Film Festival Circuit 2007

[Antoine Doinel]

Also these Americans might not agree with assessment that AIC is benefitting them.

[Barmy]

Yes, Fred, "Death" is S/H's last good flick (hence my 20 years... comment). I've seen a smattering of their post-"Death" cinema but just found it tired. Frankly, I feel their entire oeuvre is pretty minor. Maybe that's why it doesn't get shown much. Just my opinion.

[John Cope]

Frankly, I feel their entire oeuvre is pretty minor. Maybe that's why it doesn't get shown much.

Now, you've started a shit storm!

Buckle down, Barmy, and prepare for page after page of back and forth on the merits of Sicilia!

[fred]

I think Sicilia! is actually very great, and even the "minor" (or are they just shorter?) films, like Cezanne, Visit to the Louvre, Lothringen! and Von heute auf morgen, are gems. And Antigone--undoubtedly a major work--is finally being subtitled in English, so perhaps it will finally become available to non-German speakers in the near future. In short, I've seen no evidence of decline in their work. It's as accomplished as it's ever been.

[John Cope]

I think Sicilia! is actually very great, and even the "minor" (or are they just shorter?) films, like Cezanne, Visit to the Louvre, Lothringen! and Von heute auf morgen, are gems.

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I'm just giving our old pal Barmy a friendly kidney punch.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

For what it's worth, I dug up a more complete version of Straub's statement and it's more ambiguous than the excerpt I posted earlier:

Now both in their 70s, they could not come to Venice because of health problems. Straub however sent a message, almost as cryptic as his work.

He thanked festival director Marco Muller for his "courage" in picking "The Meeting" for the competition, noting that his previous films had never won in Venice.

Then he added, apparently referring to the tight security on the Lido:

"I would not be able to celebrate in a festival where there are so much public and private police looking for a terrorist. I am that terrorist. As long as American imperialistic capitalism exists, there won't be enough terrorists in the world. All the best, Jean-Marie".

Straub's working definition of "terrorist" is evidently a good deal broader than most.

[Artois]

Straub's working definition of "terrorist" is evidently a good deal broader than most.

Perhaps he's using the Bush administration definition of terrorist? i.e "if you're not with us, you're with them"

[Jeff]

The Lineup:

PREMIERES

"An American Crime," directed by Tommy O'Haver ("Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss") and written by O'Haver and Irene Turner, based on the true story of a mother of seven who kept a teenage girl prisoner in her basement in `60s Indianapolis. Catherine Keener, Ellen Page, James Franco and Bradley Whiteford topline this world premiere.

"Away From Her," the feature directorial debut of actress Sarah Polley, who wrote this adaptation of an Alice Munro story about a man dealing with the institutionalization of his Alzheimer's-afflicted wife. Julie Christie and Gordon Pinsent star in this Salt Lake City gala opening nightattraction, which preemed at the Toronto fest.

"Black Snake Moan," director-writer Craig Brewer's follow-up to "Hustle & Flow," a study of a reclusive black bluesman who makes it his mission to rescue a wild, promiscuous white woman from herself. Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci play the leads in this Paramount Vantage release.

"Chapter 27," director-writer Jarrett Schaefer's exploration of the deranged mind of Mark David Chapman and his obsession with "The Catcher in the Rye," leading up to the murder of John Lennon. Jared Leto gained 55 pounds to play the leading role, and Lindsay Lohan has a small part. World premiere.

"Chicago 10," Brett Morgen's docu follow-up to "The Kid Stays in the Picture," which uses animation, archival footage, interviews and music to dramatize the anti-war protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the subsequent Chicago Conspiracy Trial. This world preem will open the Sundance fest in Park City.

"Clubland," a second feature from Australian helmer Cherie Nowlan ("The Wedding Party") and written by Keith Thompson, with Brenda Blethyn as an alcoholic old entertainer who becomes involved in her son's romance with a new girlfriend. Also features Khan Chittenden, Emma Booth and Richard Wilson. World premiere.

"The Good Night," director-writer Jake Paltrow's feature debut, a romantic comedy about a young man, unhappy in his relationship, who falls in love with a dream woman, played by Penelope Cruz. Danny DeVito, Martin Freeman and helmer's sister Gwyneth Paltrow also appear in this world premiere.

"King of California," director-writer Mike Cahill's tale about an unstable Don Quixote-like figure, played by Michael Douglas, who gets out of a mental institution and tries to convince his daughter, Evan Rachel Wood, that there is buried gold somewhere under suburban California. World premiere.

"Life Support," directed by Nelson George and written by George, Jim McKay and Hannah Weyer, in which Queen Latifah stars as an AIDS activist in the black community. HBO feature also features Anna Deavere Smith and Wendell Pierce. World premiere.

"Longford," A British HBO venture directed by Tom Hooper and written by Peter Morgan ("The Queen"), in which Jim Broadbent portrays Lord Longford, a controversial reformer whose support of serial killer and child torturer Myra Hindley in the late `60s caused a furor. With Samantha Morton, Lindsay Duncan and Andy Serkis. World premiere.

"The Nines," the feature directorial debut of writer John August ("Go," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"), a philosophical consideration of the mysterious connections between the lives of a troubled actor, a television showrunner and a videogame designer. Toplines Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa McCarthy and Elle Fanning. World premiere.

"Resurrecting the Champ," directed by Rod Lurie and written by Allison Burnett, Michael Bortman, Chris Gerolmo and Lurie, in which a struggling sports reporter, played by Josh Hartnett, discovers that a homeless man (Samuel L. Jackson) he rescues is actually a former heavyweight boxing champion, long thought dead. Also with Teri Hatcher, Kathryn Morris, Rachel Nichols and Alan Alda. World premiere.

"The Savages," directed and written by Tamara Jenkins ("Slums of Beverly Hills"), starring Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman as a self-absorbed sister and brother who come to know each other better when forced to assume responsibility for their hospitalized father who never cared for them. Fox Searchlight release will be seen in its world premiere.

"Son of Rambow" (U.K.), directed and written by Garth Jennings ("A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), about a strictly raised boarding school student who makes a movie with strange fellow student during the summer. World premiere.

"Summer Rain" (Spain), a personal second feature from director and actor Antonio Banderas ("Crazy in Alabama"), adapted from a novel by his childhood friend Antonio Soler, a coming-of-age story about growing up in Malaga in the late '70s. World premiere.

"Trade," directed by Marco Kreuzpaintner ("Summer Storm") and written by Jose Rivera, a look at the sex trade in the U.S. that stars Kevin Kline as a cop who helps a 17-year-old search for his 13-year-old sister, who was kidnapped in Mexico City. Lionsgate release will have its world premiere.

"Year of the Dog," directorial debut of writer Mike White ("Chuck and Buck," "School of Rock"), a comedy in which Molly Shannon stars as a young lady who embarks on a transformative journey after her dog dies. Paramount Vantage release will be seen in its world premiere.


SPECTRUM

"Angel-A" (France), directed and written by Luc Besson, a fairy tale about a man who gets a new lease on life after he rescues a beautiful young woman from a suicide attempt in the Seine River.

"Bugmaster" (Japan), directed by Katsuhiro Otomo and written by Sadayuki Murai, derived from an ancient legend and based on a famous Manga about an itinerant, mystical doctor who cures people from a plague caused by supernatural creatures called "Mushi."

"Dark Matter" (U.S.), directed by Chen Shi-Zheng and written by Billy Shebar, inspired by real events, about a brilliant Chinese astronomy student whose dreams are challenged when he takes up studies for his Ph.D. in the U.S. Stars Meryl Streep,Liu Ye, Aidan Quinn, Blair Brown, Bill Irwin, Rob Campbell, Joe Grifasi and Eric Avari. World premiere.

"Dedication" (U.S.), the feature directorial debut by actor Justin Theroux and written by David Bromberg, a comic drama about the problems of a socially disfunctional children's book author forced to work with a female illustrator after he loses his long-time collaborator and only friend. Billy Crudup, Mandy Moore, Tom Wilkinson, Dianne Wiest, Bob Balaban, Martin Freeman, Christine Taylor, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Bogdanovich and Amy Sedaris head the cast. World premiere.

"Delirious" (U.S.), directed and written by Tom DiCillo, about the odd dynamics in the relationships among a two-bit paparazzo, a young homeless man and a female pop star. Toplines Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Alison Lohman and Gina Gershon.

"The Devil Came on Horseback" (U.S.), a documentary directed by Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern ("The Trials of Darryl Hunt"), centered on a U.S. Marine's attempt to stir public interest in the genocide in Darfur, Sudan. World premiere.

"Expired" (U.S.), directed and written by Cecilia Miniucchi, about the curious love affair between a lonely meter maid and a disturbed fellow parking officer. With Samantha Morton, Jason Patric, Teri Garr and Illeana Douglas. World premiere.

"Fay Grim" (U.S./Germany), directed and written by Hal Hartley, a sequel to "Henry Fool" eight years on about a single mother who is drawn into a perplexing world of international espionnage. Stars Parker Posey, Jeff Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Saffron Burrows, Liam Aiken and Thomas Jay Ryan.

"Fraulein" (Switzerland), directed and written by Andrea Staka, which looks at how a tough Zurich restaunteur from the former Yugoslavia becomes unsettled by a younger, free-spirited woman who arrives after the Balkan War. With Mirjana Karanovic and Marija Skaricic.

"The Go-Getter" (U.S.), directed and written by Martin Hynes ("The Big Split"), a road movie about a teen's trip in a stolen car to find his long-lost brother. Features Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel and Jena Malone. World premiere.

"The Great World of Sound" (U.S.), directed by Craig Zobel ("Surfacing") and written by George Smith and Zobel, about a man who gets something different than he bargained for when he answers an ad to train as a record producer. With Pat Healy, Kene Holliday and Rebecca Mader, and produced by David Gordon Greene. World premiere.

"If I Had Known I Was A Genius" (U.S.), directed by Dominique Wirtschafter and written by Markus Redmond, with the latter appearing as a young African-American man who discovers he has a high IQ and tries to forge a new life for himself while also struggling with his dysfunctional family. World premiere.

"Interview" (U.S.), directed by Steve Buscemi and written by Buscemi and David Schechter, a remake of a film by the late Theo Van Gogh, about the dark secrets that surface when a political journalist is assigned to interview a glamorous television actress. Buscemi stars with Sienna Miller. World premiere.

"Low and Behold" (U.S.), directed by Zack Godshall and written by Godshall and Barlow Jacobs, which looks at an insurance adjuster in post-Katrina New Orleans. With Jacobs, Robert Longstreet and Eddie Rouse. World premire.

"La Misma Luna" (The Same Moon) (U.S.), directed by Patricia Riggen ("Family Portrait") and written by Ligiah Villalobos, the story of a Mexican boy who, upon the death of his grandmother, struggles to join his mother in Los Angeles. Features Adrian Alonso, Kate dei Castillo, Eugenio Derhez and America Ferrara. World premiere.

"Miss Navajo" (U.S.), directed by Billy Luther, a documentary exploration of the role of women in Navajo culture as seen through one young woman's preparation for the Miss Navajo National Pageant. World premiere.

"Red Road" (U.K.), directed and written by Andrea Arnold, a raw, disturbing drama about a female surveillance officer in Glasgow who eventually confronts a man she observes on her video screens. Winner of the Prix du Jury in Cannes. Katie Dickie, Tony Curran, Martin Compston and Natalie Press topline.

"Reprise" (Norway), directed by Joachim Trier and written by Trier and Eskil Vogt, which focuses on the life experiences of two competitive aspiring writers in their twenties.

"Save Me" (U.S.), directed by Robert Cary ("Anything but Love") and written by Craig Chester, Alan Hines and Robert Desiderio, which investigates the difficulties a young man has when he enters a Christian-run ministry to try to cure his "gay affliction." With Chad Allen, Robert Gant, Judith Light and Stephen Lang. World premiere.

"Tuli" (Philippines), directed by Auraeus Solito and written by Jimmy Flores, about the alternate life created by a young girl from a remote Philippines village after being forced into an arranged marriage.

"The Unforeseen" (U.S.), directed by Laura Dunn, a documentary about the battle between a Texas farmer planning a large subdivisions in pristine hill country and environmentalists who feel enough is enough. World premiere.

"Waitress" (U.S.), directed and written by the late Adrienne Shelly, her third feature as a director, about a pregnant, unhappily married waitress in the South who may have one last shot at happiness. Stars Keri Russell, Nathan Fillion, Cheryl Hines, Jeremy Sisto and Andy Griffith. World premiere.

"Wonders Are Many" (U.S.), in which vet docu filmmaker Jon Else looks at the collaboration between John Adams and Peter Sellars on their opera about Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project, while also examining the complex birth of nuclear weapons. World premiere.

"Year of the Fish" (U.S.), directed and written by David Kaplan, a contempo Cinderella story set in the underbelly of New York's Chinatown rendered in rotoscope animation. World premiere.


PARK CITY AT MIDNIGHT

"Fido (U.S.), directed by Andrew Currie and written by Robert Chomiak and Currie, the story of a boy's effort to keep a six-foot tall pet zombie that eats the next-door neighbor. Stars Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connelly and Tim Blake Nelson.

"Finishing the Game" (U.S.), directed by Justin Lin and written by Josh Diamond and Lin, about a film studio's search for a replacement for Bruce Lee who can finish the legendary martial arts star's unfinished picture, "Game of Death." With Roger Fan, Sung Kang, McCaleb Burnett, Monique Curnen, Mouse Kraish, Jake Sandvig, Sam Bottoms, Dustin Nguyen, James Franco and MC Hammer. World premiere.

"It's Fine! Everything Is Fine." (U.S.), directed by Crispin Hellion Glover and David Brothers, and written by Glover and Steven C. Stewart, an autobiographical account by Stewart, who has severe cerebral palsy, of his experiences, particularly in regard to women. World premiere.

"The Signal" (U.S.), directed and written byDavid Bruckner, Jacob Gentry and Dan Bush, a journey into the nature of violence from three distinct points of view. World premiere.

"SK8 Life" (Canada), directed by S. Wyeth Clarkson and written by Clarkson and Elan Mastai, about 8 "sk8trs" brought together to make a "sk8 tape" but must work to save the legendary "Crashpad."

"Smiley Face" (U.S.), directedby Gregg Araki and written by Dylan Haggerty, about the strange day of a slacker actress after she inadvertently eats her roommate's pot cupcakes. Toplines Anna Faris. World premiere.

"The Ten" (U.S.), directed by David Wain and written by Ken Marino and Wain, which comically points up the risks of modern life in 10 episodes, each devoted to one of the ten commandments. World premiere.

"We Are the Strange" (U.S.), directed and written by M dot Strange, an animated feature in which two outcasts struggle to survive in a dangerous fantasy world. World premiere.

SUNDANCE COLLECTION

"River's Edge" (U.S.), director Tim Hunter and screenwriter Neal Jimenez's 1986 study of alientated teens, with Crispin Glover and Keanu Reeves.

"X: The Unheard Music" (U.S.), W.T. Morgan's 1987 documentary about the L.A. punk band X.

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

"The Last Mimzy" (U.S.), directed by Bob Shaye and written by Bruce Joel Rubin and Toby Emmerich, about two children who discover a mysterious box of "toys." World premiere.

"Autism Every Day" (U.S.), directed by Lauren Thierry, a documentary about families with autistic children. World premiere.

NEW FRONTIER

"Artist Spotlight: Pierre Huyghe," a collection of short films by the French multimedia artist rarely seen outside of museum or art gallery contexts.

"The Last Dining Table" (South Korea), directed and written by Gyeong-Tae Roh, an evocation of the issues of environmental pollution and family values decay in a minimalist/surrealist style.

"Offscreen" (Denmark), directed by Christoffer Boe and written by Boe and Knud Romer Jorgensen, about an actor making an intensely private home movie about himself. World premiere.

"Phantom Love" (U.S.), directed by Nina Menkes, a surreal tale about the personal liberation of a woman trapped in a family. Shot in Los Angeles and Rishikesh, India. World premiere.

"Slipstream" (U.S.), directed and written by Anthony Hopkins, about a man thrown into a vortex where time, dreams and reality converge. Hopkins appears in the film along with Stella Aaroyave, Michael Clarke Duncan, Fionnula Flanagan, Gavin Grazer, Camryn Manheim, Kevin McCarthy, S. Epaiha Merkerson, Lisa Pepper, Christian Slater, Jeffrey Tambor, Aaron Tucker and John Turturro. World premiere.

"Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait" (France), directed by Douglas Gordon and Philippe Parreno, for which 17 Super-35mm Scope-format cameras focused exclusively on the soccer star Zinedine Zidane.

DRAMATIC COMPETITION

"Adrift in Manhattan," directed by Alfredo de Villa ("Washington Heights") and written by Nat Moss and de Villa, in which Heather Graham plays a grieving eye doctor reassessing her life, while an aging artists deals with his loss of eyesight and a photographer battles personal demons. Features an eye-popping sex scene with Graham. Victor Rasuk, Dominic Chianese, William Baldwin and Elizabeth Pena also star.

"Broken English," directed and written by Zoe Cassavetes, her dramatic feature bow is a romantic yarn about a thirtysomething woman (Parker Posey) who embarks upon a relationship with an offbeat Frenchman while her friends are preoccupied with family life. Also with Melvil Poupaud, Drea de Matteo, Gena Rowlands, Justin Theroux, Peter Bogdanovich, Tim Guinee, James McCaffrey, Josh Hamilton and Bernadette Lafont.

"Four Sheets to the Wind," a debut feature from Sundance Lab director-writer Sterlin Harjo, a comedy/drama about a Native American brother and sister who, after their father dies, embark upon a new life in Tulsa. With Cody Lightning and Jeri Arredondo.

"The Good Life," directed and written by Steve Berra, about how the arrival of a young woman disrupts the life of a young man who has dedicated himself to operating a faded movie palace in a small town. Toplines Mark Webber, Zooey Deschanel, Bill Paxton, Harry Dean Stanton, Chris Klein, Patrick Fugit, Drea de Matteo, Bruce McGill,, Donal Logue and Deborah Rush.

"Grace Is Gone," the first dramatic feature from director-writer James C. Strouse, a topical story about the three days it takes for a young father (John Cusack) to summon the courage to tell his young daughters that their mother has been killed in Iraq. Alessandro Nivola, Shelan O'Keefe and Gracie Bdenarczyk fill out the cast.

"Joshua," directed by George Ratliff ("Hellhouse") and written by David Gilbert and Ratliff, a threatening child meller about the eponymous eight-year-old prodigy who wreaks havoc on his New York family when a baby sister is brought home from the hospital. Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Celia Weston, Dallas Roberts, Michael McKean and Jacob Kogan play the main roles.

"Never Forever," directed and written by Gina Kim, about a woman (Vera Farmiga) who launches into a clandestine relationship with a stranger when she and her Asian-American husband can't conceive a child. Also with David McInnis, Jung-woo Ha and Hwasi Lee.

"On the Road With Judas," directed and written by J.J. Lask, in which reality, fiction and different storytelling modes mix to relate the tale of a young thief and his lover. Featuring Aaron Ruell, Eddie Kaye Thomas and Kevin Corrigan.

"Padre Nuestro," directed and written by Christopher Zalla, an immigration survival story about a criminal's passage from his native Mexico to New York City, where he meets a man looking for his wealthy father. With Jesus Ochoa, Armando Hernandez, Jorge Adrian Espindola and Paola Mendoza.

"The Pool," directed by documaker Chris Smith and written by Smith and Randy Russell, a class study acted in Hindi and filmed in Goa, India, about a young hotel worker's fixation on a swimming pool and the family the comes to occupy the house it adjoins. Nana Patekar, Venkatesh Chavan, Jhangir Badshah and Ayesha Mohan topline.

"Rocket Science," directed and written by documaker Jeffrey Blitz ("Spellbound"), an HBO-produced story about a 15-year-old stutterer from New Jersey who is drawn into the intense world of competitive debating when he falls for the star of the debate team.

"Snow Angels," directed by David Gordon Green ("George Washington") and written by Stewart O'Nan, a dark tale about a teenager, his former babysitter, her estranged husband and their daughter. Stars Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, Griffin Dunne and Amy Sedaris.

"Starting Out in the Evening," directed by Andrew Wagner ("The Talent Given Us") and written by Wagner and Fred Parnes, concerning a grad student who convinces an aging, solitary writer (Frank Langella) that his thesis will put him back in the literary spotlight. Also featuring Lili Taylor, Lauren Ambrose and Adrian Lester.

"Teeth," directed and written by Mitchell Lichtenstein, a conceptually provocative yarn about a devoutly Christian high school girl (Jess Wexler) who finds she possesses a "physical advantage" over men when she becomes the victim of a sexual assault. John Hensley, Josh Pais, Hale Appleman and Lenny von Dohlen also appear.

"The Untitled Dakota Fanning Project aka Hounddog," directed and written by Deborah Kampmeier ("Virgin"), a Southern Gothic tale set in 1961 Alabama about a precocious girl who finds what she's looking for in blues music. Fanning toplines along with Robin Wright Penn, David Morse, Piper Laurie, Afemo Omilami

"Weapons," directed and written by Adam Bhala Lough, a multi-strand revenge drama which examines the interrelationship among several seemingly random youth-related killings in a small town over the course of a weekend. Features Nick Cannon, Paul Dano, Mark Webber, Riley Smith, Regine Nehy, Jade Yorker, Brandon Mychal Smith, Amy Furguson, Aris Mendoza, Serena Reeder, Toni Trucks and Arliss Howard.

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

"Banished," directed by Marco Williams, an exploration of what might be done to right the wrongs committed in three American towns that forcibly ejected their black populations in the early 20th century.

"Chasing Ghosts," directed by Lincoln Ruchti and written by Ruchti and Michael Verrechia, a look at the winners of the original 1982 Video Game World Championship.

"Crazy Love," directed by Dan Klores, the troubling true story of an obsessive relationship between a married man and a beautiful, single 20-year-old woman that started in 1957 and continues.

"Everything's Cool," directed by Judith Helfand and Daniel B. Gold, about the struggles of some self-appointed global warming activists to find the right ways to move from advocacy to public action on behalf of alternative energy.

"For the Bible Tells Me So," directed by Daniel Karslake, which looks at five conservative Christian families as a way of analyzing how the religious right has tried to use the Bible to stigmatize gays and advance the separation between church and state.

"Ghosts of Abu Ghraib," directed by Rory Kennedy, which uses first-hand testimonies by those involved to examine the abuses at the Iraqi prison.

"Girl 27," directed by David Stenn, an investigation into the cover-up of a scandal stemming from the rape of underage dancer Patricia Douglas at a wild MGM stag party in 1937.

"Hear and Now," directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky, the story of the filmmaker's deaf parents who, after 65 years of silence, decide to have cochlear implant surgery in an attempt to gain hearing.

"Send a Bullet," directed by Jason Kohn, a look at aspects of corruption and violence in contempo Brazil.

"My Kid Could Paint That," directed by Amir Bar-Lev, which focuses on a four-year-old girl whose paintings, which have been compared to the work of Kandinsky, Pollock and Picasso, have already netted her parents $300,000.

"Nanking," directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman, a study of the "Rape of Nanking" by the Japanese in the '30s, with attention to the special efforts of a small group of Westerners who saved more than 250,000 people in the midst of the violence.

"No End in Sight," directed by Charles Ferguson, a comprehensive analysis, using first-time interviews with significant participants, of the chain of decision that led to the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq.

"Protagonist," directed by Jessica Yu, which uses the stories of four diverse men to explore the organic relationship between human life and Euripidean dramatic structure.

"War Dance," directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, about the efforts of three young Ugandan girls and their refugee camp school to travel to compete in a national music and dance festival.

"White Light/Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki," directed by Steven Okazaki, which looks at the human cost of atomic warfare.

"Zoo," directed by Robinson Devor ("Police Beat"), a humanizing account of the notorious case of an apparently normal Seattle man who died during a sexual encounter with a horse.

WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION

"Blame It On Fidel" (France), directed and written by Julie Gavras, which takes the point of view of a 9-year-old girl whose parents become political radicals in early '70s Paris.

"Drained" (Brazil), directed by Heitor Dhalia and written by Marcal Aquino and Dhalia, about the life change of a devious pawnbroker.

"Driving With My Wife's Lover" (South Korea), directed by Kim Tai-sik and written by Kim Joen-han and Kim, which describes the long taxi journey of a man and the cab driver he's learned is having an affair with his wife.

"Eagle Vs. Shark" (New Zealand), directed and written by Taika Waititi, a portrait of two social misfits who try to find love. A Miramax release in its world premiere.

"Ezra" (France), directed by Newton I. Aduaka and written by Aduaka and Alain-Michel Blanc, which examines the attempt of a former child soldier to carve out a normal life after the civil war in Sierra Leone. World premiere.

"Ghosts" (U.K.), directed by Nick Broomfield and written by Broomfield and Jez Lewis, a fact-based telling of the tragic struggle of an illegal Chinese woman to find a footing in the U.K.

"How Is Your Fish Today? (U.K.), directed by Xiaolu Guo and written by Rao Hui and Xiaolu, which looks at a Chinese writer's inner journey through his fictional characters.

"How She Move?" (Canada), directed by Ian Iqbal Rashid and written by Annmarie Morais, the tale of a private school student forced to return to her former crime-ridden neighborhood, where she takes up competitive "Step" dancing. World premiere.

"The Island" (Russia), directed by Pavel Lounguine and written by Dmitri Sobolev, a drama bout an odd monk at a small Russian Orthodox monastery.

"Khadak" (Belgium/Germany), directed and written by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth, about a young Mongolian faced with the end of the nomad way of life in the wake of an animal plague.

"The Legacy" (Georgia/France), directed and written by Gela Babluani and Temur Babluani, which focuses on three French hipsters and a translator who encounter an old man and his grandchild determined to end a clan war in Georgia, where the French intend to claim an inherited castle.

"The Night Buffalo" (Mexico), directed by Jorge Hernandez Aldana and written by Hernandez Aldana and Guillermo Arriaga, about a 22-year-old schizophrenic who designs a web to ensnare his cheating girlfriend and her lover before committing suicide. World premiere.

"Noise" (Australia), directed and written by Matthew Saville, about the struggle of a young cop, who suffers from tinnitus, or ear-ringing, to clear his head of the screaming he hears in the wake of a mass murder on a train. World premiere.

"Once" (Ireland), directed and written by John Carney, a modern musical love story featuring Glen Hansard and his Irish band "The Frames."

"Dreams of Dust" (Burkina Faso/Canada/France), directed and written by Laurent Salgues, about a Nigerian peasant who hopes to put his past behind him by working in a gold mine in Burkina Faso.

"Sweet Mud" (Israel), directed and written by Dror Shaul, an account of a man the deal with his mother's mental illness within the constraints of '70s kibbutz life.

WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

"Acidente" (Brazil), directed by Cao Guimaraes and Pablo Lobato, an experimental, poetic expression of everyday life culled from images of 20 cities in Menas Gerais, Brazil.

"Bajo Juarez, The City Is Devouring Its Daughters" (Mexico), directed by Alejandra Sanchez, an examination of the societal corruption backdropping the many cases of sexual abuse and murders of women in a Mexican industrial border town.

"Cocalero" (Bolivia), directed by Alejandro Landes, which follows the campaign of Aymaran Indian Evo Morales to becomed the first indigenous president of Bolivia. World premiere.

"Comrades In Dreams" (Germany), directed by Uli Gaulke, a look at four people in different parts of the world who bring cinema to locals.

"Crossing the Line" (U.K.), directed by Daniel Gordon, which recounts the life of one of the few Americans who defected to North Korea during the Cold War.

"Enemies of Happiness" (Denmark), directed by Eva Mulvad and Anja Al Erhayem, an account of the victory of a 28-year-old Afghani woman in the 2005 parliamentary election.

"Hot House" (Israel), directed by Shimon Dotan, which examines how Israeli prisons have become a breeding ground for future Palestinian leaders and terrorists.

"In the Shadow of the Moon" (U.K.), directed by David Sington, a comprehensive account of the American Apollo space program. World premiere.

"The Future Is Unwritten" (Ireland.U.K.), directed by Julien Temple, a look at Joe Strummer and the punk rock generation.

"Manufactured Landscapes" (Canada), directed by Jennifer Baichwal, which focuses on the work of photographer Edward Burtynsky and his portraits of the transformation of landscapes due to industry and manufacturing.

"The Monastery: Mr. Vig and the Nun" (Denmark), directedby Pernille Rose Gronkjaer, about how an 82-year-old male virgin and a Russian nun transform the former's castle into an Orthodox Russian monastery.

"On A Tightrope" (Norway/Canada), directed by Petr Lom, which uses the efforts of four orphans to learning tightrope walking to express the struggle of the Uighur Chinese Muslim minority to reconcile religion and communism.

"Three Comrades" (Drie Kameraden) (Netherlands), directed by Masha Novikova, an account of how the lives of three lifelong friends are devastated by the war in Chechnya.

"A Very British Gangster" (U.K.), directed by Donal MacIntyre, a up-close look at Dominic Noonan, the head of one of Britain's best known crime families, in Manchester.

"VHS -- Kahloucha" (Tunisia), directed by Nejib Belkadhi, about a self-styled filmmaker in a poor Tunisian community.

"Welcome Europa" (France), directed by Bruno Ulmer, about the struggles of Kurdish, Moroccan and Romanian immigrants in Europe.

[exte]

They can certainly showcase a lot of films, my God... I went there in 2004 and I don't think they had this many... So, and I'm sorry if the question is redundant, is this festival the largest in the US? Officially?

[Brian Oblivious]

"Largest" in what way? I'm under the impression that Seattle still gets the largest number of butts in seats during its festival each year. But I'm not sure if it has the largest number of films or the largest operating budget.

[Andre Jurieu]

"The Last Mimzy" (U.S.), directed by Bob Shaye and written by Bruce Joel Rubin and Toby Emmerich, about two children who discover a mysterious box of "toys." World premiere.

The New Line execs are directing movies again? Has no one learned anything from watching Joe Roth's sterling directing career?

[toiletduck!]

"The Last Mimzy" (U.S.), directed by Bob Shaye and written by Bruce Joel Rubin and Toby Emmerich, about two children who discover a mysterious box of "toys." World premiere.

The New Line execs are directing movies again? Has no one learned anything from watching Joe Roth's sterling directing career?

Well, I sure hope they aren't writing their own synopses -- they might as well title it "Mommy, What's a Strap-on?"

-Toilet Dcuk

[flyonthewall2983]

"An American Crime," directed by Tommy O'Haver ("Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss") and written by O'Haver and Irene Turner, based on the true story of a mother of seven who kept a teenage girl prisoner in her basement in `60s Indianapolis. Catherine Keener, Ellen Page, James Franco and Bradley Whitford topline this world premiere.

I actually did some research into this case on Wikipedia last night. Being from Indiana myself, I couldn't help but be interested. After the conviction, the case was called "the single worst crime perpetrated against an individual in Indiana's history". Reading about it was cringe-inducing enough, I'm sure I'll skip this flick if it's at my local cineplex.

[Cinesimilitude]

I can't wait to see "The Good Night", if only for Martin Freeman.

[filmghost]

Palm Springs International Film Festival 2007

Since I've already seen -one way or another- over than 40 films of their certainly impressive line-up, I thought that I could offer some recommendations to anyone interested…

I agree with acquarello: I hated, hated, hated August Days… it's totally boring, pretentious crap. I also second his recommendation for Madeinusa.

2006 was a great year for German cinema and Palm Springs offers a good selection (The Lives of Others, Longing, The Free Will, Emma's Bliss). It's a pity they won't screen Hans-Christian Schmid's powerful Requiem… it's a great film and Sandra Hüller gives an incredibly mature –considering her age- performance. Too bad she won't be considered for any of the season's high profile awards. She certainly deserves that more than anyone else! Catch it wherever you can!

MUST SEE:
Pan's Labyrinth: I guess you've already heard it elsewhere, but this is in my opinion one of the best films of the year! Stunningly looking and highly original, this is the Spirit of the Beehive of CG times.
The Lives of Others: Terrific -if conventionally directed- script. If you like old-fashioned political thrillers, then you don't have to look further.
Longing: The Dardennes meet Kieslowski. Unfairly ignored at Berlin Film Festival.
The Bothersome Man: Absurd satire of consumerism and modern way of life. Quite unique.
Farewell Falkenberg: What it lacks scriptwise, it gets from it's moody, melancholic atmosphere and sense of loss that's almost haunting. Great cinematography, too, and a director to watch in the future.
The Iceberg: Hilarious almost dialogue-free Belgian Tati-esque comedy. It runs out of steam on second half, but it's still very amusing.

RECOMMENDED:
Wild Tigers I Have Known: Hallucinogenic coming of age tale shot on beautiful HD. A bit pretentious, but its virtues overcome its flaws.
Beyond Hatred: A powerful study on racism, sometimes unbearable, but without the usual sentimentalities.
12:08 East of Bucharest: Delicious East-European political satire.
Emma's Bliss: Unconventional love story with great performances. It's still quite commercial stuff but Americans would very much like to be able to make something like that.
The Host: Fun, fun, fun! With a bit of social comment…

For some light, but utterly decent entertainment, I would recommend Change of Address and Family Law.

FLAWED BUT RECOMMENDED ANYWAY:
Summer 04: Well written and acted character study reminiscent of Polanski's Knife in the Water with an invaluable ending and knock-out performance by Martina Gedeck.
Beauty in Trouble: Lesser, but interesting a-moralistic tale from Jan Hrebejk.
Yacoubian Building: Unbelievably melodramatic and sometimes over-simplistic but nevertheless spectacular Egyptian epic. In a way, it reminded me of Bollywood films, but that's pure popular cinema for the masses. And that's a compliment…
Day Night Day Night: Portnoy and Doug Cummings described that a lot better than I could…They are both right!
Taxidermia: Some may find this pointless and disturbing, but it's worth if only for the visuals.
Grbavica: Well crafted if overrated Golden Bear winner.
In Bed: Refreshing study of modern sexual/relationship behavior, ruined by some clichés in the script. An exciting experiment however, since it is entirely shot in a love hotel bedroom with two actors, still maintaining the audience's interest.

NOT RECOMMENDED:
The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros: Cute, but totally naïve and superficial story about a gay boy in the Philippines falling in love with a cop. Tender but amateur.
Ahlaam: Heavy on obvious symbolisms Iraqi anti-war allegory. Avoid!
August Days: I hated, hated, hated it!
Chariton's Choir: It's funny, but their website lists that as a German production, but it's not. It's Greek and believe me I know better. One more of those trying-to-be-commercial sweet/retro Greek films.
DarkBlueAlmostBlack: Easy on the eye, with attractive young faces, but in its core it's just plain soap opera stuff.
Frozen City: Miserable and passable follow up to Aku Louhimies' better Frozen Land.

1:1, Fresh Air, The Way I Spent the End of the World, Uro and Cinema, Aspirins & Vultures are decent but nothing that you couldn't afford to miss. I also find After the Wedding a bit overrated. Svankmajer's Lunacy also didn't meet my high expectations but I guess it's essential viewing for every fan of his work (like me!).

I haven't seen but have heard horrible things from some of my colleagues about Greek-Australian director Ana Kokkinos' Book of Revelation. The exact opposite goes for Crialese's The Golden Door. I've heard it's superb.

I tried to be as short as I could. I once more apologize for my English. It's not my native language and I hope I have made my point clear for every film despite of the –obviously many- grammatical errors. And of course, everything I wrote is just my personal opinion. I mean the -so much appreciated in this forum- Syndromes and a Century almost killed me… and I don't mean that in a good way.

I would be glad if my comments could be of any help to those of you attending Palm Springs Festival… Please feel free to ask me if you want to know anything else… And Happy New Year to everyone!!!

[Doug Cummings]

Wow--thanks for the recommendations! I wholeheartedly agree with your praise of Requiem, so I'm eyeing the other German films you've mentioned (particularly anything that can be compared to the Dardennes and Kieslowski).

At this point, I'm scratching August Days off the list. I guess it's just pretentious to a fault?

Pan's Labyrinth is stunning, and I found 12:08 East of Bucharest and The Host reasonably entertaining, so I think we're on the same track. And I'd almost see The Golden Door just because it was shot by Agnès Godard.

I have inadvertantly missed Cinema, Aspirin, & Vultures at several fests, so it's good to hear that I may not have missed much.

But I loved Syndromes and a Century, too!

[filmghost]

Well, no one is perfect!

Seriously now, I'm glad that I helped.

Any of the German films playing at the festival is worth seeing (Lives of Others, Longing, Free Will, Summer '04, Emma's Bliss) but you shouldn't miss the first two for anything! However the other three are strong films featuring exquisite performances. Martina Gedeck is great in both Lives of Others and Summer '04, and having the chance to also meet her in person a couple of months ago, I can say that she seems a true star and a highly professional. Jürgen Vogel is equally incredible as the main attraction in both Emma's Bliss and especially Free Will.

Judging from those films, together with Requiem, the highly experimental/theatrical Der Kick (which after Berlin didn't get the festival exposure it deserved) and a couple of others, I think that German cinema is currently going through a true resurrection.

[Doug Cummings]

Sounds exciting. I'm actually only staying for just over half of the festival, so that restricts me a bit, but fortunately I can switch out August Days for The Lives of Others on Sunday and fit The Iceberg in on Tuesday. Thanks again!

[rohmerin]

Madeinusa is the film debut of my beautiful, smart and close friend Claudia LLosa.
It's the movie that Perú send to the Oscars.

did anyone see it?

[Grimfarrow]

Although it pains me to say it when I think of how much I loved Horse Thief, I'm afraid that I'm another who was disappointed by The Go Master. It seemed to me to be an ultra-conventional living treasure biopic, dripping with sepia-toned beauty, refinement, restraint and reverence, tip-toeing through potentially controversial Japan-China waters and generally lacking both edge and oomph. I was entertained during the first 20 minutes by the guy in the seat next to me chomping happily through a crinkly bagful of nuts which probably didn't help my appreciation, but then he got up and left, and I spent the rest of the film trying unsuccessfully to find a satirical subtext. Verdict: worthy, i.e. dull (not something I have ever felt about any of Hou's films, incidentally). I'm glad others got more out of it than I did and wish we'd got Summer Palace at the London Film Festival instead.

Maybe you were looking for satirical subtext that weren't intended? This is a film about, first and foremost, a man and his passion for the game of Go. That the elliptical nature of the film represents each "move" within Go (ie. not revealing the whole structure of the story, just "glimpses" into history) is entirely intentional, and as someone who flirted with Go before (albeit briefly - I don't have the patience for it alas), I think the film succeeds quite beautifully.

[Grimfarrow]

Sorry portnoy, but I gotta disagree with your recommendation. I felt the film was well-wrought but ultimately very manipulative and unwilling to commit to any ideological position (or even offer any true psychological insight) regarding the issues it raises. I admired the handheld camerawork and the lead performance, but I thought it had even less to say than Santosh Sivan's 1999 The Terrorist.

I also am mixed on it. Performed well and directed well, but afterwards, you have a "so what?" kind of feeling about it all. The lack of context in this case actually hinders it, because it washes the filmmaker's hands from having to delve into politics, which is what terorism is about ultimately. Without the context what we see is a bit meaningless IMO.

Talking about washing, how about AFTER THE WEDDING? Talk about White Man's Burden! Geez. The scenes in India are so nauseatingly "First-World look about uncivilized 3rd world" it's not even funny, considering how tacked on it is to the soppy Danish melodrama at its center.

[brunosh]

Maybe you were looking for satirical subtext that weren't intended? This is a film about, first and foremost, a man and his passion for the game of Go. That the elliptical nature of the film represents each "move" within Go (ie. not revealing the whole structure of the story, just "glimpses" into history) is entirely intentional, and as someone who flirted with Go before (albeit briefly - I don't have the patience for it alas), I think the film succeeds quite beautifully.

Interesting! I've only played Go once and turned in what was probably one of the worst performances of all time, and so I am certainly not tuned in to the Go aesthetic. Therefore, I am happy to accept that I was missing something. I 'm not sure that, for me, this insight unlocks the ingredient I thought was needed and couldn't find or makes the film any less dry a rendering of 'passion', but I am happy to agree to disagree!

[Grimfarrow]

Interesting! I've only played Go once and turned in what was probably one of the worst performances of all time, and so I am certainly not tuned in to the Go aesthetic. Therefore, I am happy to accept that I was missing something. I 'm not sure that, for me, this insight unlocks the ingredient I thought was needed and couldn't find or makes the film any less dry a rendering of 'passion', but I am happy to agree to disagree!

One interesting thing I find from talking to others is that Western viewers tend to not care for the film that much, while Asian viewers are much warmer to it. Maybe it's the subjective cultural perspective?

[Doug Cummings]

I also am mixed on it. Performed well and directed well, but afterwards, you have a "so what?" kind of feeling about it all. The lack of context in this case actually hinders it, because it washes the filmmaker's hands from having to delve into politics, which is what terorism is about ultimately. Without the context what we see is a bit meaningless IMO.

Exactly. And given the film's considerable suspense, it seemed like a fairly sadistic experience in all. At TIFF, the director was very proud of the fact that she didn't make any "statements" with the film, but for me and most of the people I saw it with--given the basis and function of terrorism--that fact was hardly a virtue.

[acquarello]

Oh, and I'd ordinarily try to catch Madeinusa and Men at Work, but they're both imminent Film Movement releases. Acquarello, why did you hate August Days so much? It sounds so promising!

The self-important tone of the film is what really got to me with this one. It's basically a series of pretty landscape pictures - panoramic snapshots that are then "brought to life" during the brothers' road trip through an essentially desolate land (then sprinkle some snappy music for the "hipper than thou" feel). They meet a handful of (boring) drifters, and we hear their partial conversations, but never in any depth to be meaningful, unlike, say, a Kiarostami film. But even when they're alone together, the brothers don't seem to be very close (despite Recha's emphasis on the fact that they're fraternal twins and are supposed to be close) so there's nothing insightful there either. When they arrive at their destination, you never exactly figure out what they were hoping to find by going there.

Oh yeah, I forgot about Madeinusa being forthcoming from Film Movement. In a way, I see the perversion of religious ritual in the film as being similar to the decontextualized ritual of Battle in Heaven. It's really intelligently done.