ANGEL
Drama/Feature
Wunderkind François
Ozon here turns his considerable talents to adapting
a novel written in the fifties by the English novelist Elizabeth Taylor.
The book tells the story of a grocer’s daughter who dreams of becoming a
famous writer and inhabiting the gorgeous country mansion that she often
walks past but cannot enter. The precocious Angel pours all her fanciful
romantic longings into flowery prose that eventually attracts the attention
of a well-heeled London publisher (Sam Neill); fame soon follows, washing
over her like a tidal wave. At first Angel is nothing more than a bratty
young girl looking out at the world through rose-colored glasses, but she
quickly reveals her true nature when she refuses to change one word of her
manuscript. Nevertheless, her books are snapped up by Edwardian society,
turning Angel into an insufferable and arrogant young woman whom none dare
challenge. Her match comes in the form of the equally insufferable Esmé (Michael Fassbender),
a struggling painter she believes to be a genius, but whose fate is to be
shunned as a minor talent. Melodramas place characters against a narrative
of unexpected twists and turns. We cannot help but be reminded of the David
O. Selznick era and films like "Gone with the Wind," "Rebecca," or Douglas
Sirk’s masterpieces, but in Ozon they have found a worthy successor. ~ Toronto
International Film Festival
THE BOYS ARE BACK
Arizona Premiere/Comic
Drama/Feature/Featured
CLOSING NIGHT
FILM Inspired by a true story, THE BOYS ARE BACK is a deeply moving, wryly
confessional tale of fatherhood, which intimately evokes both the fragility
and wonders of family life. It follows a witty, wisecracking, action-oriented
sportswriter (Academy Award® nominee and Golden Globe® winner CLIVE OWEN)
who, in the wake of his wife’s tragic death, finds himself in a sudden, stultifying
state of single parenthood. With turbulent emotions swirling just below the
surface, Joe Warr throws himself into the only
child-rearing philosophy he thinks has a shot at bringing joy back into their
lives: “just say yes.” Raising two boys – a curious six year-old (NICHOLAS
MCANULTY) and a rebel teen (GEORGE MACKAY) from a previous marriage -- in
a household devoid of feminine influence, and with an unabashed lack of rules,
life becomes exuberant, instinctual, reckless . . . and on the constant verge
of disaster. United by unspoken love, conflicted by fierce feelings and in
search of a road forward, the three multi-generational boys of the Warr household, father and sons alike, must each find
their own way, however tenuous, to grow up. Their story is not just about
the transforming power of a family crisis -- but the unavoidable grace of
everyday life and love that gets them through. Academy Award® nominee Scott
Hicks (“Shine”) directs from a screenplay by Allan Cubitt
based on the acclaimed 2001 memoir by Simon Carr, "The Boys Are Back In Town," an unflinchingly funny and honest recounting
of his journey from grieving husband to full-contact fatherhood in the aftermath
of profound loss. Shot on location in the stunning countryside of South Australia,
the film is produced by Greg Brenman (“Billy
Elliot”) and Tim White (“Ned Kelly”). The executive producers are Peter Bennett-Jones
and Clive Owen. Presented by Miramax Films
Drama/Feature/Oscar
Contender
Although living
in extreme poverty in North Korea, Yong-su and
his family find contentment and comfort just being together. When his pregnant
wife becomes critically ill, he secretly sets out to China to find medicine
to cure her. Yong-su becomes involved in several
life-threatening conflicts in China that force him to flee the country and
take refuge in South Korea. Meanwhile back in North Korea Yong-su's family situation becomes dire, and his son Jun
is taken to a labor camp. Undeterred by their circumstances father and son
travel long distances and suffer hardships having faith that they will reunite.
Documentary
THE DAY AFTER
PEACE charts the remarkable 10-year journey of award-winning filmmaker Jeremy
Gilley to establish an annual Peace Day on September 21. The camera follows
Gilley as he galvanizes the countries of the world to recognize an official
day of ceasefire and non-violence. But even after the member states of the
UN unanimously adopt Peace Day, the struggle isn’t over. As the years pass,
there’s not a single ceasefire. The voices of the cynics are growing louder
– and now Gilley’s non-profit organization, Peace One Day, is in dire financial
straits. But he can’t let it fail. The film’s breathtaking conclusion finds
Gilley joined by Jude Law in Afghanistan, attempting to spearhead a massive
vaccination against polio on Peace Day. Will peace prevail? Will lives be
saved? Or were the cynics right? THE DAY AFTER PEACE is a moving testament
to the power of an individual and the perseverance of the human spirit. Sponsored
by the Jewish News of Greater Phoenix
Drama/Feature
AWARDS: Golden
Horse Film Festival - Best Supporting Actor In
the East, the drum is the king of all musical instruments. The intense sound
of the drum can penetrate a man's body. The solemn beat of the drum can open
a man's heart. The powerful vibration of the drum can awaken a man's soul.
Sid, the rebellious son of Kwan, a controlling and savage triad boss in Hong
Kong, has to flee to Taiwan upon enraging his father's adversary, a powerful
tycoon and underground business leader. Hiding out in the mountains, Sid
encounters a group of Zen drummers whose mesmerizing art, rigorous physical
training, and austere way of life pique this hostile urban young man's interest
and he requests to join the group. Although Sid despises his father, he is
turning out to be a younger version of him: wild and defiant. Immersing in
the world of the Zen drummers eventually converts him into a firm and focused
young man. Sid's independence from the triad life and his father is profoundly
challenged, however, when a twist of fate awaits him back home in Hong Kong
and forces him to choose between loyalty to his family and his new found
faith in himself. Presented by: Filmmovement.com
Comic Drama/Feature/Oscar
Contender
Eighteen-year
old Desie, with her bleached blond frizz and
clothing that borders on the illegal, would seem an unlikely best friend
for Dunya, whose conservative Muslim family looks
a little ill at the mere sight of Desie. Despite
their differences, the two girls have forged a close and devoted friendship.
But when an unplanned pregnancy puts the friends on a cross-cultural collision
course, can their love and respect for each other endure the pressure of
family and tradition? Based on the award-winning television series, DESIE
& DUNYA packs a considerable wallop, examining complex ideas with an
unforced cheer and bracing honesty. It's a powerful package and those used
to seeing teenage girls depicted as brainless shopping zombies, manipulative
bitches or, even worse, Disney-fied Stepford robots (I'm looking at you, High School Musical)
will be very pleasantly surprised. ~ Vancouver International Film Festival
Courtesy of Consulate General of The Netherlands,
Holland Film
FOR MY FATHER - (SOF SHAVUA
BE-TEL AVIV)
Drama/Feature/Jewish
Terek (Shredi Jabarin ) is a young Arab who leaves the city of Tue Karem to be a suicide bomber in Tel Aviv, but he is
given a second chance on life when his bomb doesn’t function. With nothing
to do until he can repair his explosive vest, Terek
is forced to spend the weekend in Tel Aviv among the very people he had intended
to kill in the market. He quickly encounters several Israeli outsiders, including
Mr. and Mrs. Katz, an elderly electrician and his wife who lost their soldier
son and the young and beautiful Keren (Hili Yalon) who has been
mysteriously cut off from her Orthodox Jewish roots. With nothing to lose
on either side, they open up to one another and an unlikely love blooms between
these two isolated and damaged individuals. Raised to be enemies, Keren and Terek are surprised
to find they share so many things and for a moment they allow themselves
to be carried away by their emotions. But the threat of a remote detonation
by Terek’s comrades looms large and forces them
to make painful choices that will forever change their lives. Sponsored by:
Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival
Why is it that
French lovers seem to have all the answers, while the rest of us have only
questions? Could it be that French is the true language of love? Journalist
Jed Winter is preparing to interview the celebrated French auteur film-maker
Thierry Grimandi, a self-appointed expert on
the nature of love. Jed is quick to dismiss Grimandi's
theories of love and romance as pretentious nonsense, irrelevant to real
people in real life relationships. But when his long-term girlfriend, Cheryl
refuses to marry him and instead forces him into couples counseling, Jed
begins to realize that his own emotions aren't as straightforward as he once
believed. Even his best friend Marcus wants to talk less about football and
more about love as the truth about his relationship with perfect girlfriend
Sophie gradually emerges...As one by one his loved ones reveal their dedication
to l'amour, Jed starts to think that Grimandi might have the answers after all. But he's
damned if he's going to admit it.
Arizona Premiere/Feature/Featured/Indie
A puzzle about
love and time, a mystery in which clues are found and secrets are revealed,
IRENE IN TIME is a look at the complex relationships between fathers and
daughters and the consequences - years later - on the grown women's relationships
to the men in their lives. Henry Jaglom and Tanna Fredericks have canceled their appearance due
to unforeseen circumstances.
Drama/Feature/Oscar
Contender
After Julia
is sent to the penitentiary for the murder of her lover, she gives birth
to a son. Bringing up a child in prison is difficult, but Julia understands
that the only thing that matters to her is this new being that accompanies
her now, that there is no life for her beyond that of her child. Her fellow
inmate Marta becomes her ally; her mother Sofía,
her opponent. One attempts to teach her how to be a mother to her child in
the least appropriate place; the other wishes to take over rearing the child,
so that he should grow up outside prison, in freedom. The duel between Julia
and her mother expresses the dilemma of what is better for the child, to
be brought up next to his mother in prison, or without her, but in freedom.
MARATHON BEIRUT, FOR THE
LOVE OF LEBANON
Documentary
In the aftermath
of the war in the summer of 2006, despite all the devastation and political
upheaval, the Beirut Marathon Association chose not to cancel the event,
but rather to carry on with it as a testament to the resilience of the Lebanese
people. But just 5 days before the race, a government minister, Pierre Gemayel, was assassinated. This was the fifth politically
motivated assassination in less than two years. After much deliberation,
they decided again not to cancel, but to postpone the race by one week. Lebanon
then went into three days of national mourning, which included a massive
public demonstration in downtown Beirut as an expression of both grief and
unity. When the mourning period ended the Beirut Marathon Association reactivated
their plans and held a grand opening ceremony for the marathon expo festivities.
But three days before the rescheduled marathon date, Hezbollah called for
a rally in the central square in an effort to overthrow the government. There
was concern that the demonstration might keep the Lebanese from coming out
to participate in the marathon. But instead, it took place with 22,000 people,
in solidarity, running or walking the 5 km, 10 km and 42 km races with 'For
the Love of Lebanon' as the theme. The Beirut Marathon Association is not
political. They are just very passionate and dedicated people who want to
do something wonderful to lift up their country. And in 2007, with persistent
instability, they continued to carry on.
MATAR A TODOS – (KILL
THEM ALL)
Drama/Feature/Oscar
Contender
When democracy
starts to impose itself over the weakened Latin American dictatorships, a
man flees through the forest of a Uruguayan seaside resort. He is from Chile
and hides at a police station. He desperately maintains that he has been
kidnapped, that they want to kill him and that he is called Berríos. The allegation reaches Judge Santacruz, who asks his assistant, lawyer Julia Gudari, to take charge of the investigation. Julia
shortly finds out that the police have tried to erase all traces of the case.
She does not find any answers at the Embassy of Chile either. Julia discovers
that the Chilean citizen is a biochemical engineer who secretly worked for
Pinochet, and who was convinced he would be able to “gas Buenos Aires with
chemical weapons.” Julia starts to unravel a dark story which involves her
directly, as both her father, General Gudari,
and her brother, Ivan, are part of the alliance that will do everything they
can to keep Julia away from the truth.
Comedy/Feature
Gianni, in his
50s, lives with his elderly mother and has money worries. One day in August,
the administrator who takes care of the bills for their apartment building
agrees to cancel his debt if he will look after his mother for a few days
while he goes away with his family. Reluctantly Gianni agrees, and then finds
himself with not one but three ancient and demanding guests to look after
in their small apartment. Anyone with a typical Nonna
will sympathize with Gianni’s plight as he tries to keep all the ladies comfortable,
happy and well fed, with only a bottle of wine for support. Principal Cast:
Valeria De Franciscis, Marina Cacciotti, Maria Calì,
Grazia Cesarini Sforza,
Gianni di Gregorio
Drama/Indie/Neo-Noire
John Rosow is a private detective prone to sardonic wit,
gin, and the endless repercussions of what happens when you mix the two.
Powerful lawyer Drexler Hewitt wants Rosow to
tail a mysterious middle-aged man who is traveling with a Mexican boy from
Chicago to Los Angeles. Hewitt’s loyal, stern assistant, Miss Charley, waits
at the door with cash and instructions. But when Rosow
hits Santa Monica, his objective changes: now he has to bring the man back
to New York—for a cool half mil. Through his various dealings with an odd
cast of characters—a cabdriver who knows his Catholic saints, a Segway-riding L.A. cop, meddling FBI agents, and femme
fatales—Rosow begins to unravel the strange tale
of the missing middle-aged man and learns something about himself along the
way. THE MISSING PERSON is a stunning, modern-day film noir. It creates a
desaturated world of color with luscious lighting.
Michael Shannon is perfect as Rosow, with a face
and demeanor that bring the character to startling life. ~ Sundance Film
Festival
Action/Drama/Feature
Germany 1936:
the Olympic Games are close at hand and Nazi Germany is lusting for new idols.
Mountaineers from all over Europe head for the most dangerous rock face in
the Alps, the North Face of the Eiger in the
quest for a gold medal: among them German climbing aces Toni (Fürmann) and Andreas (Lukas). During preparations,
they meet Luise (Wokalek),
an old school friend and Toni’s childhood sweetheart, who has been sent to
make a propaganda story of the event. When the men’s expedition descends
into a dramatic struggle for survival, Luise
sets out to save her former lover in a race against both time and the elements.
Based on a true story, NORTH FACE is a deeply spectacular drama full of unbelievably
epic shots and nerve shredding tension. ~ Inverness Film Festival
PACHAMAMA – (EL REGALO
DE LA PACHAMAMA)
Drama
Set in Salar de Uyuni, this rare
and captivating drama summons the breathtaking scenery of the Bolivian Andes.
Kunturi, a 13-year-old boy lives a traditional
life until his grandmother passes away and his father takes him on his first
llama caravan trip. For three months, Kunturi
travels down the Ruta de la Sal (Salt Route),
exchanging blocks of salt for Andean goods. Once at their final destination,
Kunturi's life is forever changed when he meets
the beautiful, Ulala. Both feel the air of romance
as they discover they share the same dream. ~ Chicago Latino Film Festival
Arizona Premiere/Docudrama/Feature
SÉRAPHINE is
the true story of Séraphine Louis aka Séraphine de Senlis (Yolande Moreau), a simple and profoundly devout housekeeper
who in 1905 at age 41 — self-taught and with the instigation of her guardian
angel — began painting brilliantly colorful canvases. In 1912 Wilhelm Uhde (Ulrich Tukur), a
German art critic and collector — he was one of the first collectors of Picasso
and champion of naïve primitive painter Le Douanier
Rousseau — discovered her paintings while she worked for him as a maid in
his lodgings in Senlis outside Paris. Uhde became her patron and grouped her work with other
naïve painters – the so-called “Sacred Heart Painters” — with acclaimed shows
in Paris, elsewhere in Europe and eventually at New York’s MOMA. Director
Martin Provost builds his story around the relationship between the avant-garde
art dealer and the visionary cleaning lady, forging a testament to the mysteries
of creativity and the resilience of one woman’s spirit. A sleeper hit in
France, SÉRAPHINE went on to a surprise win of the Best Picture and Best
Actress for Yolande Moreau along with five other
awards at the 2009 Cesars, the French equivalent
of the Academy Awards.
Arizona Premiere/Black
Comedy/Feature/Featured
SERIOUS MOONLIGHT,
from a screenplay by Adrienne Shelly (Waitress), marks the directorial debut
of actress Cheryl Hines. High-powered Manhattan lawyer Louise (Meg Ryan)
is touched when she comes home for the weekend to her upstate getaway house
to find it strewn with rose petals by Ian, (Timothy Hutton) her husband of
13 years. Unfortunately, as Louise quickly discovers, Ian is not expecting
her and has laid out the spread for his much younger girlfriend (Kristen
Bell) who was meeting him for a secret getaway. In fact, he’s in the process
of writing Louise a letter explaining his intention to leave her for good.
But Louise has other plans--one thing leads to another, and Ian soon finds
himself held captive by an oddly cool Louise who calmly explains that she
won't release him until he professes his love for her and commits to working
on their marriage together. And when Ian’s impatient mistress shows up, not
to mention an opportunistic gardener (Justin Long), that’s where things start
to get really weird.
Comedy
A story about
the fickle Oskar, who certainly has reason to see himself as a successful
man in the prime of life. He has his
roles perfectly balanced: beloved husband, attentive father and favorite
television weatherman. One Saturday morning, however, Oskar wakes up to the
realization that his wife’s nose is just too big. How could he have lived
with her for so long? He decides to take up with a young lover and eventually
leaves his family for her. His awareness that he must find true love at all
costs drives him from one extreme to the next, and also into the arms of
the aging singer Nora. The clouds begin to gather above the man who was always
ready with a smile for his TV audience as he forecast the worst possible
weather... SHAMELESS was inspired by the book, "Short Stories about Marriage
and Sex," by Michal Viewegh who, with a degree
of hyperbole, describes the film as an “unromantic comedy.” ~ Karlovy Vary
International Film Festival
THE SILENCE BEFORE BACH
- (DIE STILLE VOR BACH)
Docudrama/Featured/Non-Narrative
Feature
Bach's music
is brought to life with a surreal and delightful blend of documentary, drama,
and fantasy. Visionary director Pere Portabella
contemplates the ways in which classical music pervades the contemporary
world and its physical landscape. Startling moments from Bach's life are
vividly juxtaposed with a series of skits—a truck driver discusses the music's
finer points; an orchestra of cellists plays a suite on a subway car. THE
SILENCE BEFORE BACH is a "cool, deliberate film suggesting that Bach's music
is the quintessence of European civilization. At once cerebral film essay
and unsweetened ear candy, Portabella's film is nearly as tough to categorize
as its maker" ~ Village Voice Sponsored by: KBAQ 89.5 FM
Drama/Feature/Oscar
Contender
Karim works at an
ostrich farm outside of Tehran, Iran. He leads a simple and contented life
with his family in his small house, until one day when one of the ostriches
runs away. Karim is blamed for the loss and is
fired from the farm. Soon after, he travels to the city in order to repair
his elder daughter’s hearing aid but finds himself mistaken for a motorcycle
taxi driver. Thus begins his new profession: ferrying people and goods through
heavy traffic. But the people and material goods that he deals with daily
starts to transform Karim’s generous and honest
nature, much to the distress of his wife and daughters. It is up to those
closest to him to restore the values that he had once cherished.
STRATEGY OF THE SNAIL
– (LA ESTRATEGIA DEL CARACÓL)
Comic Drama/Feature/Featured/International
Vault
The tenants
of one of the poorest barrios in the center of Bogota, Colombia, struggle
to avoid being evicted from the house where they live, property of an unscrupulous
millionaire. Defending the building against judges and the police, they plan
an original strategy made up by Don Jacinto, a veteran anarchist in exile
after the Spanish Civil War. The fight against speculators and corrupt lawyers
is lost before they begin, but the tenants are prepared to do whatever necessary
to defend their dignity. "Marvelous comedy that was a blockbuster in Colombia
and the rest of Latin America" (Fernando Morales, DIARIO EL PAIS)
Drama/Feature/Oscar
Contender
Temur, a thirty year
old Kazakh, decides to start life again in his ancestral village in the Kyrghyz Mountains where he meets Amira, a young married woman. Temur watches sorrowfully as the individual village
stories unfold and he tries to help the community out in any way he can.
In this way he comes closer to Amira and Taib, her young brother-in-law. Amira and Temur become
lovers. When Amira´s husband returns from the
war the lovers decide to leave the village and travel to a place that would
nurture their dreams.
Drama/Feature/Neo-Noir/Oscar
Contender
After his critically
acclaimed mood pieces "Distant and Climates," Turkey’s leading filmmaker
moves in a more plot-driven direction while retaining his mastery of ambience,
nuance and astonishing cinematography. Winner of the Best Director prize
at Cannes, THREE MONKEYS tells a twisty, noirish
tale that opens with an ambitious politician fleeing a hit-and-run accident.
Afraid of hurting his election chances, he pays off his chauffeur Eyüp to take the rap. The film concerns the effects
of this devil’s bargain on Eyüp’s family as simmering
tensions and sexual intrigue wreak havoc in a household already haunted by
hidden ghosts. In the spirit of Buñuel’s The
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and Haneke’s
"Caché," THREE MONKEYS mounts a caustic critique
of the bourgeois family, riddled with hypocrisy yet stubbornly resilient
in its seemingly boundless capacity to sidestep guilt and accountability.
Documentary/GLBT
T IS FOR TEACHER
examines the experiences of four transgender teachers who transition from
male to female within the American school system. Australian Director Rohan Spong traveled to
New York, Minneapolis, New Mexico and Arizona to interview the teachers about
their struggles and triumphs, and the outcome of each transition. The film
engages in issues such as gendered bathrooms, the impact of transition on
students, and the depiction of transgendered people by mainstream American
media. Along the way, he engages students, parents, school administrations,
a newspaper editor and conservative church groups in a discussion about the
lessons learned from bearing witness to these remarkable transwomen’s courage. “I'm the same person, in and out... it's just that my topographical
map has changed!” (School teacher, Mekah Gordon)
Drama/Feature
TOKYO SONATA
is a story of an ordinary Japanese family of four. The father, Ryuhei Sasaki, like any other Japanese businessman,
is faithfully devoted to his work. His wife, Megumi, left on her own to manage
the house, struggles to retain a bond with her oldest son in college, Takashi,
and the youngest, Kenji, a sensitive boy in elementary school. From the exterior
the family is seemingly normal, save for the tiny schisms that exist within.
The quiet unraveling of the family begins when Ryuhei
loses his job unexpectedly. Facing completely unfamiliar circumstances, he
decides not to tell his family and begins his lonely sojourn into the world
of the secretly unemployed.
WHITE NIGHT WEDDING –
(BRÚðGUMINN)
Black Comedy/Feature/Oscar
Contender
Jon, a middle-aged
professor is going to get married tomorrow, for the second time, to one of
his ex-students half his age. But it's not all roses. Firstly, there's his
cranky mother-in-law-to-be who violently opposes the marriage and who demands
repayment of Jon's loan before the wedding night. Secondly, his plans to
build a golf course on the little island of Flatey
where they live aren't going at all to plan. Thirdly his extremely drunk
best man is on the loose without any shoes and lastly, the continual presence
of his emotional first wife is haunting his every move... When the guests
start flocking to the island, Jon starts getting cold feet... After a very
long night of drinking and thinking, will Jon be able to make it to the church
on time?
Arizona Premiere/Comic
Drama/Feature/Featured/Indie
Ben Singer (Matthew
Broderick) is a failed children's folk singer, a career proofreader, a compulsive
marijuana smoker, and a less-than-extraordinary weekend dad. He's also the
most negative man alive. Floundering in all aspects of his life, Ben's only
comfort comes from regular chess games and friendly debates on game theory
with his Senegalese roommate Ibou. When Ibou is suddenly struck ill, and an insensitive municipal
employee exacerbates the emergency situation, Ben's pessimistic worldview
seems unequivocally confirmed. His only recourse
is to pour his energies into a frivolous lawsuit against the city for depraved
indifference. But Ben soon finds that cynicism may be all a matter of perspective.
Writer/director Josh Goldin increasingly calls
into question Ben's misanthropy and carefully navigates the character's midlife
melancholy as a possible product of his own mind. Goldin
delicately balances both seriousness and levity, giving texture and depth
to this offbeat and entertaining character study. Broderick brings the unlikable
but undeniably savable Ben to life with the wry antics of his performance.
~ Tribeca Film Festival
Black Comedy/Feature/Neo-Noir/Oscar
Contender
Communist slogans,
valuable diamonds, rare poisons, glass eyes and scatological humor—these
are just a few of the elements driving the plot of Javor
Gardev’s immensely energetic debut feature. Using
a film noir framework, exquisite black-and-white cinematography and rapid-fire
dialogue, ZIFT depicts an ex-con named Moth (Zachari
Baharov) on the night after his release from
prison. Falsely incarcerated for murder in the 1940s, he proves himself a
model Communist while inside and is released on good behavior two decades
later into a drastically different Bulgaria. With its breathless leaps among
the multiple stories nestled in its overarching narrative, ZIFT recalls the
masterpieces of American film noir, the cinema of the Coen brothers or the literature of Roberto Bolaño. Featuring a bathhouse scene that equals in
visceral audacity the one in Cronenberg’s "Eastern
Promises," and a revelation concerning a cache for jewels that tops "The
Maltese Falcon," ZIFT is an unforgettable story about fate, freedom and society’s
various notions of justice. ~ San Francisco International Film Festival Mature
Content