all time, which was recently nominated for eight César awards, follows the comedic story of an unlikely friendship between a quadriplegic millionaire and his live-in caretaker, a young Senegalese immigrant from the projects. Drawing from a true story, co-writer/director Eric Toledano introduces Driss (Omar Sy, Micmacs) as a Muslim ex-con who needs a signature in order to receive unemployment. He interviews for a job looking after Philippe (François Cluzet, Tell No One), a risk-taking widower quadriplegic who was injured in a paragliding accident. To Driss’ astonishment, Philippe prefers his free-thinking attitude to that of the more mild-mannered applicants, and hires him on a trial basis. Despite the concerns of his adopted daughter, Elena, and trusty assistant, Magalie, Philippe hires Driss on permanently. Soon, he’s teaching him about opera and fine art, while Driss helps him to see the joy in life again. More significantly, both men find someone to whom they can relate, resulting in a film that’s as emotionally involving as it is unabashedly hilarious.

Awards:

Cesar Awards 2012 (Best Actor)

Tokyo International Film Festival 2011 (Best Feature Film, Actor)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Directors: Eric Toledano

Olivier Nakache

Producers: Nicolas Duval

Yann Zenou

Laurent Zeitoun

Screenwriters: Eric Toledano

Olivier Nakache

Cinematographer: Matthieu Vedepied

Editor: Dorian Rigal-Ansous

Music:

Ludovico Einaudi

Cast: François Cluzet

Omar Sy

Anne Le Ny

Running Time: 112 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Gaumont

Print Source: The Weinstein Company

Film Website: weinsteinco.com/sites/ the-intouchables

Selected Filmography: Tellement proches (2009)

Nos Jours Heureux (2006)

Je préfère qu’on reste amis (2005)

The Invader

belgiUm/Sweden 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 1 9:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 4:00 PM

THURSDAY JUNE 7 9:00 PM

From the stunning opening scene of The Invader—including an homage to Gustave Courbert’s L’origine Du Monde—you know that you are in the hands of a savvy provocateur. And The Invader is nothing if not a gripping, multi-tiered, provocation regarding race, cultures, class, and sex. An illegal African worker in Belgium, Amadou works in construction for an underworld boss in order to support himself and his sick friend. But when his friend suddenly “disappears,” Amadou strikes out on his own. By chance, he spies on a conversation between his boss and Agnes, an attractive businesswoman. Agnes seems to have everything Amadou’s looking for: beauty, style, wealth, and connections. He follows her about the city, eventually manufacturing a pretense to strike up a conversation. Agnes is not adverse to this charismatic stranger’s advances, but she wants no more than a quick fling. As their romance grows cold, Amadou begins a dangerous descent into violence and madness. Celebrated visual artist Nicolas Provost knowingly plays with cultural stereotypes and double-edged symbolism to portray Amadou’s disintegration without choosing sides, and Issaka Sawadogo brings both easy charm and menace to Amadou’s desperate bid to make a place for himself in Brussels’ lurid, sex-drenched streets.

Awards:

Ghent International Film Festival 2011 (Best Actor, Original Music, Sound Design)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director:

Nicolas Provost

Producers:

Jacques-Henri Bronckart

Olivier Bronckart

Screenwriters:

Nicolas Provost

Giordano Gederlini

François Pirot

Cinematographer: Frank van den Eeden

Editor:

Nico Leunen

Music:

Evgueni Galperine

Sacha Galperine

Cast:

Issaka Sawadogo

Stefania Rocca

Serge Riaboukine

Dieudonne Kabongo

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Bac Films

Print Source: Bac Films

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Invisible War

USA 2012

SATURDAY MAY 26 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY MAY 27 1:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Twenty percent of U.S. servicewomen (and one percent of servicemen) report experiencing sexual assault at the hands of a fellow soldier or superior while serving in the military. This unsettling statistic is only the beginning of Kirby Dick’s deeply researched documentary, which fearlessly tackles one of our military’s more despicable and disturbing secrets. With the influx of women entering the ranks, the number of reported assaults is increasing at an alarming rate. As we’re introduced to soldiers who initially chose to serve their country with a profound sense of pride and professionalism, we also share in their disillusionment when those values are eroded by a system that refuses to acknowledge their claims of misconduct, or worse, punishes them for coming forward. Shot with a sober, Frontline-esque simplicity, this powerful examination of the epidemic of institutionalized rape and the social consequences that arise was the winner of Sundance Audience Award for Best Documentary.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Audience Award: Documentary)

Director: Kirby Dick

Producer: Amy Ziering

Tanner King Barklow

Cinematographers: Thaddeus Wadleigh

Kirsten Johnson

Editors: Doug Blush

Derek Boonstra

Music: Mary J Blige

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

The Film Collaborative

Film Website: invisiblewarmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Outrage (2009)

This Film is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Twist of Faith (2004)

Derrida (2002)

Chain Camera (2001)

Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997)

Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas

USA 2012

TUESDAY MAY 22 7:00 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 1:00 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 11:00 AM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Failing miserably in his latest attempt to convince his Jewish parents (David DeLuise and Angela DeMarco) to celebrate Christmas, Ira J. Finkelstein (Elijah Nelson) resigns himself to what is certain to be another Christmas-free holiday season. When his parents decide that Ira will spend the holidays in Florida with his grandparents (the hilarious Elliott Gould and Meg Savlov), Ira convinces a fellow unaccompanied minor, Mikey (Justin Howell), to trade places with him. As Ira watches Mikey board the plane to Florida, he can hardly contain his excitement, imagining the holiday fun that awaits him in Christmastown, Wash. Of course, things don’t go quite as Ira imagined; his holiday cheer is dampened by his “adopted” family’s very real problems. As Ira tries to make the best of his predicament, he comes to understand the true meaning of the holiday season, but it may just take a Christmas miracle to put things back the way they were. Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas, from Seattle-based writer/director Sue Corcoran (Gory Gory Hallelujah), is a smart, subversive family comedy that’s sure to become a holiday favorite.

Awards:

International Family Film Festival 2012 (Best Comedy)

Italy Love It or Leave It

ITALY/GERMANY 2011

SUNDAY JUNE 3 12:00 PM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 6:00 PM

Director:

Sue Corcoran

Producers:

Sue Corcoran

Susan LaSalle

Jane Charles

Screenwriters:

Sue Corcoran

Angie Louise

Douglas Horn

Cinematographer: Mark Simon

Editor: Cindy Sangster

Cast: David DeLuise

Elliott Gould

Cynthia Geary

Elijah Nelson

Angela DeMarco

Meg Savlov

Justin Howell

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Von Piglet Productions

Film Website: ira-finkelsteins-christmas.com

Selected Filmography: Gory Gory Hallelujah (2003)

Gustav Hofer and Luca Ragazzi offer a timely examination of the state of modern Italy through the charmingly light-hearted conceit of a road movie. Starting out in a tiny red Fiat 500, they seek to answer the question: “What is left of the country that makes people dream?” And, once they find the answer, is it enough to stay? Gustav and Luca both direct and star in Italy Love It or Leave It, and their passion for their homeland makes these both personal and universal questions. They use interviews with Italians of all walks of life, Hofer’s and Ragazzi’s own equally heated and ironic discussions, archival footage, the always glowing landscape, and anything else that crosses the path of their adventure, to explore the notion of relationship and responsibility to one’s country. In a time when many of the millennial generation reject the idea of nationalism as antiquated, considering themselves “citizens of the world,” this documentary takes a revealing look at what this shift in attitude could mean for young people today in their search for a common identity.

Awards:

Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival 2012 (Audience Award) Milan Film Festival 2011 (Best Film, Audience Award)

PRECEDED BY: OVO

France 2012, 18 minutes, Director: Alban Sapin World Premiere With a fascist regime on the rise, a man is forced to look at the relationships in his life.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Directors: Gustav Hofer

Luca Ragazzi

Producer: Gustav Hofer

Screenwriters: Gustav Hofer

Luca Ragazzi

Cinematographer: Michele Paradisi

Editor: Desideria Rayner

Music: Salvi Pulvirenti

Running Time: 79 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Italian, with English subtitles

Print Source: Films Transit International

Film Website: italyloveitorleave.it

Selected Filmography: Suddenly, Last Winter (2008)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

I Wish

SUNDAY JUNE 3 6:30 PM

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 4:00 PM

Twelve-year-old Koichi lives with his mother and retired grandparents in Kagoshima, in the southern region of Kyushu, Japan; his younger brother, Ryunosuke, lives with their father, a guitarist in a rock band, in the northern city of Hakata. Separated from two of the most important people in his life, Koichi’s only wish is for his family to be reunited. So when he learns that a new bullet train line will soon open, linking the two cities, Koichi believes that a miracle will take place the moment these new trains first pass each other at top speed. The brothers devise a plan with a group of their friends to travel to the exact spot, equidistant from Kagoshima and Hakata, where they can witness—and wish upon—this magic moment. Making a dramatic departure from his last film, Air Doll (SIFF 2009), director Hirokazu Kore-eda fashions a warmhearted tale of sibling devotion that bears some comparison to Danny Boyle’s Millions, exploring the simple earnestness of childhood and the imaginative routes in which children seek fulfillment.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director:

Hirokazu Kore-eda

Producers: Kentaro Koike

Hijiri Taguchi

Screenwriter: Hirokazu Kore-eda

Cinematographer: Yutaka Yamazaki

Editor: Hirokazu Kore-eda

Music:

Quruli

Cast: Koki Maeda

Ohshirô Maeda

Joe Odagiri

Nene Ohtsuka

Kirin Kiki

Isao Hashizume

Running Time: 128 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Japanese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wild Bunch

Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Film Website: magpictures.com/iwish

Selected Filmography: Air Doll (2009)

Still Walking (2008) Hana (2006)

Nobody Knows (2004)

Distance (2001)

After Life (1998)

Without Memory (1996)

Maborosi (1995)

Joan and the Voices

ARmenIA 2011 noRth AmeRIcAn PRemIeRe

MONDAY JUNE 4 6:00 PM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 3:30 PM

In this poetic overview of post-war Armenia, Joan leaves family and friends behind for her new job collecting statistics. Her travels through cities, villages, factories, schools, and coal mines—as well as natural landscapes— reveal a changed world through highly perceptive eyes. Schoolchildren dance and recite lines from the Trial of Joan of Arc, whose actions and motives were not logical but came from the heart. The world of this modern-day Joan fills a film that’s more vision and sound than storyline, where finely honed editing instills a spirit in every frame. What do these faces tell us? What song does the machine grinding grain make? Where is Joan’s place in this diverse and delicate landscape? Joan and the Voices is the co-creation of director Mikayel Vatinyan and Armine Anda, producer and titular heroine. They tenderly and often wordlessly document, in powerful cinematic language, Joan’s tactile reality. Joan’s interviews spur her forward to reveal herself as a woman passionately connected to her culture, and actively searching for her own voice.

P RECEDED BY:

THe Violet Hour

Netherlands/Sweden 2011, 17 minutes, Director: Felix van Cleeff World Premiere

Two young lovers leave the modern city and enter the wilderness in this lyrical poem on pure love and death.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Mikayel Vatinyan

Producer: Armine Anda

Screenwriters: Armine Anda

Mikayel Vatinyan

Cinematographer: Tammam Hamza

Editors: Tammam Hamza

Arthur Petrossyan

Music: Arthur Manukyan

Cast: Armine Anda

Mikayel Vatinyan

Running Time: 67 minutes

Presentation Format: Digibeta, in Armenian, with English subtitles

Print Source: Hoshkee Film

Film Website: facebook.com/ joanandthevoices

Selected Filmography: Bojo (2007)

John Dies at the End

SATURDAY MAY 26 MIDNIGHT

Spoiler alert! John Dies at the End is the newest gleefully twisted cinematic treat from Don Coscarelli, director of cult horror favorites Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep. There’s a new drug on the streets nicknamed “soy sauce,” which promises psychotropic trips through time, space, and even other dimensions. However, it also has the potential side effect of stripping away one’s humanity. Enter college dropouts John and Dave, whose experiments with the drug have given them paranormal powers, such as the ability to see events before they happen, which is cool. Not so cool: the invasion of otherworldly horrors they have suddenly discovered living among us. Now humankind’s future rests in the unlikely hands of John and Dave. Imagine if H.P. Lovecraft’s Cthulhu mythos were rewritten by Hunter S. Thompson under the pharmacological tutelage of Timothy Leary, and still you wouldn’t fully envision all the film’s surreal twists and creepy surprises. Featuring Paul Giamatti, Doug Jones, and the sardonic Angus Scrimm, John Dies at the End is a wildly inventive horror-comic trip.

Director: Don Coscarelli

Producers: Brad Baruh

Don Coscarelli

Andy Meyers

Roman Perez

Screenwriter: Don Coscarelli, based on the novel by David Wong

Cinematographer: Mike Gioulakis

Editors: Don Coscarelli

Donald Milne

Music: Brian Tyler

Cast: Paul Giamatti

Angus Scrimm

Chase Williamson

Rob Mayes

Fabianne Therese

Running Time: 99 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

Preferred Content

Print Source: M3 Creative

Film Website: johndies.com

Selected Filmography:

Bubba Ho-Tep (2002)

Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)

Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)

Phantasm II (1988)

The Beastmaster (1982)

Phantasm (1979)

Kenny & Co. (1976)

Jim, the World’s Greatest (1976)

Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean

World Premiere

THURSDAY MAY 24 6:30 PM

FRIDAY MAY 25 4:00 PM

A movie that’s both timeless and “outside of time,” Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean was shot with the classic compositions of a 1951 film, the boundary-pushing sexuality of the Gay New Wave of the 1990s, and a touch of the explicit sexuality that can be found today. Inspired by the facts, and maybe some of the fictions, surrounding the too-short life of cinematic icon James Dean, the movie is a rumination on the dream of being a star and its subsequent costs. In the title role, James Preston (TV’s The Gates) captures the confidence and the talent of Dean, but also his appetite for fame, intimacy, and sex from both men and women. An early conquest and central character is known only as “The Roommate,” a friend from acting school who shares an apartment with him. Other characters also have anonymous names, like “The Roommate’s Mother” (Erin Daniels, The L Word) and “The Famous Director” (Robert Gant, Queer As Folk). Writer/director Matthew Mishory’s short documentary, Delphinium: A Childhood Portrait of Derek Jarman, is now part of the permanent collection of the British Film Institute’s National Film Archive. With Joshua Tree, 1951, he adds yet another cinematic gem.

Director: Matthew Mishory

Producers: Randall Walk

Edward Singletary Jr.

Robert Zimmer, Jr.

Screenwriter: Matthew Mishory

Cinematographer: Michael Marius Pessah

Editor:

Chris Kirkpatrick

Music:

Steven Severin

Arban Severin

Cast: James Preston

Dan Glenn

Dalilah Rain

Edward Singletary Jr.

Erin Daniels

Robert Gant

Running Time: 93 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: The Film Collaborative

Print Source: Wolfe Releasing

Film Website: joshuatree1951.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

HARVARD EXIT

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Justice for Sale

NetherlANdS 2011

TUESDAY MAY 22 6:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 3:30 PM

The colorful and clamorous world of the Congo is the backdrop in Justice for Sale the latest from twin-sister filmmakers Ilse and Femke van Velzen—which thrusts viewers into the convoluted web of Congo’s legal system. A lively cluster of lawyers bickering about system corruption opens the film, setting the tone for the story of human-rights lawyer Claudine, who struggles to defend Masamba, an imprisoned soldier on trial for rape. Recognizing judicial corruption in the case, Claudine tirelessly sifts through a mountain of red tape (and oddly disappearing documents and witnesses) to give voice to Masamba, who has been jailed without a shred of evidence against him. Claudine’s awkward and unsettling interviews are in stark contrast to the often-beautiful landscape. The filmmakers pepper the film with images of judicial system propaganda, helping to illustrate the hypocrisy of it all. The courage and determination of Claudine commands attention throughout. Her belief in the soldier’s innocence pushes her forward in a fight for justice that guarantees that Masamba’s struggle for freedom will not be forgotten.

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Directors:

Femke van Velzen

Ilse van Velzen

Producers:

Femke van Velzen

Ilse van Velzen

Nynke Douma

Cinematographers: Rogier Timmermans

Bram Van Spengen

Editor:

Paul de Heer

Music:

Jeroen Goeijers

Running Time: 83 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in French, Lingala, and Swahili, with English subtitles

International Sales: Films Transit International

Print Source: Women Make Movies

Film Website: justiceforsale.nl

Selected Filmography: Weapons of War (2009)

Fighting the Silence (2007)

Keep the Lights On USA 2012

FRIDAY JUNE 1 6:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT SATURDAY JUNE 2 12:00 PM

Ira Sachs’ deeply personal, romantic drama charts the volatile and complex decade-long relationship between two men with tenderness and sensuality. Co-written by Mauricio Zacharias, the screenplay was constructed from Sachs’ diaries, emails, and memorabilia that chronicled his own long-term, New York City-centered love. Documentarian Erik (Thure Lindhardt) is slowly working on a project about queer filmmaker Avery Willard. He first encounters Paul (Zachary Booth), a literary lawyer, on a cruising chat line. Paul brushes him off with the excuse of a girlfriend, but eventually the bond between the two men takes over. As they build a home, each battles demons of addiction and compulsion. Their sexual connection is sweet and electric, but life’s stresses bring their differences to the fore. The film’s signposts are the ups and downs of Paul’s recovery from crack addiction, as the narrative checks in with the couple every few years. Lights’ melancholy allure rests on Thimios Bakatakis’ Super 16 photography, which presents the city as charming but not Instagrammed. Culture mavens will delight in following Erik and Paul to their familiar haunts. Illustrating their life in art, Lights includes footage from Willard’s short films and a score drawn from the compositions, many undiscovered, of the late avant-garde cellist and vocalist Arthur Russell.

Awards:

Berlin Film Festival 2012 (Teddy Award)

HARVARD EXIT

Director:

Ira Sachs

Producers: Marie Therese Guirgis

Lucas Joaquin

Ira Sachs

Screenwriters: Ira Sachs

Mauricio Zacharias

Cinematographer: Thimios Bakatakis

Editor: Affonso Gonçalves

Cast: Thure Lindhardt

Zachary Booth Julianne Nicholson

Running Time: 101 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Music Box Films

Film Website: keepthelightsonfilm.com

Selected Filmography: Married Life (2007)

Forty Shades of Blue (2005)

The Delta (1996)

Keyhole cANAdA 2011

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 6:30 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 4:30 PM

On a dark and stormy night, a group of motley gangsters on the run from both the police and a creaky old house inhabited by a family of dreamlike phantoms leads to a domestic reinvention of Homer’s epic “The Odyssey.” Yes, we are once again in the world of master experimentalist Guy Maddin, whose feature films (My Winnipeg, The Saddest Music in the World) are a celebration of cinematic antiquity mixed with his truly original sense of humor, melodrama, and surrealism. Keyhole is Maddin’s most original and uncompromising film to date—an atmospheric phantasmagoria of the mind, set in a house filled with cobwebs, secret passageways, and dusty genitalia sprouting from the walls. Stepping straight out of a classic film noir, hoodlum Ulysses Pick (Jason Patric) discovers that this ramshackle hideout holds many elusive and effusive secrets, including his long-suffering and vengeful wife Hyacinth (Isabella Rossellini), who has been awaiting his return. Overseeing it all is an elderly, naked, vitriolic puppet master (Louis Negin), who is chained to Hyacinth’s bed and reveling in the schadenfreude.

Awards:

Whistler FIlm Festival 2011 (Best Canadian Film)

Director: Guy Maddin

Producers: Jody Shapiro

Jean du Toit

Screenwriters: George Toles

Guy Maddin

Cinematographer: Benjamin Kasulke

Music: Jason Staczek

Editor: John Gurdebeke

Cast: Udo Kier

Jason Patric

Isabella Rossellini

Kevin McDonald

Louis Negin

Running Time: 93 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: eOne Entertainment

International

Print Source: Monterey Media

Film Website: keyholemovie.com

Selected Filmography: My Winnipeg (2007)

Brand Upon the Brain! (2006)

The Saddest Music in the World (2003)

Cowards Bend the Knee (2003)

Dracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary (2002)

Careful (1992)

Archangel (1990)

Tales from the Gimli Hospital (1988)

TÖTE MICH Kill Me

GermANy/FrANce 2012 North AmericAN Premiere

SATURDAY MAY 19 6:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY MAY 20 3:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY MAY 22 4:00 PM

Teenage Adele (Maria-Victoria Dragus) wants to die. She neglects her chores at her parents’ farm to stand on the edge of a cliff, staring down at a drop that would end her life, but she can’t make herself do it. When she discovers escaped murderer Timo (Roeland Wiesnekker) hiding in her bedroom, she demands a deal: she’ll help him run from the police, but only if he kills her. To ensure that he will remain free long enough to enact their bargain, Adele and Timo must leave her hometown together, then cross the German border, and eventually flee Europe by ship. Set largely in the lush forests on the French-German border, this moody drama gives its characters plenty of space to unfold and reveal hidden truths about themselves. The understated performances and uneasy subject matter contrast in a way that elevates both. Neither character is exactly what they seem, and as they bond over their journey, the question looms: Will Timo uphold his end of the deal?

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Emily Atef

Producers: Nicole Gerhards

Hejo Emons

Stefan Schubert

Screenwriters: Emily Atef

Esther Bernstorff

Cinematographer: Stéphane Kuthy

Editor: Béatrice Babin

Cast: Maria-Victoria Dragus

Roeland Wiesnekker

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in German and French, with English subtitles

Print Source: Les Films du Losange

International Sales: Les Films du Losange

Selected Filmography: The Stranger In Me (2008)

Emily’s Way (2006)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Killer Joe

saturday june 9 7:00 pm

Academy Award®-winning Director William Friedkin’s second collaboration with playwright Tracy Letts is an intoxicating, Pulitzer Prize-winning thriller about a desperate young man looking to escape his drug debts and the sinister hit man he hires to execute an illconceived insurance scam. Auto mechanic Ansel Smith (Thomas Haden Church) and his waitress wife Sharla (a sensually direct Gina Gershon) share their cramped Dallas household with Dottie (Juno Temple), Ansel’s daughter from a previous marriage. Ansel’s troubled, alcoholic ex-wife Adele and their son Chris (an appropriately doltish Emile Hirsch) live elsewhere, but their fiscal woes soon bleed into the lives of the Smith family, both literally and figuratively. Desperate to pay off a $6,000 drug debt, Chris decides to bump off Adele for her insurance. He hires murderous lawman Joe Cooper (Matthew McConaughey), and when he’s unable to afford the fee, the swarthy, sinister Cooper offers to accept sexual access to the virginal Dottie as a “retainer.” Fortified by strong, balanced performances, driven by a brazen blend of gallows humor and noir-ish tone, this provocative black comedy ends proceedings with a highly satisfying bang.

Sponsored by Aron Michael Thompson

eGyptIan tHeatre

Director:

William Friedkin

Producers:

Nicolas Chartier

Scott Einbinder

Screenwriter: Tracy Letts

Cinematographer:

Caleb Deschanel

Editor:

Darrin Navarro

Music:

Tyler Bates

Cast:

Matthew McConaughey

Emile Hirsch

Juno Temple

Gina Gershon

Thomas Haden Church

Running Time: 103 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP

International Sales:

Voltage Pictures

Print Source: Liddell Entertainment

Selected Filmography: Bug (2006)

Rules of Engagement (2000)

Jade (1995)

The Guardian (1990)

To Live and Die in L.A. (1987)

Cruising (1980)

The Exorcist (1973)

The French Connection (1971)

The Boys in the Band (1970)

The Night They Raided Minsky’s (1968)

King Curling NorwAy 2011

Wednesday may 23 9:30 pm sIFF CInema uptOWn saturday may 26 9:45 pm eGyptIan tHeatre

Wednesday may 30 4:30 pm sIFF CInema uptOWn

Break out your brooms, sharpen your skates, and polish your stones—curling in all its competitive and comedic glory returns to SIFF. Truls Paulson once ruled Norway’s curling sheets until he snapped under championship pressure. Diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and subsequently banned from competition after his outburst, Truls has become a pillpopping flunky to his wife Sigrid and her dog Pelle, until he learns that his old coach, Gordon, is near death. In hopes of winning the money to pay for his mentor’s operation in the US, Truls throws away his pills and tries to convince his old teammates that he’s mentally stable enough to lead them to victory in the Norwegian Curling Championship; however, is it a good sign that he insists his teammates pull their zippers all the way up before they play? Drawing influence from such films as Kingpin, The Big Lebowski and The Royal Tenenbaums, director Ole Endresen injects his own brand of absurdist Norwegian humor—equal parts ridiculous and sublime— into this classic underdog sports comedy.

Director: Ole Endresen

Producer: Håkon Øverås

Screenwriters: Ole Endresen

Atle Antonsen

Cinematographer: Askild Edvardsen

Editor: Per-Erik Eriksen

Music: Stein Johan Grieg

Halvorsen

Eyvind Andreas Skeie

Cast: Atle Antonsen

Jon Øigarden

Steinar Sagen

Jan Sælid

Ingar Helge Gimle

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Norwegian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Films Boutique

Print Source: Norwegian Film Institute

Film Website: kongcurling.no

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Sponsored by FOOL Serious and the Dughi Family

Kiss Me SWedeN 2011

SATURDAY MAY 26 5:30 PM

THURSDAY MAY 31 3:00 PM

Romance can unfold at the most inopportune moments, and that’s precisely what happens to hetero-inclined Mia (Ruth Vega Fernandez) and self-aware lesbian Frida (Liv Mjönes), two 30-something career women who meet at a party celebrating the engagement of Frida’s mother and Mia’s father. While the two women’s status as future stepsisters is a formidable obstacle—not to mention Mia’s own engagement to a man—the two begin a passionate emotional and erotic dialogue that leads to significant conflict between their loved ones and families. Their parents, in particular, must wrestle with the collision of the personal and political that their daughters’ evolving relationship creates. From the beginning, director Alexandra-Therese Keining fashions an organic, nuanced viewpoint of Mia and Frida’s unfolding romance. Thanks to the intricacies that drive the plot, the resulting story arc wisely sidesteps clichéd melodrama and gains significant momentum via Fernandez and Mjönes’ obvious chemistry and genuinely empathetic performances.

Awards: Göteberg International Film Festival 2012 (Lorens Award)

Director: Alexandra-Therese

Keining

Producer: Josefine Tengblad

Screenwriter: Alexandra-Therese

Keining

Cinematographer: Ragna Jorming

Editors: Lars Gustafson

Malin Lindström

Music: Marc Collin

Cast: Ruth Vega Fernandez

Liv Mjönes

Lena Endre

Krister Henriksson

Running Time: 107 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Swedish, with English subtitles

Print Source: Wolfe Releasing

Selected Filmography: Hot Dog (2002)

SATURDAY JUNE 2 MIDNIGHT

Lifelong friends Frank and Casper have a plan for the coming weekend: actually, an epic plan involving a canoe trip, minimal personal hygiene, and a visit to an exclusive, one-nighta-year brothel, dubbed by Casper as a veritable “Tour De Pussy.” Unfortunately, their clandestine plans get disrupted when Frank discovers his girlfriend Mia is pregnant. In order to prove to Mia his parental potential, he basically kidnaps his 11-year-old nephew Bo to take along on their “camping trip.” As they run amok through the Danish countryside, Frank, Casper, and Bo plow through a near endless string of awkward confrontations and unspeakable debaucheries, from exclusive brothels to hospitalizations to armed robberies—even to prison. The three paddle downstream from one chaotic misadventure to the next, culminating in a surprise sentimental portrait of friendship and a final shocking reveal that you won’t soon unsee. Based on their hugely successful Danish television show, Klown proved to be a big hit at the Danish box office, becoming the best-selling film in 10 years. In this special presentation by Tim League, founder of Austin’s legendary Alamo Drafthouse, SIFF audiences will be able to thank him in person for showcasing this brilliantly raunchy, outré comedy.

Director: Mikkel Nørgaard

Producer: Louise Vesth

Screenwriters:

Casper Christensen Frank Hvam

Cinematographer: Jacob Banke Olesen

Editors: Martin Schade

Morten Egholm

Cast: Casper Christensen

Frank Hvam

Markuz Jess Petersen

Mia Lyhme

Iben Hjejle

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP, in Danish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Danish Film Institute

Print Source: Drafthouse Films

Film Website: drafthousefilms.com/ film/klown

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

KLOVN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

LA KRYPTONITE NELLA BORSA

SATURDAY JUNE 2 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 3 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

FRIDAY JUNE 8 8:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

The year is 1973. Swingin’ Naples is the place. Frizzy-haired, bespectacled Peppino (Luigi Catani) is nine years old and watching the world change through the misadventures of his dysfunctional family. Valeria Golino stars as his mother, Rosaria, who has sunk into depression after discovering she’s being cheated on. Cousin Gennaro (Vincenzo Nemolato) is a very mortal man with a superhero complex, who encourages Peppino to accept his own quirks and celebrate his individuality. Adapted for the screen from his own novel, writer/director Ivan Cotroneo (I Am Love, Loose Cannons) nostalgically depicts the psychedelic era in an ancient city, showing its citizens on the edge of a new era. Luca Bigazzi’s charming cinematography offers views of the claustrophobic old quarters, and the modern middle class homes that Peppino’s family inhabits. While his mother is attending psychotherapy sessions, Peppino’s super-mod aunt and uncle take him to love-ins and demonstrations. But as everyone in the family will come to find out, “peace and love” aren’t just slogans; they take work to achieve. A rollicking soundtrack features Italian covers of period classics like “The Age of Aquarius” and “These Boots Are Made for Walking.”

Director:

Ivan Cotroneo

Producers:

Nicola Giuliano

Francesca Cima

Screenwriters:

Ivan Cotroneo

Monica Rametta

Ludovica Rampoldi

Cinematographer: Luca Bigazzi

Editor:

Giogió Franchini

Music:

Pasquale Catalano

Cast:

Valeria Golino

Cristiana Capotondi

Luca Zingaretti

Luigi Catani

Vincenzo Nemolato

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Italian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Rai Trade

Print Source: Rai Trade

Film Website: kryptoniteilfilm.it

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

LTUESDAY JUNE 5 8:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 9 12:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

If gentle, deadpan Aki Kaurismäki had made the Ryan Gosling movie Drive in Greece, it may have turned out like this. Both movies have unnamed protagonists who are professional drivers, but instead of working for the criminal underworld, Aris Servetalis’ character merely delivers honey to a narcoleptic man. He lives in his car, visits his family for arranged meetings in parking lots, and even celebrates his 40th birthday on wheels. He talks regularly with his best friend’s ghost, who was killed when he was mistaken for a bear. Yes, this is a strange movie—an absurdist comedy in the age of the Cartoon Network’s “Adult Swim,” but at the heart of it is a midlife crisis. Another driver threatens to take Servetalis’ honey runs, which would change life as he knows it, but also open him up to other forms of transportation. There’s no doubt that the Greek economic crisis can be seen in every frame of this movie, but it’s softened and made universal through its off-beat sense of humor.

Director: Babis Makridis

Producers: Amanda Livanou

Babis Makridis

Screenwriters: Efthymis Filippou

Babis Makridis

Cinematographer: Thimios Bakatakis

Editor: Yannis Chalkiadakis

Music: Coti K

Cast: Aris Servetalis

Makis Papadimitriou

Lefteris Mathaios

Nota Tserniafski

Stavros Raptis

Running Time: 87 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Greek, with English subtitles

International Sales: Ramonda, Inc

Print Source: Ramonda, Inc

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Là-bas: A Criminal Education

itAly 2011 North AmericAN Premiere

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 9:30 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 8 3:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 9:00 PM

When his uncle Moses promises him a good job, Yssouf moves from North Africa to Southern Italy. But when he arrives, he finds life in Europe more difficult than he’d been led to believe. In a small coastal town near Naples, home to a large population of struggling immigrants, he meets Germain, his first friend in his new country, and Suad, a beautiful prostitute he dreams of rescuing from her pimps. When he finally finds his uncle, now a midlevel boss in a narcotics ring, Yssouf is quickly drawn into his world. Once a devout Muslim, he begins drinking, skipping prayers, and running his uncle’s errands—a risky proposition when tensions flare between rival Camorra factions. Featuring a beautiful score and a cast of actors drawn from the community they portray—including standout newcomer Kader Alassane on whose life the story is based—Là-bas is a contemporary crime noir about the everyday struggle to survive.

Awards:

Busan Film Festival 2011 (Flash Forward Award) Venice Film Festival 2011 (Best First Feature)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Guido Lombardi

Producers: Dario Formisano

Gaetano Di Vaio

Screenwriter: Guido Lombardi

Cinematographer: Francesca Amitrano

Editor: Annalisa Forgione

Music: Giordano Corapi

Cast: Kader Alassane

Moussa Mone

Esther Elisha

Billy Serigne Faye

Fatima Traore

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: DigiBeta, in Italian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Minerva Pictures

Print Source: Minerva Pictures

Film Website: labas-film.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

L’Afrance

FrANce 2001

SATURDAY MAY 19 11:00 AM

French-Senegalese director Alain Gomis’ debut feature masterfully emphasizes the ambiguities of past and present identity. As his student residency in Paris nears its expiration, 26-year-old El-Hadj Diop (Djolof Mbengue, in a taut, focused performance) must decide whether to return to Senegal or to stay in France illegally. Diop represents many young Senegalese citizens who traveled to Paris in the wake of the former colony’s break from French rule. Initially, he planned to secure his doctorate before returning to Dakar to teach history, but when Diop misses the deadline to extend his residency, he has a tough choice to make. Over time, he’s grown accustomed to life in the City of Light, enjoying the companionship of friends, a relationship with an artisan (Delphine Zingg) and access to first-world facilities, but that doesn’t mean it’s where he’s meant to be or where he can do the most good. Furthermore, he has a fiancée back home. Beyond rules and regulations, Diop must search his soul before he can figure out where he belongs. Gomis uses intense close-ups, elliptical editing and subtle humor to convey a timeless conundrum. Fittingly, he has described the film as “a combination of France and Africa.”

Awards: Locarno Film Festival 2001 (Sliver Leopard, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury)

Director: Alain Gomis

Producers: Edouard Mauriat

Anne-Cecile Berthomeau

Screenwriter: Alain Gomis

Cinematographer: Pierre Stoeber

Editor: Fabrice Rouaud

Music: Patice Gomis

Cast: Djolof Mbengue

Delphine Zingg

Samir Guesmi

Theophile Moussa Sowie

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DVD, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Mercure Distribution

Print Source: Mercure Distribution

Selected Filmography: Tey (2012) Andalucia (2007)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Las Acacias

ArGeNtiNA/SPAiN 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 4:30 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SATURDAY MAY 26 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

MONDAY MAY 28 5:30 PM

Rubén is a gruff and emotionally isolated truck driver transporting a cargo of acacia logs from Paraguay to Buenos Aires. He’s agreed to let a young woman, Jacinta, ride with him, but is quietly dismayed when she shows up with an infant child, and they cross the border in uncomfortable silence. Gradually, Rubén’s tough demeanor softens during the course of their journey. As his irritation with the baby gives way to unexpected paternal affection, he finds a hesitant trust and a gentle, caring connection with the quietly dignified Jacinta. Director Pablo Giorgelli shows a remarkable confidence and mastery in his debut feature, allowing his story and characters to come to life simply and organically, with thoughtful, understated camera work by Diego Poleri. Giorgelli draws lovingly rendered performances from his outstanding leads, German de Silva and Hebe Duarte, who evoke volumes of subtext with small gestures, inflection, and body language, while subtly revealing glimpses into their pasts.

Awards: British Film Institute Awards 2011 (Sutherland Trophy) Cannes Film Festival 2011 (Golden Camera, Young Critic Award, ACID Award)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Pablo Giorgelli

Producers:

Verónica Cura

Ariel Rotter

Alex Zito

Pablo Giorgelli

Screenwriters: Pablo Giorgelli

Salvador Roselli

Cinematographer: Diego Poleri

Editor:

Maria Astrauskas

Music:

Martin Litmanovich

Cast:

German de Silva

Hebe Duarte

Nayra Calle Mamani

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Urban Distribution

International

Print Source: Outsider Pictures

Film Website: lesacacias-lefilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

LOS ÚLTIMOS CRISTEROS

The Last Christeros

mexico/NetherlANdS 2011

MONDAY MAY 21 9:15 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 3:30 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 8:30 PM

In early 1930s Jalisco, a state ravaged by violent conflicts for hundreds of years, a group of men refused to accept amnesty and continued to fight against religious persecution. This is the story of five valiant men who stood up against the Mexican army and hid out in the rugged mountain terrain of the high desert near Guadalajara. With a nod to the Western genre, the skilled survivalists take us along the mountain trails they know best. The Cristero War (also known as the Cristiada) was an uprising and counter-revolution against the Mexican government’s persecution of Roman Catholics in the 1920s and 1930s. Director Matias Meyer adapted Antonio Estrada’s novel, “Rescoldo, the Last Christeros,” which was based on Estrada’s years spent hiding with his family in the mountains. Meyer’s cast of nonprofessional actors lends an authentic impression of the characters of these Mexican revolutionaries; a few of them are actually relatives of the original historical group. The band of rebels are never seen as fanatics but as part of a spontaneous popular uprising of Mexican peasants who fought for control of their spiritual life.

Awards: Cinélatino Film Festival 2012 (Grand Prize)

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Matias Meyer

Producers: Julio Bárcenas

Matias Meyer

Paola Herrera

Frans Van Gestel

Screenwriters: Matias Meyer

Israel Cárdenas based on the novel by Antonio Estrada

Cinematographer: Gerardo Barroso Alcalá

Editor: León Felipe Gonzalez

Music: Galo Durán

Cast: Alejandro Limón

Antonio García

Jesús Moisés Rodríguez

Salvador Ferreiro

Abel Lozano

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: FiGa Films

Print Source: FiGa Films

Film Website: figafilms.com

Selected Filmography: The Cramp (2009)

Wadley (2008)

Moros y cristianos (2007)

AL JUMA AL AKHEIRA

The Last Friday

JordAN/UNited ArAb emirAteS 2011 US Premiere

FRIDAY MAY 25 6:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY MAY 27 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 2 9:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Faced with the large and small absurdities of life, Youssef (Ali Suliman, Paradise Now, Lemon Tree) just can’t catch a break. His pretty wife has left him and is about to remarry. His son is doing badly in school and steals money from his wallet. He’s lost his house and been demoted at work due to a poker habit run amok. Struggling to make ends meet, he’s reduced to stealing his neighbor’s electricity. Still, he manages to take it all more or less in stride. But one day, troubling symptoms send him to the doctor, where he learns that he must have an operation by week’s end — and figure out how to pay for it — or else it may be…

The Last Friday. Set in contemporary Amman, this first feature from Jordanian writer/director Yahya Alabdallah exerts a subtle charm with its understated black humor and stylish minimalism, plus an award-winning soundtrack by Le Trio Joubran.

Awards:

Dubai Film Festival 2011 (Special Jury Award, Best Actor, Composer) San Sebastian Film Festival 2011 (Cinema in Motion Prize)

Director: Yahya Alabdallah

Producers: Majd Hijjawi

Rula Nasser

Screenwriter: Yahya Alabdallah

Cinematographer: Rachel Aoun

Editor: Mohammad Suleiman

Music: Le Trio Joubran

Cast: Ali Suliman

Yasmine Al Masri

Taghreed Al Rusuq

Fadi Arida

Nadria Omran

Running Time: 88 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Arabic, with English subtitles

International Sales: Pacha Pictures

Print Source: Pacha Pictures

Film Website: thelastfriday-themovie. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

L’ULTIMO TERRESTRE

The Last Man on Earth

itAly 2011 North AmericAN Premiere

FRIDAY MAY 25 3:30PM HARVARD EXIT

MONDAY MAY 28 6:30PM HARVARD EXIT

THURSDAY MAY 31 4:00PM HARVARD EXIT

Things are tough in 21st century Italy, just as they are everywhere in the world. The economy has tanked and Luca is lost, lonely, and confused. But the announced and imminent arrival of aliens from outer space means everything is about to change. It’s all everyone can talk about—except Luca. Instead, he’s stuck managing the demons left behind by his mother’s abandonment. Now the grown man is a frightened woman hater, and the only woman he can talk to comfortably is his transsexual friend he’s known since childhood. As the alien landing begins, everything in Luca’s sad life starts to fall apart, sometimes for the better. Suffused with an esthetic reminiscent of 1960s B movies, The Last Man on Earth is a subtle, darkly comedic examination of how change can make a good person do bad things, and vice versa.

Director: Gian Alfonso Pacinotti

Producer: Domenico Procacci

Screenwriter: Gian Alfonso Pacinotti

Cinematographer: Vladan Radovic

Editor: Clelio Benevento

Music:

Valerio Vigliar

Cast: Gabriele Spinelli

Anna Bellato

Roberto Herlitzka

Teco Celio

Luca Marinelli

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Italian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Fandango Portobello

Print Source: Fandango Portobello

Film Website: ultimoterrestre.it

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Last Reef 3D

sunday june 3 7:00 pm paCIFIC sCIenCe Center ImaX

mOnday june 4 2:00 pm paCIFIC sCIenCe Center ImaX

The Last Reef 3D is an uplifting, giant-screen journey that explores the beauty and mysteries of the world’s reef ecosystems: a distant yet parallel world, with living cities undeniably connected to our own human communities. Vanishing at five times the rate of rain forests, the world’s coral reefs are under siege. Through vivid 3D visuals, music, and narration, the film reveals the teeming life of these underwater cities, and their crucial role in the ocean’s survival—and our own. Fly across iridescent tropical corals, brush through a cloud of a million jellyfish, visit an alien world where the closer you look, the more you see, and where the tiniest creatures support the greatest predators. As these ancient, exotic havens face the threat of extinction, The Last Reef inspires audiences with a vision of the reef’s fragility but also its incredible power to rebuild. Like cities, reefs possess a dizzying bustle of sea creatures that rivals mankind’s most populated regions, and outpace tropical rainforests in their wealth and variety of life. Journeying to the reef’s center using new macro-underwater cinematography, The Last Reef unveils a remarkable world never before seen on this scale and in three dimensions.

Awards:

Montana International Wildlife Film Festival 2012 (Best Music, Underwater Cinematography, Environmental Film, Marine Conservation Message)

Directors:

Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas

Producers:

Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas

D.J. Roller

Don Kempf

David Marks

Screenwriters:

Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas

Cinematographer: D.J. Roller

Music:

Luke Cresswell

Steve McNicholas

Running Time: 39 minutes

Presentation Format: IMAX

Print Source: Giant Screen Films

Film Website: thelastreef.co.uk

Selected Filmography:

Luke Cresswell: The Liberty of Norton Folgate (2009)

Luke Cresswell and Steve

McNicholas:

Wild Ocean 3D (2008)

Vacuums (2003)

Pulse: a Stomp Odyssey (2002)

SHILTON HA’ CHOK

The Law In These Parts

ISrAel 2011

sunday may 27 1:30 pm paCIFIC pLaCe CInemas tuesday may 29 6:30 pm sIFF CInema uptOWn

Since the occupation of the Palestinian territories in 1967, the inhabitants have been subject to a system of military rather than civilian justice, overseen by the Israeli Defense Forces. This system, tasked in part with facilitating and implementing the occupation, was intended to be temporary, something that would be succeeded by a different, permanent legal structure once the phase of occupation had ended. Forty-five years and hundreds of thousands of cases later, it’s still in place. In The Law In These Parts, director Ra’anan Alexandrowicz places the military judges and attorneys responsible for creating this system on the cinematic witness stand. With a line of questioning that is both hard-hitting and impeccably researched, Alexandrowicz interrogates the logic behind their decisions. Meanwhile, historical footage playing on a screen in the background depicts the enactment of these laws upon the Palestinian population.

Awards:

Sundance Film Festival 2012 (World Cinema Jury Prize, Best Documentary) Jerusalem Film Festival 2011 (Best Documentary)

Director: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz

Producer: Liran Atzmor

Screenwriter: Ra’anan Alexandrowicz

Cinematographer: Shark De Mayo

Editor: Neta Dvorkis

Music: Karni Postel

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Hebrew, with English subtitles

Print Source: Liran Atzmor

Film Website: thelawfilm.com

Selected Filmography: James’ Journey to Jerusalem (2003)

The Inner Tour (2001) Martin (1999)

LA LEGGENdA dI KASPAR HAUSER

The Legend of Kaspar Hauser

itAly 2012

SATURDAY JUNE 9 7:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 5:00 PM

The Legend of Kaspar Hauser begins with a dance competition between Vincent Gallo and Vincent Gallo. Yes, he plays two roles here. The idiosyncratic indie film star plays “the Sheriff” and “the Pusher” in this Italian update of the classic tale of a boy raised in isolation who may or may not be royalty. In this version, the enigmatic boy (played by a girl) wears headphones all the time and is eventually encouraged to become a DJ. The Sheriff protects him, the Pusher threatens him, and the Duchess doesn’t believe he’s a king or a prophet or an idiot—all the while Kaspar Hauser listens to the music in his head. The film’s score, by electronica artist Vitalic, plays a major role in the film. In stark contrast, the black-and-white seaside images could have come from an old Antonioni film. Comprised of a series of single-take chapters, this surreal story of a stranger in a strange land feels like it comes from another dimension. Director Davide Manuli (Beket, SIFF 2009) returns with another free-form, anything-goes, existential comedy.

SIFF FILM CENTER

SIFF FILM CENTER

Director: Davide Manuli

Producers: Bruno Tribbioli

Alessandro Bonifazi

Davide Manuli

Screenwriter: Davide Manuli

Cinematographer: Tarek Ben Abdallah

Editor: Rosella Mocci

Music: Vitalic

Cast: Vincent Gallo

Claudia Gerini

Elisa Sednaoui

Silvia Calderoni

Fabrizio Gifuni

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: DigiBeta

International Sales: Intramovies

Print Source: Intramovies

Selected Filmography: Beket (2008)

Girotondo, giro attorno al mondo (1998)

Legends of Valhalla: Thor

SATURDAY MAY 19 11:30 AM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY MAY 28 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 2 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Young Thor is a blacksmith living with his single mother in a peaceful little village. His fellow villagers believe the horrific Giants will never attack because legend decrees that Thor is the son of Odin, King of the Gods. Unfortunately, that doesn’t stop the Giant’s army from destroying the village and taking the inhabitants to Hel, the Queen of the Underworld. Thor is left in the village with his recent acquisition, a talking hammer named Crusher who has miraculously fallen from the sky and claims to be a magical weapon. Thor must learn to master his fears and Crusher if he is going to stop Hel, whose evil plot endangers the world of both men and the Gods. Legends of Valhalla: Thor has been seven years in the making and is Iceland’s first 3D animated feature. The creative team has effectively taken the epic Hollywood fun of films like Shrek and raised it to another level, rendering characters who spring off the screen and comedy that can play across multiple audience demographics. Pack up all your superheroes at heart and don’t miss this exciting new animated feature.

Awards: Edda Awards 2012 (Best Editing, Set Design)

Directors: Gunnar Karlsson

Toby Genkel

Óskar Jónasson

Producers: Hilmar Sigurdsson

Arnar Thórisson

Screenwriters: Friđrik Erlingsson

Toby Genkel

Mark Hodkinson

Óskar Jónasson

Mick Casale

Editor: Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir

Music: Stephen McKeon

Voices:

Justin Gregg

Paul Tylak

Nicola Coughlan

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: Digital 3D

International Sales: Global Screen

Print Source: Icelandic Film Centre

Film Website: legendsofvalhalla.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Liberal Arts

USA 2012

TUESDAY MAY 22 7:00 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 6:00 PM

Wandering the streets of New York City with his nose constantly buried in a book, 35-yearold liberal arts college graduate Jesse (Josh Radnor) finds the city contentious, his work uninspiring, and his most recent relationship in tatters. Dreaming of his halcyon days in college, Jesse jumps at the chance to return to his small, Midwestern alma mater when he’s invited to speak at the retirement dinner of his second favorite college professor (Richard Jenkins). Back on campus, Jessie is reinvigorated and forms unlikely bonds with a spastic stoner (Zac Efron), a sardonic literature instructor (the show-stealing Allison Janney), and a troubled young bookworm (John Magaro). But Jesse’s life is most profoundly affected by 19-year-old Zibby (Elizabeth Olsen), a spirited and intelligent sophomore who shares his passion for literature, music, and poetry. Much like his previous film happythankyoumoreplease, writer/director Radnor explores the challenges of coming of age––be it into young adulthood or middle age––with intelligence, grace, and a wicked sense of humor. Jesse’s chemistry with the effortlessly enchanting Zibby makes their unlikely relationship a true romance of intellects.

Director:

Josh Radnor

Producers:

Jesse Hara

Josh Radnor

Claude Del Farra

Brice Del Farra

Lauren Munsch

Screenwriter:

Josh Radnor

Cinematographer:

Seamus Tierney

Editor:

Michael R. Miller

Music:

Ben Toth

Cast:

Josh Radnor

Elizabeth Olsen

Richard Jenkins

Allison Janney

John Magaro

Elizabeth Reaser

Zac Efron

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP

Print Source: IFC Films

Selected Filmography: happythankyoumoreplease (2010)

Lipstikka

iSrAel/UNited kiNGdom 2011

US Premiere

FRIDAY JUNE 8 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Palestinian teenagers Lara and Inam are best friends and maybe more. Boy crazy Inam is pretty and daring while the watchful Lara longs to be the focus of her friend’s attention. The night of Lara’s birthday, they break curfew to go to the movies. On the way home, they have a life-altering encounter with Israeli solders. Flash forward several years: the two have left Ramallah for a new life in London. Lara is married and living with her husband and young son in the suburbs. Her life is comfortable enough despite a loveless marriage and a long-term dependence on alcohol to get by. One day Inam shows up on her doorstep. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn more about their relationship over the years, their different perspectives, and how their recollections of the fateful encounter have shaped the course of their lives. Lipstikka is a subtle but powerful drama about love, memory, and coming of age.

Awards: Jerusalem Film Festival 2011 (Best Actress)

P RECEDED BY: Paths of Color

USA 2011, 4 minutes, Director: Various Worldwide A short film about the choices we make that can lead two people that start out in relatively the same place, to very different destinations. Adobe Youth Voices

Director: Jonathan Sagall

Producers: Jonathan Sagall

Guy Allon

Screenwriter: Jonathan Sagall

Cinematographers: Xiaosu Han

Andreas Thalhammer

Editor: Yuval Netter

Music: Jody K. Jenkins

Cast: Clara Khoury

Nataly Attiya

Daniel Caltagirone

Moran Rosenblatt

Ziv Weiner

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Hebrew, English, and Arabic, with English

subtitles

Print Source: Little Film Company

Film Website: lipstikka-themovie.com

Selected Filmography: Urban Feel (1999)

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

X IAO WANYI

Little Toys

chiNA 1933

SATURDAY MAY 26 2:30 PM

Little Toys, from director Sun Yu in 1933, was named one of the hundred best Chinese films by the Hong Kong Film Awards in 2005. Provided by the China Film Archive and starring silent cinema queens Ruan Lingyu and Li Lili, it offers a glimpse into the 1930s Chinese leftist film movement. These socially conscious dramas were produced by young and idealistic filmmaker-intellectuals during a crucial time in Chinese history. In Building a New China In Cinema, author Pang Laikwan says that these films aspired to embody French philosopher Jacques Derrida’s famous concept of “democracy-to-come.” Ruan Lingyu’s role as a long-suffering toymaker in a highly political climate was considered a departure for the actress then known as the “Chinese Garbo,” who often played characters who were even more beset with problems. Frequent SIFF collaborator Donald Sosin will accompany the film with a live piano score.

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Sun Yu

Screenwriter: Sun Yu

Cinematographer: Zhou Ke

Cast: Ruan Lingyu

Li Lili

Congmei Yuan

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, silent, with English intertitles

Print Source: China Film Archive

Selected Filmography: Qin Niangmei (1960)

The Legend of Lu Ban (1958)

Brave the Wind and Waves (1957)

The Life of Wu Xun (1950)

Baptism by Fire (1940)

The Vast Sky (1940)

It’s Spring All Over the World (1937)

Go to Nature (1936)

The Empress of Sport (1934)

Daybreak (1933)

Loving Blood of the Volcano (1932)

Wild Rose (1932)

Wild Flowers (1931)

Lola Versus USA 2012

THURSDAY MAY 24 7:00 PM

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

FRIDAY MAY 25 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

At age 29, Lola (Greta Gerwig) thinks she’s right where she ought to be: finishing her dissertation and cozily nested with her longtime boyfriend, who surprises her one morning with a proposal. But just as all the details get settled, the prospective groom gets cold feet, forcing Lola to restructure her life and reconsider the men of New York City. Helping her get back in the saddle are her two best friends, the obviously lovelorn Henry (Hamish Linklater) and the randy, consummate single gal Alice (Zoe Lister-Jones), who brings Lola down to earth by sharing her own relationship struggles and search for romance. Bill Pullman and Debra Winger play Lola’s hippie parents, who have a looser view on relationships than their daughter. Navigating the advice from so many angles, Lola haphazardly weaves her way through entanglements with a variety of (often hilarious) suitors. The ensemble cast of rising indie stars delivers true-to-life, deadpan dialogue courtesy of cowriters and producers Lister-Jones and Daryl Wein, the real-life couple behind 2009’s Breaking Upwards

Director: Daryl Wein

Producers: Michael London

Janice Williams

Jocelyn Hayes-Simpson

Screenwriters: Daryl Wein

Zoe Lister-Jones

Cinematographer: Jacob Ihre

Editor: Suzy Elmiger

Music: Fall On Your Sword

Cast: Greta Gerwig

Hamish Linklater

Zoe Lister-Jones

Bill Pullman

Debra Winger

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP

Print Source: Fox Searchlight

Selected Filmography: Breaking Upwards (2009)

Sex Positive (2008)

The Long Ride Home

MONDAY MAY 28 6:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

TUESDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

In 2001, Kevin Mincio’s Goldman Sachs office was across the street from the World Trade Center when the towers were struck by terrorists. Immediately, his life was forever transformed in ways he never could have imagined. After leaving his job in high finance, he joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Stryker Brigade at Fort Lewis, serving as an infantryman in Iraq. While in country, he met and befriended Staff Sgt. Jesse Williams, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty. Sgt. Mincio had made a vow to help take care of Williams’ family should anything happen, and he was good on his word. When he returned home he launched The Team Jesse Foundation in honor of his Army buddy and began planning “The Ride:” a tortuous 4,200mile bicycle trip over a 95-day period to raise funds for fallen soldiers everywhere. The goal?

To arrive at Ground Zero on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The Long Ride Home is the inspiring story of that epic ride—and of Kevin Mincio’s personal quest to honor the sacred promise he made to a friend and to begin healing his own psychic wounds.

Director:

Thomas Lee Wright

Producers:

Thomas Lee Wright

Brett Bowker

Cinematographers:

Austin Blindheim

Brett Bowker

Andrew Durtschi

Editors:

Norb Caoili

Mike Lorrain

Music:

Pat Goodwin

Running Time: 100 minutes

Print Source: Wright Biz

Selected Filmography: Tradeoff (2000)

Eight-Tray Gangster: The Making of a Crip (1992)

Lost in Paradise

VietNAm 2011

US Premiere

SATURDAY JUNE 2 7:00PM

HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY JUNE 5 3:00PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Praised on the festival circuit for its historic place in Vietnamese cinema, Ngoc Đãng Vu’s intimate film follows naïve 20-year-old Khôi from the countryside to a new life in Ho Chi Minh City. Paradise’s explicit and compassionate tone toward its central gay characters, who are also hustlers, makes this comingof-age story culturally significant. Here, the story of Khôi’s life and those of the characters he encounters are treated with realism and a measure of grace. When Khôi’s family disowns him for being gay, he escapes his coastal town for bustling Ho Chi Minh City. There he quickly falls in with Đông, who invites him to stay at the apartment he shares with Lam. Innocent Khôi doesn’t realize the two men are lovers—and thieves—and ends up back on the streets alone. But when Lam happens upon Khôi in his hard-up state, he returns the stolen goods—though ultimately, he steals Khôi’s heart. Themes of alienation and fear among this marginalized community are woven into a story that also shows humor and tender romance.

Director: Ngoc Đãng Vu

Producer: Thi Bich Hien Ngo

Screenwriters: Ngoc Đãng Vu Manh Hai Luong

Cinematographer: Nam Nguyen

Editor: Khanh Ly

Music: Minh Thu

Cast: Manh Hai Luong

Vinh Khoa Ho Linh Son

Phuong Thanh

Hieu Hien

Running Time: 103 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Vietnamese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Fortissimo Films

Print Source: Fortissimo Films

Selected Filmography: Every Inch of Beauty (2009)

The Long Leg Girls (2004)

Lost Years

cANAdA 2011

US Premiere

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 6:00 PM

THURSDAY MAY 24 4:00 PM

One hundred years ago, filmmaker Kenda Gee’s ancestors emigrated from China to Alberta, Canada. Once there, they discovered an outrageous level of discrimination, first evidenced by the presence of a “head tax,” which stipulated that all Chinese people entering the country must pay a then-astronomical fee, and later by an exclusion act that barred their entry altogether. Gee and co-director Tom Radford’s absorbing study of institutionalized racism and the current state of restitution leads to places around the globe, including Seattle, New Zealand, and Gee’s ancestors’ village in China. But the film keeps circling back to Canada, where some extraordinary stories of triumph and loss unfold. Both sobering and enlightening, the achievement of Lost Years is perhaps best summed up by the presence of elderly activist Gim Wong, a former military officer in the Canadian Air Force whose fierce love for his country is mixed with a profanely passionate disbelief in its treatment of its citizens. In his words, “You don’t have to rewrite history, just tell it like it is.”

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Directors: Kenda Gee

Tom Radford

Producers: Kenda Gee

Tom Radford

Screenwriters: Kenda Gee

Tom Radford

Brenda Terning

Cinematographers: Rene Jean Collins

Grigori Ozerski

Editor: Brenda Terning

Music: Darren Fung

Running Time: 92 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in French, Chinese, and English, with English subtitles

Print Source: Lost Years Productions Inc.

Film Website: lostyears.ca

Selected Filmography:

Gee:

Debut Feature Film

Radford: The Honour of the Crown (2000)

Love Free or Die USA 2012

MONDAY MAY 21 6:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 22 4:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 6:00 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

When Gene Robinson was consecrated in 2003, he became the first openly gay Bishop in Christendom. The ensuing controversy nearly resulted in a schism within the Episcopalian Church. Since then, Robinson has become a central, polarizing figure in the LGBT community’s struggle to receive equal and open acceptance from Christian denominations, nationally and worldwide. Director Macky Alston follows Bishop Robinson through several professional setbacks and triumphs, including his official exclusion from a once-in-a-decade convocation of Episcopalian bishops in Canterbury, England, as well as his delivery of the invocation at President Obama’s inauguration. But it’s at the church’s 2009 General Convention that his importance becomes evident as the assembled elders debate whether to allow further ordination of gay bishops and the right to perform marriages for same-sex parishioners. Throughout these challenges, Robinson draws emotional strength from his husband Mark, as well as his two grown daughters from a previous marriage, further proving his remarkable and inspiring passion for his family, his congregation, and, above all, God.

Awards:

Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Special Jury Prize – Documentary)

Director: Macky Alston

Producer: Sandra Itkoff

Cinematographer: Tom Hurwitz

Editor: Christopher White

Music: Paul Brill

Running Time: 83 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Cinephil

Print Source: Reveal Productions, Inc.

Film Website: lovefreeordiemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Hard Road Home (2007) The Killer Within (2006)

Questioning Faith: Confessions of a Seminarian (2002)

Family Name (1997)

Loverboy

romANiA/SWedeN/SerbiA 2011

SUNDAY MAY 20 9:00 PM

MONDAY MAY 21 3:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 8:30 PM

First love has never felt more dangerous. A love story dredged up from the murky background of prostitution and human trafficking, Loverboy deftly demonstrates the A-Z of how to charm a girl into the sex trade. Twenty-yearold Luca (George Pistereanu), gorgeous and superficially innocent, seduces girls and then leaves them in the hands of his “friends” at the Black Sea resort of Constanta. It’s summer, the cars are fancy, the girls are tanned and the music is loud. Remaining coolly aloof from his smitten targets, all goes relatively smoothly until he meets the beautiful and exuberant small-town runaway, Veli, and his lucrative sideline is imperiled when he starts to have feelings for her. Shot in shimmering widescreen, Catalin Mitulescu has brilliantly delineated a world in which it’s horrifyingly normal for young girls to fall prey to the world of vice, and raises the question of whether it’s possible to live normally and honor love if one’s own life lacks love. Romanian cinema is improving exponentially, and Mitulescu has just taken a giant leap of his own with this auspicious sophomore offering.

Awards:

Sarajevo Film Festival 2011 (Best Actress)

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Catalin Mitulescu

Producers: Daniel Mitulescu

Catalin Mitulescu

Marcian Lazăr

Screenwriters: Catalin Mitulescu

Bianca Oana

Bogdan Mustata

Cinematographer: Marius Panduru

Editors:

Cristina Ionescu

Ştefan Ioan Tatu

Cast: George Pistereanu

Ada Condeescu

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Romanian, with English subtitles

International Sales: Celluloid Dreams

Print Source: Celluloid Dreams

Film Website: loverboy.ro/en

Selected Filmography: The Way I Spent the End of the World (2006)

Lucky SoUth AFricA 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY MAY 29 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 3:15 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Weeping over the grave of his dead mother, young Lucky promises to make something more meaningful of his life beyond the limited confines of his rural Zulu village. Grief-stricken but determined, he sets his sights on higher education in an urban environment. He leaves his village and arrives in Durban at the doorstep of a troubled, violent uncle who has no use for him. Stubbornly, Lucky refuses to give up and falls in with Padma, a formidable, elderly Indian woman harboring a deep-seeded fear of Africans. She grudgingly takes him in when she hears of a government program for AIDS orphans, and their ensuing connection leads them both to truly unexpected territory. Lucky is based on writer/director Avie Luthra’s 2006 short film of the same name, which won 43 international film festival awards and was shortlisted for an Oscar®

Awards:

Abu Dhabi Film Festival 2011 (Best Actress)

Bengaluru International Film Festival 2011 (Best Film)

Director: Avie Luthra

Producers: Christopher J. Wilmot

Lance Samuels

Screenwriters: Avie Luthra

Tanya Welz

Cinematographer: Willie Nel

Editor: Josh Levinsky

Music: Phillip Miller

Cast: Jayashree Basavaraj

Sihle Dlamini

James Ngcobo

Mduduzi Mabaso

Vusi Kunene

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Hindi, English and Zulu, with English

subtitles

Print Source: Double Dutch International

Film Website: luckythemovie2011.com

Selected Filmography: Mad, Sad & Bad (2009)

Cross My Heart (2003)

FRIDAY MAY 18 8:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY MAY 19 7:15 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

William “Woody” Watson (Michael Rainey Jr.) is a shy, smart 11-year-old living with his grandmother in suburban Baltimore. When his uncle, Vincent (hip-hop artist Common), is released from prison after serving eight years of a 20-year sentence, Woody is captivated by the man’s charm, swagger, and potential as a father figure. Woody’s dad is long gone, and his mother is reportedly in North Carolina dealing with her drug addiction. Post-prison, Vincent seems ready to embrace both the kid and a life outside of “the life.” But while driving Woody to school one day in his midnightblack Mercedes, Vincent makes a hairpin turn that will cause their lives to spin out. He decides to give Woody a crash course in being a man, complete with lessons on how to talk to girls, show confidence, and dress well. This innocent exercise soon turns chaotic when Vincent gets tangled in a quick-money scheme. Set during the course of a single day, their time together is marked by displays, starting at 8:36 am and continuing well into the night. Perceptive newcomer Rainey Jr. and Common, excellent here, are supported by a strong cast, including Dennis Haysbert, Danny Glover, Lonette McKee, and The Wire’s Michael Kenneth Williams.

P RECEDED BY:

MLK 2010

USA 2011, 4 minutes, Director: Tam Duong

A young man reflects on the meaning of a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. Adobe Youth Voices

Director:

Sheldon Candis

Producers: Jason Michael Berman

W. Michael Jenson

Gordon Bijelonic

Datari Turner

Joel Newton

Common

Derek Dudley

Screenwriters: Sheldon Candis

Justin Wilson

Cinematographer: Gavin J. Kelly

Editor: Jeff Wishengrad

Music:

Nuno Malo

Cast: Common

Michael Rainey Jr. Dennis Haysbert

Danny Glover

Charles S. Dutton

Lonette McKee

Michael Kenneth Williams

Running Time: 94 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Indomina Media, Inc.

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Madrid, 1987

SPAiN 2012

SUNDAY MAY 20 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE

TUESDAY MAY 22 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

The setting is a sweltering summer in postFranco Madrid, which most of its inhabitants have left for vacations. What begins as a seemingly straightforward Spanish romance between Miguel Batall (José Sacristán), a world-weary older professor, and the beautiful young journalism student, Ángela (María Valverde), set on interviewing him, takes an unexpected turn when he invites her to a friend’s apartment for a drink and inadvertently locks them both inside the bathroom. Left without clothes, food, or any external means of diversion for a day and a half—with only one small towel between them—Ángela and Miguel alternate shouts for help with existential discussions on life, literature, love, sex, the art of writing, politics, and the inexorability of time. They even screen an imaginary movie.

Writer/director David Trueba examines the differing perspectives of youth and age and our ability to understand each other while playing out the story of an unusual seduction in which both participants end up baring much more than their bodies.

Awards:

Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Grand Jury Prize World Cinema – Dramatic)

Director: David Trueba

Producer: Jessica Huppert Berman

Screenwriter: David Trueba

Cinematographer: Leonor Rodríguez

Editor: Marta Velasco

Music: Irene Tremblay

David Trueba

Cast: José Sacristán

María Valverde

Ramon Fontserè

Running Time: 105 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: 6 Sales

Print Source: 6 Sales

Selected Filmography: Fernando’s Chair (2006)

Welcome Home (2006)

Soldiers of Salamina (2003)

Masterpiece (2000)

The Good Life (1996)

CINEMAS

Marina Abramović

The Artist is Present

USA 2012

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 6:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

FRIDAY JUNE 8 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Marina Abramović is a force of nature.

Often hailed as the “grandmother of performance art,” she has waged a decades-long campaign on behalf of her medium. “After 40 years of people thinking you’ve gone insane and you should be put in a mental hospital, you finally get all this acknowledgment,” she says, looking back on her career. “Takes such a long time to take you seriously.” Both the struggle for recognition and its glorious culmination are reflected in this film, which takes its name from the iconic artist’s 2010 retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. The exhibit is perhaps best known for the piece in which Abramović sits in front of individual museum goers, “engaging in an energy dialogue.”

Directors Matthew Akers and Jeff Dupre use the exhibition as a lens through which to examine her groundbreaking work and remarkable life, showcasing how Abramović employs her own body in feats of remarkable physical and mental stamina, while also answering the question that has defined her career: “Why is this art?”

Awards:

Berlin International Film Festival 2012 (Panorama Section Audience Award)

Directors: Matthew Akers

Jeff Dupre

Producers: Jeff Dupre

Marion Chermayeff

Cinematographer: Matthew Akers

Editor: E. Donna Shepherd

Music:

Nathan Halpern

Running Time: 105 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Music Box Films

Film Website: marinafilm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Mexican Suitcase

mexico/SPAiN 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY MAY 19 8:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 3 9:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

In 2007, three mysterious, old suitcases were discovered among the belongings of the Mexican ambassador to Vichy France. Inside were approximately 4,500 negatives shot during the Spanish Civil War by a triumvirate of revered war photographers: David “Chim” Seymour, Gerda Taro, and Robert Capa. They were subsequently returned to Cornell Capa, the younger brother of Robert, and founder of the International Center of Photography in New York City. The exhibit spurned the interest of filmmaker Trisha Ziff and creative advisor John Sayles, who yearned to explore how these photographs could illuminate the present as much as the past. By casting a wider net into the subject of the Spanish Civil War, Ziff broadens the scope of her work significantly. Through beautifully shot interviews with veterans and their descendants, she examines the spiritual fallout of the conflict documented in the photos. The Mexican Suitcase isn’t merely about bridging an intriguing gap in the history of photography and journalism, it’s also a reflection on the long-running cultural and political consequences of the Spanish Civil War and how relatively unexamined its traumas remain.

Awards: Gaudi Awards 2012 Nominee (Best Documentary):

Director: Trisha Ziff

Producer: Eamon O’Farrill

Screenwriter: Trisha Ziff

Cinematographer: Claudio Rocha

Editor: Luis Lopez

Music: Michael Nyman

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Spanish and English, with English subtitles

International Sales: Autlook Film Sales

Print Source: Trisha Ziff

Selected Filmography: Chevolution (2008)

M IL - WOL -d O - GA - NEUN - GIL

Mirage

SoUth koreA 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 1 1:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY JUNE 5 6:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

On his way to his hometown of Incheon to receive a literary award for his first novel, Dong-jo wakes up hungover on the train, with his overnight bag missing. Stranded without his laptop and wallet, he visits an old high school friend Jae-ho in order to borrow some money. However, both the visit with his old friend and the award ceremony stir up bittersweet memories of his teenage friendship with Ki-jung, a bullied outsider obsessed with pulp science fiction—in particular a novel by a German author who vanished under mysterious circumstances. But when Dongjo seeks out his former childhood sweetheart You-jin, their recollections of a trip with Kijung to Mil-wol Island, a place known for its legendary disappearances, mirror those portrayed in his novel. In his debut feature film, director Jung-ho Yang produces a compelling tale about how the bonds of adolescent friendship are tested by onset adulthood. Employing a noirish style reminiscent of David Lynch, both visually and structurally, he interweaves Dong-jo’s wanderings through present-day Incheon with flashbacks from his high school days, as well as dramatized scenes from his novel, to create a meditation on innocence lost and wisdom found.

Director: Jung-ho Yang

Producer:

Seung-bok Lee

Screenwriter: Jung-ho Yang

Cinematographer: Jae-Jin Park

Editor: Jung-ho Yang

Music:

Seung-hyun Ryoo

Cast:

Moon Jung-woong

Kim Chang-hwan

Shin Jae-seung

Running Time: 83 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Korean, with English subtitles

International Sales: CJ E&M Entertainment

Print Source: CJ E&M Entertainment

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Mirror Never Lies

iNdoNeSiA 2011

US Premiere

SATURDAY JUNE 9 9:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 10 2:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Bajo tribal folklore maintains a belief that a ritual mirror can display an image of a missing fisherman who will return from the sea. Twelve-year-old Pakis clings to this mirror, searching for her father’s magical reflection. Debuting director Kamila Andini (daughter of master Indonesian filmmaker Garin Nugroho) draws upon her personal history with the Bajo tribe, known as the “Sea Gypsies,” and frames this exotic gem of a film in the lush Wakatobi archipelago. The largely Bajo nonprofessional actors shine, including the young lead, Gita Novalista, who perfectly captures the spectrum of emotional experiences that Pakis faces: familial loss, goofy first love with a neighboring boy, conflict with her grieving and emotionally absent mother, her own blossoming womanhood, and, eventually, her journey toward the acceptance of her father’s death. Featuring a strong ecological message and a celebration of the Bajo’s sustainable way of life, Andini has crafted a film that is at once global and highly personal, announcing her assured voice to the world cinematic stage.

Awards:

Cinemanila International Film Festival 2011 (Special Mention, Best ASEAN Film)

Tokyo International Film Festival 2011 (Special Mention, Earth Grand Prix)

Busan International Film Festival 2011 (New Currents Award)

Director: Kamila Andini

Producers: Devy Wildosari Suradji

Garin Nugroho

Screenwriters:

Kamila Andini

Dirmawan Hatta

Cinematographer: Rachmad “Ipung” Syaiful

Editor:

Wawan I. Wibowo

Music:

Thoersi Argeswara

Cast: Atiqah Hasiholan

Reza Rahadian

Gita Lovalista

Eko

Zainal

Halwiyah

Darsono

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Indonesian, with English subtitles

Print Source: SET Film Production

Film Website: gift4earth.wwf.or.id/ themirrorneverlies

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Monk

FrANce 2011

SUNDAY JUNE 3 12:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

TUESDAY JUNE 5 6:45 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Based on the classic Gothic novel, The Monk is a lush, stylish exploration of long-repressed emotion disastrously unleashed. Abandoned as an infant on his monastery’s steps, Ambrosio (Vincent Cassel) is now an exemplary member of the order, renowned throughout Spain for his spiritual virtue and severe piety. His sermons draw huge audiences from those seeking his guidance and aid, among them the lovely young Antonia and her mother Doña Elvire. But dark forces conspire to test his faith. A young novitiate named Valerio, who conceals his face behind an expressionless mask, arrives at the monastery seeking to become Ambrosio’s disciple. When Valerio finally reveals his true identity to his superior, Ambrosio embarks upon a diabolical descent into sin and depravity. Cassel gives a riveting performance as a man of unmoored sexuality who is torn away from all he once held sacred. Director Dominik Moll—best known to American audiences for his thriller With a Friend Like Harry…—crafts an eerie, elegant period drama in which desire and obsession erupt through the barriers of moral restraint.

Director: Dominik Moll

Producer: Michel Saint-Jean

Screenwriter: Dominik Moll

Cinematographer: Patrick Blossier

Editors:

François Gédigier

Sylvie Lager

Music:

Alberto Iglesias

Cast:

Vincent Cassel

Déborah François

Sergi López

Geraldine Chaplin

Josephine Japy

Running Time: 101 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Memento Films

International

Print Source:

ATO Pictures

Selected Filmography: Lemming (2005)

With a Friend Like Harry… (2000)

Intimacy (1993)

Moonrise Kingdom USA 2012

TUESDAY JUNE 5 7:00 PM

When director Wes Anderson hit American cinema screens with his critically acclaimed debut Bottle Rocket, it heralded the arrival of a singular new talent. Among his early fans was Martin Scorsese, who wrote in Esquire magazine, “He knows how to convey the simple joys and interactions between people so well and with such richness. This kind of sensibility is rare in movies.” In his newest film Moonrise Kingdom, Anderson delivers a wonderfully droll yet touching comedy filtered through his own unique vision. Set on an island off the coast of New England in the summer of 1965, it tells the story of Suzy and Sam, two 12-yearolds who fall in love, make a secret pact, and run away together into the wilderness. As a violent storm begins to brew off shore, various authorities begin a frenzied search, including Suzy’s parents (Frances McDormand and Bill Murray), Sam’s summer camp troop led by Ward (Edward Norton), and the local sheriff (Bruce Willis). Full of Anderson’s trademark dry wit and color-coordinated formalism, Moonrise Kingdom is a sweet, nostalgic romp that will bring out the kid in all of us.

Director: Wes Anderson

Producers: Wes Anderson

Jeremy Dawson

Steven M. Bates

Scott Rudin

Screenwriters: Wes Anderson

Roman Coppola

Cinematographer: Robert D. Yeoman

Editor: Andrew Weisblum

Music: Alexandre Desplat

Cast: Frances McDormand

Bill Murray

Edward Norton

Bruce Willis

Tilda Swinton

Kara Hayward

Jared Gilman

Running Time: 94 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Focus Features

Film Website: focusfeatures.com/ moonrise_kingdom

Selected Filmography: The Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Rushmore (1998)

Bottle Rocket (1996)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Mosquita y Mari

USA 2012

SUNDAY MAY 20 6:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

MONDAY MAY 21 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Yolanda’s parents want her to be the first one in the family to go to college, but she’d rather focus on her new neighbor Mari, an undocumented immigrant who is as unenthusiastic about school as Yolanda is about boys. Mari has her own troubles—like paying the rent. As their friendship threatens Yolanda’s grades and Mari’s after-school jobs, they both have to choose between their budding desires and their families. First-time writer and director Aurora Guerrero builds a delicate story of conflict and longing out of her own experiences with complicated, sexually charged friendships and the Latina community. The spare script forces the actresses to rely on subtle gestures and body language to convey complex character motivations, and both young performers rise admirably to the task. Many of the best scenes are wordless, dreamy moments held in the LA sunshine, languishing in the space where the two girls overlap.

P RECEDED BY:

After Shock

USA 2011, 5 minutes, Director: Arenessa Gutierrez

Director: Aurora Guerrero

Producer: Chad Burris

Screenwriter: Aurora Guerrero

Cinematographer: Magela Crosignani

Editor: Augie Robles

Music: Ryan Beveridge

Cast: Fenessa Pineda

Venecia Troncoso

Joaquín Garrido

Laura Patalano

Dulce Maria Solis

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Wolfe Releasing

Film Website: mosquitaymari.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had With My Pants On USA 2012

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 7:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 8 3:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had With My Pants

On follows the road trip adventures of Andy (writer and co-director Drew Denny) and Liv (Sarah Hagan) as they make their way across the American Southwest from Los Angeles to Austin. Attempting to fulfill her father’s dying wish, Andy sets out with childhood friend Liv to scatter her father’s ashes across the landscape he held dear. Steeped in autobiographical details, the film offers an intensely personal glimpse into the emotional lives of both women as their journey of self-discovery reveals unexpected emotional truths. The revelation of these vivid personal details deepens the audience’s connection to the women during their process of reconnection and reconciliation. Featuring breathtaking vistas, an incredible soundtrack and beautiful cinematography,

The Most Fun I’ve Ever Had With My Pants

On is an intimate, engaging, and ultimately cathartic film about two girls on the road.

Director: Drew Denny

Producer: Clay Jeter

Jason Berman

Drew Denny

Screenwriter: Drew Denny

Cinematographer: Will Basanta

Editor: Isaac Hagy

Cast: Sarah Hagan

Drew Denny

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Brain House

Film Website: funpantsmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

A personal story from a young filmmaker who bravely shares her journey through coming out to her family.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Mourning

irAN 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 9 12:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

A married couple is visiting their sister and brother-in-law in northern Iran. In the middle of the night, in a pitch-black room, they have a violent quarrel. The woman storms out, declaring her intention to return to Tehran; her husband follows, leaving behind their young son. The next morning, the son and his aunt and uncle have no choice but to follow in their tracks, wherever they might lead. The result is a winding journey into the past, through complicated family relationships and toward an uncertain future for all involved. Mourning initially emerged as a project of film workshops run by Abbas Kiarostami, and his influence is evident in both theme and style. Young director Morteza Farshbaf’s debut feature makes beautiful use of the springtime landscape, and the non-professional actors contribute their own freshness to this surprising story, which charts its own course from tragedy to gentle black comedy.

Awards:

Busan Film Festival 2011 (New Current Award, FIPRESCI award)

Director:

Morteza Farshbaf

Producers:

Behnaz Beski

Javad Noruzbeigi

Screenwriters:

Anahita Ghazvinizadeh

Morteza Farshbaf

Cinematographer: Hamid Reza Ahmadira Ara

Editor:

Hesam Eslami

Cast:

Kiomars Giti

Sharareh Pasha

Amir Hossein Maleki Sahar Dolatshahi

Peyman Moaadi

Adel Yaraghi

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta, in Farsi, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wide Management

Print Source: Global Film Initiative

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

My Brother the Devil

UNited kiNGdom 2012

SATURDAY MAY 19 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY MAY 20 11:30 AM HARVARD EXIT

MONDAY MAY 28 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Rashid and Mo are brothers, the sons of Egyptian immigrants, growing up in a London housing project. While Rashid is already involved with a local gang, he’s determined to keep his little brother, Mo—sensitive and college-bound—out of such a violent lifestyle. When a clash with a rival gang takes a deadly turn, and Rashid’s best friend is killed, Rashid decides he needs to get out himself. His life has already started to move in another direction, thanks to Sayyid, a hunky former gangster-turned-intellectual, who instigates a sexual and political awakening. But when Mo discovers his brother’s relationship, he’s thrown into confusion and the potential for disaster looms. A truly fresh take on a classic story, the surprises of the narrative are reflected in the imaginative cinematography. Director Sally El Hosaini’s debut feature is a beautiful study of the relationship between brothers and the ties that bind them despite their differences.

Awards: Berlin Film Festival 2012 (Europa Cinema Label Prize) Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Best Cinematography)

Director: Sally El Hosaini

Producers: Gayle Griffiths

Julia Godzinskaya

Michael Sackler

Screenwriter: Sally El Hosaini

Cinematographer: David Raedeker

Editor: Iain Kitching

Music: Stuart Earl

Cast: James Floyd

Saïd Taghmaoui

Fady Elsayed.

Running Time: 111 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Pacha Pictures

Print Source: 108 Media Corp.

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

A living legacy of community support

Wells Fargo Private Bank is proud to continue our tradition of strong community partnership by saluting Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

Wells Private Bank is proud to continue our tradition of strong community partnership saluting Seattle International Film Festival.

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My Dad is Baryshnikov

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 7:30 PM

THURSDAY JUNE 7 6:30 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 1:30 PM

My Sucky Teen Romance

USA 2011

MAJESTIC BAY CINEMAS

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

The story of a ballet-obsessed Moscow adolescent boy growing up during the Perestroika era who pretends his father is Mikhail Baryshnikov, writer-director Dmitry Povolotsky’s semi-autobiographical film is an endearing crowd-pleaser. Set in 1986, the plot pirouettes around scrawny 14-year-old Boris Fishkin, who supplies black market jeans to his rock ’n’ roll-loving classmates at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy. He lives with his mother, who tutors others in English and Russian, and occasionally sleeps with some of her clients. At school, Boris demonstrates lots of enthusiasm for dancing, but less natural skill and strength. When one of his mother’s American “students” gives him a banned VHS copy of White Nights, Boris watches the ballet scenes repeatedly and tries to copy Baryshnikov’s moves. Half out of childish fantasy, half out of a desire to impress, he tells his classmates he’s really Baryshnikov’s illegitimate son, and when his dancing takes flight, everyone starts to believe him. This endearing star turn is Billy Elliot meets Goodbye Lenin!

Directors:

Dmitry Povolotski

Mark Drugoi

Producers:

Ulyana Savelieva

Nataliya Mokritskaya

Screenwriter:

Dmitry Povolotski

Cinematographer:

Sergei Mokritskiy

Editor:

Olga Greenshpun

Music:

Alexander Manotskov

Cast:

Dmitri Viskubenko

Anna Mikhalkova

Vladimir Kasputin

Ilya Rutberg

Marina Politseimako

Lyudmilla Titova

Running Time: 88 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Russian and English, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

LevelK

Print Source:

LevelK

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

FRIDAY MAY 18 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE

SUNDAY MAY 20 6:00 PM SIFF

It becomes wonderfully apparent while watching My Sucky Teen Romance that it’s going to both embrace and transcend your expectations. Impressively, this is 18-year-old director Emily Hagins’ third feature and she has remarkably captured a story that encapsulates her youthful exuberance for popular culture (fan conventions, teen romance, and vampires) into an intelligent and effervescent comedy that all audiences will enjoy. Talented newcomer Elaine Hurt portrays Kate, who’s attending SpaceCon for the last time before leaving for college. There she meets Paul, a recently turned vampire, who has discovered that a fan convention is the only place where his pallid complexion and pointed teeth will not be questioned. Unfortunately, their blossoming love takes a turn for the worse when an amorous moment turns primal and Kate is left with two holes in her neck and a mounting craving for hemoglobin. Soon, Paul joins Kate and her friends in a hunt for the original vampire, whose death will herald their transformation back to the realm of the living. While My Sucky Teen Romance is lowbudget filmmaking, it’s also filled with immensely likable young actors and a pace that never lags. Adobe Youth Voices

P RECEDED BY:

Director: Emily Hagins

Producers: Paul Gandersman

JJ Weber

Megan Hagins

Jerry Hagins

Screenwriter: Emily Hagins

Cinematographer: Jeffrey Buras

Editor: Shane Gibson

Music: Christopher Thomas

Cast: Elaine Hurt

Devin Bonnée

Tina Rodriguez

Lauren Lee

Santiago Dietche

Tony Vespe

Running Time: 77 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: MPI Films

Film Website: cheesynuggets.com

Selected Filmography: The Retelling (2009) Pathogen (2006)

Right Where We Left Off USA 2012, 4 minutes, Director: Ivan Reyes, Antonette Paviera Original music video piece about a young person’s relationship and forgiveness.

CINEMAS

CINEMA UPTOWN

NOOR dz EE TEXAS

North Sea Texas

belGiUm 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 6:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 11:00 AM

A lonely gay adolescent suffers the pangs of unrequited love in this poignantly rendered coming-of-age film from Bavo Defurne. The narrative unfolds in a small town on the Belgian coast in the late 1960s and ’70s, where introverted dreamer Pim grows up accustomed to neglect from his mother Yvette—better known at the local bar as “Yvette Mimosa,” accordion player—and petty humiliation from her “driver” Etienne. Pim eventually finds succor at the home of Yvette’s co-worker Marcella, where he hero-worships her older son, Gino. Meanwhile, Marcella’s daughter Sabrina obviously longs for his attention. Friendship grows into love when Gino, cautioning Pim to secrecy, supplies the besotted boy’s first sexual experiences. But when Gino begins a relationship with a French girl, jealous Pim focuses his wistful romantic fantasies on Zoltan, the hunky itinerant fun-fair worker who comes to board at his mother’s house. Debuting director Defurne (known for his shorts celebrating gay love) took a risk in casting a trio of age-appropriate newcomers, but the young actors repay him with emotionally truthful performances. Winner of the FIPRESCI Award and Best Feature Debut at the Montreal Film Festival, North Sea Texas delicately captures the ecstasy of first love and the heartache of frustrated desire.

Awards: Montreal World Festival 2011 (Best First Film, FIPRESCI Award) Rome Film Festival 2011 (Alice in the City Award)

Nosilatiaj.Beauty

ArGeNtiNA 2012 North AmericAN Premiere

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Bavo Defurne

Producer: Yves Verbraeken

Screenwriters: Bavo Defurne

Yves Verbraeken

Cinematographer: Anton Mertens

Editor: Els Voorspoel

Music: Adriano Cominotto

Cast: Jelle Florizoone

Eva Van Der Gucht

Luk Wyns

Thomas Coumans

Mathias Vergels

Nina Marie Kortekaas

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Dutch, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wavelength Pictures

Print Source: Strand Releasing

Film Website: noordzeetexas.be

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

SUNDAY JUNE 3 8:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 9 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 11:00 AM

Delicately observed, Nosilatiaj.Beauty tells the story of Yolanda, a Wichí native girl who works as a housemaid for a large Criollo family in northern Argentina. The head of the household lives and works in another village, and his four sons are a constant nuisance. Though money is scarce, the whole family is busy preparing for the “Quinceañera,” or 15th birthday, of the eldest daughter, Antonella. While the family is not rude to Yolanda, they have little interest in her. Antonella considers Yolanda both a confidante and a fascinating oddity, especially because of her beautiful long hair, a mark of pride in the Wichí tribe. As the celebration approaches, Antonella and her overwhelmed mother strive to make every detail perfect, including the appearance of Yolanda, who takes refuge from her situation by daydreaming of her childhood back in the Wichí culture. Her ability to separate herself from the reality of her situation is cut short by the family’s makeover efforts, which demonstrate a total lack of understanding of Yolanda’s culture. A compelling metaphor for Argentina’s treatment of their indigenous people, Nosilatiaj.Beauty captures the ways that marginalized communities struggle to maintain their aesthetic and spiritual identities.

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Daniela Seggiaro

Producer: Alvaro Urtizberea

Screenwriter: Daniella Seggiaro

Cinematographer: Willi Behnisch

Editors: Ana Poliak

Martin Mainoli

Daniela Seggiaro

Music: Fernando Subelza

Cast: Ximena Banús

Rosmeri Segundo

Victor Hugo Carrizo

Camila Romagnolo

Sasa Sharet Isabel Mendoza

Tiluk Sebastian Mendoza

Running Time: 83 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish and Wichi Lhämtes, with English subtitles

International Sales: m-Appeal

Print Source: Vista Sur Films

Film Website: labellezanosilatiaj.com.ar

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

KHYI RGAN

Old Dog

tibet/chiNA 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 6:30 PM

SATURDAY MAY 19 3:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY MAY 26 3:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Tibetan filmmaker Pema Tseden fills his extraordinary third film with emotional allegory, conjured by the sights and sounds of rural China. Old Dog opens as middle-aged Gonpo slowly arrives in town on a scooter with his faithful Tibetan mastiff trotting alongside. During his visit, he sells the dog to a Chinese trader who specializes in procuring mastiffs for wealthy landowners as status symbols. Gonpo’s father, Akhu, is disturbed by his son’s lack of regard for their dog and purchases the animal back, initiating the simple story line which revolves largely around the dog’s destiny and the familial dynamics between Gonpo and Akhu. Tseden’s film is rich with commentary on the evolving conflict within Tibetan culture, most clearly seen through Akhu’s struggle to respect his dog and perhaps his own rural existence; a way of life that is quickly giving way to a faster-paced mainland culture that his son more easily welcomes. Old Dog’s highly observant narrative reveals artistic insight into the current challenges facing Tibetans, gently moving toward a final tragic sequence that epitomizes Akhu’s conflicted view of his culture’s future.

Awards: Hong Kong International Film Festival 2011 (Best Asian Film)

Director: Pema Tseden

Producer: Zhang Xianmin

Screenwriter: Pema Tseden

Cinematographer: Sonthar Gyal

Editor:

Sangye Bhum

Cast:

Lochey

Drolma Kyab

Tamdrin Tso

Yanbum Gyal

Chokyong Gyal

Running Time: 88 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Tibetan, with English subtitles

Print Source: dGenerate Films

Selected Filmography: The Search (2008)

The Silent Holy Stones (2005)

OMOHI d E PORO PORO

Only Yesterday

JAPAN 1991

SATURDAY MAY 19 11:00 AM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER WEDNESDAY MAY 23 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

The films of Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli are known for their female heroines, from Princess Mononoke to Kiki to Pony. But with Only Yesterday, director Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies) and producer Hayao Miyazaki delve deeper into the emotional experiences of girls and young women than perhaps any animated film before or since. The number-one film in Japan in 1991, it has remained largely unseen in the US, where it is the only Studio Ghibli feature not yet released in theaters or on DVD. Realizing that she is at a crossroads in her life, bored 20-something Taeko heads for the countryside. The trip dredges up forgotten childhood memories that unfold in flashback to younger years—the first immature stirrings of romance, the onset of puberty, and the frustrations of math and boys. In lyrical segues between the present and the past, Taeko wonders if she has been true to the dreams of her childhood self. Only Yesterday is classic Ghibli animation, a double period piece that beautifully evokes both the 1960s and 1980s, and the quintessential drama of Japanese school-day nostalgia. Recommended for ages 9+.

Director: Isao Takahata

Producer: Hayao Miyazaki

Screenwriter: Isao Takahata

Cinematographer: Hisao Shiraishi

Editor: Takeshi Seyama

Music: Katsu Hoshi

Running Time: 118 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Japanese, with English subtitles

Print Source: GKids

Selected Filmography: My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) Pom Poko (1994) Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

The Orator

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 6:00 PM

RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

TUESDAY MAY 29 6:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

THURSDAY MAY 31 3:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

While The Orator’s status as Samoa’s first feature film makes it a native landmark, writer/ director Tusi Tamasese’s mastery of atmospherics, tone, and rhythm transforms it into a genuinely noteworthy achievement. Primarily employing first-time actors to bring this delicately wrought tale to life, Tamasese centers his film on Saili (Fa’afiaula Sagote), a diminutive taro farmer who lives with his wife Vaaiga and her willful daughter at the outskirts of a remote jungle village. When Vaaiga’s estranged family suddenly demands her return, Saili must settle the dispute through the Samoan tradition of oration. This war of words becomes akin to gladiatorial combat. While frequent silent passages lend The Orator a meditative air, they also offer an opportunity to admire the resplendent cinematography of Leon Narbey (Whale Rider). There’s a soulful subtlety with which Sagote—a real-life taro farmer approached by Tamasese for the titular role— evinces his character’s remarkable transformation. Scene by scene, we witness a sense of self-worth being instilled in Saili, lending him the resilience necessary to fight for what he holds most dear. And when the climactic war of words erupts, we find ourselves hanging on every heartfelt word that leaves his lips.

Awards: Official Oscar Submission 2011 (Foreign Language Film) Venice Film Festival 2011 (Special Mention)

Director: Tusi Tamasese

Producer: Catherine Fitzgerald

Screenwriter: Tusi Tamasese

Cinematographer: Leon Narbey

Editor: Simon Price

Music: Tim Prebble

Cast: Fa’afiaula Sagote

Tausili Pushparaj

Salamasna Mataria

Ioata Tanielu

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Samoan, with English subtitles

International Sales: New Zealand Film Commission

Print Source: New Zealand Film Commission

Film Website: theorator.co.nz

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Oslo, August 31st

NorWAy 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 9:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 22 3:30 PM SIFF

Recovering addict Anders searches over 24 hours in Oslo for meaning in old haunts, broken connections, and new possibilities in this beautiful exploration of what it takes to be a living person. Danish filmmaker Joachim Trier’s Oslo is loosely based on Pierre Drieu La Rochelle’s 1931 novel Le Feu Follet (The Fire Within), which was filmed by Louis Malle in 1963. Trier updates the original theme of existential angst for a new generation. Anders Danielsen Lie (Reprise) gives a seemingly effortless performance of emotional complexity as a man contemplating suicide. Anders is just 34 and looks younger. He’s given a day to leave his rehab facility for a job interview, during which he reconnects with people from his past. Formerly hell-raising friends now have kids. Other bridges seem irrevocably burned. As Anders goes on a walk, he visits a party and a nightclub, enjoys a little music, and chats with some Swedish chicks over champagne. At a café, he eavesdrops on a woman reading her life goals out loud. Adding to the film’s humanity are montages of Oslo locations, voiceovers of childhood experiences, and a sequence that evokes the playful, all-night wanderings of La Dolce Vita. Anders tells his evening’s crush, a bright-cheeked college student: “You’ll have a thousand nights like this.”

HARVARD

Director: Joachim Trier

Producers: Hans-Jørgen Osnes

Yngve Sæther

Sigve Endresen

Screenwriters: Joachim Trier

Eskil Vogt

Cinematographer: Jakob Ihre

Editor: Olivier Bugge Coutté

Music: Ola Flottum

Cast: Anders Danielsen Lie Malin Crepin

Aksel M. Thanke

Hans Olav Brenner

Ingrid Olava

Oystein Roger

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Norwegian, with English subtitles

International Sales: The Match Factory

Print Source: Strand Releasing

Selected Filmography: Reprise (2006)

EXIT

CINEMA UPTOWN

Otelo Burning

South AfricA 2011 North AmericAN Premiere

SUNDAY MAY 27 6:00 PM

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

FRIDAY JUNE 8 3:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 9 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

In 1989, when the fight against apartheid is at its peak, three black South African boys escape their township lives through surfing. Otelo, his best friend New Year, and his brother Ntwe visit their new friend, Tau Modise, and discover something in the waves for which everyone is fighting: freedom. Becoming stars on the surfing circuit, the close friends are initially bonded through their mutual antagonism of the white establishment, but soon their competitiveness and especially Otelo’s romantic interest in New Year’s sister Dezi will breed unavoidable conflict. The young cast perfectly navigates the spiral of jealousy and violence as the outside world mirrors their struggle for identity. First time director and co-writer Sara Blecher has effectively infused this true-life historical tale with the themes of Shakespeare’s “Othello,” unearthing a rich and emotional narrative that will resonate powerfully with global audiences. Collaborating with cinematographer Lance Gewer (Tsotsi) the film mixes perfectly framed shot composition with the immediacy of hand-held during the more chaotic township sequences. Otelo Burning is African cinema at its best, propelling Blecher and her fellow artists onto a world stage that will excitedly await their upcoming projects.

Awards: Africa Movie Academy Awards 2012 (Best Child Actor, Cinematography)

Pre C e D e D BY:

A Visit from the Queen USA 2012, 3 minutes, Director: Janay S., Destiny M. Young women explore the history of African queens, done through spoken word as a call to action for their ancestors. Adobe Youth Voices

Director: Sara Blecher

Producer: Kevin Fleischer

Screenwriters: James Whyle

Sara Blecher

The Cast

Cinematographer: Lance Gewer

Editor:

Megan Gill

Cast: Thomas Gumede

Jafta Mamabolo

Tshepang Mohlomi

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Indigenous Film

Print Source: Indigenous Film

Film Website: oteloburning.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Other Dream Team

LithuANiA/uSA 2012

FRIDAY MAY 25 8:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 3:00 PM

THURSDAY MAY 31 9:00 PM

At the 1992 Olympic Games, the American “Dream Team,” packed with NBA talent, dominated the basketball court. But the bronze medal placers that year in Barcelona dominated in another way. More than just a signifier of athletic conquest, Lithuania’s third-place win represented a victory of the country’s hard journey out of the clutches of Communism. The team won fans around the world, not just for its uncompromising sportsmanship, but also for its unique connection with the Grateful Dead. In fact, “Better Dead than red” was their stirring motto. The band provided financial assistance out of admiration for the team’s message of freedom and helped create their tie-dyed warm-ups. Filmmaker Marius Markevicius mixes fascinating historical background, thrilling game footage, and vivacious interviews with Lithuania’s star players and an eclectic group of sports analysts. Decked out in colorful uniforms decorated with the Grateful Dead skeleton logo, the team’s rise to the medal stand is surely one of the most memorable moments in sports history. The Other Dream Team rousingly documents a team leading an oppressed country to reclaim its freedom and identity.

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Marius Markevicius

Producers: Marius Markevicius

Jon Weinbach

Screenwriters: Marius Markevicius

Jon Weinbach

Cinematographers: Jesse Feldman

Bo Bilstrup

Editor: Dan Marks

Music: Dustin O’Halloran

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Lithuanian and English, with English subtitles

International Sales: William Morris

Entertainment

Print Source: Sorrento Productions

Film Website: theotherdreamteam.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco

www.hketosf.gov.hk

QIE

Overheard 2

hoNG koNG 2011

MONDAY MAY 21 8:30 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

FRIDAY MAY 25 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

MONDAY JUNE 4 6:30 PM

Mansun Wong is a respectable, successful stockbroker who’s built his sizable fortune managing the investments of a shady criminal syndicate. Wong’s surreptitious financial dealings have not escaped everyone’s notice: Joe, a rogue surveillance operative, has been steadily keeping tabs on his activities. However, after Wong is seriously injured in an explosive car chase, Joe’s carefully constructed covert network comes crashing down. The police, led by Inspector Jack Ho, discover surveillance bugs in the car wreckage, as well as Wong’s home and office, and instigate an intense manhunt. But even as Joe’s actions while eluding capture result in catastrophic collateral damage, Ho begins to suspect that Wong, with his connection to a mysterious financial conglomerate, might just be the larger villain after all. When the paths of these three men finally collide, the resulting crash threatens to destroy Hong Kong’s financial markets. As they proved with the Infernal Affairs trilogy, co-writers and directors Felix Chong and Alan Mak are no strangers to the world of claustrophobic, paranoid thrillers; with Overheard 2, the pair concocts a delirious blend of Boiler Room, The Conversation, and Speed

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Directors:

Alan Mak

Felix Chong

Producer:

Derek Yee

Screenwriters:

Alan Mak

Felix Chong

Cinematographer:

Anthony Pun

Editor:

Curran Pang

Music:

Chan Kwong-Wing

Cast:

Lau Ching-wan

Louis Koo

Daniel Wu

Zhang Jingchu

Alex Fong

Michael Wong

Running Time: 121 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Cantonese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Distribution Workshop

Print Source:

Distribution Workshop

Selected Filmography:

The Lost Bladesman (2011)

Overheard (2009)

Lady Cop & Papa Crook (2008)

Confession of Pain (2006)

Infernal Affairs (2002)

The Painting

SUNDAY MAY 20 1:00 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY MAY 26 11:00 AM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

MONDAY MAY 28 1:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

An inventive and touching animated fable in which an unfinished canvas at an old chateau sets the scene for colorful class conflict. The painting’s world, three types of creations live: the Alldunns (fully drawn and colored), the Halfies (only partially completed), and the Sketchies (merely rough designs). The Alldunns rule until one of their own, Ramo, falls for Claire, who is, in “Romeo and Juliet” style, an unacceptable Halfie. Ramo wants to talk with the painter to inquire if her painting will ever be completed. Their search will take them out of the canvas and into the worlds of other paintings and the strange frontier of the artist’s studio. Famed French animator Jean-François Laguionie has brilliantly created a film that splashes in the artist’s palette, breathing life into miraculous images without the need for spunky princesses, talking animals, or superheroes. Co-written by Laguionie with Anik Le Ray (SIFF 2010’s Eleanor’s Secret), The Painting is no bubblegum confection. While it works as a fun and very visual journey, the narrative is a tremendously compelling examination of tolerance and repression, lending parents a teachable experience that simultaneously deepens youth interest in the incredible world of painting.

Awards: Cesar 2012 Nominee (Best Animated Feature)

Director: Jean-François Laguionie

Producers: Armelle Glorennec Éric Jacquot

Screenwriters: Anik Le Ray

Jean-François Laguionie

Editor: Emmanuel de Miranda

Music:

Pascal Le Pennec

Voices:

Jessica Monceau

Adrien Larmande

Thierry Jahn

Julien Bouanich

Céline Ronte

Thomas Sagols

Running Time: 76 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Rezo

Print Source: GKids

Film Website: spirit-prod.com/site/ le_tableau.html

Selected Filmography: L’ile de Black Mór (2003) Le Chateau des singes (1995)

Gwen et le livre de Sable (1985)

Paul Williams Still Alive USA 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 6:30 PM

SATURDAY MAY 26 1:00 PM

Small in stature, but huge in charisma, Paul Williams is the enormously prolific songwriter behind such 1970s super-hits as “Rainy Days and Mondays” for the Carpenters, “An Old Fashioned Love Song” for Three Dog Night, and “The Rainbow Connection” for Jim Henson’s The Muppet Movie. Also an actor, he became a frequent television personality and movie star, playing the villain in Brian De Palma’s Phantom of the Paradise. But as the decade began to fade, so did Williams’ career, with an ego-fueled drug addiction pushing his considerable talents to the side. Thirty years later, filmmaker Stephen Kessler found himself wondering what happened to his childhood idol, and discovered Paul Williams was still performing for rapturous audiences in small venues around the world. Kessler convinced the reluctant star to allow him to tag along. The loveably cantankerous subject and the anxiety-filled filmmaker form a surprising bond as Williams freely shares his life of triumphs, indiscretions, and recovery––much of it chronicled in archival television footage. Now drug free and happy with his quieter lifestyle, Williams is on the cusp of a career resurgence thanks to recent collaborations with The Scissor Sisters and Daft Punk. Indeed, Paul Williams is very much alive.

Director: Stephen Kessler

Producers: Jim Czarnecki

Stephen Kessler

Mike Wilkins

David Zieff

Screenwriter: Stephen Kessler

Cinematographer: Vern Nobles

Editor: David Zieff

Music:

Original Songs by Paul Williams

Featuring: Paul Williams

Robert Blake

Karen Carpenter

Barbra Streisand

John Travolta

Kermit the Frog

Running Time: 84 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Abramorama

Selected Filmography: The Independent (2000)

Vegas Vacation (1997)

People Like Us USA 2012

MONDAY JUNE 4 6:30 PM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 4:00 PM

“My father always said to ‘lean into it’…it means that the outcome doesn’t matter, but you were there for it. Whatever it is.” This affirmation comes from Sam (Chris Pine), a smooth-talking young salesman, as his life becomes increasingly unpredictable. People Like Us is the feature directorial debut by Alex Kurtzman, a prolific producer/screenwriter behind many sci-fi blockbusters. People, on the other hand, is down-to-earth, dealing with universal issues of honor and responsibility on a smaller scale. Sam’s latest deal-in-themaking is a bust on the same day his father unexpectedly dies. Although the two weren’t close, Sam is tasked with fulfilling his father’s last wishes—delivering an inheritance to a sister he never knew he had. Desperately in debt, can he be trusted to give Frankie (Elizabeth Banks) and her son the sudden windfall of $150,000? Do fractured families have a duty to help each other? Olivia Wilde and Michelle Pfeiffer star as Sam’s girlfriend and mother, with Michael Hall D’Addario, Philip Baker Hall, and Mark Duplass rounding out the strong cast.

Sponsored by Craig Friedson & Craig Brown

Director: Alex Kurtzman

Producers: Roberto Orci

Bobby Cohen

Clayton Townsend

Screenwriters: Alex Kurtzman

Roberto Orci

Jody Lambert

Cinematographer: Salvatore Totino

Editor:

Robert Leighton

Cast:

Chris Pine

Elizabeth Banks

Olivia Wilde

Michael Hall D’Addario

Philip Baker Hall

Mark Duplass

Michelle Pfeiffer

Running Time: 115 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Dreamworks SKG

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Pink Ribbons, Inc.

FRIDAY MAY 25 4:00 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

MONDAY MAY 28 3:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

The ubiquitous pink ribbons of breast cancer philanthropy––and the hand-in-hand marketing of brands and products associated with it—permeates our culture, providing assurance that we are engaged in a successful battle against this insidious disease. But a surprisingly small amount of the money raised from these corporate-sponsored “cause marketing” campaigns actually go to fight breast cancer, a fact that’s especially troubling considering the disease claims nearly 60,000 lives each year in North America alone. While more and more women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, they face the same treatment options they did 40 years ago, and very little resources have been used to prevent the environmental causes of the disease, such as industrial pollution, estrogen-imitating pharmaceuticals, and recombinant bovine growth hormones. Director Léa Pool, working from the provocative book by Samantha King, takes to task the corporations behind the pink ribbon movement, debunking the lies and double-talk, in an exposé that will leave you thinking pink but seeing red.

Director: Léa Pool

Producers: Ravida Din

Nancy Guérin

Screenwriters: Patricia Kearns

Nancy Guérin

Léa Pool

Cinematographers: Daniel Jobin

Sylvaine Dufaux

Nathalie MoliavkoVisotzky

Editor:

Oana Suten Khiatiriam

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: National Film Board of Canada

Print Source:

First Run Features

Film Website: firstrunfeatures.com/ pinkribbonsinc

Selected Filmography: The Last Escape (2010)

Mommy Is at the Hairdresser’s (2008)

The Blue Butterfly (2004) Lost and Delirious (2000)

Set Me Free (1999)

Desire in Motion (1994)

The Savage Woman (1991)

Straight for the Heart (1988)

Anne Trister (1986)

A Woman in Transit (1984)

H A’S HOTER Policeman

iSrAel/FrANce 2011

TUESDAY MAY 29 9:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

MONDAY JUNE 4 9:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Buff and built in his mirrored sunglasses, Yaron (Yiftach Klein) is the ultimate alpha male. Part of an elite Israeli Special Forces unit tasked with the targeted assassination of suspected terrorists, he and his fellow officers form a kind of macho fraternity. Together since their army days, they play as well as work together, a tight-knit group certain of the world and their rightful place in it. But around the edges, this muscular confidence is just beginning to fray. Along with his colleagues, Yaron is under investigation for the murder of an innocent civilian during a raid gone awry. His self-assurance is further put to the test when his squad is assigned to take down a group of young radicals planning to kidnap a trio of local magnates. As these two groups converge, the film races toward a gripping climax, and makes for a surprising critique of contemporary Israeli society.

Awards: Locarno Film Festival 2011 (Grand Jury Prize) Jerusalem Film Festival 2011 (Best Cinematography, Israeli Screenplay, Wolgin Award)

Director: Nadav Lapid

Producer: Itai Tamir

Screenwriter: Nadav Lapid

Cinematographer: Shai Goldman

Editor: Era Lapid

Cast: Yiftach Klein

Yaara Pelzig

Michael Mushonov

Menashe Noi

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Hebrew, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wide Management

Print Source: Wide Management

Selected Filmography: Emilie’s Girlfriend (2006)

Polisse

FrANce 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 9:00 PM

SUNDAY MAY 20 2:30 PM

A smash hit from France, Polisse is a vibrant crime drama about the members of a Parisian Child Protection Unit—men and women devoted to the investigation of crimes against children, often paying a high personal toll. There’s Nadine, who’s having second thoughts about her divorce, and Iris, her work partner, who’s found it easier to stay away from men altogether. Mathieu is secretly smitten with his married partner, Chrys, who’s just found out she’s pregnant. Fred’s devotion to the kids in his care is offset by his estrangement from his own daughter, while Balloo, the unit chief, tries to run interference between his passionate staff and the bureaucrats upstairs. They rely heavily on each other for friendship and support, as well as the frequent flashes of humor that diffuse their daily realities. Director Maïwenn co-stars as a photojournalist shadowing the unit whose assignment allows us access to this gritty netherworld that is home to the worst – and occasionally the best –humanity has to offer.  An all-star cast includes Karin Viard, Marina Foïs, co-writer Emanuelle Bercot, Nicolas Duvauchelle, and rapperturned-actor Joeystarr.

Awards:

Cannes Film Festival 2011 (Jury Prize)

Cesar Awards 2012 (Best Editing, Most Promising Actress)

Director: Maïwenn

Producer: Alain Attal

Screenwriters: Emmanuelle Bercot Maïwenn

Cinematographer: Pierre Aïm

Editors: Yann Dedet

Laure Gardette

Music: Stephen Warbeck

Cast: Karin Viard

Joeystarr

Marina Foïs

Nicolas Duvauchelle Maïwenn

Karole Rocher

Emmanuelle Bercot

Running Time: 127 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

Print Source: Sundance Selects

International Sales: Wild Bunch

Film Website: polisse-lefilm.com

Selected Filmography: The Actress’ Ball (2009)

Pardonnez-moi (2006)

Price Check USA 2012

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 8:30 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

SATURDAY JUNE 2 6:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 3 11:30 AM HARVARD EXIT

Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius) has long ago abandoned his music industry career for the uninspiring world of corporate supermarket management. His wife and toddler have no concept of what he does for a living, except that he barely pays their mounting bills. But when maverick boss Susan Felders (Parker Posey) blows into the office and assumes command, she reassembles more than the office power structure. She offers Pete a Faustian bargain— a doubled salary in exchange for his loyalty— which he’s unable to refuse. Her magnetism and limitless energy initially infect the office, raising morale, but as she begins to worm her way into his personal life, Pete realizes he must decide which sacrifices he’s willing to make for financial security. This black comedy takes the all-too-familiar setting of a boring office building and drops a bomb inside it, demonstrating how drive and passion can sometimes overwhelm instead of inspire.

Director: Michael Walker

Producer: Dolly Hall

Screenwriter: Michael Walker

Cinematographer: Sam Chase

Editors: Michael Taylor

Jennifer Lame

Music: Dean Wareham

Britta Phillips

Cast: Parker Posey

Eric Mabius

Josh Pias

Cheyanne Jackson

Jennifer Mudge

Annie Parisse

Running Time: 92 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Dollface, Inc.

Selected Filmography: Chasing Sleep (2000)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HARVARD EXIT

Prime Time Soap

MONDAY JUNE 4 6:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY JUNE 5 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

With a lively pace and stylish nods to 1970s Brazilian telenovelas, writer-director Odilon Rocha’s feature debut offers a surprisingly charming look at a dark period in that nation’s history. In 1978, Brazil’s military dictatorship still has a stranglehold on the government, but the nation’s citizens are enthralled by the hot new telenovela Dancing Days. Amanda, a high-class call girl, struggles to schedule her appointments around the soap opera, occasionally enlisting the help of her maid, Dora, to ensure she catches each episode. But when a politically connected client unexpectedly dies in their apartment, the two are forced to go on the lam and hide out in Rio de Janeiro. Amanda’s thrilled by the chance to go to the real Dancing Days discotheque, but returning to Rio will force Dora to come to terms with the secret life that she had left behind. With a spirited cast led by Claudia Ohana’s moving portrayal of Dora, Rocha manages to balance kitsch comedy, police corruption, and a sweet coming-of-age story to create a charming tale about how our lives must go on, even during the most troubling times.

Awards:

Rio de Janiero International Film Festival 2011 (Best Script)

Director:

Odilon Rocha

Producer:

João Queiroz Filho

Screenwriter:

Odilon Rocha

Cinematographer: Uli Burtin

Editor:

André Finotti

Music:

Tita Lima

Rossano Snel

Tejo Damasceno

Cast:

Claudia Ohana

Vanessa Giácomo

Mateus Solano

Alexandre Nero

André Ramiro

Running Time: 107 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Portuguese, with English subtitles

International Sales: FiGa Films

Print Source: FiGa Films

Film Website: anoveladasoito.com.br

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Putin’s Kiss

deNmArk/rUSSiA 2011

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 6:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY JUNE 5 6:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Masha Drokova is an attractive and successful representative of the Russian political youth movement known as Nashi (“Our Way”). Masha is from the outskirts of Moscow, and after joining Nashi at the age of 15, she quickly moves up the ranks of leadership to the very top of the organization as commissar and spokesperson. She’s generously rewarded for her dedication with a university scholarship, an apartment, a television show, a medal, and a kiss from Prime Minister Putin himself. What this disturbing documentary reveals, however, is that Nashi gets direct orders from the Kremlin, with an official goal of supporting the current political system by creating future elite among young people. But Nashi also works to prevent the opposition from spreading their views. Things begin to change for Masha when she meets a group of liberal journalists, including popular anti-Putin reporter Oleg Kashin. When Kashin is brutally beaten by “unknown perpetrators,” seeds of doubt begin to take root in Masha’s mind and she’s forced to make some life-altering decisions. Director Lise Birk Pedersen’s disturbing documentary about belonging, rude awakenings, and the slow evolution of political consciousness paints a chilling portrait of modern Russia.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Cinematography Award, World Cinema - Documentary)

Director: Lise Birk Pedersen

Producer: Helle Faber

Screenwriters: Lars Skree

Lise Birk Pedersen

Cinematographers: Lars Skree

Lise Birk Pederson

Editors: Janus Billeskov Jansen

Steen Johannesen

Music:

Tobias Hylander

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Russian, with English subtitles

International Sales: DR International Sales

Print Source: Kino Lorber

Film Website: putinskissmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Queen of Versailles

USA 2012

MONDAY MAY 21 6:00 PM

RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

THURSDAY MAY 31 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Photographer/director Lauren Greenfield, known for her honest and thought-provoking examinations of youth culture, now turns her lens on a more grown-up affair—the pursuit of the American Dream. In Queen of Versailles, we meet billionaires Jackie and David at the apex of their success: having gotten incredibly rich incredibly fast, they’re building a 90,000-square-foot mansion modeled after the palace at Versailles. It’s planned to be the largest private residence in the country. Unfortunately, both construction and the dream come to a painful stop with the economic crisis that follows the real-estate bubble’s big pop. Through the unstinting gaze of Greenfield’s camera we witness the two-year denouement of their glittering, accessorized fantasia. And we’re forced to face uncomfortable national truths: how our country values material gain over self-knowledge, how we define success and worth through possessions and privilege, how depth and wholeness are last priorities. Greenfield’s skillful filmmaking takes the topic beyond hyperbole or sensationalized marginalism. It dispassionately distills the outrageous scale of one couple’s experience into an all too relevant and relatable question. What are we, as a national culture, choosing to become?

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (U.S. Directing Award: Documentary)

Director: Lauren Greenfield

Producer: Lauren Greenfield

Cinematographer: Tom Hurwitz

Editor: Victor Livingston

Music: Jeff Beal

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Magnolia Pictures Film Website: magpictures.com/ queenofversailles

Selected Filmography: Thin (2006)

L’OR d RE ET LA MORALE

Rebellion

FrANce 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 9:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY MAY 26 6:00 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Actor/director Mathieu Kassovitz’s powerful docudrama centers on a principled police negotiator caught up in New Caledonia’s struggle for emancipation on the eve of France’s 1988 presidential election. When Kanak rebels kill four gendarmes and take 30 hostages, Captain Philippe Legorjus (played by Kassovitz) travels to the French Melanesian territory in the South Pacific to restore order. Within the first few days, half of the hostages see release, but the situation otherwise goes from bad to worse as Legorjus clashes with the occupying army forces and finds that even the more peaceful villagers are resistant to help the French in any way. Consequently, Legorjus briefly ends up a hostage in Ouvéa, at which point he learns the full story behind the insurrection from fair-minded rebel leader Alphonse. Still, Legorjus must find a way to carry out his orders and prevent further loss of life, a seemingly insurmountable goal as the race between Jacques Chirac and François Mitterrand heats up. Rebellion pairs highoctane action sequences with an intricate plot about how the insidious nature of politics and pride can undercut the efforts of even the most admirable men on both sides. Throughout, Kassovitz confirms his reputation as one of France’s most subtle and sympathetic actors.

Director: Mathieu Kassovitz

Producers: Christophe Rossignon

Phillippe Boéfford

Screenwriters:

Mathieu Kassovitz

Pierre Geller

Benoît Jaubert

Cinematographer: Marc Koninckx

Editors:

Mathieu Kassovitz

Thomas Beard

Lionel Devuyst

Music: Klaus Badelt

Cast:

Mathieu Kassovitz

Iabe Lapacas

Malik Zidi

Alexandre Steiger

Running Time: 135 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French and Kanak, with English subtitles

International Sales: Kinology

Print Source: Kinology

Film Website: lordreetlamorale-lefilm. com

Selected Filmography: Babylon A.D. (2008) Gothika (2003)

The Crimson Rivers (2000) Assassin(s) (1997) Hate (1995) Café au Lait (1993)

Recalled

USA 2012

World Premiere

FRIDAY JUNE 8 9:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY JUNE 9 2:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Based on his short film of the same title, writer/director Michael Connors’ Recalled explores the difficult choices made by soonto-deploy soldiers as they react to an ethical dilemma faced by one of their own. Thanks to his father pulling some strings, Lieutenant Danny Sefton (Seth Gabel) has gotten out of his imminent deployment to Iraq. Hoping to quickly tie up some loose ends and still meet his fiancé for brunch the next morning, Sefton shows up for his last day of duty to find that one of his soldiers, Specialist Reyes (Shad “Bow Wow” Moss), is planning to go AWOL to visit his sick son. As Reyes makes his way off base, Sefton covers for his missing soldier while transferring command of his platoon to Lieutenant Alec Chambers (Pablo Schreiber), a hard charging, by-the-book West Pointer. When Reyes is confirmed missing, the post is locked down and a thrilling game of cat-andmouse ensues, with Sefton and Chambers engaged in a dynamic ethical battle whose stakes continue to rise over the course of the night.

Director: Michael Connors

Producers: Sean Mullin

Daryl Freimark

Screenwriter: Michael Connors

Cinematographer: Daniel Vecchione

Editor:

Jonathan Schwartz

Music:

Immediate Music

Cast: Seth Gabel

Pablo Schreiber

Shad “Bow Wow” Moss

Aidan Quinn

Malik Yoba

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

Five By Eight Productions

Film Website: recalled-movie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Red Road

UNited kiNGdom/deNmArk 2006

SATURDAY JUNE 9 11:00 AM

Director Andrea Arnold’s Dogme-inspired feature debut more than fulfills the promise of her Oscar®winning short film, Wasp. Jackie (the wonderfully expressive Kate Dickie) is employed monitoring closed-circuit TV in Red Road, a rough neighborhood in the north of Glasgow. A widow who lost her husband and child in circumstances that are only slowly revealed to us, she has a social life consisting of infrequent hook-ups for impersonal sex with a married co-worker. On her monitor one day she is shocked to spot an unwelcome ghost from her past, an ex-con named Clyde (the feral Tony Curran). Jackie begins stalking Clyde, luring him into a hot sexual entanglement, which proves to be only her first step on the road to revenge after she confronts him with his past crimes. What mysterious history do they share, and why is Jackie so determined to punish this man? Arnold keeps the audience guessing and the tension building as Red Road crescendos to an explosive finale. Displaying the director’s well-tuned ear for working-class British speech patterns, and an unflinching regard for female sexuality that calls to mind the work of other British femme directors Lynne Ramsay (Morvern Callar) and Carine Adler (Under The Skin), this ravishing film was a deserved winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

Awards: London International Film Festival 2006 (Best First Feature) Cannes Film Festival 2006 (Jury Prize) BAFTA 2007 (Most Promising Newcomer)

P RECEDED BY:

Wasp

United Kingdom, 2003, 26 minutes, Director: Andrea Arnold

A struggling single mother is determined not to let her four young children prove an obstacle as she pursues rekindling a relationship with her ex-boyfriend.

Director: Andrea Arnold

Producer: Carrie Comerford

Screenwriter: Andrea Arnold

Cinematographer: Robbie Ryan

Film Editor: Nicolas Chauderge

Cast: Kate Dickie

Tony Curran

Martin Compston

Natalie Press

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Trust Film Sales

Print Source: Tartan Films USA

Selected Filmography: Wuthering Heights (2011) Fish Tank (2009)

HARVARD EXIT

zOMBA

Remington and the Curse of the Zombadings

PhiliPPiNeS 2011 North AmericAN Premiere

SUNDAY MAY 20 8:30 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 9:30 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 2 2:30 PM

RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Remington has found his first love in his new neighbor, Hannah. She’s not equally entranced—at least not until he starts to compliment her mother, tell better jokes, and wear clothing that’s way more hip. Is it his attempts to impress her, or something more sinister that’s beyond his control? For when Remington was a child, he insulted a drag queen in a graveyard. In response, a powerful spell was cast: that Remington would someday turn into a homosexual! Meanwhile, the town’s most fabulous gays are turning up dead, covered in mysterious green goo. If Remington doesn’t escape the effects of the curse, he may be the killer’s next target. And of course, there are the Zombadings, the most fabulous zombies you’ve ever seen! This unlikely satire pokes fun at homophobia, camp, and the zombie horror genre while telling a touching story friendship and family.

Awards:

Philippines’ Golden Screen Awards 2012 (Best Actor in a Comedy)

Director: Jade Castro

Producer: Raymond Lee

Screenwriters: Michiko Yamamoto

Raymond Lee

Jade Castro

Cinematographer: Ike Avellana

Editors:

JD Domingo

Lawrence Ang

Cast: Martin Escudero

Lauren Young Kerbie Zamorra

Janice de Belen

Roderick Paulate

Eugene Domingo

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Tagalog and English, with English subtitles

International Sales: Kidlat Entertainment

Print Source: Kidlat Entertainment

Film Website: zombadings.com

Selected Filmography:

My Kontrabida Girl (2012)

My Big Love (2008) Endo (2007)

R ENTANEKO

Rent-a-Cat

JAPAN 2012

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 3:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 2 3:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

MONDAY JUNE 4 9:30 PM

Sayoko is in an unusual line of work–she rents cats to lonely people looking for companionship. Living alone in a small house full of cats, she spends her days wandering the banks of the river with a cart, a parasol, and a megaphone, looking for prospective clients. And she finds them, too. An old lady would like to buy a pet but fears that it will outlive her. A father wants a friend less critical of him than his children are. And an employee of a car rental company hopes a cat will ease his loneliness. But ever since her grandmother’s death, Sayoko is lonely too. Until one day, when a mysterious young man from her past appears and follows her, and her feline friends, home. This quirky, gentle comedy by Japanese cult director Naoko Ogigami (Megane) celebrates self-discovery through unconventional methods and explores the importance of finding companionship, both human and otherwise.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director: Naoko Ogigami

Producers: Akira Kubota

Kumi Kobata

Shûichi Komuro

Screenwriter: Naoko Ogigami

Cinematographer: Kazutaka Abe

Editor: Shinichi Fushima

Music: Takeshi Kino

Cast: Mikako Ichikawa

Reiko Kusamura

Ken Mitsuishi

Maho Yamada

Kei Tanaka

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Japanese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Nikkatsu

Print Source: Nikkatsu

Film Website: rentaneko.com

Selected Filmography: Megane (2010)

Glasses (2007)

Kamome Diner (2006)

Yoshino’s Barber Shop (2004)

The Revisionaries

USA 2012

SATURDAY JUNE 2 12:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 5:30 PM

This must-see exposé of America’s so-called “culture war” takes place deep in the heart of Texas, where the 15 volunteer members of the Texas Board of Education meet once every 10 years to decide on textbook standards for the state’s schools. As the largest purchaser of textbooks in the country, the Texas school system has unprecedented power over the educational publishing industry, and the decisions of this small group will affect more than 5 million schoolchildren across the country. For the last several years, this highly controversial and politicized process has been overseen by family dentist turned school board member Don McLeroy. An Evangelical Christian and unabashed creationist, McLeroy is a firm proponent of changing the teachings of history, science, and social studies to fit the image of the Religious Right. But now he is up for re-election, and faces two fierce rivals: an outspoken activist from the Texas Freedom Network, and an anthropology professor looking to unseat him. Director Scott Thurman’s galvanizing debut is certain to spark discussion and debate, as it shows the sometimes amusing and ultimately terrifying ways that fact and opinion are carelessly blurred as these revisionists work to rewrite history.

Awards:

Tribeca Film Festival 2012 (Special Jury Prize)

P RECEDED B y:

History of Writing

USA 2012, 6 minutes, Director: Students at the Seattle World School

A creative story that explores how writing developed in different parts of the world. Adobe Youth Voices

The Revolutionary USA

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director:

Scott Thurman

Producers:

Chandra Cummin Silver

Pierson Silver

Orlando Wood

Scott Thurman

Screenwriters: Jawad Metni

Scott Thurman

Cinematographers: Zoe Sprague

Scott Thurman

Editor:

Jawad Metni

Music: Mark Orton

Running Time: 83 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Silver Lining Film Group

Film Website: therevisionariesmovie. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

SUNDAY MAY 27 5:30 PM

THURSDAY MAY 31 4:30 PM

The Cultural Revolution, known as “China’s Holocaust,” was among the most catastrophic and least understood events of the 20th century. Mao Zedong’s call to “make revolution” was answered by tens of millions of Chinese and one American, Sidney Rittenberg. Documentarians Irv Drasnin, Lucy Ostrander and Don Sellers tell the remarkable story of Rittenberg and of China’s Maoist era, an uncompromising account of events all but removed from China’s official history. During Rittenberg’s 35 years in China which began at the communist guerilla base in yan’an where he worked with and came to know personally China’s leaders, he was singled out as both a hero and a victim, hailed by Mao as “an international communist fighter” and condemned by Mao as an “imperialist spy.” He was imprisoned twice. In all, he spent a total of 16 years in solitary confinement. In those turbulent years his role was like no other foreigner’s in Chinese history. The Revolutionary is an intimate, unflinching account of Rittenberg’s extraordinary journey of discovery, a story of ideals and disappointments, about power and the abuse of power, events whose reverberations are still being felt in today’s China. Rittenberg led his life with the courage of his convictions. Even more important, he’s had the courage to re-examine those convictions, to question his own beliefs and behavior and to do so on-camera for this compelling documentary.

Directors: Lucy Ostrander

Don Sellers

Irv Drasnin

Producers: Don Sellers

Lucy Ostrander

Irv Drasnin

Screenwriter: Irv Drasnin

Cinematographer: Don Sellers

Editor: Don Sellers

Music: Joel Goodman

Running Time: 92 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Stourwater Pictures

Film Website: revolutionarymovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

HARVARD EXIT

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Robot and Frank

USA 2012

SATURDAY MAY 19 7:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY MAY 20 6:00 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Set in the not-so-distant future, this sweet and utterly charming buddy comedy is the story of cantankerous old-timer Frank (Frank Langella), a retired “second story man.” Estranged from his adult children, Frank lives alone, but finds that increasing memory loss is making life difficult. Rather than put his father into a home, Frank’s son brings him the ultimate in stateof-the-art home care: the VGC-60L humanoid robot caretaker. Much to Frank’s chagrin, this robot is designed not just for housekeeping and nutritious meal preparation, but to engage its subject mentally, encouraging household projects and new hobbies. But Frank has other ideas, and coerces his new friend into helping him to not only charm the local librarian (Susan Sarandon), but to pull off one final heist as well. The legendary Frank Langella gives a wry and heartfelt performance, making the chemistry between Frank and his electronic friend (voiced by Peter Sarsgaard) palpable. Director Jack Schreier’s feature debut includes touches of a technological future that feel completely realistic, helping to make Robot and Frank a unique science fiction story––one that uses technology to show the importance of family.

Awards:

Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Alfred P. Sloan Award)

Director: Jake Schreier

Producers:

Lance Acord

Jackie Kelman Bisbee

Sam Bisbee

Screenwriter: Christopher D. Ford

Cinematographer: Matthew J. Lloyd

Editor: Jacob Craycroft

Music: Francis Farewell Starlite

Cast: Frank Langella

Susan Sarandon

James Marsden

Liv Tyler

Peter Sarsgaard (voice)

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Roller Town cANAdA 2012

SUNDAY MAY 20 9:00 PM

FRIDAY MAY 25 9:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 8:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Wet Hot American Summer meets the shortlived late ’70s roller-skating movie craze (which includes B-movie classics Roller Boogie, Skatetown U.S.A., and Xanadu) in this nostalgic, absurdist, and riotously rude comedy riff on roller-skating, disco, break-dancing, and young love. Leo is the hyper-positive roller boogie king of Westport Beach. His days and nights are spent with his gang of skating friends––including a jive-talking breakdancer and a slumming rich girl––at the hippest place on the boardwalk, Roller Town, where the fashion is flashy, disco is king, and the wheels never stop turning. But a group of ruthless gangsters are staging a hostile takeover, turning their beloved rink into a quarter-sucking arcade filled with video game zombies. Now Leo must to learn to stand (rather than roll) on his own two feet in order to save his friends and their groovy life on wheels. The members of Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Picnicface are rising stars of YouTube and cutting-edge sketch comedy, mixing equal parts SCTV, The Kids In The Hall, and Mr. Show Roller Town brings their unique, demented style to the big screen.

P RECEDED BY: The Immigrant Canada 2011, 20 minutes, Director: Josh Levy After being deported back to his native Canada, once-famous comedian Bob London attempts a Hollywood comeback by enlisting human smugglers to sneak him across the Mexico-U.S. border.

Director: Andrew Bush

Producers: Bill Niven

Jay Dahl

Screenwriters: Mark Little

Scott Vrooman

Andrew Bush

Cinematographer: Christopher Porter

Editors:

Thorben Bieger

Shawn Beckwith

Andrew Bush

Music: Rich Aucoin

Cast: Mark Little

Kayla Lorette

George William Basil

Pat Thornton

Adam Bayne

Brian Heighton

Members of Picnicface

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Northeast Films Inc.

Film Website: rollertownthemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Romancing in Thin Air

hoNG

MONDAY MAY 28 9:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 10:00 PM

MONDAY JUNE 4 4:00 PM

Michael (Louis Koo) may be Hong Kong’s biggest movie star, but his equally famous fiancée is tired of living in the limelight. After she leaves him to live anonymously with her first love, an unglamorous coal miner, Michael finds himself repeatedly at the bottom of a bottle. Crushed, he drunkenly sleepwalks his way to Deep Woods Hotel, a quiet resort in Yunnan province. In fact, he’s entered Shangri-La, a mythical Himalayan location bordered by mountains and thick forests, whose isolation and clean air suit his grieving process. The hotel’s proprietress, Sue (Sammi “Cantopop Queen” Cheng), becomes a part of that process while dealing with her own loss. Seven years prior, Sue’s husband Tian disappeared into the woods. She’s so reluctant to move forward with life that she initially keeps one fact very close to her chest: she happens to be number “033” in Michael’s fan club. Although it has a surprisingly metaending, a simple score and wide-angle shots of the rural utopia anchor director Johnnie To’s high-concept romance. Both leads are legitimate superstars; Koo is one of Hong Kong’s most beloved actors and Cheng is known as the “Cantopop Queen,” with more than 80 albums spanning a 20-year-career.

Rose

PolANd 2011

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director:

Johnnie To

Producers:

Johnnie To

Wai Ka-fai

Zhang Guoli

Screenwriters: Wai Ka-fai

Yau Nai-hoi

Ryker Chan

Jevons Au

Cinematographer: Cheng Siu-keung

Editor:

David Richardson

Music:

Guy Zerafa

Cast:

Louis Koo

Sammi “Cantopop

Queen” Cheng

Li Guangjie

Gao Yuanyuan

Tien Niu

Wang Baoqiang

Huang Yi

Running Time: 112 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Mandarin and Cantonese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Media Asia Distribution

Print Source:

Media Asia Distribution

Selected Filmography: Don’t Go Breaking My Heart (2011)

Life Without Principles (2011)

Vengeance (2009)

Sparrow (2008)

Mad Detective (2007)

Triangle (2007)

Exiled (2007)

Triad Election (2006)

Election (2005)

Breaking News (2004)

Full Time Hitman (2001)

The Mission (1999)

The Heroic Trio (1993)

SUNDAY MAY 20 1:30 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

TUESDAY MAY 22 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FRIDAY MAY 25 8:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

This harrowing period drama sheds light on an under-documented chapter of Polish history: the post-WWII persecution of the Mazurians, the indigenous residents of what is now northeastern Poland. Their immense suffering at the hands of warring German and Russian forces is the backdrop for this bittersweet, finely drawn love story. A prologue set during the failed 1944 Warsaw uprising establishes the film’s tone of savagery, as Tadeus, a wounded Home Army officer, witnesses the rape and murder of his wife, a nurse. After bidding farewell to her brutalized corpse, he dresses in civilian clothes, avowing to leave death and destruction behind. But the retreating Germans lay waste to everything in their path, while the advancing Russians pillage and plunder. Tadeus eventually finds sanctuary on the farm of attractive Mazurian widow Rose, a woman whose body has been beaten, but not her spirit. Drawn together by their sorrows, Tadeusz and Rose form a protective bond that unexpectedly matures into a deep and tender love.

Awards: Polish Film Academy Awards 2011 (Audience Award, Best Film, Director, Script, Actress, Supporting Actor, Sound) Warsaw Film Festival, 2011 (Grand Prize, Audience Award)

Director: Wojciech Smarzowski

Producer: Niderhaus Wlodzimierz

Screenwriter: Michal Szczerbic

Cinematographer: Piotr Sobocinski Jr

Editor: Pawel Laskowski

Music: Mikolaj Trzaska

Cast: Agata Kulesza

Marcin Dorocinski

Kinga Preis

Jacek Braciak

Malwina Buss

Running Time: 106 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Polish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Monolith Films

Print Sales: Monolith Films

Selected Filmography: The Dark House (2009) The Wedding (2004)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Rouge Parole

Tunisia/QaTar/swiTzerland 2011

SATURDAY JUNE 2 6:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 3:00 PM

When Tunisian fruit vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in December 2010 to protest police harassment, he launched a revolution that would topple the dictator of his own country and inspire similar uprisings in countries across the region. Rouge Parole documents that movement, focusing on the popular protests which ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. It also captures the aftermath, as people grapple with unfamiliar concepts such as free speech and democracy, and wonder how to process what it all means. In one eloquent scene, passersby stare in disbelief at a political display in a bookshop window because they can’t believe that such books are now available in their country; in another, journalists contemplate for the first time in their careers, writing articles that won’t be censored. In cities and towns throughout Tunisia, on the street, in meeting halls, and in private homes, people talk and argue— for the first time—about the direction of the country. Director Elyes Baccar captures it all in a powerful tribute to the momentous recent events in his country.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Elyes Baccar

Producer: Nicolas Wadinoff

Cinematographer: Elyes Baccar

Editor: Anis Hammami

Music: Sofyann Ben Youssef

Running Time: 94 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Arabic, with English subtitles

Print Source: Akka Films

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Sacrifice

China 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 9:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 22 4:00 PM

Chen Kaige (Farewell My Concubine) presents a Shakespearean reinterpretation of the Medieval play “Orphan of Zhao”, the first Chinese opera to become known in Europe. The tale of betrayal and revenge begins as the powerful Zhao clan is all but destroyed by General Tu’an Gu (Wang Xue-Qi) in an effort to usurp the Zhao clan’s rank. Before dying, the former king’s sister gives birth to the last Zhao child, asking the doctor, Cheng Ying (Ge You), to protect him in life. Hearing the news, an enraged Tu’an Gu orders that all newborns be kidnapped in an effort to find the Zhao child. Cheng Ying makes a wrenching sacrifice, which begins his journey in loyalty to his people. As the Zhao boy grows up and questions his circumstances, Cheng Ying plots revenge against Tu’an Gu. Sacrifice is an epic in the style of classic wuxia fiction, where typically working-class heroes are bound by a code of chivalry that requires them to right wrongs. Sinister violence plays out on lavishly decorated period sets, contrasting the delicate dynamics of a father-son relationship born of crisis and nurtured by love and respect.

Director: Chen Kaige

Producers: Chen Hong

Qin Hong

Ren Zhonglun

Long Qiuyun

Screenwriter: Chen Kaige

Cinematographer: Yang Shu

Editor: Derek Hui

Music: Ma Shangyou

Cast: Ge You

Wang Xue-Qi

Fan Bing Bing

Huang Xiaoming

Running Time: 130 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Mandarin, with English subtitles

International Sales: Easternlight Films

Print Source: Samuel Goldwyn Films

Film Website: samuelgoldwynfilms.com

Selected Filmography: Forever Enthralled (2009)

The Promise (2005)

Together (2002)

The First Emperor (1998)

Temptress Moon (1996)

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

King of the Children (1987)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Safety Not Guaranteed

usa 2012

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 7:00 PM

FRIDAY MAY 25 4:30 PM

“WANTED: Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.” When Seattle magazine writer Jeff (Jake Johnson of Fox’s The New Girl) stumbles upon this unusual classified ad, he heads off to the scenic Washington coast, accompanied by recent college grad Darius (Aubrey Plaza of NBC’s Parks and Recreation) and nerdy intern Arnau to investigate its origins. Once there, they discover the man behind the ad is Kenneth (Mark Duplass, Humpday), a likable yet paranoid supermarket clerk, who believes he’s solved the mystery of time travel. However, when Jeff’s attempts to befriend Kenneth backfire, he sends in Darius, thinking her sarcastically skewed worldview will sync with Kenneth’s weird sensibilities— a plan that works only too well as weapons training soon commences. In his feature film debut, director Colin Trevorrow brilliantly realizes Derek Connolly’s Sundance Festival award-winning script to craft a hilarious yet earnest ode to the challenge of pursuing love regardless of your past setbacks.

Awards:

Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Best Screenplay)

Director:

Colin Trevorrow

Producers:

Marc Turtletaub

Peter Saraf

Stephanie Langhoff

Colin Trevorrow

Derek Connolly

Screenwriter: Derek Connolly

Cinematographer: Benjamin Kasulke

Editor:

Franklin Peterson

Joe Landauer

Music:

Ryan Miller

Cast:

Kristen Bell

Jake Johnson

Aubrey Plaza

Mary Lynn Rajskub

Mark Duplass

Lynn Shelton

Tony Doupe

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP

Print Source:

Film District

Film Website: safetynotguaranteedmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

MARILIVIT TETRI

Salt White

GeorGia 2011

us Premiere

MONDAY MAY 28 9:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 4:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN MONDAY JUNE 4 8:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Year-round residents in a seaside resort town know that there’s a strange dichotomy between an influx of vacationers and the people that live there day-to-day. Unfolding in a laid-back town on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, three characters come together through tense circumstances to touch each other’s lives. Nana (Nino Koridze) is a seasonal waitress who saves her money and dreams of owning her own cafe. Serious-faced policeman Niko (George Kipshidze) is an Abkhazian refugee from the Georgia/Abkhazian conflict. He lives and works in the resort and cares for his aging parents at a hotel with other refugees. And Sopo (Fea Tsivadze) is a homeless girl who runs with a pack of kids that are half a step ahead of the law. Sopo, dreaming of sandy white beaches, becomes friends with Nana and joins her on midnight swims. Director Keti Machavariani represents a new generation of Georgian filmmakers. Salt White is her handsomely shot debut feature film, in which characters search for love, comfort, and a peaceful place in this world.

Director: Keti Machavariani

Producers: Gia Bazgadze

Levan Korinteli

Screenwriter: Keti Machavariani

Cinematographer: George Shvelidze

Editor: Nodar Nozadze

Music: Giorgi Tsintsadze

Cast: Nino Koridze

Gagi Svanidze

Fea Tsivadze

George Kipshidze

Nestan Kvnikadze

Running Time: 80 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Georgian, with English subtitles

Print Source: Jaga Grip

Film Website: saltwhite.ge

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Save the Date

usa 2012

THURSDAY MAY 31 9:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FRIDAY JUNE 1 4:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Sisters Sarah (Lizzy Caplan) and Beth (Alison Brie) are at a crossroads in their relationships. As Beth prepares to marry Andrew (Martin Starr), Lizzy runs from Andrew’s bandmate and her longtime beau, Kevin (Geoffrey Arend). A solid cast of young comic actors feature in this of-the-moment take on the quarter-life crisis. Sarah runs a bookstore but hopes to someday earn a living from her illustration work. Eyeing her over the stacks is customer Jonathan (Mark Webber), who also has a dream that’s a little, well, removed from reality. Their ideas aren’t bad, but times are tight. Director Michael Mohan focuses on the day-to-day yearnings of creative people—“starving artists” and ambitious dreamers—who feel disconnected and displaced. What does it take to find comfort and family in friendship? Sarah’s illustrations are drawn by graphic novelist Jeffrey Brown, who co-wrote Save the Date along with Egan Reich and Mohan. Brown’s popular 2003 book Clumsy, autobiographically about a longdistance relationship, shows familiarity with the awkward missteps and resiliency of young people in love.

Director: Michael Mohan

Producers: Jordan Horowitz

Michael Roiff

Michael Huffington

Screenwriters: Jeffrey Brown

Egan Reich

Michael Mohan

Cinematographer: Elisha Christian

Editor: Christian Masini

Music: Hrishikesh Hirway

Cast: Lizzy Caplan

Alison Brie

Martin Starr

Geoffrey Arend

Mark Webber

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Gilbert Films

Selected Filmography: One Too Many Mornings (2010)

The Savoy King: Chick Webb and the Music That Changed America

usa 2012 world Premiere

SATURDAY JUNE 9 6:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 3:00 PM

Though less than five feet tall, Chick Webb became one of the giants of the swing era. Born fatherless and poor, Webb developed spinal tuberculosis as a child, leaving him hunchbacked and with little use of his legs. Doctors recommended he begin drumming to prevent stiff joints, and by the time he was 21, he had graduated from playing pots and pans to leading his first band. Five years later, they became the house band at the Savoy, the first U.S. venue where blacks and whites could dance together. Widely considered the inventor of modern drumming, Webb was also a talented composer who used his growing renown to bring the best black and white bands to compete in his “Battle of the Bands.” Savoy dancers regularly chose Webb’s performances over the likes of Basie, Ellington, and Goodman. To recreate Webb’s energetic presence, director Jeff Kaufman weaves together eye-popping archival footage of performances and dancers, modern-day interviews, and an all-star cast (including Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, and Danny Glover) who bring some of the greatest figures in jazz history to life. Webb’s brief life captures the transformative power of music, a tipping point in U.S. race relations, and the promise that everyone can fulfill their dreams.

Director: Jeff Kaufman

Producer: Jeff Kaufman

Screenwriter: Jeff Kaufman

Cinematographer: Jeff Kaufman

Editor: Jamal El-Amin

Music:

Chick Webb Orchestra with Ella Fitzgerald

Featuring: Chick Webb

Ella Fiitzgerald

Frankie Manning

Bill Cosby

Janet Jackson

Andy Garcia

John Legend

Running Time: 88 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Floating World Pictures

Film Website: savoyking.com

Selected Filmography: Brush With Life: The Art of Being Edward Biberman (2007)

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

The Sex of the Angels

FRIDAY MAY 18 9:15 PM

SUNDAY MAY 20 2:30 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

TUESDAY JUNE 5 8:30 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Struggling martial artist and dancer Bruno (Llorenç Gonzalez) loves his girlfriend Carla (Astrid Berges-Frisbey), but when he meets fellow dancer Rai (Álvaro Cervantes), serious sparks begin to fly, opening the couple up to new possibilities. A new generation navigates sexual fluidity, torn affections, and open relationships in this steamy love triangle. Xavier Villaverde’s latest film is all about bodies: in motion, entwined, heaving with laughter or sadness. His attractive young cast enacts an ever more socially acceptable post-millennial scenario—that of the ménage a trois. But as in real life, taking romantic risks in any type of partnership inevitably leads to growing pains. Once Bruno’s clandestine encounters with Rai are revealed, a confused and hurt Carla kicks him out. But she simply doesn’t want to give up on her love. Eventually she agrees that Bruno can date them both—as long as he keeps his life with Rai relatively separate.

Director:

Xavier Villaverde

Producers: Pancho Casal

Jordi Mendieta

Screenwriter: Ana Maroto

Cinematographer: Sergi Gallardo

Editor: Emillermo Represa

Music:

Eduardo Molinero

Cast: Astrid Berges-Frisbey Álvaro Cervantes

Llorenç González

Running Time: 105 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish and Catalan, with English subtitles

International Sales: Latido Films

Print Source: Latido Films

Film Website: elsexodelosangeles.es

Selected Filmography: Thirteen Chimes (2002) Finisterre, donde termina el mundo (1998)

Continental (1990)

Sharqiya

israel/FranCe/ Germany 2012 norTh ameriCan Premiere

MONDAY MAY 21 8:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 4:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

THURSDAY MAY 31 7:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Kamel lives with his brother and sister-in law at the edge of the Negev desert on land that has been in their Bedouin family since the Ottoman Empire. But since they have no paperwork to prove their ownership, their claim is disputed by the Israeli government, which makes their living conditions as difficult as possible. Denying access to water and electricity, state officials eventually hand down an order for demolition of the family’s few small shacks. These stresses take the toll on the family, exacerbating existing tensions. Kamel, a veteran of the Israeli army, now serves as a security guard at a central bus station. Ahmed resents his brother’s willingness to work for the very government that is causing their problems, despite his reliance on Kamel’s income. When they try to appeal the demolition order, even the Bedouin Authority office advises them to accept compensation and leave abandon their land. The situation seems hopeless, until Kamel comes up with a plan. Filmed on location with nonprofessional actors, this extremely well crafted debut from Ami Livne tells its story with rare and quiet power.

Director:

Ami Livne

Producers: Eyal Shiray

Elie Meirovitz

Itai Tamir

Screenwriter: Guy Ofran

Cinematographer: Boaz Yehonathan Ya’acov

Editor:

Zohar Sela

Music:

Zohar Sela

Cast: Adnan Abu Wadi

Maysa Abed-Alhadi

Adnan Abu Muharebi

Eli Menashe

Running Time:

82 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP, in Arabic and Hebrew, with English

subtitles

Print Source: EZ Films

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Short Life

usa 2012 world Premiere

MONDAY MAY 21 7:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 24 4:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

What does it take to train for one of the hardest jobs in the world, a job that’s more physically demanding, more strenuous and requires as much—if not more—dedication and practice as any sport? Seattle director Scott Levy explores the cloistered world of ballet dancers in a nontraditional look at ballet and the choices dancers make. The documentary features intimate interviews with members of Seattle’s world-class Pacific Northwest Ballet School, including Artistic Director Peter Boal and dancers Carla Korbes, Maria Chapman, Lesley Rausch, James Moore, Jonathan Porretta, and Lucien Postlewaite. They discuss their passion for dance and the possibilities for life outside of dance. Not only interviews, Short Life includes unique combinations of rehearsal and performance footage with a diverse array of masterwork choreography: Balanchine’s classic “Agon,” William Forsythe’s grueling “In the Middle Somewhere Elevated,” and Twyla Tharp’s groundbreaking masterwork “In the Upper Room” which uses music by Philip Glass. Short Life presents a rich array of artists whose constant work and ordinary travails show a dramatic distillation of the struggles we all face—finding love, acceptance, and fulfillment. Levy’s film offers a true picture of what it means to be a ballet dancer.

Director: Scott Levy

Producer: Scott Levy

Cinematographer: Scott Levy

Editor: Scott Levy

Running Time: 78 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Levyfilms

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Silence: All Roads Lead to Music

iTaly/iraQ/uniTed araB emiraTes 2011 norTh ameriCan Premiere

SUNDAY JUNE 3 5:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

MONDAY JUNE 4 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 6:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

What happens when five renowned musicians from different parts of the world, speaking different languages and playing wildly disparate instruments, get together? Magic—at least in Haider Rashid’s enchanting Silence: All Roads Lead to Music. Tom Donald (piano), Giancarlo Parisi (Sicilian bagpipes, sax, and flute), Tanino Lazzaro (accordion), Luca Recupero (Jew’s harp, didgeridoo, and tambourine), and Giacomo Farina (percussion) comprise the unusual combination of ethnic and classical musicians, who meet and play for the first time during an Arab Film Festival in Italy. Coming from different places, both musically and geographically, these eclectic artists travel from their separate worlds, uniting in a unique sound that blends Sicilian, Arabic, Aboriginal, and jazz styles into the purest border-free music. Set in a seaside town in Sicily, Silence makes the most of the spectacular landscape, but the heart of the film is the extensive rehearsal and concert footage, which captures a collaborative musical communion that is remarkable to behold.

Sponsored by Mary Rainwater

Director: Haider Rashid

Producer: Haider Rashid

Screenwriter: Haider Rashid

Cinematographer: Haider Rashid

Editor: Haider Rashid

Music:

The Silence Project Featuring: Giacomo Farina

Luca Recupero

Tom Donald

Tanino Lazzaro

Giancarlo Parisi

Running Time: 78 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Italian and English, with English subtitles

Print Source: Radical Plans

Film Website: radicalplans.com

Selected Filmography: Tangled Up In Blue (2009)

Simon and the Oaks

SWeden/norWAy/GermAny 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 1:45 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

MONDAY MAY 28 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

THURSDAY JUNE 7 3:30 PM

An epic drama spanning the years 1939 to 1952, this is the gripping story of Simon (played by Bill Skarsgård, brother of Alex and son of Stellan), who grows up in a loving working class family on the outskirts of Gothenburg, Sweden, but always feels out of place. Intellectually gifted, he stubbornly persists in acquiring an education normally reserved for young men of the professional classes, much to the chagrin of his parents, who fear that he’ll become stuck up. At prep school, he meets Isak, the son of a wealthy Jewish bookseller who has fled Nazi persecution in Germany. When Isak faces trouble at home, he seeks comfort from Simon’s family and the two households slowly merge, connecting in unexpected ways as war rages all over Europe. Simon and the Oaks is based on the Swedish bestseller of the same name, written by Marianne Fredriksson. It offers a unique depiction of fate, destiny, and free will and vividly portrays the situation for Jews in Sweden during World War II. Lisa Ohlin’s third feature is a major achievement in Swedish cinema, nominated for 13 Swedish Guldbagge Awards.

Awards: Guldbagge 2011 (Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Actor in a Supporting Role)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director:

Lisa Ohlin

Producers:

Marc-Daniel Dichant

Patrick Knippel

Steffen Reuter

Leander Carell

Sveinung Golimo

Per Holst

Screenwriter: Marine Blok, from the novel by Marianne Fredriksson

Cinematographer: Dan Lausten

Editor:

Kasper Leick

Music:

Annette Focks

Cast: Bill Skarsgård

Helen Sjöholm

Stefan Gödicke

Jonatan Wächter

Jan Josef Liefers

Karl Linnertorp

Running Time: 122 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Swedish and German, with English subtitles

International Sales: Nonstop Sales

Print Source:

The Film Arcade

Selected Filmography: Sex, Hope and Love (2005)

Seeking Temporary Wife (2003)

Sin Bin

USA 2012

World Premiere

FRIDAY JUNE 8 9:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 10 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Brian is a shy kid who owns a vintage van that has been appropriately dubbed the “Sin Bin.” Brian loans the van out to his friends for their romantic exploits while he remains a frustrated virgin. Then he meets Tony (comedian Bo Burnham in a scene-stealing role) in the bathroom of the high school where he holds court. Tony wants to use the Sin Bin, and makes a deal that he will teach Brian the art of wooing women in exchange. Unfortunately, everything becomes much more complicated when Brian falls for Tony’s girl, Suzie. With his brother Benny and their neighbor Officer Totsch (Tim Blake Nelson at his comedic best) entering the picture, Brian is going to need all the help he can get to navigate this love triangle. First-time director Billy Federighi captures the absurd world of high school romantic relationships with a young cast that blends fresh faces with established talent. The intelligent and funny Sin Bin is poised to join the pantheon of exceptional high school comedies that speak across the generations through the universal absurdity of young love.

Director:

Billy Federighi

Producers:

Dante Federighi

Brian Petsos

Gary Giuduce

Christopher Storer

Billy Federighi

Screenwriter: Christopher Storer

Cinematographer: Seamus Tierney

Editor: Craig Lewandowski

Music: Jon Sadoff

Cast: Michael Seater

Emily Meade

Bo Burnham

Ben McKenzie

Jeff Garlin

Tim Blake Nelson

Running Time: 101 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

Print Source: David Dinerstein

Film Website: sinbinmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Simon o ch Ekarna

Six Million and One

israel/ausTria/Germany 2011

SUNDAY MAY 20 6:45 PM

MONDAY MAY 21 4:00 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 6:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Three siblings agree to go along with their “crazy” brother’s idea and embark on a sweet, intimate, and often funny emotional journey to grapple with life’s dualities. Israeli filmmaker David Fisher leads the family vacation to Gusen, Austria, to the site of a former World War II concentration camp, where their father, Joseph Fisher (number 67656) was interned and forced to work. After Joseph passed away, the family found a memoir with precise accounts of where he was and what he had witnessed. Director Fisher’s siblings were reluctant to even read Joseph’s harrowing accounts. However, by taking this journey together they discover new facts and a father they never knew. “There were places I’d never heard about, either from him or from anybody else in reports on the Holocaust,” Fisher says. By intercutting footage from the now-pristine, peaceful streets of present-day Gusen with archival photos of the area during the war and extracts from his father’s writing, Fisher creates a poignant document about the echoes of the Holocaust from a unique, personal perspective.

Sponsored by Steve Quinn and Karena Perry

Director: David Fisher

Producers: David Fisher

Irit Shimrat

Screenwriter: David Fisher

Cinematographers: Ronen Mayo

Claudio Steinberg Ronen Schechner

Editor: Hadas Ayalon

Music: Ran Bagno

Running Time: 93 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in German, Hebrew, and English, with English subtitles

International Sales: Cinephil

Print Source: Fisher Features Ltd.

Film Website: fisherfeatures.com

Selected Filmography: Mostar Haloch Vashov (2011)

Sleepwalk With Me usa 2012

SATURDAY MAY 19 9:00 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 9:00 PM SIFF

Comedian Mike Birbiglia uses impressive visual and verbal wit to bring his hilarious and heartbreaking one-man-show Sleepwalk With Me to the big screen. Starring as a younger version of himself, Birbiglia is a struggling stand-up comic who’s been telling the same jokes for years, and whose adoring girlfriend (Lauren Ambrose, Six Feet Under) wants to get married. Unable to face his anxieties while awake, he instead starts having ridiculous, dangerous, and spectacular bouts of sleepwalking, reenacting everything from attacks by invisible jackals to a competition in the Dustbuster Olympics. Already an offBroadway smash, a best-selling book, and a series of segments on This American Life (whose creator, Ira Glass, collaborated on the film adaptation), Sleepwalk With Me is also the cinematic debut of Birbiglia as writer/director/ star. With a biting, self-depreciating wit and a stunning cast that also includes Carol Kane, James Rebhorn, and a host of comic cameos, Birbiglia has honed his story to perfection while creating the funniest, most imaginative film about relationships and anxiety since Annie Hall.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Next Award)

Director: Mike Birbiglia

Producers: Ira Glass

Jacob Jaffke

Screenwriters: Mike Birbiglia

Ira Glass

Joe Birbiglia

Seth Barrish

Cinematographer: Adam Beckman

Editor: Geoffrey Richman

Music: Andrew Hollander

Cast: Mike Birbiglia

Lauren Ambrose

Carol Kane

James Rebhorn

Cristin Milioti

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: IFC Films

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

HARVARD EXIT

CINEMA UPTOWN

LES n E i GES D u ki L iman J aro

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

FranCe 2011

SATURDAY MAY 26 9:00 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 12:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 4:00 PM

This left-leaning narrative unfolds in Marseille, the signature location of art-house favorite Robert Guédiguian, and follows a middle-aged, working-class couple enduring a double-shot of bad domestic luck. After Michel, a veteran trade unionist, is laid off, his friends and family rally round Michel and his wife, Marie-Claire, to raise the funds to send the couple on a conciliatory anniversary trip to Tanzania. Gratitude and joy quickly give way to compounded sorrow and a unnerving moral quagmire when two masked men break into the couples’ home during a card game and make off with all the cash. Socialist-minded Michel recognizes one of the assailants as a fellow former union worker struggling to feed his orphaned brothers, and must decide how to reconcile his political beliefs with the reality that his family’s physical and fiscal security has been encroached upon. Related to neither the 1952 film of the same name, nor the Ernest Hemingway short story, this film is inspired by Victor Hugo’s poem, “How Good Are the Poor?”

Awards:

Cesar 2012 Nominee (Best Actress )

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director:

Robert Guédiguian

Producer:

Robert Guédiguian

Screenwriters:

Robert Guédiguian

Jean-Louis Milési

Cinematographer: Pierre Milon

Editor:

Bernard Sasia

Cast:

Ariane Ascaride

Jean-Pierre Darroussin

Gérard Meylan

Gregoire LePrinceRinguet

Maryline Canto

Anais Demoustier

Running Time: 107 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Films Distribution

Print Source: Films Distribution

Selected Filmography: The Army of Crime (2009)

Lady Jane (2008)

Marie-Jo and Her Two

Lovers (2002)

The Town is Quiet (2000)

Marius et Jeanette (1996)

The Sorcerer and the White Snake

honG KonG/China 2011

TUESDAY JUNE 5 9:15 PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

On a foraging expedition to the mountains, young herbalist Xu Xian accidentally falls into a lake only to be rescued by a mysterious, beautiful woman. However, unbeknown to him, she is actually White Snake, an ancient demon with the ability to take human form. Through this chance encounter she falls passionately in love with him. With the help of her sister Green Snake, she ventures forth into the human world where she and Xu Xian eventually marry. But their happiness is short-lived: a vile bat demon has spurred the sorcerer Fa Hai (Jet Li) and his sidekick Neng Ren to leave their Jinshan Temple to vanquish the countryside of all demons, whether benign or malignant. Unable to hide her true self from him, the ensuing battle between Fa Hai and White Snake only marks the beginning of an epic quest. A stunning blend of fairy tale romance and fantastic martial arts action, The Sorcerer and the White Snake dynamically brings an ancient Chinese legend of love, valor, and sacrifice to American audiences.

Director: Tony Siu-Tung Ching

Producer: Chui Po Chu

Screenwriter: Charcoal Tan

Cinematographer: Keung Kwok-Man

Editor: Angie Lam

Music:

Mark Liu

Cast:

Jet Li

Eva Huang

Raymond Lam

Charlene Choi

Wen Zang

Jiang Wu

Vivian Hsu

Running Time:

99 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP, in Mandarin, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Distribution Workshop

Print Source:

Magnolia Pictures

Selected Filmography: Empress and the Warriors (2008)

Naked Weapon (2002)

The Longest Day (1997)

The Source

usa 2012

THURSDAY MAY 31 6:00 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 8 8:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 10 11:30 AM

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

EL Pá ramo

The Squad

ColomBia 2011

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 9:30 PM

Sprouting like a wild, cosmic, and secretive flower, the Source Family blossomed right in the middle of the chic urban expanse of 1972 Los Angeles. This commune’s attraction was easy to see: an experimental rock band, beautiful young people, an organic vegetarian restaurant favored by the stars, and at its helm, the magnetic, white-bearded Jim Baker, or as his family called him, “Father Yod.” The Source charms us into the psychedelic arms of this large family with intimate home video, photos, and audio that capture the essence of the legendary cult. Father Yod and the Source Family made the hippie commune stereotypes that we know today stylish. We watch as the innocent and playful lifestyle of flowing colorful robes, pseudo-Eastern religious mantras, and fashionable yoga retreats suddenly turns dark with jealousy, tragedy, and betrayal. As wife after wife is taken into the fold and the ideologies become less about unconditional love of the wayward and more about celebrity, the thorns of this delicate flower begin to pierce. Climb inside Father Yod’s Rolls Royce for a zealous and hypnotic trip through the bizarre scene of The Source.

Directors:

Jodi Wille

Maria Demopoulos

Producers:

Jodi Wille

Maria Demopoulos

Holly Becker

Amaryllis Knight

Cinematographer: John Tanzer

Editors:

Jennifer Harrington

Claire Didier

Music:

The Source Family

Running Time: 98 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Eternal Now LLC

Film Website: thesourcedoc.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

FRIDAY JUNE 8 MIDNIGHT EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 10 9:30 PM

Among the fog-enshrouded slopes of the Colombian Andes, Captain Ramos struggles to maintain control of his men as they await orders to storm a remote outpost feared to have fallen to rebel guerillas. Under the tension, one of his men breaks ranks. In the ensuing chaotic assault, another soldier is brutally injured. Inside the stronghold, the squad finds evidence of a bloody massacre but surprisingly few dead bodies and most of the strategic equipment left intact. Trapped and isolated as they await reinforcements, Ramos and his men discover stranger, darker portents, including the former commanding officer’s cryptic log book, signs of witchcraft, and a series of ritualistic markings meant to ward off the devil. As unexplained shootings crack the mountain air, suspicion and paranoia ripple through the ranks, leading strongwilled and fiery Lieutenant Cortez to challenge Ramos’ authority. In his striking, stylish, and terrifying debut feature, Jaime Osorio Márquez brings to mind past midnight favorite R-Point (SIFF 2005) by weaving a rich tapestry of vivid characters, atmospheric shocks, and whiteknuckle thrills.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Jaime Osorio Márquez

Producer:

Federico Duran Amorocho

Screenwriters: Jaime Osorio Márquez

Diego Vivanco

Cinematographer: Alejandro Moreno

Editors:

Felipe Guerrero

Sebastian Hernandez

Music:

Ruy Folguera

Cast:

Juan Pablo Barragan

Nelson Camayo

Alexander Aguilar

Andres Torres

Andres Castaneda

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wild Bunch

Print Source: Wild Bunch

Film Website: rhayuela.com/paramo

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Standbys USA 2012

World Premiere

SATURDAY JUNE 2 5:30 PM

MONDAY JUNE 4 4:00 PM

Peek backstage in this emotional documentary of three Broadway understudies— “the quintessential underdogs”—waiting for their chance of a lifetime. Industry insiders and standbys-turned-stars weigh in on the unique struggles of those in the wings. Director/producer Stephanie Riggs follows three understudies at different points in their careers. For more than a year, Ben Crawford had been the standby for a Tony®-nominated actor who played the title role in “Shrek.”

When he gets the rare chance to perform the role, an announcement is made that the show will soon close. Merwin Foard has covered 25 roles in a Broadway career that’s lasted just as many years. He takes minor roles to feed his family rather than hold out for leading ones he knows he can rock—maybe now is the time to change strategies. Aléna Watters achieved her initial goals on Broadway quickly after moving to New York. Riggs follows along as Watters’ dream is then crushed, and she must find the courage to continue. The Standbys movingly conveys the undisclosed dramas of their daily lives, including how to master roles with little preparation, what the chances of actual success may be, and what happens when they—finally—get the call to go on.

P RECEDED BY:

Finale

Hungary, 2011, 8 minutes, director: Balázs Simonyi Two men in the night are waiting for their greatest hit...

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HARVARD EXIT

Director:

Stephanie Riggs

Producers:

Stephanie Riggs

Blair Erickson

Cinematographers: Tom Hurwitz

Julia Dengel

Editors:

Blair Erickson

Emma Joan Morris

Music:

Jonathan Dinerstein

Featuring: Ben Crawford

Aléna Watters

Merwin Foard

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: The Film Sales Company

Print Source: The Film Sales Company

Film Website: thestandbys.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Starbuck

CAnAdA (QUébeC) 2011

THURSDAY MAY 31 8:00 PM

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

FRIDAY JUNE 1 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

THURSDAY JUNE 7 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

A massive box office success in Québec, Ken Scott’s comedic Starbuck tracks a likeable middle-aged loser as he wrestles with regret and responsibility. Hapless deliveryman David Wozniak gets parking tickets at every single stop along his route, has thugs on his tail for massive overdue loans, and his girlfriend announced that she was pregnant just before dumping him. These, however, are the least of David’s concerns when he returns home to find a lawyer in his kitchen. The past is back to haunt him in the form of a class-action lawsuit, launched by 142 of the 533 children who resulted from the 648 sperm donations he deposited over 20 years ago. David turns to his best friend Paul, a lawyer and father of an unruly brood, who is eager to defend David’s right to privacy in this landmark case. But a package of photos of David’s progeny arrives, inspiring a clandestine search for his children and a poignant attempt at anonymous fatherhood.

Awards:

Palm Springs International Film Festival (Audience Award)

Calgary International Film Festival 2011 (People’s Choice Award)

Genie Awards 2012 (Best Original Song, Screenplay, Golden Reel Award) Valladolid International Film Festival 2011 (Best Actor, New Director)

Director:

Ken Scott

Producer:

Andre Rouleau

Screenwriters: Ken Scott

Martin Petit

Cinematographer: Pierre Gill

Editor: Yvann Thibaudeau

Music: David Lafleche

Cast:

Patrick Huard

Antoine Bertrand

Julie le Breton

David Michael

Patrick Martin

Running Time: 109 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: eOne Entertainment

International

Print Source: eOne Films US

Film Website: starbuck-lefilm.com

Selected Filmography: Sticky Fingers (2009)

Starry Starry Night

Taiwan/China/honG KonG 2011 us Premiere

SATURDAY MAY 19 6:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 20 4:00 PM

TUESDAY MAY 22 9:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Tom Lin’s Starry Starry Night is easily one of the most endearing films of the past year. Wasting no time, Lin introduces the slightly fantastical world of Mei (Jiao Xu in a complex and demanding performance), a 13-yearold who finds her parents’ constant fighting and the death of a grandparent too much to handle. Prone to constructing jigsaw puzzles in her solitary time at home, Mei’s quiet school existence is disturbed by Lee, an introverted young transfer student. When Mei’s parents announce their intentions to divorce, she and Lee board a late night train that sweeps them off in a Van Gogh-inspired fantasy to a place where their personal connection overshadows their collective inner pain. The jigsaw puzzle emerges as one of the films most expressive motifs, illustrating Mei’s experience carefully finding the pieces of her life and culminating in an exceptionally emotional CGI sequence late in the film. Based on an enormously popular illustrated novel by Jimmy Liao, Starry Starry Night is a whimsical and emotional film ripe for discovery by Western audiences.

P RECEDED BY:

Shattered Dream

USA 2011, 5 minutes, Directors: Hualian Xu, Yin Jiang, Weiming Ma, Rongshan Zhao

A young woman illustrates some of the extreme cases of parents who don’t allow their children to follow their interests. adobe Youth Voices.

Entr E LES Bra S

Step Up to the Plate

FranCe 2011

SATURDAY MAY 26 1:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 6:45 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 6:30 PM

Director: Tom Shu-Yu Lin

Producer: Weijan Liu

Screenwriter: Tom Shu-Yu Lin, based on the illustrated novel by Jimmy Liao

Cinematographer: Jake Pollock

Editors: Yang Xiao

Hsiao-Tse Cheng

Music:

World’s End Girlfriend

Cast: Jiao Xu

René Liu

Harlem Yu

Kenneth Tsang

Hui Ming Lin

Janel Tsai

Running Time: 99 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Mandarin, with English subtitles

International Sales: Huayi Brothers Media

Print Source:

China Lion

Selected Filmography: Winds of September (2008)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Attention foodies: Dinner is served! This gorgeously shot, mouth-watering documentary is as much a sumptuous celebration of creative cuisine as it is an insightful meditation on family ties, as restaurateur Michel Bras prepares to hand over the reins of his three-star Michelin eatery, Aubrac, to his son, Sébastien. Over the course of a year, as they gather, produce, and prepare their staff for the season, it’s clear that Michel is a tough taskmaster, and Sébastien is cut from the same cloth. Along the way, the camera of director Paul Lacoste lingers over every delectable dish, revealing the incredible amount of effort the father-son duo put into every meal. Lacoste takes a patient, fly-on-the-wall approach while observing Michel and Sébastien at work, making fanciful dishes with unusual ingredients such as milk curd, butternut spaghetti, blackberry jelly and nasturtium, where taste and presentation carry equal weight. They even sketch things out beforehand as if they were building houses (or making movies). This absorbing, behind-the-scenes look at the internal rivalries of one of the world’s finest restaurants is also a tribute to the art of haute cuisine, which will surely whet the appetites of food lovers everywhere.

Director: Paul Lacoste

Producers: Gaëlle Bayssiere

Didier Creste

Cinematographer: Yvan Quehec

Editor: Anthony Brinig

Music: Karol Beffa

Featuring: Michel Bras

Sébastien Bras

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Jour2Fete

Print Source: Jour2Fete

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Story of Film: An Odyssey

uniTed KinGdom 2011

TUESDAY MAY 22 7:00 PM

THURSDAY MAY 24 7:00 PM

TUESDAY MAY 29 7:00 PM

THURSDAY MAY 31 7:00 PM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 7:00 PM

An epic, 15-hour movie-lover’s feast, presented in five three-hour morsels, The Story Of Film: An Odyssey is an inspiring exploration of the richness and depth of cinema around the world, from the silent era through the present day. Film historian and former Edinburgh Film Festival Director Mark Cousins takes us on a thrilling personal journey as he crafts a love letter to film, blending hundreds of classic clips and interviews with filmmaking’s greatest talents with dazzling footage from his sixyear investigative trek to cinematic landmarks around the world. Starting at the site of where the first films were made, we’re guided through the Hollywood’s glittery birth, the advent of the talkies, and the rise of early masters such as Alfred Hitchcock, Akira Kurosawa, and Ingmar Bergman. No era is left unexplored as Cousins addresses the way the counterculture infiltrated the Hollywood system in the ’70s, traces the growth of the industry in Africa and South America, and illuminates the emergence of elegiac filmmakers such as Wim Wenders and Krzysztof Kieślowski. The final course showcases how indie film and digital cinema ushered in a new golden age via renegades like Quentin Tarantino and the Coen Brothers, inspiring Cousins to look towards the future of cinema.

SIFF FILM CENTER

SIFF FILM CENTER

SIFF FILM CENTER

SIFF FILM CENTER

SIFF FILM CENTER

Director: Mark Cousins

Producer: John Archer

Screenwriter: Mark Cousins

Cinematographer: Mark Cousins

Editor: Timo Langer

Featuring: Wim Wenders

Stanley Donen

Robert Towne

Claire Denis

Amitabh Bachchan

Running Time: 900 minutes, screened in five three-hour parts

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Hanway Films

Print Source: Music Box

Films

Selected Filmography:

The First Movie (2009)

The New Ten Commandments (co-director, 2008)

The Student

arGenTina 2011

MONDAY MAY 21 9:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 24 4:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 6:30 PM

Roque is an intellectually and erotically curious young Argentinian just arrived from the provinces to start his studies at the University of Buenos Aires. One of his many sexual conquests is Paola, a pretty but tough young adjunct professor who leads him into the thick of the school’s vibrant political life. Soon he meets Alberto, a retired politician who becomes his mentor; Roque quickly learns the ropes and uses his charisma to rise through the ranks and become a student leader and organizer, navigating idealism and betrayals, propelled by his driving ambition. With this feature-length debut, director Santiago Mitre (who co-wrote Pablo Trapero’s Lion’s Den and Carancho), establishes himself as an important voice in New Argentine cinema, capturing the passion and the complex web of personal drives and maneuvering that fuels campus political life. He cleverly uses Roque’s story as a commentary on the wider realities of modern Argentinian society and politics. Rising star Esteban Lamothe is a revelation, living and breathing his lead role with understated confidence.

Awards: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Argentina 2011 (Best First Work, New Actor, New Actress, Screenplay)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Santiago Mitre

Producers: Agustina Llambi Campbell

Santiago Mitre

Fernando Brom

Screenwriter: Santiago Mitre

Cinematographers: Gustavo Biazzi

Soledad Rodriguez

Federico Cantini

Alejo Maglio

Editor: Delfina Castagnino

Music: Los Natas

Cast: Esteban Lamothe

Romina Paula Ricardo

Felix Valeria Correa

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish, with English subtitles

Print Source: La Unión de los Ríos

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Substance: Albert Hofmann’s LSD

SWitzerlAnd 2011

SATURDAY JUNE 2 9:00 PM

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 4:30 PM

Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann discovered something sensational in 1943. Though he first produced a compound called lysergic acid diethylamide in the course of his research in 1938, it wasn’t until five years later that he accidentally absorbed a small amount and took the world’s first “LSD trip.” What came over him was an “uninterrupted stream of fantastic images of extraordinary plasticity and vividness.” In Martin Witz’s documentary, Hofmann provides more mesmerizing commentary on his discovery, along with his first bad experience with the drug in interviews shot shortly before his recent passing at age 102. Witz uses archival footage, including recordings of experiments and trippy montage sequences, to draw us into the world of the drug. Additional interviews with scientists, the members of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters, and LSD champion Timothy Leary provide added context about its controversial uses. Can experiences with it help us better navigate to the center of our being? The Substance tracks our history with LSD, from its use in psychiatry in the 1950s, to its rebellious role in 1960s counterculture, and back to the clinical setting today as an agent to ease the fear of death among terminally ill patients. For better or worse, one drop can alter our perceptions forever.

Awards: Swiss Film Prize 2012 Nominee (Best Documentary)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Martin Witz

Producer: Andres Pfaeffli

Screenwriter: Martin Witz

Cinematographer: Pio Corradi

Editor: Stefan Kälin

Music: Marcel Vaid

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format: DigiBeta, in German and English, with English subtitles

International Sales: Autlook Film Sales

Print Source: Icarus Films

Film Website: thesubstance-themovie.com

Selected Filmography: Dutti der Riese (2007)

Sunny SoUth KoreA 2011

MONDAY MAY 28 8:30 PM EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SATURDAY JUNE 2 11:30 AM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

When disco ruled the airwaves and Adidas stripes were status symbols, seven teenage girls banded together under the anthem of disco-pop hit “Sunny” to battle a rival gang for territory and honor. United by the bonds of friendship, they dreamed of fame and glory, a future where they would always have each other’s backs. But in the present day, the members of Sunny have fallen out of touch, and it’s up to stalled housewife Na-mi to reunite everyone before their fearless leader Choon-hwa loses a battle with cancer. Na-mi’s quest forces her to retrace her own path through adolescence, prompting her to rediscover her passions and abandoned talents along with her lost friends. Full of over-the-top action sequences, peppy dance numbers, and glorious strings of gratuitous swearing, this comedy is as much about the importance of hope for the future as it is about nostalgia for the past.

Director: Kang Hyoung-chul

Producers:

An Byung-ki

Ahn In-ki

Screenwriter: Kang Hyoung-chul

Cinematographer: Lee Hyung-duk

Editor: Na-young Nam

Music: Kim Jun-seok

Cast: Jeong You-ho

Jin Hee-kyung

Koh Soo-hee

Hong Jin-hee

Lee Yeon-kyung

Kim Sun-kyung

Running Time: 125 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Korean, with English subtitles

International Sales: CJ E&M Entertainment

Print Source: CJ E&M Entertainment

Selected Filmography: Speed Scandal (2008)

Superclásico

denmArK 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 7:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY MAY 20 12:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 24 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

This madcap story of unrequited love and randy lust blows a kiss to Buenos Aires, home of the annual football derby Superclásico. Like all jilted lovers, the city’s fans take obsession to the next level. When Danish sports agent Anna runs away to Argentina with her agency’s hunky soccer star, Juan Diaz, her husband Christian, a rare-wine merchant, begins drinking more of his inventory than he’s selling. Having unsuccessfully drowned his sorrows, the exasperated Christian and his teenaged son Oscar decamp to BA on reconnaissance to try to win Anna back. Christian finds the city’s sports-crazed, hyper-sexed atmosphere, and stifling heat insufferable. When Anna tells Christian that Juan truly “sees” her, he screams, “Does everybody here pop cliché pills?” Renowned dramatist Ole Christian Madsen (Prague, Flame and Citron) shows a confident hand at romantic comedy, adding an omniscient voiceover to provide subtle mocking commentary on the proceedings. In this meta-fiction farce, we can hear exactly what the players think. The question is: Who’s got the advantage?

Awards:

Official Oscar Submission 2011 (Foreign Language Film)

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2011 (Audience Award)

Bodil Awards 2012 (Best Supporting Acress)

Zulu Awards 2012 (Best Actress)

Director: Ole Christian Madsen

Producers:

Lars Bredo Rahbek

Signe Leick Jensen

Screenwriters: Ole Christian Madsen

Anders Frithiof August

Cinematographer: Jørgen Johansson

Editor:

Søren B. Ebbe

Music:

Jonas Struck

Cast: Anders W. Berthelsen

Paprika Steen

Jamie Morton

Sebastian Estevanez

Adriana Mascialino

Miguel Dedovich

Dafne Schilling

Running Time: 99 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Danish, English, and Spanish, with English

subtitles

International Sales: The Match Factory

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Film Website: superclasico.dk

Selected Filmography: Flame and Citron (2008) Prague (2006)

Kira’s Reason – A Love Story (2001)

Pizza King (1999)

Take This Waltz

Canada 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 1:30 PM

SATURDAY MAY 26 7:00 PM

20-somethings Margot (Michelle Williams) and Daniel (Luke Kirby) meet on vacation, then find themselves on the same return flight, and finally share a cab from the airport only to discover that they’re neighbors. Their romance seems meant to be—if it weren’t for Margot’s husband, Lou (Seth Rogen), waiting patiently at home. After five years of marriage, he and Margot have settled into a comfortable rut of in-jokes and baby talk, a far cry from the electric connection she now feels with Daniel. Writer/director Sarah Polley, whose acclaimed first feature, Away From Her, also grappled with the implications of infidelity, offers a character study of a woman struggling to distinguish between love and infatuation, between the rewards of the present and the promise of the long term. A courageous and contemporary love story, Take This Waltz treats its subject with humor and emotional complexity. The top-notch cast also includes Sarah Silverman as Lou’s ex-alcoholic sister.

Awards: Vancouver Film Critics Award 2011 (Best Actress in a Canadian Film)

Director:

Sarah Polley

Producers: Susan Cavan

Sarah Polley

Screenwriter: Sarah Polley

Cinematographer: Luc Montpellier

Editor:

Christopher Donaldson

Music: Jonathan Goldsmith

Cast:

Michelle Williams

Seth Rogen

Sarah Silverman

Luke Kirby

Running Time: 116 minutes

Presentation Format:

DCP

International Sales:

TF1 International

Print Source: Magnolia Pictures

Film Website: takethiswaltz.com

Selected Filmography: Away From Her (2007)

The Tall Man

ausTralia 2011

MONDAY MAY 28 6:30 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 3:30 PM

Palm Island is a gorgeous tropical island on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It’s also the backdrop for this tragic and true crime story that led to one man’s death, another’s trial for manslaughter, and the disillusionment of an entire community. On Nov. 19, 2004, Cameron Doomadgee, an Aborigine, allegedly swore at Senior Sergeant Chris Hurley, a white police officer. He was arrested and 45 minutes later was “found” on the floor of a police cell, dead as a result of massive internal injuries. Radically differing accounts of what happened eventually spiraled into a political, legal, and media firestorm that raged across the Australian state of Queensland. With raw power reminiscent of the Aboriginal drama Samson & Delilah (SIFF 2010), Tony Krawitz’s film takes us to a fascinating, beautiful, and cruel place we likely wouldn’t have known about otherwise. In the wake of this terrible tragedy, Krawitz’s brilliant direction highlights the courage of the Aboriginal community and its allies in their poignant struggle for justice.

Awards: Australian Film Institute 2012 Nominated (Best Cinematography in a Documentary, Direction in a Documentary, Editing in a Documentary, Feature Length Documentary)

Walkley Awards 2011 (Best Long Form Journalism Documentary)

P RECEDED BY:

Eli The Invincible

Australia, 2011, 15 minutes, director: Miranda Nation

North American Premiere

Eli is a young wrestling fan, trying to make sense of the racial violence surrounding him. When the time comes, he must choose between brutality or betrayal.

Director: Tony Krawitz

Producer: Darren Dale

Screenwriter: Tony Krawitz

Cinematographer: Germain McMicking

Editor: Rochelle Oshlack

Music:

Antony Partos

Featuring: Tracy Twaddle

Andrew Boe

Elizabeth Doomadgee

Jane Doomadgee

Tony Koch

Clinton Leahy

Running Time: 78 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Blackfella Films

Film Website: blackfellafilms.com.au

Selected Filmography: Jewboy (2005)

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Tatsumi

sinGaPore/indonesia 2011

TUESDAY MAY 22 7:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY MAY 27 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

TUESDAY MAY 29 9:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

In 1957, Japanese artist Tatsumi Yoshihiro was credited with inventing the adult form of manga (Japanese comic), called gekiga, going on to create mature, complex works that have earned him legendary status among fans of graphic novels worldwide. Tatsumi is Singaporean Eric Khoo’s animated gesture of love and respect for the master, and a heartfelt adaptation of aspects of Tatsumi’s autobiography, A Drifting Life, interspersed with five stories drawn from Tatsumi’s work. Ensconced in the “realist” mode of animation favored by Tatsumi, Khoo’s treatments—one in color and four in a form of monochrome reflecting the one-color printing of Tatsumi’s originals—deal with adult themes such as sex, violence, and Hiroshima survivor guilt. Like Tatsumi, Khoo does not shy away from bizarre and potentially offensive subject matter. Indeed, the episodes range from an older office worker who blows all his money on women, to a man obsessed with the obscene graffiti in a public toilet. Sometimes challenging, but always eccentric and engrossing, Tatsumi is vivid and unforgettable filmmaking.

Awards:

Tokyo International Film Festival 2011 (Winds of Asia –Middle East Special Mention)

Director:

Eric Khoo

Producers: Eric Khoo

Esaf Andreas Sinaulan

Freddie Yeo

Phil Mitchell

Tan Fong Chen

Screenwriter: Eric Khoo, based on the comics by Tatsumi Yoshihiro

Cinematographers:

Phil Mitchell

Rafael Bonifacio

Jebbie Barrios

Editor: Taufik Ramadhan

Music:

Christopher Khoo

Christine Sham

Voice:

Tetsuya Bessho

Rafael Bonifacio

Jebbie Barrios

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Japanese, with English subtitles

International Sales: The Match Factory

Print Source: The Match Factory Film Website: the-match-factory.com/ films/items/tatsumi.html

Selected Filmography:

My Magic (2008)

Be With Me (2005) 12 Storeys (1997)

Mee Pok Man (1995)

Teddy Bear

denmarK 2012

FRIDAY MAY 18 4:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 24 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Bodybuilder Dennis would like nothing more than to find true love. However, his impressive physique hides a socially awkward introvert who finds it difficult even to make small talk. At age 38, he has never had a girlfriend and still lives with his emotionally manipulative mother in a suburb of Copenhagen. But when his uncle marries a Thai girl, Dennis begins to wonder if love might be easier to find in Thailand than at home. As someone who has never traveled outside his native Denmark, Dennis is overwhelmed by the Thai city of Pattaya, with its colossal hotels, sex tourists, and bawdy women. His naïve quest for true love seems thwarted—that is, until he meets Toi, the girl of his dreams. Now, all that’s left to do is introduce her to his mother; what could possibly go wrong? Drawing upon a cast of nonprofessional actors, first-time feature director Mads Matthiesen crafts a quietly touching, character-driven comedy in which the conflict between loneliness and love fuels Dennis’ inner strength to forge a better, more fulfilling life.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic)

Director: Mads Matthiesen

Producer: Morten Kjems Juhl

Screenwriters: Mads Matthiesen

Martin Pieter Zandvliet

Cinematographer: Laust Trier-Mørk

Editor: Adam Nielsen

Music: Sune Martin

Cast: Kim Kold

Elsebeth Steentoft

Lamaiporn Sangmanee

Hongard

David Winters

Allan Mogensen

Running Time: 93 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Danish and Thai, with English

subtitles

International Sales: Danish Film Institute

Print Source: Film Movement

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Aujourd’hui

Tey

Senegal/France 2012

US Premiere

FRIDAY MAY 18 6:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SATURDAY MAY 19 2:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Today is the last day of Satché’s life. He is strong and healthy yet he and everyone around him accepts his imminent death. Beginning when he wakes up, Satché is thrust into a familial celebration of his life, everyone lamenting the day’s significance. Afterward, Satché walks the streets of his Senegalese hometown, seeing the sites and interacting with his first love, his parent’s house, and childhood friends who endless ask him why he didn’t stay in America where he would have had a future. Satché has recently returned to Senegal after a year of study in America, a plot point which allows director Alain Gomis to examine the relationship and opinions of African life versus the outside world. American actor/musician Saül Williams embodies Satché with a muted intensity which grounds the myriad of emotions that surround him as he witnesses his ancestral culture in all of its joy, madness, violence, and hopelessness. Gomis delivers a philosophical poem of Africa which kaleidoscopes through the experiences of life then quietly fades to a perfect denouement.

Director: Alain Gomis

Producers: Eric Idriss-Kanago Gilles Sandoz

Oumar Sall

Screenwriter: Alain Gomis

Cinematographer: Christelle Fournier

Editor: Fabrice Rouaud

Cast: Saül Williams

Djolof M’Bengue Anisa Uzeyman Mariko Arame

Aîssa Maiga

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French and Wolof, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wide Management

Print Source: Wide Management

Selected Filmography: Andalucia (2008) L’Afrance (2001)

Thale

norway 2012

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 9:00 PM

THURSDAY JUNE 7 4:30 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 9:00 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Related to Iceland’s huldufólk, or “hidden people,” a huldra is a Scandinavian forest spirit, a kind of warden who happens to appear as a pretty, naked human female. One thing: this girl has a cow’s tail. According to the legend, when huldras are treated with kindness and respect, all goes well. But when their environments are disrupted in unsympathetic ways—or when chosen human suitors disappoint—they can employ supernatural methods of revenge. Buddies Elvis (Erlend Nervold) and Leo (Jon Sigve Skard) discover this when they meet a huldra named Thale in the course of their everyday work with No Shit Cleaning Service. Their job is to clean up gruesome crime and death scenes. Used to the macabre, they’re nonetheless shocked to discover Thale locked in the basement of her recently deceased, self-appointed guardian. Although she eventually warms up to the men, both her antisocial tendencies and her forest family are as unavoidable as the tail on her derriere. Silje Reinåmo stars as the alluring Thale in Alexsander Nordaas’ psychological creature feature, inviting the audience into her fantastical world and leaving them to discover what dangers await.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Aleksander Nordaas

Producer: Bendik Heggen Strønstad

Screenwriter: Aleksander Nordaas

Cinematographer: Aleksander Nordaas

Editor: Aleksander Nordaas

Music: Raymond Enoksen

Geirmund Simonsen

Cast: Silje Reinåmo

Erlend Nervold

Jon Sigve Skard

Morten Andresen

Sunniva Lien

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Norwegian, with English subtitles

Print Source: Yesbox Productions

Film Website: thalemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Circle (2004)

Three Quarter Moon

Germany 2011

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 9:30 PM

SATURDAY MAY 26 8:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 12:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Cantankerous cabbie Hartmut has one more thing to complain about when he discovers his wife is leaving him after 30 years. Stubbornness has finally driven a permanent wedge between the man and his wife and adult daughter. One day, six-year-old Hayat, a new Turkish immigrant, climbs into his taxi. Her mother is a performer who’ll be leaving town, and Hayat is supposed to stay with her grandmother for a few weeks. Fate, however, intervenes once she crosses paths with the grumpy Hartmut. The equally stubborn girl disarms the old man as well as the audience with her precocious performance. Soon, the joyless monotony of Hartmut’s life is replaced with the relief and purpose that come from caring for another. A lovely soundtrack reminiscent of Little Miss Sunshine’s bittersweet folk-pop adds feeling to this sweet, but not saccharine, tale. This endearing dramedy shows how change sometimes comes when, and from where, you least expect.

Awards:

Bavarian Film Awards 2011 (Best Screenplay)

Director: Christian Zübert

Producers: Robert Marcinak

Uli Aselmann

Screenwriter: Christian Zübert

Cinematographer: Jana Marsik

Editor: Mona Brauer

Music: Annette Focks

Cast: Elmar Wepper

Mercan-Fatima Turkoglu Ivan Anderson

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in German and Turkish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Beta Cinema

Print Source: Die Film GmbH

Film Website: dreiviertelmond.de

Selected Filmography: Hardcover (2008)

The Treasure of the White Falcons (2005)

Toomelah ausTralia 2011

MONDAY JUNE 4 6:30 PM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 3:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Through the captivating struggle of a young wannabe gangster, Toomelah tells a larger story about the state of Australian indigenous life and culture on the titular New South Wales-Queensland border. Director Ivan Sen tells the story from the perspective of 10-yearold Daniel, a restless aboriginal boy who’s in and out of trouble and disinterested in school. From Daniel’s unsettling interaction with his substance-abusing parents, to his friendship and employment with one of Toomelah’s drug dealers and ex-cons, Sen engages each subject without preaching. A territorial fight between drug dealers leads Daniel to a crossroads and a decision with both personal and cultural implications. Much of the power of Toomelah is in its authenticity. Mission culture is brought to life gorgeously with stark, handheld cinematography, giving the film a seemingly unscripted documentary feel. With a cast of largely novice local actors, the dialogue in Toomelah is intimate and fresh, adding to the film’s naturalistic feel. At one point, Daniel’s grandmother asks him, “What you going to do with yourself?” His answer, even at the viewer’s far remove, demands relevance.

Awards:

Vladivostok Film Festival 2011 (Best Feature Film) Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2011 (UNESCO Award)

Director: Ivan Sen

Producer: David Jowsey

Screenwriter: Ivan Sen

Cinematographer: Ivan Sen

Editor: Ivan Sen

Cast: Daniel Conners

Christopher Edwards

Michael Conners

Danieka Connors

Dean Daley-Jones

Running Time: 106 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Visit Films

Print Source: Visit Films

Film Website: toomelahthemovie.com

Selected Filmography: Dreamland (2009) Beneath Clouds (2002)

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Pro VE rka na Doro G akh

Trial on the Road russia 1971

SATURDAY MAY 19 2:30 PM

This distinctly Russian war story, shot in black-and-white, takes place in 1942 behind enemy lines. A regiment of partisans captures former Red Army lieutenant Lazarev (Vladimir Zamansky) who is dressed in a German uniform. He’s a Nazi defector and collaborator but now desires to switch back and fight with Russian partisans. The two regiment leaders, Commander Lokotkov (Rolan Bykov) and commissar Petushkov (Anatoly Solonitskin) have opposite approaches to his crime, and test his loyalty to the maximum. Director Alexei Guerman gives us a humane and nail-biting portrait of wartime, set in a snowbound landscape. Mostly unknown to Western audiences, Guerman is widely regarded by Russians as one of their country’s greatest living filmmakers. Trial on the Road is based on the story “Operation Happy New Year!” by Guerman’s father, Yuri Guerman. Shot in 1971, Trial was censored and shelved for 15 years for its “antiheroic” depiction of Soviet soldiers. This landmark film boldly cuts through popular myths of WWII to show a bitterly ironic battlefield where distinctions like “hero” and “traitor” cease to have real meaning.

Director:

Alexei Guerman

Screenwriter: Eduard Volodarskiy, from stories by Yuri Guerman

Cinematographers: B. Aleksandrovsky

L. Kolganov

Yakov Sklyansky

Editor:

Anna Babushka

Music:

Isaak Chvarts

Cast:

Rolan Bykov

Anatoly Solonitskin

Vladimir Zamansky

Oleg Borisov

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Russian, with English subtitles

Print Source: Seagull Films

Selected Filmography: Khroustaliov, My Car! (1998)

My Friend Ivan Lapshin (1986)

Twenty Days Without War (1977)

Trishna

uniTed KinGdom 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 6:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 20 3:30 PM

With Trishna, BAFTA-Award winning director Michael Winterbottom (Welcome to Sarajevo, The Trip) cleverly places Thomas Hardy’s 1891 tragedy “Tess of the d’Urbervilles” in contemporary Rajasthan, India. The tragic romance stars Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) as Trishna, the daughter of an auto rickshaw owner, and Riz Ahmed (The Road to Guantanamo) as the wealthy Jay, the son of a British property developer. Offering Trishna a lucrative job with his father’s hotel in Jaipur, Jay begins a methodical seduction. He tells her that the Kama Sutra indicates the three types of heroines who are free to make love: the maid, the single lady, and the courtesan. Which one is Trishna? More than the sum of those stereotypes, she’s a modern, educated woman who feels torn between her personal dreams and the traditions of her family life. As their relationship grows, the couple feels the conflicting pressures of a rapidly changing rural society. The cinematography by Marcel Zyskind (28 Days Later, Dancer in the Dark) offers glowing morning and evening light in the fields, cities and by the riverbank. Cineastes will swoon over Shigeru Umebayashi’s (In the Mood for Love) original score, with songs by famed Bollywood composer Amit Trivedi.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Michael Winterbottom

Producers: Michael Winterbottom

Melissa Parmenter

Screenwriter: Michael Winterbottom from the novel by Thomas Hardy

Cinematographer: Marcel Zyskind

Editor: Mags Arnold

Music: Shigeru Umebayashi

Amit Trivedi

Cast: Freida Pinto

Riz Ahmed

Running Time: 113 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

International Sales: Bankside Films

Print Source: Sundance Selects

Film Website: ifcfilmscom/films/trishna

Selected Filmography:

The Trip (2010)

The Killer Inside Me (2010)

The Road to Guantanamo (2006)

Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story (2005)

9 Songs (2004)

Code 46 (2003)

In This World (2002)

24 Hour Party People (2002)

Wonderland (1998)

Welcome to Sarajevo (1997)

Jude (1996)

Go Now (1995)

Butterfly Kiss (1995)

HARVARD EXIT

True Wolf

usa 2012 world Premiere

THURSDAY MAY 31 6:30 PM

FRIDAY JUNE 1 4:00 PM

When Montana couple Bruce Weide and Pat Tucker made the decision to adopt an abandoned wolf pup in 1991, they had little idea of how their new houseguest named Koani would end up shaping their lives. After a lengthy trial-and-error process of learning how to share space with a territorial predator (Lesson 1: Always have plenty of replacement furniture on hand), they developed a healthy respect and profound appreciation for the line separating “man’s best friend” and White Fang. With Koani in the role of “Ambassador Wolf,” the trio made it their mission to educate others. Utilizing a wealth of archival footage and personal remembrances, director Rob Whitehair’s delightful all-ages documentary shows the long-lasting effects that his three stars (along with faithful canine companion Indy) had on their surroundings. Students, teachers, and even a few grizzled motorcycle enthusiasts are on hand to describe the ways their views on nature were changed by their encounters with Koani. Showing an admirable even-handedness towards its subject matter, True Wolf also takes time to explore the ethical concerns inherent in raising a wild animal, resulting in a documentary for nature enthusiasts that offers plenty for afterthought.

Director: Rob Whitehair

Producers: Rob Whitehair

Pam Voth

Bruce Weide

Chris Palmer

Cinematographer: Rob Whitehair

Editor: Rob Whitehair

Music: Cody Westeimer

Running Time: 76 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Shadow Distribution

Film Website: truewolfmovie.com

Selected Filmography: The Little Red Truck (2008)

Two For the Road usa

1967

SUNDAY MAY 27 2:30 PM

Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney are a thoroughly modern couple in Stanley Donen’s timeshifting romance, which Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert called “A Man and a Woman for grownups.” The year is 1967, and they’ve been through some tough times in their decade-long romance. Donen (Singin’ In the Rain) displays the blossoming and trajectory of their partnership entirely through a series of unconnected road trips—an innovative framing device that was daring for its time. Hepburn is gorgeous as Joanna, a member of a touring girls’ choir who meets struggling architect Mark while on the road in Europe. As they hitchhike and travel around the Continent, Frederic Raphael’s screenplay leaps back and forth in time—showing the couple’s courtship, marriage, infidelity, parenthood, and struggles as time-shifting vignettes. Henry Mancini contributes a trademark emotional score. The 4k digital restoration of Two for the Road was completed by Twentieth Century Fox, in collaboration with The Film Foundation.

Awards: Academy Award® nomination, 1968 (Best Writing Story and Screenplay)

Director: Stanley Donen

Producer: Stanley Donen

Screenwriter: Frederic Raphael

Cinematographer: Christopher Challis

Editors: Madeleine Gug

Richard Marden

Music: Henry Mancini

Cast: Aubrey Hepburn

Albert Finney

William Daniels

Eleanor Bron

Running Time: 111 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP

Print Source: Twentieth Century Fox

Selected Filmography: Blame it On Rio (1984)

The Little Prince (1974) Charade (1963)

Damn Yankees! (1958)

The Pajama Game (1957) Funny Face (1957)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Singin’ In the Rain (1952) On the Town (1949)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Under African Skies

usa/souTh aFriCa 2012

SUNDAY MAY 20 6:30 PM

TUESDAY MAY 22 4:30 PM

Paul Simon’s seminal album Graceland sold millions of copies and popularized its melding of South African music and American pop. To celebrate its 25th anniversary, Simon returns to South Africa for both a reunion concert and a reckoning. Graceland united cultures via song, but its release was also fraught with controversy. By recording in South Africa, Simon broke the United Nations’ cultural boycott on travel to the country, designed to punish apartheid. Director Joe Berlinger partially structures the film as a conversation between Simon and Dali Tumbo, co-founder of Artists Against Apartheid, who, together for the first time, present two sides to the story. Berlinger mixes original recording session footage with stirring performances, chronicling the album from its turbulent birth through its enduring legacy. Key anti-apartheid figures and musicians, including David Byrne, Vampire Weekend, and Harry Belafonte, offer their perceptions of the album’s musical and political effect. Berlinger also gracefully touches on whether or not Simon exploited the South African musicians, such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo, who inspired and played on the record. Under African Skies is an anatomy of a significant artistic achievement and a reflection of the role of the artist in society.

Awards: SXSW 2012 (24 Beats Per Second Audience Award)

Unforgivable

FranCe/iTaly 2011

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Joe Berlinger

Producers: Joe Berlinger

Jon Kamen

Justin Wilkes

Cinematographer: Bob Richman

Editor: Joshua L. Pearson

Featuring: Paul Simon

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Hugh Masekela

Miriam Makeba

Ray Phiri

Running Time: 101 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

International Sales: Sony Music

Print Source: Radical Media

Film Website: paulsimon.com/us/ graceland25

Selected Filmography: The Girl on the Train (2009)

Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)

Crude (2009)

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster (2004)

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996) Brother’s Keeper (1992)

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 6:30 PM

THURSDAY MAY 24 3:30 PM

Fans of SIFF favorite André Téchiné (The Witnesses, The Girl on the Train) have a treat in store in Unforgivable. A well-known author of noir bestsellers whose wife has died under mysterious circumstances, Francis (André Dussollier) arrives in Venice seeking peace and quiet to write his next novel. When his real estate agent, Judith (Carole Bouquet), suggests a remote island hideaway, he tells her, “If we move in together, I’ll sign right away.” So begins their life as a couple. But what do they really know about each other? Suspicious and unable to concentrate, Francis hires a young ex-con to follow his new wife and find out what she does with her days. Meanwhile, his daughter arrives on the island, staying just long enough to deposit her own young daughter before she disappears with a local bad boy, an impoverished aristocrat (Andrea Pergolesi) with criminal tendencies. Suspense is in the air and secrets abound, especially when it comes to passions of the heart.

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Director: André Téchiné

Producer: Saïd Ben Saïd

Screenwriters: André Téchiné

Mehdi Ben Attia

Cinematographer: Julien Hirsch

Editor: Herve de Luze

Music:

Max Richter

Cast: André Dussollier

Carole Bouquet

Mélanie Thierry

Adriana Asti

Mauro Conte

Andrea Pergolesi

Running Time: 113 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: TF1 International

Print Source:

Strand Releasing

Selected Filmography:

The Witnesses (2007)

Changing Times (2004)

Strayed (2003)

Loin (2001)

Alice et Martin (1998)

Thieves (1996)

The Wild Reeds (1994)

My Favorite Season (1993)

I Don’t Kiss (1991)

Scene of the Crime (1986)

Rendez-vous (1985)

Matiouette (1983)

Hotel des Ameriques (1981)

Barocco (1976)

Souvenirs d’en France (1975)

Unit 7

sPain 2012

FRIDAY JUNE 8 9:15 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 3:30 PM

As Seville prepares for the 1992 International Expo, the four plainclothes cops of the elite “Unit 7” find themselves charged with an enormous task: cleanse the barrio streets of drug trafficking and prostitution. For squad leader Ángel, an ambitious young officer, his hopes for promotion to detective hinge upon achieving results. His partners include fast-talking Mateo, self-composed Miguel, and Rafael, the team’s arrogant yet brutally efficient enforcer. However, despite initial success, complications ensue during a routine raid when Ángel, wanting a piece of the action, discreetly slips a packet of cocaine under his belt. Soon, Unit 7’s increasingly amoral tactics involve coercion, excessive force, and evidence tampering. As the unit draws accolades from the media, Ángel’s temper grows more explosive. Meanwhile, Rafael unwisely falls for the beautiful but damaged Lucia, eventually leading the two comrades down conflicting paths. Drawing rave reviews in its native Spain, Unit 7 is an uncompromising, hard-hitting police drama, in which director Alberto Rodriguez forges a fascinating, character-driven thriller that also explores the innate conflicts between personal aspirations and professional camaraderie.

Valley of Saints

india/usa 2012

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Director:

Alberto Rodriguez

Producers: José Antonio Félez

Gervasio Iglesias

Screenwriters: Rafael Cobos

Alberto Rodriguez

Cinematographer: Alex Catalán

Editor: José M.G. Moyano

Music:

Julio de la Rosa

Cast: Mario Casas

Antonio de la Torre

Inma Cuesta

Running Time: 92 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Film Factory Entertainment

Print Source: Film Factory Entertainment

Selected Filmography: After (2009)

7 Virgins (2005)

The Suit (2002)

The Pilgrim Factor (2000)

FRIDAY MAY 18 9:00 PM

SATURDAY MAY 19 12:00 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 6:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

Valley of Saints opens with misty hillsides and trickling water, but tension draws the viewer into Musa Syeed’s world, where fiction and documentary seamlessly blend along the beautiful landscape of Kashmir’s Dal Lake. New actors Gulzar Bhat and Afzal Sofi (whose characters use their first names) play men caught in a collision of cultures. Gulzar is a boatman for whom one day of paddling tourists for meager wages quietly slips into the next. Fed up with poverty and conflict, Gulzar and Afzal plan to leave town. When those plans are thwarted by a crippling curfew, they check on a Kashmiri-American scientist Asifa (Neelofar Hamid), whose host has been stranded out of town. With his gentle manner, Gulzar helps Asifa research the lake’s polluted waters, and the two become close, revealing cracks in his friendship with Afzal. Dal Lake always remains the main character—people wash, gather food, and dump waste there, depending on it and destroying it at once. Somehow even garbage carelessly floating in the water becomes beautiful under Syeed’s creative direction. As the camera pans out to reveal the vastness of this area that “the saints have abandoned,” one wonders what its future holds.

Awards: Sundance Film Festival 2012 (Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Award, World Cinema Audience Award)

P RECEDED BY: Water Problem

India, 2011, 2 minutes, director: Students at the American India Foundation

This youth-made photo essay illustrates the challenges of getting fresh water in rural India. adobe Youth Voices

Director: Musa Syeed

Producer: Nicholas Bruckman

Screenwriter: Musa Syeed

Cinematographer: Yoni Brook

Editors: Musa Syeed

Mary Manhardt

Ray Hubley

Music:

Mubashir Mohi-ud-Din

Cast: Gulzar Ahmad Bhat

Mohammed Afzal Sofi

Neelofar Hamid

Running Time: 82 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in English and Kashmiri, with English subtitles

Print Source: People’s Television, Inc.

Film Website: valleyofsaints.com

Selected Filmography: 30 Mosques (2012)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

V/H/S

usa 2012

FRIDAY JUNE 1 MIDNIGHT

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

MONDAY JUNE 4 9:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

For those of you who miss the days when your local video rental outfit carried an eclectic selection of nasty, slightly dodgy horror flicks with dubious moral values, prepare for the ultimate analog video nightmare. When a group of petty criminals is hired by a mysterious party to retrieve a rare videocassette from a deserted house in the middle of nowhere, they soon realize the job isn’t going to be as easy as they believed. In the living room, a lifeless body holds court before a hub of old television sets, surrounded by stacks upon stacks of VHS tapes. As they search for the right one, they discover a seemingly endless number of horrifying videos—each stranger, darker, and more disturbing than the previous. Through this ingenious framing device, V/H/S unites six of the top horror filmmakers in a wickedly terrifying anthology film that sends audiences through a gauntlet of fear, shock, and suspense as it twists the found-footage genre to deliriously depraved depths.

Directors:

Adam Wingard

David Bruckner

Ti West

Glenn McQuaid

Joe Swanberg

Radio Silence

Producers: Roxanne Benjamin

Gary Binkow

Brad Miska

Screenwriters:

Simon Barrett

David Bruckner

Ti West

Glenn McQuaid

Radio Silence

Cinematographers:

Adam Wingard

Victoria K. Warren

Ti West

Glenn McQuaid

Radio Silence

Editors:

Ti West

Simon Barnett

David Bruckner

Radio Silence

Glenn McQuaid

Cast:

Joe Swanberg

Calvin Reeder

Adam Wingard

Sophia Takal

Kate Lyn Sheil

Running Times: 116 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Magnet Releasing

Film Website: magnetreleasing.com/vhs

Selected Filmography: Varied

Volcano

iCeland/denmarK 2011

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 6:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

FRIDAY MAY 25 3:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY MAY 30 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Retired janitor Hannes has led a simple but hardworking life. Nobody would call him enthusiastic or even very kind; his children remember affection being an annual event, like Christmas. After 37 years on the job, a future without the comfort of his janitorial routine looms large and heavy. After his wife Anna suffers a stroke and slips into a coma, his emotional world is turned upside down, forcing Hannes to summon long-repressed emotional resources to cope with the situation. Those around him are swept up in his tidal change, as their own unexpressed feelings rise. This feature directorial debut from Rúnar Rúnarsson is a delicately played, realistic reexamination of love through loss. Rúnarsson’s well-rounded characters infuse the film with life that feels both uniquely Icelandic and universal, showing how coming of age can happen at any age. Grainy 16mm stock and a soundtrack from Sigur Rós’ Kjartan Sveinsson give Volcano nostalgic warmth.

Awards:

Montreal Festival of New Cinema 2011 (Louvre d’Or, Best Feature Film in the International Selection)

Transilvania International Film Festival 2011 (Best Director)

São Paulo International Film Festival 2011 (Best Actor)

Starz Denver Film Festival 2011 (Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film)

Valladolid International Film Festival 2011 (Best Film)

Director: Rúnar Rúnarsson

Producers: Thor Sigurjonsson

Skuli Fr. Malmquist

Thomas Gammeltoft

Egil Dennerline

Screenwriter: Rúnar Rúnarsson

Cinematographer: Sophia Olsson

Editor: Jacob Schulsinger

Music: Kjartan Sveinsson

Cast: Theodór Júlíusson

Margrét Helga Jóhannsdóttir

Elma Lísa Gunnarsdóttir

Thorsteinn Bachmann

Running Time: 99 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Icelandic, with English subtitles

International Sales: Trust Nordisk

Print Source: Danish Film Institute

Film Website: trustnordisk.com/film/2011.

volcano

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

LA NouVELLE GuErrE dES BouToNS

War of the Buttons

France 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 3:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

WEDNESDAY MAY 23 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

This latest adaptation of Louis Pergaud’s 1912 novel is updated to a WWII setting, as two rival gangs of kids from different French villages engage in a merciless play war. Christophe Barratier (2004’s The Chorus) directs this classic children’s story in the better of two versions that were released almost simultaneously in France. Barratier places the action in 1944, drawing effective parallels between the central action and the larger real war. Lebrac (Jean Texier) is a wild child, in trouble with his teacher and angry with his father for not enlisting. As he woos the new girl, Violette, his gang fights an ongoing battle with the gang of the “Aztec” (Thomas Goldberg), using sticks, wooden swords, pots, pans, and kettles. In their small victories over each other, members of each gang cut buttons from their rivals’ shirts and pants. While playing, they witness Nazi activity outside their provincial town, which begins to creep into the children’s pantomime: the fake battles soon include prisoners of war, traitors, and sudden switches of allegiance. As for the adults in this funny and raucous tale, Guillaume Canet plays the kids’ teacher, and model/actress Laetitia Casta is Violette’s godmother Simone, for whom he holds a torch.

Sponsored by Clark Hodder and Elizabeth Davidson

We Are Legion: The Story of the Hacktivists

FRIDAY JUNE 1 9:00 PM

Director: Christophe Barratier

Producer: Thomas Langmann

Screenwriters: Christophe Barratier

Stephane Keller

Thomas Langmann

Philippe Lopes Curval

Cinematographer: Jean Poisson

Editors: Yves Deschamps

Anne-Sophie Bion

Music: Philippe Rombi

Cast: Kad Merad

Gérard Jugnot

Laetitia Casta

Guillaume Canet

Jean Texier

Thomas Goldberg

Running Time: 109 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Wild Bunch

Print Source: The Weinstein Company

Film Website: lanouvelleguerredesboutons-lefilm.fr

Selected Filmography: Faubourg 36 (2008)

The Chorus (2004)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 3 1:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 8:30 PM

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

This engrossing hacker history lesson follows a modern-day Weather Underground—the radical “hacktivists” known as Anonymous. Originating from the unruly and raucous online forum 4Chan, which gave birth to such Internet memes as LOLCats and Rickrolling, the members of Anonymous began using their online influence to redefine civil disobedience and create “the Internet’s first army.” With their collective power, they’ve staged virtual protests on racist talk show hosts, campaigned against anti-piracy policies, and launched “Operation Avenge Assange” against the major credit card companies for freezing out donations to Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks. Filmmaker Brian Knappenberger gains unprecedented access to the people behind the avatars (many of whom wear masks or use pseudonyms to retain their anonymous status), tracing the evolution of this group from merry pranksters into a movement of historic significance. In 2009, Anonymous helped organize a free-flowing path of information for those protesting the Iranian election; last year they staged a series of attacks on government websites in support of the Arab Spring protests. While some anarchistic hackers mock Anonymous for their activism, the group’s influence continues to grow, leading TIME magazine to declare Anonymous one of 2012’s most influential people in the world.

Director: Brian Knappenberger

Producer: Brian Knappenberger

Screenwriter: Brian Knappenberger

Cinematographer: Scott Sinkler

Editor: Andy Robertson

Music:

John Dragonnetti

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Luminant Media

Film Website: wearelegionthedocumentary.com

Selected Filmography: Life After War (2003) Into the Body (2001)

Welcome To Doe Bay

SUNDAY JUNE 3 9:15 PM

TUESDAY JUNE 5 9:30 PM

In its brief, four-year existence, this smallscale, thoughtfully curated music festival held at Doe Bay Resort on idyllic Orcas Island has had a huge spiritual impact on both attendees and performers. Programmer Kevin Sur applies the philosophical lessons he learned booking bands on the punk circuit in the early ’90s to the less abrasive, but equally independent-minded sounds of the Northwest’s thriving pop-folk and hip-hop scenes. Co-organizer Chad Clibborn and resort owner Joe Brotherton share Sur’s commitment to creating a live music experience that contrasts dramatically with large-scale, corporate-sponsored festivals; the result is a wholly unique “microfest” with an intimate, inspired vibe. Featuring commentary from local journalists and DJs, along with a who’s who of Seattle performers, including Sera Cahoone, Lemolo, the Maldives, Pickwick, Fly Moon Royalty, and recent breakout stars The Head and the Heart.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Directors:

Nesib CB Shamah

Dan Thornton

Producers:

Nesib CB Shamah

Sarah Crowe

Dan Thornton

Screenwriters:

Daniel Thornton

Jonathan Cunningham

James Allen Smith

Cinematographers:

Dan Thornton

Nesib CB Shamah

Ryan Enkema

Christian Hansen

Wailam Kwan

Nathan Miller

James Allen Smith

Hilary Harris

Mark Jones

Editor:

Amy Enser

Featuring:

Kevin Sur

Larry Mizell Jr.

Abbey Simmons

Heather Browne

Chad Clibborn

Joe Brotherton

Hannah Levin

Jonathan Cunningham

Damien Jurado

John Vanderslice

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format:

BluRay

Print Source:

Creative D Production

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Welcome to Pine Hill

usa 2012

SATURDAY JUNE 9 8:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 1:30 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Shannon Harper is a recently reformed drug dealer who spends his days sorting out other people’s problems in New York City as an insurance claims adjuster by day and a bouncer at night. After receiving a medical diagnosis that upends his world, Shannon begins to re-examine his past while simultaneously preparing for an uncertain future that takes him from the mean streets of Brooklyn to the verdant slopes of the Catskills Mountains. As the film opens, we’re introduced to Shannon (playing himself in his professional acting debut) as he disputes the ownership of a dog with a virtual stranger on a deserted street. Utilizing an effective blend of verité filmmaking and improvisation, first-time feature director Keith Miller creates a heightened sense of realism, blurring the line between fact and fiction and drawing the audience deeper into Shannon’s emotionally charged world. Welcome to Pine Hill is a quietly powerful statement about reconciliation and selfdiscovery, heralding the emergence of a vital new voice in American independent cinema.

Awards: Slamdance Film Festival 2012 (Jury Award, Best Feature Film)

Director: Keith Miller

Producer: Elisabeth Holm

Screenwriter: Keith Miller

Cinematographers: Alex Ramírez-Mallis

Lily Henderson

Begonia Colomar

Editor:

Keith Miller

Music:

Michael Rosen

Cast:

Shannon Harper

Ernest Bastien

Brian Ketover

Running Time: 80 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Esopus Creek Pictures

Film Website: welcometopinehill.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Wetlands

Canada (QuéBeC) 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 3:00 PM

SATURDAY MAY 19 6:00 PM

TUESDAY MAY 22 9:30 PM

Following a remarkable series of short films, director Guy Édoin makes a stunning feature debut with this haunting coming-of-age story about mourning, forgiveness, and sexual identity, filtered through the prism of a rocky mother-son relationship. Set on a dairy farm in Québec’s Eastern Townships, the film follows seventeen-year-old Simon (Gabriel Maillé), a sullen figure whose half-hearted contributions to his family’s nearly bankrupt farm sets him at odds with his hard working father (Luc Picard). As the situation worsens, it becomes apparent that Simon is still bearing the guilt from an earlier accident involving his younger brother. After an unforeseen turn of events forces Simon to work alongside his resentful mother (Pascale Bussières), his world is thrown into further turmoil when he accepts an offer of help from a local drifter (François Papineau), who ends up shifting the family’s already tenuous grasp on stability. Blending naturalism with arresting darts of melodrama, this beautifully shot film marks the emergence of a major new talent.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

HARVARD EXIT

HARVARD EXIT

Director: Guy Édoin

Producers: Luc Vandal

Félize Frappier

Screenwriter: Guy Édoin

Cinematographer: Serge Desrosiers

Editor: Mathieu Bouchard-Malo

Music:

Nathalie Boileau

Pierre Desrochers

Cast: Pascale Bussières

Gabriel Maillé

Luc Picard

François Papineau

Angèle Coutu

Denise Dubois

Running Time: 111 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Fortissimo Films

Print Source: Fortissimo Films

Film Website: marecages-lefilm.ca

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

White Camellias

usa 2012

world Premiere

THURSDAY JUNE 7 6:30 PM

SATURDAY JUNE 9 4:00 PM

HARVARD EXIT

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

“Cut away my shadow. Free me from the torment of seeing myself without fruit.”— Federico García Lorca. Annie (Cybill Shepherd) has planned the perfect dinner party, with bushels of white camellias, traditional paella, rhubarb galette, and just the right guests. She’s invited all of her most interesting friends from creative industries to mix cocktails and picked out the perfect musical accompaniment, hoping to impress her guest of honor: a lost former lover from her romantic past in Spain. Everything seems perfect as she starts to set the table and prepare the food, but then a series of small accidents and a cancellation threaten to escalate into a complete meltdown. The disasters set the tone for an evening that threatens to rend relationships and force her guests to confront their own unhappiness.

Punctuated by the poetry of Federico García Lorca, this film is a meditation on the connection between passion and creativity.

Director: Russell Brown

Producers: Russell Brown

Kerry Barden

Karuna Eberl

Screenwriter: Russell Brown

Cinematographer: Alexandre Naufel

Editors: Christopher Munch

Lucyna Wojciechowski

Cast:

Cybill Shepherd

David Burtka

Gia Carides

Peter Paige

David Franklin

Running Time: 80 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in English and Spanish, with English subtitles

Print Source: Russell Brown

Selected Filmography: The Blue Tooth Virgin (2008)

Race You to the Bottom (2005)

Wickie and the Treasure of the Gods

SUNDAY JUNE 3 1:00 PM

KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

FRIDAY JUNE 8 1:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 10 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Popular German children’s film director Christian Ditter (The Crocodiles) brings a riotously funny and swashbuckling sense of adventure to this Viking epic. Filming in playful 3D, the coming-of-age story follows inexperienced young Wickie, whose father Halvar wishes he would grow up and become a real Viking. After Wickie is embarrassed in the opening scene, he begins looking for any way to prove himself. When Halvar is kidnapped by Sven the Terrible, Wickie sees his chance, gathering a cast of comical Viking hoards in a rescue mission that eventually becomes a race with Sven for the magical Treasure of the Gods. Before the end, Wickie will have to out-think his comrades in a variety of hairy situations and may even develop a friendship with a mischievous young girl who seems to be set on making him look bad. Jumping effortlessly from sea-bound shenanigans and prison breaks to witty slapstick and action set pieces, Ditter ably weaves a tale that will ensure a smile across all family member’s cheeks. Dubbed with impressive synchronicity in English. Recommended for all ages (Contains comical violence and a few tense situations).

Awards:

Bavaria Film Prize 2011 (Best Children’s Film)

Director:

Christian Ditter

Producers: Christian Becker

Lena Schimann

Screenwriter: Christian Ditter

Cinematographer: Christian Rein

Editor:

Ueli Christen

Music: Ralf Wengenmayr

Cast:

Jonas Hämmerle

Waldemar Kobus

Valeria Eisenbart

Günther Kaufmann

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, dubbed in English

International Sales: Timeless Films UK

Print Source: Rat Pack Film Production

Film Website: timelessfilms.co.uk

Selected Filmography:

The Crocodiles Strike Back (2010)

The Crocodiles (2009)

French For Beginners (2006)

Wiebo’s War

Canada 2011

SATURDAY MAY 19 12:30 PM

HARVARD EXIT

THURSDAY MAY 24 6:00 PM SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

How far would you go to protect your family?

Twenty-five years ago, Wiebo Ludwig and Richard Boonstra moved their families to isolated northern Alberta, hoping to live in closer harmony with their Christian beliefs. To secure their seclusion, they built Trickle Creek Farm with their own hands, making certain that it would be completely self-sufficient. But unbeknownst to them, their farm sat atop one of the largest undeveloped fields of natural gas on the continent. When the energy companies began buying all the surrounding land in the 1990s, the Wiebo clan refused to sell. Now they’re surrounded by natural gas wells and its byproduct: sour natural gas. Wiebo claims this toxic gas, high in hydrogen sulfide, has caused severe contamination, polluting their water, killing their animals, and causing miscarriages and birth defects in the offspring of both the family and their livestock. When the gas company paid no attention to the family’s picketing and complaints, someone began sabotaging the gas wells. Weaving together family interviews, archival footage, and the farm’s own home movies, director David York asks us a compelling question: Is Wiebo Ludwig a charismatic cult leader and eco-terrorist, or simply a devoted Christian trying to protect his family?

Director: David York

Producers: Bonnie Thompson

Nick Hector

David York

Bryn Hughes

Screenwriter: David York

Cinematographer: Kirk Tougas

Editor: Nick Hector

Music: Jonathan Goldsmith

Running Time: 94 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: National Film Board of Canada

Film Website: weiboswar.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Winter Nomads

swiTzerland 2012

WEDNESDAY JUNE 6 6:00 PM

THURSDAY JUNE 7 4:00 PM

Manuel von Stürler concentrates his keen powers of observation on the yearly migratory trip, or “transhumance,” of 800 sheep led by two hardy humans, three stoic donkeys, and four excitable dogs (including an adorable puppy). Fifty-four-year-old Pascal, a veteran, and 28-year-old Carole, his apprentice, brave the elements for four months to fatten their troops for the season. Despite the snow clinging to their thick coats, the sheep seem happy, taking frequent breaks to graze on the grass they encounter on their journey. Whenever they stop for the night, Carole and Pascal set up a tent, build a fire, have a little drink, and create their own little community. The two are never lonely, since they meet people who ask questions, give advice, and provide them with hot meals and truffles— although there’s also the occasional injury and argument. To Pascal, their woolly companions are “all pretty” and the bellwethers even have names, so it comes as a surprise to find that some will not be returning. Owing to its European setting and communal atmosphere, Winter Nomads is surprisingly different from— if every bit as involving—as 2009’s Montanabased Sweetgrass, which also centered on two philosophical shepherds and their flock.

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Manuel von Stürler

Producers: Elisabeth Garbar

Heinz Dill

Screenwriters: Manuel von Stürler

Claude Muret

Cinematographer: Camille Cottagnoud

Editor: Karine Sudan

Music: Olivia Pedroli

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in French, with English subtitles

Print Source: Louise Productions

Film Website: hivernomade.ch/en

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Woman in the Fifth

uniTed KinGdom/FranCe 2011

FRIDAY MAY 18 9:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 21 4:00 PM

Ethan Hawke and Kristin Scott Thomas star in this mind-bending thriller of desire and deception, based on a novel by Douglas Kennedy and set in Paris’ 5th arrondissement. Pawel Pawlikowski (My Summer of Love) sets a brooding tone as troubled novelist Tom yearns to reconnect with his daughter, and enters a psychological dance with the mysterious Margit. Tom, unable to work following an unnamed scandal in the United States, returns to the City of Light to make amends with his ex-wife and six-year-old daughter and is rebuffed. His life continues a downward spiral as he’s robbed, then offered a sketchy job in exchange for room and board at a hotel. His fortunes change when he meets Margit, a stylish translator, at a literary gathering. Is she a muse or a femme fatale? Director Pawlikowski films the underbelly of Paris with a precision that makes the much-photographed city appear wholly new and never less than enticing—a vision perfectly aligned to a story that is as dark as it is disquietingly menacing.

Director: Pawel Pawlikowski

Producer: Tessa Ross

Screenwriters: Douglas Kennedy

Pawel Pawlikowski

Cinematographer: Ryszard Lenczewski

Editor: David Charap

Music:

Max de Wardener

Cast: Kristin Scott Thomas

Ethan Hawke

Samir Guesmi

Joanna Kulig

Running Time: 84 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in English and French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Memento Films

International

Print Source: ATO Pictures

Film Website: atopictures.com

Selected Filmography: My Summer of Love (2004)

Last Resort (2000)

HARVARD EXIT

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

The Woman in the Septic Tank

PhiliPPines 2011

TUESDAY MAY 22 8:30 PM RENTON IKEA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

TUESDAY JUNE 5 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

THURSDAY JUNE 7 8:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

A pair of ambitious independent filmmakers believe they’ve crafted the perfect festival bait: the tragic tale of Mila, a widow in such abject poverty that she must sell one of her seven children (or was it nine?) to a Western pedophile. Enthralled with the idea of their upcoming international fame and local notoriety, they constantly re-imagine their story with all kinds of twists—mostly based on how well they will play to audiences. Should they choose the older, well-known actress or the cute ingenue? Is it more shocking if the child is a boy or a girl? Would it be better as a gritty drama that blurs the lines between documentary and narrative, a soap-style melodrama, or even a musical? First-time director Marlon Rivera cleverly skewers the pretensions of the indie film industry at every step of the filmmaking process, from interviewing their prospective leading lady (Eugene Domingo, playing herself) to intense location scouting in Manila’s worst slums. Full of movie industry in-jokes, this wry meta-comedy was a huge hit in the Philippines, covering new and surprising ground, and raising some provocative questions about the creative process.

Awards:

Vancouver International Film Festival 2011 Nominee (Dragons and Tigers Award)

Asian Film Awards 2012 Nominee (Best Actress, Screenwriter)

Director:

Marlon Rivera

Producer:

Chris Martinez

Marlon Rivera

Josabeth Alonso

JV Tence

Screenwriter:

Chris Martinez

Cinematographer:

Larry Manda

Editor:

Ike Veneracion

Music:

Vincent de Jesus

Cast: Eugene Domingo

JM de Guzman

Cai Cortez

Running Time: 87 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCam, in Filipino, with English subtitles

Print Source: Quantum Films

Film Website: angbabaesaseptictank.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Jian

The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake

honG KonG 2011

THURSDAY MAY 24 9:30 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

THURSDAY MAY 31 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 3 8:00 PM KIRKLAND PERFORMANCE CENTER

In 1911, after a decade of revolution, China’s imperial Qing Dynasty fell. One of the most amazing figures to emerge out of this struggle was Qiu Jin: a poet, revolutionary, and early feminist whose unconventional life unfolds in The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake. Born in the city of Xiamen, Qiu Jin displays a willful intensity at an early age when she rejects the customs of her time by refusing to have her feet bound. Following an arranged marriage, she begins to practice martial arts and write poetry before abandoning her family and philandering husband to study in Japan, where her revolutionary fervor fully emerges. But on her return to China, Qiu Jin’s exploits become legendary. She joins the underground criminal organization known as the Triads, becomes a leading figure in the Xinhai Revolution, and fulminates the Anqing Uprising. Employing a flashback structure, director Herman Yau fashions an exciting, action-packed biopic, alternating seamlessly between the quieter, more thoughtful moments of Qiu Jin’s life and intense battlefield scenes filled with martialarts action to create an exhilarating film that burns with the fires of revolution.

Director: Herman Yau

Producer: Kwok Lam Sin

Screenwriter: Erica Lee

Cinematographer: Kwong-hung CHan

Editor: Wai Chin Chung

Music: Chung Hung Mak

Cast: Huang Yi

Kevin Chang

Pat Ha

Suet Lam

Yu-Hang To

Anthony Wong Chau-Sang

Running Time: 115 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Cantonese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Mei Ah Entertainment

Print Source: FUNimation Entertainment

Film Website: funimation.com/ the-woman-knight-ofmirror-lake

Selected Filmography:

The Legend is Born: Ip Man (2010)

Turning Point (2009)

Cocktail (2006)

Old Master Q (2001)

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines

usa 2012

SATURDAY MAY 26 3:30 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 4:00 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 6:00 PM

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

HARVARD EXIT

arru G a S Wrinkles

sPain 2011

FRIDAY MAY 25 11:00 AM

SUNDAY MAY 27 5:30 PM

MONDAY MAY 28 12:00 PM

More than a comic book character, Wonder Woman is a cultural icon that ignited the creation of a generation of strong female characters––the Bionic Woman, Sarah Connor, Buffy the Vampire Slayer––and who remains a role model for young women all over the world. Created in the 1940s by eccentric psychologist and inventor William Moulton Marsten (who had a proclivity for putting his creation in “tight” situations), Wonder Woman quickly became an equal in the male-dominated superhero world, and was an immediate hit with women who were entering the wartime workforce. While her character went through many frustrating changes over the decades, she was adopted by the Women’s Movement and graced the cover of the first issue of Ms., paving the way for Lynda Carter’s embodiment of the character on 1970s television. Director Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s energetic documentary is an enlightening chronicle of the impact of Wonder Woman. In interviews with admirers as diverse as Gloria Steinem, fourth grade fan Katie Pineda, and the women behind Seattle’s own Reel Grrls and GeekGirlCon, each share their personal tales of how the Warrior Princess of the Amazon inspired them to become real-life superheroines.

P RECEDED BY: Still Playing USA 2012, 6 minutes, Director: Dacia Saenz World Premiere Players at the Seattle Pinball Museum unveil their passion for this American pastime.

Girls Can Do Anything

USA 2012, 4 minutes, Directors: Deanna Garcia, Cecilia Sit Discover the lessons learned by a group of middle school girls on their trip to the New York Stock Exchange. adobe Youth Voices

Director: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan

Producer: Kelcey Edwards

Cinematographer: Gabriel Miller

Editors: Melanie Levy

Carla Gutierrez

Music: Jimmy LaValle

Featuring: Lynda Carter

Lindsay Wagner

Gloria Steinem

Kathleen Hanna

Jen Stuller

Running Time: 62 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Vaquera Films

Film Website: wonderwomendoc.com

Selected Filmography: Going on 13 (2008)

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

If animated films are still most commonly associated with children’s fare, the balance shifts decisively to the other end of life in this remarkably dignified film about aging, based on the acclaimed comic by Spanish National Comic prizewinner, Paco Roca. Increasingly lost in his own memories, Emilio become a growing burden to his son and soon finds himself adrift in the new world of a “facilitated care unit”—an old folk’s home. His roommate, the fast-talking Miguel, daily transforms their stark landscape into one of magic surrealism, and Emilio is introduced to a fantastical cast of fellow lifetravelers on one last great journey. Buoyed by their friendship and camaraderie, Emilio’s memories nonetheless continue to overtake his reality, increasing his fears of being sent to the upper floor for those “beyond recovery.” With the help of Miguel and fellow cohort Antonia, Emilio is transported on an adventure of calculated resistance, deep friendship, and unexpected comedy.

Awards:

Goya 2012 (Best Adapted Screenplay, Animated Film)

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

Director: Ignacio Ferreras

Producer: Manuel Cristóbal

Screenwriters: Ignacio Ferreras

Paco Roca, based on his comic

Cinematographer: David Cubero

Editor: Ignacio Ferreras

Music: Nani Garcia

Voices of: Álvaro Guevara Tacho González

Mabel Rivera

Running Time: 89 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: 6 Sales

Print Source: 6 Sales

Film Website: arrugaslapelicula.com/en

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Wuthering Heights

uniTed KinGdom 2011

FRIDAY JUNE 8 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 9 2:30 PM HARVARD

Ever since winning the Academy Award® for her short film, Wasp, Andrea Arnold has proven to be one of contemporary cinema’s most extraordinary talents; now she turns her singular vision to one of the great classics of English literature. Upon returning from Liverpool to his estate, Wuthering Heights, Mr. Earnshaw brings home a biracial homeless boy, who he has named Heathcliff. The new boy’s presence is immediately divisive: Hindley, Earnshaw’s teenaged son and heir, endlessly bullies him, while Earnshaw’s daughter, Catherine, develops a curious yet dark and obsessive relationship with Heathcliff as they play and grow up together on the Yorkshire moors. However, when Mr. Earnshaw dies, years of tensions between Heathcliff and his stepsiblings snap. Hindley banishes Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, while Catherine finds herself courted by Edgar, the son of the family’s wealthy neighbor. Torn between passion and reason, Catherine’s decision sets in motion a powerful tempest that threatens two generations of her family. Stripping Brontë’s gothic romance to its barest, most primal elements, Arnold fashions a powerful and poetic adaptation that not only reinvigorates the period costume drama but also reimagines the novel for modern audiences.

Awards: Venice Film Festival 2011 (Technical Achievement in Cinematography))

Director:

Andrea Arnold

Producers:

Robert Bernstein

Douglas Rae

Kevin Loader

Screenwriters:

Andrea Arnold

Olivia Hetreed

Cinematographer: Robbie Ryan

Editor:

Nicolas Chaudeurge

Cast:

Kayla Scodelario

Nichola Burley

Oliver Milburn

James Howson

Shannon Beer

Steve Evets

Running Time: 128 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: HanWay Films

Print Source: Oscilloscope Laboratories

Selected Filmography: Fish Tank (2009) Red Road (2006)

Xingu

Brazil 2011

MONDAY MAY 28 2:30 PM

SUNDAY JUNE 3 3:00 PM

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SIFF CINEMA UPTOWN

SUNDAY JUNE 10 5:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Employing breathtaking landscapes, rarely seen locations, and sumptuous cinematography, Cao Hamburger’s Xingu recounts the epic saga of three brothers’ 18-year quest to create Brazil’s first indigenous-only national park. In 1943, Orlando, Claudio, and Leonardo Villa-Lobos enter the Upper Xingu rainforest on an expedition to build roads and airfields in “unoccupied” Central Brazil. When they encounter the local Xingu tribe, tensions are overcome by mutual curiosity, and they soon befriend the natives. After a catastrophe reveals the fragility of the Indian populace, the brothers decide to attempt an impossible feat: to continue to expand Brazil’s growing infrastructure while simultaneously protecting the tribes from this invasion of their land. Claudio struggles to unite the tribes, while Orlando becomes the public voice of their mission, using politicians and the media to aid their cause. As pressures mount, the campaign pits brother against brother, and each is forced to choose between their personal happiness and their crusade. Through the cooperation of native tribes, Hamburger and cinematographer Adriano Goldman use their unprecedented access to capture the wondrous scope of the Xingu forest, while João Miguel delivers an arresting performance as Claudio, the middle brother whose passion for a people nearly costs him everything.

Director: Cao Hamburger

Producers: Fernando Meirelles

Andrea Barata Ribiero

Bel Berlinck

Screenwriter: Elena Soarez

Cao Hamburger

Anna Maylaert

Cinematographer: Adriano Goldman

Editor:

Gustavo Giani

Music: Beto Villares

Cast: João Miguel

Felipe Camargo

Caio Blat

Maria Flor

Maiarim Kaiabi

Running Time: 102 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Portuguese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Rezo

Print Source: Rezo

Film Website: xinguofilme.com/br

Selected Filmography: The Year My Parents Went on Vacation (2006)

Castle Ra-Tim-Bum (1999)

sPain 2012

FRIDAY MAY 25 6:30 PM

SATURDAY MAY 26 4:00 PM

SUNDAY MAY 27 3:30 PM

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

EVERETT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Year of Grace, much like life itself, is a comedy that’s sometimes tragic but ultimately a highly entertaining—in the holiest way— story of hope for all of us who make mistakes and persevere long enough to try and fix them. David is 18 years old and newly arrived in Barcelona in search of an opportunity. It’s a familiar scene of youth venturing out into the world, unhindered by baggage, motivated with hopes of wild sex, partying and finally becoming an artist. What makes this different from most scenes is that David-as-youth is much more complicated than what is usually portrayed in film. Arranged through a school program, David stays with Grácia, the Archie-Bunker/Melvin-Udall monster of a woman who seems unsalvageable. And like her nasty counterparts, Grácia is funny enough to spare us in the pews from having a panic attack. Their coexistence becomes, from the start, explosive. Will they realize in time that they need each other? One of the great stars of Spanish cinema, Rosa Maria Sarda, is featured alongside rising star Oriol Pla in this sharply observed comedy by one of Spain’s bestloved auteurs, a keen and ever-surprising tale of desire looking for news forms of expression. The soundtrack is a veritable catalog of the best in new Catalan pop: Mazoni, Sanjosex, El petit de cal eril, Èric Vinaixa, Illa Carolina…

Director:

Ventura Pons

Producer:

Ventura Pons

Screenwriter:

Carme Morellis

Cinematographer: Sergi Gallardo

Editor:

Marc Matons

Music: San Josex

Mishima

Manel

Manzoni

Cast: Rosa María Sardà

Oriol Pla

Santi Millan

Amparo Moreno

Diana Gomez

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: DCP, in Catalan, with English subtitles

International Sales: Latido Films

Print Source: Latido Films

Film Website: venturapons.com

Selected Filmography: A Thousand Fools (2010)

Adrift (2009)

Strangers (2008)

Barcelona, A Map (2007)

Life on the Edge (2006)

Wounded Animals (2005)

Idiot Love (2004)

The great Gato (2002)

Food of Love (2001)

Anita takes a chance (2000)

To die (Or not) (1999)

Beloved/Friend (1998)

Caresses (1997)

Actresses (1996)

What It›s All About (1994)

Rosita, Please! (1993)

Tonight or Never (1991)

What’s Your Bet, Mari Pili? (1990)

Damned Misery! (1989)

The Blonde at the Bar (1986)

The Vicary of Olot (1981)

Ocaña, an intermittent portrait (1978)

Your Sister’s Sister

THURSDAY MAY 17 7:00 PM

Hometown heroine Lynn Shelton triumphantly returns with her fourth feature and the follow-up to the SIFF 2009 favorite Humpday with this engaging, humor-infused relationship drama, shot entirely in the Northwest. Your Sister’s Sister marks the first time in the history of SIFF that work by a Seattlebased filmmaker has opened the festival. A year after his brother’s death, Jack (Mark Duplass) is alternately emotionally wobbly and outright volatile. When he makes a scene at a memorial party, good friend Iris (Emily Blunt) arranges for Mark to take a solitary retreat at her father’s cabin on a Puget Sound island, theorizing this isolation will offer closure and spiritual relief. When he arrives at the cabin, however, he finds not solitude but Iris’ sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), herself nursing a wounded heart and a bottle of tequila. After several shots and some slurred commiseration, romantic complications unfurl, growing in complexity when Iris arrives at the cabin unannounced the next morning. Shelton’s maturation as a filmmaker is on full display here; the stellar cast excels under her signature method of marrying improvisation and scripted dialog, resulting in a pitch-perfect comedy of errors. Though ripe for lovetriangle trappings, Your Sister’s Sister offers an uncontrived navigation of romantic rivalry and sibling relationships, rendered with equal parts pathos, humor, and intelligence.

Director: Lynn Shelton

Producer: Steven Schardt

Screenwriter: Lynn Shelton

Cinematographer: Benjamin Kasulke

Editor: Nat Sanders

Music: Vinny Smith

Cast: Emily Blunt

Rosemarie DeWitt

Mark Duplass

Mike Birbiglia

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Submarine Entertainment

Print Source: Sundance Selects

Selected Filmography: Humpday (2009) My Effortless Brilliance(2008) We Go Way Back(2006)

MCCAW HALL

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Carl Spence MANAGING DIRECTOR Deborah Person

FESTIVAL FOUNDERS Darryl Macdonald and Dan Ireland

PROGRAMMING

Director of Programming

Beth Barrett

Programming Coordinator

Sarah Loritz

SIFF Cinema Programmer

Clinton McClung

Programmers

Angelo Acerbi

Maryna Ajaja

Justine Barda

Keith Bacon

Beth Barrett

Clare Canzoneri

Marco Collins

Dan Doody

Ruth Hayler

Vicci Ho

Dustin Kaspar

Sarah Loritz

Clinton McClung

Dale Nash

Stan Shields

Carl Spence

Andy Spletzer

Brad Wilke

Programming Interns

Eddy Dughi

Megan Leonard

Timothée Salze-Lozac’h

Neve Voynar-Allen

SIFF Cinema Intern

Maria Rodriguez Abad

EDUCATION AND FORUMS

Educational Programs Manager

Dustin Kaspar

Film Center Education Coordinator

Arianne Garden Vázquez

Youth Jury/FutureWave Committee Coordinator

Sarah Haskell

Fly Films Producer

Virginia Bogert

GUEST RELATIONS

Guest Relations Manager

Rhonda Sable

Guest Relations Coordinator

Amy Poisson

Guest Relations Travel Coordinator

Christina Bruce

Guest Suite Coordinator

Lauren Brazell

Guest Relations Interns

Lisa Fortina

Kat Hazelton

Sidney Hunt

Cynthia Jonas

Heather Lucas

Amelia Pernell

Nathania tenWolde

Rachel Wells

Terri Wilkerson

DEVELOPMENT AND INDIVIDUAL GIVING

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Nancy Kennedy

Director of Individual Giving

Renee O’Donnell

Corporate Sponsorship Manager

Elliott May

Community Relations Officer

Tom Kozaczynski

Development Coordinator

Phoebe Hopkins

Special Events Manager

Joice Barnard

Special Events Coordinator

Beth Varner

Platinum Plus Concierge

Serena Evers

Development Interns

Natalie Chhim

Individual Giving and Membership

Intern

Leslie Kelly

Festival Special Events Assistant

Ben McCarthy

Special Events Intern

Elisa Young

Development Consulting

Grants: Liza Comtois

Special Events: Facility, Inc.

Executive Intern

Zaira Arredondo

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Interim Director of Marketing

Jason Dittmer

Marketing Manager

Steve Brown

Marketing Coordinator

Donna Pluta

Outreach Assistant

Naomi Salinas-Burton

Marketing Interns

Kresna Adhi Dharma

Allason Leitz

Nathan Makan

Taylor Shown

Alexander Tsway

Lauren Wands

Public Relations Manager

Cheryl Valdez

Publicists

Jessica Burns

Justin Kanton

Publicity Interns

Alyssa Buck

Lauren Hillman

Megan Elizabeth Wescott

Publications Design Manager

Steve Meyer

Publications Editor

Randy Woods

Assistant Publications

Editors

Hannah Levin

Rachel Shimp

Editorial Intern

Matt Auerbach

Writers

Maryna Ajaja

Justine Barda

Beth Barrett

Brian Buttleman

Clare Canzoneri

Dan Doody

Eddy Dughi

Kathy Fennessy

Dustin Kaspar

Ma’chell Duma Lavassar

Hannah Levin

Heather Logue

Sarah Loritz

Clinton McClung

Charles Redell

Stan Shields

Rachel Shimp

Carl Spence

Andy Spletzer

Gerald Wandler

Brad Wilke

Randy Woods

Andrew Wright

Photo Editor

Les Sterling

OPERATIONS

Director of Operations

Jodie Levey

General Manager of Theater Operations

Holden Payne

Information Systems Manager

Kristine Towne

Volunteer/HR Coordinator

Lisa Brown

Box Office Manager

Natasha Hoover

Assistant Box Office Manager

Tammy Williams

Box Office Leads

Zaire Arredondo

Caitlin Dundon

Chris Hernandez

Monica Hinckley

Leslie Kelly

Eric Morgret

Mimi Noyes

Fedra Pacheco

Kellie Payne

Brian Peterson

Dawn Roscoe

Katie Thorn

Marie Vlahos

Michael Zeigler

Box Office Ticketeers

Elizabeth Atly

Jordan Barber

Michael Bradley

Brianna Bulger

Sarah Catalina

Hamish Chappell

Disco Davey

Mark Finley

Sophie Froyland

Leah Gold

Brendan Griffin

Ryan Hicks

Hatfield “Hatty” Koerner

Victoria Liss

Sophie Ngeth

Trevor Pogue

Elizabeth Purdy

Tony Radovich

Krishanu Ray

Chelsea P. Rowe

David Shimek

Becky Sikes

Eric Sorlien

Ilysia Van Deren

Morgan Wade

Etta Wind

Christopher Zeigler

Venue Operations Manager

Dana Feder

Venue Managers

Jesse Delisle

Cody Fenton-Robertson

Hannah Levin

Peter Lowe

Christa Lynn Luckenbach

Sian Melton

Latesha Miller

Natasha Mulholland

Sarah Pawlowski

Rachel Shimp

Sarah Simonds

Betty Tweedy

House Coordinators

Spencer Bollen

Megan Campbell

Marie Cermak

Kevin Fansler

Johnathon Fitzpatrick

James Griffin

Sue Gonzales

Jenn Hanson

Alex Hudson

Janine Kowack

Jessi McFarland

Valerie Mudra

Jan Ng

Shawn Nicholson

Micah Phillips

Amanda Robinson

Paula Royalty

Leslie Saber

Mariam Sergenian

Daniel Strommen

Jason Thompson

Jessica Tracey

Louise Williamson

Financial Manager

Catherine Muth

Print Traffic Managers

Josh Dixon

SIFF Cinema Manager

Jody Cole

SIFF Cinema Leads

Zaira Arredondo

Dan Doody

Chris Hernandez

Dan Hudson

Mimi Noyes

Katie Thorn

Lauren Wilson

SIFF Cinema Projectionists

Mark Allender

Nich Collechi

Larry Price

Aaron Ridenour

Jim Tuohey

SIFF Cinema Staff

Frank Cardoza

David Corry

Dave Felthous

Josephine Jardine

Leslie Kelly

Sophie Ngeth

Andrew Niece

Trevor Pogue

Jeff Royer

Greg Salvatore

Susan Segalla

Samantha Stewart

Front Desk Volunteers

Amanda Erven

David Corry

Eddy Dughi

Eric Morgret

Eric Sorlien

Jeff Cavanaugh

Kristina Hjertberg

Leslie Kelly

Morgan Wade

Sophie Froyland

ADVERTISING AGENCY

Wong Doody Crandall

Weiner

PUBLISHING SERVICES

Encore Media Group Publishing Services

Paul Heppner

Ana Alvira

Kristi Atwood

Deborah Choat

Robin Kessler

Jana Rekosh

Susan Peterson

Jonathan Shipley

David Turnbull

Video Quality Officer

Production Manager

Production Interns

Maria Manness

Encore Media Group

Advertising Sales

Ann Manning

Marty Griswold

Mike Hathaway

Sherri Jarvey

Lenore Waldron

Denise Wong

Karina Mackow

Mandy Hubbard

INDIVIDUAL TICKET PRICES

$11 Regular screenings and panels, except where noted (SIFF Members $9, with membership card)

$10 Seniors, 62 and older with valid ID. Advance purchase only.

$8 Matinee screenings (1st show of the day before 5:30PM, except where noted. SIFF Members $7, with membership card)

$6 Films4Families (SIFF Members $5, with membership card) weekend matinees only

$6 Students with valid ID can purchase regular screening (or lesser value) discounted tickets at all SIFF venues, day of show only.

$5 Teen Tix members can purchase regular screening (or lesser value) discounted tickets at all SIFF venues, day of show only.

IMAX Presentation at Pacific Science Center: $15 (SIFF Members $13, with membership card) June 4 at 11:45PM, June 6 at 7:15PM

SPECIAL TICKETS AND PACKAGES

Cinematic Six-Pack: $57 (SIFF Members $51, with membership card) Includes admission for six regular screenings priced $11 or less, depending on individual ticket availability. There is a two-ticket limit per film.

Film Buff 20 Pack: $180 (SIFF Members $160, with membership card). Includes admission for twenty regular screenings priced $11 or less, depending on individual ticket availability. There is a two-ticket limit per film.

Student and Senior Reel Deals: $35 Includes admission to any five films priced $11 or less, depending on availability, and limited to one ticket per film. Available to all students and seniors (62 and older) with valid ID.

Gift Certificates: Available in $10, $25 and $50 denominations. Gift certificates are good for merchandise and tickets, and may be redeemed at the SIFF office, the Festival Box Office, or at any SIFF venue.

SPECIAL EVENTS

2012 Opening Night Gala: Your Sister’s Sister — $50 (SIFF Members $45, with membership card) for both the film and Gala, and includes hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and two complimentary cocktails. Premium tickets are $100 (SIFF Members $90, with membership card) with benefits including an open bar at the post-film reception and preferred entry into the Gala screening. Red Carpet Experience tickets are $225 and include pre-reception, reserved seating, exclusive afterparty access, parking, and gift bag. May 17, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall.

Centerpiece Gala: The Chef — $25 film and party (SIFF Members $23, advance) $15 for film only (SIFF Members $13, advance). June 2, Egyptian Theater. After the screening, there will be a party at DAR Hall on Capitol Hill.

Closing Night Gala: Grassroots—$40 (SIFF Members $35, with membership card) for the film and Gala, and includes live music, hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and two complimentary cocktails. Premium tickets are $80 (SIFF Members $70, with membership card) with benefits including an open bar at the post-film reception and preferred entry into the Gala screening. June 10, SIFF Cinema Uptown. A party will follow the screening at Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Gay-la: Gayby $25 film at Egyptian Theatre followed by a party (SIFF Members $23, with membership card) $11 film only (SIFF Members $9, with membership card. June 6, 7:00PM.

Saturday Night Party: Robot and Frank—$25 film and party (SIFF Members $23, with membership card) $11 film only (SIFF Members $9, with membership card). May 19, 7:00PM, Pacific Place Cinemas, followed by a party at Il Fornaio

Saturday Night Party: As Luck Would Have It—$25 film and party (SIFF Members $23, with membership card) $11 for film only (SIFF Members $9, with membership card). May 26, 6:30PM, film at SIFF Cinema Uptown, with a party following shortly after.

Renton Opening Night: Fat Kid Rules the World $25 (SIFF Members $23, with membership card), May 18, 7:00PM, Pavilion Building and Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center.

Everett Opening Night: Lola Versus—$25 (SIFF Members $23, with membership card) May 24, 7:00PM, Everett Performing Arts Center.

Kirkland Opening Night: Starbuck—$25 film and pre-film reception (SIFF Members $23, advance) $11 for film only (SIFF Members $9, with membership card), May 31, 8:00PM, Kirkland Performance Center, preceded by party at 6:30PM.

An Evening with Sissy Spacek: $40 (SIFF members, $35, with membership card), June 7, 7:00PM, SIFF Cinema Uptown.

An Evening with William Friedkin: $40 (SIFF members, $35, with membership card), June 9, 7:00PM, Egyptian Theatre.

Special Tribute Dinner with Sissy Spacek and William Friedkin: $250, special admission, June 8, 7:00PM, Pravda Studios.

Face the Music Live Event: Emerald City Visions (A Hip Hop Reinterpretation of The Wiz)—$15 in advance (SIFF members, $13, with membership card), $20 at door, no discounts. June 1, 7:00PM & 9:30PM, Triple Door.

PASSES

A generous number of seats are reserved for passholders at every screening. While a pass, with the exception of “Platinum,” “Gala,” and “Ultimate Party Pass,” does not guarantee seating, passholders are allowed priority entry up to 30 minutes before showtime or until the passholder seat allotment is reached. Passholders are strongly encouraged to arrive 30 minutes before showtime. All passes are strictly non-transferable, and a photo ID may be required. Passes may be picked up at the Pacific Place Box Office or SIFF Main Office.

Platinum Pass: $1,825 (SIFF Members $1,600). Includes guaranteed seating to all Festival screenings (with the exception of Secret Festival), all Gala screenings and receptions, the Festival Forums, press screenings, reserved seating at the Opening and Closing Night Galas, and an invitation for the passholder and guest to a private Festival reception. Quantities are limited.

Platinum Plus Pass: $2,850 (SIFF Members $2,350). Includes all the benefits of the Platinum Pass, plus reserved seating for all screenings and concierge service during the Festival.

Full Series Pass: $875 (SIFF Members $775) Includes admissions to all regular Festival screenings and press screenings (excluding Galas, Secret Festival, and special events). Seating is not guaranteed. This pass requires a photo.

Weekly Pass: $325 (SIFF Members $275) Includes admission to all public screenings for the specified week (excludes Gala screenings, special events, press screenings, and the Secret Festival)

SIFF Gala Pass: $175 (SIFF Members $150) Includes admissions to the SIFF Opening Night, Closing Night, and Centerpiece Gala screenings and receptions. Includes Premium Opening and Closing Night benefits, including open bar at the post-film reception and preferred entry into the Gala screening.

Ultimate Party Pass: $230 (SIFF Members $205) Includes all the benefits of the Gala Pass plus admission to Saturday Night Galas (May 19 and May 26) and Gay-La (June 6). This pass features premium benefits at these six events (open bar at the post-film receptions and preferred entry into the associated film screenings).

ShortsFest Weekend Pass: $100 (SIFF Members $75) Includes admission to all ShortsFest weekend screenings.

Secret Festival Pass: $45 (SIFF Members $43) Includes admission to the four 2012 Secret Festival Sunday morning screenings. Each passholder is required to sign the Oath of Silence promising not to disclose any information about the films shown in the series. Film titles are not announced. Admission to Secret Festival screenings is by membership only. No individual tickets sold.

Renton Pass: $100 (SIFF Members $75). Includes admission to all festival screenings at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center, May 18–24

Everett Pass: $100 (SIFF Members $75). Includes admission to all festival screenings at the Everett Performing Arts Center, May 24–31

Kirkland Pass: $125 (SIFF Members $100). Includes admission to all festival screenings at the Kirkland Performance Center, May 31–June 10

BECOME A SIFF MEMBER

Your membership enables SIFF to expand cinema through education programs, host filmmakers from around the world at SIFF and SIFF Cinema, provide community access to new and established filmmakers, and sustain the country’s largest film festival. SIFF Members receive deep discounts on Festival passes and ticket packages, invitations to free screenings, and much more. Please visit www.siff.net to become a SIFF Member today. For more information, visit siff.net.

SIFF BOX OFFICE

Purchase tickets online: siff.net

Main Box Office: Pacific Place, 600 Pine Street, second level

SIFF Office: 305 Harrison Street (in the Northwest Rooms, formerly the Alki Room, just to the south of the Seattle Repertory Theater and next to the Vera Project)

Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11:00am – 7:00PM, Sundays and Memorial Day, Noon – 6:00PM.

The Main Box Office and SIFF Office can process passes, ticket packages, and single ticket orders.

Purchase tickets by phone: 206.324.9996

How to Buy Tickets Tickets to any screening or theater may be purchased online, by phone, or at any Festival box office up to 30 minutes before showtime, subject to availability. Thirty minutes prior to showtime, tickets must be purchased at the specific venue for that film or event. Venue box offices open 30 minutes before the first screening of the day and close 15 minutes after the last screening of the day begins. Seating is only guaranteed until 10 minutes prior to screening. No late seating.

Standby Tickets When advance tickets are no longer available, in most cases a limited number of standby tickets become available at the door five to ten minutes prior to the screening. Standby tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on how many seats are available. Cash preferred, full price, no discounts, including membership.

THE NOT-SO-FINE PRINT

All programs are subject to change without notice. No refunds or exchanges are given, except in the case of program cancellations.

Each film is shown in its original language with English subtitles, unless otherwise noted.

Please leave babies with the sitter and, with exception of the Films4Families series, no children under 6 years old. Films are unrated and may not be suitable for ages 16 and under, unless otherwise noted. Parental discretion is advised.

Film length does not include introductions or Q&A sessions following the screening.

All audience members must leave the theater following each screening. Leaving belongings and saving seats between shows is not allowed.

Cameras, camera phones, and recording devices are not permitted in the theater. Please silence all cellular phones, pagers, and watches when in the theater.

Due to piracy prevention efforts by our film suppliers, you or your personal property may be subject to a physical search upon entrance to Festival venues. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and a fine of $150,000.

By receiving admission, you grant SIFF the right to photograph or record you and use the photo or recording in any way.

SIFF reserves the right to refuse service.

For the Festival schedule, film descriptions and ways to get involved year-round, visit siff.net

thank You to all of last year’s volunteers (listed below). Last year, 857 volunteers completed 14,482 hours of hard work. We also wish to thank the hundreds of dedicated volunteers that will help make SIFF 2012 a success!

Krystal Abbott

Roldy Ablao II

Jeffrey Abplanalp

Shirley Abreu

Joyce Agee

Marie Agnese

Ben Ahrens

Marc Ahrens

Annmarie Aidoo

Andy Akada

Eric Aker

Adrian Alarilla

Dinah Aldrich

Christopher Alfino

Calvin Allan

Hilda Allum

John Alton

Carli Anderson

Christy Anderson

Lyla Anderson

Stefeny Anderson

Trygve Anderson

Pj Andrews

Megumi Arai

Austin Arias

Zainal Arifin

Susan Armstrong

Brandon Arnold

Catherine Arnold

Wendy Ashford

Hiromi Ashlock

Michelle Atkins

Jordan Augustine

Emily Ausema

Michael Ayzenberg

Alfredo B

Jiye Bae

Ruth Bagge

Robert Bahlkow

Cynthia Baker

Jean Baker

Mary Baker

Edward Balderama

Dakyung Ban

Asami Bandai

Hillary Banks

Eliot Barash

Evann Barbeyto

Sigita Baronaite

Laila Barr

Michaele Barrera

Carla Barrick

Lori Barsness

Jonda Barton

Aniruddha Barua

Scot Bastian

Charles Bazal

Laura Becker

Kevin Beder

Cassie Bee

Robert Beets

Julie Beffa

Peter Beinhardt

Nico Beland

Pina Belgrano

Peg Benson

Bisrat Berhe

Charlotte Bertsch

Tom Bertucci

Meishan Bettendorf

George Beykovsky

Ali Bilow

Leela Bilow

Emily Bingham

Marty Bisch

Stuart Blum

Rick Bodlaender

Gisela Boehnisch

Breanne Boland

Angela Bolender

Matthew Bollen

Richard Bollinger

Raymond Bomberry

Tsara Borsting

Kevin Bosshart

Maxwell Bourasaw

Henrik Brameus

Lauren Brazell

Samantha Breling

Eileen Brennan

Sydne Brewer

Jill Briggs

Jasen Britcher

Curtis Brooks

Lauren Broudy

Anna Brown

Lisa Brown

Susan Brumfield

Elizabeth Bruning

Cassie Bryan

Angela Buck

Ena Bulanova

William Burdett

Juli Burgess

Timothy Burke

Annika Butler-Wall

Brian Bystrom

Cristina Calle

Philip Camp

Michelle Campbell

Annie Campos

Michael Campos

Candice Cannedy

Brina Carranza

Florence Castets

Sarah Catalina

Martin Catudio

Jeffrey Cavanaugh

Kexin Cha

Lorraine Chachere

Robert Chachere

Justin Chan

Molly Chan

Ashika Chand

Han Lian Chang

Roi Chang

Hannah Chapin

Stephanie Chapman

Nicholas Chappellet

Moniece Charlton

Eddie Chen

Jean Chen

Wendy Chen

Yunju Chen

Jessica Cheng

Susan Cheng

Tien Cheung

Joseph Chilcoat

Jim Chin

Franklin Chinn

Min Young Choi

SuJ’n Chon

Kim Chrapliwy

Leslie Chui

Heather Clairmont

Damico Clark

Stephen Clark

Topher Click

Garrett Cline

Stephen Clonts

Jeffrey Cloud

Barry Cogswell

Rebecca Cohen

Joseph Cole

Marian Cole

Lynda Collie Johnson

Matthew Collier

Marco Collins

David Cook

K

Louise Cook

Mia Cooledge

Tyler Cooper

Janelle Coppinger

Dan Corcoran

Dawn Cozzolino

Rebecca Craven

Cassie Cross

Roberta Cross

Pat Cudinski

Vivian Cullen

Cyrus Cumming

Sarah Dabagh

Drew Dahle

B Dahlia

Chad Dahlman

Jaci Dahlvang

Pamela Daily

Karen Damm

Sally Daniels

Chris Dannunzio

Elora Das

Mark Davidek

Edward Davidson

Kamie Davidson

Sharon Davis

Melissa De Andrade

Nancy Debaste

Susan Decker

Emily Deering

Tiffany Defarbus

Jesse Delisle

Elli Delong

Taylor Dennis

Brittany Dennison

John Dickson

Stephanie Ding

Ngoc-Anh Dinh

Zack Dixon

Sharla Dodd

Patrice Doerr

Tracy Doherty

Stephen Dold

Daniel Dorres

Lindsey Douglas

Lindsey Doyle

Hans Drabicki

Abdullah Drake

Diane Driscoll

Justine Dsouza

Heidi Dugan

Pam (Eddy) Dughi

Rebecca Dugopolski

Alice Duinmayer

Kristine Duncan

Tony Dunlap

Tina Dunne

Joanne Dyer

Tony Eans

Wynne Earle

Nick Edmondson

Ramsey El-Moslimany

Barbara Elder

Tiffany Elliott

Richard Ellison

Lon Elmer

Nadia Eng

Renee Engelking

Del Engen

Anita Ertel

Amanda Erven

Natalie Ervin

Laura Escalona-Flores

Jack Eskelin

Jill Estes

Marilyn Evans

Mike Ewanciw

Zhizhen“Vicky” Fang

Aisha Farhoud

Pam Farrel

Tarin Fasano

Marilyn Fassbind

Carey Fegel

Shelly Fields

Arthur Fink

Jackson Fish

Joel Fisher

Kate Flack

Ben Flaster

Michael Fleming

Lauren Fogerty

John Fong

Nisse Fonseca

Janette Force

Andrew Forcier

Michelle Foshee

Violet Fox

John Frady

Lindsey Frallic

Matt Frank

Isabelle Franklin

Mary Freiburger

Alene Freidenrich

Sue Frohreich

Colin Froines

Jeannie Fujii

Mitsuhiro Funayama

Sam Gable

Barbara Gagnat

Erwin Galan

Syamsul Galib

Celestino Gallegos

James Gallegos

Emily Gallichotte

Lisa Gallinger

Vaani Ganeson

Jo Anne Garaffa-Mccabe

Francisco Garcia

Arianne Garden Vazquez

Anne Garrett

Jessica Gartner

Julie Gauntt

Becky Gavagan

Alice Gaveysundy

Cassie Gawron

Antonio Gebran

Judy Gehring

Jen Germain

Sarah Gilbert

Tina Gilson

Robert Glass

Kamille Go

Laurie Gogic

Andre Golard

Cory Gooch

Katherine Gordon

Patrick Grace

Kendra Graham

Mark Gray

Shantai Green

Melany Greenberg

Ruth Gregory

Alan Grenon

Cathy Greutert

Damion Griffin

Taylor Grigsby

Smriti Gupta

Sandy Gutting

Kate Haagen

Sumaya Habib

Anna Hackett

Stefan Hajek

Bruce Hall

Christina Halverson

Cathie Hamilton

Chris Hammersley

Robert Hanson

Melodie Hardwick

Andrea Harrington

David Hartig

Thayer Hastings

Ethan Hayden

Anthony Hayes

Gypsy Haylett

Holly Haymaker

Kristine Helgager

Katie Henderson

Bill Hendricks

Brendan Henry

Teri Hensen

Yuri Heo

Laura Hersh

Susan Hiles

Jean Hill

Kaitlin Hill

Sandra Hiltmann

Manami Hirano

Kristina Hjertberg

Trinh Hoac

Amanda Hoffman

Myrna Hoffman

Youngju Hong

Ethel Hood

Alexis Hope

Kathy Horsfall

Eric Houle

Autumn Hsieh

Yu-Ting Huang

Anna Huckabay

Sara Huey

Rebecca Huffman

Zakiah Hughes

David Humeston

Brenda Humphrey

Mark Hungerford

Heather Hunt

Sylvie Hutchings

Jihyun Hwang

Kiwi Ijiomah

Machiko Ikeda

Jan Illian

Leah Ingraham

Paul Ip

James Israelson

Robert Iwanik

Karlyne Iwata

Johnny J

Aubrey Jackson

Jesse Jacobson

Judith Jagsich

Kara Jakobs

Janice Jarrell

Heather Jaynes

Paula Jean

Cathy Jessup

Dae-Hyun Jin

Vicky Jocson

Kelly Joebgen

Betty Johanna

Angie Johnson

Daniel Johnson

Karyn Johnson

Margaret Johnson

Dennis Jones

Lisa Jones

Rodney Jones

Christine Jonsson

Min Joo

Erica Jordan

Nathan Jordan

Pat Jordan

Toby Jordan

Laura Jorgensen

Chanyang Ju

Victoria Ju

Annie Jung

Yuna Jung

Kevin K

Julie Kadingo

Joe Kadushin

Akage Kaku

Kae Kamiya

Michael Kan

Nicole Kandi

Ji Jeong Kang

Arcadiy Kantor

Noga Kasperski

Lydia Katzel

Colleen Kenny

Bryn Kepler

Denise Kester

Madeleine Kezar

Noe Khalfa

Maggie Khuu

Buyeon Kim

Daae Kim

Dexter Kim

James Kim

Ruth Kim

Se Jung Kim

Su Yong Kim

Yu Yeun Kim

Jodie King

Zach Kinnaman

Leon Kinsley

Nathan Kirkpatrick

Kayo Kishikawa

Denise Kivlen

David Knight

Christine Knox-Davidek

Sandy Knutowski

Melvin Knutson

Haoying Kong

Lembi Kongas

Barbara Konior

Seohyun Koo

Johanna Kopp

Jeremy Kowalski

Rebekah Kowalski

David Krafchick

Paul Kragt

Tyler Kratzer

Mikki Kressbach

Sean Kreyling

Denzil Kriekenbeek

John Kuo

Vitaliy Kurlykov

Brian Laager

Akoni Lagua

Jake Lagucik

Jaimie Laitinen

Louise Lakier

Stacey Lane

Suzanne Lane

Hajir Larijani

Gregory Larson

Collette Lastant

Danielle Latimer

Lydia Lauritzen

Karen Laushway

Sergey Lazutin

Maria Leal

Joline Lear

Chae Yun Lee

George Lee

Jacqueline Lee

James Lee

Ji Eun Lee

Jiyoon Lee

Joshua Lee

Julien Lee

Jung Woo Lee

Mike Lee

Youn Gi Lee

Doniel Leemans

Carrie Lehenbauer

Rachel Lemke

Cesar Manuel Leon Osorio

Lu Leslan

Scarlet Leung

Agnes Li

Si Li

Ellen Liang

Jacob Lichty

Ben Lidgus

William Lindberg

Tong Liu

Julian Lo

T Los

Iva Loukanova

Ganin Lovell

Hazel Lozano

Shirley Lui

Wan-Li Lui

Jenny Luke

Bri Lum

Erik Lundh

Kelly Lyles

Donna Ma

Matthew Macy

Ryan Macy

Amanda Mae

Rania Mahmoud

Cresdan Maite

Andrew Malakoff

Barbara Mandic

Jonathan Mannella

Victor Maposa

Alex Marier

Ian Marks

Megumi Maruyama

Melanie Masson

Bobbi Mastri

Chris Mathews

Jason Mattingly

Megan Maurice

Ellen Maxson

Kathy Maxwell

Leslie Mccallum

Micah Mccally

James Mccammon

Tara Mccauley

Judy Mccoid

Chris Mccoy

Sheena Mccray

Allegra B Mcfarland

Elisa McGee

Columba Mcglynn

Eryn Mcgowan

Laura Mclane

Carla McLean

Greg Mcmahon

Shannon Mcmullen

Bill McQuaid

Robin Mcquinn

Trish Mcrae

Sandra Mears

Justin Mehlhaff

Alex Meizlish

Tom Melancon

Adwaa Melebari

Santiago Mendoza

Ev Merrienne

Betiel Micael

Maxwell Mierzejewski

Cindy Miller

David Miller

George Miller

Kaoruko Minamoto

Ray Misra

Todd Mitchell

Leah Moise

Min Ah Mok

Jordan Mollot

Rosanne Monahan

Rowena Monillas

Kangmin Moon

Jason Moore

Meghann Moore

Douglas Mora

Peter Moran

Eric Morgret

Laura Mortensen

Jennifer Morton

Madeline Mow

Nina Muehleck

Jane Mueller

Amanda Murphy

Brianna Murphy

Ranjith Nagaraj

Junichiro Nakagawa

Denise Nakamura

Evelyn Nakamura

Ashley Navone

Jessica Neher

Leocie Nelson

Ryan Nesbitt

Zachary Nesgoda

Chelsea Nesvig

Trudy Neumann

Lydia Ngai

Linh Nguyen

Mymy Nguyen

Niels Christian Nielsen

Lia Nigro

Yuta Nishigaki

Karin Nord

Luther Norman

Benjamin Novion

Kaela Nurmi

Theresa Oborn

Judith Ochs

Yvonne Ogden-Eldress

Shogo Okada

Nati Olalla

Alexandra Olmeda

Jeanne Olson

Troy Oneal

Lara Oneil-Dunne

Aidee Orbegozo

Cece Orquieza

Jennifer Osborne

Merri Ann Osborne

Janusz Ostrycharz

William Owen

Karen Ozmun

Devon Palmer

Sun Eun Park

Amanda Parkhurst

Cielito Pascual

Dale Paulson

Greg Pearce

David Pearson

Robert Pearson

Kara Peck

Ksenia Perevozchikova

Urania Perez

Amelia Pernell

Misha Perry

Jim Perryman

Nels Peterson

Will Petscher

Vera Petukhova

Hailey Petway

Doris Phillips

Kari Pietila

Mariela Pinel

Temma Pistrang

Riche Poland

Josephine Pompey

Sean Poor

Claudia Postema

Chevon Powell

Jennifer Power

Linda Price

Xiaoyu Qu

Laura Quan

Joy Ralph

Richard Ralph

Jessica Ramirez

Kayreen Ramuta

Christopher Rapcewicz

Maureen Rase

Maria Redkozubova

Renny (Irene) Reep

Betty Reid

Sarah Jane Reid

Ethel Reines

Elena Reitman

Marta Rey Babarro

Joe Reynolds

Elizabeth Rhodes

Margaret Robbins

Sehorn Robert

Jack Roberts

Mark Roberts

Johanna Robertson

Matt Robesch

Marilyn Robinson

Michela Roccia

Kris Rockas

Galia Rodriguez Hornedo

Vicki Roe

Britt Rognes

Marcus Roman

Adam Rosand

Avram Rosenbaum

Laurie Ross

Daniel Roth

Laura Roth

Karl Rouillard

Amber Rowland

Kasia Rozanski

Hope Rubinkowski

Ashley Rumble

Annie Rush

Deborah Rustin

Miji Ryan

Jessie Rymph

Rosie Sabaric

Yoshinori Saito

Ayumi Sakiyama

Lucy Salterbach

Alejundro Sanchez

Saunatina Sanchez

Eduardo Sandoval Jr

Ashley Sargeant

Tessa Sari

Mami Sasaki

Phonlaset Sasanathayat

Susan Saucedo

Russell Savala

Jacob Sayles

Shelley Schermer

Jennifer Schilling

Maura Schlagel

Kiira Schoessler

Jennifer Schonberger

Benjamin Schroeter

Jazmyne Schwieger

Caren Scott

Joy Scott

Nicole Scott

Victoria Scroggins

Mara Sedlins

Art Segal

Wayne Severson

Gail Sexton

Pat Shaffer

Nectar Shakir

Sherry Shanabarger

Kimberly Shanley

Matt Shannon

Rachel Shapiro

Amelia Shaw

Matthew Shaw

Sus Shawhan

Bob Shea

Jonathan Sheneman

Andrea Shephard

Carter Sherman

Scott Sherman

Genie Sheth

Manish Sheth

Sarah Shifley

David Shimek

Solee Shin

Walter Sholund

Rebecca Sikes

Lindsey Simmons

Galia Sion

Joey Sipos

Mike Sires

Carol Skvorak

Chantelle Slayter

Judy Slyne

Brad Smarjesse

Alex Smith

Frank Smith

Jeffrey Smith

Jennifer Smith

Mallory Smith

Stacy Smith

Katie Snead

Anne Snook

Mina So

Beth Somerfield

Serena Son

Jiajin Song

Eric Sorlien

Megan Spielbusch

Helen Stanwell

Jerri Starbuck

Dan Stiefel

Natalie Stien

Kim Stockbridge

Sara Stogner

Dusty Stokes

Larry Stone

Jesse Strock

Ginny Struchen

Rick Stueckle

Tj Stutman

Chanan Suarez

Shaylee Suitts

Catherine Sullivan

Yen-Tao Sung

Richelle Suttle

Cindy Sutton

Irene Svete

Bronson Swanson

Meadow Swanson

Sandra Swartz

Harusha Takeuchi

Raven Takimoto

Anne Talbot

Susan Tamfu

Nina Tang

Tanya Tavenner

Shan Taylor

Ahmed Teleb

Nastassia Tench

Corty Thienes

Devin Thomas

David Thornbrugh

Susie Thorness

Christy Thornton

Kiley Thornton

Elijah Tiegs

Anna Flavia Tofoli De Almeida

Aaron Toft

Remi Torres

Rebecca Torri

Ian Tracey

Alexander Tran

Quyen Tran

Kevin Traywick

acknowledgements volunteers

Andy Tribolini

Savio Tsui

Yuki Tsukamoto

Megan Tucci

Elizabeth Turnell

Cody Tuthill

Jacquelyn Vail

Nicky Valentine

Benjamin Vargas

Liba Vichrova Zoli

Samantha Vick

Thom Votteler

Sophie Wallway

Qianyue Wang

Viona Wang

Yizhen Wang

Zon Wang

Jay Wardle

Kelly Wardle

Duke Warner

LW Weaver

Michel Weaver

Melissa (Mila) Webb

Mark Weber

Nancy Weiner

Erica Weir

Keely Weiss

Raphaela Weissman

Hanna Welch

Ryan Wellman

Connie Wellnitz

Joanne Welty

Heather Whalen

Charles Wheeler

David Wiggins

Cat Wilcox

Grant Wilkerson

Austin Williams

Beth Williams

Kendra Williams

Sarah Willis

Carol Wilson

Connor Wilson

Ilva Wilson

Casey Winstead

Karl Woelfer

Hollis Wong-Wear

Peter Woodburn

Ann Woodmansee

Charles Wright

Meng Wu

Xin Xu

Sylvia Yang

Vicky Yin-Randall

Polly Yorioka

Keith Yoshida

Jaime Young

Douglas Yung

Robert Zhao

Olga Zharkova

David Zimmermann

Sharon Zweiback

Richard Abramowitz

Daphne Adair

Saheed Adejumobi

Valeri Ajaja

Sophia Aldenhoven

Neve Allen

Gunnar Almer

Oscar Alonso

Josabeth V. Álonso

Beckett Altmaier

Armine Anda

Brian Andreotti

Ben Andrews

Jim Angelo

Yodi Aquarian

Don Argott

María Arroyo

Holly Arsenault

Michael Attie

Liran Atzmor

Arnaud Aubelle

Ariane Ayers

Elyes Baccar

Nicole Baer

Miranda Bailey

Chris Bait

Kraig L. Marini Baker

David Bartholomew

Carol Barton

Brad Baruh

David Bauduin

Claire Beach

Christian Becker

Linde Behringer

Denise Bennett

Jess Benstock

Dan Berger

Jason Michael Berman

Ivan Bertoux

Delphyne Besse

Amy Besunder

Michael Betts

Gerda Binkye

Denis Bisson

Samuel Blanc

Leah Bledsoe

Brian Block

Livia Bloom

Virginia Bogert

Nate Bolotin

Gevin Booth

Kris Boustedt

Lindy Boustedt

Matthew Brady

Elizabeth Brambilla

Beth Brash

Josh Braun

David Brewster

Poull Brien

Randy Brinson

Kate Brokaw

Russell Brown

Nicolas Bruckman

Andrea Buckmeier

Dorothy Bullitt

Jessica Bursi

Eric Bush

Karin Butler

Agustina Llambi Campbell

Diane Carlson

Nick Carlson

Christopher Cary

Julian Cautherley

Jeff Cavanaugh

Rasit Çelikezer

Raymond Cha

Winnie Chan

Nicolas Chartier

Jolene Chavez

Dan Chen

Brent Chesanek

Adriana Chiesa

SJ Chiro

Hwa-Seon Choi

Chris Chouinard

Sandy Cioffi

Matthew Clark

John Comerford

Rebeca Conget

Patrick Conner

Sharon Conner

Tim Connery

Cassandra Conyers

John Cooper

Sue Corcoran

Jennifer Cox

Court Crandall

Destin Cretton

Ray Cuerdo

Maurane Cugney

Dondi Cupp

Adam Curtis

Suzanne Dale-Estey

Darin Darakananda

Caroline Davis

Hilary Davis

John Dawson

Johan de Faria

Maria Demopoulos

Heinz Dill

Teresa DiMartino

Cassidy Dimon

David Dinerstein

Jason Dittmer

Helen Divjak

Mike Doban

Jenni Domingo

Nancy Dragun Tate

Don Driftmier

Sherill Dryden

Sean Dudas

Dan Dumas

Caitlin Dundon

Morgan Dusatko

Steve Edmiston

Chris Ehrhardt

Ken Eisen

Ramsey El-Moslimany

Beti Ellerson

Sue Elliott

Delpine Eon

Amanda Erven

Larry Estes

Warren Etheredge

Kristin Fairweather

Gita Fara

Eric Faulkner

James Faust

Anna Feder

Paul Federbush

Sharon Feliciano

David Fenkel

Travis Fine

Bob Fiorello

Sandro Fiorin

David Fisher

Kristen M. Fitzpatrick

The Five Bamboo and Five Ultimate Crews

John Flahive

Eliza Flug

Raisa Fomina

Stephen Frandsen

David Friedle

Alice Fries

Marina Fuentes Arredonda

Camile Gaget

Rahul Gairola

Jolanta Galicka

Seneca Garber

Alex Garcia

Karina Gechtman-Harroch

Kenda Gee

Alicia Gerfen

Jon Gerrans

Scott Giampino

Anastasia Giannoulas

Todd Gilman

Paul Ginsburg

Ilaria Gomarasca

Irene Gomez

Nicolas Gonda

Eva Gonzalez Abad

Grégoire Graesslin

Malory Graham

Lizette Gram Mygind

Catherine Grealish

Michelle Green

Maëlle Guenegues

Amanda Guerrero

Kristy Guevara-Flanagan

Dolly Hall

Dorigen Hammond

Or Handlesman

Jesse Harris

Kate Harrison

Angie Harrison

Susanna Harutyunyan

Sarah Haskell

Ellen Havenith

Diane Hay

acknowledgements advertising index

Mary Alice Heuschel

Ryan Hicks

Majd Hijjawi

Charlie Hinckley

Takako Hirayama

Kristina Hjertberg

Caitlin Holliday

Mary Holmes

Diana Holtzberg

Cooper Hopkins

Molly Hopkins

Webb Hopkins

Cooper Hopkins

Stephenie Horman

Jordan Horowitz

Kristen Hoskins

Leslie Howle

Marcus Hu

Paul Hudson

Siri Hulbert

Christina Hulet

Phil Hunter

Evan Husney

Craig Hyland

Lauren Isaacson

Jason Ishikawa

Sandra Itkoff

Boris Ivanov

Kevin Iwashina

Baylen Jackson

John Jacobsen

Donna James

Dave Jesteodt

Youn Ji

April Johnson

Susan Johnson

Sam Johnston

Ioanna Karavela

Lou Karsen

Wojtek Karubin

William Kaspar

Erin Katz

Jeff Kaufman

Dolly Kaur

Chris Kellett

Sam Kelly

Bert Kern

Jacqueline Kerrin

Jessica Khoury

Wairimu Kiambuthi

Laura Kim

Jeffrey Kimball

Lila Kitaeff

Lisa Kitching

Tine Klint

Marion Klotz

Brian Knappenberger

Michelle Knott

Katrine Konyher

Jola Kozaczynski

Wojtek Kozaczynski

Natasza Krajcovic

Joe Krajcovic

Zosia Krajcovic

Ryan Krivoshey

Anne Marie Kürstein

Helen Kuun

Lesa Lakin

Anne Laurent

Matt Lawrence

Alexey Layfurov

Katherine Lee

Maria Łętowska

Virginia Leung

Scott Levy

Bryan Lhuiller

Caroline Libresco

Amy Lillard

Jiyoon Lim

Aida LiPera

Jonathan Lisecki

Robbie Little

Gina Lockhart

Ben Logan

Alessandro Lombardo

Nicolas López

Helen Lovelock

Helen Loveridge

Erin Lowrey

Robert Lundberg

Jonathan Lynch-Stratton

Tyler MacAvoy

Keti Machavariani

Scott Macklin

Regan MacStravic

Sanam Madjedi

Pascal Maeder

Caferağa Mah

Gaetano Maiorino

Paul Marchant

Marius Markevicius

Maile Martinez

Maureen Masters

Denee McCloud

Kathleen McInnis

Shelley McNulty

Miles McRae

Ray Meirovitz

Bruce Melhuish

Lucia Merone

Mary Metastasio

Betty & Bill Meyer

Richie Meyer

Virginia Meyer

Charlotte Mickie

Keith Miller

Rob Miller

Matthew Mishory

Jordan Mitchell

Anita Monga

Anthony Moody

Annette Moore

Chiho Mori

Eddie Muller

Sean Mullin

Cheryl Murfin

Bill Murray

John Nadai

Maryam Naghibi

Paula Nechak

Russell Nelson

Lisa Newland

Eric Nielson

Bill Niver

Sarah Nuttall

Jef Nuyts

Joshua Nye

Toni Oliete

Kelsie Wick Olson

Nate Omdal

Billy O’Neill

Stine Oppegaard

Marty Oppenheimer

Clint Ostler

Lucy Ostrander

Nichelas Pagee

Katie Parker

Joy Patman

Kathleen Paulson

Marijana Pavlich

Lyle Pearson

MJ Peckos

Josh Penn

Brandon Peters

Thomas Petit

Doug Pettigrew

Virginia Phillips

Dan Piecora

Alex Pietsch

Linda Pinet

Colin Harper Plank

Jason Plourde

Paolina Poe-Azcarraga

Jessica Prince-Wilborn

Tiffany Prinos

Tom Quinn

Michelle Quisenberry

Jeremy Quist

Pascale Ramonda

Haider Rashid

Rick Rasmussen

Orly Ravid

Marine Rechard

Tracy Rector

Scott Redman

Doug Reed

Owen Richards

Paul Richer

John Riley

Caitlin Robertson

Tracy Robinson

Ruby Rondina

Jessica Rosner

Catia Rossi

Gary Rubin

Joelle Rubli

Pete Rush

Aaron Saffa

Rina Sasakura

Ken Saunderson

Robyn Scaringi

Marco Scaringi

Aubrey Scheffel

Carly Schmidt

Eric Schnedecker

Franka Schwabe

Jason Sciarrone

Daniela Seggiaro

Adam Sekuler

Beatriz Setuain Arraiza

Nesib CB Shamah

Rebecca Sharratt

Lynn Shelton

Shawn Shelton

Greg Sheridan

Irit Shimrat

Wonsun Shin

Kate Shiu

Archana Shridar

Michael Silberman

Pierson Silver

Chandra Silver

Gregory Smith

Elodie Sobczak

Claudia Souza

Hilary Sparrow

Danica Sprouse

Stephanie and Glenn Steadman

Ryan Steckly

•

Tucker and Chuch Stempler

Fisher Stevens

Rick Stevenson

Norma Straw

Bendik Heggen Strønstad

Otto Suuronen

Rachel Swanson

Chris Swenson

Clemence Talliander

Laura Talsma

Ian Tang

Tamara Tatishvili

Medwin Textor

Sara Thompson

Jim Thompson

Aron Michael Thompson

Dan Thornton

Kyle Thorpe

Evgenia Tirdatova

Rohre Titcomb

Karen Toering

Jeff Tolbert

Linzee Troubh

Andrew Tsao

Fred Tsui

David Turnbull

Sam Vance

David Vashadze

Alla Verlotsky

Danielle Viau

Marisa Vitiello

Viv, Chip and Cake

Kim Voynar

Leslie Vuchot

Karen Vundla

Janet Wainwright

Nathaniel Warsh

Christof Wehrmeier

Edwin Weihe

Louie Swalby & Steve Wells

Susan Wendt

Ryan Werner

Michael Werner

Tony White

Tari White

Sam Whiting

Line L. Wieland

Todd Wiener

Dylan Wiley

Nancy Willen

Rob Williams

Wendi Wills

Christopher Wilmot

Danielle Wilson

Gisela Wiltschek

Jeffrey Winter

Meredith Wisti

Annakarin Wolfsberg

Jacob Wolters

Marilee Womack

Rosie Wong

Victor “White Rabbit” Wong

Emily Woodburne

Alex Yamamoto

Ying Ye

Keith Yoshido

Trisha Ziff

Lambros Ziotas

Sharon Zweiback

Keith Zwolfer

Renate Zylla

108 Media Corp.

Nathaniel Warsh 416-832-8841 nwarsh@108mediacorp.com 108mediacorp.com

20th Century Fox

Caitlin Robertson caitlin.robertson@fox.com

419 SA LLC

Anthony Moody 212-363-0561 amoody@indalo.biz

5000 Days Project Production

Rick Stevenson 206-719-4141 rick@rickstevenson.com

6 Sales

Or Handelsman 34-63-001-1329 or@6sales.es 6sales.com

914 Pictures

Don Argott 215-238-0707 dargott@914pictures.com

Abramorama

Richard Abramowitz 914-273-9545 richard@abramorama.com abramorama.com

Agent Pictures

Ioanna Karavela 44-79-3273-5225 ioanna@agentpictures.com agentpictures.com

Akka Films

Elyes Baccar 41-22-345-1170 ebaccar@gmail.com akkafilms.ch

Anchor Bay Entertainment

Ryan Hicks 248-205-1649 ryan.hicks@starz.com anchorbayent.com

Arclight Films 61-2-8353-2440 info@arclightfilms.com arclightfilms.com

Argomedia Production Lambros Ziotas 48-50-115-9828 argomedia@op.pl

Arizona Films

Soner Alper 90-216-418-4206 info@narfilm.com narfilms.ne

ATO Pictures

Teresa DiMartino 212-367-9435 teresa@idpfilm.com atopictures.com

Atopia Pascal Maeder 514-985-0873 pascal@atopia.com atopia.com

Austrian Film Commission

Anne Laurent 43-1-526-3323 festivals@afc.at afc.at

Autlook Film Sales

Youn Ji 43-7-2034-6934 youn@autlookfilms.com

Auxerrine

Brent Chesanek 718-749-1996 info@auxerrine.com

Bac Films

Franka Schwabe 33-1-5353-0676 f.schwabe@bacfilms.fr bacfilms.fr

Bankside Films

Hilary Davis 44-20-7734-3566 hilary@bankside-films.com bankside-films.com

BBC

Adam Curtis adam.curtis@bbc.co.uk

Beta Cinema

Delpine Eon 49-30-2464-97408 delphine.eon@betafilm.com betacinema.com

BF Distribution

56-2-941-0690 bfdistribution.cl

Big Iron Productions

Stephen Frandsen 347-406-3484 Stephen@bigironproductions.com

Blackfella Films

Lisa Kitching 61-2-9380-4000 lisa@blackfellafilms.com

Brain House

Drew Denny 310-270-8342 funpantsmovie@gmail.com

Cats and Docs

Maëlle Guenegues 33-1-4459-6353 maelle@catanddocs.com catanddocs.com

Celluloid Dreams

Johan de Faria 33-1-4970-0370 johan@celluloid-dreams.com celluloid-dreams.com

China Lion

Robert Lundberg 310-461-3036 robert@chinalionentertainment.com chinalionentertainment.com

Cinema Management Group

310-300-9959 cinemamanagementgroup.com

Cinedigm

Bob Fiorello 818-961-0779 bfiorella@cinedigm.com cinedigm.com

Cinephil 972-3-566-4129 info@cinephil.co.il cinephil.co.il

Cinetic Media

Linzee Troubh 212-204-7979 linzee@cineticmedia.com cineticmedia.com

CJ E&M Entertainment

Wonsun Shin 82-2-371-6243 wsshin@cj.net cj.net

Cohen Media Group

Gary Rubin 310-360-6409 grubin@cohenbrothers.com

Column Film

Ellen Havenith 34-6-5205-4690 ellen@columnfilm.com columnfilm.com

Copenhagen Bombay 45-3686-8788

Court 13 International Josh Penn josh@court13.com court13.com

Danish Film Institute

Lizette Gram Mygind 45-33-74-3506 lizetteg@dfi.dk dfi.dk

Defne Film Production

Rasit Çelikezer 90-21-2244-6517 rasitcelikezer@gmail.com

dGenerate Films

Dan Chen 646-360-0343 dan@dgeneratefilms.com dgeneratefilms.com

Die Film GmbH

Sophia Aldenhoven 89-27-77-7160 aldenhoven@diefilmgmbh.de

Disney•Pixar

Sean Dudas 818-560-6604 Sean.Dudas@disney.com

Distribution Workshop

Virginia Leung 85-2-2768-8678 virginia@distributionworkshop.com distributionworkshop.com

Doc & Film International

Hwa-Seon Choi 33-1-4277-5687 hs.choi@docandfilm.com docandfilm.com

Dollface, Inc

Dolly Hall 917-306-4050 dollyhall@mac.com

DR International Sales 45-3520-3040 drsales@dr.dk dr.dk

Drafthouse Films

Evan Husney evan.husney@drafthouse.com

Dreamworks SKG

Sean Dudas 818-560-6604 Sean.Dudas@disney.com

Double Dutch International

Jason Möring 58-5214-4594 jason@doubledutchmedia.ca

Easternlight Films

Ying Ye 310-777-8855 ying@arclightfilms.com

eMotion Pictures

Doug Pettigrew 902-422-7604 dpettigrew@emotionpictures.ca emotionpictures.ca

eOne Entertainment

International

Charlotte Mickie Ruby Rondina 416-646-2400 CMickie@entonegroup.com festival.requests@gmail.com entertainmentonegroup.com

eOne Films US

Dylan Wiley 310-407-0960 dwiley@entonegroup.com

Eqis Pty Ltd Archana Shridar 61-3-9803-5885 archana@iquality.com.au

Eros International LTD Dolly Kaur 646-226-3834 dolly.kaur@erosintl.com

Eros International LTD 91-22-6602-1500 info@erosintl.com erosintl.com

Esopus Creek Pictures

Keith Miller 917-513-0628 keith2miller@gmail.com

Eternal Now LLC

Yodi Aquarian 323-397-2405 mariademo@me.com

EZ Films

Ray Meirovitz 33-6-7179-2026 ray@ez-films.com ez-films.com

Fandango Portobello

Sarah Nuttall 44-20-7605-1396 sarah@fandangoportobello.com fandangoportobello.com

FiGa Films

Sandro Fiorin 323-309-4856 sandro@figafilms.com figafilms.com

The Film Arcade Miranda Bailey 323-951-9197 miranda@ambushentertainment. com

The Film Collaborative Jeffrey Winter 323-207-8321 jeffrey@thefilmcollaborative.org thefilmcollaborative.org

The Film Collaborative Orly Ravid 323-610-8128 orly@thefilmcollaborative.org thefilmcollaborative.org

Film District 310-315-1722 acquisitions@filmdistrict.com filmdistrict.com

Film Factory Entertainment

Toni Oliete 34-6-3470-0493 t.oliete@filmfactory.es filmfactoryentertainment. com

Film Movement

Rebeca Conget 212-941-7744 rebeca@filmmovement.com filmmovement.com

The Film Sales Company

Jason Ishikawa 212-481-5020 jason.ishikawa@filmsalescorp.com filmsalescorp.com

Films Boutique

Marine Rechard 49-30-6953-7850 contact@filmsboutique.com filmsboutique.com

Films Distribution

Sanam Madjedi 33-1-5310-3399 sanam@filmsdistribution.com filmsdistribution.com

Films Transit International

Diana Holtzberg 212-614-2808 dianaholtzberg@filmstransit.com filmstransit.com

Finnish Film Foundation

Otto Suuronen 35-8-9622-0300 otto.suuronen@ses.fises.fi

First Run Features

Nicole Baer 212-243-0600 Nicole@firstrunfeatures.com firstrunfeatures.com

Fisher Features Ltd.

David Fisher 972-3-649-3574 info@fisherfeatures.com fisherfeatures.com

Five By Eight Productions

Sean Mullin 917-658-7545 sean@fivebyeight.com fivebyeight.com

Floating World Pictures

Jeff Kaufman 310-392-8412 kaufman00@earthlink.net

Flood 93 Films

Tim Connery 312-806-7888 conneryt@gmail.com

Focus Features

Kyle Thorpe 818-727-7373 kyle.thorpe@focusfeatures.com focusfeatures.com

Fortissimo Films

Laura Talsma 31-20-627-3215 laura@fortissimo.nl fortissimofilms.com

Fox Searchlight

Russell Nelson 310-369-1148 russell.nelson@fox.com foxsearchlight.com

Fries Film Group, Inc.

Alice Fries 818-914-6121 alicefries@friesfilms.com

FUNimation Entertainment

Chiho Mori 972-537-0977 chiho.mori@funimation.com funimation.com

Future Weather Productions

Kristin Fairweather 215-519-6065 kfairweather8@yahoo.com

Gaumont

Cecile Gaget 33-1-4643-2180 cgaget@gaumont.fr gaumont.fr

Gilbert Films

Jordan Horowitz 323-650-6800 jhorowitz@gilbertfilms.com gilbertfilms.com

GKids

Dave Jeastedt 212-528-0500 dave@gkids.com gkids.com

Global Film Initiative

Jeremy Quist 415-934-9500 jeremy@globalfilm.org globalfilm.org

Global Screen

Gisela Wiltschek 49-89-2441-295-569 gisela.wiltschek@globalscreen.de globalscreen.de

Good ‘n Proper

Julian Cautherley 323-387-3288 julian@goodnproper.com

Greenberg Traurig

Steven Beer 212-801-9200 beers@gtlaw.com gtlaw.com

GS Medical/CPRG

Gregory Smith 310-641-1970 gsmith@painreliefgroup.com

HanWay Films

Jonathan Lynch-Stratton 44-20-7290-0769 jls@hanwayfilms.com hanwayfilms.com

Hoshkee Film

Armine Anda 37-4-9150-5266 armineaa@yahoo.com

Huayi Brothers Media

Kate Shiu 86-10-6457-9338

kate.shiu@huayimedia.com huayimedia.com

Icarus Films

Livia Bloom 718-488-8900

livia@icarusfilms.com icarusfilms.com

Icelandic Film Centre

Christof Wehrmeier 35-4-562-3580 christof@icelandicfilmcentre.is iff.is

IFC Films

Elizabeth Brambilla 212-324-4635 ebrambilla@ifcfilms.com ifcfilms.com

Imagina International

Sales

Beatriz Setuain Arraiza 34-91-728-5742 bsetuain@imagina.tv imaginasales.tv

Independent Film Company

Karina Gechtman-Harroch 44-07-90060-1697 karina@ independentfilmcompany.com independentfilmcompany. com

Indigenous Film

Helen Kuun 27-11-719-4080

Helen@indigenousfilm.co.za indigenousfilm.co.za

Indomina Media, Inc.

Rob Williams 310-271-4500

rob.williams@indomina.com indomina.com

Insurgent Media

Fisher Stevens

347-844-9868 juleshoff@aol.com

Intercinema Agency

Raisa Fomina 74-95-255-9052 post@intercin.ru

Interfilm Productions Inc.

Boris Ivanov 604-290-3002 boris@interfilm.ca

Intramovies

Jef Nuyts 39-06-807-6157 j.nuyts@intramovies.com intramovies.com

Jaga Grip

Keti Machavariani 99-55-9913-9089 kinoke@gmail.com

Jour2Fete

Samuel Blanc 33-1-4022-9215 sales@jour2fete.com jour2fete.com

Journeyman LTD 44-208-398-4616

Kairos Productions

Larry Estes 206-612-6778 larry@welbfilm.com

Kidlat Entertainment

Ray Cuerdo 714.990.1378 ray_cuerdo@spe.sony.com

Kino Lorber

Kate Brokaw 212-629-6880 kbrokaw@kinolorber.com kino.com

Kinoglaz

Evgenia Tirdatova 79-1-6686-8645 kinoglaz@aha.ru

Kinology

Grégoire Graesslin 33-9-5147-4344 festivals@kinology.eu kinology.eu

La Unión de los Ríos

Agustina Llambi Campbell 54-11-4314-5442 launiondelosrios@gmail.com launiondelosrios.com

Latido Films

Oscar Alonso 34-9-1548-8877 oalonso@latidofilms.com latidofilms.com

Law Offices of George M. Rush 415-393-8005 george@gmrush.com

Le Pacte

Arnaud Aubelle 33-1-4469-5945 a.aubelle@le-pacte.com le-pacte.com

Les Films du Losange

Thomas Petit 33-1-4443-8713 t.petit@filmsdulosange.fr filmsdulosange.fr

Les Films du Paria Inc

Linda Pinet 450-670-5969 paria@sympatico.ca

Level K

Tine Klint 45-4844-3072 tine@levelk.dk levelk.dk

Levyfilms

Scott Levy 206-668-3353 scott@levyfilms.com

Liddell Entertainment

David Dinerstein 323-596-1141 DDinerstein@ldentertainment.com ldentertainment.com

Liran Atzmor 972-5-2800-3362 info@thelawfilm.com

The Little Film Company/Dada Films MJ Peckos 818-762-6199 mj@dadafilms.net

The Little Film Company

Robbie Little 818-762-6999 robbie@thelittlefilmcompany.com

Living Cinema

Dorigen Hammond 44-20-7275-8187 dorigen@livingcinema.com livingcinema.com

Lost Years Productions Inc. Kenda Gee 780-224-4886 kenda@telus.net

Louise Productions

Heinz Dill 41-21-624-6116 heinz.dill@louiseproductions.ch louiseproductions.ch

Luminant Media

Brian Knappenberger 310-822-1824 knappy1@mac.com

M3 Creative

Brad Baruh 818-558-3633 brad@m3-creative.com

m-Appeal

Anne Wiedlack 49-30-6150-7373 aw@m-appeal.com m-appeal.com

Magnolia Pictures/ Magnet Releasing

Maureen Masters 310-312-2314 MMasters@magpictures.com magpictures.com

The Match Factory

David Bauduin 49-221-539-7090 festivals@matchfactory.de thematchfactory.de

Media Asia

Distribution

Fred Tsui 85-2-2314-4288 fredtsui.mediaasia@gmail.com mediaasia.com

Media Luna

Alessandro Lombardo 49-221-5109-1891 alessandro@medialuna.biz medialuna.biz

Mei Ah Entertainment

Winnie Chan 8-52-2781-3388 winniechan@meiah.com meiah.com

Memento Films International

Marion Klotz 33-1-5334-9020 marion@memento-films.com memento-films.com

Mercure Distribution 33-14-416-8844 natalie.dana.mercure@nerim.net

Minerva Pictures

Lucia Merone 39-06-8424-2430 l.merone@minervapictures.com minervapictures.com

Monolith Films

Jolanta Galicka 48-22-2851-1077 festiwale@wfdif.com.pl

Monterey Media

Carly Schmidt 805-494-7199 cschmidt@montereymedia.com montereymedia.com

Movie Mates

Wojtek Karubin 48-50-115-9828 wojtek@moviemates.eu moviemates.eu

Moxie Firecracker

Films

Tina Leonard 718-230-5111 tleonard@moxiefirecracker.com moxiefirecracker.com

MPI Films

Emily Woodburne 708-873-3103 woodburne@gmail.com

MPM Film festival@mpmfilm.com mpmfilm.com

MRB Productions

Matthew Brady 323-965-8881 matthew@mrbproductions.com mrbproductions.com

Music Box Films

Brian Andreotti 312-492-9364 bandreotti@musicboxfilms.com musicboxfilms.com

National Film Board of Canada

Danielle Viau 514-283-9805/06 festivals@nfb.ca nfb.ca

Negativ Film Production

John Riley riley@upcmail.cz

New Zealand Film Commission

Beth Brash 64-4-382-7685 beth@nzfilm.co.nz nzfilm.co.nz

Nikkatsu

Rina Sasakura Takako Hirayama 81-3-5689-1018 rina-s@nikkatsu.co.jp t-hirayama@nikkatsu.co.jp nikkatsu.co.jp

Nonstop Sales

Michael Werner 46-8-673-9981 michael.werner@ millenniumgroup.se

Northeast Films Inc. Bill Niver 902-405-8667 rebecca@northeast-films.com

Norwegian Film Institute

Stine Oppegaard 47-2247-4575/00 stine.oppegaard@nfi.no nfi.no

Organic Films

Alexey Layfurov 792-6164-3817 layfurov@organicfilms.ru

Oscilloscope Laboratories

Dan Berger 212-219-4029 info@oscilloscope.net oscilloscopepictures.com

Outsider Pictures

Paul Hudson 310-951-0878 paul@outsiderpictures.us outsiderpictures.us

Pacha Pictures

Delphyne Besse Jessica Khoury 33-6-2893-2660 jkhoury@pachapictures.com dbesse@pachapictures.com pachapictures.com

Palin Jane Productions Ben Logan 310-993-2411 badbrainsmovie@gmail.com

Paradigm Agency 310-288-8000 paradigmagency.com

Park Circus LLC

Chris Chouinard 661-702-2136 chris@parkcircus.com

Participant Media

Lauren Isaacson 310-550-5100 lauren@participantmedia.com participantmedia.com

People in Communications

Jiyoon Lim 82-10-8877-3953 jiyoon@picfilm.co.kr

People’s Television, Inc.

Nicolas Bruckman 646-727-0710 nick@ppls.tv

PFM Pictures

Travis Fine travis@pfmpictures.com

Preferred Content

Kevin Iwashina 323-782-9193 kevin@preferredcontent.net

Protagonist Pictures

David Bartholomew 44-20-7734-9000 david@protagonistpictures.com protagonistpictures.com

Pyramide International

Paul Richer 33-1-4296-0220 pricher@pyramidefilms.com pyramidefilms.com

Quantum Films

Josabeth V. Álonso 63-02-887-0254 aap23@yahoo.com

Radical Media

Paolina Poe-Azcarraga 212-462-1647

azcarraga@radicalmedia.com

Radical Plans

Haider Rashid 39-33-8195-9661 haider.rashid@gmail.com

Rai Trade

Catia Rossi

39-06-3749-8469 rossi@raitrade.it raitrade.it

Ramonda, Inc.

Pascale Ramonda 33-6-6201-3241 pascale@pascaleramonda.com

Rat Pack Film

Production

Christian Becker 49-891-2194-8700 christian.becker@ratpack-film.de

Red Flag Releasing

Laura Kim 213-280-2273 laura@redflagreleasing.com redflagreleasing.com

Reveal Productions, Inc.

Sandra Itkoff 213-840-1481 sitkoff@earthlink.net

Rezo Maurane Cugny 33-1-4246-4630 festival@rezofilms.com rezofilms.com

Ripple World Pictures

Limited Marie-Claire Kerrin 353-1-635-1010

marie-claire@rippleworld.com

Russell Brown 310-738-7957 russell@thesimon.com

Samuel Goldwyn Films

Teresa DiMartino 212-367-9435 teresa@idpfilm.com samuelgoldwynfilms.com

San Fermin Films Ltd

Christopher Cary 44-77-8537-8727 ccary8@gmail.com

Seagull Films

Alla Verlotsky 646-707-3879 alla.verlotsky@gmail.com seagullfilms.com

SET Film Production

Gita Fara 62-21-7279-9227 setworkshop_film@yahoo.com

Shadow Distribution

Ken Eisen 207-872-5111 shadow@prexar.com

Sierra / Affinity 424-253-1060 info@sierra-affinity.com sierra-affinity.com

Silver Lining Film Group

Pierson Silver 718-797-4244 piersonsilver@gmail.com

Sobras Nicolas López 56-2-571-9900 info@sobras.com

Sorrento Productions

Marius Markevicius 310-435-8295 marsoner@earthlink.net

Soureh Cinema Maryam Naghibi 98-21-8895-2059 naghibimaryam@yahoo.com

Stourwater Pictures

Lucy Ostrander 206-780-6928 lucy@stourwater.com

Strand Releasing

Brandon Peters 310-836-7500 Brandon@strandreleasing.com strandreleasing.com

Submarine

Entertainment

Josh Braun 212-625-1410 josh@submarine.com submarine.com

Sum Of Us

Poull Brien 917-650-2100 poull@charlesbradleyfilm.com

Sundance Selects

Elizabeth Brambilla 212-324-4635 ebrambilla@ifcfilms.com ifcfilms.com

Swedish Film Institute

Gunnar Almer 46-8-665-1208 gunnar.almer@sfi.se swedishfilm.org

Sycamore

Entertainment Group

Mike Doban 888-530-2999 info@sycamoreentertainment.com

Take a Bow

Entertainment Inc.

Ian Tang 604-738-1812 aeiouasy@yahoo.com

Tartan Films USA

Jessica Rosner jessicaprosner@gmail.com tartanfilmsusa.com

TF1 International 33-1-4141-1758 festival@tf1.fr tf1.fr

Tiger Moth Motion Pictures Ltd.

Bruce Melhuish bmelhuish@gmail.com

Timeless Films UK 44-17-0789-9723 info@timelessfilms.co.uk timelessfilms.co.uk

Traction Media 310-385-0770 tma@traction-media.com traction-media.com

Trust Film Sales

Annakarin Wolfsberg 45-3686-8706 annakarin@trust-film.dk

Trust Nordisk

Susan Wendt 45-3686-8788 susan@trustnordisk.com trustnordisk.com

Tugg

Nicolas Gonda 646-825-1808 ngonda@tugginc.com

Twentieth Century Fox

Brian Block 310-369-1000 brian@criterionpicusa.com

UCLA Film and Television Archive

Todd Wiener 323-462-4921 twiener@cinema.ucla.edu

Uncle Freddy

Productions

Destin Cretton 619-607-9311 destindaniel@gmail.com flagpop.com

Universal Paul Ginsburg paul.ginsburg@nbcuni.com

Urban Distribution

International

Eric Schnedecker 33-1-4870-4655 eric@urbandistrib.com urbandistrib.com

Vaquera Films

Kristy Guevara-Flanagan 415-350-3066 kristy@vaquerafilms.com

Vertice Sales

María Arroyo 34-91-754-6760 marroyo@verticesales.com verticesales.com

Visit Films

Aida LiPera 718-312-8210 al@visitfilms.com visitfilms.com

Vista Sur Films

Daniela Seggiaro 54-11-4331-3131 labelleza.nosilatiaj@gmail.com vistasurfilms.com.ar

Voltage Pictures

Nicolas Chartier 310-464 8351 Nicolas@voltagepictures.com voltagepictures.com

Von Piglet Productions

Sue Corcoran 206-226-8052 sue@vonpiglet.com

Warner Brothers Marilee Womack marilee.womack@warnerbros.com

Wavelength Pictures

John Flahive 44-79-6877-2792

john.flahive@wavelengthpictures. co.uk wavelengthpictures.co.uk

WDCW Court Crandall 310-280-7923 court.crandall@wdcw.com

Whitewater Films

Bert Kern 310-575-5800 Joey@whitewaterfilms.com

We Distribution Limited

Katherine Lee 852-2366-1622 kat@wedistribution.com wedistribution.com

The Weinstein Company

Tom Quinn 212-845-8679 Tom.Quinn@weinsteinco.com

The Weinstein Company

Erin Lowrey 212-590-7891 Erin.Lowrey@weinsteinco.com

Wide Management

Ilaria Gomarasca 33-1-5395-0464 ig@widemanagement.com widemanagement.com

Wild Bunch

Elodie Sobczak 33-1-5301-5032 festival@wildbunch.eu wildbunch.biz

William Morris Entertainment

310-248-2000 wmeentertainment.com

Wolfe Releasing

Jeffrey Winter 310-956-0777 jeffrey@wolfereleasing.com wolfereleasing.com

Women Make Movies

Kristen M. Fitzpatrick 212-925-0606 kf@wmm.com wmm.com

Wright Biz

Tom Wright 310-751-4746 wrightbiz@aol.com

XYZ Films

Nate Bolotin 310-956-1554 nate@xyzfilms.com xyzfilms.com

Yesbox Productions Bendik Heggen Strønstad 47-9-962-5756 bendik@yesbox.no yesbox.no

Zeitgeist Films

Clemence Talliander 212-274-1989 clemence@zeitgeistfilms.com zeitgeistfilms.com

Trisha Ziff 310-612-1490 trishaziff@mac.com

“

I’m ready for my close-up.”

Students

Sen, Ivan

Shamah, Nesib CB

Shelton, Lynn 35, 305

Shuck, David 154

Sigurdsson, Hafsteinn Gunnar 203

Silverbush, Lori 210

Simonyi, Balázs 282

Sit, Cecilia 303

Sitaru, Adrian 174

Siu-Tung Ching, Tony 280

Sláma, Bohdan

Smarzowski, Wojciech

Smit, Nicholas 130, 150

Smith, Tracy D.

Snorrason, Ragnar 147

Snyder, Craig

Solimeno, Cristian 219

Students

Stein, Mandy

Subramaniam,

Swanberg, Joe

Syeed, Musa

Takahata, Isao

Tamasese, Tusi

Tavares, Kibwe

Tcheng, Frederic 197

Téchiné, André 294

Telford, Shawn 155

Thomas, Laurie 154

Thorne, Ned 161

Thornton, Dan 298

Thurman, Scott 269

To, Johnnie 271

Toledano, Eric 229

Toledo, Roberto Pérez 163

Trevorrow, Colin 274

Trier, Joachim 258

Trueba, David 249

Trumble, Stephen 151

van Ginkel, Joost 159 van Velzen, Femke 234

van Velzen, Ilse 234

Various, Worldwide 208

Vatinyan, Mikayel 232

Venezia, Bob 146

Vicari, Daniele

Country Index

Volterra is a proud sponsor of the 2012 Seattle International Film Festival.

of Valhalla: Thor 85 min. 1:30PM

and Everyone 100 min. 4:00PM Gimme the Loot 86 min. 6:30PM

Tall Man 93 min. 9:00PM Salt White 80 min.

4:00PM The Convoy 81 min. 6:30PM Can 106 min. 9:00PM Policeman 100 min. 4:30PM Sharqiya 82 min. 6:30PM The First Time 98 min. 9:00PM Thale 75 min. 4:30PM The Revolutionary 92 min. 7:00PM Sharqiya 82 min. 9:00PM 170 Hz 86 min. 11:00AM The Great Bear 73 min. 1:30PM Mirage 83 min. 4:00PM The First Time 98 min. 7:00PM 6 Points About Emma 90 min. 9:30PM Bunohan: Return to Murder 97 min.

11:00AM Legends of Valhalla: Thor 85 min. 1:30PM Kryptonite! 98 min. 4:00PM Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best 97 min. 6:30PM Coteau Rouge 86 min. 9:30PM Earthbound 90 min.

11:00AM Dragon Pearl 95 min.

1:30PM 6 Points About Emma 90 min.

4:00PM Coteau Rouge 86 min. 6:30PM Kryptonite! 98 min. 9:00PM The Mexican Suitcase 86 min. 4:00PM The Blindfold 90 min. 6:30PM Toomelah 106 min. 9:00PM Policeman 100 min.

4:00PM The Woman in the Septic Tank 87 min. 7:00PM The Blindfold 90 min. 9:15PM The Glass Man 108 min. 4:00PM Future Lasts Forever 108 min. 6:30PM Marina Abramović 105 min. 9:15PM Charles Bradley: Soul of America 75 min. 4:00PM Alois Nebel 84 min. 6:30PM Earthbound 90 min. 9:00PM The Empty Home 98 min.

11:00AM Five Star Existence 84 min. 1:00PM Wickie and the Treasure 96 min. 3:30PM Otelo Burning 98 min. 6:00PM Hello Must Be Going 95 min. 8:30PM Chapiteau-show 207 min.

11:00AM Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas 90 min. 2:00PM 170 Hz 86 min. 4:00PM White Camellias 80 min. 6:30PM Otelo Burning 98 min. 9:15PM Hail 104 min.

11:00AM Wickie and the Treasure 96 min. 1:30PM Sin Bin 101 min. 4:00PM Lipstikka 94 min. 6:30PM Brave 95 min. 9:30PM TBA

This 2012 SIFF catalog was designed and laid out using Apple Macintosh computers and the Adobe Creative Suite. None of it would have been possible without the help of The Mac Store and Adobe, who supplied us with all the hardware and software that made the magic happen. The creation of this catalog was a collaborative effort on the part of Encore Media Group: Ana, Deb, Jana, Jonathan, Kristi, Robin and Susan; the SIFF PubPod: Rachel, Randy, Hannah, Les, Matt, and Steve; James VanNess and the team at Journal Graphics; and the dedicated staff and volunteers of the Seattle International Film Festival.

ADOBE YOUTH VOICES

YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE A LOT TO SAY. IT’S TIME FOR US TO LISTEN.

That’s why Adobe Youth Voices, a global youth media initiative from the Adobe Foundation, is inspiring young people to create with purpose.

Short films by Adobe Youth Voices young people will be screened throughout the festival. Check the program guide for show times.

www.youthvoices.adobe.com

Come check us out on Facebook at Adobe Youth Voices.