32nd Seattle International Film Festival (2006)

Greetings from the Governor

I am delighted to extend warm greetings to all those attending the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival. is exciting event—the largest of its kind in the United States—offers over 400 feature length and short films from many countries. You will see special debuts by new directors, premieres by well-established artists, archival programs, and other great showings. Selections range from the hilarious to the sublime, from thought-provoking documentaries to poignant drama, from charming comedies to intriguing takes on modern life. Above all, this is cinema that celebrates the human experience.

I invite all filmmakers attending the festival to consider Washington State for your next production. In addition to a vast variety of locations from ocean to mountaintops, the state offers professional crews and support services, rich acting talent and top-notch postproduction facilities. You can contact e Washington State Film Office for further information on the resources Washington State can provide to make your film a success.

In addition to being great entertainment, celebrations such as this serve an important purpose. ey help us gain a deeper understanding of, and appreciation for, both our own culture and that of others. I hope that you and your loved ones have a wonderful time, and I offer my best wishes for a successful festival.

Sincerely,

Christine O. Gregoire Governor of Washington

Greetings from the Mayor

On behalf of the City of Seattle, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival!

e Mayor’s Office of Film and Music is proud to sponsor this amazing and provocative three and a half week celebration of film in all its wonder.

Film-goers, film fans and filmmakers come from around the world to discover the latest and best in independent filmmaking, as well as to mingle with fellow film buffs and attend panel discussions hosted by special industry guests. One of the most important film festivals in the country, SIFF filmgoers make up one of the largest film festival audiences in the world.

e Seattle film industry generates $200 million for the economy and enriches our area’s cultural vibrancy—and SIFF contributes significantly to the city’s creative diversity.

I encourage all of you to spend your time in the next three and a half weeks by going to the movies. Explore foreign lands, discover new faces and enjoy all the aspects of a world-class event that you can only experience in Seattle!

Sincerely,

Greg Nickels Mayor of Seattle

Welcome to the Festival

Choosing a film to watch is very much like choosing a meal. Sometimes one might be in the mood for comfort food, other times for something a bit more spicy. A limited menu can feel repetitive, but a huge one makes it hard to figure out where to start. With so many choices, tastes and experiences to discover at this year’s SIFF, how does one decide which of 275 feature length films to see? Sure, we would love you to sample all of the films, but a balanced film diet is probably the best bet. Participating in the post screening discussions with filmmakers or making time for conversation may shift your perceptions for the better.

ere are many exciting new initiatives in this edition. Our expanded Face the Music section explores the variety of ways that music and film can intersect. Alternate Cinema looks at films that go beyond general conventions of filmmaking. Festival staples from Emerging Masters to the New Directors Showcase and our Weekend Gala Screenings with great parties following are back as well. Our Archival selections are particularly strong, ranging from rare silents to a film noir double bill.

What makes SIFF unique is the wide-ranging programming and the people who have embraced it. SIFF is a populist festival not afraid to celebrate the broad-ranging studio films alongside the foreign language, politically incorrect or even the esoteric and experimental. I hope you will be as inspired and excited as you join us in the dark to share our findings—and to celebrate the past, present and future of moving images from around the world. .

Carl Spence Artistic Director Seattle International Film Festival Group

One of the things I love the most about the festival is that it is a community celebration in the truest sense of the word. Literally thousands of people make SIFF happen every year. We have almost 100 staff members—some of the most talented and dedicated people I have ever had the opportunity to work with. Over 600 volunteers donate their time. Our nearly 2,000 members and hundreds of sponsors and donors generously support our efforts throughout the year. en, of course, over 170,000 of you come to experience SIFF. It is profoundly humbling and inspiring to be part of such an effort.

Why do we come together to do this every year? We all have our own reasons, and mine is that I believe community cultural celebrations like this are essential. It is far too easy to isolate—to stay at home and do our best to numb ourselves to the outside world. We know, however, that answers won’t come to us alone; we need each other. We need to be challenged and inspired by stories from around the world and right here in our own backyard. We need to get out of our homes and meet our neighbors to experience the diversity of backgrounds and interests our SIFF audiences bring to every screening and event.

Whether this is your first SIFF or your 32nd, whether you see one film or over 100, whether you lend your time, talents and resources or you participate by attending, this is YOUR festival. I can’t thank you enough for your participation, and look forward to enjoying the next 25 days with all of you!

Deborah Person Managing Director Seattle International Film Festival Group

Message from the Board ank You to Our Sponsors

Welcome to the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, our Festival Staff and our great volunteers, I’d like to thank our audiences, our sponsors and everyone else who helps make the Seattle International Film Festival what it is. We are now in our 32nd year of providing challenging and entertaining programming that will bring you insight into world culture and the human experience.

2006 has been an exciting year for SIFF Group. Longtime SIFF programmer Carl Spence has taken over as Artistic Director. We are certain that you will enjoy Carl’s artistic vision this year as we spotlight films from Denmark, one of the most innovative national cinemas of the past ten years, and explore the intersection between music and film, among many other highlights.

We are also thrilled that Deborah Person has taken the Managing Director position at SIFF Group. Deborah has been involved with SIFF for 27 years, having started by skipping classes to volunteer at the festival and moving on to hold almost every significant position at SIFF. Now she is taking the lead in ensuring that SIFF continues to be a leading film festival in North America and a leading arts organization in Seattle.

I hope you will join me in exploring the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival. Every year something at the festival catches me by surprise. Some years it is a film that I see by accident or that exceeds my expectations, other times I’m inspired by a filmmaker talking about her artistic vision, and still other times I’m genuinely overwhelmed by the passion that our audiences bring to the festival. I can’t wait to see what I will discover this year. is version of the Festival should be our best yet.

Enjoy!

Kraig L. Marini Baker President, Board of Directors Seattle International Film Festival Group

While Seattle’s audiences only have 25 days to view hundreds of films and participate in countless forums and events offered at the 32nd Seattle International Film Festival, a small but dedicated crew of 10, abetted by a tireless team of seasonal staff and valuable volunteers, spent the entire year putting it together. It is truly a labor of love.

e past 12 months have been a challenging time of growth and change as we prepared for the 2006 Festival. With its special events, film series and member screenings, SIFF has produced more year-round programming than ever before. At the same time, finding funding has become ever more difficult while at the same time the cost of living—not just gas—has risen dramatically.

You can see from the accompanying graph that Festival ticket sales cover less than one-quarter of our annual budget. As a non-profit arts organization, SIFF could not survive without the generous support of our donors and sponsors.

Please consider a gift to SIFF, and join us in thanking the following businesses, foundations and community partners who have helped bring the 32nd Seattle International Film Festival to life.

Sponsors of the Seattle International Film Festival

GRAND SPONSORS

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PRESENTING SPONSORS

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SUPPORTING SPONSORS

CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS

HOSPITALITY SPONSORS

SPECIAL EVENTS PARTNERS

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See Films! Meet People! Support the Arts! SIFF Group

Since its inception in 1976, the Seattle International Film Festival has grown to be not only the largest film festival in the nation, but also a cultural and economic force in Seattle. To be able to continue to produce a worldclass festival and further expand our yearround programming and education outreach efforts, we need your help to advance SIFF Group’s mission: Become a member or make a donation today!

SIFF Membership Levels

Junior/Senior: $30

Goodwill: $50/Partner $90

Benefactor: $100/Partner $180

Patron: $250/Partner $450

Director: $1,000/Partner $1800

Lifetime: $5,000

Platinum Lifetime: $25,000

All members get: Early Bird SIFF ticket sales including discounts on passes, packages and tickets; members-only box office days; members-only SIFF preview events; discounts on merchandise; free subscriptions to Reel News and CinEmail; and invitations to free year-round preview screenings.

Information available at www.seattlefilm.org or any SIFF venue.

SIFF GROUP

Events in 2005/2006

Free Preview Screenings — Enjoy complimentary film previews year-round. Screenings often include special guests such as directors, screenwriters and producers.

1 Reel Film Festival — is festival of short films is a long-standing tradition at the Bumbershoot Arts Festival over Labor Day weekend.

e Big Night — An exclusive fundraiser for SIFF featuring food, wine tastings and an elegant silent auction.

Fall Film Retrospective Series — Past series have covered documentary film, David Cronenberg, and Graham Greene.

Annual Poster Auction and Holiday Sale — Just in time for the holiday season!

Global Lens Film Series — A showcase of the finest new films from the developing world, presented in cooperation with the Global Film Initiative. Global Lens includes free educational screenings for elementary, high school and college students.

Science Fiction Short Film Festival — Co-presented with the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame.

SIFF-A-Go-Go — SIFF’s own travel program. Trips to Palm Springs, Vancouver and other film festivals. Available only to SIFF Members.

Screenwriters Salon — SIFF celebrates the art of screenwriting with its monthly program featuring special guests and topics of interest to screenwriters and film enthusiasts.

SIFF in the Schools — Our education outreach program encourages young filmmakers by presenting special screenings and giving students the opportunity to meet directors, screenwriters and actors.

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Congratulations to Seattle International Film Festival

SIFF 2006

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Encore! Encore!

Director:

Neil Burger

Producers:

Michael London

Brian Koppelman

David Levien

Bob Yari

Cathy Schulman

Screenwriter: Neil Burger

Cinematographer:

Dick Pope Film Editor:

Naomi Geraghty

Music: Philip Glass Cast: Edward Norton

Jessica Biel

Paul Giamatti

Rufus Sewell

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Syndicate Film International

Print Source: Yari Film Group

Selected Filmography: Interview with the Assassin (2002)

Opening Night Gala

THE ILLU S I ON I S T

Are you the kind of person who scrutinizes magic tricks, or do you surrender yourself to the thrill of the moment?

Either way, e Illusionist will keep you on the edge of your seat and transport you to a time that embraced the supernatural. Set in turn of the century Vienna, this stunningly romantic thriller is the story of Eisenheim (Edward Norton), a brilliant and mysterious magician bent on solving a puzzle that has eluded him since childhood. His ability to mesmerize crowds and his apparent attraction to the crown prince’s fiancée, Duchess von Teschen (Jessica Biel), threatens the prince and ignites suspicion from Chief Inspector Uhl (Paul Giamatti). When the duchess is murdered, Eisenheim summons extraordinary powers in a desperate attempt to overcome Uhl, prove the prince guilty and bring down the monarchy before it destroys him. At its heart, Neil Burger’s (Interview with the Assassin) second film is about social position and the will to challenge it. Eisenheim, a cabinetmaker’s son, iconoclastically dares to love a noblewoman and ridicule the prince. Uhl, on the other hand, believes allegiance to the existing monarchy is his only ticket to power. From Eisenheim, he learns to listen to his inner sense of justice. With its glowing amber palette, splendid spectacles and nuanced performances, e Illusionist explores art and technology as populist forces. Eisenheim’s otherworldly conjurings, which create a “proto-cinema,” stir his audiences to question authority even as he enlists acts of magic to serve the power of true love.

THE SCI EN C E OF S LEE P Closing Night Gala

THE SCIENCE SLEEP

SUNDAY JUNE  : PM NEPTUNE THEATER

France/USA 2006

Director: Michel Gondry Producers:

Georges Bermann

Michel Gondry

Frederic Junqua Screenwriter: Michel Gondry Cinematographer:

Jean-Louis Bompoint

Film Editor:

Juliette Wel ing Music:

Jean-Michel Bernard Cast:

Gael García Bernal

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Alain Chabat

Miou Miou

Emma de Caunes

Surreal, funny and intensely visual, e Science of Sleep is both a love story and a whimsical exploration of the inner workings of the human mind. Gael García Bernal ( e Motorcycle Diaries, Y Tu Mamá También) stars as Stephane, a shy young artist with a very active imagination. Having always had a tendency to invert dreams and reality, throughout the film he travels between the two worlds as they intertwine and collide. After his father dies, Stephane’s mother persuades him to return home to Paris and lines up a job for him there. e job turns out to be dreary and mundane, but the arrival of new neighbor Stephanie, played by Charlotte Gainsbourg (21 Grams), brings some excitement and yields an unusual relationship. Michel Gondry, director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, this time both writes and directs, opening a wide cinematic canvas in which narrative and visual landscape have no limits. e story develops in a mixture of languages (French, Spanish and English), and the inventive and expertly crafted sets, surprising animation and dazzling cinematography help to create an experience that is both fantastical and somehow familiar. e Science of Sleep is an endearing, magical and ultimately indescribable film. Hollywood take note: imagination and sensibility trump CGI and star power.

Weekend Gala

A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION

USA 2006

Director:

Robert Altman

Producers:

Robert Altman

Wren Arthur

Joshua Astrachan

David Levy

Tony Judge

Screenwriter:

Garrison Keillor

Cinematographer:

Edward Lachman

Film Editor:

Jacob Craycroft

Cast:

Lindsay Lohan

Meryl Streep

Woody Harrelson

Kevin Kline

Tommy Lee Jones

Virginia Madsen

Lily Tomlin

John C. Reilly

Maya Rudolph

Garrison Keillor

Running Time: 103 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Capitol Films

Print Source: PictureHouse Film Website: www.aprairiehomecompanionmovie.com

Selected Filmography:

Gosford Park (2001)

Cookie’s Fortune (1998)

Short Cuts (1993)

The Player (1992)

Vincent and Theo (1990)

3 Women (1977)

Nashville (1975)

Thieves Like Us (1974)

The Long Goodbye (1973)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

MASH (1970)

Times could be better for the cast and crew of the Fitzgerald eater’s once-legendary weekly radio show. e backstage squabbles of a sisterly singing duo (Lily Tomlin and Meryl Streep) now continue in front of the house lights, a mysterious woman in white (Virginia Madsen) haunts the wings and, worst of all, an uptight Texas money man (Tommy Lee Jones) is looking to bring the curtain down for good. Fortunately, this all takes place near Lake Woebegon, Minnesota, a region where, as its most famous resident is known to opine, “Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye, and deny it.” Based on the beloved radio show, director Robert Altman’s A Prairie Home Companion more than fulfills the initial promise of the seemingly heaven-made collaboration between the filmmaker and writer/performer/creator Garrison Keillor. Ping-ponging between a half-dozen storylines during a single show performance, Keillor’s deadpan comedy script sets up a low-key carnival atmosphere in which longtime show staples such as the pratfalling detective Guy Noir (Kevin Klein) and mildly profane singing cowboys Dusty and Lefty (John C. Reilly and a scene-stealing Woody Harrelson) are masterfully synched up with the director’s trademark seemingly-improvised rhythms. Featuring a wealth of musical numbers by, among others, Streep, Tomlin, Lindsay Lohan, and Keillor’s house band, this is an unalloyed delight from America’s two preeminent shaggy-dog storytellers.

USA/Norway 2005

Director: Bent Hamer

Producers:

Christine Kunewa Walker

Jim Stark

Bent Hamer

Screenwriters:

Bent Hamer

Jim Stark

Cinematographer:

John Christian Rosenlund

Film Editor:

Påll Gengenbach Music:

Kristin Asbjørnsen

Cast: Matt Dillon

Lili Taylor

Didier Flamand

Fisher Stevens

Marisa Tomei

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales:

Celluloid Dreams

Print Source: IFC Films

Film Website:

www.factotum- lm.de

Selected Filmography:

Kitchen Stories (2004)

Water Easy Reach (1998)

Eggs (1995)

Weekend Gala FACTOTUM

SATURDAY JUNE  : PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

ENCORE SCREENING WEDNESDAY JUNE  : PM LINCOLN SQUARE

Based on Charles Bukowski’s second novel, and incorporating material from his short stories as well, Factotum follows the life and times of downtrodden loser Henry Chinaski (Matt Dillon), the author’s thinly veiled alter-ego. Chinaski’s life consists of a series of meaningless, undemanding jobs from which he is routinely fired due to his chief personal interests—booze, women and gambling. And although Chinaski’s life would appear to be one of irresponsibility and shallow vices, something deep inside compels him to write short stories and submit them to magazines and publishers, even if the end result is a collection of rejection slips that rivals in count the number of jobs from which he’s been fired. True to the nature of Bukowski’s work, the film unfolds in an episodic fashion in which incidents and anecdotes range from amusing to absurd to chilling. Along the way, Chinaski enters into a gin-soaked relationship with Jan (Lili Taylor), and together they engage in an uneasy sexual truce that comes close, for the two of them at least, to love. In one of his most remarkable performances to date, Matt Dillon portrays Chinaski not as the clichéd alcoholic/failed-artist, but as someone more bemused by the world’s failings, and his own, than despondent. With self-assured dignity, Dillon’s Chinaski drifts unsentimentally through the film unsure of what will happen next but knowing that whatever does come will be neither better nor worse than what came before. Writer/director Bent Hamer takes a careful interest in careless lives, not only cinematically recreating Bukowski’s literary seediness but also his spiritual malaise in which, as the author once wrote, “If you’re losing your soul and you know it, then you’ve still got a soul left to lose.”

Awards:

Copenhagen 2005 (Best Director, Best Actress)

Hong Kong/ China 2005

Director:

Peter Ho-Sun Chan

Producers:

Peter Ho-Sun Chan

Andre Morgan

Screenwriters:

Aubrey Lam

Raymond To

Cinematographers:

Christopher Doyle

Peter Pau

Film Editors:

Wenders Li

Kong Chi Leung

Music:

Peter Kam

Leon Ko

Cast: Takeshi Kaneshiro

Zhou Xun

Jacky Cheung

Ji Jin-hee

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Mandarin and Cantonese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Celestial Pictures Ltd.

Print Source: Celestial Pictures Ltd.

Film Website: www.perhapslovemovie.com

Selected Filmography:

Three…Extremes (2004) (Co-director)

Three (2002) (Co-director)

The Love Letter (1999)

Comrades: Almost a Love Story (1996)

Tom, Dick and Harry (1993)

Alan & Eric: Between Hello and Goodbye (1991)

An Asian-styled tribute to the Western musical (think Chicago or e Phantom of the Opera), Perhaps Love is bursting with exquisite design and rich cinematography. Hong-Kong heartthrob Lin Jiang Dong (Takeshi Kaneshiro) arrives in Shanghai to star in the new musical by director Nie Wen (Jacky Cheung). e musical is a love story with a bittersweet twist, with two young lovers separated when the girl loses her memory. She finds work in a circus and is romantically involved with the ringmaster, but her former lover arrives to rekindle the flame of their past love. Cast opposite Lin is Sun Na (Zhou Xun), a beautiful and ambitious actress whose fame extends all the way to Hollywood. She has long been involved with director Nie, both on-screen and off, but before that she was with Lin. Reunited onstage, Lin’s irrepressible feelings for Sun are now creating tensions throughout the set and worrying Nie, who decides to cast himself as the circus manager. Just as the narrative is reflected in the film within the film, so too do the musical numbers spill out into “reality.” Along the way, the fantastical narrator Monty appears in various guises to guide the characters along their journey to emotional truth. Perhaps Love is an invigorating look at both the bitter and the sweet sides of romance. With lavish costuming, exquisite cinematography by Christopher Doyle (In the Mood for Love) and Peter Pau (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and strong performances from the popular pan-Asian leads, Perhaps Love may yet revive the musical.

Awards:

Hong Kong Film Awards 2006 (Best Actress, Cinematography, Score, Costume, Art Direction, Song) O cial Oscar Submission 2005

Director:

Paul Dinello

Producers:

Mark Roberts

Lorena David

Valerie Schaer- Nathanson

Screenwriters:

Stephen Colbert

Paul Dinello

Amy Sedaris

Cinematographer:

Oliver Bokelberg

Film Editor:

Michael R. Miller

Music:

Marcelo Zarvos

Cast:

Stephen Colbert

Paul Dinello

Amy Sedaris

Gregory Hollimon

Sarah Jessica Parker

Matthew Broderick

Allison Janney

Philip Seymour Ho man

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: THINKFilm

Film Website: www.strangerswithcandymovie. com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Weekend Gala

STR AN G E R S W IT H CANDY

After 32 years of living either on the street, in the joint or on the lam, 47-year-old boozer, user and loser—not to mention occasional junkie whore—Jerri Blank (Amy Sedaris) returns home to start up again right where she left off : high school. But her homecoming is not particularly welcome. Daddy went into a coma soon after she left home, mommy is his hostile second wife whose idiot jock son and butcher boyfriend are not especially excited to see her return. Convinced that by becoming the good girl she can rouse her father from his coma, Jerri sets out to be an exemplary high school student. Meanwhile, Flatpoint High is having its own problems, and Principal Blackman (Gregory Hollimon) has made a deal with the school board that if they win the Science Fair the school can keep its funding in spite of its failing test scores. So he bypasses the school’s regular science teacher Chuck Noblet (Stephen Colbert) and hires a ringer of a teacher named Robert Beekman (Matthew Broderick) who has a history of Science Fair wins. With the advice and support of art teacher—and Mr. Noblet’s secret lover—Geoffrey Jellineck (director Paul Dinello) and guidance counselor Peggy Callas (Sarah Jessica Parker), Jerri enters the science fair to try to become a star pupil and finally wake her daddy from his coma. As you would expect, subterfuge and rivalry culminate in competing musical numbers. Not for the politically correct, this prequel to Comedy Central’s cult TV hit exploits many of the original characters, plus some inspired casting including Allison Janney, Ian Holm, Justin eroux and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

As part of the film’s gala presentation, we will be holding a “Who’s the Real Jerri Blank” contest at the theater. For more information on how to enter the contest and win fab prizes, go to www.seattlefilm.org or email jerriblank@ seattlefilm.org

Gay-La Extravaganza

BOY C U LTUR E

FRIDAY MAY  : PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

USA 2006

Director:

Q. Allan Brocka

Producers:

Stephen Israel

Philip Pierce

Victor Simpkins

Screenwriters:

Philip Pierce

Q. Allan Brocka

Cinematographer:

Joshua Hess

Film Editor:

Phillip Bartell

Music:

Ryan Beveridge Cast:

Patrick Bauchau

Derek Magyar

Darryl Stephens

Jonathon Trent

Running Time:

88 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

Boy Culture LLC

Selected Filmography:

Eating Out (2004)

ENCORE SCREENING SATURDAY MAY  : PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Sexy, funny and sharply written, Boy Culture is the perfect film to be presented as our first annual Gay-la Extravaganza, with a post screening party at Chop-Suey. Set amongst Seattle’s queer and curious, this gay comedy of manners features “X,” a thirty-something hustler “with morals” who is seriously lacking in intimacy skills. As detached as his name, he strives to love no one, not even his caring roommates and especially not his clients. e thing is, he can’t seem to extinguish a growing crush on his roommate Andrew, who is also beginning to work the hustler scene. And then there is Joey, a sexually voracious 20-year-old kid who completes this intriguing threesome. When an enigmatic older client wants to get to know X better before they have sex, their dialogue leads X to soften his heart and take some risks with his emotions. And as he does, everybody’s relationships spin out of control and into intricate, hilarious and complex patterns. is is gay life as it is so often stereotyped, but cut through with real heart, intelligence and emotional integrity. Taking inspiration from Queer as Folk, Beautiful ing and a little bit of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Boy Culture turns you on, makes you think about your own relationships, and leaves you with a smile on your face. Director Q. Allan Brocka (Eating Out), a graduate of the University of Washington, gained worldwide acclaim for satirical short Lego film Rick & Steve: e Happiest Gay Couple in all the World, which is currently in development with MTV’s Logo channel to become an animated television series. Now he has proven himself as an accomplished feature filmmaker with his witty and sexy sophomore effort.

Director:

Ryan Fleck Producers:

Jamie Patricof

Alex Orlovsky

Lynette Howell

Anna Boden

Rosanne Korenberg

Screenwriters:

Anna Boden

Ryan Fleck

Cinematographer:

Andrij Parekh Film Editor:

Anna Boden Music: Broken Social Scene Cast:

Ryan Gosling

Shareeka Epps

Anthony Mackie

Tina Holmes

Jay O. Sanders

Denis O’Hare

e familiar cinematic story of the inspirational teacher reaching out to a student in need is twisted and reinvented by director Ryan Fleck, who expanded his Jury Prize-winning 2004 Sundance short “Gowanus, Brooklyn” for his feature length debut. e auspiciously talented Ryan Gosling stars as Dan Dunne, an idealistic inner-city junior high school teacher, in this staunchly unsentimental, hard-hitting drama about the relationship he has with one of his inner-city students. In Half Nelson, however, the teacher needs as much help as the student—possibly more. ough he can keep things together in the classroom, Dan spends his time outside school on the drugged out edge of consciousness. He juggles his hangovers and his homework, keeping his two lives precariously separated, until one of his troubled students, Drey, catches him in a compromising situation. From this awkward beginning, Dan and Drey stumble into an unexpected friendship that threatens either to undo them or to provide the vital change they both need to move forward in their lives. Half Nelson neither condemns nor sanctions Dan’s actions, but rather depicts characters who are wrestling with various aspects of themselves and their roles in the world around them. As Dan, Gosling has created a character as nuanced and appealing as his character in e Believer was raw and confrontational. Shareeka Epps brings an ageless wisdom and grace to her role as a young woman who, surrounded by childlike adults, is forced to grow up all too quickly. Appealingly personal and steadfastly unmelodramatic, Half Nelson is further flavored by the specific ambience of its Brooklyn setting and a score by indie supergroup Broken Social Scene.

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As a proud sponsor of this year‘s festival, Adobe congratulates SIFF on its success in inspiring filmmakers and promoting cinema as an ar t form. We look for ward to seeing what the latest generation of filmmakers creates next.

Special Presentation

THURSDAY JUNE

USA 2006

Director:

Gil Kenan

Producers:

Jack Rapke

Steve Starkey

Screenwriters:

Dan Harmon

Pamela Pettler

Rob Schrab

Cinematographer:

Xavier Perez Grobet

Film Editor:

Adam Scott

Music:

Douglas Pipes

Voices:

Michael Musso

Sam Lerner

Spencer Locke

Steve Buscemi

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Fred Willard

Jon Heder

Jason Lee

Running Time: 94 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm Print Source: Sony Pictures Releasing

Every neighborhood has a house with a secret. In sleepy Mayville, that house belongs to old man Nebbercracker (Steve Buscemi). In the days leading up to Halloween, when Nebbercracker disappears mysteriously, 12-year-old neighbor D.J. Walters (Mitchell Musso) has been left alone with his babysitter (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and he starts noticing strange things about the house next door. More than just strange things, actually. He starts to believe that the house is a living, breathing monster that is hungry for anything that lands on its yard. Of course he can’t convince his babysitter of this fact, nor her friends Skull (Jon Heder) and Bones (Jason Lee). But he does eventually convince his friend Chowder (Sam Lerner) and their new friend Jenny (Spencer Locke). In taking their warning to the neighborhood, though, they are seen just as kids with overactive imaginations. e three decide they must do battle with this mysterious, evil-hearted monster of a house that is determined to eat every trick or treater in sight on Halloween. Using the same performance capture animation that he used in e Polar Express, executive producer Robert Zemeckis, along with Steven Spielberg, team up with first time director Gil Kenan for an animated roller coaster ride of a thriller. Featuring the additional voice talents of Catherine O’Hara, Kathleen Turner, Nick Cannon and Fred Willard, this family horror pic is a little Toy Story, a little Nightmare Before Christmas and a little Something Wicked is Way Comes. Get ready to cross over… to the other side of the street!

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Sound Design for Visual Media at VFS

From Film Production to 3D and Classical Animation, Sound Design to Makeup Effects, and plenty more, all the programs at VFS are designed to prepare the next generation of talent for specific careers in the most exciting and creative industry in the world. How? Every student graduates with a demo reel or a portfolio of original work – the ultimate calling card.

1.800.661.4101

www.vfs.com

Vancouver Film School Where Results Matter

FESTIVAL FORUMS

The Festival Forums, often referred to as the voice of SIFF, sets stages that provide discussion, insight and conversation on and about the world of lm. Intimate, informative and enlightening, these forums present a rare opportunity for audiences to participate in conversations with exceptional lmmakers, actors, producers, composers, musicians, animators, writers and others who are passionate about the art of cinema and are shaping the industry today and into its future.

This year’s lineup has some exciting changes and additions. We have re-envisioned our Talking Pictures series, inviting three stars of the Seattle scene—restaurateur Tom Douglas, opera star Jane Eaglen and renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly—to program a favorite lm to share and discuss with festival audiences. The Seattle Summit returns to gather top-notch international experts to talk about issues that a ect the movies we make and see. In addition, there will be conversations with experts in developing and producing independent lm, a special Screenwriters Salon hosted by TheFilmSchool, opportunities to learn about the latest in computer graphics from DreamWorks animators, and a high ying Hong Kong wirework demonstration. Something for everyone.

We look forward to seeing you at these special events that we hope will o er insight and inspiration to those who make the movies as well as the lm fan in us all.

For additional events, ip to the Face the Music section (pg. 61), Fly Films Take Flight (pg. 264) and Future Wave (pg. 268).

TAL K ING P ICTU RE S:

Dale Chihuly presents Lonely Are the Brave (USA, 1962), directed by David Miller

Tom Douglas presents Hello, Dolly! (USA, 1969), directed by Gene Kelly

Jane Eaglen presents Anne of the Thousand Days (UK, 1969), directed by Charles Jarrott

On a Wire and a Prayer: Wirework Demonstration

Animation Master Class with Dreamworks

Seattle Summit

I Wake Up Screening: What to Do After You’ve Made That Movie

Producer’s School

The Great Debate: The Northwest Voice and the National Scene

SIFF Classrooms

Digital Media Lab

SIFF Goes to School

SIFF would like to thank the following businesses and organizations for their support:

Jane Eaglen presents

A NNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS

TUESDAY MAY 30 8:00PM

HARVARD EXIT

Soprano Jane Eaglen has one of the most formidable reputations in the opera world today. Enjoying unique success in the roles of Isolde , Leonore and Brunnhilde , she has garnered spectacular reviews worldwide. Other memorable Seattle performances include Norma , Ariadne and Ortrud ( Lohengrin ) for the Seattle Opera.

Ms. Eaglen has recorded many solo albums, and her recording of Wagner’s Tannheuser with Barenboim for Teldec earned her a Grammy. In addition, Miss Eaglen is featured on Sony’s soundtrack for the lm adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility .

Directed by Charles Jarrott (United Kingdom, 1969, 145 minutes)

He was King. She was barely 18. In their thousand days together they played out one of the most passionate and shocking love stories in history! Henry VIII’s obsession with siring a male heir endangers all around him: his courtiers, his government servants and, especially, young Anne Boleyn. What ensues is both more, and less, than a love story; it changes England forever. Starring Richard Burton and Geneviève Bujold.

“Anne of the Thousand Days has been a favorite movie of mine since I rst saw it as a child. For as long as I can remember, I have had a fascination with Anne Boleyn and the entire Tudor dynasty. She was a strong, intelligent woman and her forceful personality has in uenced us throughout the centuries.”

- Jane Eaglen

Directed by David Miller (USA, 1962, 107 minutes)

Life can never tame a man like this! Kirk Douglas stars with Gena Rowlands, Walther Matthau and George Kennedy in this taut western saga. Douglas plays Jack Burns, a cowboy who ends up on the run after trying to spring his friend from jail. Walther Matthau plays the sheri who must bring him to justice in spite of his own sympathy for the renegade.

Featuring an exciting script by blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo ( Spartacus ) based on the Edward Abbey novel, Lonely Are the Brave was one of Douglas’ favorites. With its sensitive performances and anti-establishment themes, the lm, photographed in stark black and white, has also become a favorite of fans and critics alike since its initial release in 1962.

“ This is a really great classic movie and one of my favorites. Kirk Douglas is terri c in this lm along with Gena Rowlands. I hope SIFF audiences will enjoy it as well.”

- Dale Chihuly

Dale Chihuly presents

LONELY ARE THE BRAVE

JUNE 5 7:00PM

Dale Chihuly’s achievements in the medium of glass are world-renowned. From the inception of his career, Chihuly has been involved in the American studio glass movement. He established the glass program at Rhode Island School of Design in 1969, and went on to co-found the seminal Pilchuck Glass School in 1971. In 1995, the artist embarked on Chihuly Over Venice , which culminated with the installation of sculpture over the canals and piazze of Venice, Italy. Four years later, he presented his most ambitious installation to date with Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem. Chihuly has more recently created Chihuly in the Park: A Garden of Glass at Chicago’s Gar eld Park Conservatory (2001-2002), Mille Fiori at the Tacoma Art Museum (2003) and Gardens of Glass: Chihuly at Kew at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, near London (2005).

HARVARD EXIT

Tom Douglas presents

HMONDAY JUNE 12 6:30PM HARVARD EXIT

Tom Douglas, Seattle’s phenom chef and restaurant owner, has grown to be a large presence on Seattle’s restaurant scene. Never having attended a culinary school, Tom’s cooking knowledge comes mostly from dining out across America and Europe, using his “taste memory” to recreate and develop recipes in his own style. Tom’s cuisine has helped de ne the Northwest style. His creativity with local ingredients and his respect for Seattle’s ethnic traditions have earned his four restaurants a place on the national culinary map.

Directed by Gene Kelly (USA, 1969, 146 minutes)

This fantastic lm adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical tells the story of Dolly Levi, a New York-based matchmaker who merrily arranges things... like furniture and da odils and lives. A widow, she has found herself in love with a “half-a-millionaire” Yonkers merchant named Horace Vandergelder. She proceeds to weave a web of romantic complications involving Horace, his two clerks, a pretty milliner and her assistant. Eventually, of course, all is sorted out and everyone ends up well matched. Starring Barbara Streisand and Walter Matthau.

“I always loved the play ( Hello, Dolly! ) with Carol Channing and I like the movie with Barbara Streisand, and I like movies with classic food scenes. The Harmonium Garden food scene, with the formal waiters and Louis Armstrong is a classic. I wish my waiters could dance as well!”

- Tom Douglas

Hong Kong Cinema : the Legend that Always Shines

Experience six of the best Hong Kong productions at the 32nd Seattle International Film Festival

Initial D “ ” Isabella (伊 莎貝拉 ) “ ” A Side, B Side, Seaside “ ” Five Venoms (五 毒 ) (頭 文字 D) (17 歲 的夏天 )

HONG KONG

A City of Many Faces – Ideal Location for Mega Produc tions

A Place Where Imagination and World- Class Talents Meet

A Unique Experience of Western Influence and Eastern Tradition

As one of the world’s major film producers and expor ters, Hong Kong has a lot to offer. To learn more about the

O N A W IRE AN D A P RAYER

SUNDAY JUNE 11 4:00PM

BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

For years Hong Kong lmmakers have relied on wirework—where performers are lifted, pulled or jerked around by “invisible” wires—to help tell stories of the supernatural or of heroes with superhuman abilities. Modern action lms are indelibly marked by the in uence of their work, as wire stunts have become a staple in the industry as a means of creating larger and more exciting action sequences, with performers ying through the air, running up walls, and even being “assisted” during more basic moves for greater e ect. Get a look behind the scenes as instructors from the International Stunt School explore elements of Hong Kong action scenes with live demonstrations of modern wirework by stunt performers and the people who y them. See how these stunts are rigged and what techniques are used to make them successful for lm.

The International Stunt School, operated locally since 1985 by the United Stuntmen’s Association, has been giving students the skills necessary to work in the stunt industry. Their annual Aerial Master Class focuses on preparing students for performing wirework in lm.

ANIMATION MASTER CLASS WITH DREAMWORKS

JUNE 3 1:30PM

BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

DreamWorks animators Cameron Hood and Kyle Je erson present their debut short lm First Flight , a charming story of an uptight businessman whose perspective on life is changed through an unexpected encounter with a tiny edgling bird. Following the screening, hear from the directors as they tell another great story—of how the lm was made through a grassroots e ort at the studio to recruit artists and animators with the common goal of telling a simple, universal story: two characters, one set, no dialogue, but a timeless and emotional message with a unique painterly look. Learn what it takes to make a computer-animated short as Hood and Je erson discuss their creative and technical process, and how they tried to nd the perfect marriage of artistry and technology to realize their vision. This rewarding session is ideal for anyone interested in CG animation, or anyone who wants to learn about the passion needed to create short lms within a studio setting.

Moderator: Brian McDonald

Guests: Cameron Hood and Kyle Je erson

FileMaker® Pro and the Seattle International Film Festival

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• 150,000 attendees

• 17,704 industry contacts, media, and volunteers

• 9,772 volunteer hours

• 3,808 film entries tracked

• 1,161 ushers

• 1,600 SIFF members

• 575 events

• 315 sponsors

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SEATTLE SUMMIT

A state-of-the-industry discussion with top-level out-of-town speakers

MODERATOR:

Mike Goodrich, US Editor, Screen International

Hour #1:

THE NEW MONEY IN CONTENT CREATION AND HOW TO ACCESS IT

The deluge of hedge funds, pension funds and high net worth individuals into lm nancing and production has changed the lm business almost overnight. No longer is independent lm considered a risky business, but with the impending explosion in delivery systems about to create a massive demand for new movies, it’s a good bet for investors.

This session will ask the following questions: What does the new money mean for independent lmmakers? Who are the gatekeepers? How can lmmakers access new money? What does the new money mean for the major studios? What value does ownership of a lm bring? Is there a disconnect between making movies and getting them distributed? Is there more money than talent or good projects?

Mike Goodrich

Hour #2: NEW DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS & HOW THEY WILL CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS

Download-to-own, broadband, IP delivery, digital distribution, iPods—this session will look at the future of lm and how it is set to change dramatically over the next decade. Since so much is yet unknown, it will speculate on where we are headed and how that will change our current way of doing business.

What is the future direction of lm consumption? Will new delivery systems mean more need for product? Why is content ownership so important in this climate? Will theatrical distribution always be at the top of the food chain? How do you create market value for lms that don’t have theatrical distribution? How do you market to an internet-savvy crowd? Will traditional windows change? Will lms start going straight to VOD or DVD and, if so, will they lose value?

PRODUCER SCHOOL SERIES

These two free events are designed for lm producers who want to learn more about successful lm funding and development, with Chicago Entertainment Lawyer and Film producer Hal “Corky” Kessler presenting expert advice culled from his 25 years in the entertainment industry.

SESSION ONE: Independent Film and Television: A Sound Investment.

SATURDAY JUNE 3 3:30PM – NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Filmmakers and nancial managers alike will want to attend this dynamic presentation about why lm and television are a good investment right now. Kessler is in a unique position to provide insights into and explain how 2004 American Jobs Creation Act can provide signi cant tax relief to taxpayers who invest in qualifying lm and television projects. As an added bonus, local entertainment lawyer Lance Rosen (Rosen Lewis, PLLC) will be sharing information about the newly created Washington State tax incentive package and how the incentive will be applied and used.

SESSION TWO: The Business of Filmmaking: What You Need to Know Before and After the Cameras Roll

SUNDAY JUNE 4 3:30PM – NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Learn to develop and package independent lms. Kessler provides the tools you need to nd the funding sources and close the deal.

This high energy, straight shooting presentation will include:

- How to identify successful lm projects.

- What is involved in the development phase and how to avoid the legal and business pitfalls.

- Approaching actors, directors, producers and distributors.

- Who you need to make a winning team.

- Packaging your lm project to attract money rather than chase it.

- Gaining access to funding and funding sources and taking best advantage of the investment climate.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable information and insight so your next lm won’t have to be paid for with your credit cards and be seen only by a small group of your closest friends.

I WA K E UP SCREENING : what to do after you’ve made that movie

SUNDAY JUNE 18 2:00PM – NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Inspired by the critically acclaimed tell-all book of the same name, this panel aims to give emerging lmmakers a roadmap with which to navigate the tumultuous ride from lm festival to theatrical distribution. With over 40+ years of industry experience, authors John Anderson (journalist and critic for Variety, Newsday and The New York Times) and Laura Kim (marketing maven and Executive Vice President of Marketing & Publicity for Warner Independent) will o er candid advice on how to— and how not to—get your lm talked about, written about, sold and seen.

Anderson and Kim will address lmmakers’ most difcult questions: Do I need a sales agent? A publicist?

Should I pre-screen my lm for distributors before the festival? What do I do if I DON’T get into Sundance?

With their combined experience and the knowledge they gained from over 60 interviews conducted with top industry executives for the book, including Cassian Elwes (agent, William Morris), Bill Condon ( lmmaker, Gods and Monsters) and Geo rey Gilmore (director, Sundance Film Festival), this event guarantees candid conversation and bold, brash advice. After all, making the lm isn’t the end of the process, it’s only the beginning. Don’t let your feature lm go unseen. Come nd out how to get it out of Seattle and into the marketplace.

Guests: John Anderson and Laura Kim

Moderator: Anne Thompson, The Hollywood Reporter

S CREENWRITERS

S ALON : HOW TO T ELL A GREAT STORY O N FI L M

SATURDAY JUNE 10 11AM – NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Guests:

Tom Skerritt

John Jacobsen

Rick Stevenson

Stewart Stern

Warren Etheredge

The faculty of TheFilmSchool will present a miniversion of their school in a mere three hours. Sounds like an impossible task, given the school’s normal course runs 12 hours a day, six days a week, for three weeks, but the session will give you an idea of the way the school teaches and why it has, in just two years, already become known as one of the great places to study screenwriting and directing. Each instructor will present the key principles that they teach and demonstrate their views through lecture, discussion, debate, lm clips and on-your-feet exercises. Come, participate and learn the nuts and bolts of how to tell great story on lm.

T HE G REAT DEBATE : TH E

NORT H WE S T VO I CE A N D

T H E NAT I O N AL SCE N E

SUNDAY MAY 28 2PM – NORTHWEST

FILM FORUM

As Paci c Northwest lmmakers can attest, it’s difcult if not impossible to make a living making movies around here. The local lmmaking community prides itself on the artistic independence that comes from living outside the Hollywood fray, but is the goal to make movies that exist outside of commercial markets? Why, with rare exceptions, are Washington movies so rarely seen outside of Washington?

With the recent adoption of the production tax incentives and the rebirth of the low-budget indie, the local lm community has the opportunity to emerge as a compelling and dominant force on the national stage. Some of the most interesting independent lms are coming from the Northwest—think of the recent success stories such as Lynn Shelton’s We Go Way Back and James Longley’s Iraq in Fragments—so the real question becomes: Are we ready for national attention?

Join us for a bare- sted debate about what’s right and what’s wrong with the local lmmaking industry. Does living in the Paci c Northwest make us more interesting lmmakers? What obligation do we have to invite the Hollywood community into our world or are we obliged to sell-out and go to L.A.?

It’s your conversation and your career so take part in the debate and shape the future of lmmaking in Washington.

Moderator: Jim Baker, Media, Inc.

Panelists:

Larry Estes, Producer, The Heart of the Game

Donna James, Former Director of The Mayor’s O ce of Film and Music

Don Jensen, Alpha Cine/Forde Labs

Jennifer Roth, Co-Producer, The Squid and the Whale

Lynn Shelton, Writer/Director, We Go Way Back

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Inspired to create your own short film? Ask us and see how easy it really can be!

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SIFF CLASSROOM

We are proud to partner with two outstanding innovators in the world of digital technology for our hands-on, interactive lmmaker classrooms. The MAC Store/IrisInk and RealNetworks will present classes on various aspects of digital lmmaking and editing—not only for the experienced lmmaker, but also the novice, aspiring director or anyone looking for a way to realize their vision. These classes are free but require a ticketed reservation through the SIFF Box O ce. Seating is limited.

3D for Film Made E asy with Maya presented by The MAC Store/IrisInk

JUNE 1 4:30PM – NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Instructor: Marcel De Jong

This presentation is intended for new artists who are serious about developing their career in 3D motion graphics. If you’ve been looking for straight answers to how 3D graphics for lm are done in the real world this is a must attend event. Whether you’re just starting out or have some experience in another program, this fast-paced orientation is intended to give you a broad range of topics and expose you to how work is approached and developed in a professional production environment. Production techniques used by industry professionals are examined to give a comprehensive view of the 3D production process.

Digital Media Lab presented by The MAC Store/IrisInk

The lab will be located in a SCCC classroom. Go to Broadway Performance Hall lobby for directions.

This comprehensive series of classes will teach the basics of digital lm editing as well as how to turn your lm into a DVD once you are nished. Classes run the gamut from beginning to advanced use of the applications.

Introduction to Final Cut Pro

THURSDAY JUNE 8 11:00AM FRIDAY JUNE 9 2:45PM

Final Cut Pro has created a paradigm shift in the worlds of video and lm post-production. This session will provide an overview of video formats and standards, a primer of post-production basics and a walk-through of Final Cut Pro, from importing and editing to transitions, audio mixing, and titling. No video editing experience is necessary.

Instructor: Kris Boustedt

Advanced Techniques in Final Cut Pro

THURSDAY JUNE 8 12:15PM FRIDAY JUNE 9 4:00PM

This session will focus on topics such as advanced e ects, color keying, color correction and audio nishing. Also learn how to utilize Photoshop les in your video projects, as well as export for DVD and web distribution.

Instructor: Kris Boustedt

Introduction to Logic Express

THURSDAY JUNE 8 1:30PM FRIDAY JUNE 9 11:00AM

With up to 255 stereo tracks and 12 input audio channels, Logic Express is a powerful and extensive recording, editing and scoring tool. In this session, you will learn how to get both live and digital audio into the application, the basics of audio editing and e ects processing, how to add video into the work ow and how to export your project for web, CD and Final Cut Pro.

Instructor: Eric Corson

Introduction to Motion

THURSDAY JUNE 8 2:45PM FRIDAY JUNE 9 12:15PM

Motion, like Final Cut Pro before it, has undeniably altered the post-production landscape, turning complicated image and text animations into simple drag-and-drop operations. In this session you will learn how to create behavior-based e ects, use the particle generator, combine lters and add LiveFonts to your lm and video projects, as well as turn your DVD menus into works of art.

Instructor: Ian Page-Echols

DVD Authoring with DVD Studio Pro

THURSDAY JUNE 8 4:00PM FRIDAY JUNE 9 1:30PM

DVD Studio Pro integrates seamlessly with Final Cut Pro for a complete DVD delivery work ow. This session will introduce the foundations of DVD technology, like disc structure and MPEG encoding, then show you how to create content with Final Cut Pro and Photoshop. Finally, the session will delve into DVD Studio Pro, where you will learn about compression, menu design, interactive programming, Dolby Digital audio tracks and DVD-ROM material.

Instructor: Kris Boustedt

GarageBand Workshop for Youth

FRIDAY JUNE 9 5:15PM

Record your rst demo CD. Create a Podcast. Score a short lm. GarageBand can do it all! In this session you will learn how to input both analog and digital instruments, control MIDI keyboards, add e ects and synchronize a project with video and export to CD.

Instructor: Eric Corson

NCO D E YOUR F ILM FOR I NTERNET S TREAMING :

PRESENTED BY REALNETWOR KS

THURSDAY, JUNE 1 AT 2:00PM AT THE NORTHWEST FILM

FORUM

Instructor: Eddie Sams

You’ve made your lm and now you need a way to show it to everyone. Join us for this “how to” look at encoding your digital lm for Internet streaming. Learn the “ins and outs” of getting your lm content Internet ready.

This hands-on presentation will take you step-by-step through the capture process, including discussions about hardware and software options, equipment choices and tips and tricks to tweak image and sound for best results. The topic will then turn to optimizing your captures for Internet consumption, where encode settings and choices will be covered. Finally, we will show you how to set up and run a streaming server and create a URL to view your clip.

Once you’re nished with this class, the world’s largest screening room will be just a few clicks away.

W HAT HAPPENS WHEN SIFF

G OES TO S CHOOL ?

• Students from Elementary to High School attend award-winning lms from around the world!

• Filmmakers visit classrooms and share their knowledge of lmmaking and the cross-cultural understanding that is an integral part of the art of lmmaking.

• Technically-minded young people attend workshops in our Digital Media Lab.

• Aspiring young lmmakers will showcase their work at our rst ever FutureWave shorts program to be presented during the 2006 festival. (See PAGE 268 for the lineup and more information on this year’s program).

• Teachers can get into the act by attending a professional development workshop too!

H ERE’S HOW IT WOR K S…

Special Student Screenings:

Films are selected by the SIFF programming team for a broad range of youth interests and learning levels. Content areas include foreign lms in languages taught in schools, including Chinese, French, German and Spanish. These lms are chosen to enhance learning in classrooms of world cultures, civics, science and the environment, with several well suited for those learning the English language.

Filmmaker Visits:

SIFF invites local schools and colleges to meet with local and visiting lmmakers for a rsthand look at the art of lmmaking. Filmmakers travel to schools to meet and talk with students, providing valuable insight into the lmmaking process from both a practical and artistic perspective. Filmmakers may screen and discuss their own work, or possibly view and critique lms made by students.

Digital Media Lab:

Students can attend free workshops and classes through our Digital Media Lab. These classes o er opportunities for students to get hands-on experience with computers and other lmmaking tools, asks questions or problem solve on a project.

Professional Development for Teachers:

This year SIFF is excited to o er its rst workshop for teachers during the festival.

SATURDAY JUNE 10 9:00 AM -12:00 CONSOLIDATED WORKS

Digital Storytelling and Media Literacy in the Classroom: A professional development training for teachers of grades 6-12

Three regional youth media organizations will collaborate to o er a three-hour workshop for middle school and high school teachers exploring how media literacy and digital storytelling can be integrated into the academic classroom.

For more information on these programs please contact SIFF Forums and Education Programs Coordinator Liza Comtois at 206.315.0663 or liza@seattle lm.org.

This special section celebrates the vital connections of music and lm—from exploring music’s role in creating dynamic cinematic experiences to showcasing documentary lms that put great music and musicians in front of the camera. Shedding light on the art of the lm score, acclaimed musicians/composers Mark Mothersbaugh and Stewart Copeland discuss their experiences and creative processes; silent cinema is given new life with the world premieres of live lm scores by Portastatic (helmed by Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan) and Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie (who recently collaborated to create the score for Gregg Araki’s Mysterious Skin); and special forums bring lmmakers, musicians and industry together. Showcasing music as a subject, we present a selection of new documentaries that travel the globe capturing great performances and illuminating the lives, stories, and struggles between the notes. This wide-ranging selection of lms highlights celebrated artists–The Pixies, The Police, Leonard Cohen, Harry Nilsson, J.J. Cale, Björk, George Michael–as well as overlooked masters and undiscovered talents in Brazil, West Africa, Iceland and Turkey. As a centerpiece for the program, we’re presenting the Face the Music Rock Party, a special concert at Neumo’s. Join us for this exciting and eclectic program celebrating the various intersections of music and lm.

FACE THE MUSIC FILMS

EV ENTS

Face the Music Rock Party at Neumo’s (concert)

Melodic Meshes with Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie (live musical score)

The Unknown with Portastatic (live musical score)

Master Class with Composer Mark Mothersbaugh

A Conversation with Stewart Copeland ( lm screening and discussion)

Crossing the Bridge–The Sound of Istanbul (Germany/ Turkey, 2005), directed by Fatih Akin

Cues and Connections: Making Music in Film (panel discussion) FACE

Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out (USA, 2006), directed by Stewart Copeland

Five Days in September (Canada, 2005), directed by Barbara Willis Sweete

George Michael–A Di erent Story (UK, 2005), directed by Southan Morris

Leonard Cohen I’m Your Man (USA, 2005), directed by Lian Lunson

loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies (USA, 2006), directed by Stephen Cantor & Matthew Galkin

Maria Bethânia: Music Is Perfume (Switzerland, 2005), directed by Georges Gachot

The Refugee All Stars (Guinea/Sierra Leone/USA, 2005), directed by Zach Niles & Banker White

Screaming Masterpieces (Iceland, 2005), directed by Ari Alexander Ergis Magnussan

This Is Gary McFarland (USA, 2006), directed by Kristian St. Clair

To Tulsa and Back: On Tour with J.J. Cale (Germany, 2006), directed by Jörg Bundschuh

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everyone Talking About Him?) (USA, 2006), directed by John Scheinfeld

International ISSUES

Local PERSPECTIVES

Regional NEWS

Thoughtful ANALYSIS

Culture and the ARTS

KUOW is delighted to be a sponsor of this year’s Seattle International Film Festival.

Face the Music Rock Party

THURSDAY JUNE 15

NEUMOS

9:00 PM (DOORS AT 8:00 PM) 21+

The centerpiece event for SIFF’s Face The Music program, this special concert celebrates both Seattle’s diverse and thriving music community and a range of renowned artists highlighted in this year’s music lms. In the rst of many annual SIFF-produced Seattle music showcases to come, a range of local bands perform original material as well as cover songs by artists highlighted in the lms—from serious homage to irreverent reinterpretations of music by The Pixies, The Police, Leonard Cohen, Harry Nilsson, J.J. Cale, George Michael, Björk and others. Many of the festival’s visiting musicians, lmmakers and industry will be in attendance for this uniquely Seattle experience.

Melodic Meshes with Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie

SATURDAY JUNE 17 7:00PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF is pleased to present guest musicians/ composers Harold Budd and Robin Guthrie in a very special evening of live music and avantgarde cinema. Multi-instrumentalist/composer/ producer Robin Guthrie co-founded the in uential atmospheric dream-pop trio Cocteau Twins, and now collaborates with singer Siobhan de Maré in the group Violet Indiana. A legendary experimental composer and modern poet of the piano renowned for unique works of ambient and avant-garde music, Harold Budd has worked with such artists as Brian Eno and Eraldo Bernocchi. Budd and Guthrie rst collaborated on the seminal 1986 album The Moon and the Melodies , and recently worked together to create the score for Gregg Araki’s feature lm Mysterious Skin (one of last year’s Golden Space Needle Award recipients). In a rare live performance, the two will premiere original music composed for a selection of landmark avant-garde lms made between the 1920s and the 1960s by American cinema pioneers, including Man Ray, Maya Deren and Bruce Baillie. Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind event in which imagery ranging from simple to surreal to sublime is infused with an ethereal live score of moving harmonic soundscapes.

Co-presented by Emerald Reels

The Unknown with Portastatic

FRIDAY JUNE 16

MOORE THEATRE

DOORS AT 8:00PM, SHOW AT 9:00PM

DIRECTED BY : TOD BROWNING (USA, 1927, 63 MINUTES)

Portastatic, headed up by Superchunk band leader and Merge Records co-founder Mac McCaughan, brings new life to an historic oddity. For this special event, the group unveils an original live score for the rarely seen silent lm The Unknown . This 1927 masterpiece from director Tod Browning ( Dracula , Freaks ) stars Lon Chaney

Sr. as a fugitive posing as carnival knife thrower

“Alonzo the Armless” and Joan Crawford as Nanon

Zanzi, the scantily-clad carnival girl Alonzo wants to marry. Yes, he is an armless knife-thrower–Chaney throws knives, plays guitar, lights and smokes cigarettes and drinks wine with his feet.

Nanon, who is repulsed by men, nds solace with Alonzo because he has no arms with which to touch her. With a positively odd premise and outrageous plot twists, The Unknown is by far Browning’s most bizarre lm, and Chaney’s performance is considered to be the best of his career, hands down (pun intended). Mac McCaughan— along with brother Matthew McCaughan, fellow Superchunker Jim Wilbur and a rotating line-up of other talented musicians—has released a number of Portastatic recordings over the past dozen years, including last year’s acclaimed Bright Ideas

Adding a new dimension to a strange and spellbinding work, this live score will also feature the talents of Margaret White on violin, Carrie Shull on Oboe, Jeb Bishop on Trombone and Laura Thomas also on violin. Movie events do not get much more one-of-a-kind than this.

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP is proud to support the 32nd Annual Seattle International Film Festival. Wecelebrate SIFF's long standing commitment to the filmmaking and film going communities of the Pacific Northwest. Webelieve your efforts are vital in building and maintaining the strength of the arts and cinema in Seattle.

©

Master Class with Composer

Mark Mothersbaugh

FRIDAY JUNE 16 7:00PM

BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

A rare opportunity to journey inside the mind of the musical wizard, for this special Master Class, Mark Mothersbaugh will speak about the art of composing for lm, show and discuss examples of his work, and take questions from the audience.

The mastermind behind progressive new wave/rock band Devo, Mothersbaugh has always concerned himself with the creative marriage of sound and image. As early as the mid-’70s, Devo was creating songs in tandem with short lms, anticipating MTV by half a decade. In the mid-1980s, he began to write music for commercials and television projects, including the memorable theme song and underscore for Pee-wee’s Playhouse. He has since become one of Hollywood’s most respected lm composers, with more than 70 lm and television scores under his belt. He created the music for all of Wes Anderson’s lms ( Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ). Other feature lm scores include Thirteen, Welcome To Collinwood, Happy Gilmore, 200 Cigarettes, The New Age, Lords of Dogtown, The Ringer and most recently, How To Eat Fried Worms . He has also done music and sound design for countless television shows, commercials and video games.

Moderated by Sean Nelson

A Conversation with Stewart Copeland

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 7:00PM

EGYPTIAN THEATRE

After rising to international stardom as founding member and drummer of the Police, along with bandmates Sting and Andy Summers, and releasing solo material under the alias Klark Kent, Stewart Copeland began a long career in lm composing. Since his rst lm score in 1983 for Francis Ford Coppola’s Rumble Fish , he has created music for over 40 movies (including Wall Street , Talk Radio , Raining Stones , Four Days in September , West Beirut , Very Bad Things, She’s All That and I Am David), countless TV shows (including Dead Like Me and episodes of Desperate Housewives ) and video games (Universal’s Spyro the Dragon games). In addition, Copeland has written two operas, many concert works (music from his Orchestralli CD/DVD was nominated for a 2006 Grammy) and he has popped up in collaborative side-projects including Oysterhead (with Les Claypool of Primus and Trey Anastasio of Phish)–who are reuniting for a one-o concert on June 17 at the Bonnaroo Festival–and Gizmo (formed with Italian musician Vittorio Cosma and avant-rock guitarist Davis “Fuze” Fiuczynski).

In a discussion moderated by Ben London, Copeland will talk about his career, his diverse musical in uences, his creative process and the similarities between music and lm. The discussion will be followed by a special screening of his new lm, Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out, which was created from 50 hrs of 3-minute rolls of 8mm footage. Filmed more than 25 years ago by Copeland, the lm documents the band’s early rise to stardom and eventual demise.

Moderator: Ben London, Executive Director, Paci c Northwest Chapter of the Recording Academy

Cues and Connections: Making Music In Film

SATURDAY JUNE 17 2:00PM

BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

With greater numbers of A-list musicians lending their songs and musical talent to soundtracks—think Madonna for Austin Powers or Elton John for The Lion King —music licensing budgets have skyrocketed. This, of course, leaves independent lmmakers wondering how to rock audiences without rocking the budget. Inspired by music-driven independent lms such as Zach Bra ’s Garden State , Cues and Connections aims to demystify the music business and explore the marriage of independent lmmaker and indie music. Garnering wisdom and insight from some of music’s most in uential executives, this panel will o er tricks of the trade for musicians and independent lmmakers alike.

Moderator:

James Keblas , Director, The City of Seattle’s Mayor’s O ce of Film and Music

Panelists:

Sharon Boyle , Music Supervisor

Jen Czeisler, Vice President of Licensing, Sub Pop Records

Dave Dederer, musician, The Presidents of the United States of America

Ian Hierons, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, Milan Records

Jason Reitman , Writer/Director, Thank You for Smoking

How should musicians interact with the moving image and get inspiration from the director’s vision? Where do music supervisors nd new talent? And how does a band make the leap from playing local shows to contributing to a lm soundtrack with national theatrical distribution? On the ip side, when should a lmmaker begin to approach bands about a licensing agreements and what will it cost? What are the “do’s and don’ts” of approaching a label? And what options do you have when the top 20 artists says no to your soundtrack? As the artistic community from the Paci c Northwest emerges on the national stage, come nd out how to get what you want without rocking the boat.

Crossing the BridgeThe Sound of Istanbul

Everyone Stares: The Police Inside Out

Alexander Hacke, a veteran of the German avant-garde music scene, first became fascinated by the mysteries of Istanbul while working with filmmaker Fatih Akin on music for last year’s award-winning feature film Head-On With Crossing the Bridge they team up for a fascinating, beautifully photographed exploration of Istanbul’s daily life and diverse musical landscape. Traveling with a portable recording studio, Hacke guides us down streets and back alleys of the Turkish metropolis for compelling conversations with musicians and riveting performances of a broad spectrum of both modern and ancient music forms—everything from traditional compositions to modern rock, hip hop and electronic music. We’re introduced to the music of hugely popular artists such as legendary diva Sezen Aksu, the “arabesque Elvis” Orhan Gencebay, maverick rocker Erkin Koray, and Kurdish singer Anyar, as well as discovering new generation musicians including neopsychedelic band Baba Zula, fusion DJ Orient Express, digital dirvish Mercan Dede, rap group Ceza, and rock bands Duman and Replikas. Weaving a colorful patchwork of images and sounds, Crossing the Bridge is an inspired portrait of Turkish music, and a fascinating journey through the cultural life of a city where past and present, East and West all converge.

Germany/ Turkey 2005

Director:

Fatih Akin

Producers:

Fatih Akin

Klaus Maeck

Andreas Thiel

Sandra Harzer-Kux

Christian Kux

Screenwriter:

Fatih Akin

Cinematographer:

Hervé Dieu

Film Editor:

Andrew Bird

Music:

Alexander Hacke

Featuring:

Alexander Hacke

Baba Zula

Orient Expressions

Duman

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

Many rock documentaries have traced the rise of a little band from obscurity to international superstardom, but never before have we seen it from the perspective of one of the group’s members. In 1978, just as e Police was starting to get noticed, drummer Stewart Copeland bought a Super 8 home movie camera and began documenting the day-to-day life of the band. He’s recently opened his box of film reels and assembled this first-person account of him and his friends becoming the most successful band in the world. e journey begins with the trio clowning around along a tour of small dingy clubs in the U.S., but it’s not long before crowds grow from a hundred to hundreds of thousands, small vans turn into jets, cheap motels turn into luxury suites, and life becomes completely surreal. Everyone Stares collects priceless footage of Copeland, Andy Summers and Sting playing concerts, doing recording sessions and joking around backstage and in hotels. Capturing the moment became an obsession for Copeland, even going so far as to set up a tripod and talk to the camera while playing concerts. e whirlwind trip is set to a soundtrack of great alternate mixes—“Police derangements,” as Copeland calls them—blending various live recordings and original studio backing tracks. In this very personal document, we finally meet the real people behind the superstar group as we ride the rocketship of ten years with e Police.

USA 2006

Director:

Stewart Copeland

Producers:

Stewart Copeland

Brit Marling

Screenwriter:

Stewart Copeland

Cinematographer:

Stewart Copeland

Film Editors:

Stewart Copeland

Mike Cahill

Featuring: Stewart Copeland

Andy Summers

Sting

Running Time: 75 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

Print Source:

Derek Power Company

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

In

Short Sharp Shock (1998)

Five Days in September

George MichaelA Different Story

Director Barbara Willis Sweete gives us a lively behind-the-scenes look at the beginning of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra’s first season under the helm of charismatic new music director Peter Oundjian. is glimpse at the inner workings of a major metropolitan orchestra is made all the more enjoyable by the personalities involved. From orchestra rehearsals to impromptu dance lessons, we meet the people who make the TSO what it is. But it’s the magic of the music under the command of the extraordinarily talented Oundjian that brings it all together.

A classically trained violinist, he studied with Itzhak Perlman before an injury forced him to change career paths. Now his incredible passion and uncanny ability to coax astonishingly nuanced performances from musicians make him and his orchestra a delight to watch. His intelligence, wit and collaborative spirit inspire brilliant performances from his musicians. Guest appearances by Renée Fleming, Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma in the symphony’s opening week and candid footage of their interactions with the new Maestro are particularly illuminating. Musical highlights include excerpts from Dvořák’s “Cello Concerto in B Minor” with Yo-Yo Ma, and the aria from “La Wally” with Renée Fleming. is intimate and exciting look at the inner workings of an orchestra is a must for fans of classical music.

Preceded by Common Practice USA, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Marcos Efron

A young Mexican-American boy’s gift for playing the violin brings his working class Latino neighborhood together in ways he never thought possible.

Canada 2005

Director:

Barbara Willis Sweete

Producers:

Jessica Daniel

Barbara Willis Sweete

Screenwriter:

Barbara Willis Sweete

Cinematographer:

Milan Podsedly

Anton Van Rooyen

Film Editor:

Bruce Lange

Featuring:

Peter Oundjian

Emanuel Ax

Renée Fleming

Yo-Yo Ma

Running Time:

72 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta - NTSC

International Sales:

Rhombus International

Print Source:

Rhombus International

Selected Filmography: Perfect Pie (2002)

e extremely private George Michael speaks candidly about his life and career for the first time in this revealing documentary. Michael leads us through his professional and private highs and lows—from pop fame with Wham! to his phenomenal success as a solo artist; from his humble beginnings in Hertfordshire, England to the zenith of his fame and then down again to legal battles with his label and the infamous public toilet incident. He reunites with his Wham! partner Andrew Ridgeley for their first on-camera interview in 20 years, and the two discuss working together and the band’s farewell concert. Michael retraces his path to superstardom, talking about the creation and release the bona fide pop gems to be found on such epochal albums as Faith, Listen Without Patience, Older and Patience. He relates the challenge of balancing the personal and professional, and the effect of extreme celebrity on him (and his ego), and talks openly about the incredible relationship he had with his Brazilian boyfriend, Anselmo, and its tragic end when Anselmo died of AIDS. Among his most poignant confessions, Michael reveals that, while Anselmo was dying, he was performing at a tribute concert to Queen’s Freddie Mercury. e movie also features plenty of performance footage and interviews, including Elton John, Mariah Carey, Sting and Boy George.

Leonard Cohen I’m Your Man

FRIDAY JUNE 9 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 10 1:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

One of the most original and enduring musical artists to emerge from the ’60s, Leonard Cohen and his elegant, bittersweet songs—classics like “Bird on a Wire,” “Suzanne,” “Everybody Knows” and “Hallelujah”—have had a tremendous impact on a wide range of musicians over the past four decades. But the influential Canadian poet and songwriter has been an elusive figure, long out of the public eye, making the arrival of I’m Your Man a momentous event. Both an intimate portrait of Cohen and a moving concert film celebrating his repertoire, director Lian Lunson’s new documentary brings the man and the music back into the spotlight. Cohen’s presence is at once casual and deeply soulful, as he talks in his unmistakably deep voice about his youth, life as a poet in Montreal, time on the Greek Island of Hydra, New York days in the Chelsea scene, and his eventual retreat from public life to a Zen monastery. Artfully intercut with a tribute concert filmed live at the Sydney Opera House, these humble reflections on his colorful past and creative process, all told through his characteristic half smirk, are supported by his own artwork, poetry and personal collection of photographs. Organized by famed music producer Hal Willner, the concert features inspired interpretations of Cohen’s songs by such admirers as Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Antony (of Antony and the Johnsons), Beth Orton, Jarvis Cocker, Teddy ompson, the Handsome Family and others. is celebration of the truly singular artist is sure to resonate with both diehard Cohen fans and newcomers alike.

loudQUIETloud: A Film About the Pixies

USA 2005

Director:

Lian Lunson

Producers:

Lian Lunson

Mel Gibson

Bruce Davey

Cinematographers:

Geo Hall

John Pirozzi

Film Editor:

Mike Cahill

Music:

Leonard Cohen

Featuring:

Leonard Cohen

Nick Cave

Rufus Wainwright

U2

Kate McGarrigle

Anne McGarrigle

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

e Pixies cut an unparalleled path through modern music in the late ’80s and early ’90s. ough their commercial success was moderate during their brief original run together, their influence on a generation of alt rockers was monumental (Kurt Cobain claimed that “Smells Like Teen Spirit” was his attempt at emulating them). After four albums, personal and artistic conflicts within the band led to an abrupt disbanding in 1992, leaving devoted fans scratching their heads and many more completely in the dark, having caught on to the group too late. Documenting their return to the stage after more than ten years apart, loudQUIETloud finds that the influential Boston band are still amazing performers, and still unable to communicate with each other offstage. Old dysfunctional habits and new struggles make for a strange dynamic between band members. Bassist/rock goddess Kim Deal is recently out of rehab, songwriter and singer Charles ompson (aka Frank Black, formerly Black Francis) is getting remarried and becoming a father, guitarist Joey Santiago is scoring a documentary, and drummer David Lovering has become a practicing magician. Despite their lack of communication and surplus of quirks, real musical magic happens on-stage as they play sold out concerts for thousands of adoring fans. Capturing great performances and fly-on-the-wall glimpses of life backstage, directors Steven Cantor and Matthew Galkin have created a fascinating portrait of the Pixies along their difficult, tense and ultimately triumphant journey back into the spotlight.

USA 2006

Directors:

Steven Cantor

Matthew Galkin

Producers:

Steven Cantor

Daniel Laikind

Pax Wassermann

Cinematographers:

Jonathan Furmanski

Paul Dokuchitz

Film Editor:

Trevor Ristow

Music:

Daniel Lanois

Featuring:

Frank Black

Kim Deal

Joey Santiago

David Lovering

Running Time:

82 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

Stick Figure Productions

Print Source:

Stick Figure Productions

Selected Filmography: What Remains (2005)

Maria Bethânia: Music Is Perfume

THURSDAY JUNE 1 6:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 3 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Maria Bethânia was the leading female exponent of the 1970s movement known as tropicalia, revived recently by fans such as David Byrne and Beck. A magnificent, in-depth profile of a monumental figure in Brazilian music – made, surprisingly enough, by a Swiss director, Georges Gachot (best known for his portrait of volatile pianist Martha Argerich) – the film is at once a biography and a masterclass.

Narrated by Bethânia herself, Music Is Perfume chronicles her inextricably intertwined life and art, documenting her transition from muse of the counter-culture to the queen of the romantic ballad. Mixing concert footage, archival recording and impromptu dressing room performances, the film successfully reveals the unique chemistry of her relationship with her songs that express such great passions and sorrows. Whether performing before thousands of people or singing along to her own recordings, the gray-haired diva’s voice and charm captivate all who are lucky enough to experience it. And whether she’s talking about her concept of music or about the children’s games she used to play in her native Bahia with her brother (superstar Caetano Veloso), the magnetic but extremely natural presence of Bethânia lights up the film. For her, music is perfume, immediate and sensual, but also a primary need (like bread) that must be available for all to enjoy. rillingly, the film also includes interviews with some of the towering giants of Brazilian music, including Veloso, Chico Buarque and Gilberto Gil.

Switzerland 2005

Director: Georges Gachot

Producer: Georges Gachot

Screenwriter: Georges Gachot

The Refugee All Stars

In the wake of a brutal ten-year civil war in the West African nation of Sierra Leone, many thousands of people fled to the neighboring Republic of Guinea. is captivating new documentary brings us to Sembakounya, one of the many camps in the Guinean countryside where refugees have settled indefinitely, and follows the remarkable story of group of musicians who have come together to bring hope to their fellow displaced countrymen. With members ranging from an orphaned 15-year-old rapper to a guitarist in his fifties, e Refugee All Stars blends traditional West African music with reggae and R&B. e group performs in the camps, their soulful music providing a momentary escape from devastating memories and uncertain futures, as well as voicing the thousands of untold stories and affirming the cultural identity of those living in makeshift villages far from home. When given an opportunity to return home for the first time in many years, the group must confront personal demons and make the difficult decision to leave the camp. ey hope to be reunited with long lost friends and family, and to use music to establish a new community in their war-torn homeland. With e Refugee All Stars, directors Banker White and Zach Niles have captured a triumphant testament to the power of music and an inspiring story of survival.

Screaming Masterpieces

G ARGANDI SNILLD

SUNDAY MAY 28 9:15 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 3 1:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Screaming Masterpieces vibrantly captures the unique sound and style, at once ancient and modern, of Iceland’s music scene and shows there is much more to it than Björk, even if she does happen to be one of the most talented artists working in any country today. But what makes the music of this tiny island nation at the top of the world so different? Is it the isolated location, or the Viking blood that runs through the veins of the culture? is suprisingly satisfying documentary attempts to answer these questions and more. With some 90 music schools to serve a population of 900,000, it is no surprise that almost everyone under the age of 30 is in a band, and many of the musicians are multi-faceted, with interests in folk, rock, classical and more. e featured musicians often record in unusual locations and with archaic musical instruments, and work away from the traditional song format, often with layered, atmospheric sound instead of intelligible words (widely acclaimed band Sigur Rós has surpassed the already unintelligible-to-outsiders Icelandic language by recording an entire album in “Hopelandic,” a language invented by the band to express the influence of their homeland’s unique terrain and singular national character). Suffused with the towering presence of Björk, seen at all stages of her career, the film mixes interviews past and present, live performances and breathtaking views of the landscape that inspires it all, resulting in one doc that truly rocks.

This Is Gary McFarland

WEDNESDAY

Iceland 2005

Director:

Ari Alexander Ergis

Magnússon

Producers:

Sigurjon Sighvatsson

Ari Alexander Ergis

Magnússon

Screenwriter:

Ari Alexander Ergis

Magnússon

Cinematographer:

Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson

Film Editor:

Jón Yngvi Gylfason

Featuring: Björk

sigur rós

Múm

Bang Gang

Mugison

Mínus

Slowblow

Running Time:

88 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Icelandic and

English, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Katapult Film Sales

Print Source:

Icelandic Film Center

Film Website:

www.screamingmasterpiece.com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Although largely unknown today, self-taught musician/composer/arranger Gary McFarland was one of the most significant figures in orchestral jazz in the 1960s. McFarland didn’t come to music until his mid-20s, but he quickly developed his natural talents (Gene Lees once called him an “adult prodigy”) and was soon collaborating with such notables as Gerry Mulligan, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Steve Kuhn, Clark Terry, Gabor Szabo and Cal Tjader. Rising through the ranks of the New York jazz studio scene, McFarland’s ear for both subtle complexity and clever, playful simplicity in music was matched only by his infectious charm. His albums, film scores and countless collaborations ranged in style from layered orchestral works to smooth bossa nova to pop-rock. But his career was cut short when in 1971, after only a decade of activity, he died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 38. Due to his all-too-brief life and the diversity of his output, McFarland’s musical legacy is difficult to classify and thus has largely been overlooked. Seattle-based director Kristian St. Clair aims to change that with this portrait and career overview. Comprised of photos, archival footage, unreleased music from the Verve vaults and candid interviews with family, friends and colleagues, is Is Gary McFarland finally sheds some light on the man and his music.

USA 2006

Director:

Kristian St. Clair

Producer:

Kristian St. Clair

Joel Ozretich

Wendy Harris

Cinematographer:

Joel Ozretich

Film Editor:

Kristian St. Clair

Featuring: Bob Brookmeyer

Steve Kuhn

Grady Tate

Airto Moreira

Clark Terry

Phil Woods

Running Time: 75 minutes

To Tulsa And Back: On Tour With J.J. Cale

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 18 11:00 AM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

“ e trouble with success is that you don’t get time to go fishing,” or so says Oklahoman J.J. Cale, the musical enigma generally known as the most unpretentious man in rock. Despite a worldwide following as a result of having written some of the best rock songs of the last three decades (such as “After Midnight,” “Cocaine,” “Cajun Moon”), Cale’s consistent ducking of public scrutiny—he lived in an isolated trailer for years, and often dropped out of sight for long spells between records—still allows him to walk the streets undisturbed. He is credited with having introduced the world to the Tulsa sound: restrained vocals and mellifluous, intricate guitar licks atop a laid-back mix of rock & roll, country, blues and jazz. Self-confessed Cale devotees include Mark Knopfler, Bryan Ferry and Neil Young, but no one has done more to proselytize Cale’s career than guitar god Eric Clapton. In Dallas Clapton gives a concert with his idol and is bemused to find himself struggling to keep up with the now 65-year-old singer-songwriter. Jörg Bundschuh’s warm portrait, shot during a recent six-city tour, proves Cale to be an unexpectedly ingratiating and loquacious interviewee, shattering his former withdrawn reputation (it was not unknown for him to play entire shows with his back to the audience) with tales of his Tulsa childhood, his wild years in acid-era California, as well as his life in the studio, on stage and on the road.

Germany 2005

Director:

Jörg Bundschuh

Producer:

Jörg Bundschuh

Screenwriter:

Jörg Bundschuh

Cinematographer:

Roland Wagner

Film Editor:

Carmen Kirchweger

Music:

J.J. Cale

Featuring:

J.J. Cale

Eric Clapton

Rocky Frisco

Christine Lakeland

Jimmy Karstein

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta, in German and English, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Films Transit International

Print Source:

Films Transit International

Selected Filmography:

Bavaria Blue (1990)

Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talking About Him?)

THURSDAY

15 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN

e animated fable e Point, beloved by old and young in the ’70s, was the creation of the ridiculously talented singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. He was singled out by the Beatles as their favorite “group” and regarded by songwriter Jimmy Webb as the greatest vocalist of the twentieth century, yet the former bank clerk never played a live show and, ironically, most of his hits in his almost thirty-year career were covers. Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talking About Him?) is perhaps more successful in answering the second question, but it takes a good stab at tackling the first one with the help of a stellar lineup of those who knew the enigmatic man, including Brian Wilson, Ringo Starr, Robin Williams, Randy Newman, Terry Gilliam, Monkee Micky Dolenz and the aforementioned Webb. Director John Scheinfeld, producer of the Grammy-nominated doc Beautiful Dreamer: e Story of Brian Wilson and Smile, seamlessly mixes testimonies from those who collaborated and/or partied with Nilsson with rare TV appearances and recordings. With his smooth-as-honey voice a ragged rasp by the time of his heart attack death in 1994, Nilsson’s illustrious path to critical and commercial success was matched by an equally intense path to self-destruction, and all the speculation as to why makes for intriguing viewing. A sampling of nearly 60 songs serves as a poignant reminder of a lost talent that many of us did not come to truly cherish until it was too late.

USA 2006

Director:

John Scheinfeld

Producer:

David Leaf

John Scheinfeld

Screenwriter:

John Scheinfeld

Cinematographer:

James Mathers

Film Editor:

Peter S. Lynch II

Music:

Harry Nilsson

Featuring:

Gerry Beckley

Lee Blackman

Perry Botkin Jr.

Ray Cooper

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format: DigiBeta

Print Source:

The Lippin Group

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

GOLDEN SPACE NEEDLE AWARDS

Each year SIFF attendees have cast their votes for our prestigious Golden Space Needle awards in the categories of Best Film, Documentary Feature, Director, Actor, Actress and Short Film. Past winners of this audience award have included lms and talents who went on to win Academy Awards and Golden Globe Awards, as well as a large number of critical and theatrical hits rst seen in the USA at SIFF.

Voting is easy: For Best Film or Documentary Feature, simply take a ballot from our ushers as you enter the auditorium; once the lm’s presentation is over, tear your ballot by the appropriate grade listed (from 1 to 5), and give your completed ballot to an usher as you leave the auditorium. Ballots for each lm will be tallied throughout the Festival. To vote for Best Director, Actor, Actress and Short Film, blank ballots are available next to the ballot boxes at each Festival venue; simply write in your choice for the winner in each of these categories and place your completed ballots in the box.

2005 GO LD EN S PAC E N EE DL E AWA R D WINNER S

BE S T PI C TURE

Innocent Voices, directed by Luis Mandoki (Mexico)

BE S T DO C UMENTA RY

Murderball, directed by Henry-Alex Rubin & Dana Adam Shapiro (USA)

BE S T DIRE C TOR

Gregg Araki for Mysterious Skin (USA)

BE S T AC TRE SS

Joan Allen for Yes (USA)

BE S T AC TOR

Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Mysterious Skin (USA)

BE S T SHORT FI L M

The Raftman’s Razor, directed by Keith Bearden (USA)

2005 JURIED AWARD WINNERS

New Directors Showcase Competition

Grand Jury Prize

Ilya Krzhanovsky, 4 (Russia)

Special Jury Prize

Brad McGann, In My Father’s Den (New Zealand)

New American Cinema Competition

Grand Jury Prize

Swimmers, directed by Doug Sadler

Special Jury Prize

Ellie Parker, directed by Scott Co ey

Documentary Competition

Grand Jury Prize

Based on a True Story, directed by Walter Stokman (Netherlands)

Special Jury Prize

Trudell, directed by Heather Rae (USA)

Short Film Competitions

Grand Jury Prize, Best Live Action Short Film

Everything in this Country Must, directed by Gary McKendry (UK)

Grand Jury Prize, Best Animated Short Film

The Raftman’s Razor, directed by Keith Beardenn (USA)

Special Jury Prizes

Can’t Stop Breathing, directed by Amy Neil (Scotland)

Phantom Limb, directed by Jay Rosenblatt (USA)

La Vie d’un Chien, directed by John Harden (USA)

Special Awards

Women in Cinema Lena Sharpe Award

After Innocence, directed by Jessica Sanders (USA)

Seattle Filmmakers Award

Sean Kirby, Cinematographer, for Police Beat (USA) and The Gits (USA)

The sense of discovery that fuels lm festivals becomes particularly acute when the focal point centers on the search for unknown talents who demonstrate a natural gift for storytelling. The New Directors Showcase features a selection of international directors who are clearly emerging as major talents. SIFF programmers choose lms from around the world to be spotlighted for special attention and competition. Each of the lms must be a debut or second feature by the selected director, and each is chosen on the basis of its original conception, striking style and overall excellence. The lms must also be without U.S. distribution. The jury for the New Directors Showcase, composed of lm industry professionals and journalists, chooses the award-winning director on the nal weekend of the Festival. The winner will be awarded a $5,000 cash prize, to be announced at the Filmmakers Awards Brunch and at the Closing Night Gala on June 18.

NEW DIRECTORS

JURY

Scott Foundas

Scott Foundas is the chief lm critic and editor for the LA Weekly. He served for ve years as a contributing critic to Variety. His work has appeared in The New York Times and The Village Voice. Foundas has served on o cial juries at the Cannes and Sundance lm festivals.

Caroline Libresco

Caroline Libresco is senior feature lm programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, where she manages the World Cinema program. She co-wrote and produced the gritty independent feature Fanci’s Persuasion, and produced the award-winning documentary Sunset Story

Oscar Torres

Born in El Salvador, Oscar Torres has appeared in several independent features, including The Opposite of Sex and Hurlyburly. He was the producer and writer of Innocent Voices, based on his own experiences in war-torn El Salvador, which won the SIFF ’05 Golden Space Needle for Best Film.

A Side, B Side, Seaside (Hong Kong, 2005)

directed by Wing-chiu Chan

Allegro (Denmark, 2005)

directed by Christo er Boe

The First People on the Moon (Russia, 2004)

directed by Alexsei Fedorchenko

Go West (Boznia-Herzegovina, 2005)

directed by Ahmed Imamovic

Grain in Ear (China, 2005)

directed by Zhang Lu

Gravehopping (Slovenia, 2005)

directed by Jan Cvitkovic

Host & Guest (South Korea, 2005)

directed by Shin Dong-il

Madeinusa (Peru, 2006)

directed by Claudia Llosa

Sangre (Mexico, 2005)

directed by Amat Escalante

Star sh Hotel (Japan, 2006)

directed by John Williams

You and Me (France, 2006)

directed by Julie Lopes-Curval

A Side, B Side, Seaside

SUP CHUK SUI DIK HA TIN

JUNE 10 4:00 PM HARVARD

A Side, B Side, Seaside consists of two stories of young girls on the cusp of adulthood. Told in two parts and nostalgically recalling the A-side and B-side of old vinyl records, both stories are set in Cheung Chau, a remote Hong Kong island and a far cry from the bustling streets and forests of tower blocks of Beijing. Chen Tian is a schoolgirl about to leave for Beijing for college. Before she leaves, she decides to spend an unforgettable trip with her best friends in Cheung Chau, where she discovers love for the first time. On the same island Ah Mei, a girl who has had a tough time in the city, returns home to the island to revisit her past, eventually reuniting with two boys from her childhood. But time has quietly tarnished their friendship without them ever being aware of the innocence lost. Debut feature director Wing-chiu Chan’s style clearly references some of Asia’s major talents: the shimmering cinematography and distant shooting style recall Hou Hsiao-hsien’s Summer at Grandpa’s, while Takeshi Kitano’s rarely seen masterpiece A Scene at the Sea is referenced both directly (Chen Tian is loaned a copy by Bitters, the video store clerk/surfer she has a crush on) and indirectly (the sleepy seaside ambience and glittering waters of Cheung Chau). Wing has, in any case, created a memorable evocation of the end of an era as the girls graduate from the carefree times of youth to the responsibilities of adult life. FRIDAY JUNE 9 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Hong Kong/ China 2005

Director:

Wing-chiu Chan

Producers:

Wing-chiu Chan

Yuk-lin Ku

Daniel Yu Wai-kwok

Screenwriters:

Wai-keung Chan

Yuk-mui Chiu

Chun-yue Lam

Cinematographer:

Charlie Lam

Film Editor:

Wing-chiu Chan

Cast:

Wai-leung Chan

Yan-ting Fu

Ling Kong

Ho-man Lee

Ching-yi Mak

Running Time:

89 minutes

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

subtitles

International Sales:

Focus Films

Print Source:

Focus Films

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Allegro

Drawing upon the long tradition of Danish magic realism, director Christoffer Boe’s second feature is a surreal meditation on the pursuit of artistic perfection. One night after a recital, virtuoso pianist Peter Zetterstrøm arrives at his front door only to realize he’s lost his keys. But he soon finds himself in conversation with a beautiful passer-by, Andrea (Helena Christensen). She becomes his lover and muse till one night after one of his performances she mysteriously leaves him. Devastated by her departure, Zetterstrøm leaves Copenhagen, but his lost faith in love has unforeseen consequences: reality cracks and a mysterious other world forms in the middle of the city. Measuring 372 meters by 88 meters and bound by invisible, impenetrable walls, it becomes known only as “ e Zone.”

Ten years later, Zetterstrøm is living in New York City and an interviewer begins probing too deeply into his past. He agrees to return to Copenhagen for a gala engagement, but his real interest does not lie in the concert but in the dimensional rift at the city’s heart. When Zetterstrøm finally gains access to e Zone—where infinity doesn’t reach out into the universe, but into the self—he is confronted with images of Andrea and a past life they shared together that he no longer remembers. Part existential allegory, part dark fairy-tale, Allegro examines how love, memory and regret form the tenuous links between the real world and the artistic ideal.

Awards:

Danish FF 2006 (Best Cinematography)

Denmark 2005

Director:

Christo er Boe

Producer:

Tine Grew Pfei er

Screenwriters:

Christo er Boe

Mikael Wul

Cinematographer:

Manuel Alberto Claro

Film Editor:

Peter Brandt

Cast:

Ulrich Thomsen

Helena Christensen

Henning Moritzen

Running Time:

88 minutes

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

International Sales: Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Selected Filmography: Reconstruction (2004)

North American Premiere

The First People on the Moon

THURSDAY JUNE 15 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 18 7:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Is it sci fi? Documentary? Mockumentary? Called a “fantasy drama” or “documentary fantasy” by its Yekaterinburg director Alexsey Fedorchenko, e First People on the Moon doesn’t just mix fact and fiction—it purees them. e film was made even more difficult to categorize when it won Best Documentary at 2005 Venice Film Festival. Fedorchenko puts forward the idea that the U.S.S.R. developed a space program in the 1930s that culminated in a 1938 moon landing. e film incorporates actual Soviet newsreel footage into flawlessly faked archival elements, composed to reflect the shooting styles of the times–including faked KGB “covert footage” shot on old cameras with old film stock. Fedorchenko displays a remarkable talent for expertly blending these different sources, and their quirky sense of humor adds greatly to the charm of the picture. On a more sinister note, Fedorchenko shows how the cosmonauts were discarded and destroyed by the system that nurtured them. e film’s typically Russian circus motif subtly underlines the fact that people often care more about a good show than the truth. Perfect for an exploration of—and comment on—the power of the moving image and how people with authority can use and abuse it.

Awards:

Russian Film Awards 2006 (Best First Film, Script)

Venice 2005 (Documentary Award)

Preceded by Past Imperfect USA, 2006, 10 minutes, director: Birgit Martina Rudel

An old man in Siberia faces reality and relives his past as he cleans exhibits in a laboratory.

Russia 2004

Director:

Alexsey Fedorchenko

Producer:

Dmitri Vorobyov

Screenwriters:

Aleksandr Gonorovskiy

Ramil Yamaleyev

Cinematographer:

Anatoli Lesnikov

Music: Sergei Sidelnikov

Cast:

Aleksey Anisimov

Viktor Kotov

Igor Sannikov

Running Time:

75 minutes

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

subtitles

Print Source:

Sverdlovsk Film Studios

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Go West

MONDAY JUNE 12 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 6:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Serbia 1992. Perpetual student Milan, a Serb from a patriarchal community, and Kenan, a Muslim cellist, are a homosexual couple living in Sarajevo whose lives are shaken up when war breaks out. Witnessing the brutality of Serb forces and their hatred towards Muslims, the lovers manage to flee for Milan’s home village to take shelter before moving on to the Netherlands. Stopped by Serbian soldiers along the way, they have to improvise: Kenan is circumcised, a dead giveaway that he is a Muslim, and so they escape the body check by passing Kenan off as “Milena,” Milan’s finance. Once they get to town, Milan’s father (played by the iconic Rade Serdedzija) is delighted with the idea of a new daughter-in-law and prepares wedding festivities for Milan and “Milena.” And then Milan is drafted into the army. e situation becomes almost unbearable for Kenan. In his loneliness, he makes friends with Ranka, a waitress in a local cafe whose dark secrets terrify most of the villagers. Director Ahmed Imamovic’s film sparked a furious debate about one of the great taboos of Bosnian society: homosexuality. Winner of the 2005 Sarajevo Film Festival, this courageous and controversial debut film pairs historical tragedy with a surreal comedy of disguise.

Awards: Sarajevo 2005 (Best Film)

BosniaHerzegovina/ Croatia 2005

Director:

Ahmed Imamovic

Producer:

Samir Smajk

Screenwriters:

Ahmed Imamovic

Enver Puska

Cinematographer:

Mustafa Musta c

Film Editors:

Andrda Zafranovic

Mir Saptapdakovic

Music:

Enes Zlatar

Cast:

Mario Drmac

Tarik Filipovic

Rade Serdedzija

Mirjana Karanovic

Jeanne Moreau

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Bosnian, with English subtitles Print Source: Comprex Film Website: www.gowest.ba

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Grain in Ear

MANG ZHONG

FRIDAY JUNE 16 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 17 11:00 AM HARVARD EXIT

Soon-hee sells kimchi from an unlicensed cart; it’s a popular dish for the factory workers of this northern Chinese town. She’s a Korean-Chinese woman bringing up her young son alone in a rented room (next door to a gaggle of blowsy hookers), just barely getting by after her husband is sent to jail. en good things start to happen to her: she meets a married KoreanChinese man and starts seeing him for sex, and a kindly cop helps her get a license for her cart. But Soon-hee remains essentially powerless and when things start to go wrong she can’t help becoming a victim. After tragedy befalls her son, her unbearable grief drives her to seek revenge in a way that is extreme, and pitiless. For this, his second feature, Zhang Lu makes a claim to the territory Fassbinder once made his own: melodrama with a social conscience, here executed with slightly shell-shocked restraint. e climactic act of revenge is inspired by a real-life incident in China’s recent past, but the context is pure fiction. is is a social-realist fable that illuminates the gap between haves and have-nots in ways that Marx never dreamed of. e motherson relationship here is very credible—the son yet another of those amazing, camera confident kids that Chinese cinema churns out with impressive frequency—and Soon-hee’s dealings with the men, sexual and otherwise, veer into the realm of emotional truths.

Awards:

Pusan 2005 (Grand Prix)

Cannes 2005 (ACID award)

China/South Korea 2005

Director:

Zhang Lu

Producers:

Choi Doo-young

Guan Qin

Liu Yonghong

Gao Hongnu

Screenwriter:

Zhang Lu

Cinematographer:

Liu Yong-hong

Film Editor:

Kim Sun-min

Cast:

Liu Lianiji

Jin Bo

Zhu Guang-xuan

Tong Hui Wang

Running Time: 109 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Chinese and Korean, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Doo Entertainment

Print Source:

Doo Entertainment

Film Website:

www.mangjong.co.kr

Selected Filmography: Tang Poetry (2004)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 4:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

FRIDAY JUNE 16 9:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

“I was six when I saw that everything was God, and my hair stood up.” JD Salinger’s quote kicks off this black comedy about Pero (Gregor Bakovic, a Gene Wilder look-alike), a professional eulogist in a small Slovenian town. Pero and his eccentric family—two sisters, a nephew and his father Dedo (who, since his wife’s death, has been constantly devising ingenious ways of offing himself)—live together in a world of humor and irony. Pero is assisted by Suki, his devoted friend and fan, in all his daily fortunes and misfortunes. Although quite capable of enjoying life, Suki often ponders death and makes his own funeral plans. Meanwhile, Pero’s great love is the secretive Renata. But the man with the golden words about death is too often speechless about love. It remains to be seen whether Pero and his companions will succeed in their search for intimacy in the absurd chaos that is life. Gravehopping is a film about the parallel worlds of humor, sadness, evil and purity that exist together as part of the human condition.

Awards:

San Sebastian 2005 (New Directors Award)

Cottbus 2005 (Grand Prize)

North American Premiere

Slovenia 2005

Director:

Jan Cvitkovic

Producers:

Jan Cvitkovic

Janez Burger

Screenwriter:

Jan Cvitkovic

Cinematographer: Simon Tansek

Film Editor:

Milos Kalusek

Music: Also Ivancic

Cast:

Gregor Bakovic

Drago Milinovic

Sonja Savic

Mojca Fatur

Natasa Matjasec

Host & Guest

BANGMUNJA

Madeinusa

is intimate story about a skeptical intellectual and a young evangelist doesn’t sound very sexy but, with Host & Guest, first time writerdirector Shin Dong-il has fashioned a thoughtful, witty and involving gem. On a gray winter morning in a Seoul suburb, cyncial film lecturer Ho-jun abruptly dismisses two missionaries who interrupt his masturbating over a porn site. After getting trapped naked in his bathroom when the door handle jams, his major worries are: (a) he’s going to die without ever having made a movie, and (b) he’ll miss a screening of Turkish art film Distant (Uzak). Luckily, one of the evangelists, Gye-sang, returns and rescues him. When Ho-jun thanks him, Gye-sang says he should thank God. A cautious friendship develops between the two solitary souls as the film moves along, laced with low-key, straightfaced humor and occasional funny barbs. ey go to see Distant together, then visit Gye-sang’s mother in the countryside, and Ho-Jun supports his new friend when he goes to court as a conscientious objector. At the end of the day, neither changes the other’s beliefs, but each leaves the other affected in a subtle way. Two terrific lead performances, and dialogue in which issues spring naturally from everyday events and conversation (including a hilarious exchange with a commie-hating, Dubya-loving taxi driver that says more about the state of the world than half a dozen documentaries on the subject), make Host & Guest a slow-burning but thoroughly involving 90 minutes.

South Korea 2005

Director:

Shin Dong-il

Producers:

Jae-cheol Lim

Shin Dong-il

Screenwriter:

Shin-il Dong

Cinematographer:

Park Joo-han

Film Editor:

Moon In-dae

Cast:

Kim Jae-rok

Kang Ji-hwan

Running Time:

92 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Korean, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

CJ Entertainment

Print Source:

LJ Film

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Claudia Llosa, niece of famed magical realist Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa, brings a strange and unsettling perspective to her remarkable debut feature Madeinusa. Modernday urban values mix and clash with small-town life when a city stranger encounters an innocent beauty living in an isolated village in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca mountain range, a region characterized by a mysterious mixture of Indian culture and catholic religious fervor. e story revolves around 14-year-old Madeinusa, a sweet girl who lives in a dirt-floor house and dreams of the world beyond the village. It is the custom of her town that sin does not exist from three in the afternoon on Good Friday (just when Christ died on the cross) through Easter Sunday. Every year they choose a young girl as the town’s Holy Virgin, before celebrating with a carnival-esque feast in which people indulge in anything and everything that God has forbidden. When an oblivious young gringo from Lima arrives on the eve of this period of debauchery, the town greets him with curiosity and ire, then imprisons him out of fear that he will interfere with the festivities. But Madeinusa, ever curious about things from the big city, is drawn to him and her fate begins to turn in unexpected ways. Palpable, intimate and vibrating with the vivid textures of rural Peruvian life, Llosa’s delightfully simple narrative operates on powerful metaphorical levels. Madeinusa heralds an exciting new cinematic voice and captures a complicated mix of innocent passion, willfulness and longing.

Awards:

Rotterdam 2006 (FIPRESCI Prize)

Peru/Spain 2006

Director:

Claudia Llosa

Producers:

Jose Maria Morales

Claudia Llosa

Screenwriter:

Claudia Llosa

Cinematographer:

Raul Perez Ureta

Film Editor:

Ernest Blasi

Music:

Selma Mutal

Cast:

Magaly Solier

Carlos de la Torre

Yiliana Chong

Ubaldo Huaman

Melvin Quijada

Running Time:

122 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

The Match Factory GmbH

Print Source:

The Match Factory GmbH

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

North American Premiere

Sangre

FRIDAY MAY 26 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY MAY 28 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

In this depiction of the ultimate in the quotidian life of the Mexican middle class, Blanca works in a fast food joint and Diego serves as a door guard in a municipal building. After their dull workdays, the couple lie down on their couch and watch telenovelas or make love on the kitchen table. Sex and television are connected for the pair as part of an interminable routine. Diego is a very ordinary man, but Blanca loves him with a carnal jealousy worthy of the evening soap operas they watch together. ey say little and, when they do speak, it’s in terse reference to sleep, food or sex. When Karina, Diego’s daughter from a first marriage, calls for his help, Diego finds himself caught between a jealous wife and a daughter in desperate need of guidance. e minimalistic bulk of the film gives way to an astonishing climax that will lead Diego to actions he never dreamed of. A criticism of the modern society in which members are unable to communicate, especially with those closest to them, Sangre exposes characters to the dangers therein. Amat Escalante’s first feature, presented at Cannes in Un Certain Regard, draws a rather disturbing portrait of unglamorous conjugal rutting, complete with full-frontal nudity. Escalante worked as assistant director on Carlos Reygadas’ Battle in Heaven; Sangre secures him a place of his own in the recent resurgence of Mexican cinema.

Awards:

Cannes 2005 (FIPRESCI Prize)

Mexico/France 2005

Director:

Amat Escalante

Producers:

Jaime Romandía

Amat Escalante

Carlos Reygadas

Screenwriter:

Amat Escalante

Cinematographer:

Alejhandro Fenton

Film Editor:

Amat Escalante

Cast:

Cirilo Recio

Laura Saldaña

Claudia Orozco

Running Time: 90 minutes

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

International Sales: Funny Balloons

Print Source: Funny Balloons

Film Website: www.mantarraya. com/sangre-en.html

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Starfish Hotel

FRIDAY JUNE 16 9:15 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 18 2:15 PM

Yuichi Arisu is a typical salaryman in the huge, impersonal city of Tokyo. Every night he commutes home to his distant wife and buries himself in the mystery novels of Jo Kuroda, a writer who has conjured up a strange alternative universe called the Darkland. en one night his wife disappears. Arisu traces her, via a private detective, to an underground brothel called Wonderland. But the brothel burns down, the detective is murdered and Arisu becomes the main suspect. Gradually, the walls between fantasy and reality break down and Arisu comes under the spell of the Darkland. Surprisingly enough, Starfish Hotel is not the work of a Japanese filmmaker but that of Welsh director John Williams (Firefly Dreams), who has lived in Japan for 17 years. Here he skillfully blends American detective fiction and the Japanese supernatural tale to create an original Gothic mystery. e film borrows its visual style, themes and mood from classic Japanese films such as Kenji Mizoguchi’s Ugetsu Monogatari and Kaneto Shindo’s Black Cat, and pays homage to mystery writers such as Haruki Murikami, whose readers will instantly recognize the film’s desolate, off-kilter milieu. But it also calls to mind cinematic mind-trips like Eyes Wide Shut and Donnie Darko. And not just because of the bunny suit.

North American Premiere

Japan 2006

Director:

John Williams

Producers:

Martin Rycroft

Tsuyoshi Toyama

Screenwriter:

John Williams

Cinematographer: Benito Strangio

Film Editor:

Yosuke Yafune

Music:

Vortex: Shoko Nagai & Satoshi Takeishi

Cast: Koichi Sato

Kiki

Tae Kimura

Akira Emoto

Running Time: 98 minutes

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

International Sales: 100 Meter Films

Print Source: 100 Meter Films

Selected Filmography: Fire y Dreams (2002)

Centered around the conventions of French “photo-novels,” a comic book-like genre of romance novels that uses pictures to communicate the fairy tale sort of love popular in Danielle Steel works, You and Me is a romantic and comedic romp of near-misses and close encounters. Ariane (Julie Depardieu) and Lena (Marion Cotillard) are two sisters who, in spite of similar romantic situations, could not be more different. Blonde and wide-eyed Ariane fills her wardrobe with bright, sometimes clownish colors, and believes in the stories of romantic idealism she writes for a magazine of photo-novels (also titled You and Me). Lena, on the other hand, is proficient at the cello but lacking in passion, who prefers somber colors and button-down blouses. It’s clear that Ariane’s self-obsessed, businessman boyfriend doesn’t take their relationship seriously enough to commit, while Lena and her lover have simply lost that romantic spark. With the arrival of two intriguing men, these two sisters’ lives take a turn for the dreamily romantic. Mirroring the stories that Ariane publishes, a Spanish mason begins to pursue the young dreamer with unprecedented fervor; at the same time, Lena meets virtuoso violinist who seems to bring not only romantic excitement, but that needed fire to her cello playing. As reality collides with fantasy, the two are confronted with choices that may irreversibly alter their lives and daily routines. Examining the difficulties of intimate relationships, You and Me delivers a charming romance with a playful style and delightful yin-yang performances from the central duo.

France 2006

Director:

Julie Lopes-Curval

Producers:

Alain Benguigui

Thomas Verhaeghe

Screenwriters:

Sophie Hiet

Julie Lopes-Curval

Cinematographer:

Philippe Guilbert

Music:

Sebastien Schuller

Cast:

Marion Cotillard

Julie Depardieu

Jonathan Zaccai

Running Time: 94 minutes

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

International Sales: Pyramide International

Print Source:

Pyramide International

Selected Filmography: Seaside (2002)

The largest selection of books and magazines on film in the Northwest, and unique posters, stills, cards and much more!

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206.547.7667

This year’s independent American lmmaking scene features a striking number of strong, new narrative voices emerging with innovative storytelling and vividly drawn characters. From an extraordinary selection of lms that have yet to receive American distribution, jurors will select the lm that they feel best represents both lmmaking excellence and a creative, original vision. The winner will be granted the New American Cinema Award presented by POP, with a $5,000 cash prize, to be announced at the Filmmakers Awards Brunch and at the Closing Night Gala on June 18.

NEW AMERICAN CINEMA

JURY Robinson Devor

Robinson Devor made his feature lm debut with The Woman Chaser. Later, Devor collaborated with African-born journalist Charles Mudede on his second feature lm, Police Beat, which premiered in Dramatic Competition at Sundance 2005. Devor was nominated for a 2006 Independent Spirit Award and 2005 Gotham Award.

Ann Donahue

Ann Donahue is news editor at Premiere magazine, editing the Action section and has reporting on topics as divergent as Brangelina and the Sundance Film Festival. Previously, she spent ve years at entertainment trade magazine Variety. She graduated from Northwestern University, enjoys mixing Junior Mints in with her movie popcorn.

Jim Stark

Independent producer Jim Start worked on four features with Jim Jarmusch, and collaborated with many other directors including Gregg Araki. He wrote and co-produced Fridrik Thor Fridriksson’s Cold Fever, and is the producer of SIFF ‘06 gala lm Factotum. Jim has also authored the ACLU’s The Rights of Crime Victims.

Americanese (2006)

directed by Eric Byler

Bickford Shmeckler’s Cool Ideas (2006)

directed by Scott Lew

The Big Bad Swim (2006)

directed by Ishai Setton

Dreamland (2006)

directed by Jason Matzner

Expiration Date (2006)

directed by Rick Stevenson

Little Fugitive (2006)

directed by Joanna Lipper

Live Free or Die (2006)

directed by Andy Robin, Gregg Kavet

Man Push Cart (2005)

directed by Ramin Bahrani

The Standard (2006)

directed by Jordan Albertsen

We Go Way Back (2006)

directed by Lynn Shelton

Wristcutters - A Love Story (2006)

directed by Goran Dukic

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 6:45 PM NEPTUNE

e former relationship between Aurora, a photographer, and Raymond, a successful but emotionally withdrawn college professor, embodied a collision between the creative and the pragmatic. Post break-up, both divert themselves from heartache by initiating new relationships—Aurora with Steve, a Caucasian man, and Raymond with Betty Nguyen, a university colleague expertly played by Joan Chen. Unable to sever his connection completely, Raymond continues to visit Aurora’s apartment when she’s not home. e convenience of a key allows him back into a comfort zone where he performs the smallest and most mundane tasks, like reading the newspaper or eating lunch, which now take on new meaning. In their desperate search for a path back to each other, Aurora and Raymond discover that some things are more important than being right. An adaptation of University of Washington professor Shawn Wong’s novel American Knees, the power of the movie lies in part in its beautifully crafted characters and the universality of the emotions they experience, but also in a sensitivity to racial stereotypes and the subtle but pervasive damage that racism can have on even the most intimate of relationships. Director Eric Byler shows a remarkable talent for exploring difficult social problems in an engaging, refreshingly accessible manner, and the ensemble cast has been winning awards and gaining considerable critical attention for their nuanced, deeply-felt performances.

Awards:

SXSW 2006 (Ensemble Cast, Audience Award)

USA 2006

Director:

Eric Byler

Producer:

Lisa Onodera

Screenwriter:

Eric Byler

Cinematographers:

Robert Humphreys

Stacy Toyama

Film Editor:

Kenn Kashima

Music:

Michael Brook

Cast:

Joan Chen

Chris Tashima

Kelly Hu

Allison Sie

Ben Shenkman

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: AJS Ventures

Selected Filmography: Charlotte Sometimes (2002)

A reclusive and quirky college freshman, Bickford Schmeckler (Patrick Fugit) does his best to fly under the radar. Burrowed in his basement bedroom, he records “cool ideas” in a steel-bound journal. When an overzealous sorority girl (Olivia Wilde) hijacks his most prized possession, misadventures ensue, and Schmeckler encounters a colorful cast of characters as he scours the campus on his quest to recover the journal. e “cool ideas” turn out to be quite infectious; sorority girls, physics professors, Dungeons and Dragons devotees, not to mention the local nut case, all read the book and nobody (absolutely nobody) is immune! Reprising some of the endearing qualities of his starring role in Almost Famous, Fugit is perfectly paired with Wilde, a relative newcomer to the big screen who offers depth and warmth her role. Coupled with these headliners are the wildly entertaining antics of Matthew Lillard and John Cho, who both bring an unforeseen wit and wisdom to their off-color characters. A carefully crafted college comedy from former Hollywood exec Scott Lew, the film is oddly charming and should be applauded for breaking out of the mold and encouraging audiences to create and cultivate their own revelations along the way.

Preceded by Winner Take Steve USA, 2005, 2 minutes, director: Jared Hess Who gets to be Steve? A footrace to decide.

The Big Bad Swim

FRIDAY JUNE 16 4:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL SATURDAY JUNE 17 11:00 AM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

An ensemble piece about profound loneliness in ordinary lives and the miracles that can occur when strangers meet, Ishai Setton’s debut feature serves up a familiar plot with stirring intimacy. A beginner’s swim class for adults at a recreation center in Connecticut draws a diverse group of students. Amy (Paget Brewster), a high school math teacher, is about to lose both her job and her husband, who is having an affair with another teacher. Amy quickly befriends Jordan (Jess Weixler), a younger woman who deals blackjack at the Mohegan Sun and moonlights as a stripper. Jordan has already fallen for Noah, their handsome, brooding swim instructor (former All My Children soap hunk Jeff Branson). Other class members also have tales to tell, including a prosperous older couple, a competitive young woman (who also has designs on Noah), and a hydrophobic cop. Meanwhile, Jordan’s brother David and his friend are filming a documentary about Jordan for David’s English class that reveals more than he intended. Together, Setton and screenwriter Daniel Schecter create characters that feel more real than the people found on most documentaries or reality shows. eir pain and triumph become almost tangible as they discover unexpected love, friendship, and the courage to overcome their fears and brave the “big bad swim” to a happier future.

USA 2006

Director:

Ishai Setton

Producers:

Ishai Setton

Chandra Simon

Screenwriter:

Daniel Schechter

Cinematographer:

Josh Silfen

Film Editor:

Ian B. Wile

Music:

Chad Kelly

Julian Velard

Cast:

Paget Brewster

Je Branson

Jess Weixler

Ricky Ullman

Todd Susman

Liza Lapira

Avi Setton

Kevin Porter Young

Running Time: 96 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

FRIDAY JUNE 9 9:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

THURSDAY JUNE 15 9:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

e spectacular vistas in Dreamland present a striking panorama of stunning landscapes, with white clouds that constantly move across the brilliant blue of the Southwestern sky above the dusty, shimmering heat of the empty desert. And the emotional panoramas are equally large and seemingly empty. Eighteen-year-old Audrey (Agnes Bruckner) lives in Dreamland, a sun-drenched cluster of mobile homes located somewhere on the vast New Mexico horizon. is tiny town is also home to Calista (Kelli Garner), Audrey’s best friend, whose love affairs and dreams of beauty pageants keep her distracted from a debilitating illness and anxiety about her future. en there’s Audrey’s devoted, agoraphobic father (John Corbett), whose reliance on her, coupled with Calista’s dependence, anchor Audrey to the community as she finds herself defined by those who need her. At the same time, the poems she writes and hides in her bedroom hint at a resentment toward her situation and invoke some intangible longing she can’t quite grasp. e arrival of a teenage boy (Justin Long) stirs a lust in Audrey, not just for him but also for something more than Dreamland can give her. Suspended in that breathless, exhilarating and potentially tragic moment between adolescence and adulthood, Audrey finds that living her own life may be the most difficult thing she’s ever attempted. A beautiful examination of constraint and confinement set amidst the expanse of wide-open spaces, Dreamland crafts a resonant tale of the human heart.

Director:

Jason Matzner

Producers:

Doug Manko

Peter Heller

Andrew Spaulding

Screenwriter:

Tom Willett

Cinematographer:

Jonathan Sela

Film Editor:

Zene Baker

Music: Photek

Anthony Marinelli

Cast:

Agnes Bruckner

John Corbett

Kelli Garner

Gina Gershon

Justin Long

Brian Klugman

Expiration Date

SATURDAY MAY 27 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

FRIDAY JUNE 16 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN

Charlie Silver Cloud III (Robert A. Guthrie) has deadlines to meet to prepare for his date with destiny. Charlie believes that he too will follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, who were both unceremoniously killed by milk trucks on their 25th birthdays. As he approaches this milestone birthday, he believes that no level of precaution or heightened awareness can protect him from the unfortunate family curse of death by milk truck. With his fate sealed he begins preparations, breaking things off with his girlfriend, reserving a gravesite, picking out a coffin and returning his library books, among other errands. But just when his life and death are in order, he meets a girl who won’t let him die in peace. Bessie Anderson (Sascha Knopf) has secrets of her own, and even though her first meeting with the moribund Charlie marks a less-than-auspicious beginning to what seems destined to be a very short story, their relationship transforms into something a whole lot more. As the date for Charlie’s birthday nears, fate holds a few surprises for both Charlie and the seemingly crazed Bessie. Shot on location in the Pacific Northwest by Seattle native Rick Stevenson (Magic in the Water), Expiration Date is a sweet romantic fable of life, love and milk.

USA 2006

Director:

Rick Stevenson

Producer:

John Forsen

Screenwriters:

Hamish Gunn

Rick Stevenson

Cinematographer:

Bruce Worrall

Film Editor:

Mark Fulton

Music:

BC Smith

Cast:

Robert A. Guthrie

Sascha Knopf

Dee Wallace Stone

David Keith

Ned Romero

Nakotah LaRance

Running

Little Fugitive

SATURDAY MAY 27 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

THURSDAY JUNE 15 4:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Set in present day Brooklyn, e Little Fugitive skillfully updates Morris Engel’s landmark 1953 film. An absent father (Peter Dinklage, e Station Agent) and an overworked mother (Justina Machado) leave two young boys to entertain themselves as she flees for 24 hours of freedom. In an attempt to shake the shadow of his 7-year-old brother Joey, 11-year-old Lenny pretends that he’s dead and that it was Joey who killed him. Frightened, Joey runs for freedom, taking refuge in the magic of Coney Island. As Lenny desperately searches for him, he vows never to let him out of his sight again. Meanwhile, through his own misadventures, Joey is reminded that there is no place like home. Director Joanna Lipper owns each minute of the film, inviting the most minute details—from an ice cream birthday cake melting haphazardly on the kitchen table to the uncomfortable gaze of a perverse pony ride operator—to play an important role in the subtext of the movie and infusing them with not-to-be-missed visual sumptuousness. e jailbird father and characters such as Destiny, a foster-child neighbor who helps Lenny in his search, breath additional life into the film and bring with them a subtle layer of social commentary. Most of all, e Little Fugitive serves as a brilliant reminder of the fact that a simple story wonderfully told continues to live at the heart of the best entertainment.

Preceded by Weaning Denmark, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Gitanjali Kapila A nursing mother is weaned by her 8-month-old baby.

Director: Joanna Lipper

Producers:

Frederick Zollo

Vince Maggio

Joanna Lipper

Nick Paleologos

Screenwriter:

Joanna Lipper

Cinematographer:

Rick Sands

Film Editor:

Keith Reamer

Music:

Barrington Pheloung

Cast:

Peter Dinklage

Justina Machado

Brendan Sexton

Sophie Dahl

David Castro

Nicolas Salgado

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

Film Website:

Selected

Live Free or Die

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

FRIDAY JUNE 16 9:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Live Free or Die tells the story of John “Rugged” Rudgate, the badass who outfoxed the cops and high tailed it out of town into the history books as New Hampshire’s own version of Billy the Kid. However, history is only as accurate as those who record it, which leaves the backwoods inhabitants of Rutland with a sizable credibility issue. As the film begins, Rudgate is nothing more than a blustery minor hood committing smalltime frauds and minor acts of vandalism. Yet, thanks to his own self-aggrandizement, a few gullible souls believe him to be the mastermind behind a vast criminal enterprise, including the town’s only unsolved murder. Chief among these believers is Lagrand, a foppish lamebrain who, along with his sister Cheryl (Zooey Deschanel), has inherited his parent’s self-storage business. Rutland befriends Lagrand to finagle his way into the business but his scheme unravels when, after a humiliating late night bar scrap, he decides to poison a local plumber. e man dies (not from the poison, though) and Rutland panics. As he attempts to erase every tenuous connection between him and the dead man, he sets into motion a hilarious chain of events that leads him to a convenience store showdown and a date with history. Co-written and directed by Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin (previously of Seinfeld), Live Free or Die is an uproarious look at how small town legends are too often culled from cock-and-bull tales.

Awards:

SXSW 2006 (Jury Prize - Best Narrative Feature)

USA 2006

Directors:

Andy Robin

Gregg Kavet

Producers:

Doug Bernheim

John Limotte

Dan Carey

Screenwriters:

Andy Robin

Gregg Kavet

Cinematographer:

Harlan Bosmajian

Film Editors:

Tina Pacheco

Matthew Landon

Music:

Dorian Heartsong

Stevie Salas

Cast:

Zooey Deschanel

Aaron Stanford

Paul Schneider

Kevin Dunn

Michael Rapaport

Ebon Moss-Bachrach

Judah Friedlander

Man Push Cart

SUNDAY JUNE 11 1:30 PM

Pushcart vendor Ahmad (Ahmid Razvi) was a rock superstar in his native Lahore, Pakistan. Now he haunts the early morning streets of Manhattan hawking pastries and bootleg DVDs. Alone and unable to visit his son, Ahmad finds comfort in the daily routine of his silver cart. One day he meets Mohammad, an affluent fellow countryman who recognizes him as “Lahore’s answer to Bono” and offers him welcome work. He also meets a Spanish woman, Noemi, who works at a newsstand near his cart. e three become friends, but their ill-defined relationships falter. Ahmad is a man fleeing his past among the urban multitudes and his low profile and lowlier job helps mask his grief. Director Ramin Bahrani’s character study maintains every ounce of its integrity in its matter-of-fact portrait of the daily trials of assimilation for a young Muslim man in post-9/11 America. Both American citizens born in the Middle East, Bahrani and Razvi first met in a pastry shop where Razvi was working. Bahrani says of this very American story: “When Bush began to bomb Afghanistan, I realized that all the Afghans I’d ever known were pushcart vendors in New York City. en I began to think of Camus’s Myth of Sisyphus, and pushing these carts seemed like a modern-day version of what life is really like.”

Director: Ramin Bahrani

Producers: Ramin Bahrani

Pradip Ghosh

Bedford T. Bentley III

Screenwriter: Ramin Bahrani

Cinematographer: Michael Simmonds

Film Editor: Ramin Bahrani

Music: Peyman Yazdanian

Cast: Ahmad Razvi

Leticia Dolera

Charles Daniel Sandoval

The Standard

THURSDAY JUNE 15 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 17 1:45 PM HARVARD EXIT

Opening like a shotgun blast to the senses, e Standard begins with a mysterious high school suicide. It then travels back to three days earlier in order to tell the story of Dylan Anderson. e school year is almost over and Dylan, a graduating senior, finds himself unsure of what his future holds as he struggles with difficult life choices. Pressure is coming at him from all sides—from his girlfriend, his teachers and even his boss. Plagued by the ultimate question for an uncertain graduating senior—“What next?”— Dylan tries to navigate his way through the most difficult crisis of his life, with rapidly mounting anxiety. With an exceptional cast of talented young up-and-comers, including Alex Frost (Elephant), Marne Patterson and Taylor Handley ( e O.C.), e Standard brings to life a very familiar, very natural rendering of high school life that evades the keg-party clichés of your average teen movies. Shot entirely on Northwest Washington’s Whidbey Island e Standard is filled with fierce doses of rebellious teen angst and wickedly honest humor. Jordan Albertsen makes his directorial debut with this edgy indie feature that is bound to spark equal measures of celebration and controversy, winding together a compelling story into powerful drama that audiences will not soon forget.

World Premiere

USA 2006

Director: Jordan Albertsen

Producer: Brian Scott Robinson

Screenwriter: Jordan Albertsen

Cinematographer: Je Barklage

Film Editor: Sean Olson

Music: Levi Burkle

Cast: Alex Frost

Taylor Handley

Marne Patterson

Thomas Du y

Running Time: 86 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: Oracle Films LLC

Film Website: www.myspace.com/standard lm

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

We Go Way Back

TUESDAY JUNE 13 9:30

On the heels of a particularly harsh break-up, Kate (Amber Hubert) searches for the meaning of her existence. A bold challenge is delivered to her at her 23rd birthday celebration when she is chosen as the lead in a theater production of Hedda Gabler. Anesthetized by her own life, Kate must choose between her own shabby reality and the honesty contained in a letter she wrote to herself at the age of 13. Daunted by the onset of dogged rehearsals, haphazard lovers and the need to learn her role in the original Norwegian, her worldview begins to change. Ultimately she must choose between reality and aspirations. When finally confronted by the inquisitive image of her 13-year-old self, Kate feels a desperate need to live honestly and reclaim her life. e debut feature from Seattle-based Lynn Shelton, We Go Way Back received the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Film at the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival. Adding to the film’s great depth and personality are the evocative, award-winning cinematography of Ben Kasulke and an infectious soundtrack full of Northwest acts. However, it is the truth and integrity of the direction that makes this film truly independent, and Seattle proud to call Lynn Shelton one of its own.

Awards:

Slamdance 2006 (Best Narrative Feature, Cinematography)

Preceded by You Turned Back and Held My Hand USA, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Gabriela Tollman

When do we know the di erence between love and sex? A passionate young woman nds that she might be alone in her excited perception of a newly forged relationship.

USA 2006

Director:

Lynn Shelton Producers:

Peggy Case

Gregg Lachow

Screenwriter:

Lynn Shelton

Cinematographer: Ben Kasulke

Film Editors:

Lynn Shelton

Michelle Witten

Music:

Laura Veirs

Cast: Amber Hubert

Maggie Brown

Robert Hamilton Wright

Aaron Blakely

Basil Harris

Running Time: 80 minutes Presentation Format:

WristcuttersA Love Story

For those in the unique alternate reality of Wristcutters - A Love Story, suicide is not your everyday death. In fact, killing yourself lands you in a quirky, cosmic universe that follows the same rules as ours, almost. In this world full of menial jobs, dingy bars and jukeboxes that play only suicide anthems, an amiable but definitely dead young man, Zia (Patrick Fugit), learns that his ex-girlfriend had also joined the voluntary death club. Since she inspired his own wristslitting gesture, heartsick Zia is determined to find her—but what wasn’t easy in one world is near impossible in another. Hooking up with an eccentric Russian rocker, for whom suicide is a family affair, and a melancholy ingénue, Zia and the gang set out in a rusty red station wagon (with a black hole where the footboards used to be) to a rumored oasis deep in the desert stewarded by none other than the venerable Tom Waits. With a very American road trip at its core, Croatian-born director Goran Dukic’s sly Eastern European sensibility gives a shiny existential veneer to this otherworldly love story.

USA 2006

Director:

Goran Dukic

Producers:

Chris Coen

Tatiana Kelly

Mikal P. Lazarev

Adam Sherman

Screenwriter:

Goran Dukic

Cinematographer:

Vanja Cernjul

Film Editor:

Jonathan Alberts

Music:

Bobby Johnston

Cast:

Patrick Fugit

Shannyn Sossamon

Shea Whigham

Tom Waits

John Hawkes

Running Time: 91 minutes

Presentation Format:

Non- ction cinema has blossomed in recent years and with it, a growing interest and sophistication among both lmmakers and audiences. SIFF is proud to present 12 lms from around the world in this year’s documentary competition. These dozen journeys explore a wide range of subjects of varying scale and take a diversity of stylistic approaches in shaping the experiences. Small stories nd universally relevant issues in the unlikeliest of places, as larger investigations of social and political issues draw connections to our daily lives. Personal home movies are crafted into intimate portraits, and archival media is woven into compelling re-examinations of history. Discoveries of unknown worlds, both far away and close to home, re ect and inform our own. The con icts and connections that arise in these lms enrich our perspectives on the world we live in. We are encouraged to see non- ction lmmakers crossing boundaries and reaching new heights in their roles as our observers, explorers, chroniclers, and creators.

The festival includes many more documentary lms in the Documentary Features (pg. 225-241), Face the Music (pg. 75-82) and, for the rst time, in our Emerging Masters (pg. 119) sections.

DOCUMEN TARY COMPE T I T ION

JURY

Kay Armatage

Kay Armatage is currently Professor of Cinema Studies at Innis College, Toronto. She was a member of the programming team of the Toronto Film Festival for some 20 years, up until 2004, and she is the author of several works on female lmmakers.

Brian Brooks

As Associate Editor at indieWIRE, Brian Brooks writes and edits daily for the site, and has moderated panels and served on juries for several festivals. He worked in music video at Elektra Entertainment graduating from UCLA, and moved to New York City, joining indieWIRE as an assistant editor in 2000.

Caroline Cumming

Caroline Cumming is Executive Director of 911 Media Arts Center, Washington’s premiere resource center for digital media artists. A prominent media consultant, producer and activist, she has also served as Executive Director of the Hazel Wolf Environmental Film Network and is co-founder and program director for Seattle’s annual Irish Film Festival.

37 Uses For A Dead Sheep (UK/Turkey, 2006)

directed by Ben Hopkins

American Blackout (USA, 2006)

directed by Ian Inaba

The Chances of the World Changing (USA, 2005)

directed by Eric Daniel Metzgar

Clear Cut: The Story of Philomath Oregon (USA, 2005)

directed by Peter Richardson

The Giant Buddhas (Switzerland, 2005)

directed by Christian Frei

Gitmo: The New Rules of War (Sweden/Denmark, 2005)

directed by Erik Gandini, Tarik Sale

I for India (UK/Germany/Italy, 2005)

directed by Sandhya Suri

The Last Communist (Malaysia, 2006)

directed by Amir Muhammad

...More Than 1000 Words (Germany, 2006)

directed by Solo Avital

The Trials of Darryl Hunt (USA, 2005)

directed by Ricki Stern, Annie Sundberg

TV Junkie (USA, 2006)

directed by Michael Cain, Matt Radecki

Walking to Werner (USA, 2006)

directed by Linas Phillips

37 Uses For A Dead Sheep

TUESDAY JUNE 6 7:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

TUESDAY JUNE 8 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

e Pamir Kirghiz are a tribe of some 2,000 people originally from the northwest range of the Greater Himalayas. Until twenty-five years ago, they lived a quasi-Iron Age existence in one of the remotest places on earth. Since then they’ve had to migrate an amazing five times—from the Soviet Union, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan—and they now live in exile in Turkey, a tribe divided. ose over 30 years old pine for their nomadic history and the rugged mountains of their homeland; the young tend to have a modern education and live in a world of pop music and Internet cafes. In 37 Uses for a Dead Sheep an Anglo-Turkish film crew helps them tell and show their story. ey do this through traditional means like interviews, but also through entertaining reconstructions of different events via fake newsreel footage and a variety of other cinematic styles. Hopkins used a small crew and relied on the community to help in all aspects of the production, which led to a genuine and sometimes comic collaboration between the tribe and the film crew. A unique record of a unique people, 37 Uses for a Dead Sheep is part ethnographical description, part portrait of the conflict between individual and globalized cultures, and part comedy about the process of filmmaking.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (Caligari Film Award)

United Kingdom/ Turkey 2006

Director:

Ben Hopkins

Producers:

Nikki Parrott

Natasha Dack

Ben Hopkins

Cinematographer:

Gary Clarke

Film Editor:

Marco van Welzen

Music:

Paul Lewis

Running Time:

86 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta, in Kirghiz, Turkish

and English, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Electric Sky

Print Source:

Tigerlily Films

Selected Filmography:

Footprints (2002)

American Blackout

SATURDAY MAY 27 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SUNDAY MAY 28 1:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

“Telling the truth about the Florida election set me on a course to tell the American people all they needed to know about this administration.”

So begins outspoken, volatile and passionate U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (DGeorgia) as she explains her role in American Blackout, a case study of the systematic disenfranchisement of the black vote in America. Starting with the historic Florida vote in the 2000 Bush vs. Gore presidential race, the movie quickly finds its way to McKinney, who investigated the private company hired by the state of Florida to generate voter lists. Her outrage over “the felon list” (where 97% of the names of people who were to be barred from voting were incorrectly listed) is but a mere tip of the iceberg. Filmmaker Ian Inaba matter-of-factly presents a laundry list of ways in which black political power is systematically squelched, from the slander of McKinney as she spoke out against Bush after 9/11 to the Georgia Democratic primaries and the Ohio presidential election in 2004 that led U.S. Congressman John Lewis (D-Georgia) to say of the events “(they) slingshotted us into slavery.” If you believe in truth, honesty and the American way, get ready for your blood to boil.

Awards:

Sundance 2006 (Special Jury Award)

Cinequest 2006 (Best Documentary)

USA 2006

Director:

Ian Inaba

Producer:

Anastasia King

Film Editors:

Liz Canning

Ian Inaba

Jean-Phillippe Boucicaut

Featuring:

Cynthia McKinney

Running Time:

86 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Guerilla News Network

Film Website:

www.americanblackout.org

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Chances of the World Changing

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 4:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

SATURDAY JUNE 17 4:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Writer Richard Ogust shares his Manhattan penthouse with 1200 turtles, and dreams of building an institute for extinct species. Twenty years ago he saved a diamond back turtle from soup in a Chinese restaurant, bought her for $20 and took her home and named her Empress. is began his long abiding love affair of turtles. With the support of other turtle conservationists around the country he has saved hundreds of turtles and tortoises from the food markets of Southeast Asia. But while rescuing turtles from extinction, Richards’s ark starts to sink: his landlord demands that he move. ree months and thirty truckloads of turtles and equipment later, he relocates to a warehouse in the New Jersey countryside while he sleeps in a pup tent in a nearby cornfield. e Chances of the World Changing is the story of a race against time, and a visual meditation on the spirit and devotion that fuels conservationists. Forced to a personal and financial breaking point because of his desire to contribute and help, Ogust must try to find a way to rebuild his shattered life and ensure the survival of his precious charges. What stands in the way of this biological do-gooder? Extinction has tragic connotations, but this film about extinction is really a study of its opposing force, survival. Luminous cinematography informs this look at a man whose devotion to nature has literally taken over his life.

USA 2005

Director:

Eric Daniel Metzgar

Producers:

Nell Carden Grey

Eric Daniel Metzgar

Cinematographer:

Eric Daniel Metzgar

Film Editor:

Eric Daniel Metzgar

Music:

Eric Liebman

Featuring:

Richard Ogust

Running Time: 99 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

Print Source: Merigold Moving Pictures

Film Website: www.thechancesoftheworldchanging.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Clear Cut: The Story of Philomath, Oregon

TUESDAY MAY 30 7:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

THURSDAY JUNE 1 4:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Self-made lumber baron Rex Clemens saw the need for kids to have options. More than 40 years ago, he began offering to pay full college tuition for each and every high school graduate in the small town of Philomath, Oregon—no strings attached. As the fading lumber industry has given way to new high-tech industries and the town has seen the arrival of new people from urban areas, many in Philomath have become concerned about the erosion of traditional values. One such concerned citizen is Steve Lowther, the nephew of Rex Clemens and current administrator of the Clemens Foundation. When he saw the increasing “liberal” direction of the schools—including the loosening of dress code, the removal of a derogatory Indian statue, the teaching of ecological issues and the tolerance of homosexuality—he threatened to discontinue the scholarship program. is brought national media attention to the small town and put the futures of many upcoming high school graduates in limbo. Peter Richardson, a Philomath native, directs this beautifully crafted portrait of the town and chronicle of its recent clash of ideologies. With balanced representation from both sides, Clear Cut presents an all-too-perfect microcosm of the divisions and dilemmas in our country today.

Awards:

Sarasota 2006 (Jury Prize)

USA 2005

Director:

Peter Richardson

Producer:

Peter Richardson

Cinematographers:

Peter Richardson

Michael A. Brown

Film Editor:

Peter Richardson

Music:

Debra Arlyn

Running Time:

73 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM Print Source:

Bicoastal Films, LLC

Film Website:

www.clearcutmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Giant Buddhas

SATURDAY MAY 27 1:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

FRIDAY JUNE 2 4:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

On February 27, 2001, following a decree that ordered all non-Islamic icons destroyed, the Taliban demolished the two ancient Buddha statues in Afghanistan—one of which, at fiftythree meters, was the tallest representation of Buddha in the world. e destruction took two weeks, and preceded 9/11 by only six months.

Filmmaker Christian Frei ( e War Photographer) has constructed the film around letters he sends to Canadian/Afghani journalist, writer and actress Nelofer Pazira (Khandahar), touching on everything from the monk and scholar Xuan Zang, who wrote about a third “sleeping” Buddha back in the seventh century, and the archeologist who is now looking for it. While plundering Afghanistan seems to have been an international affair and profitable business, Frei’s most powerful questions go out to iconoclasts: “Are they against images or just other people’s images?” Frei creates what he describes as a hymn to the diversity of opinions, religions, and cultures. is is a film about transience, not terrorism, about the loss of cultural identity. In it, Frei quotes Iranian filmmaker, Mohsen Makhhmalbaf’s profound statement, “I am now convinced that the Buddhist statues were not demolished. ey crumbled to pieces out of shame, because of the West’s ignorance toward Afghanistan.” e Giant Buddhas is an operatic essay on fanaticism, faith, terror, tolerance, ignorance and identity, accompanied by music of Philip Glass, Arvo Pärt, Jan Garbarek and Steve Huhn.

Awards:

Leipzig DOK 2005 (Silver Dove)

Switzerland 2005

Director:

Christian Frei

Producer:

Christian Frei

Screenwriter: Christian Frei

Cinematographer: Peter Indergand

Film Editor:

Christian Frei

Music:

Philip Glass

Jan Garbarek

Arvo Pärt

Steve Kuhn

Cast:

Narrator: Peter Mettler

Running Time:

95 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English, Dari, Arabic, Mandarin and French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Films Transit International

Print Source:

Films Transit International

Selected Filmography:

War Photographer (2001)

Gitmo: The New Rules of War

SATURDAY MAY 27 11:00 AM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY MAY 29 9:15 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Dubbed by the media as “the Swedish Taliban man,” Mehdi Ghezali was arrested by U.S. forces after a trip to Afghanistan, ultimately spending two and a half years in captivity. Upon his 2004 release, Ghezali made searing allegations as to the nature of his imprisonment, detailing horrendous interrogation sessions and various other tortures. In an attempt to investigate the claims and the still-unexplained detention of their countryman, filmmakers Erik Gandini and Tarik Saleh traveled to the U.S. base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. ere they received a polite reception from the officers in charge of hospitality, who were noticeably reluctant to discuss any of the camp’s inner workings yet quick to point out the area’s copious wildlife and lush golf courses. Unable to directly contact the prisoners, despite numerous covert efforts, the duo soon turned their sights on the surrounding military machine. What they uncovered illuminates a web of self-redundant bureaucracy, straight-spoken doubletalk and, most disturbingly, some ominous ties to the notorious atrocities at Abu Ghraib. Featuring interviews with military supervisors, contracted interrogators from the private sector, and some former prisoners of the camp (including the haunted Ghezali himself), this is a deceptively placid, unquestionably timely documentary. Co-produced by Lars Von Trier.

Awards:

Miami 2006 (Special Jury Award)

Sweden/ Denmark 2005

Directors:

Erik Gandini

Tarik Saleh

Producers:

Kristina Aberg

Mikael Olsen

Joanna Mikolajczyk

Cinematographers:

Lukas Eisenhauer

Carl Nilsson

Film Editors:

Thomas Lagerman

Mikkel E.G. Nielsen

Running Time:

80 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Swedish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Films Transit International

Print Source:

Films Transit International

Selected Filmography:

Surplus: Terrorized into

Being Consumers (2003)

Amerasians (1999)

SIFF gear official

I for India

TUESDAY JUNE 6 5:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

MONDAY JUNE 12 7:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

In 1965, Yash Pal Suri moved from his home in India to England in pursuit of a medical career. Frustrated at the poor quality of long distance phone service, he and his family began communicating with each other via Super 8 films and reel-to-reel audio recordings. He sent home images of his new surroundings—snow, the English supermarket and the eccentricities of his neighbors and co-workers. In turn, he received well-wishing messages and familiar images from home. But the years turned into decades and as his planned return to India became an increasingly remote possibility, the communications began to take on different tones. His audiotapes, at first just simple and silly narration, turn into very personal expressions of distance, frustration, conflict and longing for home. Directed by Yash’s daughter Sandhya Suri, I for India is an absorbing, lyrical assemblage of these grainy and crackly audiovisual letters exchanged over the decades, as well as a moving look at his family in the present. Artfully integrating the home movies and tapes with archival film footage and present day interviews, the film tells an intimate, complex and bittersweet story that raises questions of cultural identity in the face of separation from one’s home and family.

Awards:

Karachi 2005 (Best Documentary)

United Kingdom/ Germany/Italy 2005

Director:

Sandhya Suri

Producers:

Carlo Cresto-Dina

Thomas Kufus

Cinematographers:

Lars Lenski

Sandhya Suri

Film Editors:

Cinzia Baldessari

Brian Tagg

Featuring:

Yash Pal Suri

Running Time:

70 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta, in Hindi and English, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

Celluloid Dreams

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

The Last Communist

THURSDAY JUNE 15 9:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

SUNDAY JUNE 18 4:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

e Last Communist is a most unusual hybrid of a documentary, not because it combines fact and fiction but because it combines testimony with song! e film’s subject, Chin Peng was born in 1924 and is the last leader of the banned Communist Party of Malaya (CPM), which had been key in opposing the Japanese invasion in WWII but caused bloody havoc in the post-war years when it tried to take power for itself. Chin Peng now lives in ailand because the Malaysian government will not allow him to return, despite his repeated attempts to go through the courts.

e Last Communist uses history as a backdrop, but is more interested in making a film of contrasted terrains that looks at how the country has changed from the time of Chin Peng’s youth to now. Director Amir Muhammad and his cameraman travel to the towns Chin Peng lived in from his birth to the country’s independence in 1957 to interview people about their memories of the former inhabitant. en they move on to Betong, ailand, which is now home to many exiled members of the CPM. While Chin Peng’s complete absence from the film makes him something of an enigma, Muhammad has come up with a novel way to convey his story: specially composed song and dance sequences in the form of old-fashioned propaganda films. ey turn out to be so musically appealing and so well choreographed they would be at home in a Broadway musical, transforming the subject matter from dry facts to high entertainment.

Malaysia 2006

Director: Amir Muhammad

Producers: Lina Tan

Amir Muhammad

Screenwriter: Amir Muhammad

Cinematographer: Albert Hue

Film Editor: Azharr Rudin

Music: Hardesh Singh

Featuring: Zalila Lee

Adibah Noor

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format:

BetaSP, in Hokkien, Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese, English and Tamil, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Red Films

Print Source:

Red Films

Film Website: www.red lms.com. my/lelakikomunis.htm

Selected Filmography: Tokyo Magic Hour (2005)

The Year of Living Vicariously (2005)

LELAKI KOMUNIS TERAKHIR

...More Than 1000 Words

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 9:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

FRIDAY JUNE 16 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL US Premiere

A man wakes up, kisses his wife and daughter and drives off into a war zone. is is how Ziv Koren, award-winning photojournalist, begins every day in Israel. His photographs, depicting the horrors of the Middle East conflict, have become instantly recognizable icons that have shaped our perception of this difficult reality. Director/Cinematographer Solo Avital shot Ziv over a two-year period in the heart of riots, terror attacks, pullouts and secret meetings with wanted militants, up until Israel’s pullout from Gaza. “Most people don’t want to see,” Ziv says and finds it hard to believe that people sit and have espressos while less that a few kilometers away others live in the direst of situations. Ziv’s style is to disappear into the situations he shoots, and his desire is to be close to the knife’s edge “where cause and effect meet.” is movie, however, is not about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict; it’s a movie about a married man’s struggle with the history of a fierce war, in which he is involved on a daily basis, and the place he finds for himself in it. It is the story of all Israeli people and others around the world who are affected by the conflict in the Middle East. Avital has made a film that sees the photographer through the lens of history, not the other way around.

Preceded by Gesture Release

Czech Republic, 2005, 5 minutes, director: Jitka Rudolfova

The origin of an iconic photograph is speculated upon.

Germany 2006

Director:

Solo Avital

Producer:

Oliver Berben

Screenwriter:

Solo Avital

Cinematographer:

Solo Avital

Film Editor:

Solo Avital

Music:

Danni Reichental

Tomer Biran

Running Time:

77 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta, in Hebrew, English and Arabic, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Telepool

Print Source:

Telepool

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

The Trials of Darryl Hunt

MONDAY JUNE 12 4:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 6:45 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

ese are the facts: In 1984, a young white woman was savagely assaulted and murdered in North Carolina. Based on a mysterious 911 call and piles of shaky circumstantial evidence (including a highly suspect eyewitness account by a Klansman, and what appears to be manipulated police lineup photos), a then 19-year-old black man named Darryl Hunt was sentenced to life in prison. What transpired over his next two decades of imprisonment involved multiple court appeals, the introduction and dismissal of potentially exonerating DNA tests, and an overall view of the legal system that recalls Kafka at his most paranoid. Were it fictional, the details would be hard to believe, but the film is actually the culmination of over ten years worth of work by directors Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg. With a keen eye for the ironic, e Trials of Darryl Hunt pieces together news footage and candid interviews new and old to create a compelling picture of the long-suffering title character, the driven lawyers and victims on both sides, and the mounting support (and quickly simmering, racially motivated anger) of the surrounding community. Outraged without being outrageous, pointed without devolving into hagiography, this is an investigative documentary of the highest order. ese are the facts.

USA 2005

Directors:

Ricki Stern

Annie Sundberg

Producers:

Ricki Stern

Annie Sundberg

Katie Brown

William Rexer II

Cinematographer:

William Rexer II

Film Editor:

Shannon Kennedy

Music:

Paul Brill

Featuring:

Darryl Hunt

Running Time:

113 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

Print Source:

Break Thru Films

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

T V Junkie

SATURDAY JUNE 17 9:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

SUNDAY JUNE 18 1:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Ever since he was given his first home movie camera at the age of 14, Rick Kirkham recorded every facet of his life. After more than two decades, he accumulated thousands of hours of footage, most of which he never watched. Naturally, Kirkham was drawn to a career in television, first appearing as a dancer on American Bandstand and then quickly rising through the ranks of local TV news shows. By his early 30s, he was working as a national correspondent for Inside Edition during the week and spending his weekends at home with his wife Tami and their two sons. Life had all the makings of a “happily ever after” ending. But underneath his TV persona and his picture perfect family life, Kirkham was lost and alone. Drugs and alcohol fueled a downward spiral that threatened to destroy everything he loved. Perhaps because it was the one constant in his life, he kept the camera rolling as he attempted to balance his job, family and addictions. Acting simultaneously as both reporter and subject, Kirkham obsessively recorded his struggles, eruptions and brutally honest confessions as his world began to collapse. Directors Michael Cain and Matt Radecki have culled material from over 3,000 hours of Kirkham’s personal film and video footage to assemble this unique and unbelievably candid portrait. Chronicling roughly seven years in Kirkham’s life, TV Junkie is a fascinating glimpse into the contradictions of cocaine addiction, the uncertainties of real life and the fantasy of a perfect televised world.

Awards:

Sundance 2006 (Special Jury Award)

Walking to Werner

USA 2006

Directors:

Michael Cain

Matt Radecki

Producers:

Michael Cain

Fred Bodner

Gregory Lanesey

Je Schedftel

Amanda Stern

Don Stokes

Cinematographer: Rick Kirkham

Film Editor:

Matt Radecki

Music:

Gary Parks

Gordon Gibson

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

Print Source:

Deep Ellum Pictures

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Werner Herzog once walked 500 miles from Munich to Paris to see his dying mentor, film historian Lotte Eisner. Inspired by the great director’s approach to life and art, Northwest filmmaker Linas Phillips decides to pay tribute to his hero by walking all the way from Seattle to Herzog’s house in Los Angeles. Walking to Werner is a funny and inspiring first-person account of his struggles, encounters, questions and revelations along the way. e trials of walking alone along treacherous highways, the personal stories and encouragement of the fascinating roadside characters he meets, and a message from Herzog himself suggesting that he focus on his own life and destiny—all of this transforms the pilgrimage into something bigger than a mere tribute. Along the exhausting trek he begins to see the world—and himself— as if for the first time. Capturing beautiful West Coast landscapes, the film weaves Herzog’s observations about life, dreams, cinema and “ecstatic truth” into Phillips’ moments of childish wonder, hysterical madness, crushing doubt and enlightened triumph. Ultimately, this remarkable personal documentary is beyond description. Blending art and life, it taps into some kind of unknowable truth while revealing something of the spirit of searching and the true meaning of any journey, big or small.

USA 2006

Director: Linas Phillips Producer: Dayna Hanson

Cinematographer: Ben Kasulke

Film Editor: Linas Phillips

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Linas Films, LLC

Film Website: www.linas lms.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Adam Curtis

After years of teaching politics at Oxford, Adam Curtis made the move to the BBC, where he has produced many successful non- ction series, each mixing history with in-depth character studies and devastasting insights into Western and global politics and featuring Curtis’ sardonic humor in his narration. After more than a decade of making ecstatically-reviewed television series, his most recent work, The Power of Nightmares, became a worldwide phenomenon, screening at Cannes and other festivals and gaining a theatrical run in New York cinemas, with bootlegs of the series being downloaded by hundreds of thousands of people around the world.

Nicolas Winding Refn

Nicolas Winding Refn was born in Denmark, the son of the Danish director Anders Refn. He lived in the United States for several years starting in 1981, when he studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. His breakthrough came with the ultra-violent Pusher (1996), instantly establishing his trademark style—a combination of lm noir with elements of cinema verité—followed by the equally controversial Bleeder (1999). His third feature, Fear X (2003) was a commercial setback, leaving his company many thousands of kroner in debt, but the ambitious double whammy of Pusher II and Pusher III have put his career rmly back on track.

Andrucha Waddington

Andrucha Waddington was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1970. Before becoming a movie director, he directed more than 200 commercials for TV and was also one of the eminent video clip directors in Brazil, working with such superstars as Caetano Veloso. Early experience in the lm world included working as Assistant Producer on Hector Babenco’s At Play in the Fields of the Lord and working on Walter Salles’ High Art. In 1999, he released his rst feature-length lm, Twins, which won prizes locally. However, it is with his two later features that has made Waddington a name to look out for on the international circuit.

Wang Xiaoshuai

Wang Xiaoshuai graduated from the Beijing Film Academy in 1985 and was assigned to the Fujian Film Studio. Initially working outside the o cial lm channels, his rst three features were made illegally (the second, Frozen, under the pseudonym Wu Ming). Later reinstated by the Chinese lm authorities, he continued to work with socially contentious subject matter. Wang is now one of the major gures of China’s Sixth Generation of directors and has won major prizes at international lm festivals, including Best Director in Berlin for Beijing Bicycle and the Special Jury Prize in Cannes for Shanghai Dreams

Each year the Seattle International Film Festival selects four directors from around the globe who have, in a few short years, signposted themselves as emerging cinematic masters, visionaries whose lms speak with an original voice and display a grasp of the craft that makes them stand out from their contemporaries. Make no mistake: these are artists of the highest order who will break into the mainstream of American lmgoers’ consciousness in the near future—if not tomorrow. Past honorees have included Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run), Miike Takashi (Audition), Michael Winterbottom (Welcome to Sarajevo), François Ozon (8 Women), Jia Zhang-ke (The World), Ferzan Ozpetek (Facing Windows), Cédric Klapisch (L’Auberge Espagnol) and Pen-ek Ratanaruang (Last Life in the Universe).

This year’s quartet could not represent a nicer balance: from the UK, Adam Curtis with his challenging documentaries (The Century of the Self; The Power of Nightmares); from China, Wang Xiaoshuai’s socially aware dramas (Shanghai Dreams; The Days); from Brazil, the female-centric lms of Andrucha Waddington (The House of Sand; Me, You, Them), and to kick o the series, the visceral Pusher trilogy from Denmark’s Nicolas Winding Refn (along with the documentary Gambler, chronicling Refn’s e orts to complete the second and third installments of the trilogy).

Emerging Masters

U NITED K INGDOM

Adam Curtis

The Century of the Self (2002)

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

D ENMARK

Nicolas Winding Refn

Pusher (1996)

Pusher II: With Blood on My Hands (2004)

Pusher III: I’m the Angel of Death (2005)

Gambler (Denmark, 2006), directed by Phie Ambo

B RAZIL

Andrucha Waddington

House of Sand (2005)

Me, You, Them (2000)

C HINA

Wang Xiaoshuai

The Days (1993)

Shanghai Dreams (2005)

The Century of the Self

JUNE 10 4:45 PM

Having traveled far beyond the analyst’s couch, the ideas of Sigmund Freud are at the base of a desire-driven society in which marketers, selfhelp gurus, even politicians get ahead by catering to the basic demands of the id. But it was two other members of the Freud family who helped bring psychoanalysis to the masses: his daughter Anna, who popularized a therapy of repression and conformity; and his nephew Edward Bernays, who realized the untapped commercial potential that exists between the lines of Freud’s theories. Bernays created the field of public relations, which revolutionized marketing and radically altered the course of history. Where merchandise was once advertised and purchased for practical application, soon buying became a form of expression and, more than that, a source of pleasure in and of itself. e techniques of psychoanalysis were applied to discover consumers’ innermost feelings towards products in a new technique called “focus groups.” Unconscious sexual imagery began to dominate ads and marketers focused on how owning something makes you feel; practicality took a backseat to branding. And then, in recent decades, politicians finally took notice. Adam Curtis’ viciously intelligent documentary—at turns hilarious, horrifying and revelatory—dissects the path from the ideas of Freud and his family to today’s global culture of the self, in which greed, selfishness and personal desire are king.

United Kingdom 2002

Director:

Adam Curtis

Producer:

Adam Curtis

Screenwriter:

Adam Curtis

Cinematographers: David Barker

William Sowerby

Film Editor: Adam Curtis

Narrator:

Adam Curtis

Running Time:

240 minutes

Presentation Format:

BetaSP

Print Source:

BBC TV

Film Website: http://www.rdfmedia. com/history/thecenturyoftheself.asp

The Power of Nightmares; The Rise of the Politics of Fear

FRIDAY JUNE 9 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

JUNE 10 1:15 PM BROADWAY

“In the past our politicians offered us a better world. Now they promise to protect us from nightmares.” One of the most provocative political films of the past decade, Adam Curtis’ incendiary film essay traces the ideological basis of the “politics of fear” that dominates contemporary government back to the origins of two sometimes adversarial movements: radical Islam and American Neo-Conservativism. e story begins in 1949, when two men—a young Egyptian studying in the US named Sayyid Qutb, and University of Chicago professor Leo Strauss—first began developing their own rigid ideologies, both based on the fear that modern liberal freedoms were eroding the most basic bonds holding society together. Radical Islamist thought evolved into increasingly militant, increasingly violent forms, with the most extreme groups inciting members to murder and mass destruction. Meanwhile, the Neo-Conservatives developed Strauss’ emphasis on myths and a black-or-white moral outlook, which came to fruition in the Reagan-era ‘80s. ough the radical Islamists and Neo-Conservatives would cross paths throughout their respective histories, it was in 2001 that the two would crash head-on into each other, granting the ultimate villain to the world’s politicians: international terrorism. Analyzing the historical and ideological foundations of two of the most powerful forces in contemporary politics with humor, concrete support and an astonishing gift for insight, Curtis has crafted one of the essential political works of our time.

Awards:

BAFTA 2005 (Best Factual Series or Strand)

Directors Guild of Great Britain 2005 (Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television Documentary)

Royal Television Society 2005

(Best Documentary Series)

Kingdom

Director: Adam Curtis

Producer: Adam Curtis

Screenwriter: Adam Curtis

Cinematographer: Lucy Kelsall

SATURDAY

PERFORMANCE HALL

SATURDAY

BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Pusher

FRIDAY MAY 26 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

MONDAY MAY 29 11:00 AM

PLACE CINEMAS

When Nicolas Winding Refn’s auspicious debut premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, it immediately signaled him as an edgy, brazen new talent. Now, ten years later and having spawned two sequels, Pusher still stands as a powerful piece of filmmaking. Frank and Tonny are a pair of middling drug dealers on the streets of Copenhagen. Tonny’s appetites are simple—drugs, money, sex—while Frank’s life is complicated by his relationship with Vic, a high-priced prostitute, and his own ambition to work up the chain of power. When an old prison-mate approaches Frank with a potentially lucrative deal, he makes an arrangement with Serbian crime lord Milo, his supplier, to go deeper into debt for a potentially huge score. Needless to say the deal goes badly; the police show up and Frank is forced to divest himself of the heroin in a lake. After spending the night in jail, Frank discovers the police were tipped off and, after a subsequent visit to Milo, that he now owes 230,000 kroner. In turn he scours the Copenhagen underworld for every favor and krone he’s owed only to find his life spiraling into a despondent and increasingly violent abyss. Whereas the recent trend in crime pictures is to stylize, even glamorize, the world of illicit narcotics, Pusher wallows in grunginess. Refn’s raw, unsentimental style captures the uncompromising natures of the characters generating equal parts contempt and sympathy because of their all too recognizable humanity.

Pusher II: With Blood on My Hands

FRIDAY MAY 26 9:15 PM

MONDAY MAY 29 1:30 PM

Denmark 1996

Director:

Nicolas Winding Refn

Producer:

Henrik Danstrup

Screenwriters:

Nicolas Winding Refn

Jens Dahl

Cinematographer:

Morten Søborg

Film Editor:

Anne Østerud

Music:

Peter Peter

Povl Kristian

Cast:

Mads Mikkelsen

Zlatko Buric

Kim Bodnia

Slavko Labovic

Peter Anderson

Running Time:

105 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Nordisk Film International

Sales

Print Source:

Magnolia Films

Selected Filmography:

Pusher III: I’m the Angel of Death (2005)

Pusher II: With Blood on my Hands (2004)

Fear X (2003)

Bleeder (1999)

PLACE CINEMAS

PLACE CINEMAS

In the second chapter of his Pusher trilogy, Nicolas Winding Refn focuses on Tonny, Frank’s vacuous partner from the first film. When last we saw him, Tonny was beaten and bloody on the floor of a Copenhagen bar, but when With Bloods on My Hands begins he is in prison. Upon release, he goes to visit his father the Duke, a prominent gangster who runs a car theft ring. While the Duke agrees to take him into the business, he clearly thinks Tonny a nuisance and treats him with thinly veiled contempt. To make matters worse, Tonny soon discovers that a brief fling he had before prison resulted in a child. While trying to fulfill the demands of the Duke and Charlotte, the mother of his child, Tonny is approached by another smalltime dealer, Curt the Cunt, who wants his help with a drug buy from a familiar figure, Milo. Once again things go wrong, and Curt loses everything. At first Tonny is nonchalant about the busted deal—it was neither his drugs nor his money. But after the wedding of one of the Duke’s henchman, Curt disappears and Tonny is forced to take responsibility for the debt. While With Bloods on My Hands begins very much like its predecessor, by the end Refn has inverted genre conventions: Tonny’s choice of escape route reveals a surprisingly unknown depth in the character and leads to an emotionally resonant, yet completely unexpected, conclusion.

Denmark 2004

Director:

Nicolas Winding Refn

Producer:

Henrik Danstrup

Screenwriter:

Nicolas Winding Refn

Cinematographer:

Morten Søborg

Film Editor:

Anne Østerud

Music:

Peter Peter

Cast:

Mads Mikkelsen

Zlatko Buric

Leif Sylvester

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Nordisk Film International

Sales

Print Source:

Magnolia Films

Selected Filmography:

Pusher III: I’m the Angel of Death (2005)

Fear X (2003)

Bleeder (1999)

Pusher (1996)

Pusher III: I’m the Angel of Death

SATURDAY MAY 27 3:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

MONDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

In the final installment of the Pusher trilogy, Nicolas Winding Refn concludes his saga by following the Serbian crime boss Milo over a tense and hectic twenty-four hour period. Already busy with preparations for his daughter Milena’s twenty-fifth birthday party, Milo is thrown a curve when an expected shipment of heroin turns out to be 10,000 ecstasy tablets. When he approaches the Albanian gang that set up the delivery, they offer him a choice: return the pills or sell them and come back with the money that night by 11:00. He chooses the latter and dispatches his henchman Little Mohammed to find a buyer. In the meantime Milo’s other henchmen have all contracted food poisoning from his cooking, while Milena continually demands more and more changes for her party, which Milo dutifully fulfills. rough it all, Milo attends as many Narcotics Anonymous meetings as he can fit in, as the stress from the party and the deal start to overwhelm him. Of course, things fall apart: Milo discovers Milena’s fiancé is a dealer, Little Mohammed goes MIA with the tablets, and the Albanians, none too pleased about the missing ecstasy, force Milo to host a most unseemly transaction. In what is truly a gut-wrenching finale, Refn brings Milo, and the trilogy, full circle: the thuggish brute from the earlier pictures becomes a victim who, like Frank and Tonny before him, must navigate his own path between damnation and redemption.

Gambler

SATURDAY MAY 27 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY MAY 30 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Denmark 2005

Director:

Nicolas Winding Refn

Producer:

Henrik Danstrup

Screenwriter:

Nicolas Winding Refn

Cinematographer:

Morten Søborg

Film Editor:

Anne Østerud

Music: Peter Peter

Cast:

Zlatko Buric

Marinela Dekic

Ilyas Agac

Running Time:

105 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Nordisk Film International

Sales

Print Source:

Magnolia Films

Film Website: www.pusher.nu

Selected Filmography:

Pusher II: With Blood on my Hands (2004)

Fear X (2003)

Bleeder (1999)

Pusher (1996)

Nicolas Winding Refn’s debut feature Pusher established him as a breakthrough filmmaker and heralded a very bright future. Seven years later, his third film, Fear X, bombed at the box office and left him personally responsible for debts totaling some 5.5 million Danish kroner (about $900,000). In order to regain his fiscal health, Refn decided to produce two sequels to Pusher—one to eliminate the debt, the other to bankroll his next project—and he does so in front of Phie Ambo’s documentary eye. She catches him returning to a position all too familiar to many first-time filmmakers: script deadlines, investor meetings, bank negotiations and a relatively unstable lead actor. And although he conceived of the two sequels for strictly commercial reasons, he finds himself unable to just make two profitable quickies, nor do his investors allow it. Writer’s block be damned, the films have to be good! Slowly and surely, this ambitious project takes over every facet of his life, including his relationship with his wife Liv and their baby daughter. Some of Gambler’s most compelling scenes are the candid discussions the couple has over their finances and future when everything is unsure. Gambler is a painfully funny—and at times just painful—examination of filmmaking’s uneasy truce between art and commerce.

Denmark 2006

Director:

Phie Ambo

Producers:

Christian Rank

Sigrid Helene Dyekjaer

Cinematographer:

Phie Ambo

Film Editor:

Theis Schmidt

Music:

Nikolaj Hess

Jens Bjørnkjaer

Featuring:

Nicholas Winding Refn

Running Time: 78 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Danish Film Institute

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Selected Filmography:

Growing Up in a Day (2002)

Family (2001)

North American Premiere

House of Sand

FRIDAY JUNE 16 7:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 17 1:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Set in the awe-inspiring sand dunes of Brazil’s arid Maranhão province over a 60-year period, House of Sand begins as deranged patriarch Vasco de Sá drags his young pregnant wife Aurea, her mother and several others to a remote hellhole in order to establish a new home on land he has bought. Vasco soon dies, leaving mother and daughter to fend for themselves. By 1919, they are precariously established in a flimsy, sand-leaking homestead with the help of Massu, an enigmatic local who becomes Aurea’s lover. Over the next half century Aurea continues to harbor dreams of escape, but that fate is left for people around her, like her daughter Maria, who grows up to be a feckless, drunken floozy. When a reformed Maria returns in 1969, she informs Aurea that man has landed on the moon. Such simple details form the backbone of an astounding emotional denouement that wraps up and connects all of the film’s key themes, from the personal to the cosmic. e art direction is impeccable, starting with its astonishing first scene where women in black Victorian garb are seen trekking through hostile landscapes, and director Waddington skillfully expresses narrative conflicts through sometimes wordless emotional links. e tour-de-force casting of real life mother and daughter Fernando Torres and Fernando Montenegro (Central Station) in roles especially fashioned for them is inspired, and marks Waddington as a talent to watch out for with huge anticipation.

Awards:

Sundance 2006 (Alfred P. Sloan Award)

Brazil 2005

Director:

Andrucha Waddington

Producers:

Leonardo Monteiro de Barros

Pedro Buarque de Hollanda

Pedro Guimarães

Andrucha Waddington

Screenwriter:

Elena Soárez

Cinematographer:

Ricardo Della Rosa

Film Editor:

Sérgio Mekler

Music:

Carlo Bartolini

João Barone

Cast:

Fernanda Montenegra

Fernanda Torres

Ray Guerra

Luiz Melodia

Seu Jorge

Running Time:

115 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Portuguese, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Print Source:

Sony Pictures Classics

Selected Filmography:

Viva Sao João (2002)

Me, You, Them (2000)

Gemeas (1999)

e arid location in northeastern Brazil, not to mention a story that revolves around an indomitable woman, will remind some of Walter Salles’ Oscar-nominated Central Station—but the resemblance ends there. Me, You, em is based on the true story of Marlene da Silva Saboia, who was in her early 50s when a Brazilian TV station broadcast a special about her unconventional living arrangement: she lived with three husbands, each of whom had fathered children for her. Five years after seeing the broadcast, filmmaker Andrucha Waddington brings Saboia’s story to the big screen, turning the tale of a poor, polygamous family into a funny, poignant portrait of love with multiple partners, and retaining surprising truths about an arrangement that people might presume is intolerable. e film’s central character, Darlene, has experienced precious little warmth in her early life and already has a three-year-old child when she marries Osias, primarily because of his comfortable home. Lazy and indifferent, Osias contributes little to their upkeep. So when his cousin Zezinho comes to live with them, Darlene is soon involved with him and, eventually, a sugar cane worker happens along and is added to the ménage. Darlene, admirably played by the engaging Regina Case, follows her instincts, works hard and expresses an unquenchable joie de vivre as the film unfurls in a non-judgmental, clear-sighted way. Not surprisingly, it swept the Brazilian film awards and sign-posted a major new directing talent from the southern hemisphere.

Brazil 2000

Director:

Andrucha Waddington

Producers:

Pedro B. De Hollanda

Leonardo Monteiro de Barros

Flávio R. Tambellini

Andrucha Waddington

Screenwriter:

Elena Soárez

Cinematographer:

Breno Silveira

Film Editor:

Vicente Kubrusly

Music:

Gilberto Gil

Cast:

Regina Casé

Lima Duarter

Stenion Garcia

Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos

Running Time:

104 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Portuguese, with English subtitles

Print Source:

Gemeas (1999) SATURDAY JUNE 17 11:00 AM PACIFIC

Sony Pictures Classics

Selected Filmography:

House of Sand (2005)

Viva Sao João (2002)

Awards:

Cannes 2000 (Un Certain Regard)

Karlovy 2000 (Best Actress, Crystal Globe)

Marrakech 2000 (Special Jury Award)

Havana 2000 (Grand Coral, Best Music)

The Days

Shanghai Dreams

When the BBC selected 100 titles to reflect the Century of Cinema in 1999, few films were more obscure than this mini-masterpiece from China, despite the fact that prominent directors such as Quentin Tarantino and Atom Egoyan were amongst its many admirers. As a director, Wang Xiaoshuai belongs to the generation of filmmakers who followed the acclaimed Fifth Generation predecessors like Chen Kaige, Zhang Yimou and Tian Zhuangzhuang. As he started to make movies, the climate for filmmaking had changed in China after the Tiananmen uprising in 1994 when a cloud of repression set in. is Sixth Generation frequently worked underground, shooting stories on topics like social injustice, illegal immigration and homosexuality that would never have made it past the censors. Now mostly reinstated, many of these directors (Zhang Yuan, He Jianjun and Jia Zhang-ke are others) still tend toward works with a social or humanistic bent. e Days chronicles the disintegrating relationship of two artists in post-Tiananmen Beijing, and it was frowned upon for its open portrayal of pre-marital sex. Light on dialogue, the erotic tension is what propels the action forward, as does a beautifully measured voiceover from Wang himself. Shot in impressive deep focus on grainy black-&-white for less than $10,000, this is a key film in the transition of Chinese cinema to the modern era, which the BBC was smart enough to recognize when they selected it.

Awards:

Thessaloniki 1994 (Golden Alexander)

Taormina 1994 (Best Director)

China/Hong Kong 1993

Director:

Wang Xiaoshuai

Producers:

Zhang Hongtao

Wang Xiaoshuai

Screenwriter:

Wang Xiaoshuai

Cinematographers:

Wu Di Liu Jie

Film Editor:

Qingping

Music:

Liang Heping

Cast:

Liu Xiaodong

Yu Hong

Liu Hua

A heartbreaking family drama, Shanghai Dreams is set in the 1960s when, fearing conflict with the Soviet Union, the Chinese government uprooted thousands of families from cities to settle in the poorer regions of the country in order to develop local industry as the “third line of defense.” 19-year-old Qinghong lives in the southwestern Guizhou province with her parents; it’s the place where she grew up, where her friends are and where she first experiences love. When she sneaks off to a dance with her boyfriend Honggen and her feistier friend Xiaozhen, Qinghong’s tyrannical dad cracks down on her. e father is one of the many exiles who, despite the fact he’s doing well enough with his doctor wife and two children, has never renounced his dream of returning home to Shanghai. In fact, he’s determined that nothing should imperil Qinghong’s future, which for him lies in a good college in Shanghai. e youthful dreams of Qinghong, Honggen and even Xiaozhen start to unravel as the father doggedly moves on with his plans, and a tragic turn of events makes for a shattering denouement as the family clandestinely leaves town. Director Wang Xiaoshuai (Beijing Bicycle, Drifters) is generally recognized as the most accomplished of the “sixth generation” of Chinese filmmakers, whose films frequently touch on taboo subjects. In fact, the semi-autobiographical Shanghai Dreams deals with topics that would have been banned in China not long ago, but—lucky for us—it has benefited from the recent easing of censorship as China puts on its best face for the 2008 Olympics.

Awards:

Cannes 2005 (Jury Prize)

China 2005

Director:

Wang Xiaoshuai

Producers:

Pi Li

Margaret Horspool

Screenwriter:

Lao Ni

Cinematographer:

Wu Di

Film Editor:

Yang Hongyu

Music:

Zhang Wu

Cast:

Gao Yuan-yuan

Li Bin

Yan Al-lian

Tang Yang

Wang Xueyaqng

DANISH SPOT LIGH

TThough Denmark is best known in the U.S. for the Dogme movement and for renowned director Lars von Trier, Danish lmmaking has emerged to reveal a remarkable breadth of work that crosses over from arthouse to genre and even animated fare. Although Danish cinema has always made a signi cant impact internationally, this year in particular features an explosive vintage with a high concentration of the best and most innovative work to be found anywhere in the world.

For A Soap, her feature debut, Pernillle Fischer Christensen received two of the top prizes at the Berlin Film Festival. In what could have been a conventional story, her use of soap opera elements to guide us through the maze of gender identity makes it one of the most bizarre love stories to ever appear on screen. Annette K. Olesen’s (SIFF Emerging Master 2004) timely new lm, 1:1, deals with the relationship between ethnic Danes and Arab Muslim immigrants. Although produced before the recent cartoon controversy, the lm is prophetic in its look at a Europe trying to maintain an equitable balance between clashing cultures and values. Behind the scenes, Kim Fupz Aakeson was the screenwriter of three of this year’s Danish lms, and has certainly been one of the most productive Danish writers of the last few years, with credits that also include Annette K. Olesen’s earlier lm Minor Mishaps

For those looking for an edgier evening, there is the gripping and ultra-violent gangster saga of Nicolas Winding Refn’s Pusher trilogy. Unlike The Sopranos, here elements of family, compassion, loyalty and empathy are largely absent, with betrayal and vengeance the norm in all three lms. We will also be presenting the rst computer generated animated feature lm from Denmark; Terkel in Trouble is a refreshingly nasty treat that re ects that uniquely Scandinavian wit and humor. These are just a few of the wide-ranging selections presented in this year’s spotlight.

1:1 (2005)

directed by Annette K. Olesen

Adam’s Apples (2005)

directed by Anders Thomas Jensen

Allegro (2005) – see New Directors Showcase, page 86

directed by Christo er Boe

Chinaman (2005)

directed by Henrik Ruben Genz

Dark Horse (2005)

directed by Dagur Kári

Gambler (2006) – see Emerging Masters, page 119

directed by Phie Ambo

Manslaughter (2005)

directed by Per Fly

Pusher (1996) – see Emerging Masters, page 118

directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Pusher II: With Blood on My Hands (2004) – see Emerging Masters, page 118

directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Pusher III: I’m the Angel of Death (2005) – see Emerging Masters, page 119

directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Smiling in a Warzone (2005)

directed by Simone Aaberg Kærns, Magnus Bejmar

A Soap (2005)

directed by Pernille Fischer Christiansen

Terkel in Trouble (2004) – see Midnight Adrenaline, page 262

directed by Stefan Fjeldmark, Kresten Vestbjerg Andersen, Thornbjørn Christo ersen

We Shall Overcome (2005)

directed by Niels Arden Oplev

The Danish Spotlight is made possible with generous support of the Danish Film Institute and The Northwest Danish Foundation.

SATURDAY MAY 27 7:15 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY MAY 28 1:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

For her third film, SIFF ’04 Emerging Master Annette K. Olesen (Minor Mishaps, In Your Hands) has delivered a timely Scandinavian tale of cross-cultural love doomed in the face of intolerance. In a high-rise housing project where the utopian dreams of the 1960s have evaporated in the face of harsh contemporary realities, a white teenage boy, Per, is found beaten unconscious. Community tensions are inflamed when suspicion falls on a Palestinian. e victim’s mother, Søs, suffers a deep sense of guilt because she insisted they remain in their home as the neighborhood’s immigrant population grew, while most other native Danes had left the area long ago. With Per fighting for his life in intensive care, his 16-year-old sister, Mie, seeks comfort from her boyfriend, Shadi, the son of Palestinian immigrants. But Shadi harbors a terrible suspicion that his older brother, who already has a conviction for assault, had something to do with the incident. While films about racial strife in the suburbs are practically a subgenre in France, this Danish offering is symptomatic of the tide of social discord sweeping Europe’s burgeoning immigrant communities. As Olesen says: “When the world as we know it changes, it makes us feel insecure. When we feel insecure we fear we’ll lose what we’ve got. When we fear that, we try to exert control. At best fear is an instinct that enables us to survive. At worst it is a cancer that spreads and mutates into angst. is is a film about fear. I wanted to tell this story eye to eye. 1 to 1.”

Adam’s Apples

ADAMS

North American Premiere

Denmark/ Great Britain 2005

Director:

Annette K. Olesen

Producer:

Ib Tardini

Screenwriter:

Kim Fupz Aakeson

Cinematographer:

Kim Høgh

Film Editor:

Molly Malene Stensgaard

Music:

Kåre Bjerkø

Cast:

Mohammed-Ali Bakier

Joy K. Petersen

Anette Støvelbæk

Helle Hertz

Subhi Hassan

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Selected Filmography:

In Your Hands (2003)

Minor Mishaps (2001)

Ivan (Mads Mikkelsen) is an insanely optimistic preacher who takes in convicts to help at his remote, rural church. His newest “helper” is Adam (Ulrich omsen), a vicious neo-Nazi biding his time before returning to his hell-raising life. When asked to set a goal for his stay, Adam sarcastically answers that he’d like to bake a cake. So Ivan puts him in charge of the parish’s pride and joy, the only apple tree for miles and miles, which is immediately beset by ravens, worms and lightning. Ivan concludes that Satan is actively preventing Adam from achieving his goal. In setting the virtuous, if dangerously deranged, preacher against an irredeemable reprobate, Jensen pushes good vs. evil to a new level. Adam may be pure evil, but he’s the only resident of the church who has even a passing relationship with reality. Ivan’s sheltered and demented take on life is often just as appalling as Adam’s. Visually stunning, this decidedly twisted parody of spiritual redemption melodramas comes across as though Bergman, Dreyer and Tarkovsky teamed up to make a dark comedy. Adam’s Apples proves Jensen ( e Green Butchers, SIFF ‘03) is well on his way to becoming the next bad boy of European cinema.

Awards:

O cial Oscar Submission 2005

Danish Film Festival 2006 (Best Film, Best Screenplay)

Denmark 2005

Director:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Producer:

Tivi Magnusson

Screenwriter:

Anders Thomas Jensen

Cinematographer:

Sebastian Makker Blenkov

Film Editor:

Anders Villadsen

Music:

Jeppe Kaas

Cast:

Ulrich Thomsen

Mads Mikkelsen

Nikolaj Lie Kaas

Paprika Steen

Nicolas Bro

Running Time:

94 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Nordisk Film International Sales

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Film Website:

www.adamsaebler.dk

Selected Filmography:

The Green Butchers (2003)

Flickering Lights (2000)

Chinaman

TUESDAY JUNE 6 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

THURSDAY JUNE 8 4:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Keld, a hulking, uninspired plumber, is forced to take stock of his unpromising station in life when he is left by Rie, his wife of 25 years. With his business on the rocks, he sells off nearly all his possessions and starts eating at the family-run Chinese take-out restaurant across the road, methodically working his way through the menu. When his plumbing skills are called on in a kitchen emergency, he is drawn into the inner workings of the restaurant. Feng, the gregarious restaurant owner, soon proposes a more appetizing dish: $8,000 to marry his fresh-off-theboat sister, Ling, so she can stay in Denmark. After seeing the beautiful Ling wafting around the restaurant’s back rooms, and with a settlement to pay to his ex, Keld agrees, nervously welcoming this chance of an upward turn of affairs. Despite the scorn of his shrewish ex-wife and abusive son, he and Ling are quietly married and, although neither speaks a word of the other’s language, love soon begins to bloom. Pokerfaced Bjarne Henriksen has a poignant attractiveness as the clueless yet kind Keld, and Vivian Wu ( e Pillow Book) has such an earthy beauty one cannot but wonder why she does not grace our screens more often. e sensitive script by prolific Danish screenwriter Kim Fupz Aakeson (A Soap, In Your Hands, Adam’s Apples) naturally calls to mind Green Card and e Wedding Banquet, but carves out a place all its own with its vividly delineated characters.

Awards:

Karlovy Vary 2005 (FIPRESCI Prize)

Denmark/ China 2005

Director:

Henrik Ruben Genz

Producer:

Thomas Gammeltoft

Screenwriter:

Kim Fupz Aakeson

Cinematographer:

Sebastian Blenkov

Film Editor:

Mette Zeruneith

Music:

Gisle Kverndokk

Cast:

Bjarne Henriksen

Vivian Wu

Lin Kun Wu

Paw Henriksen

Charlotte Fich

Nicolas Winding Refn

Running Time:

88 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Danish Film Institute

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Selected Filmography:

Someone Like Hodder (2003)

Dark Horse

VOKSNE MENNESKER

SUNDAY MAY 28 11:00 AM HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY MAY 30 6:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

In the opening scene of Dark Horse, our hero Daniel reports to a tax agent’s office for an audit. e problem: records show his official gross income for the past four years is around seven dollars. Being mildly dyslexic, he can’t quite grasp whether he’s earned or owes the seven dollars. Of course, Daniel’s profession isn’t one that tends to generate “official” tax records; he’s paid by the heartsick to graffiti declarations of love throughout Copenhagen. His best friend, a chubby nurse at a sleep clinic nicknamed “Grandpa,” has higher occupational aspirations—to become a soccer referee. Both friends fall for Franc, short for Francesca, a bakery worker who occasionally overdoses on psychedelic mushrooms. is ill-formed love triangle soon collapses when Daniel starts sleeping with Franc while also serving in a study at the clinic where Grandpa works. In response, Grandpa applies himself to two tasks: passing his referee’s field exam and systematically breaking all Ten Commandments. Daniel and Franc move in together, but when an unplanned pregnancy occurs their carefree days may well come to an end. Director Dagur Kári, in his follow-up to Nòi Albinòi, deftly imbues his new film with a canny mixture of slacker comedy and Scandinavian pathos, as if channeling equal parts Richard Linklater and Ingmar Bergman.

Awards:

Iceland 2005 (Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Director of the Year, Best Actor)

Ljubljana 2005 (King Fisher)

Denmark/ Iceland 2005

Director:

Dagur Kári

Producers:

Birgitte Skov

Morten Kaufman

Screenwriters:

Dagur Kári

Rune Schjøtt

Cinematographer:

Manuel Alberto Claro

Film Editor:

Daniel Dencik

Music:

slowblow

Cast:

Jakob Cedergren

Tilly Scott Pedersen

Nicolas Bro

Morten Suurballe

Running Time:

106 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Film Website:

www.voksnemennesker.dk

Selected Filmography:

Nòi Albinòi (2003)

Manslaughter

THURSDAY JUNE 8 6:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS SUNDAY JUNE 11 11:00 AM NEPTUNE THEATER

After exploring the low life in e Bench and the petty callousness of the super-rich in e Inheritance, director Per Fly sets his sites on the ordinary middle class in Manslaughter with unrelenting intensity. Carsten (Jesper Christensen) is a fiftyish, lefty-ish professor who is drawn into an affair with a much younger former student, Pil (Beate Bille). Attracted by her active radicalism, he allows her to become the catalyst for several major life changes that affect both of them, not least of which his divorce from a wife (Pernilla August, far, far away from her role as Anakin Skywalker’s mother) who doesn’t realize how unhappy she has been until Carsten tells her. When Pil is involved in the death of a policeman during an act of symbolic vandalism, her overpowering sense of guilt works its way into Carsten’s psyche through a subtle yet devastating process of transference. e slow despair that passes between each of the characters—and there are many who share in it, including the dead policeman’s distraught wife—builds into a palpable sense of doom that can never be undone. With superb performances that convey all the nuances of its mordant script, the exquisitely designed production of Manslaughter touches everyone, especially the audience.

Awards:

Danish FF 2005 (Best Director, Best Original Score, Best Supporting Actress)

Smiling in a Warzone

Denmark 2005

Director:

Per Fly

Producer:

Ib Tardini

Screenwriters:

Kim Leona

Per Fly

Dorte Høgh

Mogens Rukov

Cinematographer:

Harrald Gunnar Paalgard

Film Editor:

Morten Giese

Music:

Halfdan E

Cast:

Jesper Christiansen

Pernilla August

Beate Bille

Charlotte Fich

Thomas Voss

Running Time:

103 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Selected Filmography:

The Inheritance (2003)

The Bench (2000)

Co-director Simone Aaberg Kærns has always dreamed of being a female fighter pilot. After reading an article about Faryal, an Afghan woman who shares her dream, she becomes determined to fly in her antique, canvas-covered, 108 horsepower 1961 Piper Colt plane to Kabul to give Faryal her first flying lesson. Convinced that flying has become associated with terrorism and fear after 9/11, she sets out on a mission to “reclaim the freedom of the sky.” However, this quest requires conquering some pretty serious obstacles: no-fly zones with inaccessible airports, expired flight permits, questionable black market fuel, rejections from Iran and Serbia to fly through their airspace, and strict warnings from the Pentagon that Afghanistan is a war zone and not to be open for “pleasure” flying. To make matters worse, the Piper Colt’s manual says the plane can’t fly high enough to make it over the Afghan mountains. But it seems nothing can keep Simone down. For her, the right to fly is the very ideal of freedom: “ ings do look different from above, it becomes easier to navigate in life when you have seen the larger picture.” Playful visuals and musical pastiches commingle with archival footage of her American WWII female flyer heroines, and from the confines of her fishbowl cockpit we see her buzzing above beautifully stark landscapes. In this incredible documentary, the skies and freedom are reclaimed in an extraordinary mission from Copenhagen to Kabul.

Denmark/ Austria/

Sweden/

Germany/ Finland

2005

Directors:

Simone Aaberg Kærns

Magnus Bejmar

Producer:

Helle Ulsteen

Screenwriters:

Magnus Bejmar

Simone Aaberg Kærn

Cinematographer:

Magnus Bejmar

Film Editors:

Margareta Lagerqvist

Molly Malene Stensgaard

Music:

Jeppe Kaas

Featuring:

Simone Aaberg Kærns

Running Time:

78 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Films Transit International

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature

THURSDAY JUNE 1 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY JUNE 5 4:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

A Soap

We Shall Overcome

SATURDAY JUNE 17 11:00 AM NEPTUNE THEATER

SUNDAY JUNE 18 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS US Premiere

Newcomer Pernille Fischer Christensen deftly uses the enticing conventions of the soap opera to create a new kind of romance. Ill-tempered Charlotte (Trine Dyrholm, in a fearless performance) has just split from her boyfriend and is deeply confused about love and relationships. She finds herself living in a low-rent apartment block above shy Veronica (played beautifully by David Dencik), who lives as a woman and is awaiting a sex-change operation. Charlotte brings home a string of intimacy-free onenight-stands while Veronica works as a dominatrix, and the two neighbors can hear everything going on through the thin floorboards. After asking for help moving a bed, Charlotte openly refers to Veronica as man, which sends her into a severe and suicidal depression. As their prickly friendship develops into something deeper, this clever chamber piece becomes a grander meditation on the off beat search for lust and love, and the terror that can come with true emotions. A Soap mixes the cheery narration of the imported English-language soap operas that Veronica is addicted to with intimate cinematography and an entrancing screenplay from Kim Fupz Aakeson (Chinaman, Adam’s Apples), making for a delicate and serious look at contemporary relationships and gender roles.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (Silver Bear, Best First Film)

Denmark/ Sweden 2005

Director:

Pernille Fischer Christiansen

Producer:

Lars Bredo Rahbek

Screenwriter:

Kim Fupz Aakeson

Cinematographer:

Erik Molberg Hansen

Film Editor:

Åsa Mossberg

Music:

Magnus Jarlbo

Cast:

Trine Dyrholm

David Dencik

Frank Thiel

Elsebeth Steentoft

Christian Tafdrup

Running Time: 104 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

Strand

It’s 1969, and thirteen-year-old Frits (a promising debut from charismatic Janus Dissing Rathke) is having quite a year. His father suffers from clinical depression and has been sent off to the loony bin, and Frits spent his entire summer holiday watching the family’s first television. It’s on TV that he learns of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches, and he finds himself inspired by his dreams of a better life. Back at his provincial school, his longish hair draws the ire of the headmaster, who doesn’t seem to understand how rapidly the world is changing. Corporal punishment has been banned, but the tyrannical headmaster hasn’t bothered to notice. After getting in trouble and having his ear nearly twisted off, Frits gets some support from the kindly, quasihippie teacher Freddie (Anders W. Bertelsen), who clandestinely introduces his class to the world of rock. Meanwhile, most of the school seems unwilling to stand up for their rights. After his father returns from the hospital, he joins Frits in a campaign to change the abusive attitude of the school. By practicing non-violent resistance and taking on the authorities to gain his rights, Frits gradually wins over classmates and other key supporters. Grittier than the average tween film, but still wonderfully accessible for the whole family, this feel-good story will reaffirm your belief in justice.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (Glass Bear)

Denmark 2005

Director:

Niels Arden Oplev

Producer:

Sisse Graum Jørgensen

Screenwriters:

Steen Bille

Niels Arden Oplev

Cinematographer:

Lars Vestergaard

Film Editor:

Søren B. Ebbe

Music:

Jacob Groth

Cast:

Bent Mejding

Janus Dissing Rathke

Anders W. Berthelsen

Jens Jørn Spottag

Anne Grethe Bjarup Riis

Peter Hesse Overgaard

Sarah Juel Werner

Running Time:

106 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Danish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales Print Source: Danish Film Institute

Selected Filmography: Fukssvansen (2001)

Portland (1996)

ARCHIVAL F ILMS

Archive fans take note: you are in for a busy SIFF this year. The rst weekend presents a brace of silent movie events with piano accompaniment by a trio ensemble led by Donald Sosin (anyone who saw him at Peach Girl last year will know just what a treat this is). A luminous new print of Victor Sjöström’s The Scarlet Letter (1926), starring the even more luminous Lillian Gish, is followed by a new restoration of Au Bonheur des dames (1929) by Julien Duvivier of Pépé le Moko fame. We could not let the centennial of the birth of one of the fathers of modern cinema, Roberto Rossellini, pass without a salute from us, and so we have his neo-realist masterpiece Rome, Open City plus, for contrast, one of his stylized biographical o erings, The Flowers of St. Francis (which is playing with My Dad Is 100 Years Old, a tribute to her father written by and starring Isabella Rossellini and directed by Guy Maddin). Another pairing not to miss is two rarely seen lm noir titles, The Window (Ted Tetzla , 1949) and The Man Who Cheated Himself (Felix Feist, 1950), introduced by world renowned lm noir expert Eddie Muller. Younger audiences are welcome at The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T and Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush (last year’s triumph The Circus brought requests for more, more, more Chaplin!), and seekers of the more exotic can look forward to a new print of the French-Brazilian classic Black Orpheus (1959), the Hong Kong martial arts movie The Five Venoms (1978) by the legendary Chang Cheh, and from the Czech Republic, Alfred Radok’s moving Holocaust story, Distant Journey (1950), a lost classic acknowledged by Alain Resnais as an in uence on his own masterpiece Night and Fog Our thanks go out to the Cinémathèque Française, Warner Brothers, UCLA Film & TV Archive, MK2 Films, Sony Pictures Repertory, the Národní Filmovy Archiv, Janus Films and Kino International for the loan of these cinematic treasures.

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (USA, 1953)

directed by Roy Rowland

Au Bonheur des dames (France, 1929)

directed by Julien Duvivier

Black Orpheus (Brazil/France/Italy, 1959)

directed by Marcel Camus

Distant Journey (Czech Republic, 1949)

directed by Alfréd Radok

The Five Venoms (Hong Kong, 1978)

directed by Chang Cheh

Flowers of St. Francis (Italy, 1950)

directed by Roberto Rossellini

The Gold Rush (USA, 1925)

directed by Charles Chaplin

The Man Who Cheated Himself (USA,1950)

directed by Felix E. Feist

Rome, Open City (Italy, 1945)

directed by Roberto Rossellini

The Scarlet Letter (USA, 1926)

directed by Victor Sjöström

The Window (USA, 1949)

directed by Ted Tetzla

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T

SATURDAY MAY 27 11:00 AM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 9:30 PM BROADWAY PEFORMANCE HALL

Dr. Seuss, aka eodor Geisel, was the 20th Century’s preeminent author of children’s books. Since his death in 1991, several of his books have been adapted to film, but those adaptations all pale in comparison to e 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, the only original, feature-length screenplay Seuss ever wrote. Presented this year at SIFF with a striking new print, the film is a charming masterpiece—as surreal and subversive as anything by Buñuel—that has achieved cult status since its original release in 1952. Bart, the film’s hero, is a fatherless boy forced to take piano lessons with the authoritarian Dr. Terwilliker (Hans Conried). One afternoon, Bart falls asleep at his piano while practicing and falls into an insidious dream world where his teacher—now known as Dr. T—rules the fortress-like Terwilliker Institute. Inside, Dr. T has imprisoned a legion of boys in order to carry out his ultimate mad scheme: a massive recital played 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a piano that truly boggles the imagination. Escape is prevented by an electric fence and, should a child ever want to play an instrument other than the piano, they’re sent to the dungeon. Worst of all, Dr. T possesses magical control over Bart’s mother, which gives Bart nightmarish visions of their impending marriage. A wonderfully fantastic musical voyage, Seuss not only provided the script but contributed lyrics and designed the spectacular sets, all of which contribute to its uniquely Seussian magic.

Au Bonheur des dames

USA 1953

Director:

Roy Rowland

Screenwriters:

Dr. Seuss

Allan Scott

Cinematographer:

Franz Planer

Film Editor:

Al Clark

Music: Frederick Hollander

Cast:

Peter Lind Hayes

Mary Healy

Hans Conried

Tommy Rettig

Running Time:

89 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

Print Source:

Sony Pictures Repertory

Selected Filmography:

Killer McCoy (1947)

Two Weeks with Love (1950)

Witness to Murder (1954)

Denise moves to Paris where her uncle’s struggling store is threatened by the glamorous “Au Bonheur des dames” department store across the street. Ironically, this is the only place she is able to find work. Based on the novel by Emile Zola, Julien Duvivier’s masterful cinematic treat is a fascinating glimpse of a past economic era. is fantastic late silent film has very few intertitles and utilizes rhythmic editing and long tracking shots, while Duvivier communicates the social message of the film—a “to the death” struggle between the large department store and the tiny private shop across the street—through several montages that depict the construction of the new store and the destruction of the sick daughter. Duvivier’s camera is never still, yet his framing remains overloaded with splendor. e masses in the interior of the department store and the technique of parting the crowd to focus the action and individual actors demonstrate the fluid nature of the director’s style. Duvivier punctuates his film with extreme close-ups and an expressionistic take on French realism. e influence of the avant-garde films of the 1920s is evident and it presages the films of Jean Vigo and, two decades later, the nouvelle vague. Beautifully restored by the Cinémathèque Française, this is a rare opportunity to view a David vs. Goliath theme in an entirely new way.

Accompanying the lm will be live music by Donald Sosin, one of the most respected silent lm composers in the world, with Joanna Seaton, soprano, and Nick Sosin, sax and timpani.

Presented in cooperation with The San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

France 1929

Director:

Julien Duvivier

Producers:

Charles Delac

Marcel Vandal

Screenwriter:

Noël Renard

Cinematographers:

André Dantan

René Guichard

Émile Pierre

Armand Thirard

Cast:

Dita Parlo

Armond Bour

Pierre de Guingand

Germaine Rouer

Nadia Sibirskaia

Fabien Haziza

Ginette Madie

Running Time: 85 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, silent with live accompaniment

Print Source:

Cinematheque Française

Selected Filmography:

Anna Karenina (1948)

La Fin du Jour (1939)

The Great Waltz (1938)

Pépé le Moko (1937)

Un Carnet de Bal (1937)

Poil de Carotte (1932)

Le Tourbillon de Paris (1928)

SUNDAY MAY 28 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Black Orpheus

Before the world heard Astrud Gilberto’s whispy voice, before it knew of Stan Getz’s velvety sax, it saw Black Orpheus, the film that put a face on a new style of samba—later called bossa nova (“new wave” or “new groove”)—and sent it orbiting around the world, making all things Brazilian an integral part of world culture. French director Marcel Camus created the movie from Vinícius de Moraes’ musical play Orfeu da Conçeiçao, but his masterstroke was working with Antonio Carlos “Tom” Jobim and Luíz Bonfa on the soundtrack—key in the film’s winning the 1959 Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Foreign Film—which launched their international careers. e story is based on the Orpheus-Eurydice legend, here updated and played against the colorful background of carnival in Brazil. Orpheus is a streetcar driver as well as a musician, and Eurydice a naïve country girl with whom he falls in love at first sight. Unlike the snake in the Greek myth, in the film she is bitten by the electrical sting of a hot cable car wire. Orpheus has to look for his love in underworld, which Camus inventively sets in the Rio Missing Persons Bureau. Added to the intoxicating music and dance of the carnival, the film’s mesmerizing atmosphere is enhanced by cinematographer Jean Bourgoin’s discrete contrasts between the vibrancy of the daylight reveling and the looming malevolence of the nocturnal sequences, which makes this brand new print an unmissable experience.

Awards:

Oscar 1960 (Best Foreign Language Film)

Cannes 1959 (Golden Palm)

Golden Globes 1960 (Best Foreign Film)

Brazil/France/ Italy 1959

Director:

Marcel Camus

Producer:

Sacha Gordine

Screenwriter:

Marcel Camus

Vinícus de Moraes

Jacques Viot

Cinematographer:

Jean Bourgoin

Film Editor:

Andrée Feix

Music:

Luiz Bonfá

Antonio Carlos Jobim

Cast:

Breno Mello

Marpessa Dawn

Lourdes de Oliviera

Léa Garcia

Running Time:

107 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Portuguese, with

English subtitles

Print Source:

Janus Films

Selected Filmography:

Pastores da Noite (1975)

Atlantic Wall (1970)

The Pioneers (1960)

Song of the World (1965)

Fugitive in Saigon (1957)

Distant Journey

The Five Venoms

Shot in 1949 in the immediate aftermath of World War II, Distant Journey was banned for decades by Czech authorities who struggled to find any worth in director Alfréd Radok’s work. One of the first films to address the nightmare of the Holocaust, Radok approached the subject by deftly blending documentary footage with expressionistic dramatic sequences. e story begins when Dr. Hannah Kaufmann marries a fellow doctor, a Czech gentile. e film moves from the struggle of the Kaufmann family during the Nazi occupation of Prague to Hannah’s torturous experience in the transit camp at eresienstadt (modern-day Terezin). Radok’s own father was killed in eresienstadt, lending even more emotional power to an incredibly moving film. Shot only three years after the Second World War ended, in its revival this rediscovered Czech classic is an important contribution to the canon of Holocaust cinema. Radok’s moving piece has finally taken its deserved place in cinematic history. Sure to edify cinema scholars and those interested in the history of World War II, the powerful combination of actual and fictional footage in Distant Journey conveys both the reality of history and nightmare of its impact.

Czech Republic

1949

Director:

Alfréd Radok

Producers:

Václav Rezác

Miloslav Fabera

Bohumil mída

Screenwriters:

Erik Kolár

Mojmír Drvota

Alfréd Radok

Cinematographer:

Josef Strecha

Film Editor:

Jirina Lukesová

Music:

Jirí Sternwald

Cast:

Blanka Waleská

Otomar Krejca

Viktor Ocasek

Zdenka Baldová

Running Time:

99 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Czech, with

English subtitles

Print Source:

Národní Filmovy Archiv

Selected Filmography:

Vintage Car (1957)

The Magic Hat (1952)

Hoping to regain his disgraced clan’s honor, a dying master enlists his final pupil to track down his five most dangerous former students, each trained in a separate lethal, animal-influenced discipline. (Scorpion! Snake! Centipede! Lizard! Toad! Yes, Toad!) Following their trails to a seemingly ordinary small town, the overeager apprentice soon finds himself embroiled in a deadly game of whodunit, as the world’s five deadliest men—all unaware of each other’s true identities—stake their individual claims on a fortune in ill-gotten gold. Heck breaks loose, rapidly. A landmark in the annals of martial arts cinema, this ’70s Shaw Brothers production helmed by legendary writer/director Chang Cheh ( e One-Armed Swordsman) sets new standards for the genre with an unusually detailed plot, frequently dazzling action choreography and a slew of then-fledgling kung fu mainstays–to name but one, Philip Kwok, aka the wall climbing “Lizard,” would later go on to torment no less than Chow Yun-Fat in Hard Boiled. Nearly 30 years after helping to launch the U.S. import chopsocky craze, this delirious action classic still packs a considerable wallop. Lush, hysterical, essential.

Hong Kong 1978

Director:

Chang Cheh

Producers:

Mona Fong

Run Run Shaw

Screenwriters:

Chang Cheh

Kuang Ni

Cinematographers:

Kung Mo To

Hui-chi Tsao

Film Editor:

Chang Hsung Lung

Music:

Yung-Yu Chen

Cast:

Sheng Chiang

Philip Kwok

Feng Lu

Pai Wei

Chien Sun

Meng Lo

Running Time:

97 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Cantonese, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Celestial Pictures

Print Source:

UCLA Film & Television

Archive

Selected Filmography:

Five Element Ninjas (1982)

Crippled Avengers (1978)

The Brave Archer (1977)

Blood Brothers (1973)

The New One-Armed

Swordsman (1971)

Duel of Fists (1971)

Vengeance (1970)

Golden Swallow (1968)

The One-Armed Swordsman (1967)

The Magni cent Trio (1966)

The Flowers of St. Francis The Gold Rush

FRANCESCO, GIULLARE DI D IO

THURSDAY JUNE 1 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

Roberto Rossellini’s e Flowers of St. Francis has an uncomplicated charm and an effortless beauty that provides a stimulating alternative to the bloated, ponderous Biblical epics so popular in Hollywood in the early 1950s. Rossellini’s movie is based on the “Fioretti Di San Francesco d’Assisi,” a collection of popular legends about Francis and his fellow penitents. e provenance and authenticity of the tales are questionable, but that is largely irrelevant as the book is not a catalogue of miracles but rather a series of gentle parables of faith that give simple examples of living a religious life. Rossellini does not adorn the tales he uses for the film with ostentatious piety, nor does he suffuse his direction with exceptional reverence. e result is a realistic portrayal of simple men doing simple work in the service of God. Rossellini and co-writer Federico Fellini lovingly render the very spirit of Franciscan teaching in this extraordinarily fresh and simple film, which was unappreciated at the time of its release but is now regarded as one of his greatest. Shot in a neorealist manner with non-professional actors (including thirteen real Franciscan monks from the convent of Nocere Inferiore), the movie avoids the pious clichés of haloed movie saints with an economy of expression and a touching, human quality.

Preceded by My Dad Is 100 Years Old Canada/Italy, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Guy Maddin

A surreal tribute to her father – the legendary lmmaker Roberto Rossellini – written by and starring Isabella Rossellini.

Italy

1950

Director:

Roberto Rossellini

Producers:

Giuseppe Amato

Angelo Rizzoli

Screenwriters:

Federico Fellini

Father Antonio Lisandrini

Father Felix Morion

Roberto Rossellini

Cinematographer:

Otello Martelli

Film Editor:

Jolanda Benvenuti

Music:

Enrico Buondonno

Renzo Rossellini

Cast:

Aldo Fabrizi

Nazario Gerardi

Running Time:

83 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Italian, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Criterion Films

Print Source:

Janus Films

Selected Filmography:

The Rise of Louis XIV (1966)

Garibaldi (1961)

General della Rovere (1959)

Voyage to Italy (1954)

Stromboli (1950)

Germany Year Zero (1948)

Paisan (1946)

Rome, Open City (1945)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 10 11:00 AM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Following the success of last’s year’s screenings of e Circus, we are delighted to give our audiences the chance to see another Chaplin masterpiece on the big screen. e Gold Rush was the last movie Chaplin made before the specter of the “talkies” began to haunt him, and contains several of his most brilliant set-pieces—the Little Tramp performing the dance of the dinner rolls, Mack Swain hungrily mistaking the Tramp for a giant chicken, Swain and the Tramp feasting upon the latter’s shoe, and the cabin teetering on the edge of the abyss. While all of Chaplin’s silent features are somewhat episodic, they are held together by his sublime performances and inventive imagination. is film sees the luckless Tramp just scraping by in the Klondike Territory, where he and his burly partner search for gold. His heart belongs to the beautiful Georgia (Georgia Hale), who doesn’t even know he exists. But e Gold Rush is atypical of his work in several ways—its snowy wastes are far removed from his usual urban settings, and the references to cannibalism and murder seem to be dark subjects for a comedy made in the middle of the twentieth century’s most upbeat decade. For all that it also contains a rare, unambiguously happy ending. e Gold Rush captured one the century’s great geniuses at a moment where he was confident in his ability to control his destiny and his art. Come young, come old, and marvel! And laugh till you burst!

Awards:

Kinema Junpo 1927 (Best Foreign Language Film)

National Film Registry Selection 1992

USA 1925

Director:

Charles Chaplin

Producer:

Charles Chaplin

Screenwriter: Charles Chaplin

Cinematographer: Roland Totheroh

Film Editor:

Charles Chaplin

Music: Charles Chaplin

Cast: Charles Chaplin

Mac Swain

Tom Murray

Henry Bergman

Georgia Hale

Running Time: 72 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales:

MK2

Print Source:

MK2

Selected Filmography:

Limelight (1952)

Monsieur Verdoux (1947)

The Great Dictator (1940)

Modern Times (1936)

City Lights (1931)

The Circus (1928)

The Kid (1921)

SIFF -A-GO-GO

Exclusively offered to SIFF Group Members, the SIFF-A-Go-Go Festival Tour Program is an exciting way to travel to the world’s top ranked festivals and see films from around the globe with fellow film-festival and film enthusiasts. SIFF-A-Go-Go launched with an inaugural trip to the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January 2006.

Sign Up Now for SIFF-A-Go-Go Vancouver 2006 (10/6-10/11)

Download the reservation form at www.seattlefilm.org!

Space is Limited! Don’t delay!

Packages starting at $710!

YOUR FESTIVAL PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE:

• Full-access pass to the Festival (including press screenings)

• SIFF-Exclusive Hospitality with daily breakfast and briefings

• Travel and Hotel Accommodations

For more information or to join SIFF Group, call the SIFF Membership Department at 206.315.0664, or email sifftravel@seattlefilm.org.

The Man Who Cheated Himself Rome, Open City

ROMA CITTÀ APERTA

A veteran San Francisco homicide cop spirals into the moral morass when his married socialite lover “accidentally” bumps off her husband. Instead of playing it by the book (that wouldn’t be noir!), he covers up the crime. But the clever camouflage inexorably unravels as his younger brother—himself a fledgling homicide dick—starts putting together the pieces. is James M. Cain-inspired thriller was the only film produced by Jack M. Warner, son of legendary studio boss Jack L. Warner, and it features the oddball casting of veteran character actor Lee J. Cobb (On the Waterfront) in a rare leading-man role, good-girl Jane Wyatt (Father Knows Best) as the scheming femme fatale, and the sexually-ambiguous John Dall (Rope, Gun Crazy) as Cobb’s gee-whiz kid brother. Director Felix E. Feist ( e Devil umbs a Ride) gets maximum impact out of the San Francisco locations, including a memorable climax at Fort Point. e Man Who Cheated Himself bears a notable resemblance (uncredited) to the recent neo-noir China Moon. Now it is receiving an overdue theatrical revival through the efforts of the Film Noir Foundation, which earlier this year unearthed the only known 35mm print in existence.

Introduced by world-renowned lm noir expert Eddie Muller.

USA 1950

Director:

Felix E. Feist

Producer:

Jack M. Warner

Screenwriters:

Philip MacDonald

Seton I. Miller

Cinematographer: Russell Harlan

Film Editor:

David Weisbart

Music:

Louis Forbes

Cast:

Lee J. Cobb

Jane Wyatt

Running Time:

81 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

Print Source:

UCLA Film & Television

Archive

Selected Filmography:

Donovan’s Brain (1953)

This Woman Is Dangerous (1952)

The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1947)

The Deluge (1933)

e key figure of Italian neo-realism and godfather of the French New Wave, Roberto Rossellini was a born filmmaker; a passionate intellectual and charming adventurer who was willing to do anything to make a movie. Without his ability to put forth a bold front and generate confidence, Rome, Open City would never have been made. He had to sell everything to make the film, even his bed. Based on true events, it has the accuracy and freshness of a firsthand account as enacted by people who had witnessed or participated in the real drama. It tells the harrowing story of several Italian resistance fighters battling fascism in Nazi-occupied Rome. Anna Magnani plays a woman in love with a member of a resistance group; in helping him, she risks not only her own life but also that of her unborn child. Aldo Fabrizi plays a priest who aids the anti-Nazi cause and pays dearly for his activism. Rossellini began filming in secret, using scavenged film stock without sound equipment shortly before the city was liberated in June of 1944. Rossellini’s unique desire to make the past present, to relive it in present consciousness, was supremely well accomplished though the film was nearly censored in America because of “offensive” scenes (a baby on a potty seat, torture, women embracing each other and drug addiction), indicative of more squeamish times.

Awards:

Cannes 1946 (Grand Prize)

Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists 1946 (Silver Ribbon - Best Film, Supporting Actress)

National Board of Review 1946 (Best Foreign Film)

New York Film Critics 1946 (Best Foreign Film)

Italy 1945

Director:

Roberto Rossellini

Producers:

Giuseppe Amato

Ferrucio De Martino

Roberto Rossellini

Screenwriters:

Sergio Amidei

Alberto Consigllo

Federico Fellini

Cinematographer:

Ubaldo Arata

Film Editor:

Eraldo da Roma

Music:

Renzo Rossellini

Cast:

Aldo Fabrizi

Anna Magnani

Marcello Pagliero

Vito Annichiarico

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Italian, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Criterion Films

Print Source:

Kino International

Selected Filmography:

The Rise of Louis XIV (1966)

Garibaldi (1961)

General della Rovere (1959)

Voyage to Italy (1954)

Stromboli (1950)

The Flowers of St. Francis (1950)

Germany Year Zero (1948)

Paisan (1946)

SUNDAY JUNE 11 1:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

THURSDAY JUNE 1 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

The Scarlet Letter The Window

In a luminous new print of Victor Sjöström’s silent adaptation of the Nathaniel Hawthorne novel, Lilian Gish stars as the tragic seamstress Hester Prynne, a married woman whose husband has been missing for seven years. When she’s punished for playing on the Sabbath, kindly minister Arthur Dimmesdale takes pity on her, and the two fall in love. When she becomes pregnant with his child, they both remain silent so he won’t lose his position with the church, and she is forced to wear a red letter ‘A’ so everybody knows she is an adulteress. One of the most famous and beloved actresses of the twentieth century, Gish selected e Scarlet Letter as her follow-up to La Bohème despite reservations from church groups and the Hayes Office. Swedish Victor Sjöström ( e Wind) was tapped to direct, and Lars Hanson from Stockholm was selected for the role of Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Despite the fact that Gish didn’t speak any Swedish and Hanson didn’t converse in English, their love scenes brim with passion. Sjöström’s direction was an education for her after she had worked under D.W. Griffith for most of her career, and Gish noted that her Italian school of acting was one of elaboration while the Swedish was one of repression. Writing in her autobiography e Movies, Mr. Griffith, and Me, Gish said, “I have always believed that the Scandinavians are closer in feeling to New England Puritans than are present-day Americans.”

The world famous Donald Sosin accompanies the lm live with his magni cent score composed for the Giornate del Cinema Muto in Pordenone, Italy, where he plays each year. Sosin has also performed at MOMA and the New York Film Festival. He will be joined by Joanna Seaton and Nick Sosin.

Presented in cooperation with the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

USA 1926

Director:

Victor Sjöström

Producer:

Victor Sjöström

Screenwriter:

Frances Marion

Cinematographer: Hendrik Sartov

Film Editor:

Hugh Wynn

Cast: Lillian Gish

Lars Hanson

Henry B. Walthall

Karl Dane

William H. Tooker

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, silent with live accompaniment

Print Source:

UCLA Film and Television

Archive

Selected Filmography:

A Lady to Love (1930)

The Wind (1928)

The Masks of the Devil (1928)

Confessions of a Queen (1925)

He Who Gets Slapped (1924)

The Hell Ship (1923)

Love’s Crucible (1922)

Nine-year-old Tommy Woodry (Bobby Driscoll) is a kid with an overactive imagination who, one night, sneaks out on the tenement fire escape to beat the sweltering New York heat and witnesses a murder in the apartment upstairs. Little Tommy suffers big-time paranoia as the adult world—his parents, his friends, the cops—refuses to believe him. In fact, the only people who believe him are the killers upstairs. is nail-biting suspense classic is a noir version of Aesop’s e Boy Who Cried Wolf. Former cameraman Tetzlaff (Notorious) brilliantly realized the gloom of Woolrich’s New York tenements. Fred Knudtson’s editing was nominated for an Academy Award, while Bobby Driscoll earned a special miniature Oscar for his invaluable contribution to one of the biggest box-office hits of 1949. e Mystery Writers of America recognized e Window as the Best Motion Picture of the Year—yet the film has all but disappeared from movie and TV screens in recent years. e Film Noir Foundation has rectified that by funding this brand new 35mm print of a film every bit as entertaining today as it was 57 years ago.

Introduced by world-renowned lm noir expert Eddie Muller.

Awards:

Edgar Allan Poe Awards 1950 (Best Motion Picture) USA

Director: Ted Tetzla

Producers: Frederic Ullman Jr.

Dore Schary

Screenwriter: Mel Dinelli

Cinematographers: Robert De Grasse

William O. Steiner

Film Editor: Frederic Knudtson

Music: Roy Webb

Cast: Bobby Driscoll

Arthur Kennedy

Barbara Hale

Paul Stewart

Ruth Roman

Running Time: 73 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

Print Source: Warner Brothers

Selected Filmography:

7 Wonders of the World (1956)

The Treasure of Lost Canyon (1952)

Johnny Allegro (1949)

A Dangerous Profession (1949)

Ri -Ra (1947)

WORLD CINEMA CON T EM P ORARY

This wide-ranging overview of contemporary international cinema provides a great sample of essential new lms. As is often the case, France is the most represented country from abroad, a re ection of that country’s support for lm at all levels of production and distribution—but it has also been an outstanding year for Germany, Spain and much of Eastern Europe. Whether your taste is for searing drama or uproarious comedy, for stark social realism or highly stylized fantasy, for historical epics or views of life in the remote hinterlands of the world, a trawl through theses pages is the rst step toward a feast of movie goodies rich enough for any palette.

As usual, a good proportion of the lms in Contemporary World Cinema are by rst and second time directors, providing ample opportunities for new discoveries. Many are recent award-winners from worldwide festivals, not to mention highly anticipated features from accomplished directors, providing for plenty of lively and eclectic choices. We hope that you will have an opportunity to see as many of them as possible; all are worthy of consideration, and each of them provides a richer and more comprehensive exploration of the ever-changing dynamics of the world. As you try to make sense of it all, we hope you also nd encouragement, understanding and even laughter in these lms. Enjoy!

3 Needles

FRIDAY JUNE 2 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

TUESDAY JUNE 6 9:15 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

Linked by blood and prayer, 3 Needles presents three stories set on three continents, each of which confronts the AIDS epidemic in a different way. In South Africa, a group of nuns—Sister Hilde (Olympia Dukakis), Sister Mary (Sandra Oh) and the devout but rebellious novice Clara (Chloë Sevigny)—arrive to save as many souls as possible, but get caught up in the interpersonal politics of the situation. In Mainland China, Jin Ping (Lucy Liu) travels from one rural hamlet to another, paying grateful residents $5 each for blood donations. Initially happy to accept the money, the poor farmers are left to deal with devastating consequences of blood contamination when Jin Ping disappears. In Canada, struggling porn actor Denny (Shawn Ashmore) performs a desperate deceit in order to dodge the regular HIV tests that he and his colleagues have to take. Epic in scope but intimate in presentation, om Fitzgerald’s visually stunning 3 Needles demonstrates a complex awareness of characters and their contexts. Ignorance of both disease and cultural differences plays a central role in the film: characters’ seemingly altruistic acts have unforeseen, negative repercussions, and poverty is a prime motivator for many of those who exploit or endanger others. is sweeping but complicated narrative constantly disrupts our expectations, placing us—like his characters—in situations we don’t entirely understand.

Canada 2005

Director:

Thom Fitzgerald

Producers:

Bryan Hofbauer

Thom Fitzgerald

Screenwriter:

Thom Fitzgerald

Cinematographer:

Thomas M. Harting

Film Editor:

Susan Shanks

Music:

Christophe Beck

Trevor Morris

Cast:

Stockard Channing

Chloë Sevigny

Lucy Liu

Olympia Dukakis

Sandra Oh

Shawn Ashmore

Running Time:

124 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, Xhosa, Afrikaans, Mandarin and

English, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Emotion Pictures

Print Source:

Wolfe Video

Film Website:

www.3-needles.com

Selected Filmography:

The Event (2002)

Wild Dogs (2002)

Beefcake (1999)

The Hanging Garden (1997)

Barefooted Women

4 MUJERES D ESCALZAS

North American Premiere

In 4 Barefooted Women, writer/director Santiago Loza explores the stifled lives of four women in a Buenos Aires apartment building as they swelter through a summer heatwave. As the film begins, Veronica’s life is quite literally empty after she’s had to sell all of the furniture from her apartment. At night, as she struggles with insomnia, she receives phone calls from someone who never speaks. In order to earn some money, Veronica decides to rent out rooms in her apartment. Two women soon answer her notice: Martha, an innocent country-girl seeking what she hopes to be fame and fortune in Buenos Aires, and middle-aged Sandra, whose imminent divorce has left her unsure about the future. Rounding out the dramatis personae is Veronica’s best friend Barbara, a sheltered soul who still lives in the house she inherited from her parents. Once together, the emotional barriers between them start to crack—their innermost fears and secrets are laid bare as the heat outside grows more oppressive. In what is a truly stunning ensemble cast, each actress creates a fiercely unique yet fragile character that resonates long after the film ends—not surprising when you learn Loza wrote the screenplay with just these actresses in mind. Ultimately, these new friendships renew each woman’s faith and allow them to face the future, fearless once more.

Argentina 2005

Director:

Santiago Loza

Producers:

Francesca Feder

Martin Loza

Screenwriter:

Santiago Loza

Cinematographer:

Willi Behnisch

Film Editors:

Laura Bua

Stéphanie Mahet

Music:

Fernando Tur

Cast:

Eva Bianco

María Onetto

María Pesacq

Ruben Dellarossa

Mara Santucho

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Bavaria Film International

Print Source:

Bavaria Film International

Selected Filmography:

Extrano (2003)

MONDAY JUNE 5 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 4:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Director and Seville native Alberto Rodríguez tells the story of Tano (Juan José Ballesta), a young man serving out a sentence in a juvenile detention center who is given a 48 hour pass to attend his brother Santacana’s wedding. Back in the working-class slum district that he comes from, Tano throws himself into having as much fun as possible. He gets drunk, takes drugs, steals and makes love. But the longer he’s out of detention the more he starts to see his neighborhood with new eyes. is much anticipated, extremely debauched taste of freedom becomes a journey toward maturity for Tano, who starts to realize the massive social repercussions of this lifestyle. He soon becomes fed up with the teenage pandemonium and how the death of one gang member means nothing to the community or the police. Rodríguez aims “to show reality through a film that is full of life.” He explains, “In this country there aren’t only middle-class people who live well; there is another reality that’s hidden behind these characters. And whoever thinks this is a hard-hitting film, let me tell them reality is even worse; this is a light version of what you can find in the street.” Shot beautifully in southern Spain, 7 Virgins presents an intense look at real life, including performances from non-professional actors and a vision of reality for the disadvantaged and marginalized youth of the nation.

Awards:

San Sebastian 2005 (Best Actor)

Goya 2005 (Best New Actor)

Spain 2005

Director:

Alberto Rodríguez

Producer:

Jose Anonio Felez

Screenwriters:

Alberto Rodríguez

Rafael Cobos

Cinematographer:

Alex Catalán

Film Editor:

J. Manuel Garcia Mayano

Music:

Julio de la Rosa

Cast:

Juan José Ballesta

Jesús Carroza

Vicente Romero

Alba Rodríguez

Julián Villagrán

Running Time: 86 minutes

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

International Sales:

Sogepaq International

Print Source:

Picture This! Entertainment

Selected Filmography:

The Suit (2002)

The Pilgrim Factor (2000)

It begins on a whim: hoping for a quick score, a likeably shiftless Georgian immigrant roofer (newcomer George Babluani, brother of the director) intercepts a letter meant for a shady client, opening it to find a prepaid hotel room, train ticket and, most mysteriously, the number 13. Following these cryptic instructions, he is soon led to a house deep in the French woods where wealthy spectators breathlessly await the start of an annual competition. In order to begin, all they need is one more player…. To say much more would spoil the game. Taking off from a classically noir “wrong man” scenario, 26-year-old director Gela Babluani’s ingenious and auspicious feature debut takes a screaming midpoint turn into some very dark places, with nerve-jangling results. ( ink Takashi Miike’s notorious Audition for starters, with maybe a smidgen of e Deer Hunter.) Gorgeously shot in high-contrast black and white, this expertly-paced existentialist thriller’s exploration of gamesmanship, the luck of the draw and the fickle finger of fate recalls the earlier Intacto, only with a markedly more intense, sweat-inducing bent. Not recommended for the meek, or anyone unwilling to take up insomnia, this is a sure-fire lightning rod for post-film conversation/decompression.

Mónica Cervera plays Adolfo, a man whose heart’s desire is to be a woman. Named for his father, Adolfo prefers to be known as Marieta. As a transvestite prostitute she has two major problems: her narcolepsy, and the 20 centimeters dangling between her legs. ough her extra appendage may make her extra money while hustling, Marieta wants to be rid of it as soon as possible. She is saving her money for an operation, though this is tricky when she keeps getting fired for falling asleep on the job. However, when she does nod off, she takes delightful refuge in her dreams where she is transformed with great panache into a seductive singing dancing sensation. As her dreams start to become a reality, Marieta performs lively music and dance tributes to “ riller” and “I Want to Break Free.” Surrounded by a cast of fantastic and colorful characters, the amazing Cervera gives her all in this bittersweet musical comedy; an identity-crisis work that pulls no punches and is not for the faint of heart. Director Ramon Salazar burst onto the international film scene with his first short film in 1999, and has won awards and acclaim for his shorts and features since then, most of which have starred his muse, Mónica Cervera.

Awards:

Locarno IFF 2005 (Youth Jury Award) SUNDAY

Spain 2005

Director:

Ramón Salazar

Producer:

Carlos Batres

Screenwriters:

Catalina Cabrera

Ramón Salazar

Cinematographer: Ricardo de Gracia

Film Editor:

Teresa Font

Music:

Najwa Nimri

Pascal Gaigne

Cast:

Mónica Cervera

Pablo Puyol

Rossy De Palma

Pilar Bardem

Running Time: 113 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales: Sogepaq

Print Source:

TLA Releasing

Film Website:

www.20centimeters.com

Selected Filmography:

Stones (2002)

Ahlaam, a young Iraqi girl, is confined to an asylum after her husband-to-be is arrested by Sadaam Hussein’s forces on their wedding day. When an explosion forcibly frees her from captivity, she wanders the chaotic streets in her bridal gown, attracting attention from gangs of looters, opportunists and panicked soldiers on both sides. While her physical and mental conditions worsen, an idealistic doctor from the asylum and a shell-shocked former soldier conduct a desperate search, as Baghdad falls around them. e story behind the scenes of writer/director/cameraman Mohamed Al-Daradji’s debut feature would make for a compelling movie in itself: working without pay and constantly drawing fire, Al-Daradji and members of the crew were repeatedly kidnapped and finally lined up to be shot by insurgents before being rescued (and subsequently interrogated) by American forces. at this film, or any film, was able to be produced under such conditions is remarkable. at the results are, by turn, mature, heartrending, devastating and ultimately optimistic seems borderline miraculous. Ahlaam is a visually stunning, blisteringly acted film that doesn’t shy away from the harsh brutality of war, but also somehow manages to convey the basic humanity of a people pushed past breaking. SATURDAY MAY 27 2:15 PM HARVARD EXIT

Iraq/UK/ Netherlands 2006

Director:

Mohamed Al-Daradji

Producers:

Mohamed Al-Daradji

Iraq Al-Rafdlen

Atea Al-Daradji

Screenwriter:

Mohamed Al-Daradji

Cinematographer:

Mohamed Al-Daradji

Film Editors:

Ghassan Abdul

Ian Watson

Music:

Naseer Shamma

Cast:

Aseel Adil

Bashir Al-Majid

Mohamed Hashim

Kaheel Khalid

Mortadha Saadi

Running Time:

110 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Arabic, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

MDC International GmbH

Print Source:

MDC International GmbH

Film Website:

www.human lm.org

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Los Aires Difíciles

SATURDAY JUNE 17 7:20 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 18 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Rival brothers duke it out in this remarkable new film (English translation: Rough Winds) from veteran Spanish producer/director Gerardo. In a tour-de-force of non-linear filmmaking, Herrera deftly cuts between three different timeframes, kicking off with Juan (José Luis García Pérez), an introverted middle child who manages to charm the lovely Charo (Natalia Sanchez). Enter Dami (Roberto Enriquez), Juan’s older brother who, years later, betrays Juan and steals Charo for his own. Tragedy follows, and when the film jump-cuts thirty years ahead, to the forty-yearold Juan lives in a windswept coastal village. e cinematic compression aptly mirrors the lifelong effect of Juan’s childhood hurt. Joining Juan on the coast is Alfonso, his mentally handicapped younger brother, and Tamara, his niece. ere they meet Maribel, a lively Andalusian (played with impetuous flare by Cuca Escribano), who has a son by a past relationship. With Maribel’s friend Sara to look after her son, there should be nothing to get in the way of Maribel and Juan’s budding love affair. Yet Maribel’s old flame Panrico won’t let her go, and Juan’s past keeps coming back to haunt him. Drawn from the densely plotted, psychologically intense best seller by Spanish writer Almudena Grandes Hernández Los Aires Difíciles was the grand prize winner at the 2006 Malaga Film Festival.

Awards:

Malaga 2006 (Best Film)

North American Premiere

Spain

2005

Director:

Gerardo Herrera

Producer:

Gerardo Herrera

Screenwriters:

Ángeles González-Sinde

Alberto Macías

Cinematographer:

Alfredo Mayo

Film Editor:

Carmen Frías

Music:

Lucio Godoy

Cast:

José Luis García Pérez

Cuca Escribano

Roberta Enriquez

Alberto Jiménez

Carmen Elías

Running Time: 90 minutes

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

Print Source: Latido Films

Selected Filmography: Héroina (2005)

The Archimedes Principle (2004)

The Galindez File (2003)

The Place That Was Paradise (2002)

Awakening From the Dead

MONDAY MAY 29 9:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

FRIDAY JUNE 2 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

In the war-torn city of Belgrade, 40-year-old Miki climbs out of his own grave and wanders through the rubble. Within 48 hours he will try to achieve all the things he couldn’t during his 40 years of life. Miki returns to the small town where he was born to visit the people that meant the most to him—his young wife and son, his friends, a love from his youth, and his father, a difficult man on the verge of death—in a vain attempt to rescue them, and himself, from illusion. All the while he speaks about his lost ideals, his unsuccessful writing, his career at the Academy of Arts and his banned newspaper columns. Awakening From the Dead reveals a powerful generation gap in the Balkans, and the heavy wounds that the long history of intergenerational mistrust and miscommunication have left on the culture. Utilizing a vocabulary of unforgiving close-ups and melancholy landscapes to express his despair, director Radivojevic explores the tragedy of the man and his people with a sharp, clean style of filmmaking that crosses back and forth between color and stark black and white. What results is an absurdist exercise in an alternative history that is a far more powerful account of the times, more immediate and emotionally accurate, than any official record could be.

Serbia/ Montenegro 2005

Director:

Milos Radivojevic

Producer:

Svetozar Cvetkovic

Screenwriter:

Milos Radivojevic

Cinematographer:

Radoslav Vladic

Film Editor:

Andjelija Ilic

Music:

Kornerlije Kovac

Cast:

Svetozar Cvetkovic

Ljuba Tadic

Anita Mancic

Tihomir Stanic

Aleksandra Jankovic

Running Time:

136 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Serbo-Croatian, with English subtitles

Print Source:

Testament-Films D.O.O.

Selected Filmography:

Ni Na Nebu Ni Na Zemlji (1994)

Omnibus ‘93 (1993)

Backstage

FRIDAY JUNE 16 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SUNDAY JUNE 18 3:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Emmanuelle Bercot’s intelligent, unnerving and highly accomplished debut feature shows us the dark, disturbing side of celebrity worship, with a sharp sense for what goes through the mind of a teenager enthralled by larger-than-life images of fame and success. Lucie, brilliantly portrayed by rising French star Isild le Besco, is an ordinary teenager who lives with her equally celebrityobsessed mother. Lucie is fixated on an inaccessible pop idol: the enigmatic Lauren (Emmanuelle Seigner), a Gallic combination of Madonna and Debbie Harry. Dreaming of Lauren allows her to escape the numbing boredom of life in provincial France. One day, Lauren visits Lucie’s house as part of a surprise planned for a television show, reducing the teenager to a speechless, sputtering puddle. Mortified, Lucie sets out to redeem herself, heading to Paris to meet her goddess. After a bad start, with no money and no place to stay, she talks her way around Lauren’s security guards. What she discovers backstage is a world far different than the one she had imagined, a noxious mix of publicists, managers, producers, bodyguards and, in Lucie’s case, fanatical groupies. Bercot constructs, then strips away, the glittery facade of fame to expose the underbelly of the celebrity lifestyle, where insecurities and petty jealousies are paramount and happiness only seems possible with a stage and an audience. is is a special backstage pass to the mind of a star and her adoring fan.

France 2005

Director:

Emmanuelle Bercot

Producers:

Caroline Benjo

Carole Scotta

Screenwriters:

Emmanuelle Bercot

Jerome Tonnerre

Cinematographer:

Agnès Godard

Film Editor:

Julien Leloup

Music:

Laurent Marimbert

Marine Bercot

Cast:

Emmanuelle Seigner

Isild le Besco

Noémie Lvovsky

Valery Zeitun

Running Time:

115 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Wild Bunch

Print Source:

Strand Releasing

Film Website:

www.hautetcourt. com/backstage

Selected Filmography: Clément (2001)

Be With Me

FRIDAY JUNE 9 4:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS MONDAY JUNE 12 9:45 PM HARVARD EXIT

In this humanist ode to life, three Singaporeans from divergent circumstances illustrate the themes of love, loneliness and hope. eir situations are different, but they all have the same desire to live with the one they love. We witness variations on couples communicating in the 21st century as SMS messages fly between two teenagers, a love letter is laboriously written by a night watchman madly in love with an inaccessible woman, and words softly tapped into the palm of eresa Chan, an elderly woman who has been blind and deaf since the age of 14. is film confirms the remarkable talent of filmmaker Eric Khoo who gives us a long moving poem about urban solitude and melancholy with practically no dialogue. Blending fiction and documentary with rare emotion, Be With Me invents new methods of communication as people reach out through touch, gastronomy, signs and music.

Awards:

Stockholm 2005 (Best Cinematography, FIPRESCI Prize)

Tokyo 2005 (Asian Film Award HM)

Singapore 2005

Director:

Eric Khoo

Producer:

Brian Hong

Screenwriters:

Eric Khoo

Wong Kim Hoh

Cinematographer:

Adrian Tan

Film Editor:

Low Hwee Ling

Music:

Kevin Mathews

Christine Shum

Cast:

Lynn Poh

Lawrence Yong

Chiew Sung Ching

Seet Keng Yew

Running Time: 90 minutes

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

International Sales:

Bavaria Film International

Print Source:

Film Movement LLC

Film Website: www.zhaowei.com/bewithme.html

Selected Filmography: 12 Storeys (1997)

Mee Pok Man (1995)

Beowulf & Grendel

THURSDAY JUNE 8 6:30 PM

SQUARE SATURDAY JUNE 10 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Set against the backdrop of a wind-whipped, ocean-battered landscape, Sturla Gunnarson’s stunning adaptation of the seminal Anglo-Saxon epic poem Beowulf follows the 9th-century adventure story of a Nordic hero’s battle with a murderous troll. As a young man, King Hrothgar (Stellan Skarsgård), leader of the Danes, kills a troll but spares his son Grendel (Ingvar Sigurdsson). Now an adult, Grendel seeks to avenge the murder of his father and unleashes his wrath against the Danes. e troll’s exploits become legendary, and the desperate Danes ask their Norse ally Beowulf, a renowned warrior in his own right, to help them. Out of allegiance to King Hrothgar, Beowulf leads a troop of warriors to rid the village of the marauding monster. His attempts to confront the troll are thwarted when Grendel refuses to engage him in battle. Despite his seemingly savage nature, the troll adheres to a strict code of retribution: his quarrel is not with Beowulf but with the Danes. When Beowulf meets Selma (Sarah Polley), a mysterious and sensuous witch, and learns that King Hrothgar may be more responsible for the murderous acts of revenge than had hitherto been apparent, his commitment to kill the rampaging troll on behalf of the King begins to waver. But as Grendel’s attacks intensify and Beowulf’s men increasingly provoke his wrath, the conflict builds to an inevitable and terrible battle. Beowulf & Grendel powerfully entwines themes of vengeance, loyalty and mercy and strips away the mask of the hero myth.

Director:

Sturla Gunnarsson

Producers:

Eric Jordan

Paul Stephens

Sturla Gunnarsson

Michael Lionello Cowan

Jason Piette

Anna María Karlsdóttir

Screenwriter: Andrew Rai Berzins

Cinematographer: Jan Kiesser

Film Editor: Je Warren

Music: Hilmar Örn Hilmarsson

Cast: Gerard Butler

Stellan Skarsgård

Sarah Polley

Ingvar Sigurdsson Eddie Marsan Tony

The Betrayal

TUESDAY MAY 30 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

THURSDAY JUNE 1 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

An elegant, understated thriller that employs psychological conceits rather than blood and gore to paint a portrait of the complexity and absurdity of war. e Betrayal traces the fine ethnic lines among French soldiers stationed in Algeria in 1960. At stake is the fate of four harkis (French soldiers of North African descent) under the command of Lieutenant Roque (Vincent Martinez). A likable, highly intelligent man, Roque finds himself increasingly conflicted by the demands of his position, forced to make damning judgments about the character of his men. e harkis occupy an uneasy position; regarded by the locals as traitors, and treated with derision by the French unit. Suspicions about the harkis increase when a notebook is discovered in the camp that appears to reveal them as double agents. e film’s title turns on the many possible interpretations of and questions about the notebook: should it be taken as evidence, who has written it, and who has betrayed whom? As questions about the notebook’s authenticity mount, so do intersections of personal feelings and political beliefs, which radiate out into emotional questions of trust and deftly reveal the codes of racism and cultural distress. With an almost invisible hand, director Faucon immerses viewers in an intense, remarkably intelligent and suspenseful drama, where each ambiguity acts as a further turn of the screw.

France/ Belgium 2005

Director:

Philippe Faucon

Producer:

Richard Djoudi

Screenwriters:

Philippe Faucon

Claude Sales

Cinematographer:

Laurent Fenart

Film Editor:

Sophie Mandonnet

Music:

Benoît Schlosberg

Cast:

Vincent Martinez

Ahmed Berrhama

Cyril Troley

Medhi Yacef

Medhi Idriss

Running Time:

80 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French and Arabic, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Pyramide International

Print Source:

Pyramide International

Selected Filmography:

Samia (2000)

The Strangers (1999)

The Birthday

North American Premiere

Raphael is a successful businessman, and the only one of a group of friends who ran a pirate radio station more than 20 years ago to succeed as an adult. Now times are hard, the business is under threat and things are not improved by the duplicitous activities of his ambitious sidekick Jacques, who is overseeing a deal that will probably not live up to public scrutiny. e last straw comes when Raphael gets an early copy of an autobiographical book by his brother Alberto—an all-round failure in ill health—that accuses him of betraying his early ideals. Using the pretext of a celebration in honor of his fortyfifth birthday, Raphael invites Alberto and the old gang and their various wives and consorts (and one outrageous hair stylist) to his lavish villa in Marrakech. Clearly it is time to settle accounts, and major conflicts are inevitable. Veteran director Diane Kurys (Peppermint Soda, Entre Nous) has frequently mined her own life for the bittersweet material of her films, but this time looks outward to portray a group of all-toohuman beings who have access to the good life but do precious little to deserve it. She is aided by an impeccable cast: Lambert Wilson is sweetness incarnate as the beleaguered Raphael, and the always compelling Jean-Hugues Anglade plays to perfection the rebellious, unhealthy Alberto. To top it all, a soundtrack of first class international pop hits rolls out as old wounds and grudges are hung out to dry in the hot Moroccan sun.

France 2005

Director:

Diane Kurys

Producers:

Alexandre Arcady

Robert Benmussa

Diane Kurys

Screenwriters:

Diane Kurys

Daniel Saint-Hamont

Cinematographer:

José António Loureiro

Film Editor:

Yann Malcor

Music:

Pancho Abaldonato

Je Bourassin

Boris Theuiller

Cast:

Lambert Wilson

Michèle Laroque

Jean-Hughes Anglade

Pierre Palmade

Isabelle Ferrari

Zoe Felix

Philippe Bas

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

StudioCanal

Print Source:

StudioCanal

Selected Filmography:

The Children of the Century (1999)

C’est la Vie (1990)

Entre Nous (1983)

Peppermint Soda (1977)

A Bittersweet Life

D AL KOM HAN IN-SAENG

SATURDAY MAY 27 9:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY

To outside appearances, Seon-woo is a suave, efficient hotel manager. He is also a rising star in the notorious crime syndicate of his boss Kang, for whom he works as a cold-blooded enforcer. Assigned to guard Kang’s headstrong young girlfriend, whom he suspects is seeing someone else, Seon-woo takes a fateful shine to the girl. Letting his guard slip for an instant, he unleashes a maelstrom of violence and pays a horrendous penalty for his transgression. Finally, after surviving incredibly rough treatment (including being buried alive!) from a rival gang that Kang has set on him so that there are no conflicted loyalties, Seon-woo – bloodied but by no means beaten – sets off to seek revenge against his former master. By the final act, the film has long left the realm of reality, giving way to pure ballistic bedlam, as Seon-woo battles on despite crippling wounds. In A Bittersweet Life, acclaimed writer-director Kim Jee-woon ( e Quiet Family, A Tale of Two Sisters) stylishly raises the bar for onscreen violence and mayhem, but also gives the film a surreal air with its dream-like tone and immaculate production values. Korean star Lee Byeong-cheol, with his pin-up idol good looks, turns in a tightly coiled performance as the arrogant, hair-trigger Seonwoo. For such a pretty boy, he is not afraid to let himself get messed up in this riveting though brutal masterpiece which will have genre fans nailed to their seats from first frame to last.

Awards:

South Korea Awards 2005 (Best Supporting Actor)

MONDAY JUNE 5 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

THURSDAY JUNE 8 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

South Korea 2005

Director:

Kim Jee-woon

Producers:

Eugene Lee

Oh Jeong-wan

Screenwriter:

Kim Jee-woon

Cinematographer:

Kim Y Ji

Film Editor:

Choi Jae-geun

Music:

Dalparan

Jan Yeong-gyu

Cast:

Lee Byeong-heon

Kim Yeong-cheol

Hwang Jeong-min

Shin Min-ah

Running

Selected

Tristán Bauer’s harrowing account of the Falklands/Malvinas War and its aftermath reminds us that survivors keep fighting long after leaving the battlefield. At age 40, Esteban is a former soldier whose scars are still too raw to confront mortality again. When his foxhole-mate Vargas attempts suicide, Esteban’s memories of combat come flooding back. Based on a memoir, Blessed by Fire could easily be considered your standard story about a man given a gun, a uniform and little training, but Bauer’s vivid storytelling pushes it beyond the war story genre. As one of Esteban’s fellow recruits says: “What cannot be seen must be replaced by what can be heard.”

Bauer himself pays exquisite detail to sound: the marching through mud, the whistling of bullets and the labored breathing of the scared and the dying. Argentinean forces found a powerful foe in the British troops, who were supported by NATO and the U.S., while the patriotic clichés that the Argentinean officers declared did not ease their men’s fear one iota. As frigid weather and dwindling rations threaten to sink Esteban and his friends, and as Vargas and Juan sink further into despair, they seek solace in one another. Shared feelings and some consequence-laden hijinks bolster their instinct for self-preservation. Twenty-two years later, after an overdose, Vargas’ demons seem to be winning their war, as Esteban keeps a vigil by his bedside. Whether or not his troubled comrade survives, Esteban still must build an arsenal of nerve to return to the scene of the battle in order to continue to live with his memories.

Awards:

San Sebastian 2005 (Special Jury Award)

Goya 2006 (Best Spanish Language Foreign Film)

Tribeca 2006 (Best Film)

Blood Rain

TUESDAY JUNE 6 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 10 9:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

An arson attack on a boatload of paper intended for the imperial court of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty brings a team of investigators from the mainland, including the young, rational-minded Weon-gyu, who has a talent for what later centuries will call forensics. No sooner have the mainlanders disembarked than a series of grisly murders begins, apparently fulfilling a shamanist prophecy. It’s not just the mounting death toll that’s causing residents to worry but the sadistic, methodical way in which the victims are killed. Weon-gyu has to fight his way through thickets of superstition and fear, not to mention smokescreens of official obstruction and local duplicity. A trail of secrets seems to link the murders to an incident that occurred some seven years earlier, when a previous owner of the village’s paper mill was executed as a Christian. Locals fear that the murdered man’s spirit has come back to seek bloody retribution. e real truth, Weon-gyu learns, may be far more terrifying… Second-time director Kim Dae-seung (a longserving assistant to the great Im Kwon-taek) has come up with a terrific period detective thriller, anchored in splendid performances and vivid production design. Like e Draughtman’s Contract, this turns out to be a murder mystery illuminating both the darkness in human hearts and the entire philosophy of a bygone age. Intellectually and emotionally satisfying, it’s an intense pleasure.

South Korea 2005

Directors:

Kim Dae-seung

Lee Won-jae

Screenwriter:

Lee Won-jae

Cinematographer:

Choi Young-hwan

Film Editors:

Kim Sang-beom

Kim Jae-beom

Music:

Cho Young-wuk

Jo Yeong-wook

Cast:

Cha Seung-won

Park Yong-woo

Ji Seong

Running Time:

119 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Korean, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

CJ Entertainment

Print Source:

CJ Entertainment

Selected Filmography:

Bungee Jumping of Their Own (2001)

The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros

e barrio film has become a staple of Filipino cinema since its apotheosis in the films of the late Lino Brocka from the 1970s. Now Auraeus Solito has reinvigorated this most urban of forms in his impressive first feature, e Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros. Maximo is a preteen boy who lives as a dagala and lovingly fulfils many of the traditionally female tasks for his widowed father and two teenage brothers, all of whom lead lives of petty crime. Maximo cooks, cleans, sews and even braids hair for them in their squalid slum environment, his days lightened by shopping, improvised fashion parades and playing with other kids. When Maximo is rescued one night by a Victor, a young cop who is new to the neighborhood, his life takes a drastic turn: he befriends and falls in love with his handsome rescuer, who angers the family by encouraging Maximo to aspire to a better life while Maximo is pulled between the petty thief family he loves and the romantic figure of Victor, representing law and order, scriptwriter Michiko Yamamoto and director Aureas Solito hold the melodrama in check. Not only does Solito coax an exuberant, convincing performance from newcomer Nathan Lopez as Maximo, he shades the film’s environment with essential details of an impoverished community. Cell phone theft, illegal numbers games which Maximo helps to run, the ordinary life of a policeman, and Maximo’s father railing against social injustice all contribute to a portrait of an “outlaw” society that makes its own rules. It is this creation of a sort of urban tribe with its own codes and customs that gives this auspicious debut film—further enhanced by vibrant cinematography and simple scoring—its peculiar intensity and charm.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (TEDDY Award, Glass Bear SM, Grand Prix)

Philippines 2005

Director:

Aureas Solito

Producer:

Raymond Lee

Screenwriter: Michiko Yamamoto

Cinematographer: Nap Jamir

Film Editors:

Kanakan-Balintogos

Clang Sison

Music:

Pepe Smith

Cast:

Nathan Lopez

JR Valentin

Soliman Cruz

Neil Ryan Sese

Ping Medina

Bodjie Pascua

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

BetaSP, in Tagalog, with English subtitles

International Sales:

UFO Films

Print Source:

Unitel Pictures International

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Broken Sky

SATURDAY JUNE 17 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 18 11:00 AM HARVARD EXIT

A chance encounter in a disco spins an established gay couple into an erratic, dangerously decaying orbit. With breathtaking command of the medium, director Julián Hernandez presents an exquisite, near-wordless love triangle between three attractive young men. e essence of this erotic melodrama is body language: the characters talk with their eyes and with their movements. Broken Sky is Julián Hernandez’ second feature film after A ousand Clouds of Peace, which screened at SIFF in 2004. e main characters are two (very) young men, Gerardo and Jonas, who fall in love and start a passionate relationship. One night Jonas is seduced by the attractive Bruno but does not take off with him. en Bruno disappears. Jonas keeps thinking about him as he slowly loses sexual interest in Gerardo. Meanwhile a guy named Sergio has been trying to seduce Gerardo. eir love holds on as it passes through these difficult challenges. e camerawork is superb, the acting is completely convincing and the music is atmospheric and emotional. Especially powerful is the use of the aria from the opera Rusalka by Antonín Dvorák (in a way reminiscent of the best parts of Wong Kar-wai’s 2046), for a scene where two characters feel attracted to each other but still feel reluctant to make physical contact. ey are afraid of their passion, struggling with their emotions. A love story built on escapist passions undeterred by external circumstances, the lyrical beauty of Broken Sky places it beyond the realm of most gay genre films.

Mexico 2006

Director:

Julián Hernandez

Producer:

Roberto Fiesco Trejo

Screenwriter:

Julián Hernandez

Cinematographer:

Alejandro Cantu

Film Editor:

Emiliano Arenales Osorio

Music:

Arturo Villela

Cast:

Miguel Ángel Hoppe

Fernando Arroyo

Alejandro Rojo

Ignacio Pereda

Klaudia Aragón

Clarisa Rendon

Pilar Ruiz

Running Time:

140 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Strand Releasing

Print Source:

Strand Releasing

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Brothers of the Head

FRIDAY JUNE 9 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

JUNE 10 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Based on a novel by sci-fi guru Brian Aldiss, Brothers of the Head is a raucous ride through a burning flash of glory in the realm of ’70s British rock music, and an utterly uncharacterizable tour de force from two of the world’s most interesting emerging directors. Neither fake documentary nor fly-on-the-wall observation, the film feels most like underground horror, with the genre’s characteristic physical expressions of psychological trauma in abundance. With one of the coolest soundtracks of the year (a sweltering hybrid of Small Faces-style classic rock and early, hyper-angry UK punk), Brothers of the Head follows a pair of conjoined twin brothers who are plucked from obscurity, groomed to be rock stars and launched on an unsuspecting music scene as the “next big thing.” e abusive manager, slicked-back impresario, two-faced journalists, groupies galore, booze and drugs— and more booze and more drugs—fill in the gaps. With pitch-perfect, intimately detailed direction from Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe (previously best known for the scathing Lost in La Mancha, about Terry Gilliam’s abandoned Don Quixote project) and two astonishing, ferocious performances from real-life twins Luke and Harry Treadaway, Brothers of the Head delivers a runaway locomotive of a narrative that jumps all over time, space and genre to create a multifaceted look at these two sui generis characters whose history is itself the creation of outrageous imaginative powers.

United Kingdom 2005

Directors:

Keith Fulton

Louis Pepe

Producers:

Simon Channing Williams

Gail Egan

Screenwriter:

Tony Grisoni

Cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle

Film Editor:

Nic Gaster

Music:

Clive Langer

Cast:

Luke Treadaway

Harry Treadaway

Tania Emery

Diana Kent

Sean Harris

Ed Hogg

Bryan Dick

David Kennedy

Elizabeth Rider

Jonathan Pryce

Running Time: 90 minutes

Burnt Out

TUESDAY JUNE 13 6:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

THURSDAY JUNE 15 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

François (Olivier Gourmet) is a white-collar drone with a wonderful wife and loving son at home, and an autocratic and blithely exploitative boss at work. e weight of his monotonous, oppressive job is growing too much for him and, after a co-worker is unceremoniously fired, he snaps. He packs up and takes an indefinite leave of absence from the soul-crushing job. Unfortunately, he has chosen to protest the repressive system at the worst possible moment. His exit from the workplace coincides with the deaths of several other employees. Suddenly finding himself the prime suspect in a massive murder investigation, a fear-stricken François goes into hiding, re-entering society only under cover of night. His only hope lies in a journalist (Julie Depardieu) on a mission to expose the truth. A psychological thriller executed with knife-edge precision, director Godet’s debut feature is an incisive study of social oppression in the workplace and the stress of corporate culture. Featuring another outstanding performance from award-winning actor Gourmet ( e Son), Burnt Out mines the same vein that produced such satires as e Office and Office Space, but takes a much darker, more disturbing approach.

France 2005

Director:

Fabienne Godet

Producer:

Bertrand Faivre

Screenwriters:

Fabienne Godet

Juliette Sales

Franck Vassal

Cinematographer:

Crystel Fournier

Film Editor:

Françoise Tourmen

Music:

Dario Marianelli

Cast:

Olivier Gourmet

Dominique Blanc

Julie Depardieu

Marion Cotillard

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

The Bureau

Print Source:

The Bureau

Selected Filmography:

C.R.A.Z.Y.

FRIDAY JUNE 16 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 18 1:15 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Set in the suburban (and very Catholic) Quebec of the 1960s and ’70s, Jean-Marc Vallée‘s poignant, beautifully observed gay coming-ofage story covers twenty years in the life of Zac (Marc-André Grondin), a sexually confused teenager born on Christmas Day, 1960. Between motorbike escapades, cigarettes smoked in secret, minor and not-so-minor disagreements and, in particular, a battle-of-wills with his uncomprehending father, Zac tells his story. And his story is a triumphant one, about a beautifully ordinary family, parental love, outsiders struggling to find their place in the world and about the challenges of growing up different.

e enchanting, enigmatic Grondin delivers a breakout, star-making performance, as does the intense, smoldering Pierre-Luc Brillant as his older brother, Ray. Add to this a great 1970s soundtrack featuring everyone from e Rolling Stones and David Bowie to Patsy Cline, Vallée’s ability to fashion inventive images from Catholic iconography, and groovy 1970s fashions-flares, and you have a recipe for a surefooted humanist tale sure to leave audiences wanting more. In its Canadian release, audiences have indeed—as one wag put it—gone cuckoo for C.R.A.Z.Y., making it the biggest indigenous box-office hit of the year north of the 49th parallel.

Awards:

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Genie Awards 2006 (Best Film, Director, Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay, Editing)

Toronto 2005 (Best Canadian Feature Film)

Canada 2005

The Call of Cthulhu

THURSDAY JUNE 1 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY JUNE 5 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Imagine if, shortly after it’s publication in 1928, H.P. Lovecraft’s classic tale e Call of Cthulhu had been produced as a German Expressionist style silent film. In director Andrew Leman’s adaptation, Lovecraft’s tale is given just that treatment. Feeling like a lost film from the Weimar republic, it begins with a man inheriting his great-uncle’s estate. Instead of burning his great-uncle’s papers as he was supposed to, he investigates them. Among their contents are an account of a young college student whose troubled dreams manifest themselves in a strange bas-relief, newspaper clippings of weird global events, and the investigation of a New Orleans’ cult. At first he dismisses these reports as either coincidence or hysterical ramblings, but when he chances upon a newspaper article about a derelict ship in the south Pacific, he comes to realize there may well be a great, evil entity dreaming somewhere beneath the waves. Rising above simple homage, Leman’s film faithfully captures Lovecraft’s weird atmosphere of intense menace and foreboding as no one has before. In true matinee fashion, two short films will precede the feature presentation.

USA 2005

Director:

Andrew Leman

Producers:

Sean Branney

Andrew Leman

Screenwriter:

Sean Branney

Cinematographer:

David Robertson

Film Editor:

David Robertson

Music:

Troy Sterling Nies

Ben Holbrook

Nicholas Pavkovic

Chad Fifer

Cast:

Matt Foyer

David Mersault

Patrick O’Day

Barry Lynch

Noah Wagner

Running Time:

47 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

Print Source:

HPLHS, Inc.

Film Website: www.cthulhulives.org

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Carmen in Khayelitsha

U-CARMEN EK HAYELITSHA

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 6:45 PM

Preceded by

Radium Follies

USA, 2005, 14 minutes, director: Sarah Birns

Zillionaire playboy Eben Byers joins a metropolitan club where cocktails swizzled with radium are ballyhooed as “Nectar of the Gods.”

Terra Incognita

Switzerland, 2005, 18 minutes, director: Peter Volkart

A physicist runs afoul of his peers when he declares that gravity no longer exists. In order to prove his theories, he sets o on a secret expedition to the point of zero gravity – Nanopol Island.

No prior knowledge of George Bizet’s 19th-century opera is required to enjoy this rousing and imaginative contemporary adaptation set on the mean streets of Khayelitsha, a sprawling South African shantytown. Sung entirely in the Xhosa language by the Dimpho Di Kopane theatre company, the debut feature of British director Mark Dornford-May is shot in long, fluid takes and complements the music with traditional song, rhythm and dance, creating a remarkable synthesis of Xhosa culture and European grand opera. An early montage sequence set to Bizet’s grandiose music introduces us to the thriving community and unfolds, documentary-style, in the world of pool halls, bars, courtyards, factories, barracks and concert halls. Trained opera singer Pauline Malefane is sensual and confident as Carmen, a cigarette factory worker who respects no law and seduces the Bible-reading policeman Sergeant Jongikhaya (Andile Tshoni) with fateful consequences. e knowledge that he was responsible for his own brother’s death and that he is now expected to wed his sibling’s widow ensures an even greater charge to his chemistry with the sensual and proudly independent Carmen. Confronted by romantic rejection, one fears he will resort again to violence. Winner of the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival, the movie’s energy and high spirits break free of the story’s stage origins to create a dynamically cinematic work that contributes to the resurgence in South African cinema.

Awards:

Berlin 2005 (Golden Bear)

South Africa 2005

Director:

Mark Dornford-May

Producers:

Ross Garland

Mark Dornford-May

Screenwriters:

Mark Dornford-May

Pauline Malefane

Andiswa Kedama

Charles Hazlewood

Cinematographer:

Giulio Biccari

Film Editor:

Ronelle Loots

Music:

Charles Hazlewood

Georges Bizet

Cast:

Pauline Malefane

Andile Tshoni

Zweilungile Sidloyi

Andries Mbali

Andiswa Kedama

Ruby Mthethwa

Running Time:

126 minutes

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

International Sales:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Print Source:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Film Website:

www.u-carmen.com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

The Cave of the Yellow Dog

TUESDAY MAY 30 9:15

After the surprise international success of her mesmerizing docudrama e Story of the Weeping Camel (2003), filmmaker Byambasuren Davaa again follows in the tradition of Robert Flaherty and provides another visually and dramatically arresting, ethnographic portrait of nomadic Mongolian life. A six-year-old girl, Nansal, chances upon a stray dog while collecting fuel for the day, and despite her father’s protests (he believes the dog might bring bad luck), she manages to keep it. But a series of misadventures occur that highlight the precariousness of life in the grasslands and it’s not long before the dog’s usefulness and loyalty is put to the test. e film’s languid pacing reflects the quiet, daily routines of the real-life family, and the simple conflicts that emerge testify to the dramatic potency of the most quotidian realities: preparing food, forging makeshift tools, and laboriously producing cheese are only some of the challenging tasks and unexpected pleasures unveiled in this closely observed and resonant look at a world seldom recorded.

Awards:

Munich 2005 (Audience Award)

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Hamptons 2005 (Best Film)

Mongolia/ Germany 2005

Director:

Byambasuren Davaa

Producer:

Stephan Schesch

Screenwriter:

Byambasuren Davaa

Cinematographer:

Daniel Schönauer

Film Editor:

Sarah Clara Weber

Music:

Ganpurev Dagran

Cast:

Urjindorj Batchuluun

Babbayar Batchuluun

Nansal Batchuluun

Nansalmaa Batchuluun

Buyandulam Daramdadi

Batchuluun

Running Time: 90 minutes

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

International Sales: Telepool Print Source: Tartan Films USA Film Website: www.gelberhund-derlm.de

Selected Filmography: The Story of the Weeping Camel (2003)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 17 7:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Two eighteen-year-old Israeli women, Smadar and Mirit, are assigned to patrol the streets of Jerusalem questioning Palestinians and looking for suicide bombers as part of their military service. Relations between the two girls are initially frosty. Mirit is painfully conscientious while Smadar couldn’t care less about her job. Neither of them is happy with their assignment. Close to Home details the lives of the two girls rather than Israeli politics. e focus remains on their romantic crushes, their breakups and the multifaceted relationship evolving between the two of them. However, political realities cannot be avoided altogether, and the strain of those realities ends up shaping their friendship. “Many films dealing with the army issue in Israel were based on the experiences of men,” write the two female directors, Dalia Hager and Vidi Bilu. “But not one film was based on the experiences of women, in spite of the fact that they are always present [in the Israeli army].” eir film is an even-handed and honest reflection from the perspective of ordinary girls who live in an extraordinary place at an extraordinary time, where the possibility of having a normal life is unattainable.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (CICAE Award)

Directors:

Dalia Hager

Vidi Bilu

Producers: Marek Rozenbaum

Itai Tamir

Screenwriters:

Dalia Hagar

Vidi Bilu

Cinematographer:

Yaron Scharf

Film Editor:

Joel Alexis

Music:

Yonatan Bar Giora

Cast:

Smadar Sayar

Naaina Schendar

Irit Suki

Katia Zimbris

A Comedy of Power

e latest from legendary French director Claude Chabrol (Les Cousins, La Cérémonie) is a searing combination of a moral comedy and political thriller that examines power dynamics and human weakness. Jeanne CharmantKillman (veteran Isabelle Huppert, e Piano Teacher) is a French magistrate of unassailable power, who lives up to her nickname, the “Piranha.” As the presiding judge on a case of misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds, she lords it over defendant Humeau (François Berléand) with an iron fist. e executive of an important industrial firm, Humeau is unceremoniously arrested outside his building, thrown in jail and even denied ointment for his skin condition. Delving deeper into the secrets of those whose lives she controls, Jeanne gains immense power but finds her personal life increasingly fragile. At home, her husband Philippe, a medical laboratory technician, has felt the shift in the balance of power on the domestic front. Just how far will she go in her seemingly unending quest for dominance? In his examination of the human intoxication with and desire for power, Chabrol questions where this force truly lies, and examines the loss of control over one’s personal life as the antithesis to strength and dominance in the public sphere. With a stellar performance from Huppert as the man-eating feminist-turned-tyrant, and a bowel-quivering suspense soundtrack reminiscent of the best Bernard Herrmann-Alfred Hitchcock collaborations, A Comedy of Power forces us to question the value of strength in all realms of life.

France/ Germany 2006

Director:

Claude Chabrol

Producer:

Patrick Godeau

Screenwriters:

Odile Barski

Claude Chabrol

Cinematographer:

Eduardo Serra

Film Editor:

Monique Fardoulis

Music:

Matthieu Chabrol

Cast:

Isabelle Huppert

François Berléand

Patrick Bruel

Running Time:

110 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Wild Bunch

Print Source:

Wild Bunch

Selected Filmography:

The Flower of Evil (2003)

Merci pour le chocolat (2000)

La Cérémonie (1995)

The Eye of Vichy (1993)

Violette Nozière (1978)

Le Boucher (1970)

Que la bête meure (1969)

La Femme in dèle (1969)

Les Biches (1968)

Les Bonnes femmes (1960)

Les Cousins (1959)

Le Beau Serge (1958)

Conversations with Other Women

Sex. Comedy. Split screen. Emotional. Helena Bonham Carter. Aaron Eckhart. at’s the way director Hans Canosa, in his debut film, describes his film in as few words as possible. A man (Aaron Eckhart) meets a woman (Helena Bonham Carter) at a wedding with verbally dexterous, table-turning results. Set over the span of a single night, Canosa (also the editor) fashions a genuine conversation piece by splitting the screen throughout. Carter and Eckhart zip through a witty, tightly crafted script that is so simple that we never learn the characters’ names. Initially their attraction feels so immediate and so real between these two strangers. But what are they hinting at? Is there something more between the two? Both are in their thirties, and a strange intimacy immediately develops, but the two remain coy about their past. Fortunately, flashbacks quickly clue us in to a similar meet-up from their salad days. As the banter moves toward more urgent topics—husbands, girlfriends, discreet hotel rooms—Canosa defines a whole new set of cinematic tricks to present alternate line readings, slices of foreshadowing, and roads not taken. Anything but a formal exercise, Canosa has aptly matched style to material, avoiding the easy gimmicks to put a whole new spin on the concept of “he said, she said.”

Awards:

Tokyo 2005 (Best Actress, Special Jury Prize)

USA 2005

Director:

Hans Canosa

Producers:

Kerry Barden

Ram Bergman

Bill McCutchen

Screenwriter:

Gabrielle Zevin

Cinematographer:

Steve Yedlin

Music:

Je Eden Fair

Star Parodi

Cast:

Helena Bonham-Carter

Aaron Eckhart

Nora Zehetner

Erik Eidern

Olivia Wilde

Thomas Lennon

Running Time:

83 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Fabrication Films

Print Source:

Fabrication Films

Film Website:

www.fabrication lms.com

Selected Filmography:

Alma Matter (2002)

Crime Novel

ROMANZO CRIMINALE

THURSDAY JUNE 15 9:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 17 4:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Italian actor-turned-director Michele Placido’s gangster epic rides full steam through Italy’s years of terrorism in the ’70s, and delivers a worthy addition to the ensemble gangland genre (with appropriate nods to Coppola, Scorsese and the great Italian crime movies of that decade). e movie follows a trio of friends as they make the leap from juvenile delinquents to fully-fledged criminals: cold-blooded, ambitious Libanese (Pierfrancesco Favino, splendidly chilling), loyal Freddo (Kim Rossi Stuart, Keys to the House) and high-life loving Dandi (Claudio Santamaria). eir crime spree brings them to the attention of Inspector Scialoja (Stefano Accorsi, e Last Kiss), whose obsession with Dandi’s call girl girlfriend, Patrizia, fuels his determination to bring the gang down. After an orgy of violence, the elaborately constructed world of the gang members starts to crumble as political events start to impact their lives. In its view of recent Italian history, Crime Novel represents the flip side of e Best of Youth, with which it shares its screenwriters. Placido manages to capture the style and swagger of the era, while cleverly intercutting contemporary TV reports of Red Brigade outrages (the kidnapping and murder of politician Aldo Moro, the Bologna train station bombing), thus highlighting the unholy alliances between gangsters and terrorists, mobsters and politicians, whose connections are still shrouded in mystery.

Italy/United Kingdom/ France 2005

Director:

Michele Placido

Producers:

Riccardo Tozzi

Giovanni Stabilini

Marco Chiminez

Screenwriters:

Stefano Rulli

Sandro Petraglia

Giancarlo De Cataldo

Michele Placido

Cinematographer:

Luca Bigazzi

Film Editor:

Esmerelda Calabria

Music:

Paolo Buonvino

Cast:

Stefano Accorsi

Anna Mouglalis

Kim Rossi Stuart

Pierfrancesco Favino

Claudio Santamaria

Running Time:

146 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in Italian, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

TF1 International

Print Source:

TF1 International

Film Website: www.romanzocriminale.it

Selected Filmography: A Journey Called Love (2002)

Another World Is Possible (2001)

Ordinary Hero (1995) Close Friends (1992)

The Death of Mr. Lazarescu

SATURDAY MAY 27 11:00 AM HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY MAY 30 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

63-year-old widower Dante Lazarescu (played brilliantly by Ion Fiscuteanu) lives in squalor with his cats, and enjoys a tipple every now and again. Suffering from headaches and stomach pain one evening, he suspects it’s more than a hangover and calls for an ambulance. Help finally arrives in the form of medic Mioara (Luminta Gheorghiu) and driver Leo (Gabriel Spahiu), but it seems that Lazarescu picked a bad night to get sick: victims of a local bus accident are crowding the city’s hospitals. As night turns into dawn and his health continues to fail, Lazarescu is carried on a tragicomic odyssey to four hospitals. Each new doctor is overworked, arrogant and short-tempered, and as Mioara listens to each casually reached diagnosis one after another, she begins to protest the hospital staff ’s hostile and patronizing barbs. Gripping like an Arthur Miller play, and reminiscent of both Mike Leigh and TV’s ER, director Cristi Puiu’s first entry in a planned sextet of films about different sorts of love is a landmark of Romanian cinema. Puiu works with the uniformly excellent actors to make each small character a fully rounded persona, while the camera moves with a documentary-like omnipresence. e film’s dour take on the dehumanizing process of medical treatment is leavened by black humor and dialogue that always rings true, as anyone who has spent time in hospitals will recognize. But it also exposes the kindness and generosity of people and carries a gentle parable of the frailness of human life.

Awards:

Cannes 2005 (Prix Un Certain Regard)

Motuvun 2005 (Grand Prize)

Copenhagen 2005 (Grand Jury Prize, Best Actor)

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Romania 2005

Director:

Cristi Puiu

Producer:

Alexandru Munteanu

Screenwriters:

Cristi Puiu

Razvan Radulescu

Cinematographer:

Oleg Mutu

Film Editor:

Dana Bunescu

Music:

Andreea Barbu

Cast:

Ion Fiscuteanu

Luminta Gheorghin

Gabriel Spahiu

Doru Ana

Dana Dogaru

Running

International

Delwende

FRIDAY JUNE 9 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

MONDAY JUNE 12 4:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

A sad fate awaits certain African women whom the community has designated as “soul eaters” or witches. As outcasts, these women are doomed to become scapegoats for all the society’s ills. ey are torn from their families and banished to “witch villages” where they remain for the rest of their lives. Delwende is based on a true story about a woman driven out of her village after a meningitis epidemic decimates the community. Two young men identify the witch as Napoko. Her husband Diarha is clearly involved in implicating her because she stood up against his decision to have their daughter Pogoubila married off. On hearing the plight of her mother, Pogoubila travels in search of her and is determined to expose the hidden family secrets and clear her mother’s name. is story of a mother and a daughter focuses on the human costs of traditional practices and women’s struggle for justice. Director S. Pierre Yameogo, who is politically active in Burkina Faso, is committed to defending essential human and cultural values while striving to rouse a continent whose social development is slowed by some of its customs and traditions: “I wanted to describe that it is important for traditional beliefs to evolve and for Africa to wake up. I wanted to show that some people exploit these beliefs to lie, cheat and abuse others for personal interest.” Firmly feminist in outlook, Delwende combines aspects of Greek tragedy with evocative music and the voice of the Senegalese artist Wasis Diop.

Awards:

Cannes 2005 (Ecumenical Jury Prize)

Burkina

Faso/France/ Switzerland 2005

Director:

S. Pierre Yaméogo

Producer:

Serge Bayala

Screenwriter:

S. Pierre Yaméogo

Cinematographer:

Jürg Hassler

Film Editor:

Jean-Christophe Ané

Music:

Wasis Diop

Cast:

Blandine Yameogo

Claire Ilboudo

Celestin Zongo

Abdoulaye Komboudri

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Moor and French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Funny Balloons

Print Source:

New Yorker Films

Selected Filmography:

Me and My White Man (2003)

Silmandé Tourbillon (1998)

Dreaming of Space

SATURDAY JUNE 10 1:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

MONDAY JUNE 12 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

In 1957, two young men meet in a seaport in northwestern Soviet Union as the first Sputnik is launched—the naïve cook and boxer Konyok (Yevgeny Mironov) and the enigmatic Guerman (Yevgeny Tsiganov), a former political prisoner secretly obsessed with defecting. Stalin has been dead for four years and it seems as though a wonderful new era lay ahead. is is a time when a new spirit rose from people who had lived in captivity in their own country, cloaked in paranoia and secrecy. e Soviet satellite sends clear signals to the world, “We are here, and we will go even further and higher.” Konyok begins to model himself on his new friend, growing a moustache and dressing like him, and is slow to catch on to what’s brewing with his girlfriend and the newcomer. Konyok is an Ivan the Fool type, the perpetual country bumpkin and famous character of Russian folklore. And Guerman plays the perpetual Russian malcontent who is willing to swim the sea to leave his native place. All around them the life of the border port city flows, as huge foreign vessels arrive with unknown sounds, tastes and smells that are both frightening and alluring. Everybody must wait for their moment and, as it often happens with fools and intellectuals, it is the shortsighted who tend to go farthest.

Awards:

Moscow 2005 (Best Film)

Russia 2005

Director:

Alexey Uchitel

Producers:

Alexey Uchitel

Sergey Avrutin

Screenwriter:

Alexander Mindadze

Cinematographer:

Yury Klimenko

Film Editor:

Yelena Andreeva

Cast: Yevgeny Mironov

Yevgeny Tsiganov

Irina Pegova

Elena Lyadova

Early in the Morning

FRIDAY MAY 26 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY MAY 28 1:30 PM PACIFIC

Conakry, Guinea, 1999: the school holidays are about to start, and idealistic young friends Yaguiné Koita and Fodé Tounkara are not looking forward to the three-month rainy season that they will have to spend unemployed. ey decide to go looking for work to help support their struggling families. Despite their tireless efforts and inventiveness, they fail to come up with any possibilities. Disillusioned and surrounded by the symbols of Western affluence and power that they are unable to relate to, they take a fatal decision to travel to Europe and hide in the landing gear of a plane bound for Brussels. A letter to the European authorities is found on the body of one of the dead boys, a touching appeal for vastly increased support for progress and education for Africans to allow them to catch up with their affluent neighbors to the north. Based on a true story, Early in the Morning is a moving indictment of the iniquities of current economic policy amongst the world powers. Sober in tone and resisting the temptation to mythologize, the atmospheric narrative and convincing tone of the film are a testament to the experience of director Gahité Fofana, who had previously made documentaries about African social issues. Like the ill-fated subjects of his new film, his not-sohidden agenda is to rescue a poor country from its desperate situation and work towards a better world.

Guinea/France 2006

Director:

Gahité Fofana

Producer:

Jean-Claude Jean

Screenwriters:

Gahité Fofana

Marion Triponey

Cinematographer:

Benoit Chamaillard

Film Editor:

Gahité Fofana

Music:

Sory Kandla Kouyaté

Sékou Kouyaté

Cast:

Mamoudou Camara

Sory Kandia Kouyaté

Amy Boiro

Fatoumata Kanté

Running Time:

75 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Key Light

Print Source:

Key Light

Selected Filmography:

Temporary Registration (2000)

Elsa & Fred ELSA Y FRED

TUESDAY

In this upbeat romantic comedy, two mainstays of the Spanish language cinema, China Zorrilla and Manuel Alexandre, play aging lovers Elsa and Fred. After the death of his wife, Fred is devastated and withdraws into seclusion. Elsa, an energetic elderly woman, gets involved in a fender bender with his daughter’s car. She’s tart, acerbic and has turned exaggeration into an art form. From that moment on, everything changes. Elsa bursts into his life like a whirlwind, determined to teach him that the time he has left to live is precious and that he should enjoy it as he pleases. At 82 years old, she has spent decades dreaming of living a moment that Fellini already envisaged: the scene in La Dolce Vita at the Trevi Fountain, but instead of Anita Ekberg she is the leading lady. All she needs is her Marcello Mastroiani. Fred is meticulous, reserved and not even remotely the kind of man one would expect to create sparks with Elsa, but Fred surrenders to Elsa’s frenzy, to her youth, to her boldness, to her beautiful madness. And this is how Fred learns how to live. Before long, their passions have been reignited. Smart, seductive writing makes Elsa & Fred one supremely enjoyable romance. With its touching combination of humor and pathos, it presents a moving portrait of love’s never-ending flame.

Awards:

Sant Jordi Awards (Best Spanish Actor)

Spain/ Argentina 2005

Director:

Marcos Carnevale

Producer:

José Antonio Félez

Screenwriters:

Marcos Carnevale

Lily Ann Martin

Marcela Buerty

Cinematographer:

Juan Carlos Goméz

Film Editor:

Nacho Ruiz Capillas

Music:

Lito Vitale

Cast:

Manuel Alexandre

China Zorrilla

Blanca Portillo

Roberto Carnaghi

José Ángel Egido

Running Time:

108 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Sogepaq International

Print Source:

Sogepaq International

Film Website:

www.elsayfred.com

Selected Filmography:

Clams and Mussels (2000)

Night Serenaders (1997)

UN MATIN BONNE HEURE

US Premiere

PLACE CINEMAS

Eve and the Fire Horse

SATURDAY JUNE 10 6:45 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

TUESDAY JUNE 13 7:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Truly refreshing and imaginative, director Julia Kwan’s debut feature paints the lives of two Chinese-Canadian sisters experimenting with religion, magic and identity. Eve and the Fire Horse revolves around a family of first-generation Chinese Canadians. e working-class Engs see superstition everywhere; it’s how they navigate their lives. In this family, the youngest daughter Eve carries a unique burden. Born in 1966, the Year of the Fire Horse, she harbors an omen of deep, devastating consequence. According to the Chinese calendar the sign only recurs every 60 years, and those children born under it are thought to be trouble and saddled with ill fortune. When Eve’s mother (Vivian Wu) miscarries and her paternal grandmother suddenly dies, Eve is convinced she’s responsible. Her sister Karena, who has fantasies of sainthood, draws Eve into her new, born-again Catholic faith. Looking for a way to control the uncontrollable, Eve converts to Christianity… sort of. ey dub themselves the “Girls of Perpetual Sorrow.” eir mission? “To do good in this world.” us the girls search for a path between the Buddhist teachings of home life and Christian “good deeds” for the outside world. Director Julia Kwan brings together these two clashes of cultural differences, fusing Eastern and Western religious iconography with the immigrant experience. Eve and the Fire Horse will pierce viewers’ hearts with its lyrical, humorous and emotional journey of sisters growing up in a world where childhood is lonely and the world is full of wonder.

Canada 2005

Director: Julia Kwan

Producers:

Erik Paulsson

Shan Tam

Yves J. Ma

Screenwriter: Julia Kwan

Cinematographer: Nicolas Bolduc

Film Editor: Michael Brockington

Music:

Mychael Danna

Rob Simonsen

Cast:

Vivian Wu

Lester Chit-Man Chan

Phoebe Kut

Hollie Lo

Running Time:

92 minutes

Presentation

Get ready for divorce, Swedish style! Any notion that Every Other Week is a Bergman-esque metaphysical study of fractured matrimony will be immediately dispelled in the very first scene where commercial director Pontus attempts to sell his new clients, the executives of a chicken restaurant, on a campaign in which a happy divorced father gladly takes his children out to dinner whenever he has custody. It’s a hard sell, which Pontus finds hard to understand—he’s been divorced for years, loves the weekends where he gets his daughter Sarah, and has even remained friendly with his ex-wife, Maria. ey remain so friendly, in fact, that they may even try to conceive a new sibling for Sarah. Meanwhile, his older brother Jens, a doctor, has been happily married, at least until his wife Tessan discovers a number of text messages sent to Johanna—an ex-fling of Pontus who Jens has been secretly and platonically seeing for the past year, which then leads to Tessan’s revelation of her own infidelity. Jens moves out, and he and Pontus plunge into Stockholm’s singleadult nightlife scene. is thoughtful and touching comedy is about the peculiarities of divorce, sharply punctuated by a number of commercial parodies—from Toyota to Ikea—that are aimed squarely at divorced families.

Sweden 2006

Directors:

Måns Herngren

Hannes Holm

Felix Herngren

Hans Ingemansson

Producer:

Patrick Ryborn

Screenwriters:

Måns Herngren

Hannes Holm

Felix Herngren

Hans Ingemansson

Cinematographer:

Göran Hallberg

Film Editor:

Fredrick Morheden

Music:

Adam Nordén

Cast:

Måns Herngren

Hannes Holm

Felix Herngren

Hans Ingemansson

Running Time:

97 minutes

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

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

Swedish Film Institute

Website:

Familia

The Fish Fall in Love

Billions of cells make up the human body, and each of them contains the genetic heritage of our parents. Are we bound to walk in our parents’ footsteps, or are we free to forge our own identities? Is the umbilical cord ever really cut?

Louise Archambault’s confident, energetic debut about the complexity of family dynamics attempts to answer these questions in this smart and tightly scripted slice of life. After Mimi (brilliantly played by the formidable Sylvie Moreau), a free-spirited aerobics instructor, is thrown out by her boyfriend, her daughter Margeurite arrives home to the sight of her packing so that they can move… again. is time, the plan is to drive to California. After a quick pitstop to scrounge from Mimi’s feisty, sex-crazed mom, mother and daughter arrive at the home of Mimi’s childhood friend Janine, an interior decorator with a teenage daughter of her own. Janine reluctantly allows them to stay, though the picture is complicated by the fact that her brother is Margeurite’s biological father. As the women struggle to co-exist and set an example for their daughters, conflicting values and character traits kick in to strain the lifelong friendship. Familia combines humor, sympathy and desperation, as both families are forced to deal with the fallout of lies, online sex, double lives and unexplained pregnancies, in a way that is at once intense, all-consuming, funny and heartbreaking. You are who you are, so learn to accept it... and pass it on.

Awards:

Toronto 2005 (Best Canadian First Feature Film)

Genie Awards 2005 (Claude Jutra Award)

Canada 2005

Director:

Louise Archambault

Producer:

Luc Déry

Screenwriter:

Louise Archambault

Cinematographer:

André Turpin

Film Editor: Sophie Leblond

Music: Ramachandra Borcar

Cast: Macha Grenon

Sylvie Moreau

Mylène St-Sauveur

Juliete Gosselin

Micheline Lanctôt

Running Time:

102 minutes

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

is debut film by the veteran Iranian theatre director Ali Raffi looks at a subject that has been common in Iranian cinema: the return of an emigrant after long years of absence. Raffi combines this theme with a satisfyingly complex story about two ex-lovers who meet up after a long separation. After 25 years, Aziz returns to his small home town on the coast of the Caspian Sea. While he was gone, a successful restaurant opened in his old home. Not just that, but it’s being run by his old flame Atjeh with her daughter and two of her girlfriends. e women have done well, creating delicious and much sought-after dishes, and they are happy and satisfied with their lives. At least, they were until Aziz turned up. Atjeh is gripped by emotion and confusion: while she is filled with a reawakening of affection for Aziz, she is also afraid that he wants his house back, which means the women would all lose their home and their livelihood. is beautifully shot and colorful work is directed with a briskness often lacking in Iranian cinema, revealing a new, modern side to smalltown Iranian women. A delightful and detailed look at complex human emotions, e Fish Fall in Love is a simple, gentle film that adapts the language of food—this time from northern Iranian cuisine—to speak of life, and will leave its taste on the palate long after the screen has gone dark.

Iran 2005

Director: Ali Ra

Producers:

Aftab Negaran

Hassan Kalami

Ali Ra

Screenwriter: Ali Ra

Cinematographer: Mahmoud Kalari

Film Editor: Varooj Karim Masihi

Music: Ali Samadpoor

Cast: Reza Kianian

Roya Nonahali

Golshifteh Farahani

Maryam Saadat

Running Time: 96 minutes

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

International Sales: Farabi Cinema Foundation

Print Source: Ra Productions

Film Website: www.mahiha.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Forsaken Land

SULANGA ENU PINISA

SATURDAY JUNE 3 11:00 AM HARVARD EXIT TUESDAY JUNE 6 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

War films have by now developed their own vocabulary. Tragic loss, sudden heroism and even more sudden death have become reliable means to translate carnage into narrative. But no mode suits the cinema of war better than absurdity. Many of our greatest war films come to rest in the irrational, which is where e Forsaken Land begins. Co-winner of the Camera d’Or award for Best First Feature at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival, the film sidesteps battle scenes and rallying cries to seek out a language for what war feels like on a personal scale. And not just any war - this is Sri Lanka’s twenty-two-year-long civil war between the Sinhala government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. When conflict lasts this long, the stories that emerge change, and so must the storytelling. One of the first images in the film is of a dead arm jutting up from a river, the hand frozen in half-grasp. What follows is a procession of similarly structured images, each one distilling the daily experience of war down to simple essentials: cruelty, despair, numbness and, above all, absurdity. Writer-director Vimukthi Jayasundara rejects the clearly drawn lines of a conventional war tale because Sri Lanka’s on-and-off slaughter does not provide them. Instead, scenes butt up against each other in measured collage and the events of e Forsaken Land exist in a twilight zone between war and truce, allowing for moments of reflection and surprising eruptions of erotic desire. Death, sex and waiting - this is the poetic, despairing picture of paradise at war.

Awards:

Cannes 2005 (Camera d’Or)

Bangkok 2005 (Best Film)

Four Stars

North American Premiere

Sri Lanka/ France 2005

Director:

Vimukthi Jayasundara

Producer:

Upul Shantha Sannasgala

Screenwriter:

Vimukthi Jayasundara

Cinematographer:

Channa Deshpriya

Film Editor:

Gisele Rapp-Meichler

Music:

Nadeeka Guruge

Cast:

Mahendra Perera

Kaushalya Fernando

Hemasiri Liyanage

Nilupuli Jayawardeba

Running Time:

108 minutes

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

International Sales: Onoma

Print Source:

New Yorker Films

Film Website: www.sulangaenupinisa. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Franssou (Isabelle Carré) is a pretty but bored Parisian English teacher who shares her dull life with a terribly pragmatic boyfriend. Her life changes, however, after her great-great-aunt dies, leaving her as sole heir to a small fortune of 52,000 Euros. On a whim, Franssou leaves Paris and boyfriend behind for the French Riviera. Once in Cannes, she takes up residence at the four-star Hotel Carlton, determined to enjoy every last penny of her windfall. en she meets Stéphane (José Garcia), who bursts into her room and interrupts her relaxing soak in a tub so he can test the room’s soundproofing on behalf of Elton John. Or so he claims. On a trip to the bank, she overhears Stéphane trying to swindle a banker into advancing him a substantial sum of money. When she confronts him, he confesses to being a con artist, and also 30,000 Euro in debt. Franssou agrees to loan him the money, but not before incorporating some rather creative conditions into the bargain. Together, the two begin a madcap courtship while simultaneously trying to con a number of rich, easy marks—chief among them René, a filthy rich exFormula 1 driver whose frequent crashes have left him flakier than breakfast cereal. Drawing inspiration from Ernst Lubitsch and Howard Hawks, director Christian Vincent creates a sophisticated screwball comedy with a distinctly Gallic twist, made all the more delicious by the fabulous chemistry between Carré and Garcia.

France 2006

Director:

Christian Vincent

Producers:

Olivier Delbosc

Marc Missonnier

Screenwriters:

Olivier Dazat

Christian Vincent

Cinematographer:

Hélène Louvart

Film Editor:

Yves Deschamps

Cast:

Isabelle Carré

José Garcia

François Cluzet

Michel Vuillermoz

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

StudioCanal

Print Source:

StudioCanal

Selected Filmography:

Les Enfants (2005)

Les Textiles (2004)

Sauve-Moi (2000)

Peut-etre (1999)

Je Ne Vois Pas Ce Qu’on Me

Trouve (1997)

La Séparation (1994)

Beau Fixe (1992)

Garpastum

THURSDAY JUNE 8 4:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SATURDAY JUNE 10 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

For the characters of Garpastum, sex, war and soccer line up together as the key parts of life’s experiences. e movie begins at the moment of Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination in 1914, and centers on a group of friends in Saint Petersburg—in particular two handsome brothers, Nikolai (Danila Kozlovsky) and Andrey (Evgeny Pronin). Before the world turns upside down as empires are overthrown and the world sinks into warfare, they indulge their passion for Garpastum, which in ancient Greek means “ball game,” or soccer. ey try out for teams but aren’t chosen, so they decide to form their own, but they need to buy a field. is leads them to play football for money with dockworkers, newspaper boys, students and seminarians. Andrey is in love with Anica, an eccentric Serbian actress (Chulpan Khamatova, Land of the Deaf), who hosts a very fashionable salon in St. Petersburg during Russia’s “Silver Age” where poets, musicians and artists regularly gather. Despite all the bad things the 20th century has in store for the heroes, they seem basically unfazed by tragedy and survive to play another day. Garpastum is a departure from director Alexey Guerman’s debut film e Last Train (SIFF 2004). It is his style of filmmaking that makes this film more about the end of an epoch and the end of youth than just about soccer.

Awards:

Russian Film Awards 2006 (Best Cinematography)

Russia 2005

Director:

Alexey Guerman Jr.

Producer:

Alexander Vaynshteyn

Screenwriters:

Oleg Antonov

Alexander Vaynshteyn

Alexey Guerman Jr.

Cinematographer:

Oleg Lukichov

Film Editor:

Ivan Lebedev

Music:

Igor Vdovin

Cast:

Evgeny Pronin

Danila Kozlovsky

Chulpan Khamatova

Running Time:

110 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Russian, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Intercinema XXI Century

Print Source:

Intercinema XXI Century

Film Website:

www.garpastum.ru

Selected Filmography:

The Last Train (2003)

Mahmoud is a railway welder who genuinely loves his wife, Pari. When he learns she has gone missing, he gets permission to leave his factory job and goes off to Tehran to find her. Upon arriving home, the entire neighborhood gives him different accounts of her whereabouts. ey all seem to insinuate that a runaway wife is a terrible humiliation, that he’s either lost her or he has been cuckolded. Many of those he meets during his search through the Iranian capital respond to his plight in an unfriendly, uncaring or even malicious manner. Mahmoud is torn between his genuine concern for his wife and pressure from his family and neighbors. A frightening visit to the morgue reveals the absurdities of the current powers in Iranian society. Having bribed the police chief so that he can approach the corpse of a young woman, Mahmoud is informed by another official that even a husband has no right under Iran’s Islamic law to inspect his wife’s dead body, which must be done by a female family member. When Mohmoud finally finds Pari, director Miri gives us several possible outcomes. e best is to move away and start a life elsewhere. And so we wonder, is it possible to disappear in Iran? Gradually is about how things slowly change and gradually take on other shapes. Gradually. at’s how change comes about in some places.

Awards:

Fribourg 2006 (FIPRESCI Prize)

Iran 2006

Director:

Maziar Miri

Producer:

Jahangir Kosari

Screenwriter: Parviz Shahbazi

Cinematographer: Hassan Karimi

Film Editor:

Maziar Miri

Music:

Mohammad Reza Darvishi

Cast:

Mohammad Reza Forutan

Niloofar Khoskholgh

Hassan Poorshirazi

Maryam Boobani

Running Time:

81 minutes

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

International Sales: Sheherazad Media

International

Print Source: Sheherazad Media

International

Selected Filmography: Un nished Song (2001)

North American Premiere

North American Premiere

The Great Match

THURSDAY JUNE 8 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 11 7:00 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

One of the great pleasures of veteran Spanish documentarian Gerardo Olivares’ hugely enjoyable e Great Match is watching his disparate cast of non-professional actors come to grips with the script while remaining themselves. e director’s documentary background helps capture the far-flung settings of the parallel tales of three isolated tribal groups who go to extreme measures to catch the final of the 2002 soccer World Cup. is exploration of the relationship between the most global of sports and the most isolated of people must have been a logistical nightmare to shoot, but it never shows. Opening in the vast spaces of Mongolia’s Altai mountains, a hunters share a tent presided over by a proverb-spouting, non-soccer loving grandmother; in Niger, a caravan of camels makes a diversion to an abandoned military base to set up an impromptu aerial, but of course one poor sucker has to watch the camels; meanwhile, somewhere in the Amazon a soccer-shirted hunter tries to set up a TV in his compound. e characters are always engaging, and much of the humor stems from the practicalities of their day-to-day lives, e.g. in the Amazon, the women’s frustration at their soccer-obsessed men’s uselessness as hunters. e Great Match is a simple treat, but also a visually breathtaking, gently comic homage to the indigenous communities that are its subject, and to soccer’s power to penetrate lives.

Preceded by Park Football, rst screening only. United Kingdom, 2005, 2 minutes, director: Grant Orchard A ball, a park, a murder of crows—what could possibly go wrong with this match?

Greyfriars Bobby

SUNDAY

Spain/ Germany 2006

Director:

Gerardo Olivares

Producer:

José María Morales

Screenwriters:

Chema Rodriguez

Gerardo Olivares

Cinematographer:

Gerardo Olivares

Film Editors:

Rori Sainz de Rozas

Raquel Torres

Music:

Martín Meissonnier

Cast:

Ahmed Alansar

Attibou Aboubacar

Tano Alansar

Mohamed Hassan

Running Time:

88 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

The Match Factory GmbH

Print Source:

The Match Factory GmbH

Selected Filmography:

Caravana (2005)

One of the most touching monuments in the city of Edinburgh is the statue outside of Greyfriars Kirkyard that is dedicated to Bobby, a fiercely devoted terrier who refused to leave his master even after the latter’s death. Set in 1858, this new film based on the true-life tale opens with Bobby accompanying his master, constable John Gray, on his rounds throughout the city, and on excursions into the countryside. When Gray dies from tuberculosis, he is buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard and, soon after, Bobby begins to stand watch over his grave, night and day. e law, however, prohibits dogs from the kirkyard, and Bobby finds himself continually ejected and needing to sneak back inside. Even when his master’s widow leaves Edinburgh to make a new life for herself, Bobby returns on his own to Gray’s grave. Ever resourceful, Bobby forages for food from the townsfolk and the soldiers stationed in Edinburgh Castle, soon earning a reputation as the dog belonging to the whole of Edinburgh. But not everyone is impressed by Bobby’s loyalty: Mr. Johnson and Mr. Smithie, two city elders, are ridiculed by their fellow townsfolk for their thwarted attempts to expel the wee doggie from Greyfriars. When the two men rewrite the dog licensing law to finally rid themselves of Bobby, it’s up to the Greyfriars’ minister, the caretaker and a young boy named Ewan to enlist the aid of the city’s lord provost on Bobby’s behalf.

United Kingdom 2005

Director:

John Henderson

Producer:

Christopher Figg

Screenwriters:

John Henderson

Richard Matthews

Neville Watchurst

Cinematographer:

John Ignatius

Film Editor:

David Yardley

Music:

Mark Thomas

Cast:

Oliver Golding

Greg Wise

James Cosmo

Gina McKee

Christopher Lee

Running Time:

104 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales:

Storm Entertainment Print Source:

Storm Entertainment Film Website: www.bobbythedog.co.uk

Selected Filmography: Two Men Went To War (2002)

The Magical Legend of the Leprechauns (1999)

Loch Ness (1996)

The Borrowers (1992)

North American Premiere

The Groomsmen

FRIDAY JUNE 2 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 3 1:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

A week before his wedding Paulie (Edward Burns) gathers with his groomsmen to reminisce and rejuvenate before donning his tux and walking down the aisle. Paulie’s brother (Donal Logue), cousin (Jay Mohr) and two friends (Matthew Lillard, John Leguizamo) ceremoniously arrive to drink beer, play ball and struggle with the challenges of becoming adults. In the comfort and refuge of their old neighborhood, honesty prevails as each of them confronts the skeletons in their respective closets: infertility, fatherhood and of course the mystery of the stolen Tom Seaver baseball card. With an anxious fiancée (Brittany Murphy) and a baby on the way, Paulie is overwhelmed and alarmed by the weight of what lies before him. But armed with the memories of boyhood friendship as well as their newfound honesty, Paulie and his groomsmen embark on their journey into a brave new world. e Groomsmen is a return to what Edward Burns does best: a simple story magically told. e all-to-familiar territory of graduating into adulthood is tackled with a freshness of dialogue that leaves the audience believing that they are eavesdropping on the most intimate of conversations. And Burns should be congratulated on the brave nature of his casting that allows actors such as Lillard and Logue to break out of familiar territory to showcase their true acting talent.

USA 2006

Director:

Edward Burns

Producers:

Edward Burns

Philippe Martinez

Aaron Lubin

Margot Bridger

Screenwriter:

Edward Burns

Cinematographer:

William Rexer

Film Editor:

Jamie Kirkpatrick

Music:

Robert Gary

P.T. Walkley

Cast:

Edward Burns

John Leguizamo

Matthew Lillard

Brittany Murphy

Donal Logue

Jay Mohr

Running Time:

99 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Bauer Martinez Entertainment

Print Source:

Bauer Martinez Entertainment

Selected Filmography:

Ash Wednesday (2002)

Sidewalks of New York (2001)

She’s the One (1996)

The Brothers McMullen (1995)

Gypo

Helen (Pauline McLynne) is a forty-something housewife whose husband Paul (Paul McGann) no longer wants her and whose children no longer need her. She takes classes in the community, but is deeply unhappy in her life. Surly spouse Paul is a racist, hypocritical working class guy who is tired of being poor. Tasha (Chloe Sirene), a classmate of Helen’s daughter Kelly, is a young Romany girl taking care of her mother as they wait for their British passports and freedom from their abusive pasts. e first British Dogme film, with a script written loosely to encourage improvisation, Gypo utilizes non-linear storytelling to show the same events through the eyes of these three characters and their changing relationships. As Helen and Tasha start to fall for each other, McLynne (known for her comedic roles) shows some strong dramatic acting chops, while using her innate sense of comedy to punctuate smaller moments. Shot in less than two weeks for under $100,000, with each scene shot only once, this bittersweet tale about the breakdown of a working-class family and the resulting search for happiness is engrossing and complex. With terrific performances by the three leads, writer/director Jan Dunn’s gritty debut balances a provocative attitude with deeply felt compassion for her characters.

Awards:

British Independent Film Award (Best Production)

United Kingdom 2005

Director:

Jan Dunn

Producer:

Elaine Wickham

Screenwriter:

Jan Dunn

Cinematographers:

Jacob Kusk

Vilt Kusk

Film Editor:

Emma Collins

Music:

Christiane Bjørg Nielsen

Labrador

Cast:

Pauline McLynn

Paul McGann

Rula Lenska

Chloe Sirene

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

International Sales:

Swipe Films

Print Source:

Wolfe Video

Film Website:

www.gypothe lm.co.uk

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

FRIDAY JUNE 2 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL SUNDAY JUNE 4 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Since the Grand Opening of Lincoln Square, downtown Bellevue ha s never been the same. And neither will your evenings out. Lincoln Square has energize d the Bellevue dining, entertainment, and shopping experience. Come dine at one of the four sit-down restaurants, enjoy a movie at the 16-screen cinema or shop the exciting stores new to the region. And since the evening’s stil l young, there’s time for a drink and a game or two of pool before you head home. And with a new, luxury hotel – The Westin Bellevue – just steps away, why not spend the night?

• Don’t forget: Additional parking is FREE evenings and weeken ds at Bellevue Place, across from Lincoln Square. Located on Bellevue Way between NE 6th and NE 8th Street www.lincolnsquare.com

Where Life Meets St y le W

NOW OPEN

The Container Store • Thomasville Home Furnishings of Bellevue • Cypress

Maggiano’s Little Italy • The Westin Bellevue

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant

Lincoln Square Cinemas

Trader Vic’s

Tully’s Coffee

Koots Green Tea

COMING FALL 2006

Henredon • Bombay

The Parlor Bill iards & Spirits

Vino 100

Manzana Rotisserie G rill

U.S. Bank

Paper Source

Happy As One

MONDAY JUNE 12 7:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Happily united or lonely together? Vanessa Jopp uses Mike Leigh’s techniques of workshopped dialogue to add a natural feel to her script, and it pays some serious dividends. In searching for the next romantic attachment or a long-lost love, several very different people wander about Berlin looking for a way out of their lonely existence and, falteringly, find their way towards each other. At the centre is Mathilda, a hard-bitten, fire-spitting vixen whose punk music is the bane of her neighbors’ existence, but it is also her introduction to Bronski, a mild-mannered police officer whose gentle persistence starts to wear down her uncompromising nature. Mathilda’s sister Ali has control freak tendencies as she tries to balance career and family, and it is driving her husband nuts. eir marriage held together only by the couple’s young son, and he wonders if he’d have a better chance of fulfilling his hopes with his former girlfriend, Hanna. Andi, at 50, can only dream of such problems. Alone and luckless, he resorts to the personals and begins a tentative relationship with a frustrated single mother that becomes complicated when he discovers his telephone relationship has actually been with her 16-year old daughter, Mandy. rough it all, Meret Becker is incendiary as the chronically irritable Mathilda, but she is really just the jewel in the crown of consummate character actors gracing this appealing and incisive relationships drama.

Germany 2006

Director:

Vanessa Jopp

Producer:

Oliver Simon

Screenwriters:

Adrienne Bortoli

Stefan Schneider

Cinematographer:

Rainer Klausmann

Film Editor:

Brigitta Tauchner

Music:

Loy Wesselburg

Cast:

Meret Becker

Hinnerk Schönemann

Stefanie Stappenbeck

Marek Harlo

Fritz Roth

Running Time:

97 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in German, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Bavaria Film International

Print Source:

Bavaria Film International

Selected Filmography:

Engle and Joe (2001)

Forget America (1999)

Heading South

French filmmaker Laurent Cantet (Time Out) has quickly established himself as a leading voice in the ethical and psychological effects of modern labor culture, offering contemplative and resonant portraits of individuals at work. With his latest, he expands this theme to the North American sex tourism industry. ree American women travel to Haiti: Boston matron Ellen (Charlotte Rampling), naive middle-American Brenda (Karen Young), and Sue (Louise Portal), a sexually liberal free spirit. All three women enjoy the company—and stunning body—of Legba (Ménothy Cesar, winner of Best Young Actor at the 2005 Venice Film Festival), a crafty and resourceful gigolo. As the source of the women’s obsessions, the somewhat morally ambiguous Legba quickly becomes the center of an aggressive competition. e film, however, seeks to condemn neither the women nor the male sex workers, but instead the detached corruption of commoditization as a whole. As with Cantet’s previous work, the casual personal facades obscure deep-rooted fears and desires until the inevitably tragic consequences arise, mirroring the story’s late-1970s milieu during Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier’s oppressive regime. Merging the personal with the political, Cantet exposes the troubling objectification of the ird World and the difficulties of its resilient locals to overcome a perpetual system of exploitation.

Awards:

Venice 2005 (Best Young Actor)

France/ Canada 2005

Director:

Laurent Cantet

Producers:

Caroline Benjo

Carole Scotta

Simon Arnal

David Reckziegal

John Hamilton

Screenwriters:

Laurent Cantet

Robin Campillo

Cinematographer:

Pierre Milon

Film Editor: Robin Campillo

Cast:

Charlotte Rampling

Louise Portal

Karen Young

Ménothy Cesar

Running Time:

105 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, Creole, and English, with English subtitles

International Sales: Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

Shadow Distribution

Selected Filmography:

Time Out (2001)

Human Resources (1998)

North American Premiere

THURSDAY JUNE 1 9:45 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

TUESDAY JUNE 6 4:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Bosnian-born Danis Tanovic (No Man’s Land) returns with a finely observed, detailed film that confirms the plaudits he gained for his Oscarwinning debut. Here he delves into a haunting screenplay by Krzysztof Piesiewicz that is loosely inspired by Dante’s Inferno, which was originally intended for the late Krzysztof Kieslowski, and he employs some of France’s major female stars, including Emmanuelle Béart, Carole Bouquet (seemingly the busiest woman in France this year) and Karin Viard. e story centers on a crippled mother (Bouquet) and her three grown daughters, now mature adults with their own tangled web of relationships. e first part plays like a brilliant sketch by the filmmaker that forces us to pull together the pieces. en, like a grenade, he lobs in the violent incident between mother and father that initiated a family trauma. What follows is a searing look at a family trying to come to grips with the powerful spell that the long-absent father has cast over their lives. Assembled with the precision of a Swiss watch, Hell delivers a nuanced reflection on judgment through the ways in which people react to, interpret and deal with the unfolding events. at the film achieves such depth of tragedy—and occasionally comedy (Karin Viard’s nervous spinster is a hoot)—is a tribute to the talent at all levels of this magnificent production, with Tanovic especially displaying immense skill in weaving together the various strands of this whirling, epic portrait of a family torn apart.

The Hidden Blade

K AK USHI-KEN: ONI NO TSUME

France/Italy/ Belgium/ Japan 2005

Director:

Danis Tanovic

Producers:

Cedomir Kolar

Marc Baschet

Screenwriter: Krzystof Piesiewicz

Cinematographer: Laurent Dailland

Film Editor:

Francesca Calvelli

Music:

Dusko Segvic

Danis Tanovic

Cast: Emmanuelle Béart

Karin Viard

Marie Gillain

Carole Bouquet

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Focus Features

Print Source: A.S.A.P. Films

Selected Filmography: No Man’s Land (2001)

is majestic follow-up to the Oscar-nominated e Twilight Samurai once again concerns the crisis of conscience faced by a lowly samurai. Katagiri (Masatoshe Nagase, Mystery Train) is a peace-loving family man who has never taken a life. He is forced to weigh his feudal obligations to his overlord against his personal principles when he is ordered to hunt down a crazed escaped prisoner charged with rebellion, resulting in a climactic duel to the death surrounded by gun-wielding infantrymen. His personal life is no easier, with a scandal brewing over an attractive former servant girl, seen as an unsuitable match for his samurai status, who he rescues and brings back to his household after she almost dies from the brutal treatment meted out by the family into which she had married. All of the separate elements of the script are brought together by the end, which draws together both storylines into a deliciously satisfactory whole. e mid-19th century setting is skillfully depicted to reflect the beginnings of Western influence in Japan, through the introduction of guns and other affronts to the samurais’ fighting arts (a frustrated Edo soldier’s attempts to educate his country-bumpkin charges in the use of artillery provides some amusing comic relief), and Yamada’s grip on his audience is as secure as a scabbard on a sword. One would be hardpressed to find a more meticulously crafted and rewarding period drama.

Awards:

Japanese Academy Award 2005 (Best Art Direction) MONDAY MAY 29 6:30 PM

Japan 2005

Director:

Yoji Yamada

Producer:

Hiroshi Fukazawa

Screenwriters: Yoshitaka Asama

Yoji Yamada

Cinematographer: Mutsuo Naganuma

Film Editor:

Iwao Ishii

Music: Isao Tomita

Cast:

Masatoshi Nagase

Takako Matsu

Hidetaka Yoshioka

Yukiyoshi Ozawa

Running Time:

132 minutes

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

Print Source: Tartan Films USA

Film Website: www.kakushiken.jp

Selected Filmography: The Twilight Samurai (2002)

Gakko III: The New Voyage (1998)

My Sons (1991)

Tora’s Tropical Fever (1980)

The political dialogue in America finally has an answering voice

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The Horizon of Events

L’O RIZZONTE D EGLI EVENTI

Scientists from all over the world come to mountainous central Italy to work in the Gran Sasso Nuclear Physics Laboratory, the most advanced facility of its kind. In e Horizon of Events, the competitive world of nuclear physics is presented through up-and-coming physicist Max (Valerio Mastrandrea). He is one of those obsessed professionals who thinks only about advancing their careers. When it comes to women, he plays the field even though he makes nocturnal visits to see French colleague Anaïs (Gwenaelle Siomon), who is in love with him. To his credit, he didn’t follow in his recently deceased father’s crooked footsteps and become a lawyer, or get mixed up in construction sites or kickbacks. At 35, Max gets the chance of a lifetime when he is appointed to lead the Helios project that deals with black holes and their gravitational pull. International competition is ruthless; he realizes they’ll never beat a Japanese team studying the same thing and takes a highly unethical shortcut to win world renown. Following a near-fatal car crash, Max wakes up on top of the mountain in the simple home of a shepherd, Bajram (Lulzim Zeqja), who has saved his life. With both of them struggling with the meaning of life, Max’s full-blown identity crisis drains him of all bravado—how long can he put off his moment of truth?

Italy 2005

Director:

Daniele Vicari

Producer:

Domenico Procacci

Screenwriters:

Antonio Leotti

Laura Paolucci

Daniele Vicari

Cinematographer:

Gherardo Gossi

Film Editor:

Marco Spoletini

Music:

Massimo Zamboni

Cast:

Valerio Mastrandrea

Gwenaelle Simon

Luzlim Zeqja

Giorgio Colangeli

Francesca Inaudi

Running Time: 115 minutes

An eleven-year old boy lives in an abandoned riverboat after running away from an orphanage. e name of the boy is never known, although neighbors call him “Mongrel.” He tells a policeman, “I have no name, I just am.” Mongrel is neither self-pitying nor does he have any regrets. e only thing he knows is that, at eleven, his adult life has just begun and that he must get through it on his own, getting by collecting and selling scrap-iron while dreaming of being a poet. He makes friends with a girl of the same age from a wealthy family who is secretly drunk most of the time. e film is based on director Dorota Kedzierzawska’s memory of a young boy she encountered who ran away from a children’s home and spent six months living alone in an abandoned shed just outside a housing estate. e inhabitants knew about the squatter, yet it never occurred to them to connect with him, nor did they seem surprised by his presence. Says Kedzierzawska, “Ever since I met this shy, inconspicuous boy he’s haunted me. He had never been to the cinema or theater. He practically lived in the streets; he often walked around hungry and ragged.” I Am is his story, about his search for meaning and his place in life. Kedzierzawska was one of SIFF’s first Emerging Masters in 1999. e 1998 Women In Cinema festival opened with her stunning film Nothing

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (DK-SM)

Polish Film Awards 2006 (Best Cinematography, Best Score, Best Sound)

Poland 2005

Agnieszka Nagórzycka

Basia Szkaluba

Edyta Jungowska

Iberia

SATURDAY JUNE 3 6:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

MONDAY JUNE 5 4:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

In his latest tribute film, Carlos Saura engages some of the biggest stars in Spain’s music and dance world singers to interpret Isaac Albéniz’s suite on its one hundredth anniversary. e dancers include the internationally renowned Sara Baras; Antonio Canales, choreographer and former soloist for the Spanish National Ballet; and Aída Gómez, the Ballet’s former director and star of Saura’s Salomé. Guitarists Manolo Sanlúcar, Gerardo Núñez and José Antonio Ruiz play alongside pianist Rosa Torres Pardo. Legendary singer-songwriter Enrique Morente is featured, as is his daughter, singer Estrella Morente. e freshness and spontaneity is heightened by Saura’s addition of footage documenting the genesis of each piece, from initial preparations to the final performance. rough his non-narrative approach to filmmaking, Saura evokes the gypsy culture of southern Spain. In Iberia, the music and dances are performed against a minimalist background and are introduced only by the names of the pieces and the performers. e numbers flow into one another seamlessly, as if following their own internal logic, and the simplicity of the spectacle is made remarkable by its luxurious grace and elegance with each episode stirring a myriad of emotions. Iberia incorporates flamenco, ballet, contemporary dance and a variety of musical genres to create a breathtaking work of art that is a feast for the senses.

Awards:

Goya 2006 (Best Cinematography)

The Iceberg

FRIDAY JUNE 9 6:45 PM PACIFIC

Spain/France 2005

Director:

Carlos Saura

Producer:

Alvaro Longaria

Screenwriter: Carlos Saura

Cinematographer:

José Luis López-Linares

Film Editor:

Julia Juaniz

Music:

Roque Baños

Cast: Sara Baras

Antonio Canales

Marta Carrasco

Running Time:

99 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Wild Bunch

Print Source:

Wild Bunch

Selected Filmography:

The Seventh Day (2004)

Goya in Bordeaux (1999)

Tango (1998)

The Dark Night of the Soul (1989)

Blood Wedding (1981)

Cria! (1976)

It’s a cinematic given that if a walk-in freezer appears in a movie, someone is going to wind up locked in it. In this case, it’s gawky fast-food waitress Fiona (Fiona Gordon) who spends an entire night in the chiller, and that’s just the first of a breathless series of comic misadventures. After her rescue the next morning, however, something is a bit off : she finds herself inexorably drawn to the cold. Fed up with her family, who remained blissfully unaware of her absence, she has a chance encounter with a mute sailor and his ship, Le Titanique, that leads her to believe that a utopian existence on an iceberg is her future. is is devastating news to her husband Julian (Dominique Abel), who will stop at nothing in trying to win her back. He transforms from meek businessman to fearless hero, running, driving and swimming across oceans to make things right again. All of this is done principally through sound and vision, not language, by employing a series of inventive set pieces that are sure to elicit laughter. e three directors—stars Abel and Gordon, with Bruno Romy—paint the scenes with a brightly colored pop aesthetic and engagingly innocent air that reflect the general cheer of the first-class, frequently slapstick gags. It all falls somewhere between Keaton, Tati and Aki Kaurismäki—and that’s pretty good company to be in.

Awards:

Bogota 2005 (Best Film)

Belgium 2005

Directors:

Dominique Abel

Fiona Gordon

Bruno Romy

Producers:

Dominique Abel

Fiona Gordon

Screenwriters:

Dominique Abel

Fiona Gordon

Bruno Romy

Cinematographer:

Sébastien Koeppel

Film Editor:

Sandrine Deegen

Music:

Jacques Luley

Cast:

Dominique Abel

Fiona Gordon

Robin Goupil

Philippe Martz

Running Time:

84 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

MK2 International

Print

Source:

First Run Features

Selected Filmography:

Walking on the Wild Side (2000)

Rosita (1997)

Merci cupidon (1994)

PLACE CINEMAS

In Bed

MONDAY JUNE 12 9:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

THURSDAY JUNE 15 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

After meeting at a party, Daniela (Blanca Lewin) and Bruno (Gonzalo Valenzuela) land in bed in a garishly decorated motel room. ough they don’t even remember each other’s names, they slowly reveal themselves over the course of the night—between bursts of passion—discussing past sexual exploits and relationships as well as vintage cartoons, Reiki massages and movies. Bruno lets slip that he’s leaving in a week for Belgium to start a post-doctorate degree, and suddenly the flicker of hope goes out in Daniela’s eyes. Aiming to wound, she remarks that casual sex means nothing, and Bruno’s wordless reaction conveys his injured feelings. By the end, the two have revealed major secrets they’ve never told before, emboldened by the belief that they won’t ever meet again. Director Matías Bize’s second feature has a sparse, quasi-theatrical setup and an elegantly simple concept. Bize combines an economical but always interesting visual style with an intelligence and understanding of the fragility of sexual relationships that belies his youth (he’s 26). Talented and appealing, Lewin and Valenzuela are entirely convincing as two slightly damaged young people who’ve already been around the block a few times. Like Before Sunrise, the film invites debate between realist and romantic-minded audience members as to whether the characters will or won’t ultimately get it together.

Awards:

Valladolid 2005 (Best Film)

Initial D

Chile/ Germany 2005

Director:

Matías Bize

Producer:

Adrián Solar

Screenwriter:

Julio Rojas

Cinematographers:

Christián Castro

Gabriel Díaz

Film Editor:

Paula Talloni

Music:

Diego Fontecilla

Cast: Blanca Lewin

Gonzalo Valenzuela

Running Time: 85 minutes

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

International Sales: Intramovies

Print Source: Intramovies

Film Website: www.enlacama.cl

Selected Filmography: Saturday (2003)

Leaving e Fast and the Furious in its exhaust, Initial D jumpstarts the adrenaline from its first frame. Directors Andrew Lau and Alan Mak ( e Infernal Affairs Trilogy) have crafted a super-slick street-racing pic that sidesteps the usual clichés and takes you on an unforgettable ride. Takumi (played by Jay Chou, an Asian pop idol making his film debut) is a quiet student who delivers into the wee hours of the morning for his drunken father (an inspired Anthony Wong), a former racing champion. For years Takumi has secretly honed his skills as a driver, while waiting to find a break as a professional racer. Off the road, however, there is a classmate with a crush, a quarreling friend and a troublesome family life. Ultimately, Initial D is not about racing but Takumi’s Zen-like perspective on life while “drifting” through every hairpin turn on Mt. Akina. Based on the manga and anime of the same name, Initial D amplifies its source material with inspired visuals—inventive CGI, freeze frames, split screens and extreme letterboxing - feeling like manga injected with life. Already a record-breaker in China, you should strap yourself in for this heart-racing ride. Click it or ticket!

Awards:

Hong Kong Film Awards 2006 (Best Supporting Actor)

Hong Kong 2005

Directors:

Andrew Lau

Alan Mak

Producer:

Andrew Lau

Screenwriter:

Felix Chong

Cinematographers:

Andrew Lau

Lai Yiu-fai

Ng Man-ching

Film Editor:

Wong Hoi

Music:

Chen Kwong-wing

Cast:

Jay Chou

Anne Suzuki

Edison Chen

Anthony Wong

Shawn Yu

Chapman To

Running Time:

108 minutes

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

Tai

Isabella

Itinéraires

SUNDAY JUNE 11 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 18 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

US Premiere

A beautifully filmed widescreen elegy to times past and chances lost, Isabella revolves around a frustrated Macau cop and the mysterious young woman who throws his world into deeper turmoil. A mood piece with inevitable echoes of Wong Kar-wai, the film is set in atmospheric Macau, with its musty reminders of the original Portuguese colonizers. It’s the sweltering summer of 1999 and authorities are attempting a last-ditch crackdown on smuggling and police corruption before the colony is delivered back to China. Inspector Ma Chen-shing is a worldweary cop and serial womanizer, on suspension for alleged corruption. After he picks up young Cheung Bik-yan in a bar and they’ve slept together, she floors Ma with the revelation that she’s his daughter. Initially asking for a little money to pay her back rent and rescue Isabella, her impounded dog, Cheung increasingly impinges on Ma’s life, bickering with her friend Kate and fending off the advances of a classmate. Ma starts to wonder just how much more of this he can take. More often seen in comic or off beat roles, Chapman To is impressive as the beleaguered cop whose life took the wrong track almost from the start, and newcomer Isabella Leong is convincing as the leggy, waifish Cheung. Enhanced by gentle, pastel photography and a Latin-infused score, Isabella will beguile audiences and remain in the memory long after the characters have wafted off the screen.

Awards:

Berlin

Hong Kong 2005

Director:

Pang Ho-Cheung

Producer:

Han Sanping

Screenwriters:

Pang Ho-Cheung

Kearen Pang

Derek Tsang

Jimmy Wan

Cinematographer:

Charlie Lam

Film Editor:

Wenders Li

Music:

Peter Kam

Cast:

Chapman To

Isabella Leong

J.J. Jia

Derek Tsang

Meme Tian

Running Time:

91 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Cantonese, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Media Asia Distribution

Print Source:

Media Asia Distribution

Film Website:

www.isabellathemovie.com

Selected Filmography:

Qing Chun Meng Gong (2005)

Beyond Our Ken (2004)

Suddenly In Black (2003)

You Shoot, I Shoot (2001)

18-year-old ierry Chartier just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. After a trial instigated by his own father, he is ordered to live with his grandmother in a small village in northern France. Still the rabble rouser, he and Rouillé, the village outcast, run amok and steal meat from the local slaughterhouse, much to the chagrin of the local restaurant owners. After Rouillé ends up killing a restaurant owner who was trying cheat them, ierry ends up spending five years in prison as an accomplice to murder. He comes out with a new tattoo and an English diploma, as well as the weight of internal and external guilt. He is then sent back to his parents’ house on parole. It seems, though, that ierry just can’t escape his past. After witnessing yet another murder, he becomes the prime suspect. Hunted by the law, specifically Lieutenant Amando, who is sure of ierry’s guilt, he does the only thing he can: he runs. In his first fiction feature, Christophe Otzenberger presents a story of trying to escape your past and finding it impossible. ierry must reinvent himself and outrun the law, but is it too late for salvation?

France 2005

Director:

Christophe Otzenberger

Producer:

Patrick Sobelman

Screenwriters:

Roger Bohbot

Vincent Hirsch

Christophe Otzenberger

Cinematographer:

Nicolas Guicheteau

Film Editor:

Bernard Sasia

Music:

Franck Louise

Cast:

Yann Trégouët

Cécile Cuignet

Lionel Abelanski

Running Time:

87 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Films Distribution

Print Source:

Films Distribution

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

North American Premiere

Joni’s Promise

JANJI JONI

MONDAY JUNE 5 9:45 PM HARVARD EXIT

THURSDAY JUNE 8 4:45 PM HARVARD EXIT

A favorite at festivals all over the world, Joni’s Promise, from former film critic Joko Anwar, was last year’s biggest box-office hit in its native Indonesia. e boyish Joni (Nicholas Saputra) is a young man of 22, living and working in Jakarta as a reel courier for a cinema chain. He carts film reels from theater to theater so cinema owners can save money on prints by running the same copy at multiple theaters simultaneously. Joni has never had a girlfriend, but he doesn’t mind. He’s happy with his life and takes pride in his work, particularly with the fact that he has never been late on a delivery. But all that changes one day when he meets a beautiful young woman (Mariana Renata) in a theater lobby. She refuses to tell him her name unless he can deliver the next reel to the theatre on time. Joni thinks it’ll be a snap, but on this day the whole town seems to be conspiring against him. In addition to the usual gridlocked Jakarta traffic, Joni’s errand is derailed by bike thieves, a film shoot, a pregnancy, and even a rock band’s audition. Joni’s Promise is an immensely appealing and sweet comedy that is both a populist crowd-pleaser and a cine-literate tribute to the joy of movies. Featuring Indonesian indie bands Teenage Death Star, Tomorrow People Ensemble, e Adams, Sore and more.

Awards:

Asia Paci c 2005 (Best Editing)

Kamataki

Indonesia 2005

Director:

Joko Anwar

Producer:

Nia Dinata

Screenwriter:

Joko Anwar

Cinematographer: Ipung

Film Editor:

K. Koesprapto

Music: Age

Cast: Nicholas Saputra

Mariana Renata

Rachel Maryam

Surya Saputura

Dwiki Riza

Running Time:

84 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English and Indonesian, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Focus Films

Print Source:

Focus Films

Film Website: www.janjijoni.com

Selected Filmography: Joni Be Brave (2003)

Ken is a 22-year-old Canadian who has lost his father and his will to live. After he miraculously survives a deadly plunge off a bridge, his mother feels that his estranged Japanese uncle is the only person who can help him find what he has lost. e uncle, Takuma, is a master potter, an expert in the Japanese art of Kamataki—a stoneware process that requires many days of firing. Takuma quietly advises his sullen nephew in the ways of clay and life, counseling him to “keep a strong and good fire inside always.” Takuma has a robust erotic life that both intrigues and repels the nephew, but as his emotional scars slowly heal, Ken opens up to sensual pleasures and finds love. e film wrests great drama out of the painstaking creation and marathon firing of the pottery. e tension of keeping the whitehot inferno going for days on end is palpable, and Ken’s struggle to master the kiln is exhilarating. Claude Gagnon’s seemingly simple story is ultimately sublimely riveting, complex and erotic.

Awards:

Montreal 2005 (Best Director, FIPRESCI Prize, Audience Award, Ecumenical Award, Most Popular Canadian Film)

Canada/Japan 2005

Director:

Claude Gagnon

Producers:

Yuri Yoshimura

Samuel Gagnon

Toru Kanzaki

Screenwriter:

Claude Gagnon

Cinematographer:

Hideho Urata

Film Editors:

Claude Gagnon

Takako Miyahira

Music:

Jorane

Cast:

Matt Smiley

Tatsuya Fuji

Kazuko Yoshiyuki

Lisle Wilkerson

Naho Watanabe

Christopher Heyerdahl

(1991)

Fire (1985)

The King

MONDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 9:30 PM

For his narrative feature debut, director James Marsh fashions a chilling story about religious piety and its macabre consequences. Gael García Bernal gives a performance of sinister subtlety as Elvis, a young Hispanic man recently discharged from the navy. When he returns home to Corpus Christi, Texas, he seeks out evangelical pastor David Sandow (William Hurt) to inform him that he is his bastard son from a youthful indiscretion. Sandow, wishing to keep his sinful past hidden from both church and family, rebuffs Elvis and forbids him to make any further contact. In spite of this warning, Elvis approaches Sandow’s 16-year-old daughter Malerie (Pell James) and they develop a secret relationship. Elvis ends up casting himself in the role of the prodigal son, and when Sandow has a change of heart and welcomes him into their home, neither his wife nor daughter are pleased because they have begun to see the darkness within Elvis. Has the serpent been let into Eden? Featuring superb performances from Bernal, Hurt and James, e King is a frightening Texas gothic tale in which the religious sublime is all too easily corrupted into a grotesque parody of itself.

Awards:

Philadelphia 2006 (Best American Independent Film)

Kirikou and the Wild Beasts

USA/United Kingdom 2005

Director:

James Marsh

Producers:

Milo Addica

James Wilson

Screenwriters:

Milo Addica

James Marsh

Cinematographer:

Eigil Bryld

Film Editor:

Jinx Godfrey

Music:

Max Avery Lichtenstein

Cast:

Gael García Bernal

William Hurt

Pell James

Paul Dano

Laura Harring

Running Time:

95 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: THINKFilm

Print Source: THINKFilm

Film Website: www.jumpstreet lms.com. au/king.html

Selected Filmography:

The Team (2005)

Wisconsin Death Trip (1999)

In this delightful sequel to Kirikou and the Sorceress (SIFF 2000), the eponymous African infant warrior/trickster returns. As the film begins, Kirikou’s grandfather declares the previous story too short—Kirikou had many other adventures that were important for the village—and introduces each of four new suspenseful tales of teamwork, resourcefulness and generosity. In the first, Kirikou, recently believed drowned, awakens in his mother’s arms. e villagers are overjoyed not only at his recovery, but also because the water source Kirikou found can now be used to irrigate a vegetable garden. However, one morning they find their labors destroyed, and who else but the villainous sorceress could be responsible? In the second story, Kirikou discovers a source of natural clay that the villagers soon fashion into pottery. When the pots prove too heavy to carry, it is up to Kirikou to discover a way to get them into town for market. e sorceress once again reappears in the third tale in which Kirikou ventures into the jungle and the desert atop a giraffe in order to outwit the evil minions she has sent. In the final tale, a mysterious ailment afflicts all the women in the village and the only known cure grows just outside the sorceress’ fortress. Featuring stunning traditional cell animation, Kirikou and the Wild Beasts surpasses its predecessor in delivering not only a series of fantastic adventures but also a sumptuous visual feast.

France 2005

Directors:

Michel Ocelot

Bénédicte Galup

Producer:

Didier Brunner

Screenwriter:

Michel Ocelot

Film Editor:

Dominique Lefever

Music:

Manu Dibango

Youssou N’Dour

Rokia Traoré

Voices:

Pierre-Ndo é Sarr

Awa Sene Sarr

Robert Liensol

Running Time: 75 minutes

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

International Sales: Celluloid Dreams

Print Source: Celluloid Dreams

Film Website: www.kirikou-le lm.com

Selected Filmography:

Princes and Princesses (2000)

Kirikou and the Sorceress (1998)

Kissed by Winter

TUESDAY JUNE 6 4:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

THURSDAY JUNE 8 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

is year’s official Oscar contender from Norway, Kissed by Winter is a story of two deaths, one suspicious and the other unacceptable, and a touching examination of the unimaginable grief and guilt that results from parents seeing their children die. Annika Hallin gives a delicate, nuanced performance as Victoria, a Stockholm doctor whose bookish son dies after she bullies him into taking part in an ice hockey game. Mortified, she leaves her forlorn husband and sets up shop as a country practitioner in the snowbound wilds, attempting to avoid her memories by burying herself in her new work. When the body of a young Iraqi is found in a roadside drift and a genial plow driver, Kai, is suspected of manslaughter, the doctor determines to find out the truth. As she becomes entangled in the death of the young boy, her grief at her own loss is mirrored in that of his devastated immigrant parents, and she also finds herself romantically drawn to the hapless suspect. First-time director Sara Johnsen and cinematographer Odd Reinhardt Nicolaysen employ both the beauty and harshness of the winter landscape as background to Stale Stein Berg’s insightful script, and as an extra treat, the film features the bestyet use of Jeff Buckley’s astonishing version of Leonard Cohen’s evocative “Hallelujah.”

Awards:

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Amanda Awards 2005 (Best Debut, Best Actress)

Norway/ Sweden 2005

Director:

Sara Johnsen

Producers:

Cristian Fredrik Martin

Asle Vatn

Screenwriters:

Sara Johnsen

Ståle Stein Berg

Cinematographer:

Odd Reinhardt Nicolaisen

Film Editor:

Zaklina Stojcevska

Music:

Ståle Kaspersen

Cast:

Annika Hallin

Kristo er Joner

Fritjov Såheim

Göran Ragnerstam

Linn Skåber

Running Time:

83 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Norwegian and Swedish, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

NonStop Sales AB

Print Source:

Norwegian Film Institute

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Lassie

SUNDAY JUNE

e most famous collie in pop culture history is back in a brand new, star-studded feature film. Fans of Lassie, particularly of the long running TV series, may be surprised to learn the story was originally set in England, and this new movie delivers her back to her origins. Set just before the Second World War, Lassie lives with the Carraclough family in rural Yorkshire. One day, when she saves a fox from the hounds of a foxhunting party led by the Duke of Rudling (Peter O’Toole), her courage attracts the Duke’s eye and he attempts to buy her for his own daughter Cilla. At first, the Carracloughs reject his offer, but when father Sam (John Lynch) is laid off from the local mine, he and his wife Sarah (Samantha Morton) must sell Lassie, breaking their 9-year-old son’s heart. Despite the best efforts of the Duke’s kennelman, Lassie refuses to stay, continually returning to Joe. But then Rudling removes Cilla and Lassie to the northern tip of Scotland for safety from the war. Although she loves Lassie, Cilla cannot keep her away from Joe and sets her free once more, but this time Lassie must cover some 500 miles to return to him. With cameos from Peter Dinklage, Kelly Macdonald and the Loch Ness Monster, Lassie is a solidly crafted retelling of the classic adventure story, featuring exquisite cinematography that beautifully captures the primal landscapes Lassie must traverse to return home.

Ireland/ United Kingdom/USA 2006

Director: Charles Sturridge

Producers: Ed Guiney

Francesca Barra

Charles Sturridge

Screenwriter: Charles Sturridge

Cinematographer: Howard Atherton

Film Editor: Peter Coulson

Adam Green

Music: Adrian Johnston

Cast: Peter O’Toole

Samantha Morton

Peter Dinklage

Jonathan Mason

John Lynch

Running Time: 100 minutes Presentation

Life With My Father

FRIDAY

In his second feature, director Sébastien Rose crafts a precision-tooled tragicomedy set in Montreal that shows how you can, indeed, go home again. Brothers Patrick and Paul are complete opposites. An uptight drug company executive, Patrick runs his home and family with a domineering authority. Paul, on the other hand, is a drug executive of another variety: he sells pills on the street. A bohemian suffering from writer’s block, living in a decrepit home with his girlfriend, Paul is surprised when his bon-vivant father François, a renowned writer, returns from Rome and lands on his doorstep, having been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Soon thereafter, Patrick appears, seeking shelter after being ousted by his long-suffering wife. Confronted with each other, and with their father’s complete sexual and emotional openness, Paul and Patrick must come to terms with their own relationship as well as their essentially conservative views. e film is supported by a strong cast, particularly Raymond Bouchard’s commanding performance as the larger-than-life patriarch. Life With My Father maintains a brisk and captivating pace, and Rose expertly mixes comedy and drama. Suffused with humanist wisdom, and a subtle plea for the acceptance of individual foibles.

Awards:

Karlovy Vary 2005 (Audience Award)

Canada 2005

Director:

Sébastien Rose

Producers:

Roger Frappier

Luc Vandal

Screenwriters:

Sébastien Rose

Stéfanie Lasnier

Cinematographer:

Nicolas Bolduc

Film Editor:

Dominique Fortin

Music:

Pierre Desrochers

Nathalie Boileau

Cast:

Raymond Bouchard

Paul Ahmarani

David La Haye

Hélène Florent

Julie Du Page

Running Time:

110 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Max Films International

Print Source:

Max Films International

Film Website:

www.christal lms. com/o cialsites/lavieavecmonpere

Selected Filmography:

How My Mother Gave Birth to Me During Menopause (2003)

With Linda Linda Linda, director Nobuhiro Yamashita (No One’s Ark, Ramblers), the eccentric bard of the everyday, takes the audience behind the scenes of a provincial high school festival into the fun and fashionable territory of Japanese teen-girl movies. When the guitarist of an all-girl band injures her finger only a few days before the school festival, and then the singer quits, bandmates Kei, Kyoko and Nozomi seem to have no choice but to abandon the contest. But their desire to play is stronger than any possible embarrassment a bad performance could bring. ey decide to cover “Linda Linda Linda,” an old ’80s punk hit, and take on as vocalist the only willing candidate, South Korean exchange student Son, who not only has never sung in a band but can barely speak Japanese. e film stands out among the country’s recent wave of teenage schoolgirl movies for its terse style, its documentary-like take on reality and its graceful narrative. Driven by the energetic presence of seasoned actress Bae Doona (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Take Care of My Cat) as Son, the film unfolds at Yamashita’s customary lowkey pace, while instilling a tangible nostalgia for one’s school days. Accompanied by former Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha’s tuneful score, the film is even catchier than the three-chord refrain of its title song.

Japan 2005

Director:

Nobuhiro Yamashita

Producers:

Hiroyuki Negishi

Yuji Sadai

Screenwriters:

Wakako Miyashita

Kosuke Mukai

Nobuhiro Yamashita

Cinematographer:

Yoshihiro Ikeuchi

Film Editor:

Ryuji Miyajima

Music:

James Iha

Cast:

Du-na Bae

Jason Gray

Yu Kashii

Aki Maeda

Shiori Sekine

Running Time:

114 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Japanese, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Bitters End, Inc.

Print Source:

Bitters End, Inc.

Film Website:

www.linda3.com

Selected Filmography:

Ramblers (2003)

No One’s Ark (2002)

Hazy Life (1999)

The Line of Beauty Little Red Flowers

SATURDAY JUNE 3 9:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 4 1:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Adapted from the Booker Prize-winning novel by Alan Hollinghurst, e Line of Beauty is a story of love, sex, class and politics, penetrating deep under the skin of ’80s Britain. Framed by the decade’s two general elections that returned Margaret atcher and the Conservative government to power, it is a film of the best sort: beautifully written, perfectly plotted and exquisitely crafted. e story spans four extraordinary years of tragedy and change in the life of Nick Guest, a young graduate of modest means. Nick has come to London to live with the family of his Oxford friend, Toby Fedden, son of a Tory recently elected to Parliament from Nick’s home constituency. Nick has recently accepted his sexual identity and is eagerly joining the gay world of 1983—before both AIDS and general acceptance. Nick Guest is perfectly named: he is a perpetual visitor, first in the Fedden household and then in a sex-in-the-bushes relationship with his black, older lover. As the story progresses to 1986 and 1987, when AIDS has surfaced and begun to kill, he becomes the lover and business associate of the beautiful, wealthy Lebanese Wani. Nick experiences every extreme of the booming ’80s. Amidst the euphoria of first love, champagne and high society parties, the young graduate is witness to political scandal, deception, hypocrisy and the tragic outbreak of AIDS. Set against the backdrop of a ruthless decade, e Line of Beauty is a richly textured comingof-age story that, despite its serious concerns, is often filled with wit and humor.

United Kingdom 2006

Director:

Saul Dibb

Producer:

Kate Lewis

Screenwriter:

Andrew Davies

Cinematographers:

David Odd

Film Editor:

Tania Reddin

Cast:

Jake Broder

Elize du Toit

Tim Elliot

Joseph Morgan

Trevor White

Running Time:

180 minutes

Presentation

SUNDAY JUNE 4 7:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

TUESDAY JUNE 6 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Set in Beijing in the early ’50s, this ferociously funny film is about a young boy who foments a near-revolution against the tyrannical head teacher at his boarding school. It cements Zhang Yuan’s (Beijing Bastards) reputation as one of the leading filmmakers of contemporary Chinese cinema. Four-year-old Fang Qiangqiang is deposited at his new school as his parents prepare to embark on another of their many trips.

From the start, the young boy is trouble: utterly unresponsive to the school’s system of rewarding students for their good behavior with little red flowers, he breaks ranks with the other children at every turn. In a system that is wholly geared towards regulation and conformity, Fang is committed to maintaining his individuality and doing just as he pleases. Already on a collision course with the headmistress of the school, he brings things to a head by spreading a rumor about one of the teachers that rallies the other children around him in a show of force against her one night while she sleeps. ough the allegorical element of the story clearly refers to the forces at work in mid-century Chinese society, director Zhang Yuan never overplays his hand by opting for the banal or the obvious. is hugely enjoyable story—based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Wang Shuo—serves as a perfect vehicle for the considerable talents of audacious young actor Dong Bowen, who invests the character of schoolboy Fang with a persona that is at once horrific and hilarious.

Director:

Zhang Yuan

Producers:

Zhang Yuan

Marco Müller

Li Bolun

Allen Chan

Yao Lifeng

Screenwriters:

Ning Dai

Zhang Yuan

Cinematographer:

Yang Tao

Film Editor:

Jacopo Quadri

Music:

Carlo Crivelli

Cast:

Dong Bowen

Ning Yuanyuan

Chen Manyuan

Zhao Rui

Li Xiaofeng

Running Time:

92 minutes

Beijing Bastards (1993)

Mama (1991)

Liubi

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

FRIDAY JUNE 16 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

On the very night of handsome Dimitris’ engagement party, a beautiful young Russian named Liubi enters his middle-class home as a hired companion for his stroke-disabled mother. Dimitris is trapped in the role he plays as family breadwinner, eldest and most responsible, but electricity immediately sparks between him and Liubi and a cross-cultural romance soon erupts. Dimitris’ sister Anna, wrapped up in pain and hysteria around her miscarriages, is also aware of Liubi’s quiet magnetism, yet grudgingly appreciates her hard work and positive influence on her sick mother. Dimitris keeps his budding relationship secret, still toying with his fiancée and a new girl in a red sports car. And then Liubi becomes pregnant. Will he tell the truth about his love for the foreigner? As Director Yiourgou explains, “Dimitris is a prisoner of his family situation and this keeps him from his true feelings.” She adds, “Habit adulterates what is desirable and corrupts the ardor of passion.” Will Dimitris’ troubles render him helpless and make him blind to new possibilities?

Greece 2005

Director:

Layia Yiourgou

Producer:

Giorgos Lykiardopoulos

Screenwriter:

Layla Yiourgou

Cinematographer:

Dimitris Katsaitis

Film Editor:

Alexis Pezas

Cast:

Alexis Georgoulis

Eugenia Kaplan

Lena Kitsopoulou

Nikos Georgakis

Olga Damani

Running Time:

95 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Greek, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Greek Film Centre

Print Source:

Greek Film Centre

Selected Filmography:

Tomorrow Will Be Too Late (2001)

Country House (1994)

Liviu’s Dream

V ISUL LUI LIVIU

THURSDAY JUNE 1 7:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY JUNE 5 4:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Dreaming of a different future, Liviu lives with a fear of the past. He despises his father for the wrong decisions he made, but Liviu may be doomed to repeat them. Like so many others, Liviu was raised in an unhappy family forced together by Nicolae Ceauseascu’s 1966 decree outlawing abortions in Romania. Now he is twenty-five and lives with his parents. Trying to scratch out a living and keep his head above water, he makes a living from stealing. He dreams of never again needing to give his unemployed father money, of having his own financial security, and of a trip to the seaside. But when he finds out his girlfriend is pregnant, different images start to impose themselves in his head. ese new dreams have deep intertwining themes (of love, sex, the new rich, racketeering, authorities and immigration) that all combine for a moving story of a lost character struggling to stay afloat. His dreams are now making Liviu look with resignation at the world around him as he struggles against following the same path as his father . Director Corneliu Porumboiu wrote that he “wanted to describe a world stuck in a neverending period of transition, a world that repeats the mistakes made in the past. Liviu, the main character, is a young man who lives with the fear of the past. He despises his father for the wrong decisions he made, decisions that determined his destiny. Inevitably, this fear makes him repeat his father’s mistakes.”

Romania/ France 2005

Love Sick Lower City

THURSDAY JUNE 8 7:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SATURDAY JUNE 10 11:00 AM HARVARD EXIT

Love. Sometimes you are starved for it and sometimes you have too much. Alex is studying philology at Bucharest University. She decides to give up her room at the student hostel and move into the house where her girlfriend Kiki lives. e landlady is an irascible old dragon, but this doesn’t bother Alex. It means a lot to her that she can now get to know Kiki better. Enter Sandu, tormented with jealousy. As the relationship between Alex and Kiki becomes increasingly intimate, Sandu grows more and more jealous. Is he Kiki’s brother or jealous lover? According to director Tudor Giurgiu, “ ere is mutual attraction between all of them which is difficult to explain; in fact, I did not want to explain it. It is important to me that this is not really a film about two lesbians. It is not a strongly sexually oriented movie; it is rather meant to be a sensitive, minutely conceived story about how three people manage to overcome emotional crises, after suffering and disappointments, at an age when such things are extremely powerful and important.” Love Sick captures their romance in poetic, handheld detail as Giurgiu beautifully explores the confusion and delights of young love. e story is based on Cecilia Stefanescu’s 2005 novel of the same name.

Romania 2006

Director:

Tudor Giurgiu

Producer:

Oana Bujgoi

Screenwriters:

Cecelia Stefanescu

Razvan Radulescu

Cinematographer:

Alexandru Sterian

Film Editor:

Alexandru Radu

Music:

Vlaicu Golcea

Cast: Maria Popistasu

Ioana Barbu

Tudo Chirila

Catalina Murgea

Running Time:

85 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Romanian, with English subtitles

International Sales:

MDC International GmbH

Print Source:

Libra Film Production

Film Website: www.legaturibolnavicioase.ro

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

THURSDAY JUNE 8 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT TUESDAY JUNE 13 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Sergio Macado’s debut feature proves yet again the vitality of the resurgent Brazilian film scene. Produced by Walter Salles ( e Motorcycle Diaries), Macado’s film translates Jules et Jim to the backwaters of Brazil. Best pals Naldinho and Deco pick up the vivacious young prostitute Karinna, and she offers her services in return for a ride upriver. is is a very physical melodrama, filled with skin, and Macado has packed every moment with a visceral cinematic energy. e rivalry only really kicks in with the film’s stunning centerpiece, a cockfight brawl in a seedy river town that leaves Naldinho stabbed. Deco dutifully nurses him back to health, but at the same time he’s falling for Karinna, leaving his friend less than amused. As Karinna tries to escape back to prostitution, and the men try to save their disintegrating friendship, the film slowly twists toward its violent conclusion. roughout Macado saturates the screen with color, he mirrors the rawness of his young actors with vibrant handheld camerawork and a sultry afro-jazz soundtrack. Alice Braga, niece of the star Sonia Braga, proves particularly impressive as Karinna, combining world-weary sensuality with a surprising sweetness—delicate but forceful, immediate yet reserved. She gives new life to the archetypal whore with a heart of gold, just as this film reinvigorates an age-old cinematic tradition.

Awards:

Cannes 2005 (Youth Prize)

Brazil 2005

Director:

Sergio Machado

Producers:

Walter Salles

Mauricio Andreade Ramos

Screenwriters:

Karim Ainouz

Sérgio Machado

Cinematographer:

Toca Seabra

Film Editor:

Isabella Monteiro de Castro

Music:

Carlinhos Brown

Beto Villares

Cast:

Alice Braga

Lazaro Ramos

Wagner Moura

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Portuguese, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Buena Onda Films

Print Source:

Palm Pictures

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

North American Premiere

Low Profile

FALSCHER BEKENNER

FRIDAY JUNE 2 7:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY JUNE 6 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

To the average observer, Armin might seem like a normal 18-year-old. Recently graduated, he is being slowly suffocated by his parents’ well meaning but incessant nagging to get a job. Engaging in a hedonistic rebellion of orgiastic fantasies and defacement of public property, Armin’s greatest pleasure comes from railing against the values his parents hold most dear. One night on the way home he stumbles across a fatal car accident, the driver dead at the wheel, and he helps himself to a broken axle as a souvenir. At home, as he should be working on yet another job application, Armin instead writes an anonymous confession letter to the local paper claiming that he sabotaged the car. When the paper begins to follow up on his false confession, his excitement leads him to write even more anonymous claims of responsibility for accidents he witnesses or reads about. What starts as a game born of boredom quickly becomes an obsession. Eventually, Armin finds himself needing to take things to the next level… is disturbing yet compelling film incited great controversy at the Cannes film festival regarding its meaning. Low Profile is deep look into of the wasteland of German suburbia, the identity crisis of adolescence, and the desire of individuals to determine their own destiny.

Germany 2005

Director:

Christoph Hochhäusler

Producer:

Bettina Brokemper

Screenwriter: Christopher Hochhäusler

Cinematographer: Bernhard Keller

Film Editor: Stefan Stabenow

Music:

Benedikt Schiefer

Cast: Constantin von Jaschero

Victoria Trauttmansdor

Manfred Zapatka

Devid Striesow

Florian Panzer

Running Time:

94 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in German, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

TLA Releasing

Selected Filmography:

This Very Moment (2003)

La Maison de Nina

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 3 9:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

Writer-director Richard Dembo’s final film (he died while editing the picture) is set during France’s liberation and the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust, between September 1944 and January 1946, and focuses on a “house of hope” orphanage outside Paris established to help those whose parents were likely killed in the war. Nina (played by filmmaker Agnès Jaoui and inspired by a real-life woman Dembo once knew) runs the orphanage and stretches her meager resources to provide as much care as possible.

e arrival of emotionally devastated concentration camp survivors who wish to preserve their religious heritage while rebuilding their lives begins to provoke tensions with the largely secular French Jews who comprise the original residents. As momentous world events continue (the fall of Berlin, the bombing of Hiroshima), the quiet drama at Nina’s house retains all of its individual potency. Dembo strikes a tone perfectly suited to the material, where incidents have an oral-history quality rather than the literary approach common in stories that invoke the Shoah and its aftermath.

France 2005

Director: Richard Dembo

Producers:

Alain Rozanes

Pascal Verroust

Screenwriter: Richard Dembo

Cinematographer: Laurent Fleutot

Film Editor:

Isabelle Devinck

Music: Teddy Lasry

Cast: Agnès Jaoui

Sarah Adler

Katia Lewkowicz

Arié Elmaleh

Running Time: 112 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

TF1 International

Print Source:

TF1 International

Selected Filmography:

L’Instinct de l’ange (1993)

Malas Temporadas

SATURDAY JUNE 10 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 11 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Amid the chaos and indifference at the heart of modern Madrid, Mikel, Ana and Carlos are each searching for their place in the world and are faced with the harsh reality that their only real option may be starting over. Mikel, fresh out of prison, is obsessed with the idea of finding his former cellmate. Ana, whose son refuses to leave his room, works for an organization that aids refugees. Carlos, an exiled Cuban expilot (and Ana’s ex-boyfriend) makes his living illegally dealing cigars while dreaming of life in Miami. eir paths become increasingly interwoven as they seek to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Although they all have to deal with their own problems and make their own decisions, they also influence and help each other. Indeed, these may be hard times for them, but they’re fighting back. Director Manuel Martín Cuenca points out, “We weren’t interested in making a film about social issues; what we wanted to do is tell love stories that showed and criticized the brightest and the darkest side of the characters.”

Spain 2005

Director:

Manuel Martín Cuenca

Producers:

Fernando Victoria de Lecea

Pedro Zaratiegui Iberrota

Screenwriters:

Alejandro Hernandez

Manuel Martín Cuenca

Cinematographer:

David Carretero

Film Editor:

Ángel Hernández Zoido

Music:

Pedro Barbadillo

Cast:

Javier Cámara

Leonor Watling

Nathalie Poza

Eman Xor Ona

Fernando Echebarria

Running Time:

115 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Iberotta Films

Print Source:

Iberotta Films

Selected Filmography:

The Weakness of the Bolshevik (2003)

The Cuban Game (2001)

The Master

THURSDAY JUNE 1 4:15 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 4 7:00 PM

Lyrically moving back and forth between fantasy and reality, Piotr Trzaskalski’s follow-up to his multiple-award-winning debut, Edi, eschews that film’s gritty realism for the more magical kind. A Russian knife-thrower (Konstantin Lavronenko, e Return) known as “ e Master” tosses blades for a grab-bag Polish circus until one night, on a drunken binge, he lets all the animals out of their cages and is promptly fired. Heading out in his dilapidated mobile home, he takes his act on the road as a solo show, picking up strange and affectionately rendered characters—an accordion player, a former prostitute— along the way. Flashbacks show the reason for his alcoholic oblivion: he was a Russian soldier in Afghanistan and witness to horrible things. But he does also harbor some supernatural talents, which come to the fore as this road movie travels to ever-stranger places. Indeed, each member of this motley crew has been imprisoned by denied feelings and repressed guilt, but in a way, they learn to levitate just as e Master does in his act. e Master is a visual triumph thanks in no small part to cinematographer Piotr Sliskowski, who shoots through mists, fog and damp weather, all encased by swirling smoke that you can almost smell.

Awards:

Miami 2006 (FIPRESCI Prize)

Polish 2005 (Best Production Design)

Poland 2005

Director:

Piotr Trzaskalski

Producer:

Piotr Dzieciol

Screenwriters:

Wojciech Lepianka

Piotr Trzaskalski

Cinematographer:

Piotr Sliskowski

Film Editor:

Cezary Kowalczuk

Music:

Wojciech Lemanski

Cast:

Konstantin Lavronenko

Jacek Braciak

Teresa Branna

Monika Buchowiec

Running Time: 110 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Polish and Russian, with English subtitles

International Sales:

MDC International GmbH

Print Source:

MDC International GmbH

Selected Filmography:

Edi (2002)

The Method

SATURDAY MAY 27 6:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

MONDAY MAY 29 11:00 AM NEPTUNE THEATER

MONDAY JUNE 5 4:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

e candidates in Donald Trump’s e Apprentice could learn a thing or two from the devious machinations found in this slick adaptation of Jordi Galceran Ferrer’s popular play about job applicants who are forced to undergo a strange battery of tests to win a position at a Madrid firm. Imagine Survivor by way of Enron, then toss in the heady background of anti-globalization protests in the streets around the skyscraper in which the drama is contained, and you might be half way to what Argentinian director Marcelo Piñeyro has come up with in e Method. A septet of hopeful mid-management types are going after the same position in an imposing-looking company whose product line is intriguingly never revealed. Ushered into a high-tech office by a secretary with the smile of a snake, the job-seekers eye each other with suspicion. Early rounds of verbal, numerical and psychological games sometimes feel like the stuff of a Pinter exchange, but eventually a generational division takes hold, and the surprising denouement confirms our worst fears about corporate mendacity. Alfredo Mayo’s smashing widescreen cinematography greatly expands the conference room confines, and Veronica Toledo does impressive double duty on costumes and production design, including a fabulous Madrid city backdrop and sleek interior décor. Smartly and seamlessly blending a cast of talented Argentine and Spanish actors, Piñeyro seems to be testing how much cinema he can impose upon such a restricted space.

Awards:

Goya 2006 (Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor)

Spain/ Argentina/ Italy 2005

Director:

Marcelo Piñeyro

Producers:

Gerardo Herrero

Francisco Ramos

Screenwriters:

Mateo Gil

Marcelo Piñeyro

Cinematographer:

Alfredo F. Mayo

Film Editor:

Iván Aledo

Music:

Frédéric Bégin

Phil Electric

Cast:

Eduardo Noriega

Najwa Nimri

Eduard Fernández

Pablo Echarri

Ernesto Alterio

Natalia Verbeke

Running Time:

115 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English and Spanish, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Latido Films

Print Source:

Latido Films

Selected Filmography:

Kamchatka (2002)

Burnt Money (2000)

Ashes from Paradise (1997)

Wild Horses (1995)

Wild Tango (1993)

Molly’s Way

SATURDAY JUNE 3 9:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

JUNE 5 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

After meeting Marcin in Dublin, Molly (Mairead McKinley) is left with just a little bit more than the memory of one unforgettable night and a postcard from his small town in Poland. She’s pregnant. Knowing little more than the name of the Polish town where he works in the coal industry, the effusive Molly sets out to find Marcin (Jan Wieczorkowski). When it becomes clear the search may take longer than expected, she starts working as a maid in the shabby hotel where she is staying. She soon becomes indispensable at the hotel and continues her search for Marcin in her off hours. She even makes friends with the “working girls” who help support the hotel. Put thorough so many ups and downs, even the cheerful Molly may finally lose her hope of ever finding her man… Could it come back to her in the last way she could have ever expected? Paralleling the story’s multicultural themes, the film’s cast and crew were from all around Europe—a German production featuring an Irish actress, a Polish cinematographer, French musicians and the languages spoken in the film are English, Polish and German. Debut director Emily Atef, herself, comes from a very multicultural background. She cites her experiences as having an important influence on her work and especially on Molly’s Way. Atef’s film is a modest attempt to show one woman’s search to cross invisible as well as actual borders. In the end she may have crossed every border except the one in herself.

Awards:

Mar de Plata 2006 (Grand Jury Prize)

North American Premiere

Germany 2006

Director:

Emily Atef

Producers:

Benjamin Seikel

Karma Janczyk

Tobias Brand

Screenwriters:

Emily Atef

Esther Bernstor

Cinematographer:

Patricia Lewandowska

Film Editor:

Beatrice Babin

Music:

Bumcello

Cast:

Mairead McKinley

Ute Gerlach

Geno Lechner

Miroslaw Baka

Running Time: 84 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English and Polish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

German Film and Television

Academy Berlin

Print Source:

Casque d’Or Films

Film Website: www.mollysway.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Mother of Mine

Ä IDEISTÄ PARHAIN

SUNDAY JUNE 4 7:00 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

THURSDAY JUNE 8 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 11 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

During World War II, 80,000 children were sent from Finland to Sweden and Denmark to protect them from the nightmare of the war around them, isolating them from their families.

Director Klaus Härö’s follow-up to Elina (SIFF ’03) is a poignant, beautifully crafted period piece about Eero, a Finnish 10-year-old who has vowed to take care of his widowed mother but is sent instead to live with the Swedish farming couple Hjalmar and Signe. Feeling alienated by the language barrier and cultural boundaries, Eero is teased at school and finds his farm mother Signe, who was hoping for a girl, to be strangely cold and disagreeable. To make matters worse, the letters from his mother rarely arrive, and are addressed to Signe, not Eero, and she reads him only what she deems “appropriate.” As Eero acts out, his feelings of abandonment precipitate a strangely maternal reaction from Signe, who has been hiding an unhappy secret of her own. Sumptuously photographed and emotionally compelling, Mother of Mine is a powerful, moving work from one of Finland’s most intriguing and assured young filmmakers, rendering a sweeping moment in European history immediate and personal.

Awards:

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Palm Springs 2006 (Audience Award)

Cairo 2005 (Golden Pyramid)

Lubeck Nordic Film Days (Audience Prize, Baltic Film Prize)

Finland/ Sweden 2005

Director:

Klaus Härö

Producer:

Ilkka Matila

Screenwriters:

Jimmy Karlsson

Kirsi Vikman

Cinematographer:

Jarkko T. Laine

Film Editor:

Darek Hodor

Music:

Tuomas Kantelinen

Cast:

Michael Nyqvist

Maria Lundqvist

Topi Majaniemi

Running Time:

111 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Finnish and Swedish, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Finnish Film Foundation

Print Source:

Finnish Film Foundation

Selected Filmography:

Elina (2003)

My Nikifor

10 7:00 PM

e setting is the Polish mountain resort of Krynica, the year 1960. On a blustery winter day, Nikifor, a solitary homeless artist, tramps into the state-sponsored art-office of a small Polish town and starts sketching furiously. Marian, a fellow artist, isn’t quite sure what to make of it, but sketch follows primitive but powerful sketch and Nikifor’s astonishing folk-art talent quickly shows. Charmed by the drawings, Marian decides to take the scruff y artist in. Marian grows more disappointed in his own work as Nikifor’s talent continues to grow, and the temporary stay turns into seven years. Marian will stop at nothing—sacrificing his work, his family, even his health—to support the crotchety, ungrateful old folk-artist whose work he admires above all else. Based on the life of Polish artist Epifan Drowniak, the film is a painterly examination of a great painter, eschewing technical gloss for earthy cinematography and natural sound. ere are also some great bits of inadvertent humor, particularly when Nikifor gets invited to a party function and stands baffled beside the communist elite. But the stroke of genius may be the casting: Nikifor is actually played by a woman, octogenarian actress Krystyna Feldman, with an endearing amount of gruff charm.

Awards:

Karlovy Vary 2005 (Grand Prix, Best Actress, Best Director)

Athens 2005 (FIPRESCI Prize)

Chicago 2005 (Best Film)

Poland 2004

Director:

Krzysztof Krauze

Producers:

Juliusz Machulski

Wojciech Danowski

Screenwriters:

Joanna Kos-Krauze

Krzysztof Krauze

Cinematographer:

Krzysztof Ptak

Film Editor:

Krzysztof Szpetmanski

Music:

Bartlomiej Gliniak

Cast: Krystyna Feldman

Roman Gancarczyk

Lucyna Malec

Jerzy Gudejko

Jowita Miondlikowska

Running Time: 100 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Polish, with

English subtitles

International Sales: Studio Filmowe Zebra

Print Source: Studio Filmowe Zebra

Selected Filmography:

Debt (1999)

Street Games (1996)

New York - 4am (1988)

18560 1st Ave NE, Shoreline www.shorelinearts.net 206 417-4645

The Nightly Song of the Travellers

North American Premiere

In his first outing as a director, French/Iranian playwright and novelist Chapour Haghighat has made an intriguing parable of religious and physical displacement. Based on his own novel, originally set in France, the film translates the action to the Middle East and tells the story of Yolan, a tailor of Turkish extraction, who has offended a mullah in his new home of Iran. Yolan flees back to Turkey, taking his grandson Ozal along, and begins searching for the old family village that Ozal has never seen. But as the two hitch their way across the countryside, meeting colorful wayfarers and asking for directions, it becomes clear that Yolan is as little at home in Turkey as his grandson—the family village has disappeared off the map. Eventually, Yolan and Ozal turn to a soothsayer for help, but her instructions seem as indecipherable as the foreign countryside. With nothing to lose, the two wanderers trek on to the film’s expressive close: a crowd of dancers on a beach, a boat in the distance, and the ambiguity of faith and absurdity in the air. Set against the backdrop of an age-old world filled with traditions, faith and history, e Nightly Song of the Travellers is a strange little tragedy of mythic proportions, naive but complete in its open-ended way.

Iran/France 2005

Director:

Chapour Haghighat

Producer:

Chapour Haghighat

Screenwriter:

Chapour Haghighat

Cinematographer:

Shahriar Assadi

Film Editor:

Sophie Brunet

Cast: Engin Günay

Kuzey Özdogan

Ülkü Ülker

Running Time: 85 minutes

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

International Sales: Perspectives Nomades

Print Source: Perspectives Nomades

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Nordeste

SUNDAY MAY 28 3:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE SATURDAY JUNE 3 7:00 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

TUESDAY JUNE 6 7:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

e heart has gone out of Nanna Maria’s family. Widowed, she now shares her home, named No. 2, with two adult grandchildren—heavy-drinking but loyal Erasmus (Rene Naufahu) and quietly soulful single mother Charlene (Mia Blake). Inspired by a dream of her childhood back in Fiji, Nanna (Ruby Dee) decides that her grandchildren must put on a big feast, at which she will name her successor. ey reluctantly turn up, and as the day progresses their preparations unravel into chaos until an outraged Nanna calls the whole thing off en, and only then, everyone realizes they have to pull out all the stops and give the crazy old lady what she wants, which turns out to be what they all need. A deft mix of earthy comedy and drama, No. 2 is a pleasure to watch. Set deep in the heart of Auckland suburbia (Mt Roskill—Auckland’s own bible belt), and infused with the heat and vibrancy of the South Pacific, No. 2 is a big-hearted, exuberant story about what it takes to bring family together—discordant, dysfunctional, but more deeply connected than almost any other social grouping can be. For his first feature film, Toa Fraser has written and directed a screen adaptation of his internationally acclaimed, award-winning stage play of the same name, and done so with aplomb.

Awards:

Sundance 2006 (Audience Award)

New Zealand 2006

Director:

Toa Fraser

Producers:

Tim White

Philippa Campbell

Lydia Livingstone

Screenwriter:

Toa Fraser

Cinematographer:

Leon Narbey

Film Editor:

Chris Plummer

Music:

Don McGlashan

Cast:

Ruby Dee

Tuva Novotny

Mia Blake

Taungaroa Emile

Running Time:

96 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

New Zealand Film Com-

mission Print Source:

Selected Filmography:

Debut

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

THURSDAY JUNE 1 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Successful, privileged, but childless executive Hélène (Carole Bouquet) travels to Argentina in search of a baby to adopt. Desperate after her arrangements fall through in Buenos Aires, she hears about the possibility of finding a child in the country’s poverty-stricken northeast, an area notorious for trafficking in children for adoption, prostitution and even organs. In the Argentine countryside, Hélène becomes friendly with Juana (Aymará Rovero), a young single mother who bravely ekes out a precarious living for herself and her bright 13-year-old son Martín (Ignacio Ramon Jiménez). Juana is pregnant again and is being evicted from her hovel. She struggles with the option of giving Martín up for adoption, but she loves him too much to let him go. Can the problems of these two very different women find a mutual solution? In his feature debut, award-winning short filmmaker Juan Solanas shows a talent for efficient storytelling. At the heart of the film are two compelling female characters, the impassioned and bold Bouquet and the intense and earthy Rovero (in her screen debut). Young Jiménez does his best to steal the show, however, as the sensitive and vulnerable Martín. Nordeste, which received a rapturous response at Cannes, is bracingly serious, tightly focused and picturesquely rural.

Awards:

Stockholm 2005 (Best Actress, Bronze Horse)

Argentina/ Spain/ Belgium 2005

Director:

Juan Solanas

Producers:

Iker Monfort

Aton Soumache

Alexis Vonarb

Screenwriters:

Eduardo Berti

Juan Solanas

Cinematographers:

Félix Monti

Juan Diego Solanas

Film Editor:

Fernando Franco

Music:

Eduardo Makaro

Sergio Makaro

Cast:

Jorge Roman

Daniel Valenzuela

Ignacio Ramon Jiménez

Carole Bouquet

Aymará Rovero

Not Here to be Loved

9

JUNE 12

Considering he’s not yet 40, director Stéphane Brizé displays a remarkable insight into the minds of the older central characters in this charming and thoughtful intergenerational romance. Weary and seemingly humorless Jean-Claude (Patrick Chesnais, in an unerring performance) is a bailiff, a cheerless profession that consists of delivering the paperwork that precedes evictions, property seizures and the like. He took over the family business from his father (stupendous veteran Georges Wilson), a curmudgeonly widower who lives in a retirement home. At a crossroads in his life, JeanClaude often gazes into the dance studio across the road from his spartan office, and on a whim signs up for tango lessons. ere he encounters Françoise, a young high-school counselor who he used to baby-sit, and who is taking dance lessons in preparation for her wedding. JeanClaude and Françoise have nothing obvious in common except an unarticulated longing for something more. Initially unable to pop the cork on bottled-up feelings, they send mixed signals until the warmth of the tango inevitably melts their innate reserve. Shall We Dance this ain’t, rather a delicate, slightly melancholy tale of encouragement for people whose still waters run so deep that the human surface can appear to be bone dry.

Awards:

San Sebastian 2005 (CEC Award for Best Film)

Off Screen

France 2005

Director:

Stéphane Brizé

Producers:

Gilles Sacuto

Milena Poylo

Screenwriter:

Juliette Sales

Cinematographer:

Claude Garnier

Film Editor:

Anne Klotz

Music:

Eduardo Makaro

Christoph H. Müller

Cast:

Patrick Chesnais

Anne Consigny

Running Time:

93 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Rezo Films International

Print Source:

Rezo Films International

Selected Filmography:

The Blue Village (1999)

On March 11, 2002, the six-month anniversary of 9/11, a 59-year-old bus driver took control of the Rembrandt Tower in Amsterdam and held its staff hostage. He had been protesting against modern technology for years, writing letters to newspapers, electronics companies and consumer organizations. His all-consuming mission had left him alone (his wife had divorced him as a result, and his children changed their surnames out of embarrassment), and grappling with the delusion that media companies were sending out coded messages in the black bars of widescreen television. His actions caused a state of chaos and panic among the police and the government as he demanded a meeting with the top man at technology conglomerate Phillips. While the media made John out to be nothing more than a madman, the filmmakers are more skeptical, creating a haunting and intelligent thriller about living in a time of anxiety and paranoia and a complex film about the loneliness and despair of modern society. e excellent Jan Decleir ( e Alzheimer Case) shows us the delusional world of a loner, isolated from his family and in danger of losing his job, but whose theories about capitalism and manipulation are not as absurd as they first appear. Is he just dreaming about his special connection to the Phillips representative or is there really a secret link between the two men?

Awards:

Montreal 2005 (Grand Prix, Best Actor)

Philadelphia 2006 (Best Film) MONDAY

Netherlands/ Belgium 2005

Director:

Pieter Kuijpers

Producers:

Reinier Selen

Edwin van Meurs

Screenwriter:

Hugo Heinen

Cinematographer:

Bert Pot

Film Editor:

Job ter Berg

Music:

Portrait II

Cast: Jeroen Krabbé

Jan Decleir

Astrid Joosten

Theu Boermans

Gijs de Lange

Running Time:

86 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Dutch, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Cinemavault

Print Source:

Cinemavault

Selected Filmography: Godforsaken (2003)

FRIDAY JUNE

4:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

MONDAY

7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

In this beautifully nuanced study in friendship, director Kelly Reichart maintains the richly atmospheric feel for regional America she showed in her debut feature (River of Grass, set in the swamps of Florida). Portland resident Mark (Daniel London) gets a call from his old buddy Kurt (alt-country star Will Oldham) proposing a weekend retreat in the Oregon backwoods. He agrees to go, despite the thinly veiled disapproval of his pregnant wife. e unkempt, unemployed Kurt has spent a transformative spell in nearby Ashland, but now faces imminent eviction from his apartment, while Mark has become ever more burdened with domestic responsibilities. Without either of them saying much, we sense these two friends were once very much alike and now scarcely recognize each other. Old Joy is a film about our inability to stop the hands of time, and the search for sanctuary in an increasingly chaotic world. It mixes comedy, confession, even subtle undertones of dread as the men tacitly acknowledge they will likely never see each other again. London offers a nicely understated take on a one-time rebel who stopped fighting the system to become a part of it, but it’s Oldham who is the film’s gravitational center, carving out an inimitable portrait of one of society’s marginal people—a man who could well disappear into the ether without anyone realizing.

Awards:

Rotterdam 2006 (Tiger Award)

Sarasota (Jury Prize)

Preceded by Octave

USA, 2006, 7 minutes, director: Emily Hubley Renowned animator Faith Hubley climbs the musical scale with whimsical, dreamy digressions into each note along the way. Music by Yo La Tengo.

USA

2006

Director:

Kelly Reichardt

Producers:

Neil Kopp

Lars Knudsen

Jay Van Hoy

Anish Savjani

Screenwriters:

Jonathan Raymond

Kelly Reichardt

Cinematographer:

Peter Sillen

Film Editor: Kelly Reichardt

Music:

Yo La Tengo

Cast:

Will Oldham

Daniel London

e latest from director Marco Tullio Giordana ( e Best of Youth) combines an emotionally moving coming-of-age drama with a look into one of Italy’s hot button issues: immigration. Born into an upper class family, Sandro (impressive newcomer Matteo Gadola) is the only son of a wealthy Brescian entrepreneur. e arrogance and superiority of their economic position are something that simply go hand in hand with Sandro’s upbringing. Everything changes when, on a sailing trip in the Mediterranean, Sandro is knocked overboard by a large wave. is event goes unnoticed by his family, who believe him to be safe in his bed below deck. Presumed dead, Sandro is picked up by a fishing boat that is overcrowded and packed with illegal immigrants making their way to Italian shores. What follows is an adventurous return home during which Sandro must confront hitherto unknown expectations, rejections, hopes and disillusionments. At the end of his journey, Sandro will have crossed the thin line between adolescence and adulthood, and nothing will ever be the same. Based on the sociological novel of the same name by Maria Pace Ottieri, Giordana’s film confronts the global problem of immigration and the struggle to overcome the “us against them” mentality plaguing much of the world. rough the eyes of Sandro, who provides the necessitated gravity of his role with compelling grace, we come to see individuals out of the previous milieu of multicultural Brescia.

Italy/France/ United Kingdom 2005

Director:

Marco Tullio Giordana

Producers:

Riccardo Tozzi

Giovannio Stabilini

Marco Chimenz

Fabio Conversi

Screenwriters:

Sandro Petraglia

Stefano Rulli

Marco Tullio Giordana

Cinematographer:

Roberto Forza

Film Editor:

Roberto Missiroli

Music:

Pasquale Catalano

Cast:

Alessio Boni

Michaela Cescon

Rodolfo Corsato

Matteo Gadola

Vlad Alexandru Toma

Ester Hazen Running

The

Pasolini:

Only God Knows A Perfect Day

S OLO D IOS S ABE

SUNDAY JUNE 11 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

THURSDAY JUNE 15 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Carlos Bolado’s rollercoaster ride of a film, replete with sex and deception, crosses borders both literal and figurative as the hottest stars of Latin American cinema take a road trip to Mexico City. e luscious Alice Braga (City of God) plays Dolores, a journalism student from Brazil who’s come to San Diego to study. She meets smoking hot Damián (Diego Luna, Y Tu Mamá También), a Mexican journalist with a thing for holy water and a huge crush on her. One night out partying in Tijuana, Damián sees his chance: Dolores loses her passport and he finds it in the parking lot—a perfect conversation starter. Of course he has every intention of returning it to her, but when she calls to ask for a ride to Mexico City, he makes a quick tactical decision. eir three-day journey provides plenty of time to fall in love, admire the countryside and pose tough questions about fate and religion. ose questions take on steadily greater importance as the scene moves to Brazil and they face dishonesty, doubt and other unexpected hurdles. In a daring fusion of sensual and religious passions, and with all the energy of Mexican and Brazilian cinema, Bolado’s film blurs our sense of the impossible, starting with sex and ending with a defense of God’s goodness in the face of evil.

Mexico/Brazil 2005

Director:

Carlos Bolado

Producers:

Sara Silveira

Yissel Ibarra

Carlos Bolado

Screenwriters:

Diane Weipert

Carlos Bolado

Cinematographer:

Federico Barbabosa

Film Editors:

Carlos Bolado

Manuela Dias

Cast:

Diego Luna

Alice Braga

Cecilia Suárez

José María Yazpik

Renata Zhaneta

Damián Alcázar

Running Time:

113 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish and Portuguese, with English subtitles

International Sales: Miravista

Print Source:

Sincronia Films

Selected Filmography:

Bajo California: The Limit of Time (1998)

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 9:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

FRIDAY JUNE 2 4:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

A dreamlike journey through the scarred city of Beirut, the ironically titled A Perfect Day uses vivid situations and a charged atmosphere to examine the psychological consequences of civil war. Fifteen years ago Claudia’s husband disappeared, one of the more than 17,000 Lebanese who simply vanished during the war. Now she has finally decided to move on. Together with Malek, her narcoleptic twenty-six-year-old son, she has begun the process toward declaring her husband officially dead. And yet the day before a court will to make the decision, her husband’s clothes still hang where they once hung and every shadow in the large, dark house waits for his return. Directors Hadjithomas and Joreige brilliantly use this twenty-four hour period of paralysis, the limbo between mourning and moving on, to reflect Beirut’s continuing inability to leave behind its emotionally charged past. Her decision made, Claudia still grapples with guilt while Malek, a construction foreman, searches for his ex-girlfriend in the strange new chaos of Beirut’s nightlife, pistol in hand, a relic he found while searching through his father’s possessions. But is it still a thing of the past? All these contradictions are brought into stark relief by the film’s flavorful cinematography, which counterpoints the character’s paralysis while pointing toward the future.

Awards:

Locarno 2005 (FIPRESCI Prize, Don Quixote Award)

Lebanon/ France 2005

Directors:

Khalil Joreige

Joana Hadjithomas

Producer:

Edouard Mauriat

Screenwriter:

Joana Hadjithomas

Khalil Joreige

Cinematographer:

Jeanne Lapoirie

Film Editor:

Tina Baz-Le Gall

Music:

Scrambled Eggs

Soap Kills

Cast:

Ziad Saad

Julia Kassar

Alexandra Kahwagi

Running Time:

88 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Arabic, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

Celluloid Dreams

Film Website:

www.aperfectday-le lm. com

Selected Filmography:

The Lost Film (2003)

Khiam (2000)

Around the Pink House (1999)

Pierrepoint

SATURDAY JUNE 17 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 18 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

One of Britain’s most impressive character actors, Timothy Spall (Secrets and Lies, Nicholas Nickleby) gives a breathtaking performance as Albert Pierrepoint, Great Britain’s best-known executioner and last official Chief Hangman. Taking the same job that sent his father on an alcoholic decline and to an early grave, the hulking, mild-mannered Pierrepoint is not initially concerned with the morality of execution, more with ensuring a quick and humane death, and he works meticulously to accomplish that end. He rises quickly through the ranks of executioners and becomes famous for the speed of his work, reaching a pinnacle when he is called over to execute the Nuremberg criminals after World War II. Something of a media star in Britain, Pierrepoint is greatly affected by his experiences in Germany, and his moral scruples start to kick in around the same time that abolitionists begin a fierce campaign to end hanging. Spall ably captures his character’s gradual change from confident and capable to wiser and conflicted with extraordinary subtlety, and the ever dependable Juliet Stevenson is a lovely foil as his wife; her tough response to his later dilemma delivers a chilling reminder that human life consists of considerably more than statistics. Veteran stage and TV director Adrian Shergold has fashioned a film of great technical skill and sensitivity, and this gentle disquisition on the burden of conscience that the death penalty places on society is nothing if not timely.

US Premiere

United Kingdom 2005

Director:

Adrian Shergold

Producer:

Christine Langan

Screenwriters:

Je Pope

Bob Mills

Cinematographer:

Danny Cohen

Film Editor:

Tania Reddin

Music:

Martin Phipps

Cast:

Timothy Spall

Juliet Stevenson

Eddie Marsan

Cavan Clerkin

Running Time: 90 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Capitol Films

Print Source: IFC Films

Film Website: www.pierrepointmovie. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

The Porcelain Doll

A PORCELÁNBABA

THURSDAY JUNE 1 4:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Magic villages, bureaucratic bogs and peasants who look cross-eyed at fate inhabit the world of Péter Gárdos’ new film, a medley of three Hungarian fairytales with all the trappings of magic realism. e tales revolve around a cunning, earthy group of farmers who try to ignore and outwit the government that is supposedly helping them. In the first story, a squadron of boorish soldiers challenge a local red-headed boy to a series of athletic contests. When the boy beats them all, the quick-thinking commander must find some way to save face. His solution: shoot the boy. No worries, though. It turns out the boy’s grandmother is an expert in resurrection. Flash ahead a storyline: two more children dead, their mothers mourning, when who should come by but a state functionary, trained and ready to bring the children back to life. Bureaucratic resurrections, however, may not turn out as effective as the homegrown variety. Finally, there’s the tale of an elderly couple evicted from their home, now seeking refuge with the farmers. More bureaucrats naturally come looking, and in a finely symbolic ending we see the precise limits of the state’s reach. Largely performed by villagers instead of professional actors, Gárdos’ film uses scant dialogue, odd camera movements and other alienation effects to unmoor us from the familiar and underscore the tales’ mythic scale.

Awards:

Hungarian Film Week 2006 (Best Director)

Preceded by Before Dawn

Hungary, 2005, 13 minutes, director: Bálint Kenyeres

Before dawn, people will rise, at put their hopes on the line.

Hungary 2005

Director:

Péter Gárdos

Producer:

Dénes Szekeres

Screenwriter:

Pétér Gárdos

Cinematographer: Tibor Máthé

Film Editor:

Mari Miklós

Music:

Ágens

Lajos Bertók

Sándor Csányi

Judit Németh

Running Time:

75 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Hungarian, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Magyar Filmunio

Print Source:

Magyar Filmunio

Selected Filmography:

The Last Blues (2001)

Comet (1998)

Just for Kicks (1988)

Alarm Bell (1980)

The Death Dealers (1978)

The Prince Contemplating His Soul Princesses

BAB’A ZIZ

SUNDAY JUNE 4 11:00 AM NEPTUNE THEATER

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 9:15 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

TUESDAY JUNE 13 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Bab’Aziz is a dervish, a spinner of tales and Sufi enchantments, and a most unusual grandfather. He and his lively granddaughter Ishtar are on their way to the grand meeting of dervishes, an auspicious occasion held once every 30 years. In order to reach their destination they must first cross an enormous desert. is third feature from writer/painter/director/fabulist Nazir Khemir is a visual treat, full of star-spangled expanses of night sky and oceanic dunes. In amongst the harsh beauty is a tale of elderly wisdom and youthful innocence which, when combined, make an unbeatable combination. Bab’Aziz and Ishtar will need every ounce of their collective wit and strength to find the sight of the dervish meeting. It is not so much a place as a state of mind. You can only find it if the desert chooses to reveal it to you. On their journey, they also acquire traveling companions including the love-struck Osman, the singer Zaid and the Prince of the title, a mythical figure who gave up a kingdom to become a dervish. When they finally reach their destination, or when it reaches them, there is beauty, color and a final leave-taking. e time has come for Bab’Aziz to become one with the place he loves... e Prince Contemplating His Soul is an Arabian dream that weaves timeless story threads with mystical and Sufi elements into a beautiful film object.

Tunisia/ France/ Germany/UK 2005

Director:

Nacer Khemir

Producers:

Cyriac Auriol

Alireza Shojanoori

Screenwriters:

Nacer Khemir

Tonino Guerra

Cinematographer:

Mahmoud Kalari

Film Editor:

Isabelle Rathery

Music:

Armand Amar

Cast:

Parviz Shahinkhou

Maryam Hamid

Nessim Kahloul

Mohamed Grayaa

Running Time:

96 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French and Arabic, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Bavaria Film International

Print Source:

Bavaria Film International

Selected Filmography:

The Dove’s Lost Necklace (1991)

The Wanderers (1986)

PRINCESAS

SATURDAY JUNE 17 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SUNDAY JUNE 18 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Princesses is a warmhearted, sharp-eyed study of a roller-coaster friendship between two women who happen to be prostitutes. Caye (Candela Peña) comes from a middle-class family who are blissfully unaware of how she makes her living. She and the other street girls hang out in a hair salon, bantering cattily about cheaper immigrant putas stealing their business. One such immigrant is the striking Zule (Micaela Nevarez), from the Dominican Republic, who works to support a son back home and suffers abuse at the hands of a client she naively believes will help her obtain a residence permit. e two form an unexpected bond—both isolated from their families (Zule by distance, Caye by shame), and both pinning their dreams on money and idealized relationships. Tough, complicated women, their desires are nonetheless ours: happiness, love, dignity. Daily they walk a tightrope, which in itself is an act of grace whether you’re a princess or a whore. Fernando León de Aranoa confirms his Loach-like ability to turn marginalized subjects into committed cinema. Following his studies of disaffected youth (Barrio) and unemployed dockyard workers (the Oscar-nominated Mondays in the Sun), Aranoa cleverly avoids the clichés and sentimentality that other films indulge in on this subject. Working with sensitivity, vitality, and humor—not to mention revelatory turns from the two lead actresses, and great music from Manu Chao and Gato Perez—Princesses is a film that detaches itself from one’s expectations and resonates in your memory.

Awards:

Goya Awards (Best Picture, Actress, New Actress, New Actor, Original Screenplay, Song, Sound and Costume/Make-Up)

Spain 2005

Director:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Producers:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Jaume Roures

Screenwriter:

Fernando León de Aranoa

Cinematographer:

Ramiro Civita

Film Editor:

Nacho Ruiz Capillas

Music:

Alfonso de Vilallonga

Manu Chao

Cast:

Candela Peña

Micaela Nevárez

Mariana Cordero

Luis Callejo

Llum Barrera

Running Time:

113 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Sogepaq International

Print Source:

IFC First Take

Selected Filmography:

Monday in the Sun (2002)

Barrio (1998)

Familia (1996)

Princess Raccoon

O PERETTA TANUKI GOTEN

MONDAY MAY 29 1:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

THURSDAY JUNE 1 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

e newest film from Japanese master Seijun Suzuki may be his most unexpected outing to date—a Kabuki-esque operetta that will astound the eyes and ears. e story itself is pure fairytale adventure: Azuchi Momoyama, Lord of Castle Grace visits the local witch who prophesizes that his son Prince Amechiyo will grow up to be more handsome than his father. To prevent this, Momoyama abandons his son on the slope of a sacred mountain. All looks lost for Amechiyo until an enigmatic, Chinese-speaking woman Tanukihime (the radiant Zhang Ziyi) rescues him from the wilderness and takes him to her own castle. He soon falls in love with the beautiful woman unaware she is a tanuki, a magical Japanese raccoon that can disguise itself as a human. Although this set-up—with its cast of mythical-magical characters, including a singing golden frog—may sound completely familiar, the real joys of Princess Raccoon lie in its realization. As always, Suzuki’s film is filled with gorgeously designed sets, exquisite costumes and some of the most vibrant color cinematography since the demise of three-strip Technicolor. Everything serves to showcase the film’s superbly eclectic, show-stopping musical numbers, which are done in nearly every conceivable style—opera (both Chinese and classical), synth-based pop, hip-hop, even disco. An infinitely fantastical film, Suzuki once again proves to be an inexhaustible purveyor of visionary cinema.

The Proposition

FRIDAY MAY 26 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SUNDAY MAY 28 1:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Japan 2005

Director:

Seijun Suzuki

Producers:

Katashima Ikki

Satoru Ogura

Screenwriter:

Seijun Suzuki

Cinematographer: Yonezou Maeda

Film Editor:

Nobuyuki Itio

Music:

Michiru Oshima

Ryomei Shirai

Cast:

Zhang Ziyi

Jo Odagiri

Hiroko Yakushimaru

Running Time:

120 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Japanese and Mandarin, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Dentsu Tec Inc.

Print Source:

Dentsu Tec Inc.

Film Website:

www.tanuki-goten.com

Selected Filmography:

Pistol Opera (2001)

Yumeji (1991)

Zigeunerweisen (1980)

A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness (1977)

Branded to Kill (1967)

Tokyo Driften (1966)

We’ve come to think of the Western as an exclusively American form, but in John Hillcoat’s e Proposition the genre is given a distinctly Australian gloss. In the late 1800s, lawman Captain Stanley (Ray Winstone) arrives at the edge of the Outback determined to “civilize this country.” His first order of business is to deal with the Burns Brothers—a gang of Irish outlaws wanted for rape and murder. e film opens with a gunfight in which Stanley ends up capturing Charlie (Guy Pearce) and youngest brother Mikey. In the wake of this event, Stanley makes Charlie a simple proposition: kill eldest brother Arthur in ten days time or Mikey will be hanged. Despite this simple premise, what follows is a richly complex and tragic tale of love, loyalty and honor. Charlie sets off into the Outback determined to save Mikey from the gallows, yet unsure whether or not he can murder Arthur. Meanwhile Stanley tries his best not only to provide a safe haven for his wife Martha (Emily Watson), but also to protect Mikey from the vengeful villagers, not the least of which is his superior, Eden Fletcher. When Fletcher orders a public flogging of Mikey, Stanley intervenes too late, setting into motion the film’s brutal climax. While Hillcoat’s film owes a stylish debt to Peckinpah and Leone, it’s Nick Cave’s screenplay that provides the film’s moral center: difficult decisions have unforeseen repercussions that, ultimately, resolve themselves with all the inevitability of a Greek tragedy.

Australia/UK 2005

Director:

John Hillcoat

Producers:

Chris Brown

Jackie O’Sullivan

Chiara Menage

Cat Villiers

Screenwriter:

Nick Cave

Cinematographer:

Benoit Delhomme

Film Editor:

Jon Gregory

Music:

Nick Cave

Warren Ellis

Cast:

Ray Winstone

Guy Pearce

Emily Watson

John Hurt

David Wenham

Danny Huston

Running Time:

104 minutes

Presentation Format:

Film

Gate of Flesh (1964)

Kinema Junpo Awards (Best Supporting Actress)

Wild Youth (1963)

The Puffy Chair Queens

TUESDAY MAY 30 7:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

SUNDAY JUNE 4 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

e debut feature from brothers Jay and Mark Duplass, e Puff y Chair is a smart, painfully funny and unusually human comedy of manners in which an old chair serves as a catalyst for a very personal journey. Struggling musician and booking agent Josh (Mark Duplass) decides to purchase a 1985 Lay-Z-Boy recliner on eBay just like the one he remembers from his childhood, and deliver it cross-country to his father as a surprise birthday gift. But this is a task more easily said than done. His longtime girlfriend Emily (Kathryn Aselton) guilts him into inviting her on the trip, and Josh’s neo-hippie brother Rhett (scene-stealing Rhett Wilkins) invites himself along too. eir journey takes a road trip’s worth of detours and wrong turns, as a rapidly escalating series of absurd situations increases the tension between this young couple. e chair’s condition turns out not to live up to the advertised picture, and Josh and Emily’s relationship starts to resemble the battered heap of rips and tears. e story hones in on uncomfortable truths about the rocky road to romantic bliss, and lead actors Duplass and Aselton–a couple in real life–perform with a natural intimacy. With detailed scenarios, slow-burning humor, dialogue that has the ebbs and flows of real conversation, and seat-of-your-pants shooting style, e Puff y Chair is an engaging, endearing and truthful independent film.

Awards:

SXSW 2005 (Audience Award)

Preceded by I Am (Not) Van Gogh USA, 2005, 5 minutes, director: David Russo A mis t artist proposes a lm to an arts festival committee.

USA 2005

Director:

Jay Duplass

Producer:

Mark Duplass

Screenwriters:

Mark Duplass

Jay Duplass

Film Editor:

Jay Deuby

Cast:

Mark Duplass

Kathryn Aselton

Rhett Wilkins

Running Time:

85 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

Print Source:

Roadside Attractions

Film Website:

www.thepu ychairmovie. com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

SATURDAY MAY 27 9:15 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

MONDAY MAY 29 4:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

You can roll out the red carpet, but there’s no need for a royal decree in this fun and forwardthinking comedy: Queens visualized Spain’s first gay nuptials even before they became legal. Five determined mothers are sent into a veritable tizzy as they anticipate the looming marriages of their gay sons. Featuring Marisa Paredes (All About My Mother, Talk to Her), Carmen Maura (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) and Verónica Forqué (Kika), Spain’s biggest female stars steal the show from a pack of young, up-and-coming heartthrobs. Preparing for Spain’s first mass gay wedding, they all must deal with their sons’ (and their own) romantic problems as the big day approaches. Over the course of one weekend these five very different women cope with their own desires, prejudices and histories while sex, anger, bigotry and love clash. In particular, Betiana Blum as a sweet-asoverripe-apple-pie mom and Forqué as a lusty nymphomaniac produce more than a few moments of fabulous comedy. Boasting first-rate performances, Queens has the polished look of a glossy Hollywood flick, but with a heart. Action-packed and abounding with humor, this riotously entertaining romp details the family conflicts, last-minute preparations and unexpected twists that finally add up to one joyous celebration of love and kinship.

Spain 2005

Director:

Manuel Gómez Pereira

Producer:

José Luis Escolar

Screenwriters:

Yolanda García Serrano

Joaquín Oristrell

Manuel Gómez Pereira

Cinematographer:

Juan Amorós

Film Editor:

José Salcedo

Music:

Bingen Mendizábal

Cast:

Marisa Paredes

Verónica Forqué

Carmen Maura

Running Time:

107 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Print Source:

HERE! Films

Selected Filmography:

Cosas que hacen que la vida valga la pena (2004)

O Key (2001)

Between Your Legs (1999)

Requiem Quinceañera

FRIDAY JUNE 16 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 18 4:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

e Quinceañera is traditionally a young Latin American girl’s celebration of her fifteenth birthday, something akin to a Sweet Sixteen party or debutante celebration. In Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland’s Sundance award winner Quinceañera, the film starts with a party in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Echo Park replete with taffeta dresses and a Hummer limo, but quickly changes tone when a young thug named Carlos crashes the festivities… but he’s not banned for reasons you’d initially think. His cousin Magdalena (Emily Rios) is quickly approaching her own Quinceañera. Before she can reserve a Hummer and indulge in a party of her own, she’s expelled from her religious home when they find out she’s pregnant. She moves in with her great uncle Tomas (Chalo Gonzalez) and Carlos, himself an outcast because he’s gay. Glatzer and Westmoreland live in Echo Park themselves, and they made this film as a love letter to the culture and community they saw around them, finding the texture and gravity of their neighbors in newcomers Rios and Garcia, whose Magdelena and Carlos are pitch perfect in their multifaceted roles. Also tapped here is veteran actor Chalo Gonzalez, whose screen debut was in Sam Peckinpah’s e Wild Bunch His Uncle Tomas character represents all that’s good about tradition but also what’s wise about accepting family when they don’t fit in, which is the heartening upshot of this terrifically entertaining and emotionally resonant film.

Awards:

Sundance 2006 (Grand Jury Award, Audience Award)

USA 2006

Directors:

Wash Westmoreland

Richard Glatzer

Producer:

Anne Clements

Screenwriters:

Wash Westmoreland

Richard Glatzer

Cinematographer:

Eric Steelberg

Film Editors:

Robin Katz

Clay Zimmerman

Music:

Micko

Victor Bock

Cast:

Emily Rios

Jesse Garcia

Chalo Gonzalez

Carmen Aguirre

J.R. Cruz

Jason L. Wood

David Ross

Jesus Castanos-Chima

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Cinetic Media

Print Source:

Sony Pictures Classics

Film Website:

www.quinceanerathemovie.com

Selected Filmography:

The Hole (2003)

The Flu er (2001)

Naked Highway (1997)

SATURDAY MAY 27 11:00 AM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY MAY 30 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

e latest film from SIFF ’04 Emerging Master Hans-Christian Schmid was inspired by the same 1976 events dramatized in the recent e Exorcism of Emily Rose. Michaela Klinger is a young girl determined to study education at university, despite bouts of suspected epilepsy and the opposition of her parents. ings go well initially: she makes friends and even finds a boyfriend. It’s only when she goes off her meds that trouble starts. She claims to hear voices and see things, then develops an aversion to religious paraphernalia. Her parents and friends want to support her, but seem either helpless or dismissive. Coming to believe she’s being made to suffer in the manner of a favorite saint, she becomes violently angry when an earnest young pastor organizes a living-room exorcism. Director Schmid is far more interested in the subtle real-world causes of Michaela’s breakdown than any spiritual or supernatural presence, making no judgements and leaving the viewer to come to his own conclusion. Relying on nothing beyond raw emotion and physical contortions, newcomer Sandra Heuller turns in a lacerating performance as the profoundly troubled Michaela, further demonstrating Schmid’s affinity for working with young unknowns. Also, the lack of special events gives a tangible documentary air to the proceedings, while the handful of organ-heavy period tunes create a mood at once secularly chilling and religiously resonant, in this welcome confirmation of a major directorial talent.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (FIPRESCI Prize, Best Actress)

Bavarian Film Awards (Best Supporting Actress)

North American Premiere

Germany 2006

Director:

Hans-Christian Schmid

Producer:

Hans-Christian Schmid

Screenwriter:

Bernd Lange

Cinematographer:

Bogumil Godfrejow

Film Editors:

Hansjörg Weissbrich

Bernd Schlegel

Cast:

Sandra Hüller

Burghart Klaussner

Imogen Kogge

Anna Blomeier

Running Time:

93 minutes

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

International Sales:

Bavaria Film International

Print Source:

Bavaria Film International

Film Website:

www.requiem-der lm.de

Selected Filmography:

Distant Lights (2002)

Crazy (2000) 23 (1998)

Nach Funf Im Urwald (1996)

The Road to Guantánamo Roots

THURSDAY JUNE 8 7:15 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SUNDAY JUNE 11 1:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

e emotional highpoint of this year’s Berlin Film Festival was the introduction of e Road to Guantánamo at its premier screening by its real life central characters. e movie is a blistering account of three British Muslim boys who went to Pakistan for a wedding, ended up in Afghanistan at the start of the U.S. bombardment before being taken as prisoners of the U.S. Army and sent to the notorious military prison located in Guantánamo, Cuba. Ruhel Ahmed, Asif Iqbal and Shafiq Rasul were 20-year-olds when they left Britain in January 2002 with their friend Monir on a journey which saw them going through unimaginable trials, and from which Monir, to date, has never returned. In the film the returnees give shocking personal accounts to camera, then are portrayed by actors in frenetically paced re-enactments of events, all of which is intercut with newsreel footage. Told as a modern horror story, the film is exciting and topical and far more immediate than accounts on 24-hour news stations. At its heart is the graphic depiction of prisoner abuse at Camp XRay, shot with a sickening realism. ere is no attempt to demonize individual soldiers or their superiors at the base, which leaves government leaders holding the buck for the blatant human rights abuses. e boys’ sudden release in 2004 affords a merciful end to their abuse (though, as the directors point out, some 500 prisoners remain in Guantánamo) and they are now attempting to live normal lives. If they can ever trust “normal” again, that is.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (Best Director)

United Kingdom 2006

Directors:

Michael Winterbottom

Mat Whitecross

Producer:s

Andrew Eaton

Melissa Parmenter

Michael Winterbottom

Cinematographer:

Marcel Zyskind

Film Editors:

Mat Whitecross

Michael Winterbottom

Music:

Molly Nyman

Harry Escott

Cast:

Farhad Harun

Arfan Usman

Rizwan Ahmed

Waqar Siddiqui

Shahid Iqbal

Running Time:

95 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English and

Arabic, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

The Works International

Print Source:

Roadside Attractions

Selected Filmography:

9 Songs (2004)

In This World (2002)

24 Hour Party People (2002)

The Claim (2000)

Wonderland (1999)

Welcome to Sarajevo (1997)

Jude (1996)

Butter y’s Kiss (1995)

BEDNYE RODSTVENNIKI

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 7:15 PM HARVARD EXIT

FRIDAY JUNE 9 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Eduard “Edik” Letov (Konstantin Khabensky) has founded a lucrative, albeit somewhat sleazy, business for himself. Edik specializes in genealogy, reuniting clients with long-lost who disappeared in the turmoil of World War II. However, when the task becomes too difficult, Edik hires local actors to play the parts of the missing family members. In fact, for his elderly Canadian client, Simon, Edik convinces the town of Golutvin to temporarily transform itself into Golotvin, a Ukranian Jewish shtetl that was destroyed in WWII, complete with a makeshift Jewish cemetery. “Reunited” with his “sister” Esther (the adorable 95-year-old actress Esther Gorintin, of Since Otar Left), the two form an absurd and tragic bond—Esther begins to establish such a sympathetic relationship with her “found” brother that even she believes it. But Iasha (Sergei Garmash, e Lover, Our Own) thinks that the foreign visitors may be gold diggers, and the levels of deception multiply. Shot in a gorgeous, magically realistic style by Mikhail Krichman ( e Return) that captures the beauty of the southern post-Soviet village life, Roots is a delightful tragicomedy about money and the nature of family. Khabensky steals the show as the sleazy Edik with a blend of slapstick and deadpan comedy, while director Pavel Lungin’s (Taxi Blues) complete understanding of Russian sensibilities and burlesque flair add depth and charm to this lovely and funny film.

Russia/France 2005

Director:

Pavel Lungin

Producers:

Pavel Lungin

Catherine Dussart

Olga Vassilieva

Screenwriter:

Gennady Ostrovsky

Cinematographer:

Mikhail Krichman

Film Editors:

Sophie Brunet

Julie Deconde

Music:

Michelle Arbatz

Cast:

Konstantin Khabensky

Sergey Garmash

Leonid Kanevsky

Daniil Spivakovsky

Marina Golub

Running Time:

107 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Russian, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Intercinema XXI Century

Print Source:

Intercinema XXI Century

Selected Filmography:

Tycoon (2002)

The Wedding (2000)

Line of Life (1996)

Luna Park (1992)

Round Two Russian Dolls

North American Premiere

Barely twenty years old, Angel (Alex Gonzalez) is a young boxer being trained by Paco “the Tiger” (Pepo Oliva) for a shot at the big time. But Paco’s idealistic advice is starting to sound hollow since things are starting to fall apart for Angel—he’s damaged his hand, was forced to throw a fight and is having problems with his girlfriend Alicia (Eva Marciel). Moreover, he and his mother are being threatened with eviction from their apartment. One day, former boxer Vidal (Darío Grandinetti) returns from Argentina and bursts into Angel’s life, appearing at the gym and claiming to have known Angel’s late father. Angel needs a role model, but the dangerously charismatic Vidal is anything but fatherly. Over dinner at the luxurious apartment of his girlfriend, Pilar (Laura Aparicio), Vidal bluntly informs Angel that he’s a bank robber and needs help. Totally transparent in his dealings, he makes it clear that he considers robbing banks a job like any other. e timing couldn’t be more perfect, financially, as Angel’s fragile universe is at its most precarous. e first robbery is just the prelude to a bigger, tougher job—“round two”—that Vidal has planned. Angel must decide who he is and who he wants to be in a thrilling film that welds fight, heist and family drama elements into something that resonates far beyond the sum of its parts

Spain 2005

Director:

Daniel Cebrián

Producers:

Andrés Santana

Gustavo Ferrada

Imanol Uribe

Eva Muslera

Screenwriters:

Daniel Cebrián

Imanol Uribe

Cinematographer:

Gonzalo Berridi

Film Editor:

Búster Franco

Music:

Iván Miguélez

Cast:

Darío Grandinetti

Álex González

Eva Marciel

Laura Aparicio

Running Time:

104 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Sogepaq International

Print Source:

Sogepaq International

Film Website: www.sogecine-sogepaq. com

Selected Filmography: Cascabel (2000)

e new film from SIFF ’03 Emerging Master

Cedric Klapisch (When the Cat’s Away) is a delightfully entertaining, spirited romantic comedy about a young man who still needs to do a little growing up. is lively sequel to L’Auberge Espagnole is set five years later, and Xavier (Romain Duris, e Beat that My Heart Skipped) is still searching for love and success, but has given up his aspirations for a career in international finance. His new path as a writer isn’t going well; however, his novel about his experiences in Spain has yet to be published and lately he’s been writing scripts for an over-the-top French soap opera. In London for an assignment ghostwriting a top model’s autobiography, Xavier becomes reacquainted with Wendy (Kelly Reilly, Mrs. Henderson Presents), and considers another stab at a relationship with her. He is also infatuated with his client Celia (Lucy Gordon), the model. Needing romantic advice, Xavier turns first to Isabelle (Cécile De France), an old friend and lesbian who offers her understanding of women as well as a spare bedroom in her flat, and to his ex-girlfriend Martine (Audrey Tautou, Amélie, Da Vinci Code). Shot on location in Paris, London and St. Petersburg, Klapisch bounds across time and territory to relate the tale of these friends whose problems have matured along with them, but he carries it off in a way that will ensure the film is as big an international hit as its predecessor.

France 2005

Director:

Cédric Klapisch

Producer:

Matthew Justice

Bruno Levy

Screenwriter:

Cédric Klapisch

Cinematographer:

Dominique Colin

Film Editor:

Francine Sandberg

Music:

Loîc Dury

Bruno Epron Mahn

Laurent Levesque

Christophe Minck

Cast:

Audrey Tautou

Cécile de France

Romain Duris

Kelly Reilly

Ryna Sacred Heart

SUNDAY MAY 28 9:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

TUESDAY MAY 30 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Ryna (Dorotheea Petre) is a vibrant 16-year-old girl blossoming into a headstrong young woman despite her despotic father’s best efforts to force her into the role of the son he never had. Ryna is forbidden to dress or act like a girl and is made to keep her hair shorn, wear overalls and work as a mechanic at her family’s gas station/autoshop. Even with an alcoholic and oppressive father, a mother striving for some semblance of family, and a grandfather worried about global warming, Ryna has even greater problems of her own. In spite of her boyish appearance, Ryna is pursued by a lovelorn postman, a French anthropologist whose car continues to suspiciously break down and, worst and most dangerous of all, the seedy and lecherous mayor. But Ryna’s true passion is photography, a profession that seems completely out of reach. In a small and narrow-minded town on the Danube delta, passions are bound to explode. Caught between traditional values and modern dreams, Ryna finds that the price of preserving her identity is higher than she thought. A beautifully shot narrative of a girl hindered from becoming a woman, Ryna explores the challenge of teetering on the brink of modernity, a theme that might be applied to modern-day Romania. Swiss-Romanian director Ruxandra Zedine presents a sensitive and soulful character study of an unusual young woman.

Awards:

Geneva 2005 (FIPRESCI Prize, Best Film)

Switzerland/ Romania 2005

Director:

Ruxandra Zenide

Producers:

Eric Garoyan

Xavier Ruiz

Catalin Mitulescu

Screenwriters:

Marek Epstein

Ruxandra Zenide

Cinematographer:

Marius Panduru

Film Editors:

Ioachim Stroe

Jean-Paul Cardinaux

Music:

François Wolf

Cast:

Dorotheea Petre

Valentin Popescu

Matthieu Rozé

Nicolae Praida

Aura Calarasu

Theodor Delciu

MONDAY JUNE 12 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

TUESDAY JUNE 13 4:15 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

A double suicide from a dazzling height opens the fifth film by director Ferzan Ozpetek (Facing Windows, which won Best Film at SIFF 2004). With an equally dazzling performance by Slovakian actress Barbora Bobulova, Sacred Heart explores the interaction of goodness and religion. Real estate entrepreneur Irene (Bobulova), a talented and often ruthless businesswoman who wants to transform her family’s antique palazzo into a residence, encounters Benny (Camille Dugay Comencini), a small and apparently innocent girl who soon reveals herself to be a small time crook. Irene’s motherly instincts kick in but, as she tries to teach Benny about right and wrong, a grave accident quickly turns the tables—instead it is Irene, aided by a helpful priest (Massimo Poggio), who will be re-examining the issues she thought she was so fit to teach. Ozpetek opts for a restrained approach that pays off, one that is at times positively Shyamalanian in the tension he is able to generate. His actors tap not only into the humanity of their characters but especially their groundedness—and despite her age, Dugay Comencini is able to imbue Benny with the necessary edge. Sacred Heart is a deeply courageous and strongly motivated work that poses sincere questions about the reach for redemption, the tight relationship with our own family, and the narrow gap between holiness and madness. It has a complicated message at its heart but weaves its plot, its characters and its arguments ever so elegantly into a satisfying whole.

Awards:

David di Donatello Awards (Best Actress, Best Production Design)

Italy 2005

Director:

Ferzan Ozpetek

Producers:

Tilde Corsi

Gianni Romoli

Screenwriters:

Gianni Romoli

Ferzan Ozpetek

Cinematographer:

Gian Filippo Corticelli

Film Editor:

Patrizio Marone

Music:

Andrea Guerra

Cast:

Barbora Bobulova

Camille Dugay Comencini

Lisa Gastoni

Massimo Poggio

Andrea Di Stefano

Harem

Steam:

Sa-Kwa Seven Swords

JUNE

US Premiere SUNDAY JUNE 11 3:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE TUESDAY JUNE 13 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

Summarily dumped by her boyfriend of seven years when he tells her he simply doesn’t love her, translator Hyeon-jeong can’t understand what’s hit her. Still in shock, she agrees to a date with Sang-hun, a cheerfully persistent nerd who works in the same building and has previously declared his interest in her. Eventually, almost without thinking about it, she agrees to marry him and her parents loan them cash for a house. It’s only after Sang-hun temporarily moves to another town for work reasons, with Hyeonjeong now pregnant, that strains start to show in the marriage. en her old flame reappears, stirring up long-buried emotions. Sa-Kwa is a thoughtful drama about an emotionally bruised woman caught on the rebound, and gains immeasurably from the subtle playing of Moon So-ri (known to SIFF audiences for Oasis and A Good Lawyer’s Wife), who shows she is a cut above the chocolate-box quality of most young Korean actresses by giving an emotional depth to the film. ankfully, first time writer-director Kang Yi-kwan never lets the drama get too heavy. He injects moments of subtle humor (Hyeon-jeong’s slightly crazy family for starters) that help to explain the central character’s mindset, and her constant indecision between the two men in the third act, which could easily have become tiresome in a lesser actress’ hands.

e film was a prizewinner at several major festivals over the past year, and Korea’s pantheon of world class directing talents has now officially been expanded by one.

Awards:

San Sebastian 2005 (Young Screenwriters Award)

Toronto 2005 (FIPRESCI Award)

South Korea 2005

Director:

Kang Yi-kwan

Producer:

Choi Yong-bae

Screenwriter:

Kang Yi-kwan

Cinematographer:

Son Soo-pum

Film Editor:

Park Yi-kyung

Music:

Shim Hyun-jung

Cast:

Moon So-ri

Kim Tae-woo

Lee Sun-gyun

Running Time:

118 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Korean, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Studio 2.0

Print Source:

Studio 2.0

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

JUNE 11 3:45 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Filled with gorgeous panoramas and thrillingly staged fight scenes, Seven Swords marks director Tsui Hark’s magnificent return to the wuxia genre for an action-packed swordplay epic set early in the Qing Dynasty. An imperial edict from the new Manchurian conquerors has been issued banning the practice of martial arts; violation of the decree is punishable by decapitation, with a 300 silver piece bounty rewarded per head, with no exceptions for children or the aged. Across the empire, bloodthirsty General Fire-Wind zealously enforces the edict with an efficiency that borders on genocide, while also accumulating a sizable fortune. When Fire-Wind turns his army toward the remote Martial Village, the former imperial executioner (and FireWind’s one-time master) Fu Qing-zhu resolves to stop him. He and two others set off to Mount Heaven to petition the aid of Master ShadowGlow, a legendary swordsmith, who furnishes seven unique swords and four of his apprentices. e seven heroes ride off together to meet the marauding army—not realizing there is a traitor among the villagers who is leaving clues for FireWind. In contrast to recent wuxia films, Tsui choreographs his fight scenes with a minimum of fantastical theatrics. eir brutal realism only adds to the lavish visual spectacle, which makes for a thrilling ride.

Hong Kong/ China 2005

Director:

Tsui Hark

Producers:

Tsui Hark

Lee Joo-ick

Ma Zhong-Jun

Pan Zhizhong

Screenwriters:

Tsui Hark

Cheug Chi-Sing

Chun Tin-Nam

Cinematographer:

Keung Kwok Man

Film Editor:

Angie Lam

Music:

Kenji Kawai

Cast:

Donnie Yen

Charlie Young

Lu Yi

Lau Kar-leung

Leon Lai

Running Time:

144 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Cantonese and Mandarin, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Print Source:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Film Website:

www.sevenswordsthelm.com

Selected Filmography:

The Legend of Zu (2001)

The Blade (1995)

New Dragon Inn (1992)

Once Upon a Time in China (1991)

A Better Tomorrow III (1989)

Peking Opera Blues (1986)

Shanghai Blues (1984)

Shaymol Chhaya Shinobi

North American Premiere MONDAY MAY 29 1:30 PM HARVARD EXIT WEDNESDAY MAY 31 9:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

During Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971, a boatload of Bangla citizens, representing every stripe of society, is trying to flee the brutality of war. is disparate group of Muslims, Hindus and educated non-believers is searching desperately for Shaymol Chhaya, e Land of Peace. Several women have lost the men in their families, or have only their children to travel with, and one man has come home from Germany to find he’s lost every one of his family members. e helpless people on the boat strive to get along, while a band of Bangla rebels disguised as musicians uses the boat to attack a Pakistani army unit. e loyal fighters continue on towards the liberated zone despite mounting fears of failure and a turbulent tide of events and relationships conspiring against them. With almost 200 novels and six feature films under his belt, director Humayun Ahmed must be a household name in Bangladesh. As a novelist, he wrote in a wide range of genres: family social dramas, science fiction and horror, and historical novels. e tumultuous history of Bangladesh and its fight for independence is a subject to which he frequently returns in his writing. With his latest feature film, Shaymol Chhaya, he has finally brought this important piece of history to the big screen.

Awards:

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Bangladesh 2005 (Best Film)

Bangledesh 2005

Director:

Humayan Ahmed

Producer:

Humayun Ahmed

Screenwriter:

Humayun Ahmed

Cinematographer:

Anwar Hossain

Film Editor:

Atiqur Rahman Mallik

Music:

Makshud Jamil Mintuh

Cast:

Humayun Faridi

Reaz

Shawan Ahmed

Tania

Running Time:

110 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Bengali, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Impress Tele lm Ltd.

/Channel-i

Print Source:

Impress Tele lm Ltd.

/Channel-i

Selected Filmography:

Chandrakatha (2003)

Srabon Megher Din (1999)

Aguner Poroshmoni (1995)

e year is 1614. Japan has been united under Ieyasu, first of the Tokugawa Shoguns, and peace is finally beginning to blossom. However, in a secluded mountain region two ninja clans, the Koga and the Iga, are locked in a bloodthirsty feud which has spurred each clan to develop strange, arcane powers. Prohibited from open hostilities by the Shogun three generations ago, they now serve as mercenaries for other warring clans, inevitably choosing opposite sides. Against this backdrop, Gennosuke of the Koga and Oboro of the Iga meet by chance and fall in love, unaware of the other’s clan associations. ey pledge to marry, but their betrothal is soon challenged by the Shogun’s edict. Fearing continued hostilities between the Koga and Iga will threaten the fragile peace he has imposed, Ieyasu hatches a plan to eliminate both clans. Ieyasu summons them both and informs them they will help him choose his successor: the Koga will represent one of the Shogun’s sons, the Iga the other. Each will choose their five strongest warriors to meet in combat—whichever side wins will determine the successor. Gennosuke and Oboro are each chosen by their respective clan and meet for the first time publicly on opposite sides of this deadly conflict. Combining Shakespearean-style intrigue and romance with Mortal Kombat-styled fight scenes, Shinobi is a fantastically beautiful, action-packed ninja flick that has exhilarated audiences throughout Japan and the rest of the world.

Japan 2005

Director:

Ten Shimoyama

Producers:

Nozomu Enoki

Hiroyuki Sato

Screenwriter:

Kenya Hirata

Cinematographer:

Massahi Chikamori

Film Editor:

Isao Kawase

Music:

Taro Iwashiro

Cast:

Yukie Nakama

Jô Odagiri

Tomoka Kurotani

Erika Sawijiri

Running Time:

101 minutes

Selected Filmography:

About Love (2005)

Blood Heat (2002)

Ski Jumping PairsRoad to Torino 2006 Slumming

In the tradition of, well, every sports movie that features triumph in the face of adversity, this hilarious mockumentary is an extended version of the graduation film of co-director Mashima Riichiro. e story is based on a seemingly reasonable supposition: Snow skis are long enough to carry two people, and two people can surely jump further than one.… e sport of ski jumping for pairs is the brainchild of Tokyo Professor Harada Toshifumi, who makes it his life’s work to get it officially recognized for international competition. His twin sons, Akinar and Michinori, are the initially floundering guinea pigs who eventually become world champions, jumping colossal distances. ere are some misadventures, of course, including the notorious Bermuda incident (in which a Swiss pair disappears without trace after jumping the “triangle figure”), and when Akinar tragically dies at the age of 23 his brother hits the bottle. Eventually, however, both Michinori and the sport overcome the setbacks, and Toshifumi’s dream is realized when the sport is accepted as an official part of the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin. With its gallery of eccentric egomaniac athletes, driven parents, poker-faced ski-officials, Japanese wrestlers and obsessive scientists, this hairbrained, Jackass-influenced Japanese frippery is one of the delights of the year.

Japan 2005

Directors:

Mashima Riichiro

Kobayashi Masaki

Producers:

Kama Hideki

Kawamura Genki

Screenwriter:

Mashima Riichiro

Cinematographer:

Yoshida Makoto

Film Editor:

Kobayashi Masaki

Music:

Miyagawa Dan

Cast:

Takuya Hamaguchi

Junwichi Mogy

Junichi Motegi

Running Time:

82 minutes

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

International Sales:

Avex Entertainment Inc

Print Source:

Avex Entertainment Inc

Film Website: www.sjp-movie.com

Wealthy slacker Sebastian has little respect for anything or anyone, especially women. Sebastian has two favorite hobbies: slumming the seedy bars in Vienna for quirky characters to toy with, and seducing women over the internet with lies and half-truths in order to later take risqué pictures of them. His latest conquest is Pia, a neurotic elementary school teacher who talks entirely too much when nervous, though this seemingly timid wallflower might be more than Sebastian bargained for. Sebastian’s focus has shifted, however, to the alcoholic, downand-out writer Kallmann, the Notepaper Poet, who is out on a drunken binge. With help from his roommate, Sebastian stuffs Kallmann into the trunk of his car, drives him out to a Czech border town, and leaves him for days to wander without identification among garden gnomes, deer and pictures of the Virgin Mary. at is, until a sympathetic Pia learns about the situation and attempts to rescue him. On another whim, Sebastian travels to Indonesia to lose himself in a culture he doesn’t understand, but in an alley near a street nightclub, the music issuing from inside may finally lift him from himself and deliver him to salvation. What happens if someone suddenly had to live another life? is is the question director Michael Glawogger plays with in Slumming. A maverick young Austrian filmmaker, Glawogger interweaves documentarylike precision with Viennese black humor in an unclassifiably good film.

Austria/ Switzerland 2006

Director:

Michael Glawogger

Producer:

Erich Lackner

Screenwriters:

Michael Glawogger

Barbara Albert

Cinematographer:

Martin Gschlacht

Film Editor:

Christof Schertenleib

Music:

Peter von Siebenthal

Daniel Jakob

Till Wyler

Walter W. Cikan

Cast:

Paulus Manker

August Diehl

Michael Ostrowski

Pia Hierzegger

Maria Bill

Martina Zinner

Brigitte Kren

Snow Cake

Set in a beautiful snowy landscape on the shores of Lake Superior, Snow Cake is a story of love and friendship and the unorthodox relationship between a man escaping his past, an autistic mother coping with the loss of her daughter and a passionate woman who keeps love at arms length. Middle-aged, buttoned-up Brit, Alex (Alan Rickman in a role that fits him to perfection) is on a sad, personal mission to Canada. Driving across wintry Northern Ontario, he is talked into giving a ride to a motormouth teenager, Vivienne. When they are blindsided by a truck, the girl is killed instantly, and Alex travels by bus to meet her mother, Linda (Sigourney Weaver), to deliver the shocking news. Displaying none of the anticipated traits of a griefstricken parent, Alex learns that Linda is a functioning autistic with obsessions and fears that would cripple many others, and an unshakeable sense of logic that frequently proves maddening. Persuaded to stay on a few days until the funeral, Alex is drawn into the antagonistic relationship between Linda and her foxy neighbor, Maggie (a delicious performance from Carrie-Anne Moss). Inevitably, Weaver’s towering performance dominates the proceedings, with all the tics of her character down to a ‘t’, but Alex and Maggie slide into an easy understanding that is a respite from the persnickety Linda, and their closeness provides the emotional core of this luminously shot, minutely observed yarn from first-time screenwriter Angela Pell, who is herself the mother of an autistic son.

Canada/UK 2006

Director:

Marc Evans

Producers:

Gina Carter

Jessica Daniel

Andrew Eaton

Niv Fichman

Screenwriter:

Angela Pell

Cinematographer:

Steve Cosens

Film Editor:

Marguerite Arnold

Cast:

Alan Rickman

Sigourney Weaver

Carrie-Anne Moss

Running Time:

112 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Print Source:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Selected Filmography:

Trauma (2004)

My Little Eye (2002)

Beautiful Mistake (2000)

Resurrection Man (1998)

House of America (1997)

In his newest feature, director Reza Mir-Karimi (Under the Moonlight) focuses on a lost soul forced to confront his core values in the face of personal tragedy. A wealthy and arrogant neurologist must examine the meaning of his life when his teenaged son, whom he has long taken for granted, is diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor. Setting off to reconcile with his child, who has left on an astronomy project in the desert, the doctor’s travels soon become a journey of self-discovery as he encounters a number of seemingly ordinary people who challenge his very limited worldview. Accustomed to being in control, the doctor tries to bend the future to his will, but the trek through the desert wilderness puts him at the mercy of nature and the unseen hand of fate. Known for the subtle integration of a timeless spirituality into his contemporary Iranian dramas, Mir-Karimi’s moving film—part melodrama, part road movie—develops into a fable of renewal and transformation that can be read as either religious parable or existential allegory. A rare gem of a film, So Close, So Far is a compelling new vision of Iranian society, with exquisite cinematography that reveals the desert’s sweeping grandeur as you have never seen it before.

Awards:

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Iran 2005

Director:

Reza Mir-Karimi

Producer:

Reza Mir-Karimi

Screenwriters:

Reza Mir-Karimi

Mohammad Reza Gohari

Cinematographer:

Hamid Khozolee-Abyane

Film Editor:

Bahram Dehghan

Music:

Mahammad Reza Aligholi

Cast:

Masoud Rayegani

Afsin Hashemi

Elham Hamidi

Running Time: 115 minutes

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

International Sales:

Soureh Cinema Organiza-

tion

Print Source:

Farabi Cinema Foundation

Selected Filmography: Here a Shining Light (2004)

Under the Moonlight (2003)

The Child and the Soldier (2001)

Someone Else’s Happiness Something Like Happiness

EEN A NDER ZIJN GELUK

Perfect command of tone distinguishes Fien Troch’s debut feature film, a swirling collection of vignettes bound together by the hit-and-run death of a child in a suburban Belgian village. e film starts when a child’s body is found in a roadside ditch. What the villagers know about the incident and what they witnessed is sown with seeds of doubt, and misgivings and suspicion hangs over everyone and the perpetrator turns out to be, in many ways, the most innocent. Ultimately, Someone Else’s Happiness is less a complex intellectual puzzle than a rich multi-character tapestry. Troch slowly teases out the essence of each person with austere, controlled detail. Her almost scientific approach and intense emotional investment in the characters recalls elements from the work of Ingmar Bergman, and shares with him a careful approach to composition that gives an appropriately framed, distanced tableau in which to contemplate the full tumult of the story. Belgian cinema is haunted by the specter of a series of real-life child murders during the nineties, when high-level officials were accused of scandalous incompetence and people took to the streets in protest. Someone Else’s Happiness, an exceptionally well-conceived and executed film, simmers with the menacing prescience that knowledge of these events accords.

Awards:

Thessaloniki 2005 (Best Film)

Belgium 2005

Director:

Fien Troch

Producer:

Antonino Lombardo

Screenwriter:

Fien Troch

Cinematographer:

Frank van den Eeden

Film Editor:

Nico Leunen

Music:

Peter Van Laerhoven

Cast:

Natali Broods

Johanna ter Steege

Ina Geerts

Els Deceukelier

Jan Decleir

Josse De Pauw

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Flemish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

Celluloid Dreams

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

In this stylish throwback to the Czech New Wave of the ’60s, Bohdan Sláma confirms the promise of his earlier work by leavening ostensibly dark material with a sure-handed lightness of touch. is vibrant study collects idiosyncratic characters who chafe at each other while pulling together to create a livable existence in a joyless environment. Many of the laconic, hard-drinking denizens of this industrial city in the Czech Republic still occupy the apartment building where they grew up, enjoying the communal intimacy of an extended family. In fact, many work in the same factory, which offers steady, dull, low-wage employment. Tonik, a low-key, all-around handyman, has harbored feelings for Monika since childhood, and her boyfriend has recently left for the United States because of a job offer. Will he send for her? And if he does, will she have the courage to tear herself away from a life that is imperfect but familiar? Or will she abandon her dreams and accept Tonik’s devotion? Meanwhile, Dasha, a distraught young mother of two unruly children, is being driven crazy by her husband Jara’s infidelities. When Dasha is hospitalized for depression, Tonik and Monika step in as surrogate parents. is multiple prize-winning film, shot over the course of four seasons to allow flexibility in the interpretation of the script, skillfully delves deep into a society where economic hardship encourages dreams of faraway places, yet love and fulfillment can be found when and where they are least expected.

Czech Republic 2005

Director: Bohdan Sláma

Producer: Pavel Strnad

Screenwriter: Bohdan Sláma

Cinematographer: Divis Marek

Film Editor: Jan Danhel

Music: Leonid Soybelman

Cast: Pavel Liska

Tatiana Vilhelmová

Ana Geislerová

Marek Daniel

Zuzana Kronerová

Suicidals A Summer Day

SUNDAY JUNE 4 9:15 PM HARVARD EXIT

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Daniel is a journalist who comes from a family with a history of suicide. He is scarred by the fact that, on the 25th anniversary that his father took his own life, he is now the same age his father was when he died. is self-reflective revelation is compounded when his editor assigns him a story to uncover the identity of a an anonymous suicide victim. Assigned to work with the non-communicative photographer Marcela, Daniel begins his investigation by asking his girlfriend to have the young students write a paragraph on what death means to them. Although their relationship is strained, his girlfriend agrees and ends up fired from her job as a result. e rift between them growing, Daniel pushes his attraction to Marcela, forcing a physical and passionate confrontation. United by the idea of suicide, both Daniel and Marcela continue investigating, searching for the meaning behind self-murder: is it Durkheim’s concept of anomie (a breakdown of social norms and a condition where norms no longer control) driving them, or some genetic link that predestines? Moody and evocative, Suicidals traverses dangerous ground until the inevitable threatens to engulf them all.

SUNDAY MAY 28 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

US Premiere US Premiere

Argentina 2005

Director:

Juan Villegas

Producers:

Nathalie Cabiron

Juan Villegas

Screenwriter:

Antonio Di Benedetto

Cinematographer:

Paola Rizzi

Film Editors:

Martín Mainoli

Laureano Rizzo

Music:

Guillermo Guareschi

Cast:

Daniel Hendler

Leonora Balcarce

Camila Toker

Running Time:

80 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Film Sharks International

Print Source:

Film Sharks International

Selected Filmography: Sábado (2001)

TUESDAY MAY 30 4:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Sébastien lives in a small, affluent but provincial French town where he works with his father, the local car mechanic. When not working, he spends his time with Mickaël playing soccer or wandering about the surrounding countryside. Sébastien’s feelings for Mickaël are deeply charged with currents of inexpressible eroticism. Unfortunately, one night in the woods he spies Mickaël engaged in a sexual tryst with Manuella. Jealous and unable to cope with this inadvertent betrayal, Sébastien brushes off Mickaël when he comes to visit the next day. e friends are still not talking during their next soccer match, when Mickaël is seriously injured after the goal collapses on him. While Mickaël’s critical injuries leaves Sébastien feeling hollow, it also has greater repercussions throughout the community: the mayor—whose step-son was a friend to both Mickaël and Sébastien—becomes embroiled in scandal, and Mickaël’s mother struggles to come to terms with the strained, and now irreparable, relationship she had with her son. When she and Sébastien finally meet, each try to resolve their disparate feelings not only concerning Mickaël but also themselves. Although such material could have easily slipped into melodrama, director Franck Guérin deftly fashions it into a subtle, meditative tale on love, death and the self. Exquisitely shot with the golden, glowing light of late summer bathing every scene, A Summer Day draws equal parts inspiration from Maupassant and Botticelli.

France 2006

Director:

Franck Guérin

Producers:

Virginie Bonneau

Remi Roy

Screenwriters:

Franck Guérin

Agnes Feuvre

Cinematographer:

Mathieu Pansard

Film Editor:

Mike Fromentin

Music:

Sébastien Schuller

Cast:

Catherine Mouchet

Jean-François Stévenin

Baptiste Bertin

Théo Frilet

Brice Hillairet

Catherine Mouchet

Elise Caron

Brice Hillairet

Running Time:

91 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

ARTE France

Print Source:

ARTE France

Film Website:

www.unjourdete-le lm.

com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Tertium non datur

THURSDAY JUNE 1 7:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY JUNE 5 4:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

In the middle of the Ukrainian steppe at the end of World War II, German and Romanian troops are withdrawing from the advancing Red Army. e Romanians await disaster in the deserted school that they’re using as a military headquarters. ey hear they may be receiving fresh troops, but instead only a German general and a major drop in to pay a social call to get a good meal from their “allies.” e Germans contribute a case of French champagne to the evening’s festivities, and the general reminisces over Paris while the young Romanian officers join him in singing French Chansonettes. Warmed by the champagne and memories, the general boasts that he is the owner of the most expensive stamp in the world—the famous Romanian aurochs head. Only two exist in the world. Valued at over one million German marks, the general proudly passes it around the table. en the stamp disappears. Sacre bleu! e room is turned upside down, tensions flare, body searches are called for and refused by some, and the resolution is as inevitable as it is appropriate, in this comic parable of coincidence and honor.

Plays

Director: Lucian Pintilie

Producer: Constantin Popescu

Screenwriter:

Lucian Pintilie

Cinematographer: Silviu Stavila

Film Editor: Melanie Oproiu

Cast: Victor Rebengiuc

Sorin Leoveanu

Tudor Aaron Istodor

Cornel Scripcaru

Bogdan Stanoievici

Running Time: 39 minutes

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

International Sales: Filmex Romania

Print Source: Romanian Film Centre

Selected Filmography: Niki and Flo (2003) The Afternoon of a Torturer (2001)

A new addition to the classic design collection at Egbert’s

Chair H, designed by architect Christian Valdes.

North American Premiere

Liviu’s Dream

Texas

MAY 28 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

6:30 PM HARVARD

Texas is actually set in a small town in the Piedmont region of Italy, where a group of friends routinely parties in a desperate attempt to stave off adulthood. e film opens with the narrator, Enrico (director Fausto Paravidino), arriving at one of these parties. From there, he backs up three months and presents us with a trio of Saturdays over the course of which we get to know his friends and their relationships. All five still live at home, and only two have jobs. All of the friends are nearing 30, and all are secretly aware that they’re far too old to be living the way they do. ey talk about their plans for the future, but are unable and unwilling to move on. Gianluca is a pretty boy who has finally managed to stay with one girl for more than a few months. Maria is an unhappily married schoolteacher in her 40s who creates a bit of a scandal when she begins an affair with Gianluca. e affair is the point around which everything turns. e tension it creates within the group provokes a sort of self-examination, which causes them to try and figure out who they are and who they want to be. Young actor/writer Paravidino’s film directing debut jumps off the screen with a thrilling, inescapable confidence that expresses itself not in showy, attention-getting tricks but rather in a willingness to be wildly unconventional without regard for the reaction of viewers.

Awards:

Venice 2005 (Most Innovative Film Award)

Italy 2005

Director:

Fausto Paravidino

Producer:

Domenico Procacci

Screenwriters:

Fausto Paravidino

Iris Fusetti

Carlo Orlando

Cinematographer:

Gherardo Gossi

Film Editor:

Giogìo Franchini

Music:

Nicola Tescari

Cast:

Valerio Binasco

Iris Fusetti

Fausto Paravidino

Valeria Golino

Carlo Orlando

Running Time:

105 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Italian, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

The Works International

Print Source:

The Works International

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Thieves and Liars Three Times

MONDAY JUNE 5 4:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

SUNDAY JUNE 11 6:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

A small island with a population of four million, Puerto Rico is strategically located between South and North America and has become the main gateway for cocaine into the U.S. East Coast. ieves and Liars follows the lives of three Puerto Rican families, each affected by the wave of corruption and crime the trafficking of cocaine has engendered. e script unfolds in parallel strands: Cheo and Miguel are brothers who support their disapproving grandmother with money they earn from shady drug smugglers; Wanda, a struggling single mother, tries to find justice in the Puerto Rican legal system as she fights the fraudulent company that cost her her job; rebellious teenager Luisito experiments with drugs despite the warnings of his concerned mother Isabel, who has to seek the help of her irresponsible ex-husband in dealing with the boy. However the point of the film is not how fiscal and material crimes cause human damage as much as lying to a loved one, lying to oneself and living in denial can all be complicit in corruption, which makes nearly all of the characters examples of thieves and/or liars. One of the first beneficiaries of the newly established Puerto Rican Film Industry Fund, ieves and Liars is a great calling card for debut directors Ricardo Mendez Matta and Poli Marichal, who has invested this absorbing, crisply told feature with skills honed on TV shows and working in various production roles with established international directors, including Ken Loach, Alison Anders and Andy Garcia.

Puerto Rico 2005

Directors: Ricardo Mendez Matta

Poli Marichal

Producers: Ricardo Mendez Matta

Poli Marichal

Screenwriters:

Ricardo Mendez Matta

Poli Marichal

Cinematographers:

Jaime Costas

Willi Berrios

Film Editor:

Martin Singer

Music:

Superaquello

Cast:

Steven Bauer

Elpidia Carrillo

Daniel Lugo

Magda Rivera

Lymari Nadal

Dennis Mario

José Heredia

Running Time: 114 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish and English, with English

subtitles

Print Source:

Rocopolis

Film Website:

www.ladronesymentrirosos.com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

SATURDAY JUNE 10 1:30 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY JUNE 13 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

ree exquisite tales are braided together in perfect harmony in ree Times, Hou Hsiao-hsien’s newest masterpiece. A film of composed, sumptuous maturity that uses epochal moments in Taiwanese history as touchstones, Hou’s finely balanced creation is one of the cinematic events of the year. e film follows three couples in love in three different eras. Each couple is magnificently played by Taiwan’s two hottest stars, Shu Qi (So Close) and Chang Chen (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon). e first story, set in 1966, features the sublimely sexy Shu Qi as a transient pool-hall attendant with Chang Chen as a kid on his military service, chasing her from one poolhall to the next. Almost wordless, the smoky atmosphere is defined by the radio hits of the time. In the second, shot as a silent movie, it is 1911(the year of China’s first revolution). She’s a teahouse courtesan and he’s her regular customer—a successful businessman and clandestine activist who takes care of everyone but turns a blind eye to her real needs. And in 2005 she’s a bisexual rock singer prone to epileptic episodes and he’s a photographer; both are involved with other people when they begin their dangerous liaison. Fashions in “love” change through the years, Hou suggests, but love itself stays the same. Instantly transforming magic moments into cherished memories, he has serves up platefuls of tempting Chinese delicacies come together to create the finest of banquets.

Taiwan 2005

Director:

Hou Hsiao-hsien

Producer:

Hou Hsiao-hsien

Screenwriter:

Chu Tien-wen

Cinematographer:

Mark Lee Ping-bin

Film Editor:

Liao Ching-sun

Cast:

Shu Qi

Chang Chen

Mei Fang

Liao Su-jen

Di Mei

Running Time:

120 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Mandarin, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

IFC First Take

Selected Filmography:

Cafe Lumiere (2004)

Millennium Mambo (2001)

Flowers of Shanghai (1998)

The Puppetmaster (1993)

City of Sadness (1989)

Dust in the Wind (1987)

A Time to Live, A time to

Die (1985)

Time to Leave

FRIDAY JUNE 16 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

SATURDAY JUNE 17 1:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

At a casual glance, the cocky young Parisian fashion photographer Romain (Melvil Poupaud) would appear to have it all: adoring boyfriend, rising fame and the freedom to live his life as he sees fit. Look closer, though, and the cracks begin to show, including widening sibling rivalries, an increasing distance from his adoring yet wary parents and, most inescapably, the presence of a swiftly progressing, incurable tumor. Upon hearing the news, Romain’s initial instinct is to suffer quietly, hiding his illness from his family and friends, until a chance encounter with a waitress offers him a chance to possibly leave a legacy. Time to Leave, director François Ozon’s second entry in a projected mordant trilogy that began with 2000’s celebrated Under the Sand (with which this new film shares some surreal beach imagery), continues to demonstrate the filmmaker’s mastery of the human condition. While more straightforward than could perhaps be expected by the usually playful creator of 8 Women and Swimming Pool, this dramatically sparse yet fully realized film is given wings by its honestly portrayed (i.e. not always especially admirable) protagonist and a brief yet luminous appearance by Jeanne Moreau. Wrenching and inspiring in near equal proportions.

Awards:

Valladolid 2005 (Silver Spike, Best Actor)

France 2005

Director:

François Ozon

Producers:

Olivier Delbosc

Marc Missonnier

Screenwriter:

François Ozon

Cinematographer:

Jeanne Lapoirie

Film Editor:

Monica Coleman

Music:

Arvo Pärt

Valentin Silvestrov

Marc-Antoine Charpentier

Cast:

Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi

Jeanne Moreau

Daniel Duval

Melvil Poupaud

Running Time:

85 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

Strand Releasing

Selected Filmography:

5x2 (2004)

Swimming Pool (2003)

8 Women (2002)

Under the Sand (2000)

Tough Enough

FRIDAY JUNE 16 4:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 17 9:45 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

Tough Enough is a change of pace from actor-director Detlev Buck’s earlier freewheeling comedies. Marbled with Buck’s distinctive humor and swaggering dialogue, this in-your-face street drama speaks a language international enough to allow his talent to finally transcend the borders of his homeland. When 15-year-old Michael’s trashy blonde mom, Miriam, is kicked out by her lover, the snobbish doctor Klaus, mom and son have to carve out a life in Neukoelln, a grungy immigrant district of Berlin. It’s the kind of place where his teacher’s refrain to the rowdy, mostly Turkish pupils is “Once more, and you’re deported. OK?” Beaten up one day in an alley, Michael nevertheless manages to makes some friends as he adapts to the rules of the street and masterminds a robbery of Klaus’ apartment that nets some easy money. e robbery also brings him to the attention of local Mr. Big, Hamal, who takes the teen under his wing as a bagman for drug deals. But when some serious money goes missing, Michael (an astonishing performance from young David Kross) is brought face to face with the harsh realities of his new profession. Handling the essentially bleak material with the lightest of touches, the film was the deserving winner of the International Critics’ prize in the Panorama section of this year’s Berlin Film Festival and signals Detlev Buck as a real talent to watch.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (FIPRESCI Prize, Panorama)

North American Premiere

Germany 2006

Director:

Detlev Buck

Producer:

Claus Boje

Screenwriters:

Zoran Drvenkar

Gregor Tessnow

Cinematographer:

Kolja Brandt

Film Editor:

Dirk Grau

Music:

Bert Wrede

Cast:

David Kross

Jenny Elvers-Elbertzhagen

Erhan Emre

Oktay Ozdemir

Arnel Taci

Running Time:

98 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in German, with English subtitles

International Sales:

The Match Factory GmbH

Print Source:

The Match Factory GmbH

Film Website:

www.knallhart-der lm.de

Selected Filmography:

Liebesluder (2000)

Liebe Deine Nachste (1998)

Mannerpension (1996)

Wir Konnen Auch Anders (1992)

Karniggels (1991

Hopnick (1990)

A Trip to Kharabakh

G ASEIRNEBA K HARABAK HSHI

MONDAY JUNE 12 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

SUNDAY JUNE 18 4:45 PM HARVARD EXIT

Two young men from Tbilisi, capitol of Georgia, take a not very carefully planned road trip to buy cheap drugs in Azerbaijan and end up in a war zone. A wrong turn in the middle of nowhere, and the two find themselves in the enclave of Nagorny Karabakh, a highly disputed territory mostly populated by Armenians but enclosed on all sides by Azerbaijan. e two Georgians are first kidnapped by Azerbaijanis, and then by Armenians. At first they are hostages, but eventually they become participants on alternating sides of the guerilla war. e main character Gio is faced with his new realities, and recognizes the absurdities, dangers and hypocrisies of war between neighbors. And yet, away from his dominating though loving father, he feels for the first time an unknown peace. e film affords a rare glimpse on a personal level of the people who live in the complicated patchwork known as the South Caucasus. Characters and events follow one another in a deliberately chaotic and illogical way, which is a striking metaphor for the chaos and anarchy that reigned in the region in the 1990s when this movie is set. A Trip to Kharabakh was inspired by the popular Georgian novel by Aka Morchiladzes which, incidently, was published while a civil war was raging in Tbilisi.

North American Premiere

Georgia 2005

Director:

Levan Tutberidze

Producers:

Levan Korinteli

Georgy Kharabadze

Screenwriters:

Aka Moorchiladze

Irakli Solomonashvili

Cinematographer:

Goran Pavicevic

Film Editor:

Niko Tarielashvili

Music:

Nukri Abashidze

Cast:

Levan Doborjginidze

Mikhheil Meshki

Nutsa Kuchianidze

Dato Iashvili

Running Time:

107 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Georgian and Russian, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Studio Remka

Print Source:

EastWest Filmdistribution

GmbH

Selected Filmography:

Phantoms of the Past (1995)

Last Prayer of the Nazarene (1989)

Twelve and Holding

SATURDAY MAY 27 3:45 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY MAY 29 1:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

From the moment 12-year-old Jacob Carges receives a gift of a hockey mask—which he uses to hide the birthmark that covers half his face—it’s clear he has a completely different personality than his athletic, outgoing twin Rudy (Conor Donovan, playing both roles). Rudy is the ringleader of a quartet of classmates that hangs out in woods behind their suburban neighborhood, rounded out by precocious Malee and tubby, insecure Leonard. When the Carges boys dump a bucketful of urine on the local bullies, the toughs swear they’ll return that night to destroy the foursome’s tree house. Unaware that the boys have fallen asleep within the fort, the bullies torch the structure. Leonard tumbles to safety but Rudy is killed, which throws his family, friends and whole community into grieving disbelief. Jacob is haunted by guilt and perversely driven to visit the guilty boys in juvenile lockup. ese trips, at first motivated by hatred, develop into a friendship of sorts with one of the boys. Meanwhile, Malee and Leonard are also dealing with their own—frequently seriocomic—issues: Malee compensates for her absent father by developing a crush on a dreamy construction worker, and Leonard’s plump parents are horrified by his decision to lose weight. Each character’s story is a little shocking, a bit politically incorrect, and leavened with humor. Michael Cuesta’s first feature since 2001’s striking debut L.I.E. is quite different in tone and style, but also deals in underage sexuality and emotional extremes.

USA 2005

Director:

Michael Cuesta

Producers:

Michael Nozik

Doug Manko

Andrew Spaulding

Frank Frattaroli

Mike Downey

Screenwriter:

Anthony S. Cipriano

Cinematographer:

Romeo Tirone

Film Editors:

Kane Platt

Eric Carlson

Music:

Pierre Foldes

Cast:

Conor Donovan

Zoe Weizenbaum

Jeremy Renner

Jesse Camacho

Annabella Sciorra

Running Time:

94 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Fortissimo Film Sales

Print Source:

IFC Films

Selected Filmography:

L.I.E. (2001)

Two Drifters

SUNDAY MAY 28 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 4:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Odete (the beautiful Ana Cristina de Oliveira) is a hapless, roller-skating supermarket worker with one thing on her mind: to get pregnant and start a family. Her boyfriend is not so keen on the idea, and promptly dumps her when the subject is broached. Meanwhile handsome, young and romantic Rui is mourning his lover Pedro who died in a car accident on their anniversary. e lives of these two lonely individuals collide when Odete develops a strange obsession with the recently departed Pedro, her former next-door neighbor. Wearing his clothes, sleeping on his grave and claiming to be the bearer of his child, Odete bonds with Pedro’s family, much to Rui’s dismay. Rui battles with his grief and frustration and moves slowly toward acceptance, while Odete seems to lose her grip on reality with ever increasing fervor. But just as she is on the brink of madness, her belly begins to swell. As both Odete and Rui are brought to their personal extremes, they realize their desires together in the unexpected ending. Blended with eccentric and off beat humor are metaphysical musings on how one survives a lover’s demise and copious covers of pop songs, such as “Moon River.” Exploring the themes of grief and loss, director João Pedro Rodrigues creates a world of melodramatic, dreamy romanticism.

Awards:

Bogota 2005 (Bronze Precolumbian Circle)

Cannes 2005 (Special Mention)

Urban Scarecrow

5 9:30 PM

Portugal 2005

Director:

João Pedro Rodrigues

Producer:

Maria Joáo Sigalho

Screenwriters:

João Pedro Rodrigues

Paulo Rebelo

Cinematographer:

Rui Poças

Film Editor:

Paulo Rebelo

Cast:

Ana Cristina de Oliveira

Nuno Gil

Teresa Madruga

João Carreira

Carloto Cotta

Running Time:

101 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Portuguese, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Rosa Films

Print Source:

Strand Releasing

Selected Filmography:

O Fantasma (2000)

Seattle filmmaker Andrew McAllister (Shag Carpet Sunset) directs the bittersweet story of quiet and detached teenager Wesley. Since his mother’s death six years ago, he and his father Frank, a hopeless yet endearing failed comedian, have been living in a small run-down motel amidst a landscape of empty parking lots, abandoned buildings, telephone poles and broken signs. e two seem to be drifting aimlessly, each dealing with their fears and fantasies in their own ways. Bored and restless, Wes searches for some kind of hidden treasure in his world of junk and TV static, with only the company of his rambunctious friend Derek. Frank fluctuates between cynicism, childlike enthusiasm and delusion as he balances temp jobs, comedy classes, open mic nights and increasingly difficult communications with Wes. Frank’s life is brightened a bit with the arrival of new neighbor Vicki and her young daughter Lilly, but Wes’ heart is somewhere far away. A poetic, bittersweet film with a unique sensibility, Urban Scarecrow creates a small and secluded world within a landscape of urban ruin (helped by cinematographer Megan Griffiths’ eye for capturing both the decay and charm along Seattle’s Highway 99) and captures the essence of adolescence and of life in limbo.

Preceded by Closing Time

USA, 2005, 4 minutes, director: Chris Brandt

Long hours, minimum wage, demanding customers, surrounded by grease – by the end of the day these fast food workers are at the end of their ropes, and liable to do anything.

USA 2006

Director:

Andrew McAllister

Producer:

Mark Price

Screenwriter:

Andrew McAllister

Cinematographer: Megan Gri ths

Film Editor:

Andrew McAllister

Music:

Ben McAllister

Cast: Charles Leggett

Peter Richards

Debra Pralle

Ben Garman

Running Time:

82 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

Golden Heart Pictures LLC

Film Website:

www.urbanscarecrow.com

Selected Filmography: Shag Carpet Sunset (2002)

VishwaThulasi

SUNDAY JUNE 4 1:15 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 9:30 PM

Bollywood musicals, famous for beautiful cinematography and fanciful choreography, continue to draw praise and devotion far beyond the boundaries of the sub-continent. Vishwa ulasi turns out to be one of the best examples in recent years. Set in 1962, the film begins with ulasi returning to the village of her youth shortly after the death of her uncle and grandmother, in order to work as a dance teacher. Soon after her arrival, she once again encounters Vishwa, the lover she lost twenty years ago when she was forced into a marriage with the loutish Shiva. Technically still married, Shiva has long since disappeared from her life while Vishwa, on the other hand, now oversees a local estate and has never married. Vishwa and ulasi are surprised to find their mutual attraction for each other still very much alive, but the intervening years have instilled a number of middle-age inhibitions along with the very real fear of being socially ostracized within the village. But Pattabhi, Vishwa’s manager, senses their deep feelings and does everything in his power to help them break through their reserve. However, just as the pair finally and openly rekindles the passion, Shiva returns. Oscillating between the ’40s and ’60s, first-time director Sumathy Ram embeds her characters in a triangular love story that fully explores all the capricious whims of love and destiny.

India 2005

Director:

Sumathy Ram

Producer:

Ramki Ramakrishnen

Screenwriter:

Sumathy Ram

Cinematographer: B. Kannan

Film Editor: Suresh Urs

Music:

M.S. Viswanathan and Ilayaraaja

Cast: Mammootty

Nandita Das

Manoj Kjayan

Running Time: 114 minutes

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

International Sales:

Sindhujaa Films

Print Source:

Sindhujaa Films

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

OSS 117: Nest of Spies

OSS 117: LE CAIRE - NID D ’ ESPIONS

TUESDAY JUNE 6 7:00 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

SATURDAY JUNE 10 7:00 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

MONDAY JUNE 12 4:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Egypt, 1955. French Comic favorite Jean Dujardin stars as secret agent Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, a.k.a. OSS 117—James Bond crossed with Maxwell Smart, Austin Powers and a bit of e Naked Gun. After a fellow agent is killed, Hubert goes undercover as the head of a Cairo poultry firm while he investigates the murder, monitors the Suez Canal, checks up on the Brits and Soviets, burnishes France’s reputation, quells a fundamentalist rebellion and brokers peace in the Middle East. “No problem,” replies Hubert, whose suave self-importance is topped only by his phenomenal ignorance and dumb luck. He is met at the Cairo airport by fetching and brainy secretary Larmina El Akmar Betouche (Berenice Bejo), and during a drive into town filmed entirely with old-fashioned rear projection, Hubert marvels at the amount of sand in Egypt and pooh-poohs Larmina’s assertion that “millions of people” speak Arabic. If Hubert hasn’t heard of something—like Islam—he dismisses it as a silly notion that’ll never catch on. From its re-visiting of ‘60s-style hand-to-hand combat to the double cross-festooned finale, the screenplay pays off in the manner of all selfrespecting thrillers in which the bad guys only appear to triumph. With sparkling production design, a jubilantly retro score and a genuine flair for using the film and TV vocabulary of the ‘60s to revisit colonial arrogance, OSS 117 is a consistent delight.

France 2006

Director:

Michel Hazanavicius

Producers:

Eric Altmayer

Nicolas Altmayer

Screenwriter:

Jean-Francois Halin

Cinematographer:

Guillaume Schi man

Film Editor:

Reynald Bertrand

Music:

Ludovic Bource

Kamel Ech-Cheikh

Cast:

Jean Dujardin

Berenice Bejo

Aure Atika

Philippe Lefebvre, Constantin Alexandrov

Said Amadis

Running Time:

99 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Gaumont

Print Source: Gaumont

Selected Filmography:

Mes amis (1999)

North American Premiere

Wah-Wah

The West Wittering Affair

11:00

Richard E. Grant made an indelible mark with his delightfully debauched performance as Withnail, the dazzlingly verbose layabout who boozed his way through the film Withnail and I. Now with his impressive directorial debut, he coaxes standout performances from Gabriel Byrne, Miranda Richardson, Emily Watson and Julie Waters, and proves that he is as talented behind the camera as he is in front of it. Based on his childhood in Swaziland, the plot unfolds against the backdrop of the handover of power, circa 1969. When his wife runs off with their neighbor, Ralph’s father sends him off to boarding school while he consoles himself with drink. While he’s away, his teenage resentment brews up to the point when he returns home two years later and is surprised to meet the sassy American woman now sleeping in his mother’s bed. It turns out they bond, as Ralph comes to understand that she too is an outsider in this hypocritical, class-obsessed society. As Independence Day approaches, everything builds toward a performance of Camelot wherein the richness and absurdity of the British Commonwealth is celebrated and skewered in all its dwindling glory. Because Wah-Wah draws from Grant’s recollections, it offers an intimate perspective on Britain’s imperial venture but focuses on the characters and their shifting allegiances rather than on the politics. In addition, this is the first film to be shot entirely on location in Swaziland, and the result is visually stunning.

South Africa/ France/UK 2005

Director:

Richard E. Grant

Producers:

Je Abberley

Pierre Kubel

Marie-Castille MentionSchaar

Screenwriter:

Richard E. Grant

Cinematographer:

Pierre Aïm

Film Editor:

Isabelle Dedieu

Music:

Patrick Doyle

Cast:

Nicholas Hoult

Gabriel Byrne

Emily Watson

Julie Walters

Miranda Richardson

Zachary Fox

Running Time:

99 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

The Works International

Print Source:

Roadside Attractions

Film Website:

www.wahwahthemovie. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

e sex farce is pretty much as old as entertainment itself. Taking that cue and giving a nod to modern and classic forms of romping carnality (A Midsummer Night’s Dream may come to mind), brothers David and Danny Scheinmann have crafted their own love letter to the adage that sex is the best way to get at the heart of both comedy and tragedy. David (behind the camera) and Danny (in front of it) spent several years creating the spine for this uniquely original film that is entirely improvised. e actors were given the basic story arc, then created their characters and dialogue in lengthy workshopping sessions, honing it further even as the cameras were rolling. Danny Scheinmann plays Jamie, who’s meant to be with Cathy (Sarah Sutcliffe) but ends up with Natasha (Rebecca Cardinale), who happens to be the former lover of Greg (David Annen), who’s a therapist that Jamie consults about his confusion over sexual dynamics. It sounds perplexing on the surface, but not in the telling, which is consistently clever, often sidesplitting and occasionally devastating for its scathing realism. Viewers might be reminded of Mike Nichols’ Closer and the harsh truths that such sexual intimacies can betray. But e West Wittering Affair is much funnier and more concerned with the genuine spontaneity of carnal knowledge and the befuddlement it can cause. In both form and function, spontaneity is most decidedly the operative word.

United Kingdom 2005

Director:

David Scheinmann

Producers:

Ben Timlett

Bill Jones

Screenwriters:

Danny Scheinmann

Sarah Sutcli

Cinematographer:

David Scheinmann

Film Editor:

Karoline Moser

Music:

Mark Tschanz

Cast:

Sarah Sutcli e

David Annen

Rebecca Cardinale

Danny Scheinmann

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

Print Source:

Bill and Ben Productions

Film Website: www.westwitteringaffair.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

What a Wonderful Place

MONDAY MAY 29 9:15 PM HARVARD

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 4:00 PM HARVARD

is ambitious, multi-lingual ensemble film speaks eloquently about something common to us all: the need for human contact. In the dead of night near the Arava border crossing, several Ukrainian women are herded through the barbed wire separating Israel from Jordan. On the other side of the border, a former policeman named Franco (Uri Gavriel) picks them up. He now works for a local gangster who runs a prostitution ring. Franco and his thug assistant strip the women of their identification in preparation for selling them as prostitutes and domestics. Franco takes an interest in Jana (Evelyne Kaplun, Yana’s Friends) despite being a married man who is keeping an eye on his disabled father, who himself is being nursed by a Filipino with a gambling problem. Jana has also attracted the attention of a dumpy-looking farmer named Zeltzer who found her purse that was brimming with photographs of her loved ones. e farmer’s ai workers are getting ready for a mysterious visitor while being harassed by a racist cop. Some people wait for circumstances to change; others change circumstances. What a Wonderful Place illustrates the pitfalls of a changing world and the deceptive surface beauty of that world. Is it a wonderful place? It depends on your point of view.

Awards:

Karlovy Vary 2005 (Special Jury Prize, Best Actor)

Jerusalem 2005 (Best Film, Best Actor)

O cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Whole New Thing

Israel 2005

Director:

Eyal Halfon

Producers:

Assaf Amir

Yoav Roeh

Screenwriter:

Eyal Halfon

Cinematographer:

Nili Aslan

Film Editor:

Einat Glaser-Zarhin

Music:

Avi Belleli

Cast: Uri Gavriel

Evelyn Kaplun

Raymond Bagatsing

Avi Oria

Running Time:

104 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Hebrew, Russian, English and Filipino, with

English subtitles

Print Source:

Norma Production

Selected Filmography:

InSights (2003)

Circus Palestina (1998)

Theo and His Friends (1998)

Canadian writer and director Amnon Buchbinder has fashioned a witty and off beat dramatic comedy about the need to be a kid when you are one, but then to grow up. Raised by his nudity-loving, hippie-era parents in rural Nova Scotia, Emerson is precocious, to say the least.

ough he’s just finished writing and illustrating his first novel, Emerson’s poor math skills force him to abandon the home-schooling he has known all his life and attend public school.

Mr. Don Grant (co-writer Daniel MacIvor) is a 42-year-old English teacher whose life has become the solitary drudgery of attempting to win the glazed eyes and slack jaws of his students over to academia, meanwhile gaining fulfillment through anonymous sex in park bathrooms. Deemed suspicious by his peers, Emerson appears as a godsend to teachers, especially Mr. Grant—that is until his burgeoning sexuality (focused on Mr. Grant) becomes problematic. Emerson’s ignorance of societal norms is both a blessing and a curse; comfortable with his own sexuality, he has no idea that his infatuation with Don could lead to the teacher’s dismissal, or worse. Buchbinder and MacIvor also carve out a wealth of memorable secondary characters, especially Emerson’s eco-hippie parents, who are forced to deal with the emerging gulf in their relationship that comes with Emerson’s absence. Aaron Webber’s bravura performance as Emerson, combined with Buchbinder and MacIvor’s clever and honest script, make this one of the best Canadian films of the year.

Awards:

Canada 2005

Director:

Amnon Buchbinder

Producers:

Kelly Bray

Camelia Frieberg

Screenwriters:

Amnon Buchbinder

Daniel MacIvor

Cinematographer: Christopher Ball

Film Editor:

Angela Baker

Music: David Buchbinder

Cast: Aaron Webber

Daniel MacIvor

Rebecca Jenkins

Robert Joy

Wild Tigers I Have Known

THURSDAY JUNE 8 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL SATURDAY JUNE 10 11:00 AM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Logan is soft spoken, lonely and 13 years old, and he is a boy with a crush. Unlike his equally lonely friend Joey, who obsesses over the sexual conquests of the slightly older post-pubescent boys, Logan is fixated on the boys themselves, particularly Rodeo Walker. Rodeo is the only one of the group of cool kids who shows any friendliness toward him, meaning he doesn’t go out of his way to make Logan’s life miserable. As Logan and Rodeo strike up a mismatched friendship, the kind that only works on walks deep into the forest when no one else is around, Logan’s infatuation with Rodeo inspires him to create a new persona named Leah. Leah and Rodeo grow close through whispered late-night phone calls, and when Leah agrees to meet Rodeo face to face, it is Logan who must finally prove that he can ask for what he so achingly wants. Wild Tigers I Have Known is an ethereal exploration of adolescent longing. Cam Archer’s storytelling is unconventional, fresh and overflowing with the kind of heart that is touching and familiar to anyone who remembers junior high as a time of painful desire, confusion and questioning. e well-crafted story, beautifully photographed, draws us back into this moody world of teenage isolation and eventual hope—a world that, perhaps mistakenly, we think we moved past long ago.

USA 2006

Director:

Cam Archer

Producer:

Cam Archer

Screenwriter:

Cam Archer

Cinematographer:

Aaron Platt

Film Editor:

Cam Archer

Music:

Nate Archer

Cast:

Malcolm Stumpf

Patrick White

Max Paradise

Fairuza Balk

Kim Dickens

Running Time:

93 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

The Film Sales Co.

Print Source:

Cut + Paste

Film Website:

www.wildtigers lm.com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

The Wind

e story of an aging man’s last shot at personal redemption, e Wind is blessed with a weighty central performance from one of the elder statesmen of Latin American cinema, Federico Luppi (Machuca, e Last Train). On his daughter’s death, Patagonian sheep farmer Frank (Luppi) leaves for Buenos Aires to visit his granddaughter, ostensibly to tell her the bad news about her mother but also to reveal a secret he’s been carrying for 28 years: the identity of Alina’s father. Alina is in two relationships, one with young computer programmer Diego and the other with her fortysomething boss at a children’s hospital. Her life is a mess, and Frank’s arrival throws the already-confused Alina into further upheaval. She soon decides to leave the hapless Diego before revealing she’s pregnant by one of her two men, a situation that is as alien to the highly moralistic Frank as a trip to the moon. e dependable Luppi plays Frank as a taciturn, Eastwood-like icon of old-world stoicism, an inhabitant of an unchanging rural world who appears almost comically uncomfortable in the city. But newcomer Antonella Costa as Alina holds her own, and her key relationship with Frank feels absolutely authentic. Naturalistically shot, with a beautiful, lilting piano score, e Wind is a restrained, resonant family drama that displays an impressive air of quiet authority in its examination of human truth.

Argentina 2005

Director:

Eduardo Mignogna

Producers:

Jose Antonio Felez

Claudio Etcheberry

Screenwriters:

Eduardo Mignogna

Graciela Maglie

Cinematographer:

Marcelo Camerino

Film Editor:

Marcela Saenz

Music:

Juan Ponce de León

Cast:

Federico Luppi

Antonella Costa

Pablo Cedrón

Esteban Meloni

Mariana Brisky

Ricardo Díaz Mourelle

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Spanish, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

Sogepaq International

Print Source:

Sogepaq International

Film Website:

www.tesela.com

Selected Filmography:

Cleopatra (2003)

La Fuga (2001)

Adela (2000)

El Faro (1998)

You Are So Handsome

JE VOUS TROUVE TRÈS BEAU

WEDNESDAY JUNE 14 9:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

FRIDAY JUNE 16 4:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Isabelle Mergault, already a seasoned actor and screenwriter, makes her directorial debut with this unpretentious and charming film. Crusty, middle-aged Aymé loses his wife to a farming accident. His unhappiness comes not from the loss of a beloved companion, but the loss of her role as a farm worker and domestic servant. He realizes that he can’t take care of himself and the farm on his own, but marital prospects are slim in his little village. Out of desperation, he contacts a marriage agency. ey recognize that he isn’t looking for love and promptly direct his search to Romania, where women are desperate to escape the hard life. Enter Elena, a perky single mother determined to get to France to make money for her struggling family. Aymé is satisfied that she’s healthy enough for the toils of farm work, and Elena is relieved that she isn’t attracted to her suitor. Embarrassed about his mail-order bride, he tells his neighbors that Elena is a distant relative who’s just visiting and doesn’t speak French. As they get used to each other, Elena awakens Aymé to the possibilities and rewards of a genuine courtship. Director Mergault adopts a light touch here, but the delicacy with which she charts the relationship between Aymé and Elena can’t cover up the larger, darker reality to which the film is referring: the continuing imbalance between the “two Europes,” and the social consequences of that imbalance.

France 2006

Director:

Isabelle Mergault

Producer:

Jean-Louis Livi

Screenwriter:

Isabelle Mergault

Cinematographer: Laurent Fleutot

Film Editor:

Marie-Josephe Yoyotte

Music: Bob Lenox

Alain Wisniak

Cast:

Michel Blanc

Medeea Marinescu

Wladimir Yordano

Benoit Turjman

Eva Darlan

Running Time: 97 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Gaumont

Print Source: Gaumont

Film Website: www.jevoustrouvetresbeau-le lm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Zozo

SUNDAY MAY 28 9:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SATURDAY JUNE 3 4:30 PM LINCOLN SQUARE

From Lebanese-born director Josef Fares, who became a Swedish citizen at the age of 10 and is known for his sensational international debut Jalla! Jalla!, comes a new autobiographical tale. In Beruit, 1987, young Zozo and his family are fleeing Lebanon’s civil war. On the very day the final emigration paperwork has been filed, the family’s building is shelled and Zozo ends up orphaned and alone. On the cusp of adolescence with his life teetering on the brink of destruction, Zozo does what any clever boy in his position would: he runs. Determined to emigrate to Sweden and be reunited with his grandparents, the only family he now has left, he dreams of Sweden as a lush and vibrant Eden, and struggles to make his way across literal and figurative borders to freedom. Once he achieves his goal, an entirely different world awaits him. In addition to dealing with cultural and language barriers, Zozo must learn to conquer that which seems utterly insurmountable: his desperate hunger for security and the horror and burden of his memories. In his first visit to Lebanon in over 17 years, Fares brings a sure hand and an artistic eye to the film, shooting much of the Lebanese half in his family’s long-abandoned apartment. A marvelous follow up to Jalla! Jalla! and Kopps, Zozo is a compelling drama with humor to spare, not to mention a talking chicken.

Awards:

O

cial Oscar Submission (Best Foreign Language Film)

Guldbagge Awards 2005 (Best Cinematography, Best Music)

Sweden/UK/ Denmark 2005

Director:

Josef Fares

Producer:

Anna Anthony

Screenwriter:

Josef Fares

Cinematographer:

Aril Wretblad

Film Editors:

Michal Leszczylowski

Kristin Grundström

Music:

Adam Nordén

Cast:

Imad Creidi

Antoinette Turk

Elias Gergi

Carmen Lebbos

Viktor Axelsson

Charbel Iskandar

Running Time:

103 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Arabic and Swedish, with English subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

Swedish Film Institute

Selected Filmography:

Kopps (2003)

Jalla! Jalla! (2000)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

The earliest moving pictures were documentaries—real events, from the momentous to the mundane, captured and transported by a magical new invention to awestruck audiences. Now, over a century after that famous train arrived, we’re experiencing an explosion in non- ction lmmaking. An expanding view of the world has opened the scope of the documentary form to convey many di erent shades and shapes of reality. The form’s best practitioners, informed by all realms of cinema and media, have become adept at nding compelling subjects and sculpting experience. SIFF’s Documentary Features selection brings to the screen a range of experiences—intimate portraits, personal expressions, political investigations, explorations of cultural currents and re-examinations of history. From nding the inspirations behind creativity to revealing motivations for destruction, contemporary documentary lms have become not just our windows to distant cultures and events, but fragments of an engaging landscape of characters, stories, ideas and perspectives that spark inspiration and dialogue and remind us that even the longest reaches of time and farthest corners of the earth are not so distant after all. We invite you to celebrate with us the expanding vocabulary of documentary lmmaking and, through these wonderful new lms, to explore with us the micro and macrocosms of life on planet Earth.

49 Up

SUNDAY JUNE 4 1:15 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

WEDNESDAY JUNE 7 6:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATER US Premiere

In 1964, Britain’s Granada TV commissioned the short documentary 7 Up, a study of a group of 7-year-olds that was based on the Jesuit idea that training in the first seven year’s of a child’s life would be the foundation of the grown up personality. It was one of the first examples of recording real people living real lives as it followed its young subjects. What were they like? What would they become? Were their paths set for them by the class structure into which they were born? 7 Up asked all these questions. At the time, Michael Apted was a production trainee on the project, fresh from Cambridge. He later proposed the idea that the kids be revisited every seven years throughout their lives to follow through on the original theory. 42 years later, Apted and his team set out to find out what and where their participants are now they are all 49, and see if the questions of class and privilege are as relevant today. Over the last 42 years we have watched their lives unfold as they have literally grown up before our eyes. How much of Britain and its social issues can we see as these representatives of the generation deliver their personal verdicts on life, love, parenting and living in Britain in the year 2005. Our current reality TV has nothing on this, so check out how it was originally done and stand by for the American 21 Up, due on a TV screen near you in the nottoo-distant future.

United Kingdom 2006

Director:

Michael Apted

Producers:

Michael Apted

Claire Lewis

Karen Stockton

Cinematographer:

George Jesse Turner

Film Editor:

Kim Horton

Running Time:

145 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

International Sales:

Granada Media

Selected Filmography: 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)

Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980)

21 (1977)

7 Plus Seven (1970)

a/k/a Tommy Chong

It’s a familiar sight: the van door opens and clouds of smoke billow out, followed by two pairs of familiar, red eyes belonging to none other than Cheech and Chong. Now half of this dynamic duo has finally been busted, but not for a kilo of Maui Wowie. What finally put the counterpart to Cheech Marin behind bars? Bong production. e target of a $12 million sting by the DEA, aptly named Operation Pipe Dream, Tommy Chong became the scapegoat of what might be construed as a publicity stunt meant to raise support for U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft’s renewed War on Drugs. e most heavily punished member of the 55 individuals indicted on federal charges, Tommy Chong received 9 months in prison—not for the incidental pound of marijuana they found in his residence but for his family-run internet bong business. Well-known for his parodying of stoner-culture since the 1970s, Chong was cited in his memorandum as “glamorizing the illegal use and distribution of marijuana and trivializing law-enforcement efforts to combat drug use.” As Sean Farnel wrote for the Toronto International Film Festival: “He was charged for selling bongs, but Tommy Chong seems to have ultimately gone to jail for making 1978’s Up In Smoke.” Gilbert’s documentary is light and very funny but, especially in current times, also an incisive indictment of our eroding civil liberties.

USA

Steven Hager

Al Franken: God Spoke

FRIDAY MAY 26 6:45 PM BROADWAY

SUNDAY MAY 28 11:00 AM NEPTUNE THEATER

When George W. Bush won the 2000 Presidential election, few would have imagined that one of its consequences would be the sharp political rise of a former feature player from Saturday Night Live. Yet since Bush’s election, Al Franken has transformed himself from comedian to liberal pundit and talk-radio host while, consequently, becoming one of the most vilified figures in right-wing political circles. Documentarians

Nick Doob and Chris Hegedus begin their film in late 2003 with the publication of Franken’s book Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell em and the abortive, Bill O’Reilly-spurred lawsuit filed by the Fox News Channel. Flushed with success from having Fox News literally laughed out of court, Franken moves on to his most ambitious endeavor, Air America—a liberal talkradio network aimed as a corrective alternative to such conservative pundits as Rush Limbaugh, Michael Medved and Sean Hannity. Doob and Hegedus candidly follow Air America’s launch and the growing pains that accompanied it, including cash-flow problems, executive resignations and service interruptions, all of which are gleefully reported by Franken’s competitors. However, in the run-up to the 2004 Presidential elections, Franken and Air America gain momentum as the race tightens, only to be devastated by the inevitable outcome. rough it all, Franken remains an unwavering, witty observer whose impetus to reveal the right’s propaganda and deceit may very well lead him to a 2008 U.S. Senatorial campaign.

USA 2006

Directors:

Nick Doob

Chris Hegedus

Producers:

Frazer Pennebaker

Rebecca Marshall

Cinematographers:

Nick Doob

Chris Hegedus

Film Editors:

Nick Doob

Chris Hegedus

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

Print Source:

Pennebaker Hegedus Films

Selected Filmography:

Schooling Jewel (2002)

Down from the Mountain (2000)

Arctic Son

In the tiny native village of Old Crow (population 250), 80 miles north of the Arctic Circle, a father and his son get a second chance after almost 20 years apart. ey share a name and a bloodline, but the lives they lead are worlds apart. Stanley Sr. is a rugged hunter, steeped in native traditions. Seattle-raised Stanley Jr. immerses himself in hip-hop music, fast food, video games and drunken nights. Stanley Sr. hopes to instill some sage advice and so invites his son to Old Crow. Taking his son out into the unforgiving arctic wilderness, Stanley Sr. teaches him the skills he needs to survive—how to shoot a gun, skin a rabbit, make a fire, catch a fish—which he believes hold lessons that will help his son make wise choices in any environment. Stanley Jr.’s transition is by no means smooth, but he learns to enjoy having a father to rely on or complain about. en this moving story switches gear when Jr. returns to Seattle to visit his mother. As he struggles to decide where he belongs and what he values, it becomes clear that both Stanleys’ stories are a metaphor for larger issues of identity, choice, redemption and the ties that bind to us all to family and place. A haunting score complements the gorgeous cinematography in Andrew Walton’s beautiful, engaging and intimate documentary about the complex relationship between tradition and modernity, old and young, nature and pop culture, addiction and independence.

USA 2006

Director:

Andrew Walton

Producers:

Dallas Brennan

Elizabeth Mandel

Cinematographers:

Jonathan Furmanski

Andrew Walton

Je Stonehouse

Film Editor:

Bryan Gunnar Cole

Running Time:

77 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

Print Source:

Arts Engine, Inc / Big

Mouth Films

Film Website:

www.artsengine. net/arcticson

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Preceded by Rock the World USA, 2005, 3 minutes, director: Sukwon Sin Rock star fantasies come true for George W. Bush and Colin Powell.

PERFORMANCE HALL

Avenge But One of My Two Eyes

FRIDAY JUNE 2 2:00 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

SUNDAY JUNE 4 7:00 PM HARVARD EXIT

As this staggering documentary opens, a group of Jewish teenagers are led through ancient ruins as their teacher tells them of Samson and Massada. What is the message of this field trip? Death is always preferable to domination. Today, as the second Intifada rages, Palestinians are continually oppressed and humiliated by the seemingly omnipotent Israeli army. Farmers are forbidden to plow their own fields, school children are held up for hours at a security checkpoint, an old woman is not even allowed to return home. Just like Samson and the Philistines or the Jews and the Romans, exhausted Palestinian individuals have begun to give a voice to their frustration, anger and despair with the current situation. As in his other works, Israeli filmmaker Avi Mograbi places himself into the center of his own documentary. e film is built around a phone conversation between him and a friend living in under curfew in the West Bank, whose feeling is that the invasions of the Israeli army into everyday Palestinian life are so overwhelming that life is no longer worth living there.

Israel/France 2005

Director:

Avi Mograbi

Producers:

Avi Mograbi

Serge Lalou

Screenwriter:

Avi Mograbi

Cinematographer:

Philippe Bellaïche

Film Editor:

Avi Mograbi

Ewa Lenkiewicz

Music:

Dominique Vieillard

Running Time:

104 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in Arabic, English and Hebrew, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Les Fims du Losange

Print Source:

Les Fims du Losange

Selected Filmography:

August: A Moment Before the Eruption (2002)

Happy Birthday Mr. Mograbi (1999)

How I Learned to Overcame

My Fear and Love Arik Sharon (1997)

Beyond Hatred

MONDAY JUNE 5 4:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE SUNDAY JUNE 11 7:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL North American Premiere

On a September night in 2002, three skinheads were roaming through Rheims, France, looking for an Arab to beat up. Instead of an Arab, they encountered 29-year-old François Chenu. Because he admitted that he was gay, they beat him severely and threw his unconscious body into a nearby pond, where he drowned. French filmmaker Olivier Meyrou’s quietly paced, verité-styled documentary explores the emotional aftermath of this violent act. François’ devastated parents and siblings fear losing control of themselves in the courtroom with François’ tormentors in such close proximity. Over the course of the trial proceedings, the facts of the case gradually emerge and the family’s feelings evolve from anger and despair to a desire to understand the murderers’ deprived backgrounds and what led them to this horrible act. In addition to the Chenu family, Meyrou interviews family members of the attackers, including the alcoholic father who tried to destroy evidence. Beyond Hatred allows this immensely cathartic story to unfold through the fascinating interplay among Chenu’s family, the family of the accused and the attorneys involved in the case. Exploring much more than homophobia, this humanistic film unearths a range of emotions and universal issues of tolerance and forgiveness.

Awards:

Berlin 2006 (Teddy Award, Best Documentary)

France 2006

Director:

Olivier Meyrou

Producers:

Christophe Girard

Katherina Marx

Screenwriter:

Olivier Meyrou

Cinematographer:

Jean-Marc Bouzou

Film Editor:

Cathie Dambel

Music:

François-Eudes Chanfrault

Running Time:

NEKAM ACHAT MISHTEY EYNAY

Black Gold

Boffo! Tinseltown’s Bombs and Blockbusters

Was it Fair Trade beans that went into that cup of coffee you’re sipping? After sitting through this fascinating and even-handed film directed by British brothers Marc and Nick Francis, you may want to find out. ey present both the plight of growers and the huge role these beans play in the global economy. Traveling the world in exploration of coffee as a commodity, they focus on an Ethiopian farm cooperative organizer named Tadesse Meskela to outline the Fair Trade Coffee movement. In the lush landscapes of Ethiopia, poverty is rampant. e task Meskela and others are trying to accomplish with Fair Trade cooperatives is cutting out many of the middlemen that have a hand in the coffee brokerage process. With input into how market prices for coffee are set, some farmers are killing coffee plants to grow chat, a narcotic plant that brings (and exacts) a higher price on the local market. Destitute farmers are also shown praying for a rise in the price of coffee. e film follows Meskela to a coffee industry trade show and commodity auctions where he expresses the message and importance of Fair Trade. Black Gold is not about cheap shots; it’s about sending a message to address one aspect of this complex world issue. e filmmakers want viewers to realize that the world markets and economy affect even the most routine aspects of our lives. As Meskela says, “Our hope is that one day the consumers will understand what they are drinking.”

United Kingdom 2006

Directors:

Marc Francis

Nick Francis

Producers:

Nick Francis

Marc Francis

Cinematographers:

Nick Francis

Marc Francis

Film Editor:

Hugh Williams

Music:

Andreas Kapsalis

Running Time:

82 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM, in English, Ethiopian and Italian, with

English subtitles

International Sales:

The Film Sales Company

Print Source:

Nick Francis

Film Website: www.blackgoldmovie.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

With no rules, no guarantees and a million ways to screw up, it’s nothing short of a miracle when the complicated collaborative endeavor of Hollywood moviemaking yields success. Based on a new book by former studio exec and longtime Variety editor-in-chief Peter Bart, Boffo! chronicles the stories behind Hollywood’s phenomenal commercial successes and cataclysmic failures. Examining the razor-thin line between hitting and flopping, Oscar and Emmy winner Bill Couturié interviews leading studio executives, filmmakers and actors about the tensions of Tinseltown filmmaking and the affect of a films’ financial success on their careers. Among those featured are Peter Bogdanovich, George Clooney, Charlize eron, Danny DeVito, Robert Evans, Sydney Pollack, Tom Rothman, John Singleton, Steven Spielberg, Richard Zanuck and Robert Zemeckis. Looking at some of history’s top box-office hits, this documentary reveals inside stories of the development and production of such blockbusters as Jaws and e Godfather as well as the many unsuccessful efforts to emulate recipes for success. Released in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of Variety, the leading chronicler of Hollywood’s ins, outs, ups and downs, Boffo! is a fascinating glimpse into the risky business of major moviemaking and exploration of the history and current state of the American film industry.

USA 2006

Director:

Bill Couturié

Producers:

Anne Sandkuhler

Bill Couturié

Featuring:

George Clooney

Charlize Theron

Jodie Foster

Peter Bogdanovich

Robert Evans

Running Time:

75 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

International Sales:

HBO Films

Print Source:

HBO Films

Selected Filmography:

Last Letters Home: Voices of American Troops from the Battle elds of Iraq (2004)

Ed (1996)

Dear America: Letters Home from American Soldiers (1991)

Vietnam Requiem (1984)

Dear Pyongyang

FRIDAY MAY 26 4:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY MAY 29 11:00 AM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

For many, North Korea remains an abstract, shrouded place. With few stories to draw on, our sense of how emigrant North Koreans reconcile with their “fatherland” is limited. Dear Pyongyang is a fascinating, poignant exploration by a Japanese-born ethnic-Korean about her father’s fierce loyalty, and her own resistance, to the North Korean cause. As a teenager, the filmmaker’s father emigrated from South Korea to Japan. His experiences of Japanese occupation, Korea’s subsequent division and the Korean War molded him into a Marxist and self-proclaimed North Korean. Like many zainichi (Koreans residing in Japan), he dedicated himself to the vision of a unified, Communist Korea, leading a movement that championed Kim Il Sung. en in 1971, in the ultimate ideological sacrifice, he sent his three sons—ages 14, 16, and 18—to Pyongyang, North Korea, to live forever. irty years later, his youngest child, raised with the privileges of modern Japan, lovingly probes her father about his radical choices. She films multiple trips to Pyongyang, offering unprecedented access to North Korean daily life and the painful realities of familial separation. Her playful sessions, at times antagonistic, reveal a man at once rigid in his beliefs and surprisingly accommodating to change. Unafraid to confront complexity, Yang crafts a father-daughter story of geographic and spiritual diaspora, and of political and personal devotion.

Awards:

Sundance 2006 (Special Jury Award)

Berlin 2006 (Netpac Award)

The Heart of the Game

Japan 2005

Director: Yonghi Yang

Producer: Toshiya Inaba

Screenwriter: Yonghi Yang

Cinematographer: Yonghi Yang

Film Editor:

Akane Nakaushi

Music: Masahiro Inumaru

Running Time: 107 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta, in Japanese and Korean, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Cine Qua Non

Print Source:

Cine Qua Non

Film Website: www.cheon.jp

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Not your stereotypical hard-driving, whistleblasting coach, college professor Bill Resler takes an unorthodox approach once he becomes head coach of girls’ basketball at Seattle’s Roosevelt High School. Celebrating each girl’s spirit, he improves the struggling team and molds the girls into warriors—both on and off the court.

e hit of the Toronto International Film Festival (which screened in a rough cut version in last year’s SIFF), e Heart of the Game follows six exciting seasons with the Roosevelt Roughriders. Over the course of the film, we come to know many of the girls and their families. Most prominent is the incredibly talented Darnellia— a tough inner-city girl whose off-court struggles threaten to crash the star athlete’s hoop dreams and her plan to be the first person in her family to get a college education. We’re also introduced to 96-year-old Maude Lepley, who coached girls’ basketball in the 1920s and enjoys Roughriders games courtside, as well as Joyce Walker, an AllAmerican, Olympian and former Harlem Globetrotter, who returns to her old high school to coach the Roughriders’ biggest competitor—the Garfield Bulldogs. is unique Seattle story is an exciting and inspiring experience. Director Ward Serrill captures all the drama and discovery of youth, the excitement of high school sports and the inspiration of a passionate coach whose lessons of self-esteem, confidence and compassion go far beyond the court.

USA 2005

Director:

Ward Serrill

Producers:

Ward Serrill

Liz Manne

Screenwriter:

Ward Serrill

Cinematographer: Ward Serrill

Film Editor: Eric Frith

Music: The Angel

Narrator: Ludacris

Running Time: 87 minutes

Presentation Format: 35mm

International Sales: Cinetic Media

Print Source: Miramax Films

Film Website: www.heartofthegamelm.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Huldufólk 102

On the isolated and mysterious island of Iceland, on 102 Elfhill Road, there is an empty plot of land. No buildings stand here, and when building was attempted the machinery broke down. e Reykjavik government has deemed it the property of the Huldufólk, the “hidden people.” Rarely discussed with outlanders, the hidden people are the invisible members of a smaller, more advanced society living in the midst of Icelanders. Director Inalsingh discusses effect and the tradition of the invisibles with: a member of parliament, a writer, a sorcerer, Icelandic historians, farmers and public road workers. Many of the population of Iceland believe these creatures of lore exist, and therefore treat their areas with ingrained reverence and respect. Filmed in the breathtaking landscape of Iceland, where winter’s darkness allows the dazzling Northern Lights to pervade the landscape with its amorphous shapes, Huldufólk 102 explores the realm and power of the world that lurks just beyond our perception. Director Inalsingh tells their history through the poetic camerawork of Sean Kirby (Police Beat, e Gits), SIFF’s 2005 award-winning cinematographer, whose lenses follow the organic pattern of Iceland’s scenery from warm volcanic springs to porous rock formations and green hills. Tracing each spot known to contain hidden people activity, Inalsingh shows us that there is nothing wildly illogical about believing in the unproven. With tolerance, and a sailor’s respect for nature, we are shown the paradox of the simplicity we see every day and the complexity of the world unseen.

Preceded by Obscura USA, 2005, 12 minutes, directed by: Andre Lascaris The surreal landscape of a lonely artist a

USA/Iceland 2005

Director:

Nisha Inalsingh

Producer:

Nisha Inalsingh

Cinematographer: Sean Kirby

Film Editor: Scott Crary

Music: Múm

sigur rós Arvo Pärt

Running Time: 75 minutes

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

subtitles

Print Source: Middle Link

Film Website: www.huldufolk102.com

Into Great Silence

Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple

THURSDAY JUNE 15 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

SUNDAY JUNE 18 7:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

e Carthusian Order is one of the most strict and reclusive brotherhoods in the Roman Catholic Church. Hidden from the public eye, the monks follow centuries-old rules and rituals. 16 years after his first encounter with the General Prior of the Carthusian Order, director Philip Gröning was granted permission to shoot a film on the life of the monks in their Grande Chartreuse monastery provided he respect the conditions of no interviews, no commentary, no artificial light, no music except for the monks’ own chants and no crew besides himself. Gröning spent six months living with monks high atop the French Alps and far from the distractions of cluttered modern life. e result is a beautiful, poetic essay on the slowed-down rhythms of life inside a monastery. With deep appreciation and a painterly eye, Gröning captures stunning images as he follows the routines of the monks’ daily devotions and responsibilities. Every element of their daily life is imbued with spirituality, and the meditative rhythm reflected in the film creates a heightened reality in which the subtlest of sparse sounds—a single chant resonating through the chapel and even the quiet landing of snowflakes on the grounds—verges on the sublime. is rare insight into a life of simplicity, silence and deep contemplation is an austere meditation on monastic life, and an experience that resonates long after viewing.

Awards:

Sundance 2006 (Special Jury Award)

Bavarian Film Award (Best Documentary)

Germany/ Switzerland 2005

Director:

Philip Gröning

Producers:

Philip Gröning

Michael Weber

Andreas Pfä i

Elda Guidinetti

Screenwriter:

Philip Gröning

Cinematographer:

Philip Gröning

Film Editor:

Philip Gröning

Music:

Philip Gröning

Michael Busch

Running Time: 164 minutes

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

International Sales:

Bavaria Film International

Print Source:

Bavaria Film International

Film Website: www.diegrossestille. de/english

Selected Filmography:

Love, Money, Love (2000)

The Terrorists (1992)

Summer (1986)

Jim Jones’ ambitious socio-religious experiment notoriously culminated in the largest mass murder/suicide in modern memory, but Jonestown: e Life and Death of Peoples Temple offers a welcome antidote to more sensational exposes. Moving interviews with ex-Temple members and the victims’ relatives, rare home movies of Temple services (including faith healings by the charismatic Jones), and some never-before-seen film shot on the last fateful day in Guyana all make clear the grandeur of Jones’ initial vision as well as the desperation of the ministry’s final paranoid stages, and constitutes a revealing look at a familiar but poorly understood chapter in American history. Veteran documentary filmmaker Stanley Nelson traces the interwoven altruistic and psychopathic aspects of Jones’ personality back to his childhood up through to the tragic last stand in the Temple-built Jonestown in the wilds of Guyana, in 1977. It is chillingly retold by two survivors of the mass death-by-Kool Aid, and the female aide and soundman who accompanied the murdered Congressman Leo Ryan. What is most interesting about the film is how Nelson underpins it with the unspoken question of what could have been if Jones had lived up to the promises of social, racial and economic equality he preached to this flock, instead of betraying them through psychopathic paranoia, political ambition and sexual perversity.

King Leopold’s Ghost

SUNDAY MAY 28 6:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MAY 31 4:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

e phrase “crimes against humanity” was first used in 1890 by American journalist George Washington Williams as he exposed the horrors of slave labor and exploitation exercised in the imperial state of the Belgian Congo by King Leopold II. King Leopold’s Ghost, based on the award-winning book of the same title by Adam Hochschild, explores the fascinating history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in its various embodiments as the Belgian Congo, Zaire and its modern state. A coveted colonial prize due to the abundance of natural resources that including ivory, diamonds and rubber, the idyllic landscape of the Congo and the people therein were transformed into an enslaved nation, resulting in the brutal loss of 10 million lives—about half of its entire population. is film by actress-turned-director Pippa Scott and co-director Oreet Rees doesn’t merely chronicle the historical roots of the country’s plunder at the hands of this infamous European monarch, but explores the tumultuous events of recent decades in which major international political figures, like Patrice Lumumba and Mobutu Sese Seiko, have ruled the country and kept it front and center on the world stage. Narrated by Don Cheadle, and featuring Alfre Woodard and James Cromwell, this hard hitting, smart and endlessly engrossing documentary casts a harsh and vivid light on the excesses of colonial power that have done so much to shape the world we live in today, and will fascinate anyone interested in the current plight of the nations of Africa.

USA 2005

Directors:

Pippa Scott

Oreet Rees

Producer:

Pippa Scott

Screenwriter:

Pippa Scott

Cinematographer:

Craig Matthew

Film Editor:

Oreet Rees

Music:

Yoav Goren

Featuring:

Don Cheadle (Narrator)

James Cromwell

Alfre Woodard

Frank McCourt

Running Time:

109 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM, in English and French, with English

subtitles

Print Source:

Linden Productions

A Lion in the House

SUNDAY MAY 28 1:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

In the late 1990s, the chief oncologist at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital contacted award-winning documentarians Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert and invited them to follow five children and their families navigating the ups and downs of cancer treatment. e result is a deeply compassionate, moving story of hope, love and human resilience. e strength of this extraordinary documentary rests in the fact that, while providing a comprehensive view of life on an oncology ward—including profiles of the doctors, nurses, and staff who become champions for the children they care for—the film also ventures outside the hospital and explores the unique personal life of each child: his or her hopes, fears and relationships with siblings and other family members. As a result, a complex portrait of each family’s individual journey emerges. While a single mother contends with labyrinthine insurance forms, another parent grapples with a healthy sibling who sometimes feels ignored. As the chemotherapy cycles come to an end, one family faces the agonizing question of when to stop fighting, while others attempt an uneasy return to “normal” life. A gripping, intimate look at the lives of Tim, Al, Jenny, Justin and Alex, A Lion in the House celebrates the enormous strength and bravery of these heroic children.

Awards:

Full Frame 2006 (Special Jury Mention)

USA 2006

Directors:

Steven Bognar

Julia Reichert

Producers:

Steven Bognar

Julia Reichert

Cinematographer:

Brent E. Hu man

Film Editors:

Steven Bognar

Brent E. Hu man

Kevin Jones

Jim Klein

Mary Lampson

Jaime Meyers

Music:

Charles Engstrom

Running Time:

240 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

International Sales:

Films Transit International

Print Source:

Films Transit International

Maquilapolis - City Of Factories

TUESDAY MAY 30 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

FRIDAY JUNE 2 4:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Maquilapolis is a documentary about, and by, workers in Tijuana’s assembly factories. Maquiladoras are the assembly plants owned by multinationals, and they dominate the economy of the U.S.-Mexico border region. Over a million people work for these multinationals. For example, Carmen works six nights a week in the Panasonic factory. After making television components all night, she comes home to a selfbuilt shack in a neighborhood with no paved streets, no sewage lines and no electricity. A single mother, Carmen takes care of her three children all day and, if she’s lucky, she sleeps for an hour or two before heading off to work again. Carmen earns six dollars a day. is documentary tells the story of globalization from the perspectives of the workers who are dealing with the hardships of environmental toxins, women’s rights, the abuse of labor rights, infrastructure and housing issues. e film was made thanks to a collaborative storytelling process between the filmmakers and the Tijuana women’s organization Grupo Faxtor X, working together over a six-week period and conducting a video workshop in Tijuana to train a group of women to use digital video cameras so they may continue to record their struggles and vision of the world around them.

Preceded by Radio Grito USA, 2005, 17 minutes, director: Michael Seely

A

Maxed Out

THURSDAY JUNE 8 6:45 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

FRIDAY JUNE 9 4:45 PM

USA/Mexico 2006

Directors:

Vicky Funari

Sergio De La Torre

Producers:

Vicky Funari

Sergio De La Torre

Screenwriter: Vicky Funari

Cinematographers: Daniel Gorrel Sophia Constantinou

Film Editor: Vicky Funari

Music: Pauline Oliveros

Nortec John Blue

As both household and national debt are at an all-time high, can we really call ourselves the wealthiest country in the world? Maxed Out sheds light on the escalating dilemma that has resulted from America’s “just charge it” attitude. Director James Scurlock intertwines old educational films, current statistics, personal stories and interviews with a range of professionals— from an economics professor to a real estate broker to a pawn shop owner to predatory debt collectors—for an exploration of the micro and macro of living way beyond means. By turns funny, sad, shocking and downright maddening, this film broaches important questions about how we do business. Why is suggestive selling the primary qualification for working at a bank these days? Why are credit card companies targeting the broke and the bankrupt? Why is debt-buying one of the fastest growing markets on Wall Street? Why do 90% of all credit reports contain errors? How influential is the financial industry with the President and Congress? What kind of example is the government setting when it borrows from Peter to pay Paul? How does the daunting reality beneath the façade of borrowed wealth affect each of us psychologically? is fascinating investigation uncovers the motivations, questions and conflicts inherent in the predicament of this economic poker game.

Screenwriter: James D. Scurlock

Cinematographer: Jon Aaron Aaseng Film Editor: Alexis Spraic Music: Benoit Charest Running Time: 85 minutes

grassroots radio project for migrant workers and their families brings education, empowerment and independence to a community in need.

Mom’s Apple Pie: The Heart of the Lesbian Mothers’ Custody Movement

My Country, My Country

e 1970s were a heroic time for the lesbian movement. Women all over the country were “doing it for themselves”: creating new families and communities, joining the workforce and coming out to their friends, families and husbands. In the divorce settlements following, many lost custody of their children simply for being lesbians. Although “the best interest of the child” was theoretically at the heart of these decisions, lesbian mothers were almost never given custody of their own children. Instead custody was often given to a relative, a grandparent or even an abusive father. In 1974, a group of Seattle women activists formed the Lesbian Mothers National Defense Fund (LMNDF) to act as a clearinghouse of information for women going through their own battles, while the San Francisco based Lesbian Rights Project started to provide legal support. Together, they helped change the laws in favor of lesbian mothers, paving the way for today’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families. Narrated by Kate Clinton, this powerful documentary chronicles the early years of the LMNDF, with heartbreaking interviews with five lesbian mothers and four (now adult) children who went through custody battles in the 1970s. With original photos by Joan E. Biren and Cathy Cade, and music by Margie Adams, Alix Dobkin, Mary Watkins and Cris Williamson, Mom’s Apple Pie: e Heart of the Lesbian Mothers’ Custody Movement is a vital part of LGBT history.

USA 2006

Directors:

Jody Laine

Shan Ottey

Shad Reinstein

Producers:

Jody Laine

Shan Ottey

Shad Reinstein

Screenwriters:

Jody Laine

Shan Ottey

Shad Reinstein

Cinematographers:

Jody Laine

Shan Ottey

Film Editor:

Shad Reinstein

Music:

Margie Adam

Alix Dotkins

Mary Watkins

Featuring:

Kate Clinton (Narrator)

Earnestine Blue

Melissa Hart

Jean Kaseta

Michele Selene

Running Time:

57 minutes

Presentation Format:

BetaSP

Print Source:

Three Big Dykes Produc-

tions

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

In an inside look at day-to-day Iraq in the months leading up to the January 2005 election, My Country, My Country covers previously unexposed ground in this fascinating examination of Iraqi medical doctor, Dr. Riyadh. A Baghdad native, Dr. Riyadh is a father of 6 and somewhat cynical Sunni political candidate who is deeply troubled by the desperate state of affairs in Iraq. An outspoken critic of the U.S. occupation, yet also a strong advocate of democracy, Riyadh struggles with his standpoint on the suggested boycott of the election. Seeing only chaos in his ever-packed waiting room, filled every day with patients suffering from physical and mental trauma associated with the war, Riyadh is faced with the ever-mounting violence consuming his nation. Director Laura Poitras (Flag Wars) creates an extraordinarily intimate portrait of Iraq. Taking full advantage of the complete access granted to her, Poitras examines U.S. Military briefings and the barracks of the soldiers, speaking with private security contractors, Iraqi election officials, American soldiers, UN representatives and Dr. Riyadh’s family. In her comprehensive and unpretentious cinema verité approach to the film, Poitras questions the problems inherent in democracy, the legitimacy of elections and the unpredictable will of an occupied people.

USA 2006

Director:

Laura Poitras

Producers:

Laura Poitras

Jocelyn Glatzer

Cinematographer:

Laura Poitras

Film Editors:

Erez Laufer

Laura Poitras

Music:

Kadhum Al Sahir

Featuring:

Dr. Riyadh

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English, Arabic and Kurdish, with English

subtitles

Print Source:

Praxis Films

Film Website:

www.mycountrymycountry.com

Selected Filmography:

Flag Wars (2003)

FRIDAY JUNE 2 6:45 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

MONDAY JUNE 5 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

SATURDAY JUNE 10 4:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

The Play

MONDAY MAY 29 6:30 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE

is delightful new documentary from director Pelin Esmer follows the exciting, entertaining and inspiring adventure of nine Turkish women as they find their voices and transform their lives. After attending a school play, Ummuye Kocak gets the idea that she and other women in the remote mountain village of Arslankoy in southern Turkey should put on a play of their own. Kocak enlists eight other women, all of whom have little if any education and no experience, and they draw upon their roles as mothers, wives, nannies and farmers for inspiration. ey all gather at the high school where principal Hüseyin Arslanköylu listens to their personal stories of forced marriages, abusive husbands and family struggles—most of which they had never before related to anyone. ese experiences are woven together to create an original drama entitled e Outcry of Women. Preparing to perform all of the roles themselves, the women build confidence and find that their husbands are treating them with a new respect. Kocak winds up playing the character of Aytul, the daughter who thinks she can save the world by putting on a play. With a mixture of crowd-pleasing humor and sophisticated social critique, e Play shows these unforgettable women doing exactly that.

Turkey 2005

Director: Pelin Esmer

Producer: Pelin Esmer

Screenwriter: Pelin Esmer

Cinematographers: Pelin Esmer

Ozlem Ozbek

Mustafa Unlu

Film Editor: Pelin Esmer

Music: Mazlum Cimen

Featuring: Arlonskoy Village Theater

Group

Running Time: 70 minutes

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

Print Source: Sine lm

Film Website: www.oyuntheplay.com

Selected Filmography: The Collector (2002)

Sentenced Home

Years ago, many Cambodians fled their country to escape the violence of the Khmer Rouge. Some came to the United States to build new lives here. is enlightening documentary traces the struggles of three of these Cambodian immigrants—Loeun Lun, Manny Uch, and Kim Ho Ma—who re-settled in Seattle with their families in the 1980s when they were small children. eir young lives as poor, minority Americans were tough, and as teenagers they were each drawn into crime and jailed. ey served their time for these crimes and have since moved on with their lives. But now, many years later, they face deportation. After the events of 9/11, the U.S. government cracked down on immigration laws and put pressure on the Cambodian government to finally accept Cambodian resident aliens who have committed crimes in the U.S., no matter how long ago. ese three young men are among the 1,500 that are to be forced to leave their loved ones, and the country they call home, to return to a distant homeland they barely remember. Sentenced Home tells the heartbreaking personal sagas of three lives coming full circle—from birth in Cambodia to their unwilling return decades later.

USA 2005

Directors:

David Grabias

Nicole Newnham

Producers:

David Grabias

Nicole Newnham

Screenwriters: David Grabias

Nicole Newnham

Cinematographer: Howard Shack

Film Editors: Amy Young

Victor Livingston

Music:

Quincy Gri n

Running Time:

76 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta, in Cambodian and English, with English

subtitles

Print Source:

Artifact Studios

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Sketches of Frank Gehry

FRIDAY MAY 26 6:30 PM HARVARD EXIT

MONDAY MAY 29 4:15

e first non-fiction outing from legendary director/actor Sydney Pollack, Sketches of Frank Gehry is an engaging portrait of the renowned architect who has dared to transcend the rectilinear approach, and who has created some of the most radical and breathtaking buildings of the modern era. e sweeping irregular curves, unusual materials and light interplay of such structures as his Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Experience Music Project building here in Seattle have made him one of the most revered architects working today. e long friendship and deep mutual respect shared by Pollack and Gehry allow for an intimate account of Gehry’s personal life and creative process that inform the film’s superbly photographed impressions of his architectural achievements. A charmingly modest, energetic and inquisitive subject, Gehry is heard in candid conversations in his home, working on cardboard cutouts in his studio, visiting the Disney Hall construction site, and riding around Los Angeles. Pollack includes eminent clients (Michael Eisner, Dennis Hopper, Barry Diller), artist friends (Ed Ruscha, Julian Schnabel) and architects (the late Philip Johnson). Perhaps the most illuminating is a less famous guest—his therapist of 35 years, Milton Wexler. He and Gehry talk about the creative block and troubles in his first marriage that had to be overcome in order to achieve creative breakthroughs. Five years in the making, Pollack’s warm and observant working portrait of the artistic giant is the holy grail for Gehry enthusiasts, as well as fascinating new ground for the uninitiated.

Small Town Gay Bar

PM

PM

USA 2005

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Producer:

Ultan Guilfoyle

Cinematographers:

Marcus Birsel

Claudio Rocha

George Ti n

Film Editor:

Karen Schmeer

Music:

Claes Nystrom

Jonas Sorman

Featuring:

Frank Gehry

Michael Eisner

Bob Geldof

Dennis Hopper

Julian Schnabel

Running Time:

82 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

Cinetic Media/Cactus Tree

Print Source:

Sony Pictures Classics

Film Website: www.sketchesoffrankgehry.com

Selected Filmography:

The Interpreter (2005)

Random Hearts (1999)

Sabrina (1995)

The Firm (1993)

Out of Africa (1985)

Since queer culture went primetime, one might assume that community support and political infrastructures accessible to gay men and women are improving nationwide. However, off the beaten track the struggle for visibility and dignity is still in its infancy. Homosexuals in small rural communities in the Deep South lack many of the social outlets of their big city brethren, and often face rejection or even violence from friends, family and powerful religious organizations in their neighborhoods unless they keep their sexuality under wraps. In the face of ridicule and cruelty, out and closeted alike manage to find sanctuary and a surrogate family in the only place of acceptance within hundreds of miles—the gay bar. Director Malcolm Ingram finds compelling characters and stories in the Mississippi Bible Belt focusing on isolated bars in Shannon (pop. 1,657) and Meridian (pop. 39,968). A variety of good-humored interview subjects offer candid accounts of both the fun found in the bars and the fear and oppression they’re faced with outside. Ingram enlists tarttongued drag queen Alicia Stone—veterinarian receptionist Jim Bishop by day and club show director by night—to convey a brief history of rural gay bars that have come and gone, frequently the victims of stigmatizing Christian Coalition crackdowns. Small Town Gay Bar shows how gay bars in the Deep South function as oases of acceptance and alternative families in a culture that is painfully lacking in understanding and support.

USA 2006

Director:

Malcolm Ingram

Producers:

Andre Canaparo

Sarah Gibson

Cinematographer:

Jonathan Cli

Film Editors:

Scott Mosier

Graeme Ball

Running Time: 81 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source:

Malcolm Ingram

Film Website: www.smalltowngaybar. com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

This Film is Not Yet R ated

What Remains

FRIDAY JUNE 9 7:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE

Since the 1960s, the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has employed an anonymous group of “average parents” to judge the age-appropriateness of movies. It’s a system that audiences are familiar with (G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17) yet rarely question. But more and more independent filmmakers are wondering how the heck this thing works. Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick (Derrida, Twist of Faith) directs this provocative investigation of the MPAA ratings system, questioning why big studios receive preferential treatment over independent filmmakers, why violence is tolerated so much more than sex, why homosexual content receives harsher ratings penalties than the heterosexual equivalent, and why the MPAA operates in complete secrecy with no accountability for its decisions. Dick talks with a variety of filmmakers—among them John Waters, Kevin Smith, Kimberly Peirce, Atom Egoyan and Darren Aronofsky—about their experiences with and conjecture about the secret rating process. At the center of most of these discussions is the dreaded NC-17 rating, an MPAA decision that can be the death knell for a film by seriously limiting promotion and distribution possibilities. A variety of movie clips illustrate both clear biases and puzzling inconsistencies in the process. We also hear from the very few MPAA raters and appeal board members who have broken the silence about the process. is Film Is Not Yet Rated is a witty and intelligent investigation of an organization whose cultural impact on America is profound, yet whose system has been a complete mystery… until now.

USA 2006

Director:

Kirby Dick Producer:

Eddie Schmidt

Cinematographers:

Shana Hagan

Kirsten Johnson

Amy Vincent

Film Editor:

Matthew Clarke

Featuring:

Matt Stone

Kimberly Peirce

Mary Harron

Darren Aranofsky

John Waters

Atom Egoyan

Kevin Smith

Running Time:

100 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

IFC Television

Print Source:

IFC Television

Film Website:

www.this lmisnotyetrated.

com

Selected Filmography:

Twist of Faith (2004)

Derrida (2002)

Chain Camera (2001)

Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997)

Photographer Sally Mann first exploded into the critical consciousness (and attracted no small amount of moral brickbats) in the late 1980s with a series of unnervingly sensual portraits of her young children, best typified in the landmark collections At Twelve: Portraits of Young Women and Immediate Family. Undaunted by the controversy, the Virginia native next turned her remarkable Southern gothic eye to landscapes and utilized flawed lenses, Civil War developing techniques and an unwieldy century-old camera to capture striking, eerie consciousness within the woods. Director Steven Cantor’s unpretentious, intimate documentary What Remains focuses on Mann’s latest progression as her increased exploration of the particular, unsettling beauty of bodily decay dovetails with the onset of illness in her family. Working with what appears to be close to total access, Cantor’s film covers Mann’s artistic beginnings involving her supportive yet eccentric father, her evolving photographic and personal relationship with her devoted husband and now-grown children, and the ongoing struggle to have her lifework recognized by a sometimes uneasy society. Incorporating a wealth of home movies, stills and over a decade of close-in interviews with Mann and her subjects, this is a fascinating look at how an artist’s work draws from their life experiences, and vice versa.

USA 2005

Director:

Steven Cantor

Producers:

Steven Cantor

Pax Wasserman

Daniel Laikind

Mandy Stein

Cinematographer:

Paul Dokuchitz

Film Editor:

Pax Wasserman

Music:

Billy Cote

Mary Lorson

Running Time:

80 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

HBO Films

Print Source:

Stick Figure Productions

Selected Filmography:

loudQUIETloud: A Film

About the Pixies (2006) (co-director)

Blood Ties: the Life and Work of Sally Mann (1993)

SATURDAY MAY 27 9:30 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Who Killed the Electric Car?

FRIDAY JUNE 9 7:00 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SATURDAY JUNE 10 11:00 AM NEPTUNE THEATER

Facing a pollution crisis years ago, the California Air Recourses Board was inspired by the announcement that General Motors was working on a new electric vehicle. e state created the “Zero Emissions Mandate,” pushing car manufacturers to provide emission-free vehicles. In 1997, GM launched their innovative car, the EV-1, with great fanfare to California consumers. One of the most efficient cars ever built, the EV-1 ran on electricity, produced no emissions and required virtually no maintenance. It catapulted America to the forefront of automotive technology and promised a better future for our environment and our wallets. ose lucky enough to lease one praised the speed, style and ease of the car. But the development threatened to disrupt the status quo and create ripples in the automotive and oil industries. Now, six years later, the entire fleet of electric vehicles has vanished. General Motors recalled every single one against the protest of leasers and long lists of people who agreed to buy them if they were made available. Electric charging stations along the California highway are now cobwebbed tombstones, marking the crushed dream of those who wish to live free of oil dependency and polluted air. Director Chris Paine includes automakers, legislators, engineers, consumers and car enthusiasts from Los Angeles to Detroit in a compelling investigation into the short life and mysterious death of the first perfect vehicle of the modern age.

USA 2006

Director:

Chris Paine

Producers:

Jessie Deeter

Kathy Weiss

Cinematographer:

Thaddeous Wadleigh

Film Editors:

Michael Kovalenko

Chris A. Peterson

Running Time:

91 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

Voltage Pictures

Print Source:

Sony Pictures Classics

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Wordplay

e New York Times crossword puzzle has become an American institution and a ritual for many millions. If you’re one of the many that rip open the paper and go straight for the grid, then you have crossword editor Will Shortz to thank (or curse) for the last twelve years of Times puzzles. is entertaining documentary from director Patrick Creadon celebrates the crossword phenomenon and the master “enigmatologist,” considered king of the realm. In it, Shortz talks about his love for puzzles and the process of editing them. Puzzlemaker Merl Reagle reveals the ins and outs of creating the downs and acrosses. Creadon picks up pencils with such puzzle addicts as President Bill Clinton, Daily Show host Jon Stewart, documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, musicians Indigo Girls and Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina. Plus, we’re introduced to a number of loveably fierce word geeks from all walks of life as they converge at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, an annual competition in Connecticut founded and directed by Shortz. e contestants’ quirks are charming (from odd rituals to their preferences for certain letters) while the comraderie of these competitors bonded by a love of words is heartwarming, and the final showdown is unexpectedly riveting. Ladies and gentlemen, sharpen your pencils. 8-letter word. Clue: Engrossing portrait of a favorite pastime.

USA 2006

Director:

Patrick Creadon

Producer:

Christine O’Malley

Cinematographer:

Patrick Creadon

Film Editor:

Doug Blush

Music:

Peter Golub

Featuring:

Will Shortz

Merl Reagle

Ken Burns

Bill Clinton

Bob Dole

Mike Mussina

Jon Stewart

Running Time:

90 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

International Sales:

IFC Films

Print Source:

IFC Films

Film Website:

www.wordplaymovie.com

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

The World According to Sesame Street

SATURDAY JUNE 10 4:15 PM PACIFIC PLACE CINEMAS

TUESDAY JUNE 13 2:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Created in 1969, innovative children’s show Sesame Street sought to encourage tolerance and communication across boundaries of race, class and cultural backgrounds just as much as they sought to teach the alphabet. In the decades since its launch, the show has not only become an American institution but is now seen in various forms in 120 countries around the world. Instead of simply dubbing the show in different languages, the Sesame Street Workshop takes their unique model to other regions and partners with local producers, educators and artists to create adaptations incorporating indigenous cultures and timely regional issues. Following the creation of shows in South Africa, Kosovo and Bangladesh, e World According to Sesame Street goes behind the scenes with producers as they encounter creative challenges and logistic struggles in bringing the show to these troubled areas. Amidst turbulent times, creators collaborate to incorporate traditional music and hand puppets in the Bangladesh production “Sisimpur,” tackle tense relations between Albanians and Serbians in creating a show for both in Kosovo, and address the millions of children living with HIV and AIDS in South Africa’s “Takalani Sesame.” Directors Linda Goldstein Knowlton and Linda Hawkins Costigan provide a unique window into the process of bringing the spirit of our favorite neighborhood block to children of the world.

Wrestling With Angels: Playwright Tony Kushner

USA 2006

Directors:

Linda Goldstein Knowlton

Linda Hawkins Costigan

Producers:

Linda Hawkins Costigan

Linda Goldstein Knowlton

Cinematographers: Christine Burrill

Nelson Hume

Film Editor:

Kate Amend

Music:

Nathan Wang

Running Time:

107 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Participant Productions

Print Source:

Participant Productions

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

Academy Award winning documentary filmmaker Freida Lee Mock profiles one of our greatest living playwrights, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Tony Kushner (Angels in America). Wrestling with Angels is a compelling portrait of the provocative artist and activist that covers three years of Kushner’s life, the period between 9/11 and the 2004 presidential election. Mock mixes a history of his career, impressions of his daily life, interviews with other leading theatre artists and glimpses of his fiercely political and deeply personal work—from a hilarious scene in which Marcia Gay Harden plays Laura Bush, to Meryl Streep’s reading of Kushner’s moving prayer asking God to cure AIDS, to his recent collaboration with Maurice Sendak updating the legendary “Brundibar,” once performed by Jewish kids in Nazi death camps. We find Kushner working on various projects in Manhattan as well as visiting his Hudson River Valley getaway and his hometown of Lake Charles, Louisiana, for his father’s 80th birthday. Mock has captured both the busy, day-to-day dealings and tremendous spirit of the courageous man and great American playwright whose incredibly smart, funny, poignant and hopeful work has become a compassionate voice for outsiders in a climate of repression and censorship.

USA 2006

Director:

Freida Lee Mock

Producer:

Freida Lee Mock

Screenwriter: Freida Lee Mock

Cinematographers:

Bestor Cram

Don Lenzer

Eddie Marritz

Film Editor:

Anne Stein

Music:

Jeanine Tesori

Featuring:

Tony Kushner

Meryl Streep

Mike Nichols

Maurice Sendak

Running Time: 102 minutes

Presentation Format:

HDCAM

Print Source:

American Film Foundation

Selected Filmography:

Sing! (2001)

Return With Honor (1998)

Maya Lin: A Strong Clear

Vision (1994)

S ECRET FEST I VA L

We know what you’re thinking. We, too, have fallen prey to the oh-so shiny magazine racks while waiting in line at the grocery store. And we have also seen that it has all gotten out of hand! It is time to put a stop to this culture of rumors! In spite of what you may have read on the covers of Us Weekly , Star and The Globe , Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl has not gone berserk on set, Hillary has not attacked Bill’s secret lover and okay yes, admittedly, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes did have an extremely painful, extremely quiet Scientologist silent birth. And nally, no, there is no “Secret Festival” at Seattle International Film Festival. Honestly, what those reporters will do to make a buck! To all of you paparazzi camped outside of the SIFF o ces hoping to catch a glimpse and perhaps a million dollar photo of the famed “secret reels,” go home. Heck, even if there WAS a theater planned for such an event, which there isn’t, only members who signed a blood oath would be let in, right? And that Sunday morning line you’ve seen in front of the Egyptian during the festival? It’s for a special sort of church service, and it is very private. Let’s pull ourselves together and reject this nebula of gossip about secret pregnancies, break-ups and make-ups, plastic surgery blunders, but also the gossip about unadvertised world premieres, projects in process, banned titles, re-mastered classics and especially all that nonsense about summer Hollywood blockbusters pre-o cial release, please. Ignore the Hollywood hype and use your common sense, really, before our lawyers and libel suits get out of hand. SUNDAYS, 11:00 AM EYGPTIAN, MEMBERS ONLY

SPAW NE D IN S EATT L E

Nowhere are Seattle’s unique environments and sensibilities re ected more eloquently than in the work of our city’s independent lm artists. In recent years we have been excited to see the bar being raised for locally-made work, and eyebrows being raised as more and more Seattle lms draw interest and acclaim on national and international stages. SIFF proudly spotlights works that have origins in and around our great city, are directed by Northwest residents, and/or were shot primarily in our region. These lms explore a diversity of interests and approaches and show bold new directions and connections in Seattle lmmaking. In addition, our Fly Filmmaking program continues to engage Seattle artists by commissioning the creation of new short lms to premiere at the festival, while the FutureWave and 3-Minute Masterpieces packages showcase the work of our next generation of Seattle lmmakers. SIFF is proud to champion those artists whose stories and styles are close to home and close to our hearts.

FEATURES

Americanese (2006) page 96

Directed by Eric Byler

Apart from That (2005) page 250

Directed by Jennifer Shainin, Randy Walker

Bickford Shmeckler’s Cool Ideas (2006), page 96

Directed by Scott Lew

Boy Culture (2006), page 33

Directed by Q. Allan Brocka

Expiration Date (2006), page 98

Directed by Rick Stevenson

The Standard (2006), page 191

Directed by Jordan Albertsen

Urban Scarecrow (2006), page 218

Directed by Andrew McAllister

We Go Way Back (2006), page 101

Directed by Lynn Shelton

DOCUMENTARIES

Arctic Son (2006), page 228

Directed by Andrew Walton

The Heart of the Game (2005), page 231

Directed by Ward Serrill

Mom’s Apple Pie: The Heart of the Lesbian Mother’s Custody Movement (2006), page 236

Directed by Jody Laine, Shan Ottey, Shad Reinstein

Sentenced Home (2005), page 237

Directed by David Grabias, Nicole Newnham

This is Gary McFarland (2006), page 81

Directed by Kristian St. Clair

Walking to Werner (2006), page 111

Directed by Linas Phillips

SHORT FILMS

Anniversary (2006), page 273

Directed by Ben Medina

Chronicles of a Professional Eulogist (2005), page 250

Directed by Sarah Jane Lapp

Clouds (2005), page 252

Directed by Mark O’Connell

A Crack in the Sidewalk (2006), page 265 Directed by Kris Kristensen

The Delivery (2006), page 265

Directed by Virginia Bogert

Diesel Engine (2006), page 254

Directed by Dayna Hanson

Duel (2005), page 254

Directed by Danielle Morgan

Free Parking (2006), page 272

Directed by Laura Jean Cronin

Full Disclosure (2005), page 275

Directed by Douglas Horn

I Am (Not) Van Gogh (2005), page 200, 277

Directed by David Russo

Maura’s War (2006), page 266

Directed by Douglas Horn

Palweiser Label (2006), page 266

Directed by J. Brad Wilke

Push For Signal (2005), page 271

Directed by Andrew Allen

Tidal Wave (2005), page 255

Directed by Salise Hughes

Tootie Pie (2005), page 272

Directed by Virginia Bogert

Winner Take Steve (2005), page 96, 277 Directed by Jared Hess

Your Lights are Out or Burning

Badly (2005), page 254

Directed by Gaelen Hanson

3-Minute Masterpieces, page 268

FutureWave, page 269

FIL MS4 FAM ILI ES

Films4Families is a way for the whole family to celebrate the culture and art of the moving image through lmmaking and lm-going experiences. To further SIFF’s mission of creating a world that savors the nest of homegrown and foreign cinema, we o er this fabulous hand-picked series showcasing the best lms from around the globe to wow, regale and at-out occupy the rabid attention spans of modern family units. Join us each Saturday and Sunday during the Festival for a matinee excursion into imaginative programming for young people of all ages. Plus, don’t miss the next generation of lmmakers with FutureWave, a collection of young people’s lmmaking from around the world, which will play with lms from the SuperFly Youth Filmmaking Workshop.

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (USA, 1953) page 131

Directed by Roy Rowland

All Ages

The Gold Rush (USA, 1925) page 134

Directed by Charles Chaplin

All Ages

Greyfriars Bobby (United Kingdom, 2005) page 166

Directed by John Henderson

Ages 6 and up

Kirikou and the Wild Beasts (France, 2005) page 180

Directed by Michel Ocelot, Bénédicte Galup

Ages 8 and up

Lassie (Ireland, 2006) page 181

Directed by Charles Sturridge

Ages 6 and up

Monster House (USA, 2006) page 37

Directed by Gil Kenan

Ages 8 and up

We Shall Overcome (Denmark, 2005) page 127

Directed by Niels Arden Oplev

Ages 12 and up

The Family Picture Show, page 272

A family-friendly collection of animated and live-action short lms

Ages 8 and up

FutureWave page 268

Short lms made by young people

Ages 12 and up

Wholly abstract, sensual cinematic experiences. Surreal, dreamlike narratives. Dance lms made up of gorgeously cinematic choreography. Witty re ections on the relationship between cats and politics. Alternate Cinema is the place to nd something new—new styles and genres, new lmmaking techniques and, most importantly, new ways of looking at movies. In its inaugural edition, we gather together the innovative, the visionary, the experimental and the weird for a thrillingly diverse range of lms and lmmakers in which revered masters like Jan Svankmajer, Kenneth Anger, Chris Marker and others are placed alongside undeniable younger talents like Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Patrick Carpentier and Lukas Moodysson. With more than twelve countries represented in as many programs, the emphasis this year is decidedly global, as this far-reaching collection of the unclassi ables presents a snapshot of the world’s most innovative lmmaking.

ALTERNATE CINEMA

Apart from That (USA, 2005)

directed by Jennifer Shainin and Randy Walker

The Case of the Grinning Cat (France, 2004)

directed by Chris Marker

Combat (Belgium, 2006)

directed by Patrick Carpentier

Container (Sweden, 2005)

directed by Lukas Moodysson

a Darkness Swallowed (USA, 2006)

directed by Betzy Bromberg

How Little We Know of Our Neighbors (UK/USA, 2005)

directed by Rebecca Baron

Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis (USA, 2006)

directed by Mary Jordon

Lunacy (Czech Republic/Slovakia, 2005)

directed by Jan Svankmajer

The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes (UK/Germany/France, 2005)

directed by the Brothers Quay

What Are You Going to Do When You Get Out of Here? (Slovenia, 2005)

directed by Saso Podgorsek

Worldly Desires (North Korea/Thailand, 2005)

directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Short Film Programs:

Beg, Borrow and Steal Re ective Properties

Apart from That

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 6:30 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

THURSDAY JUNE 1

Some paths cross, others don’t. is stunning debut from Northwest filmmakers Jennifer Shainin and Randy Walker has become a quick festival favorite for its wise, observant humor and wonderfully natural performances. In the intricate arrangements of characters and narratives that form the spine of Apart from at, you can practically taste the vinegar of human awkwardness and discomfort. Ulla, a shy student beautician, rents a room in elderly Peggy’s home and neither has much to say to the other. Peggy, left in want of attention and lacking a traditional sense of decorum, sees nothing wrong with boredom-inspired calls to the fire department or greeting the firefighters totally nude. Leo, a Native American road striper, remains haunted by something he can’t talk about, silently avoiding his ghosts. He’s also afraid of cows. Kyle’s father Sam works for a bank and is asked to fire Lee, the father of Kyle’s now-former best friend. Kyle confronts his father about the dismissal, and the divide between father and son grows increasingly irreconcilable as Sam attempts to deflect the issue. Floating through lives that seem fluid but remain pretty much the same, this disparate group of characters are attempting to find their footing in a world of miscommunication, denial and unmet expectations.

USA 2005

Directors:

Jennifer Shainin

Randy Walker

Producers:

Jennifer Shainin

Randy Walker

Screenwriters:

Randy Walker

Jennifer Shainin

Cinematographer:

Erik Forssell

Film Editors:

Randy Walker

Jennifer Shainin

Music:

Christopher Shainin

Patrick Shainin

Cast:

Tony Cladoosby

Kyle Conyers

Alice Ellingson

Toan Le

Running Time: 129 minutes

Presentation Format:

DigiBeta

Print Source:

Foreign American Pictures

Film Website: www.foreignamericanpictures.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature

Case of the Grinning Cat

CHATS PERCHÉS

In spite of his political, social and aesthetic preoccupations, it has always been an undying love for all things feline that has been the most reliable constant in the work of film essayist par excellence Chris Marker. Shortly after the tragedy of 9/11, the Paris-based Marker starts to notice and note the appearance of “M. Chat,” a grinning cartoon cat whose image quickly spreads across Paris and throughout France by what must have been an army of elusive graffiti artists. Meanwhile, Marker observes the tumultuous cycle of French political demonstrations. e advancement of the right wing National Front Party and the start of the war in Iraq inspires tens of thousands of citizens gather in the streets to protest, while conservatives counter with demonstrations of their own. And the curious M. Chat watches over it all, even participating in the eventful political life of Paris. One of France’s most respected filmmakers, Marker continues in the digressive vein of essayistic cinema he pioneered with films like La Jetée and Sans Soleil, producing one of his most entertaining, light-hearted and flat-out hilarious films to date.

Preceded by:

Chronicles of a Professional Eulogist

USA, 2005, 7 minutes, director: Sarah Jane Lapp

A rabbi candidly shares the unspoken secrets of his trade as a grief-facilitator in this award winning animated lm from Seattle lmmaker Sara Jane Lapp.

Souvenir

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Stephen Rose

Deep inside the insulated, isolated world of a snow globe, an astronaut reaches out for the human contact that’s eluded him for so long.

France 2004

Director:

Chris Marker

Producer:

Laurence Braunberger

Screenwriter:

Chris Marker

Cinematographer:

Chris Marker

Film Editor:

Chris Marker

Music:

Michael Krasna

Narrator:

Gérard Rinaldi

Running Time:

58 minutes

Presentation Format:

BetaSP

International Sales:

Les Films du Jeudi

Print Source:

First Run / Icarus Films

Selected Filmography:

Remembrance of Things to Come (2001)

The Last Bolshevik (1992)

A.K. (1986)

Sans Soleil (1983)

Grin Without a Cat (1977)

Le Joli Mai (1963)

La Jetée (1962)

Les Statues Meurent Aussi (1953)

Combat

SATURDAY MAY 27 9:30 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

MONDAY MAY 29 5:00 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Combat invites you into a unique internal journey, into a furious act of self-discovery. In the middle of the woods, alone, two boys fight each other. ey hit really hard. However, it remains an act of love. ere is no stake. ere is no winner. ere is no pride. eirs is an act of remarkable intimacy. And yet their fight would seem to be to the death—savage and unrelenting. e narrator tells a strange story in which he rediscovers the extent of his desire. Pain, longing and violence surge through this twisted love story in which one type of sensuality, and one type of passion, is confused with another: where beating may mean loving. e Teddy Award-winning third and final installment in Belgian director Patrick Carpentier’s “filmed diary” L’Irregularité de la Déchirure ( e Irregularity of the Tearing), Combat sees Carpentier once again blurring the line between fact and fiction as he digs through moments from his own biography for inspiration. Crafting surging passions—love, lust, desire, violence—into a triumphant artistic statement, and finding universality in the most intimate bits and pieces of his life, Carpentier uses the film to ask the questions: “How can one let go in a world where one learns not to? Is it possible to reach the end of desire?” Combat occupies the area at the limits of reason, where rationality is opposed by overwhelming emotions.

Awards: Berlin 2006 (TEDDY Award)

Preceded by:

Hello, Thanks

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Andrew Blubaugh

A man’s ongoing quest for love becomes an end in and of itself, as the personals ads he habitually places seem to take on lives of their own.

Shape Shift

USA, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Scott Stark

A lmmaker with exhibitionist tendencies does a little dance for the cameras.

Container

SATURDAY MAY 27 5:00 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

TUESDAY MAY 30 9:30 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Belgium 2006

Director: Patrick Carpentier

Producer:

Geneviève De Bauw

Screenwriter: Patrick Carpentier

Cinematographer: Colin Léveque

Film Editor:

Mèline Van Aelbrouck

Music: I’m a Horse

Cast: Leo Joris Tomas Matauko

Running Time: 57 minutes

Presentation Format: DigiBeta, in French, with English subtitles

International Sales: Thank You & Good Night Productions

Print Source: Brussels Avenue

Selected Filmography:

God Is a Dog (2004)

The Fear Kills The Love (2003)

Crossing all conventionally held boundaries that separate identity and gender, Container is, in the words of writer-director Lukas Moodysson (Lilya 4-Ever), “a film about the little darling who lives inside all of us. Like Jesus lived inside Mary. Or Mary lived inside Jesus.” Various characters and voices (including Paris Hilton), all with distinct personalities, appear. ey seem to be tied to an unhappy, overweight young man who may or may not be mentally disturbed. Factored into the equation is a slim Asian woman who might be the embodiment of a distinct individual living deep inside him: a woman in a man’s body or, possibly, a man in a woman’s body. Aesthetically and formally radical, this stylistic whirlwind travels through modern-day ruins of crumbling buildings and rubble-strewn streets as this man and woman cavort, dance and stomp around. Intellectually complex but hugely physical, this “black and white silent movie with sound” looks at the world through a highly subjective, fragmented perspective, but latches onto the tactile, concrete reality surrounding its characters. Before real life events intervened, Moodysson had planned on making a film about a tsunami, and the sense of devastation and destruction pervades. Jena Malone narrates, occasionally playing herself as she shifts between personalities in discussions of topics from Hollywood gossip to nuclear fallout to Jesus to brief glimpses of something approaching pure poetry: “God transforms prayer into fire.”

Preceded by:

The Fish Head Fugue and Other Tales for Twilight USA, 2005, 7 minutes, directors: Lindsey Mayer-Beug, Lauren Indovina

Through the device of a magical, rotating puppet theatre, a small seer orchestrates a child’s journey in a richly textured, multi-layered world of the imagination.

North American Premiere

Sweden 2006

Director:

Lukas Moodysson

Producer:

Lars Jönsson

Screenwriter:

Lukas Moodysson

Cinematographers:

Jesper Kurlandsky

Lukas Moodysson

Film Editors:

Jesper Kurlandsky

Lukas Moodysson

Andreas Nilsson

Music:

Erik Holmquist

Jesper Kurlandsky

Cast:

Peter Lorentzon

Mariha Åberg

Jena Malone

Running Time:

74 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English and Swedish, with English

subtitles

International Sales:

Trust Film Sales

Print Source:

Picturehouse

Selected Filmography:

A Hole In My Heart (2004)

Lilya 4-Ever (2002)

Together (2000)

Show Me Love (1999)

a Darkness Swallowed

TUESDAY MAY 30 7:00 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

Nearly a decade in the making, this intricately crafted work was hailed as an “instant classic” of non-narrative filmmaking by Variety upon its premiere. Beginning with two photographs—two photographs that indicate a traumatic rupture of some kind with the past, with the filmmaker’s own biography, and with historical “fact”—filmmaker Betzy Bromberg commences a visual and sonic excavation into the fundamental substance of all living matter. Her search is for the physical imprints of memory at an almost cellular level, imprints that can be found within the earth itself. Decay gives way to stillness and, eventually, renewal. e organic blends with the inorganic. Intricate and sensitive to the most minute properties of light, color and form, this non-narrative stream of images would seem at first to be abstract, and yet it inspires an almost unconscious familiarity with subjects not too far from our own experience. Bromberg’s camera transforms spider webs, resin, leaves, even human bone into otherworldly objects, and a dance of light through a tiny jet of water becomes one of the most ecstatically beautiful images captured on film this year.

Preceded by:

Clouds

USA, 2005, 8 minutes, director: Mark O’Connell

A vibrant and highly animated look at the aesthetics of clouds.

USA 2006

Director:

Betzy Bromberg

Producer:

Betzy Bromberg

Cinematographer:

Betzy Bromberg

Film Editor:

Betzy Bromberg

Music:

Zach Settel

Jean-Pierre Bedoyan

Paul B. Cutler

Pam Arono

Jacob Ross

Dane A. Davis

Betzy Bromberg

Running Time:

78 minutes

Presentation Format:

16mm

Print Source:

Betzy Bromberg

Selected Filmography:

Divinity Gratis (1997)

Body Politic (god melts bad meat) (1988)

How Little We Know of Our Neighbours

FRIDAY MAY 26 5:00 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

WEDNESDAY MAY 31 4:30 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

A revelatory history/analysis of the broader role of public photography and surveillance, How Little We Know of Our Neighbours takes as its primary subject the Mass Observation Movement in Britain. An offshoot of the British Surrealists, Mass Observation began in the late-1930s and enacted an ambitious anthropological effort to record the habits and social patterns of London and the rest of Britain. During World War II the movement was reincarnated in a domestic spy unit, and in the ’50s candid photography became a market research tool. As the film relates, each new technological advance carried with it a matching step allowing the photographer to take pictures secretly. From the earliest “suitcase cameras” at the turn of the century to the ubiquitous surveillance cameras that monitor contemporary society’s comings and goings, “public” photography is a phenomena inextricably linked to the cameras themselves.

Plays with: Worldly Desires

South Korea/Thailand, 2005, 42 minutes, director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Another gorgeous, mysteriously touching piece from one of Asia’s most promising young lmmakers, Apichatpong “Joe” Weerasethakul (Tropical Malady). His rst foray into digital cinema leads the viewer onto the set of a lm shoot. Like many of his movies, the narrative being lmed seems to be some sort of jungle-set love story, but all we see here are poetic bits and pieces—and several choreographed musical interludes. Widely regarded by critics and art house audiences as the cinema’s next great hope and the cinematic heir to Jean-Luc Godard, Apichatpong manages to string together the slightest of narrative threads to create beautifully poignant art.

United Kingdom/USA 2005

Director: Rebecca Baron

Producer: Rebecca Baron

Screenwriter: Rebecca Baron

Cinematographer: Rebecca Baron

Music: Malle Colbert

Running Time:

50 minutes

Presentation Format: BetaSP

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Jack Smith & The Destruction of Atlantis

MONDAY MAY 29 9:00 PM NORTHWEST

Banned in dozens of states and several countries, subject of an infamous police raid in which Jonas Mekas, Ken Jacobs and Florence Karpf were arrested for hosting a screening, and denounced (with a screening of several key selections) on the Senate floor by Strom urmond in a case that ended up at the Supreme Court, Jack Smith’s Flaming Creatures (1963) is certainly one of the most controversial movies ever made. It’s also the founding and perhaps definitive declaration of the camp-trash aesthetic. Smith’s legacy, however, is immeasurably larger than just one film. Frustrated by what he perceived as a loss of control over Creatures after its notoriety began to spread, from that point on he would only use his films as part of live performances, during which he would re-edit them as they were being projected. Prolific and multi-talented, Smith and his wild camp fantasies changed the way the world thought of photography, performance art and film, and would prove to be a primary influence on artists as diverse as Andy Warhol, John Waters, even Federico Fellini. Director Mary Jordan assesses the life and artistic legacy of the electric, exasperating artist with a wealth of footage and testimony from such friends and admirers as Waters, Mekas, Gary Indiana, John Zorn, Holly Woodlawn and others, capturing the full force of Smith the artist and performer, and explaining exactly how and why this visionary came to be recognized as a sort of patron saint for the Queer Avant Garde.

USA 2006

Director:

Mary Jordan

Producers:

Kenneth Wayne Peralta

Mary Jordan

Screenwriter:

Mary Jordan

Film Editors:

Alex Marquez

Paul Zucker

Brian Gates

Spencer Young

Music:

John Zorn

Thurston Moore

Carey Loren

Featuring:

Jonas Mekas

John Waters

John Zorn

Gary Indiana

Ronald Tavel

Mike Kuchar

Mario Montez

Richard Foreman

Sylvère Lotringer

Holly Woodlawn

John Vaccaro

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format: BetaSP

International Sales:

Tongue Press

Print Source:

Tongue Press

Film Website: www.jacksmithandthedestructionofatlantis.com

Selected Filmography: Debut Feature Film

Lunacy

SUNDAY MAY 28 9:30 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

FRIDAY JUNE 2 9:15 PM HARVARD EXIT

A joyously pessimistic existential horror film in the grand tradition of Czech Surrealism from one of the movement’s greatest practitioners, Lunacy introduces us to Jean Berlot, an ordinary man on his way home from the tragic task of burying his mother. Plagued by horrific nightmares and worried that he will end up imprisoned in an insane asylum like his mother was, Jean awakes in the middle of a rampage having nearly destroyed his hotel room in his sleep. An enigmatic marquis comes to his defense, covering the damage and taking an interest in Jean’s plight. Believing that a night in an actual asylum will eradicate any of Jean’s irrational fears, the marquis leads Jean to an experimental asylum in which the patients are allowed to run free with no restrictions or boundaries. e longer Jean remains in the asylum, the more disturbing secrets he uncovers: Satanic orgies, “therapeutic” funerals, hidden dungeons and a staff that seems even more dangerous than the patients. Interjected into all this live-action narrative are animated sequences in which raw meat, tongues, brains and various other body parts rush headlong across the screen, dancing up and down the walls, slurping up leftover beer and speeding towards some unspecified endpoint. What director Jan Svankmajer calls “a philosophical horror film,” Lunacy borrows from Poe and de Sade in creating a delirious vision that should make any sane person shudder.

Juraj Galvánek

Film Editor: Marie Zemanová

Cast: Pavel Liska

Jan Triska

Anna Geislerovå

Jaroslav Dusek

The Piano Tuner of Earthquakes

FRIDAY MAY 26 9:30 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

SUNDAY MAY 28 5:00 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

It begins with a love affair, an aria, a death and perhaps a resurrection—and that’s just the prologue! An eye-popping fever dream from the Brothers Quay, this live-action follow-up to their debut feature Institute Benjamenta takes place on an eerie, isolated island where reality follows a slightly different set of rules. A master piano tuner is recruited to tweak a series of elaborate, intricate automatons for the enigmatic, operaloving Dr. Emmanuel Droz (Gottfried John, best known for his performances for director R.W. Fassbinder in such films as e Marriage of Maria Braun and In a Year of 13 Moons). Felisberto - who is descended from several centuries of piano tuners - finds himself drawn into the mysteries of the island: the anonymous patients known as “gardeners,” eerie messages that come to him in dreams, a severely traumatized and devastatingly beautiful amnesiac, and the automatons, whose structure is so complex that their ultimate purpose can’t be seen until they’re all activated simultaneously for one final performance. With the Quays’ highly distinctive stop-motion animation creating the nightmarish automatons, it is the magnificent production design and stunning cinematography that marks this lush surrealistic treat as a step forward for the prolific animators. e Piano Tuner of Earthquakes is their most complex and fully integrated work to date.

Preceded by:

A Half Man

Canada, 2005, 5 minutes, director: Firas Momani

Literally sliced in half, a man tries to keep himself together, but it would seem to be a losing battle.

What Are You Going to Do When You Get Out of Here?

MONDAY MAY 29 7:00 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

TUESDAY MAY 30 5:00 PM NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

United Kingdom/ Germany/ France 2005

Directors:

Quay Brothers

Producers:

Keith Gri ths

Alexander Ris

Hengameh Panahi

Screenwriters:

Alan Passes

Quay Brothers

Cinematographer:

Nic Knowland

Film Editor:

Simon Laurie

Music:

Trevor Duncan

Christopher Slaski

Cast:

Amira Casar

Gottfried John

Assumpta Serna

Running Time:

99 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Celluloid Dreams

Print Source:

Zeitgeist Films Ltd.

Selected Filmography:

Poor Roger (2003)

In Absentia (2000)

Institute Benjamenta, or This Dream People Call Human Life (1995)

The Street of Crocodiles (1986)

The Epic of Gilgamesh (1985)

The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer (1984)

Deep below the working-class town of Trbovlje, Slovenia are the tunnels and mine shafts in which director Saso Podgorsek and the renowned EnKnap dance company enact an exhilarating performance for the camera. Once a prosperous industrial center, the plants and factories that formerly flourished now lie dormant and in near ruins, with the intricate network of passageways below forming a hidden reminder of the town’s former vitality. Channeling the rhythms of work and rest, the camera travels through a dizzying maze of dank, bare rooms and empty passageways. e only point of reference is the small troupe of resourceful dancers who utilize the whole of their environment. Direct, athletic and remarkably expressive, the dancers have refined their performances to include only the bare essentials, with each gesture or movement packing a forceful potency that breaks free of the unearthly setting’s claustrophobic atmosphere. Reveling in the hidden, decaying world they seek to commemorate, the filmmakers have created a small masterpiece in tribute to a place that may not be around much longer.

Preceded by:

Diesel Engine

USA, 2006, 7 minutes, director: Dayna Hanson Dayna Hanson (of 33 Fainting Spells) relates her experience of trying to convert her car to run on biodiesel fuel, and performs an impromptu dance number in the alley behind a Chinese restaurant.

Duel

USA, 2006, 3 minutes, director: Danielle Morgan A manipulation of time and space in the editing room gives this dance for two a unique twist.

Your Lights Are Out Or Burning Badly

USA, 2005, 9 minutes, director: Gaelen Hanson Local lmmaker/dancer Gaelen Hanson (of 33 Fainting Spells) gives a thrilling performance for and with the camera.

Slovenia/ Hungary 2005

Director:

Saso Podgorsek

Producer:

Jozko Rutar

Screenwriters:

Iztok Kovac & Saso Podgorsek

Cinematographer:

Sven Pepeonik

Film Editor:

Dafne Jemersic

Music:

Thierry de Mey

Cast:

Karmit Burian

Julyen Hamilton

Gali Kaner

Iztok Kovac

Andreja Rauch

Carme Renalias

Sebastiano Tramantana

Running Time:

53 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm, in English & Slovenian, with English

subtitles

Print Source:

En-Knap Dancecompany

Film Website:

www.en-knap.com

Selected Filmography:

Sweet Dreams (2001)

Dom Svobode (2000)

Dark Angels (1999)

North American Premiere

Beg, Borrow & Steal

Collecting bits from a century of film and media history, this program—ranging from the picturesque to the decaying, from the kinetic to the hilarious—showcases unique collages and montages of found images and sound. (94 minutes)

Afraid So

USA, 2005, 3 minutes, director: Jay Rosenblatt ings aren’t all THAT bad, are they? Jay Rosenblatt, along with narrator Garrison Keillor, take on the Jeanne Marie Beaumont poem.

Here

USA, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Fred Worden A Technicolor charge on horseback is mashed up with a series of early silent films from the Meliés brothers.

The Highwater Trilogy

USA, 2006, 31 minutes, director: Bill Morrison An epic meditation on erosion and natural disasters composed of subtly deteriorating found footage, in some cases more than a century old, from filmmaker Bill Morrison (Decasia).

Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine

Austria, 2005, 17 minutes, director: Peter Tscherkassky An iconic Western is transformed into a Greek tragedy in an impossibly kinetic re-photographing of e Good, e Bad and the Ugly

Last Supper

Austria, 2005, 9 minutes, director: Johannes Hammel Nostalgic visions of family meals become more and more disturbed as the film stock grows increasingly discolored and decayed.

Mouse Heaven

USA, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Kenneth Anger e legendary Kenneth Anger takes on a certain celebrity cartoon mouse, in a satire that has strange echoes of his homoerotic underground classic Scorpio Rising

Ringo

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Dave Monahan A backwards celebration (in song!) of two icons of the American Western, John Wayne and Roy Rogers.

Tidal Wave

USA, 2005, 2 minutes, director: Salise Hughes One man’s nightmares take physical shape in a rising tide that seems to be taking the form of each and every figure in the crowd.

Wall of Sound Flowers

Netherlands, 2006, 6 minutes, director: Francien van Everdingen Set to an irresistible soundtrack of strumming, everyday objects and moments flash on screen while a pleasant flower wallpaper scrolls through the background.

Reflective Properties

Meditations on landscapes, Las Vegas, natural disasters, family turmoil and one exceedingly talented drummer, among other things. (111 minutes)

Boll Weevil Days

USA, 2005, 8 minutes, director: Susan Simpson

Experimental puppet artist Susan Simpson’s re-conception of the disaster narrative, which takes the form of both massive elemental destruction and personal tragedy.

Dumb Angel

Canada, 2006, 10 minutes, director: deco dawson

e full intensity and virtuosity of a performance by the preternaturally talented 17-year-old drummer Anders Erickson (of the band Inward Eye) is captured in this boundary-expanding music video.

Flow

USA, 2005, 5 minutes, director: Scott Nyerges

A gorgeous abstract stream of shapes and colors created through superimposition, direct painting and lyrical images.

A Heart and Other Small Shapes

USA, 2006, 30 minutes, director: Jennifer Reeder

A glimpse into the lives of two children and three adults who keep secrets and act out intimate wants, in a piece that examines the awkwardness and specificity of human desire.

The Other Side

USA/Mexico, 2006, 41 minutes, director: Bill Brown

In this stunningly-photographed consideration of the 2000-mile border between the US and Mexico, filmmaker Bill Brown explores anxieties on both sides, and the increasingly dangerous obstacles to a successful crossing.

Portrait #1: Cascadia Terminal

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Vanessa Renwick

A mesmerizing stare at the most efficient terminal in the port of Vancouver, BC, with an appropriately hypnotic score from Tara Jane O’Neill.

Site Specific_Las Vegas 05

Canada, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Olivo Barbieri

Seen through the lens of noted photographer Olivo Barbieri, perched in a helicopter high above the city, Las Vegas becomes even more unreal than it already appears—a gauzy, candy-colored city of toy buildings and miniature cars.

For those of you fed up with “implied” violence, “tasteful” sex and “proper” language, let us introduce you to the late night jolt that is MIDNIGHT ADRENALINE! We’ve found the juiciest, most jaw-dropping, eyebrow-raising, gut-twisting masterworks the cinema has to o er. Guaranteed to keep your eyes open with all the brain-imploding lth and weirdness you can handle, this is the place where men get it on with tractors, mutant cows terrorize the Irish countryside, and Vladimir Putin sends a small army of espionage-trained Russian hookers to do his (ahem) dirty work. Glop ows freely. Alternate realities abound. Consciousness is expanded, both on the screen and in the theater. And when it comes to matters of the groin, the once-safe teenage sex movie has been made much more raunchy and more explicitly gay, while art house directors have their way with porn. This year, as a special addition to the program, we’re screening a Sneak Midnight Movie, a cult-classicto-be from one of America’s most respected indie veterans—we can’t tell you the title, but we can tell you that you don’t want to miss it.

Sneak Midnight Movie

Directed by …????

Another Gay Movie (USA, 2006)

Directed by Todd Stephens

Destricted (UK/USA, 2006)

Directed by Marina Abromovic, Matthew Barney, Marco Brambilla, Larry Clark, Gaspar Noé, Richard Prince and Sam Taylor-Wood

The District! (HUNGARY, 2004)

Directed by Áron Gauder

Evil Aliens (UK, 2005)

Directed by Jake West

Frostbite (SWEDEN, 2006)

Directed by Anders Banke

Isolation (UK/IRELAND, 2005)

Directed by Billy O’Brien

Terkel in Trouble (DENMARK, 2004)

Directed by Stefan Fjelmark, Kresten Vestbjerg Andersen, Thornbjørn Christofferson

Sneak Midnight Movie

Another Gay Movie

e venerable sneak film returns to SIFF for a special midnight edition. Alas, we cannot disclose the title so you must take our word that this is a screening you must not miss. You can scan this program note for clues to the title, but we feel we must keep you in the dark as to the actual title of the film. e director is a familiar face to SIFF audiences. His first feature film debuted here sixteen years ago and went onto become a cult classic. In recent years, his box office successes have made him one of the most sought after filmmakers from outside Hollywood. is film, which will be released later this summer, is a dark foray into a new genre for him; it also happens to be a perfect midnight movie. A starstudded cast brings to life a mind-blowing story adapted from one of the preeminent cult authors of the twentieth century. e film’s labyrinthine plot and surreal dreaminess, taken directly from the novel, are further enhanced by its strikingly slick and original visual style. But while the film may be about the nature of personality (give or take one or two), it never skimps on the action or atmosphere. Edgy, hip, and visionary—this year’s sneak film is one that will surely be well remembered for years to come.

In this raunchy Scary Movie for queers, director/co-writer Todd Stephens spoofs everything from his own Edge Of Seventeen to Carrie to American Pie. A group of gay high school graduates swear they will pop their virgin cherries before going to college. Andy is your typical 17-year-old virgin. He’s horny as hell and just wants to have sex with something other than his mother’s vegetables! Luckily he’s got his dad (Scott ompson, Kids In e Hall) offering him guidance by giving him a butt plug and an anal sex guide. Jarod is a buff jock who can get any boy he wants, he just needs the courage to go all the way. Jarod’s best buddy is the brainy Griff, a total romantic who just wants to meet the right boy. Nico is their alternative-kid, movie queen who is looking for a daddy to show him the way. is rollercoaster ride of a movie will have you on the floor laughing as these four adorable gay high school grads bend their way through a summer of romance, sex, penis experimentation, fruit insertions and other unmentionable acts. e cast includes gay celebs like comedian Graham Norton, dragstress Lypsinka, porn star Matthew Rush, James Getzlaff of Boy Meets Boy, comedian Ant and Survivor’s Richard Hatch like you’ve never wanted to see him. Be forewarned: is is no ordinary coming-of-age movie. It’s raunchy fun you definitely don’t want to watch with your parents. Strictly for the 18-and-over set.

USA 2006

Director:

Todd Stephens

Producer:

Jesse Adams

Screenwriters:

Todd Stephens

Tim Kaltenecker

Cinematographer:

Carl Bartels

Film Editor:

Jeremy Stulberg

Cast:

Michael Carbonaro

Jonathan Chase

Jonah Blechman

Mitch Morris

Ant

Scott Thompson

Mattew Rush

FRIDAY JUNE 9 11:59 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

Destricted

Seven giants of the art world present their extremely graphic takes on sex and pornography. With the approaches ranging from the highly erotic to the humorous to the disturbing, they bring sex out of the grindhouse and into the art house. One of his most visually striking films to date, Hoist by Matthew Barney (Drawing Restraint 9, e Cremaster Cycle) sees a coupling of man and tractor a dozen feet above the ground. In the documentary Impaled, Larry Clark (Kids, Bully) introduces a cast of young men, each of whom sits alone in front of the camera and talks about porn. As the film gradually unfolds, it becomes a revelatory, devastating exploration of the relationship between sexuality and pornography. Richard Prince’s House Call re-records a twelve-minute scene culled from the golden age of video porn. e brief but furious Sync by Marco Brambilla (Demolition Man) consists of stroboscopic flurry of graphic images, each removed from its original context and gaining a new sense of motion and narrative. In Balkan Erotic Epic, revolutionary performance artist Marina Abramovic relates and recreates surprisingly sexual scenes from Balkan folklore, where the body is enlisted to manipulate the forces of nature. Sam Taylor-Wood’s Onan: Death Valley sees a man attempting to find pleasure in the middle of the desert. Finally, We Fuck Alone by French bad boy Gaspar Noé (Irréversible) alternates two darkly lit scenes of graphic masturbation with a pulsating montage that brings two people engaging in the loneliest sex act into the same cinematic space. No one under 17 admitted.

United Kingdom/USA 2006

Directors:

Marina Abramovic

Matthew Barney

Marco Brambilla

Larry Clark

Gaspar Noé

Richard Prince

Sam Taylor-Wood

Producers:

Mel Agace

Neville Wake eld

Cinematographers: Aleksandar Ilic

Peter Streitman

Seamus McGarvey

Music:

Matmos and Andrew Hale

Jonathan Bepler

Running Time: 115 minutes

Presentation Format: HDCAM

Print Source: Destricted

Film Website: www.destricted.com

Lovers of South Park rejoice, e District! is here! Hungary’s own outrageously irreverent animated comedy is every bit as crude, offensive and side-splittingly hilarious as the adventures of Stan, Kyle and company. Welcome to Budapest’s seedy District 8, where the inhabitants are a mix of Hungarians, Gypsies, Ukrainians, Arabs and Chinese—all of whom hate each other. Well, all but Richie and Jules, a pair of star-crossed lovers not altogether different from Romeo and Juliet. Richie’s grandfather tells him that the best way to get a woman is to have money. From this kernel of knowledge, Richie logically deduces money equals love, while love equals peace. Richie soon formulates a plan to turn his neighborhood from desperately poor to filthy rich. With the help of his gang he builds a time machine, goes back in time and arranges for a plethora of prehistoric animals to be buried beneath the future site of their neighborhood. But when he returns to the present he discovers a major flaw in his plan: oil attracts everyone’s attention, especially from the likes of George W. Bush, Tony Blair, Vladimir Putin (with his cavalcade of espionage-trained Russian hookers), and even Osama bin Laden. Set to a Hungarian hip-hop soundtrack, e District! is riotously funny and superbly animated—combining 2-D cut-outs and anime with 3-D CGI and even some live-action—all of which perfectly compliments this ingenious blend of Americanstyle satire with Eastern European surrealism.

Preceded by Guide Dog USA, 2006, 6 minutes, director: Bill Plympton

In this twisted sequel to the Oscar-nominated Guard Dog, Bill Plympton (I Married a Strange Person) animates the continuing adventures of an eager canine who wants nothing more than to be useful, but still leaves a bloody path of destruction in his wake.

Hungary 2004

Director:

Áron Gauder

Producer:

Erik Novák

Screenwriters:

Máriusz Bari

Viktor Nagy

Damage László Jakab Orsós

Cinematographers:

Igor Boka

Áron Gauder

Film Editor: Kincsö Palotás

Music: Zsolt Hammer

Alex Huntadi

Ádam Javorka

Viktor Laszlo

Spacecafe

Voices:

L.L. Junior

László Szacsvay

Andrea Roatis

Running Time: 95 minutes

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

International Sales:

MDC International GmbH

Evil Aliens

SATURDAY JUNE 10 11:59 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

TUESDAY JUNE 13 4:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

With a title like Evil Aliens, one might hope for a film that combines the splatter-schlock camp humor of Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series with the slimy, viscera-shredding E.T.s of the Alien cycle. Well, throw in large helpings of e X-Files and tabloid television and you pretty much have this year’s ultimate midnighter. e movie begins with a young couple shagging in the middle of a stone circle known as the “Devil’s Teeth.” Strange noises herald the arrival of the titular beings, and when the couple is abducted the probing and implantation begins. Cut to London, one week later. Michelle Fox, head reporter for the low-rated TV tabloid “Weird Worlde,” hears of the incident and sets off with her tiny crew, two second-rate actors and pimply UFOlogist Gavin to the remote Welsh island (reachable only at low tide) where the incident took place. One former abductee, Cat Williams, is now very, very pregnant and her boyfriend is missing completely. No one believes Cat’s story, including her brothers (think a trio of Welsh-speaking Monty Python characters, only more visibly inbred). After a busy day filming abduction re-creations, strange lights appear in the sky and the TV crew comes across a herd of dead cattle. Soon all-out intergalactic war is being waged between humans and aliens, involving gory dismemberments, decapitations and all other sorts of farm equipment-based mutilations. Evil Aliens is not only a perfect piece of splatterpunk cinema, but also a sharp, smart satire of the horror/sci-fi genre.

Awards:

British Independent Film 2005 (Raindance Award)

Preceded by Lucky Australia, 2005, 5 minutes, director: Nash Edgerton Lucky nds himself in a bind—trapped in the trunk of a speeding car with no driver.

Frostbite FROSTBITEN

FRIDAY JUNE 2 11:59 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

United Kingdom 2005

Director:

Jake West

Producer:

Tim Dennison

Screenwriter:

Jake West

Cinematographer:

Jim Solan

Film Editor:

Jake West

Music:

Richard Wells

Cast: Emily Booth

Chris Adamson

Norman Lovett

Jodie Shaw

Samuel Butler

Peter O’Connor

Jamie Honeybourne

It’s midwinter and Annika, a medical doctor, has moved with her 17-year-old daughter Saga to a sleepy town in Lapland to start a new job in the local hospital. e head doctor, Gerhard Beckert, is a world-renowned geneticist with only one patient, and the town, with its seemingly endless polar night, appears to be just as boring as Saga feared it would be. On her first day of school she is befriended by Vega, a red-andblack-haired goth girl who acts as if she’s known Saga for years. But things are not as they seem in the bitter dark winter cold. Annika senses that something is not right at the hospital, and small unexplainable accidents begin to happen around the community. People start showing up with bite marks, and Dr. Beckert’s mysterious supply of red pills disappears. en a highschool party turns into something more bloody, and it becomes clear that there is something out in the woods, and it is hunting. When the world around you disappears in a maelstrom of snow, ice and blood, the last thing you want to hear is that there is more than a month until dawn…. Sweden’s first vampire movie, Anders Banke’s debut was named “Best Film” at the 2006 Fantasporto Film Festival.

Awards: Fantasporto 2006 (Best Film) North American Premiere

Sweden 2006

Director:

Anders Banke

Producer:

Magnus Paulsson

Screenwriter:

Daniel Ojanlatva

Cinematographer:

Chris Maris

Film Editor:

Kiko C.C. Sjöberg

Music: Anthony Lledo

Cast: Petra Nielsen

Grete Havnesköld

Emma Åberg

Jonas Karlström

Carl-åke Eriksson

Isolation

Terkel in Trouble

On a cold Irish night two young runaways, Mary and Jamie, are camped in a dilapidated trailer, trying to escape their families for a fresh start in London. What they don’t know is that the trailer sits on farmer Dan Reilly’s property. Reilly is having his own problems: in order to make ends meet, he’s had to agree to allow a local biotech company run some pregnancy tests on his cattle. is situation is not made any easier by the fact that his ex-girlfriend Orla, also the local veterinarian, is supervising the project on his farm. When Reilly discovers the young couple, his initial hostility wanes with hope that he could enlist their help back on his farm. You see, one of his cows is having difficulties delivering a new calf. Meanwhile, Orla discovers something wrong—very wrong—with the most recent tests and summons the project supervisor. Back in the barn the first breath of new life fogs the air—a chilling revelation that plunges Reilly’s farm into abject terror. In his debut feature film, director Billy O’Brien draws upon the recent hoof-and-mouth epidemic in Britain and Ireland and combines it with the current controversies concerning biotechnology to create an Irish farmhouse Frankenstein tale, where the once ideal pastorale is genetically modified into a pitch-perfect horror parable of science—and mad cows—run amok.

United Kingdom/ Ireland 2005

Director:

Billy O’Brien

Producers:

Ruth Kenley-Letts

Bertrand Faivre

Ed Guiney

Screenwriter:

Billy O’Brien

Cinematographer:

Robbie Ryan

Film Editor:

Justinian Buckley

Music:

Adrian Johnston

Cast:

Essie Davis

Sean Harris

Marcel Iures

Crispin Letts

John Lynch

Running Time: 95 minutes

Presentation Format:

35mm

International Sales:

Lions Gate International

Print Source:

Lions

Gate International

Selected Filmography:

Debut Feature Film

As director Stefan Fjeldmark says “Terkel in Trouble is like a Dogme cartoon”—a refreshingly nasty treat for those who wish the cute little ’toons would swear more. Terkel, your average foul-mouthed 12-year-old boy, is just trying to get through grade school. In his dysfunctional home life he’s got a father who only says “no,” a smokaholic mother, a gruesomely accidentprone younger sister, and a violent, drunken uncle. To top things off, he and his best friend Jason (who’s from the suburbs and, therefore, knows to carry an iron rod in his back pocket at all times) have been drifting apart. When his crazy uncle Stewart beats up the schoolyard bullies, it seems like his life can’t get any worse. In an effort to regain his schoolyard cred, Terkel rejects classmate Fat Dorrit’s amorous advances, which drives her to bloody suicide. Consoled by the kind substitute teacher whose cares deeply for all animals, Terkel starts to hope. en he starts receiving anonymous death threats. When a school camping trip reveals his homicidal stalker, Terkel’s life just gets weirder. Standup comic Anders Matheson voices all of the zany characters in the first CGI animated feature film from Denmark.

Awards:

Danish Academy Awards 2005 (Audience Award, Best Score, Best Song, Best Sound)

Denmark 2004

Directors:

Stefan Fjeldmark

Kresten Vestbjerg Andersen

Thornbjørn Christo ersen

Producers:

Trine Heidegaard

Thomas Heinesen

Screenwriter:

Mette Heeno

Film Editors:

Per Risager

Mikael R. Ryelund

Martin Wichmann

Music:

Bo Rasmussen

Voices:

Anders Matthesen

Running Time: 78 minutes

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

International Sales:

Nordisk Film International

Sales

Print Source:

Danish Film Institute

Film Website:

www.terkeliknibe.dk

Selected Filmography:

Asterix and the Vikings (2006)

Fjeldmark: Help, I’m a Fish (2000)

US Premiere

FRIDAY JUNE 16 11:59 PM EGYPTIAN THEATRE

SIFF is pleased to premiere three narrative shorts and one documentary in this year’s Fly Filmmaking Challenge. All four lms were made “on the y”— ve days to shoot, ve days to edit for a total of ten minutes of screen time for each of them—and, as always, we created boundaries for lmmakers to work within and bump up against. This year’s challenge is guaranteed to delight, entertain and showcase some of the most interesting directors and writers in the Paci c Northwest.

This year’s Challenge, produced by Amy Lillard Dee, pairs local directors with Paci c Northwest screenwriters to bring a combined vision to the big screen! The four directors selected their projects at the February Screenwriters Salon event at which ve nalists pitched their screenplays in front of a live audience. In a last minute twist, one lmmaker was given the opportunity to do a documentary on a subject of his choosing.

FLY FIL MS TA K E FLIGH T

Monday, May 29 1:30 pm

Egyptian Theatre

Wednesday, June 14 4:30 pm

Egyptian Theatre

A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK

(DOCUMENTARY)

DIRECTED BY KRIS KRISTENSEN

THE DELIVERY

DIRECTED BY VIRGINIA BOGERT

WRITTEN BY HEATHER RENEE AYRES & IXAAC PAUL ACKLEY

MAURA’S WAR

DIRECTED BY DOUGLAS HORN

WRITTEN BY SANDRA AHOLA

PALWEISER LABEL

DIRECTED BY J. BRAD WILKE

WRITTEN BY PETER J. VOGT

THE DELIVERY

A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALK

Two irregular pegs who don’t quite fit into this world create their own.

Can an isolated writer and a sweetly shy delivery girl find each other? Can she be the one to bring him out? Will he let her in?

Some notes, a mouse and a gift greater than chocolate work their magic.

VIRGINIA BOGERT

Bio of a Jersey girl who wanted to make movies. Born NYC, raised in NJ. High School in Tony Soprano’s town. NYU BA, MA. Got married. Bought a farm in Vermont, raised goats, vegetables and a lovely daughter. Moved to Seattle to produce, direct, award-winning projects for over 20 years.

Shorts: e Delivery, Tootie Pie

Documentaries: Pike Place Market: Soul of a City, 4 Emmys. Halos, Tellys, and Nells under her belt, plus Spirit of the Nell 2006. Teaches at SFI and UW and makes a mean Pasta Puttanesca.

HEATHER RENEE AYRES & IXAAC PAUL ACKLEY

Heather Renee Ayres and Ixaac Paul Ackley began writing together at the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru, where the idea for their first collaborative feature script was born en route back to the U.S. ey co-wrote several short scripts in 2005, including Anybuddy Home, which won three awards at the Seattle 48 Hour Film Project, including the Audience Award for Best Film. Ayres’ 2004 Fly Film Lipstick Men has screened at numerous festivals. She and Ackley are writing four feature screenplays and are the gushy parents of Aiden Tomas Piper, born in December 2005.

Artists can impact strangers so deeply that they feel they’ve lost a personal friend when they die. On New Year’s Day, little-known musician Bryan Harvey made national news. e front man for the ’80s rock duo House of Freaks was brutally murdered along with his family in their home. To most of the world this was simply a sensational headline, but for those who treasured Harvey’s music, a part of themselves was extinguished.

KRIS KRISTENSEN

Last year, Kris Kristensen’s directorial debut, Inheritance, received worldwide dvd distribution. e screenplay reached the semifinals at the Austin Heart of Film Festival, and the film placed second in the Best Picture and Cinematography categories at HDFEST, where Kristensen was also nominated for Best Director. His other work includes the concert film Elixirs & Remedies, starring Robyn Hitchcock and Grant Lee Phillips. Kristensen co-produced, filmed and edited the award winning short film White Face, and edited the SIFF Fly Film Belltown – Flickering Memories. Kristensen is cofounder of e Focus Ring, a workshop that concentrates solely on the craft of directing actors. Currently, he is developing his next feature.

DIRECTED BY VIRGINIA BOGERT

WRITTEN BY HEATHER RENEE AYRES & IXAAC PAUL ACKLEY

DIRECTED BY KRIS KRISTENSEN

PALWEISER LABEL MAURA’S WAR

Maura Peterson is an anti-war activist whose latest documentary is losing its airtime because it’s perceived as being too biased. With just one day to find an “opposing viewpoint” to save her project, Maura sets up an interview with her estranged son, Lt. Troy Wilson, a new Marine officer about to deploy to Iraq. But in trying to save her documentary, Maura risks losing what remains of her relationship with Troy.

DOUGLAS HORN

With sharp, evocative dialog and striking visual flair, Douglas Horn’s work has quickly gained a following among film audiences. His short films have earned recognition at numerous film festivals and beyond.

Horn recently directed Judy Greer (13 Going on 30, Adaptation) and Brent Sexton (Flightplan, Radio) in the comedy Full Disclosure, based on his IFP/Seattle Spotlight Award finalist script. His previous comedy, Trailer: e Movie!, was a nominee for the 2005 Budweiser Filmmaker Discovery Award and presented at the Tribeca Film Festival, for which Horn appeared in Vanity Fair magazine. Currently, he is preparing to direct his feature film debut.

SANDRA AHOLA

Sandra Ahola has a degree in anthropology and a Masters in Business and works as a financial analyst in Bellevue. She has completed more than ten feature length film scripts and is on the Board of the Northwest Screenwriters Guild. She worked as the production coordinator for the 2000 SIFF Fly Film Living Will by Jim Taylor.

After losing an opportunity for what could be his big break into commercial production work, a young Chinese American filmmaker must choose between toeing the corporate line and unleashing his unique vision on an unsuspecting consumer population.

J. BRAD WILKE

J. Brad Wilke has been involved in the Seattle film community since completing his first short film, Downsizing, in 2001. Since then, Wilke has written and directed some well-received short films and commercials while continuing to work on feature-length screenplays. Originally from Milwaukee but now settled in Seattle, he is currently the Director of Development for the Denise Louie Education Center. He is also active with 826 Seattle, where he organized and taught a screenwriting workshop for youth.

PETER J. VOGT

In the past four years Peter J. Vogt has directed a number of documentaries that have played film festivals nationwide and have shown on PBS (regionally and nationally): Nuts and Bolts, Blue Moon People, October and Up ornton Creek. He has just completed his latest feature length documentary, High and Outside He is currently at work on a documentary about public education in Washington State. He is on the record as being “sick to death of documentary filmmaking” and is presently looking into either making a narrative feature or selling shoes.

DIRECTED BY DOUGLAS HORN WRITTEN BY SANDRA AHOLA

DIRECTED BY J BRAD WILKE WRITTEN BY PETER J VOGT

TH REE

MI NUTE M ASTER PI ECES

SUNDAY MAY 28 11:00 AM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Funny, touching, mischievous and always surprising, these are the winning entries for the Seattle Times’ ThreeMinute Masterpiece digital movie contest. Filmmakers picked up their cameras and made movies on any subject, as long as they’re family friendly and under three minutes. This screening will show this year’s best, chosen by the festival and the Seattle Times. One Grand Prize winner gets passes to the Seattle International Film Festival and a lmmaking class at the Seattle Film Institute. The J. Michael Award winner also gets a class at the Seattle Film Institute, as well as a special prize sponsored by the family of Justine Michael Rima, a young previous winner who passed away in 2003.

F UTURE WAVE

Seattle International Film Festival is proud to present our very rst FutureWave, a program of new works by the lmmakers of tomorrow. These original short lms are imaginative, evocative, innovative and inspiring, and they include experimental, narrative and documentary lms in both live action and animation, all made by lmmakers under the age of 18. This shorts program includes the best of young people’s lmmaking from across the U.S. and as far away as Australia, as well as the J. Michael Award winner from the Seattle Times ThreeMinute Masterpiece digital lm contest.

The WaveMaker Award for Excellence in Youth Filmmaking will be presented to one lm, chosen in recognition of its artistic and technical achievement. This award, which will be chosen by the directors from this year’s Fly Filmmaking Challenge, comes with a $500 cash prize.

Additionally, Longhouse Media has partnered with SIFF to create a 24-hour SuperFly Filmmaking Workshop for youth, and their Super y lms will open the FutureWave program. We hope that you join us for this very special lm event. What you will see from these talented young voices of tomorrow will amaze you.

SATURDAY JUNE 10 1:30PM EGYPTIAN

FutureWave Competition Jury

Virginia Bogert

Douglas Horn

Kris Kristensen

J. Brad Wilke

Black As Me

USA, 2005, 3 minutes, lmmakers: Raychel Johnson, Triniti EberhardtCorbin and Jomiah Price-Simpson

ree stories of African-American girls and their resilience in the face of stereotypes.

e Bushman of Bunyip Billabong

Australia, 2005, 3 minutes, lmmaker: Cameron Edser

A unique animation portraying Australia’s distinct outback environment and characters.

e Drive ru

USA, 2005, 3 minutes, lmmakers: Matt Lewis, Jesse Lomax, Stacey

Rozich and Ashley Russell

A teen couple experiences a carnivorous nightmare at a fast food restaurant.

Eleven- irty- ree

USA, 2005, 2 minutes, lmmaker: Maddie Reddington

Sunday morning breakfast takes on a new look.

Gelatin Smile (excerpt)

USA, 2005, 3 minutes, lmmakers: Filipe Medeiros, Colby Bryson, Sasha

Vitelli, Heather Romney, John Bills, Topher Nadauld, T.J. McLaughlin

An impressionable young man finds hope and happiness in gelatin.

A Girl Like Me

USA, 2005, 8 minutes, lmmaker: Kiri Davis

An exploration of standards of beauty imposed on African-American girls today.

Heaven

USA, 2005, 2 minutes, lmmaker: Joe Mendez e harshness of reality versus the comforts of an imaginary garden space.

My Angel Rocks Back and Forth

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, lmmaker: Sean Dutton

Walking the streets of Seattle with a taste of different people and sights.

Oil: e Hummer Diaries

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, lmmaker: Noah Phillips-Edwards

A short animation about humorous aspects of oil production and consumption.

Petals

USA, 2005, 5 minutes, lmmakers: Luke Smith, Claire England, Marci Morris and Adam Goldstein

A bicyclist zooms through life, not noticing anything until he’s hit by a car.

Rez Life

USA, 2006, 3 minutes, lmmakers: Nick Clark, Martin Edwards and David Aleck

A poetic film about the choices a boy must face on his path to manhood on the reservation.

Sheep: e Animated Short

USA, 2005, 4 minutes, lmmaker: Salvatore Randazzo

Like most kids, a young lamb tries to find acceptance among his peers.

Slip of the Tongue

USA, 2005, 4 minutes, lmmakers: Karen Lum and Adriel Luis

An alternate reality as seen through three different perspectives.

Tc4

USA, 2005, 10 minutes, lmmakers: Kyle Daley, Beth Graves and A. Rosada

Detailed testimony from one of Seattle’s most stereotyped communities.

Visions Past and Future

USA, 2005, 1 minute, lmmaker: Shamus O’Connor

An animated short looks at many different times and places.

Waiting for the Writer

USA, 2005, 7 minutes, lmmaker: Haley Fenton

A girl follows a trail of papers leading her to their writer.

Why We Play Basketball

USA, 2005, 1 minute, lmmakers: Swinomish, Suquamish, Tulalip, and Colville youth during the Native Lens Full Circle Gathering

An animation of a poem by Sherman Alexie about growing up on the rez.

Ladies and Gentlemen… allow us to introduce the next generation of lmmakers. Once again, the Seattle International Film Festival is proud to present an astounding collection of short lms—a record number of 141 this year! From animation to live-action, experimental to narrative, ction to documentary, every conceivable category, genre or taste is covered in this year’s festival. Not only do these lms o er tantalizing glimpses of future talent but also a purer, more singular form of cinematic expression. A good short lm must seduce, captivate, enthrall, and most of all must entertain its audience all in less than thirty minutes—no easy task, but one that every short lm in this year’s festival performs with admirable ease. More short lm programs can be found in the Alternate Cinema section (page 255). Shorts playing before features are listed on page 277.

Every short lm is eligible for both the Golden Space Needle Audience Award and the Jury Award. The Golden Space Needle Audience Award will be given to one short lm as determined by audience balloting. The winner will receive a Power Mac G5 dual drive with 2.0 GHz processor and a 23-inch Cinema Display (with VGA cord), courtesy of IrisInk and the Seattle Mac Store, a copy of the latest edition of “Adobe After E ects” courtesy of Adobe through IrisInk and the Mac Store and $1,000 of lm stock from Eastman Kodak Company. The Jury Competition will choose a winner in the Live Action, Animation and Documentary category with cash prizes of $2,500 awarded to each.

S H ORT FIL MS

NARRATIVE SHORTS PROGRAMS

JUNE 3 9:15PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Attack of the Animated

JUNE 12 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

El Cine Gigante

JUNE 3 11:00AM EGYPTIAN

Family Picture Show

MAY 29 3:45PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Film Femme

JUNE 6 9:15PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Gay Discovery

MAY 26 4:30PM NEPTUNE

Outside Looking In

JUNE 11 9:15PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Rites of Passage

JUNE 15 7PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Twisted Love

DOCUMENTARY SHORTS PROGRAMS

JUNE 3 6:45PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Expressions du Cinema

JUNE 6 4:30PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Headlines and History

JURY

Anita Monga

Anita Monga established an acclaimed lm arts program at Castro Theatre. Monga directs the Noir City Festival, and serves on the board of the Film Arts Foundation. Programming Manager at the 2006 Palm Springs International Film Festival, she returns this summer as Programming Director of the Festival of Short Films.

Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman’s short lms have played over a hundred lm festivals internationally, and won awards at Seattle, Aspen, Austin, and many others. He directed the feature lm adaptation of Christopher Buckley’s novel Thank You For Smoking. Reitman recently received the Breakthrough Filmmaker Award at the 2006 US Comedy Arts Festival.

George Wing

George Wing is an acclaimed screenwriter. He wrote the upcoming feature High T for Steve Carell, and co-wrote Outsourced, to be released in 2007. He also wrote the script for 50 First Dates George is currently adapting Billy Wilder’s Avanti! for MGM/Sony, and writing a new screenplay set in Seattle.

Attack of the Animated

SATURDAY JUNE 3 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Beware: An invasion of two-dimensional and CGI characters intent on turning your world surreal is imminent. (93 minutes)

Cockroach

France, 2005, 5 minutes, directors: Paul Jacamon, Thomas Léonard, Guillaume Marques A trip on the subway takes a turn toward the Kafkaesque.

Dragon

USA, 2006, 8 minutes, director: Troy Morgan A young girl takes solace in drawing fiery visions.

Dublin 1

Ireland, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Jason Tammemagi A visit to a Dublin street market becomes a hilarious slice of urban life.

Fable

USA, 2005, 8 minutes, director Daniel Sousa In this cyclical fairy tale, a man and a woman are cursed to forever be apart.

The Gift

Scotland, 2005, 9 minutes, director: Jessica Langford When a young girl rescues a seal, she meets a sea prince who gives her a mysterious shell.

Home Delivery

Spain, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Elio Quiroga Zombies and lobster bisque figure into this animated adaptation of a Stephen King story.

I’m Gonna Dance wit the Guy wot Brung Me

USA, 2005, 3 minutes, director: Jessica Forer Old fashioned animation makes for a classical treat.

The Luminary

Australia, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Nicholas Kallincos A reclusive, light bulb-headed entomologist longs to complete his insect collection as the seasons pass outside.

Marvelous, Keen Loony Bin

USA, 2005, 5 minutes, director: Lizzi Akana It’s just another day in the life of the headless, limbless, faceless and brainless.

Ministry Messiah

Latvia, 2005, 4 minutes, director: Gints Apsits A guardian angel facilitates a glimpse into the inner mechanisms of a dreamer in this stunning, disturbing film.

A Painful Glimpse Into My Writing Process (In Less Than 60 Seconds)

USA, 2005, 2 minutes, director: Chel White Inspiration is a fickle mistress.

Push for Signal

USA, 2005, 1 minute, director: Andrew Allen Please wait for the light to change.

The Sandbox

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, director: kory juul Inspired by Akira Kurasawa’s DREAMS, a boy’s afternoon in a sandbox teaches him about artistic expression.

The Tell Tale Heart

Luxembourg, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Raul Garcia Bela Lugosi narrates this animated adaptation of the classic Poe tale.

El Cine Gigante

MONDAY JUNE 12 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

e biggest little films from Spain, Latin America and the rest of the Spanish-speaking world. (103 minutes)

La Apertura

United Kingdom/Argentina, 2005, 23 minutes, Director: Duska Zagorac

Daniel’s big chance to get everything he wants—his dream, his love, a way out of his poor Buenos Aires Province—has finally arrived. But at what price?

Choque

Spain, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Nacho Vigalondo

A man takes his girlfriend to a secluded amusement arcade in order to recapture their youth, but their perfect date is ruined when real teenagers show up.

Eyes of Alicia

Spain, 2005, 8 minutes, director: Ugo Sanz

A woman wakes up on the floor of a small room, bound and blindfolded, with nothing but some videotaped instructions to tell her how she got there….

El Gran Zambini

Spain, 2005, 14 minutes, directors: Igor Legarreta, Emilio Perez

A retired circus performer is surprised to discover that his young son is embarrassed by him. He resorts to extreme measures to regain the boy’s heart.

Legend of the Scarecrow

Spain, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Marco Besas

A scarecrow’s life changes when he decides to befriend the birds.

Out of Love

USA, 2005, 16 minutes, director: Ben-Hur Uribe

A dark secret is revealed, forcing Maria to make a choice that will change her family forever.

The Smugglers

USA, 2005, 21 minutes, director: Lee Isaac Chung

A group of young drug runners turn to the more lucrative field of human trafficking, only to discover that bigger profits come with greater costs.

The Family Picture Show

Once again, we are proud to offer a package of family-friendly animated and live-action short films. (92 minutes)

Bad Brown Owl

Scotland, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Zam Salim Brownies make friends wherever they go! But what happens when Rosie’s new troop runs afoul of the law?

First Flight

USA, 2006, 8 minutes, directors: Cameron Hood, Kyle Je erson When an office worker misses his bus, he spends the morning teaching a baby bird to fly.

Free Parking

USA, 2006, 10 minutes, director: Laura Jean Cronin As two sisters pick blackberries, the eldest turns the chore into a game of Monopoly.

Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot

USA, 2005, 7 minutes, director: David Chai

Fumi must live her life with a foot that continually attracts misfortune.

Hibernation

United Kingdom, 2005, 15 minutes, director: John Williams

Two children in animal costumes conduct experiments in reviving a bee, with hopes of awakening their friend next.

Imaginary Friend

USA, 2006, 10 minutes, director: Claire Thomas

An imaginary friend reflects upon his life and times.

The Love Train

United Kingdom, 2005, 8 minutes, director: Eva Bennett

A lonely female dragon leaves home, but can such a hot-blooded woman ever find her perfect love?

The Secret Language

Ireland, 2005, 13 minutes, director: Brian Durnin

James’ father uses Gaelic to speak to him secretly about his career in espionage.

Space Travel

United Kingdom, 2005, 4 minutes, director: Steven Lall A boy prepares himself for space exploration by walking around the streets of London.

Wolves in the Woods

USA, 2005, 7 minutes, director: B. J. Schwartz

During a day of hide-and-seek, a child meets a new playmate.

Film Femme

MONDAY MAY 29 3:45 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

is strikingly rich compendium of short films focuses on women and their ever-changing roles in both society and cinema. (101 minutes)

Daughter

Netherlands, 2005, 27 minutes, director: Marleen Jonkman

Marie continually searches for the father who left her. Is that him calling the old phone booth?

Fourteen

USA, 2005, 7 minutes, director: Nicole Barnette

A girl awakens to discover her fourteenth birthday will be very special indeed.

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves

USA, 2005, 22 minutes, director: Andrea Janakas

On a snowy night, two adolescent girls outgrow the claustrophobic bounds of their small town, circa 1979.

Mother

USA, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Sian Heder

Desperate to meet her lover, a Beverly Hills housewife hires a stranger to baby-sit.

Peanut Butter & Jelly

USA, 2006, 10 minutes, director: Kevin Haskin

An afternoon of play for a mother and son is interrupted by lunchtime.

Tootie Pie

USA, 2005, 14 minutes, director: Virginia Bogert

Even in the segregated South, Tootie Pie and Claressa—two AfricanAmerican girls—come from very different worlds.

Undressing My Mother

Ireland, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Ken Wardrop

In this poignant documentary, a woman candidly reflects upon her aging, overweight body to her son.

Gay Discovery

TUESDAY JUNE 6 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Revelations, discoveries and unexpected developments of a (homo)sexual nature abound in this collection of short films. (98 minutes)

Guess Who I Saw Today?

USA, 2006, 4 minutes, director: Abe Sylvia

A beautifully shot portrait of a repressed marriage, set to the classic Nancy Wilson tune.

Night Swimming

USA, 2005, 19 minutes, director: Daniel Falcon

When their car breaks down on the way to a rock show, two high school buddies discover that the end of summer is closer than they thought.

Red Velvet Girls

Canada, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Claudia Holina

With an arranged marriage pending, will one young vampire’s family destiny keep her from her true love?

Seeing You in Circles

USA, 2005, 22 minutes, director: Sam McConnell

Ex-boyfriends meet at their favorite spot for a birthday drink, but one brings an unexpected guest.

Still

Indonesia, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Lucky Kuswandi

A quietly poignant exploration of one young man’s journey of self-discovery.

Summer

United Kingdom, 2005, 12 minutes, director: Hong Khaou

When wrestling is more than a sport.

Thermopylae

USA, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Borga Dorter

A closeted Classics professor in a 1950s private school finds a student who really understands.

Outside Looking In

FRIDAY MAY 26 4:30 PM NEPTUNE THEATER

Not quite part of the world at large, but close enough to see what they’re missing, here’s a program devoted to cinema’s weirdos, loners and unlikely heroes. (101 minutes)

4:07am

USA, 2005, 13 minutes, director: Henry Lu

Armed with her sketchbook, a young woman seeks refuge from her insomnia. e night is filled with people reluctantly in search of the company of strangers.

Anniversary

USA/Japan, 2006, 11 minutes, director: Ben Medina

On the anniversary of his wife’s death, Sam recalls the past in order to decide how best to move forward.

La Belle Dame Sans Merci

USA, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Hidetoshi Oneda

Knights, immortal spirits, mysterious forests—Keats’ harrowing tale of passion, regret and self-doubt gains lush cinematic form.

Hiro

Canada, 2005, 20 minutes, director: Matthew Swanson

A shy, obsessive Japanese entomologist finds himself thrown into a plot straight out of a gangster movie when a pretty girl walks into life and runs off with his prized possession, an ultra-rare beetle purchased on the black market.

K-7

USA, 2005, 18 minutes, director: Christopher Leone

An ordinary job interview goes from bad to worse… to mortal combat!

Love This Time

Australia, 2005, 18 minutes, director: Rhys Graham 12-year-old Nouria’s life is full of disappointments and quiet defeat, but she seems to see the world a little more clearly than those around her, particularly when it comes to all-important matters of love.

Oedipus

United Kingdom, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Rong

A poor young man is doomed to spend the rest of his life in misery after a sordid encounter with his parents. Be warned: no film called “Oedipus” can end happily.

R ites of Passage

SUNDAY JUNE 11 9:15 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

e passage to adulthood is never a straight line. (102 minutes)

Black Sea

USA/Romania, 2005, 21 minutes, director: Andrew Reuland

A young man visits his expatriate father in Romania. Over the course of their daily outings he discovers just how much things have changed.

Calm

USA, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Je Smith

A teenage girl and her little brother embark on a very important errand during the strange, ethereal calm in the eye of a hurricane.

The Cow Thief

Australia, 2006, 20 minutes, director: Charles Williams

Following the death of his abusive father, a teenage boy finds himself unprepared to take care of the family ranch, not to mention his overwhelmed mother. But the surprising arrival of a stranger forces him to approach everything differently.

I Love You More

USA, 2005, 14 minutes, director: Gabe Sena

A young girl and her widowed mother engage in a messy battle of wills in front of the daughter’s sweet-natured boyfriend.

Meander

Belgium, 2005, 14 minutes, director: Joke Liberge

On a hot summer day, five adolescents seek refreshment by a river. Beautifully shot, with a deceivingly relaxed compositional style, Meander explores the expectant tensions that lurk just below the surface of adolescence.

Supermarket Love Song

United Kingdom, 2005, 14 minutes, director: Daniel Outram

A recently paroled teenager takes an elderly man to the supermarket as part of her community service, and their day together connects them in unexpected ways.

The Year of the Wonderful Bedroom

USA, 2005, 9 minutes, director: Paul Neyrinck

At twelve years old, Willy’s quiet bedroom is his favorite retreat. But when his Mom makes some changes in her life, Willy’s bedroom transforms into a nightmarish place he has to endure.

Twisted Love

THURSDAY JUNE 15 7:00 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Because average love is just… boring. (105 minutes)

Across the Hall

USA, 2005, 23 minutes, director: Alex Merkin

Love, sex, friendship and deceit are only a phone call away.

Brother

Australia, 2005, 12 minutes, director: Galvin Scott Davis

Sometimes we go to unimaginable lengths for our family.

Full Disclosure

USA, 2005, 16 minutes, director: Douglas Horn

Tired of wasting time on relationships that break up, one man decides to go for Full Disclosure on the first date.

Mute

USA, 2005, 16 minutes, director: Melissa Joan Hart

All the things you wish you could say to your sister on her wedding day as she marries your ex-boyfriend.

Santa Baby

Canada, 2005, 20 minutes, director: David Widdicombe

We all love Santa Claus, but 9-year-old Amelia loves him more.

Saviour

Australia, 2005, 18 minutes, director: Peter Templeman

A young Mormon man gets a little too involved with his latest convert. When her husband comes home from prison, his true mission is uncovered.

Expressions du Cinema

Five short documentaries about the need to artistically express oneself, whether through music, painting or photography. (90 minutes)

Heavy Metal Jr.

Scotland, 2005, 24 minutes, director: Chris Waitt

Follow “Hatred,” a heavy metal band from Scotland whose average age is 11, as they prepare for their first public gig.

McLaren’s Negatives

Canada, 2006, 10 minutes, director: Marie-Josée Saint-Pierre

A beautifully animated history of Norman McLaren, one of the most significant abstract filmmakers to come out of Britain.

My Eyes Were Fresh: The Life and Photographs of John Gutmann

USA, 2006, 30 minutes, director: Jane Reed

In 1933, photographer John Gutmann left a promising career as a painter in Germany to start a new life in the United States, and became an important link between European modernism and the burgeoning artistic culture of San Francisco.

Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmarte

USA, 2006, 16 minutes, director: Carroll Moore

An exploration of the relationship between the painter Henri ToulouseLautrec and the avant-garde culture of Montmartre.

United Nations of Hip-Hop

Senegal, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Christina Choe Rappers in the burgeoning South African hip hop scene discuss their art, the local industry and the politics that inform their music.

Headlines & History

Our second collection of short documentary films showcases unique stories from the world of pop culture, past and present. (94 minutes)

A Difficult Case

Scotland, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Alice Nelson e fascinating account of a woman whose auditory hallucinations helped lead to her own diagnosis.

Flag Day

USA, 2005, 7 minutes, director: Kristy Higby Tired of the hidden death toll in Iraq, Tom Sadowski plants a flag for each dead soldier in his yard.

In a Single Bound

USA, 2005, 24 minutes, director: Ross Marroso e long and colorful (and occasionally sordid) history of Superman, as told by the men who drew him. Also featuring the actors who played Lois Lane and Clark Kent in the original TV series.

lot 63, grave c

USA, 2005, 10 minutes, director: Sam Green e name of Meredith Hunter, the man killed in front of the stage at Altamont, has been almost totally forgotten. Filmmaker Sam Green ( e Weather Underground) seeks out what may be the final reminder of Hunter’s existence, an unmarked grave.

Ouch!

Ireland, 2004, 8 minutes, director: Ken Wardrop ree men candidly recount their personal experiences of adult circumcision.

Playing the News

USA, 2005, 20 minutes, directors: Je Plunkett, Jigar Mehta

Can a video game called Kuma War be a new way to engage people on current events, or is it an unethical marketing gimmick that seeks to profit from the Iraq war?

Prom Date

USA, 2006, 15 minutes, director: Poull Brien

Courtney needs a date to the prom in less than 10 days, but where to find one? Craig’s List, of course!

SATURDAY JUNE 3 6:45 PM BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

Before Dawn

Hungary, 2005, 13 minutes, director: Bálint Kenyeres

Before dawn, people will rise, at put their hopes on the line. Plays with Porcelain Doll (p. 197)

Thursday June 1 4:15 pm Paci c Place Cinemas

Wednesday June 7 9:15 pm Paci c Place Cinemas

CARMICHAEL & shane

Australia, 2006, 6 minutes, directors: Alex Weinress, Rob Carlton

A single father has a unique approach to raising his two-year old twin boys- choose a favorite! Plays with a/k/a Tommy Chong (p. 227)

Friday May 26 9:30 pm Egyptian Theatre

Tuesday May 30 4:30 pm Egyptian Theatre

Closing Time

USA, 2005, 4 minutes, director: Chris Brandt

Long hours, minimum wage, demanding customers, surrounded by grease – by the end of the day these fast food workers are at the end of their ropes, and liable to do anything. Plays with Urban Scarecrow (p. 218)

Monday June 5 9:30 pm Egyptian Theatre

Tuesday June 6 2:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Common Practice

USA, 2005, 11 minutes, director: Marcos Efron

A young Mexican-American boy’s gift for playing the violin brings his working class Latino neighborhood together in ways he never thought possible. Plays with Five Days in September (p. 77)

Sunday June 4 6:45 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Wednesday June 7 4:15 pm Egyptian

Gesture Release

Czech Republic, 2005, 5 minutes, director: Jitka Rudolfova

The origin of an iconic photograph is speculated upon. Plays with …More than 1000 Words (p. 110)

Wednesday June 14 9:30 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Friday June 16 2:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Guide Dog USA, 2006, 6 minutes, director: Bill Plympton

Bill Plympton (I Married a Strange Person) animates the continuing adventures of an eager canine who only wants to please but leaves a bloody path of destruction in his wake. Plays with The District (p. 262)

Satday May 27 Midnight Neptune Theater

Wednesday June 7 4:30 pm Neptune Theater

I Am (Not) Van Gogh

USA, 2005, 5 minutes, director: David Russo

A mis t artist proposes a lm to an arts festival committee. Plays with The Pu y Chair (p. 200)

Tuesday May 30 7:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Sunday June 4 2:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Lucky Australia, 2005, 5 minutes, director: Nash Edgerton

Lucky nds himself trapped in the trunk of a speeding car with no driver. Plays with Evil Aliens (p. 261)

Saturday June 10 11:59 pm Neptune Theater

Tuesday June 13 4:30 pm Neptune Theater

My Dad Is 100 Years Old

Canada/Italy, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Guy Maddin

A surreal tribute to her father – the legendary lmmaker Roberto Rossellini – written by and starring Isabella Rossellini. Plays with The Flowers of St. Francis (p. 134)

Thursday June 1 6:30 pm Harvard Exit

Obscura

USA, 2005, 12 minutes, directed by: Andre Lascaris

The surreal landscape of a lonely artist a icted with extreme photosensitivity. Plays with Huldufólk 102 (p. 232)

Monday May 29 9:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Tuesday May 30 2:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Octave

USA, 2006, 7 minutes, director: Emily Hubley

Renowned animator Faith Hubley climbs the musical scale with whimsical, dreamy digressions into each note along the way. Music by Yo La Tengo. Plays with Old Joy (p. 195)

Wednesday May 31 7:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Friday June 2 4:00 pm Egyptian Theatre

Park Football

United Kingdom, 2005, 2 minutes, director: Grant Orchard

A ball, a park, a murder of crows—what could possibly go wrong with this match? Plays with The Great Match (p. 166)

Thursday June 8 9:30 pm Egyptian Theatre

Past Imperfect

USA, 2006, 10 minutes, director: Birgit Martina Rudel

An old man in Siberia faces reality and relives his past as he cleans exhibits in a laboratory. Plays with First People on the Moon (p. 87)

Thursday June 15 9:00 pm Harvard Exit

Sunday June 18 2006 7:30 pm Harvard Exit

Radio Grito

USA, 2005, 17 minutes, director: Michael Seely

A grassroots radio project for migrant workers and their families brings education, empowerment and independence to a community in need. Plays with Maquilapolis – City of Factories (p. 235)

Tuesday May 30 9:15 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Friday June 2 4:15 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Radium Follies

USA, 2005, 14 minutes, director: Sarah Birns

Zillionaire playboy Eben Byers joins a metropolitan club where cocktails swizzled with radium are ballyhooed as “Nectar of the Gods.” Plays with The Call of Cthulhu (p. 152)

Thursday June 1 2:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Monday June 5 9:15 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Rock the World

USA, 2005, 3 minutes, director: Sukwon Sin

Rock star fantasies come true for George W. Bush and Colin Powell. Plays with Al Franken: God Spoke (p. 228)

Friday May 26 6:45 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Sunday May 28 11:00am Neptune Theater

Terra Incognita

Switzerland, 2005, 18 minutes, director: Peter Volkart

A physicist runs afoul of his peers when he declares that gravity no longer exists. In order to prove his theories, he sets o on a secret expedition to the point of zero gravity. Plays with The Call of Cthulhu (p. 152)

Thursday June 1 2:00 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Monday June 5 9:15 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Weaning

Denmark, 2005, 15 minutes, director: Gitanjali Kapila

A nursing mother is weaned by her 8-month-old baby. Plays with The Little Fugitive (p. 181)

Saturday May 27 9:15 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Sunday June 15 4:30 pm Broadway Performance Hall

Winner Take Steve

USA, 2005, 2 minutes, director: Jared Hess

Who gets to be Steve? A footrace to decide. Plays with Bickford Schmeckler’s Cool Ideas (p. 96)

Friday June 2 9:30 pm Neptune Theater

Saturday June 3 4:15 pm Neptune Theater

You Turned Back and Held My Hand

USA, 2005, 6 minutes, director: Gabriela Tollman

When do we know the di erence between love and sex? A passionate young woman nds that she might be alone in her excited perception of a newly forged relationship. Plays with We Go Way Back (p. 101)

Tuesday June 13 9:30 pm Egyptian Theatre

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John Lennon

Rula Lenska

Tamara Leonard

Karen Leslie

Pamela Leu

Josh Levin

Alissa Levine

Kate Lewis

Rhea Lewis-Woodson

Bryan Lhuillier

Anna Li

Bofei Li

Caroline Libresco

Marit Ligthart

Cody Little

Andrew Litzky

Bryan Livingstone

Nancy Locke

Dennis Loerence

Dan Long

Carlos Lopez

Tom Luddy

Mike Luiz

Michael Lumpkin

Jasmine Mac

Sophie Mac Mahon

Marie-Pierre Macia

Kevin Mallon

Dave Mandipat

Paul Marchant

Kin Marcus

Ben Margoles

Della Maricich

Dominic Maricich

Paul Marrocco

Lyndsay Marsak

Clay Marsh

Rebecca Marshall

Ida Martins

Kostya Martynenko

David Massey

Nilah Mazza

Kathryn Mazza

Linda McBlaine

Kathie McCallister

Matt McCarty

Mac McCaughan

Brian McDonald

Candice McDonough

Heywood McGu ee

Tom McGurk

Kathleen McInnis

Ralph McKay

Michael McMurray

Dennis McMurtrie

Shelley McNulty

Betsy Meguro

Federica Mei

Pierre Menahem

Steve Messerer

Betty & Bill Meyer

Virginia Meyer

Stephanie Meyer

Gary Meyer

Kate Meyer

Nick Meyer

Charlotte Mickie

Marta Mikkelsen

Travis Miles

Debbie Miles

Mike Miles

Rob Miller

Courtney Miller

Bradley Mills

Denise Minard

Gretchen Miner

Anita Monga

Eriko Moore

Dean Moore

Gabby Moorehead

Katie Moreland

Don Morgan

Andre Morgan

Eddie Muller

Thomas Murphree

Terri Murphy

Bill Murray

Christophe Musitelli

Nick Musser

Johanna Muth

Octavio Nadal

Ti any Naiman

Tom Nance

Michael Nank

Je Napier-Cardozo

Gregg Neilson

Russell Nelson

Jake “Baby” Newman

Aleksandra Niernacka

Jane Nishita

Celinda Norton

Martin Noufer

Jef Nuyts

Dennis O’Connor

Carmen Oberhofer

Wendy Ogunsemore

Mary Okeke

Lisa Omokawa

Billy O’Neill

Stine Oppegaard

Marty Oppenheimer

Steve Orona

Tom Ortenberg

Courtney Ott

Shan Ottey

Ksenia Oustiougova

Joel Paget

Lee Pallat

Gary Palmucci

Hengameh Panahi

Michelle Panzer

Je rey Parker

Robert Parks

Travis Pauck

Richard Pauli

Marijana Pavlich

Holden Payne

Corey Pearlstein

MJ Peckos

Jen Peel

Frazer Pennebaker

Ruth Perez

Lisa Perez

Mina Person

Marshall Peterson

Marie Petit

Katja Petrascheck

Olga Petrova

Larry Phillips

Catherine Piot

Jason Plourde

Theresa Poalucci

Marie-Claude Poulin

Derek Power

Tom Prassis

Shaundra Prewitt

Larry Price

Celeste Primeau

Chris Principio

Ron Purple

Jaana Puskala

Shawn Querin

Michelle Quisenberry

Pascale Ramonda

Cindy Rantanen

Stephen Raphael

Chris Ratli

Orly Ravid

Tracy Rector

Wendy Reeds

Je Reichert

Genni Reilly

Mark Reinhart

Paul Richer

Louie Richmond

Lorne Richmond

Aaron Ridinour

John Riley

Ben Ringold

Sabrina Roach

Leni Rodoni

Bill Ronan

Stephanie Rondeau

Greg Root

Gil Rose

Anne Rosellini

Heather Rosendahl

Ron Rothstein

Ben Rowell

Emily Russo

Natasha Rybina

Massimo Saidel

Stephen Salamunovich

Miguel Salinas

Lorrie Salud

Diana Sanchez

Simon De Santiago Areizaga

Carlo Scandiuzzi

Thorsten Schaumann

Michael Schlesinger

Wally Schmidt

Ian Schreier

Erik Schultz

Amy Segal

Weiman Seid

Beatriz Setuain

Phil Shekleton

Jennifer Showe

Michael Silberman

Marcie Sillman

David Silverman

Ron Simms

Sky Sitney

Wolfram Skowronnek

Dale Smith

Mechell Smith

Brendan Smyth

The Space Needle

Kevin Spitzer

Andy Spletzer

Ilsa Spreiter

St. Jude

Milos Stehlik

Joy Stephens

Mark Stern

Elena Steuber

Meg Stevens

Meg Stevenson

Jen Stippich

Paige Stoll

Jacob Stone

Jennifer Stott

Greg Sucherman

Vicki Summers

Reza Tashakkori

Cathy Taylor

Lorna Tee

John Teegarden

Randy Tei

Gareth Tennant

Marie Therese Guirgis

Curt J. Thompson

Kyle Thorpe

Lewis Tice

Mark Titus

WingYan Tong

Toronto International Film Festival

Jim Touhey

Kristine Towne

Audrey Tracey

Teri Tranholt-Hochstein

Charles Tremayne

Paula Trent

Kevin Trivett

Karie Trujillo

Fred Tsui

Naoko Tsukeda

James Tune

Denis Turcotte

Diana Turner

Minrou Uchida

Gal Uchovsky

Ryan Ulhorn

Helen Underwood

Mark Urman

Sean Uyehara

Katalin Vajda

Lamar Van Dyke

Marnix Van Wijk

Nicole Vandenberg

Nate Vaughn

Gaelle Vidalie

Gisela Viehoever

Pilar Torre Villaverde

Michael Vollman

Huong Vu

Janet Wainright

Tom Waldman

Geo rey Walker

Natalie Wallace

Jenny Walsh

Acacia Ward

Josh Warren

Michael Weber

Peter Weedfald

Ruby Wells

Robert Wells

Alexandra Wermester

Michael Werner

Ryan Werner

Dennis West

David Wheeler

Teri White

Sam Whiting

Brian Whitish

David Whitlock

Tracey Wickersham

Steve Wiecking

Todd Wiener

Wendi Willis

Tamara Wilson

Anthony Wilson

Je rey Winter

Seymour Wishman

Stacey Wisnia

Christie Wong

Joy Wong

Victor “White Rabbit” Wong

Emily Woodburne

Andrew Wright

Larry Yocom

Ann Yoder

Francois Yon

Tom Yoshikami

Daniel Yu

Stephanie Zeitler

Richard Ziman

ZippyDogs

Dennis Zook

CARMICHAEL & shane

Hixon Films

Tel: 61-2-9499-4852 aweinress@hixon lms.com

Choque

Euskadikko Filmategia-Filmoteca Vasca

Tel: 34-9-4345-3800 kimuak@ lmotecavasca.com

Chronicles of a Professional Eulogist

Tel: 612-396-8461 cinemago@yahoo.com

Closing Time

Bain Street Productions

Tel: 310-379-7328 bainst@gmail.com

Clouds Tel: 206-283-0509 oconnell@oz.net

Cockroach Tel: 33-6-0790-7548 pjacamon@free.fr

Common Practice

Tel: 310-422-0870 120fps@gmail.com

The Cow Thief charlie-boy pictures

Tel: 61-4-0954-0358 info@thecowthief.com

Daughter

Nederlandse Film en Televisie Academie, t.a.v.

Tel: 31.2.0527-7392 m.slewe@ahk.nl

Diesel Engine

Linas Films

Tel: 206-850-3613 dayna@33faintingspells.org

A Di cult Case

Scottish Documentary Institute

Tel: 44-13-1221-6125 f.pretsell@eca.ac.uk

Dragon Tel: 213-804-6665 troy@troymorgan.net

Dublin 1

Monster Animation and Design

Tel: 353-1-605-4980 gerard@monsteranimation.ie

Duel Tel: 360-201-9072 stellazdynamite@gmail.com

Dumb Angel

Endstop and Elsewhere

Tel: 204-489-8925 decodawson@shaw.ca

El gran Zambini

Euskadikko Filmategia-Filmoteca Vasca

Tel: 34-9-4345-3800 kimuak@ lmotecavasca.com

The Eyes of Alicia

Euskadikko Filmategia-Filmoteca Vasca

Tel: 34-9-4345-3800 kimuak@ lmotecavasca.com

Fable 401-569-7052 ddansousa@hotmail.com

First Flight

Dreamworks Entertainment

Tel: 818-695-3444 cwalters@dreamworks.com

The Fish Heads Fugue and Other Tales for Twilight

Tel: 310-245-4418 lindsey@mb-mb.com

Flag Day Mountain Tea Films

Tel: 717-328-2189 khigby@calhounstudios.com

Flow hutchense@yahoo.com

Fourteen Fourteen Films

Tel: 213-364-9000 fourteen lm@mac.com

Free Parking

Pound Pictures

Tel: 206-323-0557 ljc@poundpictures.com

Full Disclosure

Horn of the Moon Productions

Tel: 310-388-5299 dhorn@hornofthemoon.com

Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot

Thunderbean Animation

Tel: 408-323-4874 davechai@earthlink.net

Gesture Release pavel.bercik@centrum.cz

The Gift

Pomegranate Films

Tel: 44-13-6085-0118 Jessica.langford1@btinternet.com

Guess Who I Saw Today?

Pattiwhack Pictures

Tel: 310-470-6035 aes5678@aol.com

Guide Dog

Plymptoons

Tel: 212-741-0322 plymptoons@aol.com

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves

American Film Institute

Tel: 323-856-7722 cschwartz@a .com

A Half Man

The Zombie Tree

Tel: 416-522-2620 ras@thezombietree.com

A Heart and Other Small Shapes

Tel: 773-395-0760 jennyreeder71@aol.com

Heavy Metal Jr. Dogtooth Media

Tel: 44-0141-248-9005 marge@dogtoothmedia.com

Hello, Thanks

Andy Blubaugh Films

Tel: 503-756-7678 andrewblubaugh@yahoo.com

Here

Tel: 301-565-3730 babyleg@aol.com

Hibernation Sound Films

Tel: 44-20-7503-8379 andy@sound lms.com

The Highwater Trilogy

Tel: 917-445-0529 bimo@nyc.rr.com

Hiro Paper Cut Films

Tel: 604-710-7494 mdswanson@shaw.ca

Home Delivery

EQLIPSE PC SL

Tel: 34-91-522-2622 eqlipse@gmail.com

I Am (Not) Van Gogh

Manzwerld

Tel: 206-528-2443 davidrusso@lycos.com

I Love You More

Tel: 323-702-2241 gabesena@comcast.net

I’m Gonna Dance wit the Guy wot Brung Me

Loyola Marymount University

Tel: 562-537-2879 jessica.forer@gmail.com

Imaginary Friend

Tel: 310-440-1930 claire.thomas@gmail.com

In a Single Bound AVvisione Inc.

Tel: 862-377-4677 rossmarroso@gmail.com

Instructions for a Light and Sound Machine

Sixpack Film Americas

Tel: 432-729-4554 amovie@earthlink.net

K-7 Permanent Solutions

Tel: 323-314-2183 k7@k7movie.com

Last Supper Sixpack Film Americas

Tel: 432-729-4554 amovie@earthlink.net

The Legend of the Scarecrow Elemental Films

Tel: 34-9-1531-9300 jperez@elemental lms.es

lot 63, grave c University of San Francisco, Dept of Media Studies sam@duboce.net

Love This Time Daybreak Films

Tel: 61-3-9486-8975 rhys@drome.com.au

The Love Train

Tel: 44-079-7074-4097 evabennett@hotmail.com

Lucky Blue-Tongue Films

Tel: 61-2-9360-1316 nash@bluetongue lms.com

The Luminary Luminary Productions

Tel: 61-4-0940-1422 shannon.owen@bigpond.com

Marvelous, Keen Loony Bin

Tel: 510-847-0536 bizlilt8@hotmail.com

McLaren’s Negatives

MJSTP Films

Tel: 514-274-0373 info@mjstp lms.com

Meander O ine BVBA

Tel: 32-4-9715-5398 joke@mijnlabel.com

Ministry Messiah Apsits production

Tel: 37-1731-4214 apsits@apsits.com

Mother

Five Dollar Films

Tel: 323-469-4304 burtsboss@earthlink.net

Mouse Heaven Anger Management

Mute Hartbreak FilmsInc.

Tel: 323-974-5001 buttercup18@mac.com

My Dad is 100 Years Old Zeitgeist Films

Tel: 212-274-1989 stephanie@zeitgeist lms.com

My Eyes Were Fresh: The Life and Photographs of John Gutmann

Tel: 415-641-5513 jane@janelreed.com

Night Swimming

Tel: 646-325-4988 falc@earthlink.net

Obscura

The Armory, LLC

Tel: 323-839-5129 therese_suarez@hotmail.com

Octave Hubbub Inc

Tel: 973-763-6076 hubbubinc@earthlink.net

Oedipus

RONG

beefchrist@gmail.com

The Other Side

Bill Brown fgibe666@aol.com

Ouch!

Venom Ltd.

Tel: 35-3-1-4811-1954 freedman@venom.ie

Out of Love

Magic Lantern Productions

Tel: 773-866-9691 bhuribe@netzero.com

A Painful Glimpse Into My Writing Process (In Less Than 60 Seconds)

Chel White Films

Tel: 503-228-6206 chel lm@teleport.com

Park Football

Studio AKA

Tel: 44-20-8434-3581 grant@studioaka.co.uk

Past Imperfect

Film A airs

Tel: 323-533-6083 bmrudel@yahoo.com

Peanut Butter & Jelly

KeJo Productions

Tel: 916-771-3354 jo_hasking@hotmail.com

Playing the News

Tel: 510-326-3874 jigar@sebmedia.com

Portrait #1: Cascadia Terminal Oregon Department of Kick Ass

Prom Date

914-588-3641 jared@sidetrack lms.com

Push For Signal

Tel: 206-427-0969 asallen@u.washington.edu

Radio Grito

Tel: 415-845-5322 mikeseely@gmail.com

The Radium Follies

Tel: 818-309-3488 s_birns@yahoo.com

Red Velvet Girls

Canadian Film Centre

Tel: 416-445-1446 owinfo@cdn lmcentre.com

Ringo

Tel: 910-962-7544 monahand@uncw.edu

Rock the World

Tel: 917-392-9768 sukwon_shin@yahoo.com

The Sandbox Meticulous

Tel: 510-508-4374 juulkm@meticulous.com

Santa Baby Marquis Entertainment Inc. 416-960-9123 x226 crivers@marquisent.ca

The Saviour AFTRS

Tel: 61-2-9805-6455 ruths@aftrs.edu.au

The Secret Language Fastnet Films

Tel: 35-3-1491-0461 admin@fastnet lms.com

Seeing You In Circles

Tel: 917-770-9679 s.mcconnell@mac.com

Shape Shift

Tel: 512-469-0125 sstark@hi-beam.net

Site Speci c_Las Vegas 05 Wonder, Inc

Tel: 416-585-7911 susan@wonderinc.com

The Smugglers

Tel: 203-376-9841 isaac.chung@gmail.com

Souvenir Tel: 310-392-2259 bunchastuf@aol.com

Space Travel

Tel: 44-079-6223-6070 stevenlall@hotmail.com

Still

Tel: 323-842-9874 thejasonwoo@gmail.com

Summer Parasol Peccadillo

Tel: 44-20-7012-1770 tom@ppr lm.com

A Supermarket Love Song

Danoutram.com

Tel: 44-79-3261-8017 danoutram@hotmail.com

The Tell Tale Heart

R&R COMMUNICATIONS INC

Tel: 818-955-8683 raulgarci@aol.com

Terra Incognita

Reck Filmproduktion

Tel: 41-1241-3763 f.reck@bluewin.ch

Thermopylae

Tel: 310-210-2469 bdorter@aol.com

Tidal Wave

Tel: 206-860-2158 shughes131@aol.com

Tootie Pie

Tootie Pie Productions

Tel: 206-324-9861 virgina@laughingdogpictures.com

Toulouse-Lautrec and Montmartre

National Gallery of Art

Tel: 202-842-6913 e-laitman@nga.gov

Undressing My Mother

Venom Ltd.

Tel: 35-31-4811-1954 freedman@venom.ie

United Nations of Hip Hop

Notorious Films

Tel: 213-215-8347 notorious lms@yahoo.com

Wall of Sound Flowers

The Filmbank

Tel: 432-729-4554 amovie@sbcglobal.net

Weaning Filma

Tel: 773-256-1066 gkapila@sbcglobal.net

Winner Take Steve Wexley School For Girls

Tel: 206-217-5850 cal@wexley.com

Wolves In The Woods

University of Southern California Film School

Tel: 323-369-0399 bjschwar@usc.edu

The Year Of The Wonderful Bedroom

Tel: 415-673-2960 paul@neyrinck.com

You Turned Back and Held My Hand

BOI Productions

Tel: 323-663-3713 gabriela.tollman@sbcglobal.net

Your Lights are Out or Burning Badly

33 Fainting Spells

Tel: 206-853-7964 gaelen@drizzle.com

FUTUREWAVE

Black As Me

The Bushman of Bunyip Billabong

The Drive Thru

Eleven-Thirty-Three Gelatin Smile

A Girl Like Me

Heaven

My Angel Rocks Back and Forth

Oil: The Hummer Diaries

Petals

Rez Life

Sheep: The Animated Short Slip of the Tongue

Tc4

Visions Past and Future

Waiting for the Writer

Why We Play Basketball

Please contact Liza Comtois, liza@seattle lm.org

H OW TO FESTIVA L

INDIVIDUAL TICKET PRICES

$10 Regular screenings and Festival Forums events (except where noted)

$ 9 Regular screenings for SIFF members when purchased in advance

$ 7 Matinees Monday-Friday (screenings before 5:30 p.m.), weekends and Memorial Day (screenings before 3 p.m.).

$ 7 Midnight screenings

$ 5 Bargain matinees Monday-Friday (2 p.m. screenings)

$ 5 Films4Families matinees

SPECIAL EVENTS

VIP Opening Night Gala: $150 (member price $140)

Opening Night Gala: $50 (member price $40)

Closing Night Gala: $40 (member price $35)

Festival Gala ( lm and reception): $25 (member price $23)

Festival Gala (screening only): $12 (member advance price $10)

Gay-la Extravaganza ( lm and reception): $25 (member price $23)

Gay-la Extravaganza (screening only): $12 (member advance price $10)

ADVANCE TICKETS

Advance tickets for all lms and events are available Mondays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m., at the Seattle International Film Festival’s two main ticket outlets:

SIFF Main Box O ce

Paci c Place, Sixth and Pine, second level

With more ticket windows, this may be the faster and more convenient Box O ce. It is also the home for pass ful llment—anybody getting a pass must have their photo taken and pass processed at this location.

SIFF Satellite Box O ce

Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway

Both box o ce locations can process ticket packages and single ticket orders. “Will Call” can be picked up at any venue, but we recommend using either the Main Box O ce or the Satellite Box O ce for advanced orders or “Will Call” pick up.

Charge by phone

206.324.9996

All tickets and passes—with the exception of Cinematic Six-Packs, the Film Bu 20 Pack, Student/Senior Reel Deals and voucher redemption—may be purchased by phone with Visa, MasterCard or American Express during regular Box O ce hours. Subject to a $3.50 handling charge per order.

Charge on the web

www.seattle lm.org

Most tickets and passes may be purchased on our website—with the exception of Cinematic Six-Packs, the Film Bu 20 Pack, Student/Senior Reel Deals and voucher redemption—which must be done in person at one of our box o ces. Subject to a $3.50 handling charge per order.

Memberships

Seattle International Film Festival members get signi cant savings on tickets, passes and fabulous yearround bene ts! Become a member today. For more information, go to www.seattle lm.org.

DAY-OF-SHOW TICKETS

On the day of the screening, tickets are for sale at all venues until 15 minutes prior to showtime, subject to availability. Theater box o ces open a half hour before the rst screening of the day. If day-of-show tickets are no longer available then rush tickets may be purchased, subject to availability. Seating is only guaranteed until 10 minutes prior to screening. No late seating.

NEW THIS YEAR:

Theatre and venue box o ces can process advanced ticket purchases for any venue during non-peak times. Keep in mind the immediate screening has priority over advanced ticket sales. This allows proper timing for smooth theatre tra c.

RUSH TICKETS

When advance tickets are sold out, a limited number of rush tickets may be available at the door. Rush tickets are available on a rst-come, rst-served basis, depending on how many seats are available after passholders and advance ticket-holders are admitted. Rush tickets are normally sold 5 to 10 minutes prior to the screening. Cash only.

PASSES

A generous allotment of seats at every screening is reserved for passholders. While a pass (with the exception of “Platinum” and “Gala”) does not guarantee seating, passholders are allowed priority entry up to 20 minutes before showtime or until the passholder seat allotment has been reached. Passholders are strongly encouraged to arrive 30 minutes before showtime. All passes are strictly nontransferable and photo ID must be shown at the theater.

Platinum Passes are $1,200 (member price $1,000) and include admission to all Festival screenings (with the exception of the 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 a guest to attend a private festival reception.

Full Series Passes are $700 (member price $600) and include admission to all public screenings and press screenings, excluding Opening Night, Gala screenings, Special Events, the Secret Festival, the Festival Forums and the Closing Night screening and Gala.

Weekly Passes are $225 (member price $175) and grant admission to all public screenings, excluding Opening Night, Gala screenings, Special Events, the Secret Festival, the Festival Forums and the Closing Night screening and Gala.

Cinematic Six-Packs are $57 (member price $51) and include admission to any six lms priced $10 or less, limited to a maximum of one ticket per lm. Films must be selected at the time of purchase. A limited number of discount Six-Pack tickets are available for each lm.

Student and Senior Reel Deals are $35 for any ve lms priced $10 or less, and are available to all students and seniors (65 and older) with valid ID. Films must be selected at the time of purchase. The Reel Deals are limited to a maximum of one ticket per lm. A limited number of Reel Deals tickets are available for each lm, and they may only be purchased in person at the SIFF Main Box O ce at Paci c Place Level 2 or Satellite Ticket O ce at Broadway Performance Hall.

Film Bu 20 Packs are $170 (no member pricing applicable) and include admission to any 20 lms priced $10 or less, depending on individual ticket availability. There is a two-ticket limit per lm and lms must be selected at the time of purchase. A limited number of Film Bu tickets are available for each lm.

Films4Families are $5. Screenings take place at 11 a.m. Saturdays and 11:30 a.m. Sundays. Please check schedule for venues and times. Films4Families gives families and young people of all ages a chance to view the best movies by young-at-heart lmmakers from around the world.

Secret Festival Memberships are $40 (member price $35) and grant admission to the four Secret Festival Sunday morning screenings. All Secret Festival members are required to sign the Oath of Silence, promising not to disclose any information about the lms shown in the series. Film titles are not announced until showtime.

SIFF Gala Passes are $150 (member price $140) and grant admission to all Saturday Night Gala screenings and the following receptions, as well as Opening and Closing Night Galas. Does not include admission to the Friday night Gay-la Extravaganza.

GIFT CERTIFICATES

Available in $25 denominations, gift certi cates are good for merchandise and tickets at any SIFF event and may be redeemed at the SIFF o ce, merchandise tables or the SIFF Main Box O ce for advance tickets and merchandise. Cannot be redeemed at individual theaters for day-of-show tickets.

SOUVENIRS

Limited-edition T-shirts, posters, lunch boxes and other souvenir items are available for purchase at the SIFF Main Box O ce and other Festival venues.

BUSES and PUBLIC TRANSIT

Metro buses are available from all points in Seattle and surrounding areas. For more information: call the Metro Information Line at 206.553.3000 (800.542.7876) or go to http://transit.metrokc.gov. Bus routes listed below are all within walking distance of theater locations.

THEATER LOCATIONS

BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

1625 Broadway • 206.325.3113

Metro routes 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 43, 49, 60

EGYPTIAN

801 E. Pine St. • 206.781.5755

Metro routes 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 43, 49, 60

HARVARD EXIT

807 E. Roy St. • 206.781.5755

Metro routes 9, 14, 49, 60

LINCOLN SQUARE (in Bellevue)

700 Bellevue Way NE. • 425.450.9100

Metro routes 222, 230, 234, 240, 243, 253, 261, 271, 550

MOORE THEATRE

1932 Second Ave • 206.682.1414

Multiple Metro routes

NEPTUNE

1303 NE 45th St • 206.781.5755

Metro routes 9, 43, 44, 48, 66, 67, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 79

NORTHWEST FILM FORUM

1515 12th Ave • 206.267.5380

Metro routes 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, 43, 49, 60

PACIFIC PLACE

600 Pine St. • 206.652.2404

Metro routes 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 16, 25, 43, 49, 54, 64, 66, 82, 358

PARAMOUNT THEATRE

911 Pine Street • 206.682.1414

Metro routes 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 41, 43, 49

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.

Seating is available at all performances on a rst-come, rst-served basis. Ticketholder seating is guaranteed up to 10 minutes prior to screening. No late seating. No refunds or exchanges if you arrive late.

Each lm will be shown in its original language with English subtitles, unless otherwise noted.

No babes in arms and, with the exception of the Films4Families series, no children under six years old will be admitted. Please be aware that lms may not be suitable for ages 16 and under unless otherwise noted. Parental discretion is advised.

Film length, as listed in the program, represents the best available information at press time. Length of lm does not include introductions or Q&A sessions following the screening.

All audience members must leave the theater following each screening. Leaving belongings and/or saving seats between shows is not allowed. Please do not leave empty seats in the middle of a row. Rush seating is less disruptive to the rest of the audience if empty seats are available on the aisles.

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 e orts by our lm suppliers, you may be subject to physical search of your person or personal property upon entrance to festival venues.

BROADWAY PERFORMANCE HALL

BROADWAY

PERFORMANCE HALL

Screening at the Seattle International Film Festival in the shorts program

“Twisted Love”

Thursday – June 15 – 7:00pm

Broadway Performance Hall

Chapman

Magyar

“ For 27 years we’ve been the independent rental house providing first class support to independent productions across the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Now we have a great new facility. We’re ready to provide great support for your next production!

Image by Richard Miller

Bromberg, Betzy

Brown, Bill

Buchbinder, Amnon

Buck, Detlev

Bundschuh, Jörg

Burns, Edward

Byler, Eric

C

Cantet, Laurent

Carnevale, Marcos

Carpentier, Patrick

Cebrián, Daniel

Chabrol, Claude

Chai, David

Chan, Peter Ho-Sun 29

Chang Cheh 133

Chan, Wing-chiu 86

Chaplin, Charles 134

Choe, Christina 276

Christiansen, Pernille Fischer 127

Christo ersen, Thornbjørn 262

Chung, Lee Isaac 271

Clark, Larry 259

Clark, Nick

Copeland, Stewart 75

Costigan, Linda Hawkins 241

Couturié, Bill 230

Creadon, Patrick 240

Cronin, Laura Jean

Cuenca, Manuel Martín

Cuesta, Michael

Curtis, Adam

Cvitkovic, Jan

Daley, Kyle

Davaa, Byambasuren

Davis, Galvin Scott

Davis, Kiri

dawson, deco

Dembo,

Dibb, Saul

Dornford-May,

Dorter,

Gandini, Erik

Garcia, Raul

Gárdos, Péter

Laine, Jody

Lall, Steven

Langford, Jessica

Lapp, Sarah Jane

Lascaris, Andre

Lau, Andrew

Lee, Won-jae

Legarreta, Igor

Leman, Andrew

Léonard, Thomas

Leone, Christopher

Lew, Scott

Lewis, Matt

Liberge, Joke

Lipper, Joanna

Llosa, Claudia

Lopes-Curval, Julie

Loza, Santiago

Lu, Henry

Lum, Karen

Lungin, Pavel

Lunson, Lian

Schwartz, B J

Scott, Pippa

SEATTLE OPERA PRESENTS 2006/07

season

“The passionate universe of opera resonates deepest when music both great and memorable is married with emotions that everyone can appreciate.”

—SEATTLE OPERA GENERAL DIRECTOR, SPEIGHT JENKINS

The Italian Girl in Algiers

OCTOBER 14–28, 2006

Don Giovanni

NEW PRODUCTION | WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

JANUARY 13–27, 2007

Julius Caesar

FEBRUARY 24–MARCH 10, 2007

La bohème

MAY 5–19, 2007

Visit: 1020 John Street (two blocks west of Fairview)

SEATTLE OPERA PREMIERE | GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL

SEATTLE OPERA REVIVAL | GIACOMO PUCCINI

Subscribe to the season and save 12% over single-ticket prices, guarantee your seats for the entire season, and receive a host of other benefits. Subscription packages start at $198 (that’s only $40 per opera!).

OPERA CLASSICS SERIES Includes Der Rosenkavalier, Don Giovanni, and La bohème Prices start at $129 for the series. Operas, artists, and schedule are subject to change. SEASON

VISION2 50D Color Negative Film 5201/7201

VISION2 100T Color Negative Film 5212/7212

VISION2 200T Color Negative Film 5217/7217

VISION2 250D Color Negative Film 5205/7205

VISION2 Expression 500T Color Negative Film 5229/7229

VISION2 500T Color Negative Film 5218/7218

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